Catherine M. (Catherine1) reviewed Provocative in Pearls (Rarest Blooms, Bk 2) on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
The Earl of Hawkeswell's bride disappeared just hours after her wedding. Bits of her clothes were found and no one was certain whether she had run away or was dead. The Earl, Grayson, was unable to touch any of her money until she was legally declared dead. Two years after she disappeared he finally found her.
Verity Thompson is another woman taken in by Daphne, owner of The Rarest Blooms. We met her first in the previous book Ravishing in Red. She is an heiress and after her father died her cousin became her guardian and blackmailed her into marrying Grayson. After finding out that her cousin reneged on his promise she flees. She isn't sure whether Grayson was in on the plot with her cousin and isn't willing to stay around to find out.
Grayson accompanies his friend Summerhays to The Rarest Bloom to see his wife Audrianna. Unfortunately for Verity they came a day early and she didn't a chance to avoid them. With one look Grayson knows he has found his missing bride. Verity tries to convince him to end the marriage but Grayson would much rather keep the money and his very attractive wife.
Unfortunately I did not like this book as much as the first one, Ravishing in Red. I know I should have found their relationship tempestuous but I really didn't. I didn't dislike reading it, but it really didn't wow me. I really didn't like that Verity didn't feel bad at all for running away from Grayson. Even when she saw how bad his house and his tenants were doing she didn't really care. She acknowledged it but it never really impacted her.
The whole search for Michael was pretty amazing. I really felt bad for Grayson in that situation. He feared that his wife loved Michael and would leave Grayson for him. I can't say I'm surprised with his views. Even reading Verity's thoughts I still felt that she was looking for Michael mostly because she loved him even if she wouldn't admit it. Maybe she didn't love him so much as the idea of him. I wish Verity and Grayson hadn't had sex before their problems were worked out a little better. I also wish that they both weren't so willing to let sex be a manipulation tool.
Both characters were really flat and uninspiring for me. I don't regret reading the book, but I can't say it's one that I'll reread. I'm sad to say I found Hawkeswell's friends more interesting than him.
Verity Thompson is another woman taken in by Daphne, owner of The Rarest Blooms. We met her first in the previous book Ravishing in Red. She is an heiress and after her father died her cousin became her guardian and blackmailed her into marrying Grayson. After finding out that her cousin reneged on his promise she flees. She isn't sure whether Grayson was in on the plot with her cousin and isn't willing to stay around to find out.
Grayson accompanies his friend Summerhays to The Rarest Bloom to see his wife Audrianna. Unfortunately for Verity they came a day early and she didn't a chance to avoid them. With one look Grayson knows he has found his missing bride. Verity tries to convince him to end the marriage but Grayson would much rather keep the money and his very attractive wife.
Unfortunately I did not like this book as much as the first one, Ravishing in Red. I know I should have found their relationship tempestuous but I really didn't. I didn't dislike reading it, but it really didn't wow me. I really didn't like that Verity didn't feel bad at all for running away from Grayson. Even when she saw how bad his house and his tenants were doing she didn't really care. She acknowledged it but it never really impacted her.
The whole search for Michael was pretty amazing. I really felt bad for Grayson in that situation. He feared that his wife loved Michael and would leave Grayson for him. I can't say I'm surprised with his views. Even reading Verity's thoughts I still felt that she was looking for Michael mostly because she loved him even if she wouldn't admit it. Maybe she didn't love him so much as the idea of him. I wish Verity and Grayson hadn't had sex before their problems were worked out a little better. I also wish that they both weren't so willing to let sex be a manipulation tool.
Both characters were really flat and uninspiring for me. I don't regret reading the book, but I can't say it's one that I'll reread. I'm sad to say I found Hawkeswell's friends more interesting than him.
Michelle D. (Michelle74) reviewed Provocative in Pearls (Rarest Blooms, Bk 2) on + 153 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Interesting. The second in the series. I liked the story enough. When the heroine really let herself start to get to know the hero, it was nice, it just took a while to get to that point.
My only complaint is that I didn't really feel like her "explaination" was enough. Even at the end of the book, her driving force didn't seem substancial.
Having said that, the story flowed nicely and kept my attention. It does seem to follow a fairly realistic pattern (at least as realistic as romances go :)
I will suggest to read the first (Ravishing in Red)before this one. Many characters are intertwined and clues are very faintly provided as they lead into eachother.
Enjoy
My only complaint is that I didn't really feel like her "explaination" was enough. Even at the end of the book, her driving force didn't seem substancial.
Having said that, the story flowed nicely and kept my attention. It does seem to follow a fairly realistic pattern (at least as realistic as romances go :)
I will suggest to read the first (Ravishing in Red)before this one. Many characters are intertwined and clues are very faintly provided as they lead into eachother.
Enjoy
Helpful Score: 3
This book was difficult to get interested in for quite a while. Verity was too rigid and unfeeling. Once her character was expanded on I began to care whether they got it together or not. I enjoyed the last part of the book very much. Definitely worth reading.
