Format: ebook
Published: July 13th, 2007
Age: Adult
Genre: Historical Romance
Goodreads
Rating: 1/5 Stars
This was one of those books that started off so strong, but really fell flat in the second half. I find it incredibly frustrating when books feel like they just go on for too long – this one could have been cut down and been much stronger for it.
The setup for this was good – Captain Dylan Blake returns home from war after selling his commission, but is soon adrift in London and uncertain how he will fund himself. A promising wager seems all too easy – to get Lady Natalia Sinclair to dance with him twice in one evening. It seems easy enough, but the duke’s daughter rejects him, seeing in him the same thing she sees in many suitors; a desire for her dowry, not for her. But Dylan won’t give up so easily, and sets about wooing Natalia, soon finding the lines blurring as he gets to know her.
Initially, I really liked these two as a couple, and their budding relationship was sweet to watch unfold. Natalia has a lovely relationship with her stepmother, as well, a woman closer to her age than her father’s, and the pair are more like sisters. We also see Dylan’s strained relationship with his brother, as he feels he has been passed over for Michael too often, spurring him on to ‘win’ Natalia when his brother shows an interest in her. There were really some great moments between the couple, and I was excited to see how the rest of the story unfolded.
There are some minor spoilers ahead, so be warned.
The issues really started when we get to the scene where Dylan and Natalia sneak off into a garden at a party. It’s one of those historical romance scenes that has become a trope, but in the right writer’s hands it can be an excellent turning point. The couple are, of course, caught, but here their witnesses also reveal the information about the bet, convincing Natalia that Dylan, like the others, only wants her for her dowry.
Following this, the pair rush to marriage to save Natalia’s reputation. This wouldn’t be a problem in itself, except the issues remain between them and neither side make any actual attempt to clear the air. There’s no reason why Dylan can’t admit he actually does like her for her and he doesn’t even try to discuss things. It’s all contrived and frustrating. But Natalia is still willing to make the best of things. On their first night as husband and wife, Dylan tries to pressure her into her marital duties. She refuses, still uncomfortable around him, and he relents, but only with the promise that once they reach his home in Scotland, they will ‘fully’ become man and wife. At which point he rushes their journey so they reach Scotland sooner. The way he treats her from the moment they get married is kind of gross, and almost as soon as they reach his Scotland estate it becomes clear there’s another ‘twist’ coming up, a twist which, when it comes, doesn’t really make sense in the overall context.
This was a book I really wanted to like and initially felt really invested in, but unfortunately, it’s let down when it starts becoming messy, and there were some moments which really jerked me out of the story, including (but not limited to) Dylan constantly tagging ‘love’ at the end of every sentence when he speaks to Natalia. It’s a shame, because the book started off so strong, but this won’t be a series I’ll be continuing.
Reading Challenge
Musicals Reading Challenge 2024
Prompt: Guys and Dolls – Luck Be a Lady – a book involving gambling or card games
Progress: 11/24 Completed
Unwrapping Words 