The Ashcroft Curse (Zebra Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: Only fair...
Review: Jillian Ashcroft is determined to lift the curse that haunts her family. Ever since a witch put a curse on the Ashcrofts years ago, tragic deaths and tragedies have plagued them. In order to break the curse, she needs to get her hands on the pendant of Laura Endicott--her arch enemy (though she's never even met her). So she enlists the help of Sir Richard Blackwood, Laura's fiance.

But Sir Richard isn't eager to help, for he doesn't want to dupe his fiance like that. Jillian resorts to blackmail to enlist him. Very cruel blackmail. And her character just declines from there...

Jillian is a hoyden whose manner of speaking borderlines on scandalous. She is an eccentric, selfish little tart. I really didn't like her. I'm sure she had SOME redeeming quality, but I can't really think of anything right now. Richard's character seemed rather comatose. Richard and Jillian spent 95% of the book bantering with each other. It gets old. Even in the end, their romance wasn't very convincing. However, I DID like Laura, Richard's fiance. She was very sweet, innocent--she was the equivalent of a Regency Snow White. Laura, the gypsy lady in the woods & Jillian's scheming cousin were the only redeeming aspects of the novel.

I wouldn't recommend it. It's not unreadable, but there are better choices. (I'm kind of curious as to whom is featured on the cover of the novel. Is it Laura... or Jillian?)

Rating:
Summary: Only fair...
Review: Jillian Ashcroft is determined to lift the curse that haunts her family. Ever since a witch put a curse on the Ashcrofts years ago, tragic deaths and tragedies have plagued them. In order to break the curse, she needs to get her hands on the pendant of Laura Endicott--her arch enemy (though she's never even met her). So she enlists the help of Sir Richard Blackwood, Laura's fiance.

But Sir Richard isn't eager to help, for he doesn't want to dupe his fiance like that. Jillian resorts to blackmail to enlist him. Very cruel blackmail. And her character just declines from there...

Jillian is a hoyden whose manner of speaking borderlines on scandalous. She is an eccentric, selfish little tart. I really didn't like her. I'm sure she had SOME redeeming quality, but I can't really think of anything right now. Richard's character seemed rather comatose. Richard and Jillian spent 95% of the book bantering with each other. It gets old. Even in the end, their romance wasn't very convincing. However, I DID like Laura, Richard's fiance. She was very sweet, innocent--she was the equivalent of a Regency Snow White. Laura, the gypsy lady in the woods & Jillian's scheming cousin were the only redeeming aspects of the novel.

I wouldn't recommend it. It's not unreadable, but there are better choices. (I'm kind of curious as to whom is featured on the cover of the novel. Is it Laura... or Jillian?)

Rating:
Summary: interesting plot marred by not very likeable heroine
Review: This is another Regency-era romance novel in which the amount of enjoyment you get is going to be a matter of personal taste. I found myself not liking either the heroine or the hero very much -- I actually liked the "other" woman a lot better and found myself wishing that Maria Greene had spent a great deal more time on her and her (potential) romance!

Miss Jillian Ashecroft is determined to end the curse that has dogged her family for centuries. Apparently hundreds of years ago, a powerful witch, Lucinda Endicott, cursed the Ashecrofts for all time, and the family has floundered ever since. Now Jillian is afraid that she is next in line to suffer from the curse and she has decided to do something about it. Using the research that her father had done before his death, Jillian comes to the conclusion that the only way to break the curse is to obtain a magical stone in the possession of the last of the Endicotts, Miss Laura Endicott. Laura, however, seems to be a bit of a recluse, never leaving her Cornwall estate. And so Jillian decides to blackmail Laura's fiance, Sir Richard Blackwood, into obtaining the magical stone for her.

Sir Richard is, of course, furious. But while he refuses to do Jillian's dirty work for her, he does agree to get Jillian and her aunt invited to Endicott Keep. It will be up to Jillian to get the stone by fair means of foul. Once there, however, Jillian finds her plans are in jeopardy of coming undone. To begin with she finds her hostess, Laura Endicott, to be not quite what she was expecting. And there is her reaction to the maddening but extremely attractive Sir Richard. He seems to despise her, but Jillian cannot deny how he makes her heart race. What's a beleaguered young lady with a curse hanging over her head to do?

My main problem with "The Ashecroft Curse" (and I freely admit I'm biased here) was that I really took against the heroine, Jillian Ashecroft. She was pushy and rude -- and I really don't like people who resort to blackmail even if the ends seem to justify the means. I think she was supposed to come across as determined, intelligent and practical -- unfortunately the authour forgot to make her heroine courteous, warmhearted and kind as well. This lack shows through especially when one is able to compare Jillian's character with that of Laura's. Some readers may find Laura to be a bit insipid, but I found myself warming to this character and wishing that Ms Greene had spent more time and effort on Laura. And there was the problem of Sir Richard, who came across as stiff, bad humoured and totally lacking in any kind of integrity. Well, I suppose that it is difficult to be upright and sunny natured when you're being blackmailed by someone you're attracted to. But I was glad that Maria Greene paired off Jillian and Sir Richard -- they did deserve each other.

On the other hand "The Ashecroft Curse" did possess a rather interesting storyline, and one that I felt compelled to read all the way through even when Jillian's actions exasperated me no end. The prose style was good -- no glaring lapses into 20th century Americanisms, and the story did unfold smoothly. So, all in all, a solid 3 star read.