Helpful Score: 5
~ OBVIOUSLY THE ODD WOMAN OUT, BUT THE PROMISE OF THE BOOK DIDN'T DELIVER (3.5 stars) ~
I was very excited to read this book after reading the first reviews on Amazon.com, but while it was good and worth reading, the love story was not as great as I was expecting/hoping. Furthermore, Cara Elliott's subplots continue to feel rushed IMO and seem to go on mostly outside of the reader's view.
SERIES:
This is the last book in the Circle of Sin Trilogy.
Book 1 - TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL, Ciara's story (4 stars)
Book 2 - TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE, Alessandra's story
Book 3 - TO TEMPT A RAKE, Kate's story
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Kate got quite tiresome constantly harping - both in her mind and out loud - about how different she was, her unusual past, the darkness that she had within her, blah di blah di blah. I did feel that she was too stubborn and quick to judge, though in a way it was a nice change to have real flaws in a heroine.
I wish that we had seen more of her vulnerability and/or that she had shown more of that to Marco. There kept being these moments when he would start to be sweet and tender and Kate would be vulnerable, and then she withdraws, which grew quite frustrating (for me at least).
Marco was fun, and had more depth than a lot of the rake heroes we see. I felt that his love of debauchery was authentic, but so was his despair regarding his life and its direction, which oftentimes writers are not able to portray authentically - here, Elliott definitely succeeded.
There are allusions from the beginning about this darkness in both Marco and Kate's lives and this hidden past or secret that haunts them. Personally, I like to know those types of things more towards the beginning of the book than the end. When it's about the main characters, I feel like we understand them more if we're aware upfront, as opposed to this morsel and hint dropping, which maybe I'm just too impatient for.
ROMANCE:
I felt that more could have been done with their relationship - much more. Kate and Marco spent most of the book at odds with one another, which starts to overlap with quick and heated love scenes (though they're still at odds), and only in the final scene is everything HEA (in the extreme) ... and I'm not one for corniness, so I found it all somewhat nauseating.
They had a lot in common and I really feel that their relationship could have been one of the strongest ones we've seen recently, but it fell rather flat for me. Besides for the fact that Marco antagonizes Kate and that they're both private and stubborn people, I'm not really sure what the obstacle for their relationship is, yet to have them both just give in at the end without any discussion or resolution felt odd. Ex: he's supposedly a womanizer, she is concerned he'll never be faithful ... and then they're both happy and committed.
Along with the subplot, all of these things made the relationship feel too rushed and not fully developed.
BOTTOM LINE:
I know I just listed several criticisms, but it was worth reading and for some reason I'm going to hang on to the book for now and not post it on PBS.
NEXT ELLIOTT BOOK:
There's a preview at the end of the book of Elliott's next regency romance, TOO WICKED TO WED, which comes out in November 2011 (seems so far off!). Not sure yet how I feel about the heroine, Alexa, but I am definitely intrigued by the "hero," who seems to be of the Derek Craven variety ;-) (from Kleypas' DREAMING OF YOU).
I was very excited to read this book after reading the first reviews on Amazon.com, but while it was good and worth reading, the love story was not as great as I was expecting/hoping. Furthermore, Cara Elliott's subplots continue to feel rushed IMO and seem to go on mostly outside of the reader's view.
SERIES:
This is the last book in the Circle of Sin Trilogy.
Book 1 - TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL, Ciara's story (4 stars)
Book 2 - TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE, Alessandra's story
Book 3 - TO TEMPT A RAKE, Kate's story
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Kate got quite tiresome constantly harping - both in her mind and out loud - about how different she was, her unusual past, the darkness that she had within her, blah di blah di blah. I did feel that she was too stubborn and quick to judge, though in a way it was a nice change to have real flaws in a heroine.
I wish that we had seen more of her vulnerability and/or that she had shown more of that to Marco. There kept being these moments when he would start to be sweet and tender and Kate would be vulnerable, and then she withdraws, which grew quite frustrating (for me at least).
Marco was fun, and had more depth than a lot of the rake heroes we see. I felt that his love of debauchery was authentic, but so was his despair regarding his life and its direction, which oftentimes writers are not able to portray authentically - here, Elliott definitely succeeded.
There are allusions from the beginning about this darkness in both Marco and Kate's lives and this hidden past or secret that haunts them. Personally, I like to know those types of things more towards the beginning of the book than the end. When it's about the main characters, I feel like we understand them more if we're aware upfront, as opposed to this morsel and hint dropping, which maybe I'm just too impatient for.
ROMANCE:
I felt that more could have been done with their relationship - much more. Kate and Marco spent most of the book at odds with one another, which starts to overlap with quick and heated love scenes (though they're still at odds), and only in the final scene is everything HEA (in the extreme) ... and I'm not one for corniness, so I found it all somewhat nauseating.
They had a lot in common and I really feel that their relationship could have been one of the strongest ones we've seen recently, but it fell rather flat for me. Besides for the fact that Marco antagonizes Kate and that they're both private and stubborn people, I'm not really sure what the obstacle for their relationship is, yet to have them both just give in at the end without any discussion or resolution felt odd. Ex: he's supposedly a womanizer, she is concerned he'll never be faithful ... and then they're both happy and committed.
Along with the subplot, all of these things made the relationship feel too rushed and not fully developed.
BOTTOM LINE:
I know I just listed several criticisms, but it was worth reading and for some reason I'm going to hang on to the book for now and not post it on PBS.
NEXT ELLIOTT BOOK:
There's a preview at the end of the book of Elliott's next regency romance, TOO WICKED TO WED, which comes out in November 2011 (seems so far off!). Not sure yet how I feel about the heroine, Alexa, but I am definitely intrigued by the "hero," who seems to be of the Derek Craven variety ;-) (from Kleypas' DREAMING OF YOU).
Helpful Score: 2
I agree with the previous reviewer. I think that Kate and Maro both both got quite tiresome. There was potential for the relationship to grow beyond the intense sexual attraction but it just wasn't developed. And she kept harping on her differentness, not really trying to fit into her new life with her grandfather and see the potential there for a better life and ability to pursue her interests. Began to sound like a spoiled brat. I enjoyed the other Circle of Sin books, but this one did not measure up to the others.
Helpful Score: 2
I like the previous books in this series, but this one is very disappointing. I kept reading, based on the other books in this series, but never was rewarded. Marco and Kate are both irritating, unlikable characters. The sex is icky because they don't like each other, and she is basically paying him for silence. This sort of plot can go either way, and in this case, is just plain nauseating. The other books were fun and the female characters well developed and good role models. Kate doesn't have many redeeming qualities and doesn't use her brain. I found the limited subplot of Charlotte and Cluyne provided more interesting characters, but again, not developed. I will have to think twice before I read any more by this author. Too bad, because the first books held such promise.
