The Gamble

Rating:
Summary: Don't get me wrong....
Review: I love this book, the first one by Joan Wolf that I bought. I still re-read occasionally. I adore Georgie and Philip. But I also have some serious problems with this book, which I rate at about 3.5. So why the low score, if I have re-read this book several times?

Here's why: 1) As I read more and more Regency romances (including those by Wolf), I get less and less tolerant of heroines (or for that matter, heroes) who do stupid things. Being naive and innocent is one thing, failing to reveal information about something when you have clearly been warned is quite another thing. Unfortunately, Georgie Newbury, the rather interesting heroine, falls down in this department. Not only does she begin by doing a remarkably silly thing (but a naive action, perhaps), but she later commits several wilful actions which either place her in danger or her sister in danger. That includes the action which brings about the denouement (where a man is killed).

2) There is so little about the hero that I found this book frustrating. Yes, there is a bit about his unhappy childhood, his early debauchery under the tutelage of his father, and his rather colorful way of acquiring a fortune, to put it mildly. But I got these same things so much better in Heyer's THESE OLD SHADES. The problem is that Philip says that he is not a fit husband for Georgie, but fails to explain why. Also, his explanation when it occurs is not that satisfactory. Yes, his reputation is bad, but much of it is owing to his unusual adolescence and his struggle to survive, when his father dies.

3) A lot of problems that develop between the hero and heroine are owing to false communication or simple miscommunication. Georgie fails to tell Philip about certain vital meetings and threats, which makes her too-stupid-to-live in my opinion (or remarkably silly and headstrong, at the least). She also has an old flame visiting her, when her husband clearly objects and when she is warned by others about this. Really, I started to dislike Georgie at times for actions such as these. [Not that you have to love a heroine to find her story intriguing].

4) The heroine deliberately puts herself in danger to attempt to trap a dangerous man, one whose identity she is unsure of and who has nearly killed her before. If she put herself in danger to save someone else, that would be a different issue. Her motivation is not that, it seems to be more of a childish "see what I can do by myself."

OK - now for the good things about this book and why it is a keeper for me.

First, despite Georgie's headstrong ways, I rather liked her (mostly). The first-person narrative helps draw the reader in, although it can be uncomfortable at times (as in her painful wedding night). Second, the hero Philip is a very intriguing character. I wondered about his him and his relationship to some persons of definitely evil character. Third, Georgie's affection for her younger sister and her nanny is charming, as is her determination to find a suitable home for both of them. And no, she will not consider a marriage to a man she detests - which is why she arrives in London in the first place.

Fourth, I rather liked Catherine (a secondary character) and her little romance. I wished I knew more about her love interest; his story sounded very interesting. [Such as: what was his first marriage like? Did he have children with his wife? What was his relationship with his family like?].

There are several strong, if not particularly atractive characters, including a peer of very bad reputation, Philip's dragon aunt (Catherine's mother) and sundry minor characters. The story takes place mostly in London or at Philip's country estate, but Wolf also takes a look at the seedier side of society life, not to mention the criminal under-class.

Despite its many flaws, I would still recommend THE GAMBLE. Just be aware that you will want to knock some sense into Georgie half-way through the book, and that you will be left wondering about the hero.

Rating:
Summary: Don't get me wrong....
Review: I love this book, the first one by Joan Wolf that I bought. I still re-read occasionally. I adore Georgie and Philip. But I also have some serious problems with this book, which I rate at about 3.5. So why the low score, if I have re-read this book several times?

Here's why: 1) As I read more and more Regency romances (including those by Wolf), I get less and less tolerant of heroines (or for that matter, heroes) who do stupid things. Being naive and innocent is one thing, failing to reveal information about something when you have clearly been warned is quite another thing. Unfortunately, Georgie Newbury, the rather interesting heroine, falls down in this department. Not only does she begin by doing a remarkably silly thing (but a naive action, perhaps), but she later commits several wilful actions which either place her in danger or her sister in danger. That includes the action which brings about the denouement (where a man is killed).

2) There is so little about the hero that I found this book frustrating. Yes, there is a bit about his unhappy childhood, his early debauchery under the tutelage of his father, and his rather colorful way of acquiring a fortune, to put it mildly. But I got these same things so much better in Heyer's THESE OLD SHADES. The problem is that Philip says that he is not a fit husband for Georgie, but fails to explain why. Also, his explanation when it occurs is not that satisfactory. Yes, his reputation is bad, but much of it is owing to his unusual adolescence and his struggle to survive, when his father dies.

3) A lot of problems that develop between the hero and heroine are owing to false communication or simple miscommunication. Georgie fails to tell Philip about certain vital meetings and threats, which makes her too-stupid-to-live in my opinion (or remarkably silly and headstrong, at the least). She also has an old flame visiting her, when her husband clearly objects and when she is warned by others about this. Really, I started to dislike Georgie at times for actions such as these. [Not that you have to love a heroine to find her story intriguing].

4) The heroine deliberately puts herself in danger to attempt to trap a dangerous man, one whose identity she is unsure of and who has nearly killed her before. If she put herself in danger to save someone else, that would be a different issue. Her motivation is not that, it seems to be more of a childish "see what I can do by myself."

OK - now for the good things about this book and why it is a keeper for me.

First, despite Georgie's headstrong ways, I rather liked her (mostly). The first-person narrative helps draw the reader in, although it can be uncomfortable at times (as in her painful wedding night). Second, the hero Philip is a very intriguing character. I wondered about his him and his relationship to some persons of definitely evil character. Third, Georgie's affection for her younger sister and her nanny is charming, as is her determination to find a suitable home for both of them. And no, she will not consider a marriage to a man she detests - which is why she arrives in London in the first place.

Fourth, I rather liked Catherine (a secondary character) and her little romance. I wished I knew more about her love interest; his story sounded very interesting. [Such as: what was his first marriage like? Did he have children with his wife? What was his relationship with his family like?].

There are several strong, if not particularly atractive characters, including a peer of very bad reputation, Philip's dragon aunt (Catherine's mother) and sundry minor characters. The story takes place mostly in London or at Philip's country estate, but Wolf also takes a look at the seedier side of society life, not to mention the criminal under-class.

Despite its many flaws, I would still recommend THE GAMBLE. Just be aware that you will want to knock some sense into Georgie half-way through the book, and that you will be left wondering about the hero.

Rating:
Summary: What an interesting concept!
Review: This was the first Joan Wolf I read, and I became an instant fan. I love the idea of the heroine blackmailing the hero! I thought it was a refreshing take on standard romance plots. The mystery is fairly easy to figure out, but the mystery is never the most important part of a Joan Wolf novel. Her characters are the reason her books shine, and these characters are some of the best.

Rating:
Summary: What an interesting concept!
Review: This was the first Joan Wolf I read, and I became an instant fan. I love the idea of the heroine blackmailing the hero! I thought it was a refreshing take on standard romance plots. The mystery is fairly easy to figure out, but the mystery is never the most important part of a Joan Wolf novel. Her characters are the reason her books shine, and these characters are some of the best.

Rating:
Summary: Fun, interesting characters, with some plot problems
Review: Thoroughly enjoyed the book once I got past the author's problems with genre. Ms. Wolf is a marvelous writer, but her characters behave more like 1990's sophisticates rather than 18th century. Excellent historical research and settings. Minor plot problem (when the author has her main character do something dishonest, then continues to beat the reader over the head that the character really is scrupulously honest....) but once you get past that it is well worth reading!

Rating:
Summary: Fun, interesting characters, with some plot problems
Review: Thoroughly enjoyed the book once I got past the author's problems with genre. Ms. Wolf is a marvelous writer, but her characters behave more like 1990's sophisticates rather than 18th century. Excellent historical research and settings. Minor plot problem (when the author has her main character do something dishonest, then continues to beat the reader over the head that the character really is scrupulously honest....) but once you get past that it is well worth reading!