~ My least favorite Andrea Kane book - romance is boring and dialogue is sickeningly sweet (2 stars) ~
[1875, England]
I did not like WISHES IN THE WIND at all. I didn't hate it - I've read worse historical romances - but I am definitely never rereading this book and will probably sell my copy. Frankly I was surprised that I disliked this book so intensely, since there are some Andrea Kane books that I absolutely love (the most recent example being MY HEART'S DESIRE - for more details check out the review I wrote for it). The romance and characters did not engage my interest and Kane's writing, far from being able to save the book, only made the experience of reading it worse: her dialogue was often too lengthy, aspects of the unfolding mystery subplot were over-explained and repeated by the characters when they didn't need to be, and the exchanges between Dustin and Nicole were *way* too sappy for me.
PROBLEMS WITH THE ROMANCE:
Andrea Kane's books are often sweeter than other authors' and this is usually a change that I appreciate - she never employs those horrible misunderstandings that overtake the book where neither the hero nor heroine is being honest; also, her heroines are never immature, bratty, or arrogant/conceited. WISHES IN THE WIND includes Kane's usual mystery subplot and villains (who are easily guessed at before their unveiling), the nickname-given-to-the-heroine-by-the-hero (in this case it's "Derby"), and the sweet romance, but in this book I found this last to be terribly boring and tepid - I literally had to drag myself through this book, for although I had no interest in getting to the end I am literally incapable of leaving a book unfinished.
Nicole cries far too much and I wanted to yank the handkerchiefs out of her father and Dustin's hands when they're constantly wiping away her tears (if she insists on weeping all the time can't she at least dry her own face?!?!). She and Dustin's exchanges were sickeningly sweet (all the talk about wishing lockets, them being each other's "miracle," the stars winking down at them and looking down on them, fate and love, and on and on) - Ex: "Teardrops glistened on Nicole's lashes. 'I suppose once you've been given a miracle, it's far easier to believe they exist.' 'That's true,' Dustin concurred softly. 'I'm discovering as much myself. Right here, right now.' Their gazes locked. 'My beautiful miracle.' Dustin drew her against him ..." (p.150).
And the above passage occurs not even halfway through the book, which leads me to another complaint ... Dustin and Nicole got together far too quickly. I'm not saying I wanted a relationship that encounters problem after problem, but that they instantly fall in love when they meet by the Thames in London - I hate "love at first sight" books and this comes dangerously close to that. When they say they love each other (p.200 - out of 335) I felt like they still barely knew each other and regardless of when they verbalize the feelings, they act in love practically since their first encounter. This makes it so that the whole book is basically about only resolving the mystery subplot, since their relationship doesn't have any problems (Nicole harps on about certain "obstacles" until she suddenly decides to dismiss them - instead, they should have either been eliminated or explored and dealt with more fully, since her worries seem to have only been included to make their love story not a hurtle-free path - though it still is for all intents and purposes).
THE KINGSLEYS SERIES:
ECHOES IN THE MIST is the first of Andrea Kane's Kingsleys book and features Ariana Caldwell and Trenton Kingsley, the Duke of Broddington (Dustin's older brother). It's followed by WISHES IN THE WIND, which tells the story of Nicole Aldridge and Dustin Kingsley, the Marquis of Tyreham. I hadn't read the first book but had no problem following this one, though those who read and enjoyed Trenton and Ariana's story will appreciate seeing them often again in Dustin and Nicole's.
BOTTOM LINE and RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you like extremely sentimental books with sappy/corny romance, this is the book for you. If you want to read a better Andrea Kane book (IMO), then buy MY HEART'S DESIRE (The Barretts, Book 1) or THE SILVER COIN (Coin Series, Book 2) instead.
(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com)
[1875, England]
I did not like WISHES IN THE WIND at all. I didn't hate it - I've read worse historical romances - but I am definitely never rereading this book and will probably sell my copy. Frankly I was surprised that I disliked this book so intensely, since there are some Andrea Kane books that I absolutely love (the most recent example being MY HEART'S DESIRE - for more details check out the review I wrote for it). The romance and characters did not engage my interest and Kane's writing, far from being able to save the book, only made the experience of reading it worse: her dialogue was often too lengthy, aspects of the unfolding mystery subplot were over-explained and repeated by the characters when they didn't need to be, and the exchanges between Dustin and Nicole were *way* too sappy for me.
PROBLEMS WITH THE ROMANCE:
Andrea Kane's books are often sweeter than other authors' and this is usually a change that I appreciate - she never employs those horrible misunderstandings that overtake the book where neither the hero nor heroine is being honest; also, her heroines are never immature, bratty, or arrogant/conceited. WISHES IN THE WIND includes Kane's usual mystery subplot and villains (who are easily guessed at before their unveiling), the nickname-given-to-the-heroine-by-the-hero (in this case it's "Derby"), and the sweet romance, but in this book I found this last to be terribly boring and tepid - I literally had to drag myself through this book, for although I had no interest in getting to the end I am literally incapable of leaving a book unfinished.
Nicole cries far too much and I wanted to yank the handkerchiefs out of her father and Dustin's hands when they're constantly wiping away her tears (if she insists on weeping all the time can't she at least dry her own face?!?!). She and Dustin's exchanges were sickeningly sweet (all the talk about wishing lockets, them being each other's "miracle," the stars winking down at them and looking down on them, fate and love, and on and on) - Ex: "Teardrops glistened on Nicole's lashes. 'I suppose once you've been given a miracle, it's far easier to believe they exist.' 'That's true,' Dustin concurred softly. 'I'm discovering as much myself. Right here, right now.' Their gazes locked. 'My beautiful miracle.' Dustin drew her against him ..." (p.150).
And the above passage occurs not even halfway through the book, which leads me to another complaint ... Dustin and Nicole got together far too quickly. I'm not saying I wanted a relationship that encounters problem after problem, but that they instantly fall in love when they meet by the Thames in London - I hate "love at first sight" books and this comes dangerously close to that. When they say they love each other (p.200 - out of 335) I felt like they still barely knew each other and regardless of when they verbalize the feelings, they act in love practically since their first encounter. This makes it so that the whole book is basically about only resolving the mystery subplot, since their relationship doesn't have any problems (Nicole harps on about certain "obstacles" until she suddenly decides to dismiss them - instead, they should have either been eliminated or explored and dealt with more fully, since her worries seem to have only been included to make their love story not a hurtle-free path - though it still is for all intents and purposes).
THE KINGSLEYS SERIES:
ECHOES IN THE MIST is the first of Andrea Kane's Kingsleys book and features Ariana Caldwell and Trenton Kingsley, the Duke of Broddington (Dustin's older brother). It's followed by WISHES IN THE WIND, which tells the story of Nicole Aldridge and Dustin Kingsley, the Marquis of Tyreham. I hadn't read the first book but had no problem following this one, though those who read and enjoyed Trenton and Ariana's story will appreciate seeing them often again in Dustin and Nicole's.
BOTTOM LINE and RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you like extremely sentimental books with sappy/corny romance, this is the book for you. If you want to read a better Andrea Kane book (IMO), then buy MY HEART'S DESIRE (The Barretts, Book 1) or THE SILVER COIN (Coin Series, Book 2) instead.
(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com)
