Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This book had potential. It had an interesting story line, with good potential for intrigue and action. But most of the intrigue seemed to go on behind the scenes. Solving the "mystery" just seemed to fall into their laps after weeks of, apparently, not much real action - or at least little that we were privy to. And I get tired of those books where the minute the hero meets the heroine, all he thinks about is getting her into bed, honorable or not. And why, when every time the heroine turns around she is crying, is she always "horrified" to feel tears threatening? You'd think she'd be used to them by now, since she seems to cry every time anybody says three words to her. Overall the action was predictable, boring and not particularly believable. And as far as I can tell, the H&h met about 4 times (with her mostly trying to avoid him and be angry when she couldn't) and they were in bed together, declaring their love. Not much build-up or suspense there. And as for TSTL heroines go, what was she doing trying to get herself and those around her killed so many times? She knows the bad guys are after her, so why is she always running off without her protectors? But my biggest problem with this book, and why it felt like I had to beat my way through it, was the writing itself. (And why did I bother to beat my way through? Because I ALWAYS finish a book. It's a sickness.) I'm convinced that English is not this author's first language - or that she had terrible grammar teachers. The prose is so tortured and awkward, and I'm not sure she knows the meaning of a lot of the words she uses. She needs to look up the meaning of the word "renounced" (which she used multiple times) - I'm pretty sure she meant "denounced." She also needs to look up "encapsulated", "scourge", "encompass" (a particular favorite of hers) and so many more I can't even remember them all. And that's just the beginning. Her prose apparently aims to be sophisticated, or to sound like they might have spoken in the 18th century, but just ends up tortuous and silly. A few of my favorite phrases: "taking a moment for the understanding of the words to be comprehended"; "roars its ugly head"; "Charles deemed her to be fitted with a wardrobe suitable for a queen"; "his arm rounded her in a protective manner, but remained silent" (my arms always remain silent, what about yours?). Don't get me started on the inappropriate and overuse of the word "well" as an adverb. Another point - learn the difference between adjectives and adverbs, their proper forms and when to use them. And when to use "whom" versus "who" (really, there are rules - you don't just throw in a "whom" because you think it sounds formal). While you're at it, take a class on prepositions: don't use "upon" when it should be "on"; "within" instead of "in"; "on" when it should be "by" - and the list goes on and on. I think the preposition use/misuse might have been the hardest thing to get past, since I often had to re-read a sentence to get the correct meaning. And, oh, the incorrect and inconsistent verb tenses within a sentence! I'm not a teacher or even an expert on grammar, but even I can tell it's incorrect when it's as obvious as "what game have you fell for". Another pet peeve - learn a little about the etiquette of the aristocracy that you are trying to portray. Dukes and Marquesses and Earls were not called by their family name, but by their title. Thus, Charles Tregilgas, the Marquess of Rotheward, would have been known as "Rotheward", not "Tregilgas"; and his father, the Duke of Arungdon, would not be called "Lord Harold" or "Tregilgas," but "Arungdon." Same goes for the Earl (our hero) - he wouldn't have been "Casvelyn," but "Lord Pentilyon." And again, the list goes on. One more hint - in earlier times, being homosexual didn't just get you into scandal, it got you into prison. I do not recommend this book, and I won't be trying to read the second book in this series.