Showing posts with label historical romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label historical romance. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2014

Her Highness, My Wife // Victoria Alexander



Her Highness, My Wife (☆☆☆☆☆)
By: Victoria Alexander
Series: Effingtons (5)
Genres: Romance ~ Historical
Pages: 384
Format: eBook

Um... okay. So far, everything of Victoria Alexander's that I've read, I've been able to finish. However, as I read more and more, they all start to read the same.

Her Highness, My Wife - it doesn't just read "the same"... it reads as dull. I'm a quarter of the way through the book, and nothing of substance has happened, except the revelation of some family heirloom she's searching for. No suspense, no realistic tension between the couple, no... nothing to keep me interested.

I imagine the story about the family jewels (literally) could be enticing to some. However, when you've read a quarter of the book and there's really been nothing except banter between Sir Matthew and Princess Tatiana. The banter even is half-hearted at best, on both sides. In truth, if two people went back and forth like these two did, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for them to not notice how the other person truly feels. Yet, Matthew still has himself completely convinced Tatiana means nothing (and she believes him) and Tatiana still believes... well, I haven't figured that out yet. Regardless, she obviously wants Matthew, and yet he's completely and delusionally ignorant of this fact.

There's been very little of the subplot to move the story along, and the main plot between Tatiana and Matthew simply isn't enough. At this point, I'd rather turn my attention to a book I may actually finish, than try to dredge my way through the rest of this one.

Yes, I emphasize the fact that I'm a quarter of the way through the book a lot - but that's because in a book that's less than 400 pages, SOMETHING significant needs to have happened by this point. Or at least hinted at being significant. If the rest of the book is like the first part, I'd die of boredom.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

No Place for a Dame // Connie Brockway



No Place for a Dame (★★☆☆☆)
By: Connie Brockway
Series: Royal Agents (3)
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 291
Format: eBook

I got this book as a Kindle First pick. I love historical romances, and the synopsis provided made me hopeful that this book would have something that other historical romances didn’t.

It DID have a unique element (which is the ONLY reason it’s getting 2 stars instead of 1) – but that’s about all I can say it has going for it. It read just like any other historical romance with a “spy” sub plot to it that I’ve ever read, with the same characters.

A sharp, intelligent man masquerading as a dandy falling in love with someone he thinks he’s not worthy of or isn’t worthy of him or whatever self-pitying excuse they come up with. Which is his only fault.

A witty, intelligent female in love with a man she believes is either out of her league socially, or is too much of a rake. Which is HER only fault.

Truly, the most enjoyable parts of the book are when the heroine gets thrown into some situations that I believe any sheltered, non-society female at the time would find to be VERY awkward. And had absolutely nothing to do with the “romance” OR the sub plot of the book. I would have been quite content to read it without the romance, as it added absolutely nothing to the story.