Helpful Score: 2
~ Worth reading, but there was something lacking (3 stars) ~
I have to say that this was my first Loretta Chase romance, and though it didn't put me off the author completely, I definitely did not enjoy it as most everyone else seems to have. People seem to adore this book and I guess I just missed the boat on that one. LORD OF SCOUNDRELS was not at all horrible, though, which is why I plan to read more Loretta Chase before I make a definite decision on this author. There was just something missing ... he was (mostly) great, she was (mostly) great, but ... just little things here and there didn't quite fit right. It was like things almost hit the mark, but they never quite hit the center. For more details, see below.
SETTING: Paris, France and England (various locations), 1828
SUMMARY (from the back cover):
"~ Determined Lady ~
Tough-minded Jessica Trent's sole intention is to free her nitwit brother from the destructive influence of Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain. She never expects to desire the arrogant, amoral cad. And when Dain's reciprocal passion places them in a scandalously compromising, and public, position, Jessica is left with no choice but to seek satisfaction ...
~ Lord of Scoundrels ~
Damn the minx for tempting him, kissing him ... and then forcing him to salvage her reputation! Lord Dain can't wait to put the infuriating bluestocking in her place - and in some amorous position. And if that means marriage, so be it! - though Sebastian is less than certain he can continue to remain aloof ... and steel his heart to the sensuous, headstrong lady's considerable charms."
SPECIFICS:
(* = kind of spoiler; ** = spoiler)
(1) I have read almost all the historical romances out there, and I know that you eventually see similar characters appearing here and there - it can't really be helped. I still don't like the cookie-cutter stereotyped characters, however, and Bertie Trent, Jessica's "nitwit" brother, is definitely one of those. Though somewhat humorous, the depiction of him as a thoughtless idiot passes into annoying exaggeration. He's an idiot - we get it - but such an idiot? Especially when Jessica and her grandmother seem to be such intelligent, engaging, sharp women? It was needed for the plot, I suppose, but grated on my nerves.
(2) I found a problem of exaggeration with Dain's character also. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole "ridiculously horrible rake and scoundrel who is then reformed by love" as much as the next girl, but his was a little over the top. The near orgies and etc. - not needed. I liked the strength of his character, however, and disagree with one reviewer who thought him to be self-pitying; his childhood was extremely difficult and I thought it very believable that as an adult, his regular way to go about things in life is to shrug them off and laugh so that he is not hurt again. I'm a sucker for the tough-on-the-outside and vulnerable-underneath leading man, so I found that part of him appealing.
(3) I liked that Jessica was a strong woman who knew her own mind, but there was a certain something about her that got under my skin a little. It wasn't exactly snottiness or coldness or self-righteousness, but something close to these.
(4) Kissing scene in the rain in Paris ... HOT!!! And then it was so cute after, when Sebastian watches Jessica leave a party and longs for her. ::sigh::
**(5) Really didn't like Dain's attitude towards Dominick, his illegitimate son. He's wonderful at the end, but in the beginning, his attitude and actions really turned me off.
*(6) The parallel made between Dain's mother, who left him behind so he would be safe and provided for, and Charity Graves, who kept her son with her and look what happened ... I found it an unnecessary stretch. It is horrible that Sebastian's mother was married to a man old enough to be her father, but she didn't really seem like a very good mother to begin with, and the fact that she left him alone with his father, when she knew what a cold and horrible man her husband was, was not something that I view as easily forgivable, which is how Jessica tries to depict it. It's understandable, but that doesn't make it right, and I was kind of surprised that she's turned into this heroic figure, with her painting hung in the dining room and etc.
**(7) The subplot with Beaumont seemed completely forced, and I didn't really understand where the extreme animosity stemmed from. I know there was the incident where Dain caught him spying through a peephole when Dain was going to sleep with a prostitute in France, but even taking that into account, no interactions between Beaumont and Dain seemed like they were enough to create that type of hatred on the part of the former. The involvement of Vawtry and Charity and then the attempt to steal the icon - it was all unnecessary, in my opinion.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you have an afternoon free and feel like reading a relatively enjoyable romance, LORD OF SCOUNDRELS WILL do, but it wasn't a keeper for me and will definitely not be reread.
(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com/)
I have to say that this was my first Loretta Chase romance, and though it didn't put me off the author completely, I definitely did not enjoy it as most everyone else seems to have. People seem to adore this book and I guess I just missed the boat on that one. LORD OF SCOUNDRELS was not at all horrible, though, which is why I plan to read more Loretta Chase before I make a definite decision on this author. There was just something missing ... he was (mostly) great, she was (mostly) great, but ... just little things here and there didn't quite fit right. It was like things almost hit the mark, but they never quite hit the center. For more details, see below.
SETTING: Paris, France and England (various locations), 1828
SUMMARY (from the back cover):
"~ Determined Lady ~
Tough-minded Jessica Trent's sole intention is to free her nitwit brother from the destructive influence of Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain. She never expects to desire the arrogant, amoral cad. And when Dain's reciprocal passion places them in a scandalously compromising, and public, position, Jessica is left with no choice but to seek satisfaction ...
~ Lord of Scoundrels ~
Damn the minx for tempting him, kissing him ... and then forcing him to salvage her reputation! Lord Dain can't wait to put the infuriating bluestocking in her place - and in some amorous position. And if that means marriage, so be it! - though Sebastian is less than certain he can continue to remain aloof ... and steel his heart to the sensuous, headstrong lady's considerable charms."
SPECIFICS:
(* = kind of spoiler; ** = spoiler)
(1) I have read almost all the historical romances out there, and I know that you eventually see similar characters appearing here and there - it can't really be helped. I still don't like the cookie-cutter stereotyped characters, however, and Bertie Trent, Jessica's "nitwit" brother, is definitely one of those. Though somewhat humorous, the depiction of him as a thoughtless idiot passes into annoying exaggeration. He's an idiot - we get it - but such an idiot? Especially when Jessica and her grandmother seem to be such intelligent, engaging, sharp women? It was needed for the plot, I suppose, but grated on my nerves.
(2) I found a problem of exaggeration with Dain's character also. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole "ridiculously horrible rake and scoundrel who is then reformed by love" as much as the next girl, but his was a little over the top. The near orgies and etc. - not needed. I liked the strength of his character, however, and disagree with one reviewer who thought him to be self-pitying; his childhood was extremely difficult and I thought it very believable that as an adult, his regular way to go about things in life is to shrug them off and laugh so that he is not hurt again. I'm a sucker for the tough-on-the-outside and vulnerable-underneath leading man, so I found that part of him appealing.
(3) I liked that Jessica was a strong woman who knew her own mind, but there was a certain something about her that got under my skin a little. It wasn't exactly snottiness or coldness or self-righteousness, but something close to these.
(4) Kissing scene in the rain in Paris ... HOT!!! And then it was so cute after, when Sebastian watches Jessica leave a party and longs for her. ::sigh::
**(5) Really didn't like Dain's attitude towards Dominick, his illegitimate son. He's wonderful at the end, but in the beginning, his attitude and actions really turned me off.
*(6) The parallel made between Dain's mother, who left him behind so he would be safe and provided for, and Charity Graves, who kept her son with her and look what happened ... I found it an unnecessary stretch. It is horrible that Sebastian's mother was married to a man old enough to be her father, but she didn't really seem like a very good mother to begin with, and the fact that she left him alone with his father, when she knew what a cold and horrible man her husband was, was not something that I view as easily forgivable, which is how Jessica tries to depict it. It's understandable, but that doesn't make it right, and I was kind of surprised that she's turned into this heroic figure, with her painting hung in the dining room and etc.
**(7) The subplot with Beaumont seemed completely forced, and I didn't really understand where the extreme animosity stemmed from. I know there was the incident where Dain caught him spying through a peephole when Dain was going to sleep with a prostitute in France, but even taking that into account, no interactions between Beaumont and Dain seemed like they were enough to create that type of hatred on the part of the former. The involvement of Vawtry and Charity and then the attempt to steal the icon - it was all unnecessary, in my opinion.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you have an afternoon free and feel like reading a relatively enjoyable romance, LORD OF SCOUNDRELS WILL do, but it wasn't a keeper for me and will definitely not be reread.
(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com/)
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