Much Ado About You

Rating:
Summary: My first by James...
Review: and definitely not my last. I enjoyed this charming story very much and look forward to the next one in the series. Yes, there were a lot of characters to follow, but the pages kept turning and the story flowed smoothly. I highly recommend this one and am currently on my quest to find everything else Ms. James has written.

Rating:
Summary: A letdown
Review: I am a huge Eloisa James fan, but was not thrilled with this book and had to force myself to finish it. It is very clear even without ever knowing more books would follow that was her intention, a setup. Too much time was spent explaining each sister over and over again so we could truly get a sense of them. I felt that Tess really deserved a true story of her own, not one thrown into the mix of all the many explanations. I thought Imogen would NEVER finally run away with her love as we were told she would by reading the back cover. The story was very slow paced and instead of sitting down and finishing it the way I have done with all of her books prier it took me three days. Then suddenly when there are less than 50 pages left it grew interesting. It was truly a letdown but I hope the ones to follow will be better without all the explaining. We can only hope.

Rating:
Summary: Much Adfo About You
Review: I have read several of this author's previous works, so I decided to ignore the review that was disappointed because this book seemed much more of an introduction of all the characters in this sister series. That reviewer was right on. While I like the James style of having her two main characters be part of a group dynamic, in this book, they become lost in the sheer number of other characters involved. At the end of this book I really couln't recall anything special about Tess and Lucius that made me care that they loved each other. In fact, I keep wondering how it was possible. I am interested in the stories of several of the other characters, so I will probably buy other books in this series, but this book was definitely a waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: A top-notch start to a new series
Review: I really enjoyed James' new book. It had all the right elements: a superbly matched lead couple, a romance that sparked instantly but took time to grow deeper, well-developed secondary characters that you look forward to seeing again, wit and warmth and the right touch of sorrow and heartache.

While I could have wished that more pages had been devoted to Tess & Lucius' relationship, that's a common difficulty with any first entry in a series; the groundwork for all the other books must also be laid. My rating stems more from the epilogue, which I did not like.

All in all, this is one book I'm glad I bought. When there are so many times that I wish I had my money back, that is praise indeed. In fact, it makes me want to pick up another Eloise James book--I think I need to go back and read Your Wicked Ways, which is referred to here. A VERY solid 4 stars, this one.

Rating:
Summary: A solid read, but I have a bone to pick
Review: I'm very tired of authors taking scenes or sometimes whole plots from already famous and popular books. Mary Balogh's Slightly Dangerous could easily be renamed Slightly Pride and Prejudice.

In Much Ado About You the characters are engaging and the plot interesting. However, there is one scene practically lifted from a Louisa May Alcott book. This might not be problematic except that the character is imbued with characteristics and nobility that he hasn't shown throughout the entire book. There is a description of the character given through the author's perspective that is the antithesis of every behavior the character showed. The character is unlikeable and uncharming and the author telling us otherwise doesn't make it so. This is important because it makes one of the characters who will presumably have her own book later in the series both unlikeable and unsympathetic.

There is also a bit about a sister's elopement lifted right out of Pride and Prejudice again.



Rating:
Summary: A terrific historical romance
Review: In 1816 Duke Raphael Jourdain buys four rocking horses so that the orphan sisters that recently became his wards would not fight over toys like he and his brother used to do. He hires a nanny and four nursemaids to care for the children, whom he never met. The quartet arrives to a nursery filled with toys. The oldest Teresa thinks that men will be boys, but a shocked Rafe apologizes for his misconception. Tess introduces her younger siblings (fifteen years old Josie, twenty years old Imogen, and twenty-two years old Annabel).

While Rafe drinks too much brandy, Tess realizes she must marry off her siblings; each one's dowry is a renowned racing horse so she figures if men are like her father, besotted with steeds only, she should have no trouble finding a suitor for each of them. However, instead she finds an unsuitable rake for herself as Tess falls in love with Lucius Felton, disowned by his family for his unbecoming of a lord behavior.

This is a terrific historical romance that showcases family living in Regency England. The story line predominantly plays out as Tess and her sisters display love and support for one another. On the other hand, Lucius is fabulous as he tries to gain entry into the sisterhood although his reputation as being barred by his parents precedes him; his family relationships are the opposite of the sisterhood especially with his peerage mother. The final discovery by Tess and readers of the cause of his estrangement tells a lot about the times in a few sentences. Fans will appreciate this strong tale that much ado about fantastic writing.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: A great start to a new series
Review: In the latest offering from Ms. James, you meet the four Essex sisters: Tess, Annabel, Imogen, and the youngest Josie. The sisters are left penniless and orphaned when their horse crazed dad dies. Arriving on the steps of guardian that they have never met, the Duke of Holbrook, the sisters feel scared and alone, so the oldest Tess, decides she must marry to ensure her sisters' future. Of course not all goes as planned because Imogen sets her cap for another horse crazed man, who is already taken not only by engagement to another woman, but also by an overbearing mama. Enter Lucius Felton, the long time friend of the Duke of Holbrook, Lucius shows up for a yearly visit to this friend's country estate and is surprised by his friend's charges. This book will have you laughing as you follow the misadventures of Tess and Lucius. I enjoyed watching them fall in love while Tess tried to keep her sisters in line. This story has a few plot twist that I was not expecting, but where good editions to the story, none the less. Anyone that enjoys Ms. James books will not want to miss this book. Ms. James once again wrote a book that has a great mixture of humor and romance.

Rating:
Summary: a bit sedate but a nice read nonetheless
Review: The Essex sisters are in a pickle: their improvident father is dead, and now the sisters (four in all) are penniless and homeless. But their prospects are not so dire for their father has given them a guardian in the shape of the Duke of Holbrook (a youngish and rich gentleman, even if he does seem to be perpetually tipsy); and he has dowered them each with a much prized horse. The Duke in determined to do his duty by his wards and to see them settled happily in life; while Tess, now that she realises that she can count on the Duke to do right by her sisters and her, is determined to marry as soon as possible. Fortunately, the Duke his two of his closest friends visiting: the urbane and sophisticated Earl of Mayne and the fabulously rich and rakish Lucius Felton. The earl seems all set to woo her, but it is Lucius Felton who makes her pulses race, and whose kisses thrill. Should Tess make the prudent decision of allowing the earl to propose? Or should she wait for Lucius to make his move?

With this first installment of a new series featuring the Essex sisters, Eliosa James is off to a promising start. For while the series follows an old formula (virtually penniless sisters must marry for security), Ms James' execution of this old plot gambit is anything but, especially since she's introduced a rather interesting twist involving Imogen Essex, her obsession with an unsuitable suitor and how this affects her relationship with her sisters. All this will probably only be properly "fleshed" out in subsequent installments; "Much Ado About You," focuses mostly on setting up the series premise and the characters involved in this series. And while I did enjoy "Much Ado About You" enormously, I have a feeling that some readers may not, because the developing romance/attraction that the book should have focused on (the Tess-Lucius pairing) sometimes got lost in between the many plot threads. A little more of Tess interacting with Lucius would have been very welcome. Since I've never watched Sex in the City, I'm unable to say whether or not the comparision is accurate; but I can advise though is to avoide the plot synopsis at the back of the book -- it gives far too much of the plot away.

Rating:
Summary: I hope the next one's about Tess
Review: This could have been a really, really good book. A great book. There were some moments in which I truly liked the characters, the story, the style of writing.
And then everything would change - suddenly we're following a story that doesn't involve the hero and heroine, even watching it from someone else's perspective and the moment is lost.
If only the author hadn't used this book as just a big, awkward stepping stone for the next books in her series.
Particularly since Tess appeared to be the most endearing of the sisters. Annabelle makes a fantastic secondary character, she's funny, outrageous - a good comic relief. She's also a vain, shallow, gold digger - not my kind of heroine. And Imogen! The little brat is revoltingly selfish and if I'm not mistaken -a little unstable. Certainly, I was sorry for her tragic circumstances, but then I felt sorry for the horrible mother too and I don't want to read a book about her.
I suppose the youngest sister was likable enough - perhaps I'll wait until her book comes out.


Rating:
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: This is my first book by Eloisa James. She is an excellent writer, and I enjoyed this novel--my favorite genre, Regency romance--but I would have enjoyed it more if the pace hadn't been so plodding throughout much of the book. Too talky at times, too much dialogue, not enough action. But I certainly plan to read at least one more book in the Essex series.