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Book Review of Midnight Princess (Marshall Brothers, Bk 1)

Midnight Princess (Marshall Brothers, Bk 1)
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Christian Marshall returned as a wounded hero of the Civil War to an empty home. His parents and 2 brothers died during the war years, leaving a fortune on the unhappy shoulders of Christian. An artist and architect by trade, he turned his back on these talents when he came back from the war. Christian felt burdened by the newspaper he inherited from his father and rarely did any work there.

He has one friend who is also his physician Dr. Scott Turner. Hoping to get Christian involved in something other than his war wound, steady drinking and general unhappiness, Dr. Turner asks Christian (as owner of a major New York City newspaper) to investigate the awful practices used to treat the insane in a certain private NYC hospital.

Christians indifference quickly changes to horror as he watches a renowned physician treat a terrified young woman (Jane Doe/Jenny Holland) with a cold plunge bath (to help calm her). Christian sneaks back to the asylum ward and tells Jane Doe that he plans to help her escape.

The premise of the story was interesting but the telling of the tale was very uneven. At times, the plot seemed inspired; then the story line would turn down a rutted road (overused plot devices).

Christian Marshall, as described, was a very handsome man; Jane Doe/Jenny Holland was an extremely attractive woman. I was surprised that the author used a forced seduction to get Christian and Jenny into an intimate relationship. At that point, I was very disappointed in the author.