The Squire's Daughter (Harlequin Historical, No 208)

Rating:
Summary: Worst Heroine Ever
Review: Clare Cummings is one of the worst "heroine's" I have ever read. She was such a poor excuse of a bride I hoped Justin would leave her! Sure, romances need plot. And I have to admit I find the bride who won't sleep with her husband really boring. But Clare said she wanted to have a real marriage but she sure went about it in a crazy way.

Rating:
Summary: Worst Heroine Ever
Review: Clare Cummings is one of the worst "heroine's" I have ever read. She was such a poor excuse of a bride I hoped Justin would leave her! Sure, romances need plot. And I have to admit I find the bride who won't sleep with her husband really boring. But Clare said she wanted to have a real marriage but she sure went about it in a crazy way.

Rating:
Summary: A lovely romance
Review: I have enjoyed previous books by Deborah Simmons, but this one was truly awful. Our heroine, Clare Cummings met Justin St. John when she was 14 and fell in love with him, an established rake. For 2 years, she sneaks into his castle when he is in town and they have a friendly relationship, but she thinks he is her prince and loves him. Her dad finds out, threatens Justin and tells him he needs to marry her and he refuses. Clare finds out and runs to talk to him but finds him in bed with one of her maids. Flash forward 2 years and she is in London for the season. She meets him again but thinks she hates him. He, however, finds out she is to marry an evil man and to protect her, steals her away to Scotland to marry. She does so but spends a 100 pages or so refusing his marital rights because she can not get the picture of him in bed with her maid out of her mind. Then why marry him? Before they married, he told her she could live anywhere and he would always take care of her but she said that she wanted a real marriage and he agreed. She demanded he give up drinking, gambling, other women and they would have to live in the falling down castle. One day she comes upon him without his shirt and she nearly kills him. It was hard to read, how foolish she was. It was so immature and illogical that I wish Ms. Simmons had perhaps made her older, or something in which a reader could relate to. He tells her he loves her but does not matter for too many pages. Painful read...

Rating:
Summary: bad, bad, bad
Review: I have enjoyed previous books by Deborah Simmons, but this one was truly awful. Our heroine, Clare Cummings met Justin St. John when she was 14 and fell in love with him, an established rake. For 2 years, she sneaks into his castle when he is in town and they have a friendly relationship, but she thinks he is her prince and loves him. Her dad finds out, threatens Justin and tells him he needs to marry her and he refuses. Clare finds out and runs to talk to him but finds him in bed with one of her maids. Flash forward 2 years and she is in London for the season. She meets him again but thinks she hates him. He, however, finds out she is to marry an evil man and to protect her, steals her away to Scotland to marry. She does so but spends a 100 pages or so refusing his marital rights because she can not get the picture of him in bed with her maid out of her mind. Then why marry him? Before they married, he told her she could live anywhere and he would always take care of her but she said that she wanted a real marriage and he agreed. She demanded he give up drinking, gambling, other women and they would have to live in the falling down castle. One day she comes upon him without his shirt and she nearly kills him. It was hard to read, how foolish she was. It was so immature and illogical that I wish Ms. Simmons had perhaps made her older, or something in which a reader could relate to. He tells her he loves her but does not matter for too many pages. Painful read...

Rating:
Summary: A lovely romance
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The hero, Justin, was just gorgeous, and the heroine, Clare, though not quite as great, was ultimately likeable and sweet. It is a childhood sweethearts becoming lovers kind of story: Justin is a young libertine when Clare, young and innocent, captures his heart with fairy tales and dreams. Unwilling to spoil her innocence, though, he refuses to marry her when her father wants him to propose. Four years later, they meet again and do get married. They are made for each other, and seeing them fall in love all over again was beautiful. The sexual tension is incredible! The last section, in which a murder mystery is solved, was somewhat weaker, but didn't mar my enjoyment. THE SQUIRE'S DAUGHTER really is a wonderful little book by a talented author.