Helpful Score: 3
The first time I read this book I really enjoyed it, but then I decided to read it again a couple of weeks later when I needed to kill some time. Upon reading it again, I realized that the hero is really quite a jerk in this book. He's insistent that he hurt this woman, even though she's never done any wrong to him. And he never really sees the error of his ways.
Helpful Score: 2
3rd in the series... and not quite as good as No 2. But, sill a good read. Lucien de Malheur is out for revenge upon the Rohan family, and decides to use Miranda Rohan to punish them. He hires another man to ruin her, and then plots to marry her himself. Miranda is too practical, and keeps adjusting to the unusual events that keep happening to her, which frustrates Lucien.
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed this book. I liked it better than the second one for sure but I know it is hard to keep the suspense and mystery up for all books in a series. Loved how this series went through the generation! Great story with lots of excitement and intrique. A really great read.
Helpful Score: 1
Here is one of those rare books that is almost impossible to definitively rate.
Emotional rating: 2.0
Analytical rating: 5.0
How does one meld the two when splitting it right down the middle just doesn't do either justice?
From the emotional perspective:
There are few things I HATE more than an emotionally exhausting journey that ends abruptly. This story takes the cake. If you take the word "emotion" - on steroids, add a hero/villain so vile as to leave one's nails chewed to stubby bits and a heroine in so much humiliating danger one hardly dares turn the next page, drag the heart through to the excruciating conclusion then shove them off a cliff, you have the gist of it. I guess it is better than hanging off that cliff - but not much. After all Miranda - and the reader goes through, at least a few pages of seeing that the redemption worked is imperative to one's peace of heart and mind, let alone one's love of the book!
From the analytical perspective:
To get a reader's emotions so invested that they even have stubby bits is an incredible feat in itself and Ms. Stuart is the genius all-powerful, undisputed queen in this area. She deftly weaves a web that catches the reader so subtly, one isn't even aware they are holding their breath and crying until they are free falling off that cliff as they close the book. WOW! Talent doesn't get any better than this, folks! It is not the lyrical prose, painted descriptions or meditative meanderings that usually garners praise. It is just down and dirty, bare bones human nature unearthed in all it's horrific or angelic glory.
That's it. That's the best I can do at pin-pointing the infuriating perfection of Breathless.
Emotional rating: 2.0
Analytical rating: 5.0
How does one meld the two when splitting it right down the middle just doesn't do either justice?
From the emotional perspective:
There are few things I HATE more than an emotionally exhausting journey that ends abruptly. This story takes the cake. If you take the word "emotion" - on steroids, add a hero/villain so vile as to leave one's nails chewed to stubby bits and a heroine in so much humiliating danger one hardly dares turn the next page, drag the heart through to the excruciating conclusion then shove them off a cliff, you have the gist of it. I guess it is better than hanging off that cliff - but not much. After all Miranda - and the reader goes through, at least a few pages of seeing that the redemption worked is imperative to one's peace of heart and mind, let alone one's love of the book!
From the analytical perspective:
To get a reader's emotions so invested that they even have stubby bits is an incredible feat in itself and Ms. Stuart is the genius all-powerful, undisputed queen in this area. She deftly weaves a web that catches the reader so subtly, one isn't even aware they are holding their breath and crying until they are free falling off that cliff as they close the book. WOW! Talent doesn't get any better than this, folks! It is not the lyrical prose, painted descriptions or meditative meanderings that usually garners praise. It is just down and dirty, bare bones human nature unearthed in all it's horrific or angelic glory.
That's it. That's the best I can do at pin-pointing the infuriating perfection of Breathless.
