~ WORTH A READ, BUT MY LEAST FAVORITE HOYT BOOK SO FAR (3.5 stars) ~
NOTORIOUS PLEASURES was not as bad as I at first thought it would, but it definitely doesn't compare to the other books I've read by this author. This is my fifth Elizabeth Hoyt book since I started reading her three weeks ago and so far, it is my least favorite. By no means bad, but it didn't have the something extra that most of her others did.
Separately, I liked her lead characters, with our hero, Griffin, easily taking the lead. While yes, he's a rake, he's actually not that much of a bad boy and from the beginning is quite decent. He loves his family, does what he has to to support them, and definitely has a conscience, which usually the bad-boy heroes don't at the beginning. He was charming, sweet, and smart, and all-in-all a very likable hero. He's very honest in his emotions and is not one of those romance heroes who shies away from his feelings, lashes out at the heroine, has commitment issues, etc. And the scene where he tells Hero he loves her ...! Let me tell you, he is welcome to climb through my window *anytime*! So basically yes, he's a dreamboat ;-).
Hero took a little longer for me to warm up to. We first met her in Wicked Intentions and in that book, she was already very likable, if somewhat boring. When she's given her own story here, we're shown how difficult it is to be the daughter/sister of a Duke and how she carefully controls her actions and comments, trying to be the perfect society lady that she needs to be. She comes off as three-dimensional and I like that even when Hoyt has a pretty or beautiful heroine, that's not what we read about very five sentences. She continued to be likable, but very often her self-righteousness and lack of a spine had me rolling my eyes a little. I was pleasantly surprised when she actually did do the right thing towards the end and go to Thomas, Griffin's brother, but then later, she becomes a complete coward when Griffin confesses his feelings. I wanted to slap her upside the head ... or tell her to give him to me, lol.
While both characters were (for the most part) likable and appealing on their own, and while I could understand how as people would be good for one another - opposites attract and all - I just did not feel the spark. I didn't really understand the immediate attraction and oh lord (!) if I have to read one more time about Hero's diamond eyes I am going to scream! Also, because their whole romance basically involves them running around behind Thomas's back, it was almost ill-fated from the beginning for me - I really can't stand any cheating/adultery aspect in my romances. That their whole relationship develops so secretly and in bits and pieces ... I don't know, I didn't feel the depth of a true love romance - there was something missing.
As others have said, the gin aspect didn't really add anything in my mind. It was interesting and I think could have added to the story, but in the end it just felt like a ploy for conflict and to add a subplot.
ACCURACY ISSUE?
One slight annoyance for me was the fact that Griffin has his own title, "Lord Reading," which he shouldn't since his older brother is a Marquess. Maybe I'm mixing up the nobility rules here, but I'm pretty sure that's correct ...?
BOTTOM LINE:
By no means a bad book and worth a read, but I'm glad I got it from the library and in contrast to the other Hoyt books I've read, I will not be buying my own copy. I'm happy I read it because the Maiden Lane series is pretty tied together, so although we don't see Temperance and Lazarus in this book, a lot of the supporting characters reappear. *Most importantly (IMO), we get a few more pieces of Silence and Mickey's story, as a hint of what's to come! *
MAIDEN LANE SERIES:
Book 1 - Wicked Intentions (5 stars)
Book 2 - Notorious Pleasures (3.5 stars)
Book 3 - Scandalous Desires (expected publication Sep 22, 2011)
I absolutely cannot wait for Silence and Mickey's book (Scandalous Desires) and just thinking about it puts a ridiculous grin on my face :-D. I'm also curious to know who the Ghost of St. Giles is (I think it's Winter, but could be wrong) and I'm very much hoping that Phoebe gets her own story. I don't know how to write this without it sounding very wrong, but I think a blind heroine could be very interesting; I've only read that in a couple romances and I think Hoyt could write a really terrific love story with Phoebe as our heroine.
NOTORIOUS PLEASURES was not as bad as I at first thought it would, but it definitely doesn't compare to the other books I've read by this author. This is my fifth Elizabeth Hoyt book since I started reading her three weeks ago and so far, it is my least favorite. By no means bad, but it didn't have the something extra that most of her others did.
Separately, I liked her lead characters, with our hero, Griffin, easily taking the lead. While yes, he's a rake, he's actually not that much of a bad boy and from the beginning is quite decent. He loves his family, does what he has to to support them, and definitely has a conscience, which usually the bad-boy heroes don't at the beginning. He was charming, sweet, and smart, and all-in-all a very likable hero. He's very honest in his emotions and is not one of those romance heroes who shies away from his feelings, lashes out at the heroine, has commitment issues, etc. And the scene where he tells Hero he loves her ...! Let me tell you, he is welcome to climb through my window *anytime*! So basically yes, he's a dreamboat ;-).
Hero took a little longer for me to warm up to. We first met her in Wicked Intentions and in that book, she was already very likable, if somewhat boring. When she's given her own story here, we're shown how difficult it is to be the daughter/sister of a Duke and how she carefully controls her actions and comments, trying to be the perfect society lady that she needs to be. She comes off as three-dimensional and I like that even when Hoyt has a pretty or beautiful heroine, that's not what we read about very five sentences. She continued to be likable, but very often her self-righteousness and lack of a spine had me rolling my eyes a little. I was pleasantly surprised when she actually did do the right thing towards the end and go to Thomas, Griffin's brother, but then later, she becomes a complete coward when Griffin confesses his feelings. I wanted to slap her upside the head ... or tell her to give him to me, lol.
While both characters were (for the most part) likable and appealing on their own, and while I could understand how as people would be good for one another - opposites attract and all - I just did not feel the spark. I didn't really understand the immediate attraction and oh lord (!) if I have to read one more time about Hero's diamond eyes I am going to scream! Also, because their whole romance basically involves them running around behind Thomas's back, it was almost ill-fated from the beginning for me - I really can't stand any cheating/adultery aspect in my romances. That their whole relationship develops so secretly and in bits and pieces ... I don't know, I didn't feel the depth of a true love romance - there was something missing.
As others have said, the gin aspect didn't really add anything in my mind. It was interesting and I think could have added to the story, but in the end it just felt like a ploy for conflict and to add a subplot.
ACCURACY ISSUE?
One slight annoyance for me was the fact that Griffin has his own title, "Lord Reading," which he shouldn't since his older brother is a Marquess. Maybe I'm mixing up the nobility rules here, but I'm pretty sure that's correct ...?
BOTTOM LINE:
By no means a bad book and worth a read, but I'm glad I got it from the library and in contrast to the other Hoyt books I've read, I will not be buying my own copy. I'm happy I read it because the Maiden Lane series is pretty tied together, so although we don't see Temperance and Lazarus in this book, a lot of the supporting characters reappear. *Most importantly (IMO), we get a few more pieces of Silence and Mickey's story, as a hint of what's to come! *
MAIDEN LANE SERIES:
Book 1 - Wicked Intentions (5 stars)
Book 2 - Notorious Pleasures (3.5 stars)
Book 3 - Scandalous Desires (expected publication Sep 22, 2011)
I absolutely cannot wait for Silence and Mickey's book (Scandalous Desires) and just thinking about it puts a ridiculous grin on my face :-D. I'm also curious to know who the Ghost of St. Giles is (I think it's Winter, but could be wrong) and I'm very much hoping that Phoebe gets her own story. I don't know how to write this without it sounding very wrong, but I think a blind heroine could be very interesting; I've only read that in a couple romances and I think Hoyt could write a really terrific love story with Phoebe as our heroine.
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