Dls’s Comments (group member since Sep 14, 2010)

Dls’s comments from the Fans of Eloisa James & Julia Quinn group.

Or Welcome Home Cowboy...

No clue at all...

I also wonder if Clara will get her own book, and if we will learn Fenwick's story? I assume Leonie's is the next book in the series.

Bet Me!

I've been rereading the series, and I like the books more the second time around. One thing I realized is that the last book is largely about Hart's journey, not Eleanors. That's part of what frustrated me--we get very little insight into why she came to London to work for him or what she hopes or expects will happen. And we don't really know why she agreed to marry him--what she thinks has changed (although based on this scene it may be more about realizing what she is missing.)
When Ithink of it as Hart's journey its really wonderful--I was frustrated because I was expecting Eleanor's journey since the first three books are really about the heroine's journeys.
(Also, much as I love Ian, since hes supposed to have Aspergers I don't think he would have had the theory of mind to realize that Hart would fail as prime minister and need Eleanor, or what receiving the photos would do to Eleanor.)

I thought it was lots of fun and like janga loved many of the quotes. It was perhaps not quite as moving as some of her others but still a lovely frothy fun summer read that doesn't put a foot wrong.

There are some stories I I've where she gets to stay the ugly duckling. Maggie osbournes silver lining and the first of Anne Gracie's perfect series come to mind...
There are a number of books also where if you read carefully all the comments about her beauty later in the book are in his voice or POV. That can be a lovely subtle way of showing how he has fallen in love...

Her prose always gripes me too. And I will keep reading her. But Fitz felt much more shallow than Millie. He missed both Millie's strengths and his old loves weaknesses. It was hard to feel that he was an equal mate for her or would value her...

So this book is The Many Sins of Lord Cameron; Lord Cameron Mackenzie is Hero 1 and Heroine 1 is Ainsley.
The next book is The Duke's Perfect Wife, the story Hero 2, Hart Mackenzie Duke of Kilmorgan and Heroine 2, Eleanor Ramsay. Both are by Jennifer Ashley, an author who grows on me more and more.

Just finished Ravishing the Heiress.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. She writes beautifully and draws us into the emotions beautifully although it's painful to read because it's so sad for much of the book.
But... I really didn't like the hero. His behavior to Millie seems downright cruel even given that at the beginning of the marriage he is very young and doesn't know she is in love with him.
I also simply couldn't believe that millie would act with such restraint when she is so young that he never figured out how she felt.
And it felt very unbalanced. While it was good that Millie had a spine, it also felt like he did very little for her day in and day out. He was there in crises but...
She is always fascinating to read and an autobuy but I didn't find this as emotionally satisfying as Not Quite a Husband which is admittedly one of my all time favorite romances.

Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to do it less confusingly....

Thanks everyone! Its a mess here, but I'm grateful that we only lost power for two days. Some people won't have it for more than a week, and the temperature is hovering around 100. We have no cable or internet, but that's a small price to pay.

Thanks to a flash drive and my office internet, (we are still out at home) here is this week's puzzler.

Interesting advice from one heroine to another.

(Heroine 1 is the heroine of this book, Heroine 2 is of the next in the series—the heroes are brothers.)

I like this scene for many reasons—one of course is that it sets the next book up beautifully without in any way being extraneous to this book. I also like Heroine 2’s insight into both her hero and the one under discussion. And I like the practical advice…


“What do I do, Heroine2? Hero1 goes on about diamonds and hotels in Monte Carlo as though I’ll clap my hands and rush with him to the train.”

Heroine2 gave her a sympathetic smile. “Because Hero1 is used to women who cross their eyes and fall over when he dangles diamond necklaces in front of them. They don’t want him, they want his money, and he knows it.”

He did know it. Hero1 was a generous man but not a stupid one. He knew exactly why the ladies flocked to him.

“I don’t care about his money” Heroine1 said.

“I understand that, but I wager Hero1 hasn’t the faintest idea how to woo a lady without bribing her. None of the (family name) do.”

Heroine2 spoke with conviction. Hero2 must have lavished gifts on Heroine2 until she couldn’t see, and still Heroine 2 had told him to go.

Heroine 1 let out her breath. “If I refuse Hero1, I know that I will regret it for the rest of my life. But if I go, I’ll ruin myself and disgrace my family.” Again, she did not say. “My brothers would never forgive men.”

“Well, you do not have to advertise that you are running off with him, you know. If you will forgive me for saying so, you are not the most socially prominent young lady in Britain. Go incognito.”

Heroine 1 laughed, thinking of her costume at Rowlindson’s party. “In a wig and mask?”

“Nothing so theatrical. Simply leave for a jaunt to the Continent on your own. Ladies do such things nowadays all the time. They take walking tours of far-off countries by themselves and write books about their adventures. You’re not an unmarried miss but a respectable widow. If you meet Hero1 on your travels, what of it?”

Heroine 1 started across the table at Heroine 2, and Heroine2 starred unflappably back at her.

“Heroine2, you are telling me to run away with a man to become his mistress.”

“I am telling you to be happy. Even if it lasts only a little while. We must snatch what we can when we have the chance. Life is so very lonely when we don’t. ”

****

Heroine2 lifted her teacup. “You’re not an ingénue, Heroine1. You know exactly what you are getting yourself into. You know about men and what they want. You know the (family name). You will be walking in with no illusions.”

Heroine 1 poked at the seedcake on her plate. She loved cake but at the moment had lost her appetite. “Tell me, Heroine2. If it were you—if Hero2 popped in and asked you to go away with him and be his lover--would you do it?”

Heroine2’s eyes flickered. “He never would.”

“But let us enter the realm of make-believe and suppose he did. Would you go with him?”

Heroine2 flashed a smile. “Let Hero2 drape ropes of jewels around my neck and beg to share my bed at night? I would be sorely tempted. But my circumstance is a bit different than yours.”

Heroine1 drew an impatient breath. “”But in a castle in the air, where all else is unimportant, would you do it?”

Heroine2 studied her teacup for a moment and when she looked up her eyes were quiet. “Of course I would,” she said. “I would in an instant.”

Liz if you like Balogh try In for a penny by Rose Lerner .
If you like series and historical accuracy try Jo Beverley's malloren series.

Just finished Thief of Shadows which I loved. Can't wait for tomorrow's releases--Sherry Thomas in particular.

I'm sorry! It's all ready to post...but we lost out power and although we now have it back only my phone has Internet, not the computer.
As soon as i can I'll get it up.

Tonight I will be reading the Supreme Court decision.

I gave up on the new Christina Brooke.
I can't believe the way her characters do things that are completely unnecessary with no apparent motivation at all. Like why does the heroine break into heros house (not a spoiler happens at beginning before she has met him) to search for a letter with no reason--ahe never even considered asking him and in fact when she does act he agrees to let her look at all the relevant papers--and with no clue where it might be?

I've been rereading and waiting for a whole bunch of books to download tomorrow.

No clue at all.