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Dame Fortune's Fancy
Juliana Penridge was beautiful, intelligent ... and penniless. She had been deprived of her dead husband's estate when an unscrupulous cut-throat presented false papers of ownership.
But Juliana's spirit remained unbroken, and she set out to find herself a job. Instead she found Miles Harcourt lying injured in the road. Juliana helped the enigmatic, undeniably attractive gentleman to a nearby country house and nursed him back to health.
Miles repaid Juliana for her kindness by escorting her to London. The gossip-mongers soon began wagging their tongues, however, and Juliana thought it best to leave. If only she hadn't fallen in love ...
But Juliana's spirit remained unbroken, and she set out to find herself a job. Instead she found Miles Harcourt lying injured in the road. Juliana helped the enigmatic, undeniably attractive gentleman to a nearby country house and nursed him back to health.
Miles repaid Juliana for her kindness by escorting her to London. The gossip-mongers soon began wagging their tongues, however, and Juliana thought it best to leave. If only she hadn't fallen in love ...
- GenresRomance
220 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
December 8, 2013
I didn't strongly dislike this novel, but I didn't really like it either.
Likes: I liked the peep hole between the Juliana's (heroine) and Miles's (hero) room, where they just talked to each other. I felt the relationship grow then. And I liked the rag doll chaperone. But these were such minor things, and the only things that really stick with me as "likes." For the most part, the rest of the content was okay--with some exceptions.
Dislikes: The behaviors of the characters did not seem to fit with the setting. They were too "modern" in their teasing and talk, in the subject matter and how and when they talked to each other. The hero, for the longest period of time, seemed only interested in the heroine in a sexual way, although, at least he never tried anything. Sometimes the banter worked for me, but mostly it did not, for the two reasons mentioned before.
Also, the stories felt rushed when they should be have been drawn out for suspense and tension. Certain incidents seemed convenient or didn't have much impact. While the romance between the leads was believable enough, the romance between the secondary characters felt rushed. I speak of the abigail and the lieutenant, and the spoiled and unpleasant Louisa and her Spaniard. And some things never felt fully present in the story or well-developed, such as the side story about the earl who has Juliana's rightful property versus Juliana herself. Same with the carriage accident and the resolution with the aforementioned bad earl. Finally, I think as much as I disliked the hero's constant sexual jesting, I think I disliked Juliana's passivity more. She is penniless, but she just stays on as a guest when she should really try for a position as a governess or companion; she just didn't feel strongly about anything, I think.
But these weren't strong dislikes, not enough to condemn the book entirely, but I just can't bring myself to truly like the book either. I just didn't feel strongly about the book either way. So it rates two stars, as in "okay."
Likes: I liked the peep hole between the Juliana's (heroine) and Miles's (hero) room, where they just talked to each other. I felt the relationship grow then. And I liked the rag doll chaperone. But these were such minor things, and the only things that really stick with me as "likes." For the most part, the rest of the content was okay--with some exceptions.
Dislikes: The behaviors of the characters did not seem to fit with the setting. They were too "modern" in their teasing and talk, in the subject matter and how and when they talked to each other. The hero, for the longest period of time, seemed only interested in the heroine in a sexual way, although, at least he never tried anything. Sometimes the banter worked for me, but mostly it did not, for the two reasons mentioned before.
Also, the stories felt rushed when they should be have been drawn out for suspense and tension. Certain incidents seemed convenient or didn't have much impact. While the romance between the leads was believable enough, the romance between the secondary characters felt rushed. I speak of the abigail and the lieutenant, and the spoiled and unpleasant Louisa and her Spaniard. And some things never felt fully present in the story or well-developed, such as the side story about the earl who has Juliana's rightful property versus Juliana herself. Same with the carriage accident and the resolution with the aforementioned bad earl. Finally, I think as much as I disliked the hero's constant sexual jesting, I think I disliked Juliana's passivity more. She is penniless, but she just stays on as a guest when she should really try for a position as a governess or companion; she just didn't feel strongly about anything, I think.
But these weren't strong dislikes, not enough to condemn the book entirely, but I just can't bring myself to truly like the book either. I just didn't feel strongly about the book either way. So it rates two stars, as in "okay."
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review