Helpful Score: 1
Potential for a good story but I found the female lead so boring that I skimmed through most of it. She has no stand out qualities which makes her just like 90% of other romance novels. The male lead had issues that being around other females in the world would have taken care of, so his issues were way too dramatic, especially of someone with his intelligence.
Helpful Score: 1
~ Great book!! - an unusual and honest/loyal heroine breaks through the defenses of an untrusting (but lovable) hero (4.5 stars) ~
I've read a lot of Andrea Kane's books and she's definitely one of my favorite historical romance authors. Kane always writes delightful heroes and heroines, interesting plots and mystery subplots, and engaging well-written secondary characters. Also, she doesn't employ a lot of the ploys and tactics other authors use that often drive me crazy: her villain subplots never detract from the book, only add; she doesn't have huge misunderstandings that overtake the book and leave the hero and heroine not speaking or being dishonest with one another for eons; her heroines aren't annoying, immature, haughty, or bratty and her heroes are never mean, bordering-on-abusive, or unlikable. MY HEART'S DESIRE is the first of two Barrett Family books (it precedes SAMANTHA, whose heroine is (you got it!) Samantha Barrett, Drake Barrett's younger sister).
MAIN CHARACTERS, Alexandria (Alex) and Drake:
Lady Alexandria Cassel (18) is a wonderful heroine: honest, guileless, loyal, kind, intelligent, and adventurous. I knew I would like her right away just from how the book starts off - with her sneaking out in the middle of the night and stowing away on a ship because she doesn't want the life of an everyday-society-miss. Despite her youth, Alex is a very mature young woman and just dreams of a life very different from that which she seems bound to have - marriage to some titled gentleman who cares nothing for her and has no interest in getting to know her.
While on the ship, she is determined to help out in whatever way she can to make up for being allowed to stay aboard and the crew's reaction to her and the relationships that develop between them and Alex is great fun to watch. I loved her romance with Drake (both a friendship and great chemistry/sexual tension) and it's great to watch them fall in love. She's forthcoming about her feelings for Drake and even though he doesn't verbalize that he loves her in return, she suspects that he has deep feelings for her before he's able to say the three little words; she doesn't let herself be put off by his defenses and his attempts to push her away, knowing that it is because of past hurts that he is acting that way.
Captain Drake Barrett (32) is also the Marquis of Cairnham and the eldest son of the Duke of Allonshire (he inherits during the story). He deplores the ton because he sees them all as being duplicitous and deceitful and more particularly, he sees all women this way (except his younger sister, Samantha, whom he adores). His mother repeatedly cuckolded his father and was not even ashamed of her many affairs and ever since he discovered this when he was young, he has had a low opinion of women. Drake doesn't trust them and sees them as being only useful in bed; he has no plans of ever getting emotionally involved with a woman or (god forbid!) giving any woman his heart.
He's a great hero though and despite this chip on his shoulder, he's never abusive towards Alex - he does sometimes say hurtful things to her (as she does to him) when they argue, but after having read some authors' books where the hero is downright nasty, I can definitively say that Drake is *not* like that! He's kind and extremely loyal to his crew and family, he's sensitive and intelligent, responsible and hardworking, determined not to wile away his time but to actually work and "get his hands dirty," so to speak. Although he has trouble accepting his true feelings for Alex, it doesn't become annoying and instead one just feels anticipation for when he will finally submit to his love for her. There are also some scenes where he's deliciously possessive and jealous, which I'm a sucker for, lol.
THE "MISUNDERSTANDING/SECRET" (Drake is not just a Captain, but a Lord):
There is a "misunderstanding" in this book, since Drake hides from Alex that he's not the simple sea captain she assumes him to be, but rather a marquis and heir to a dukedom. If you're like me and hate huge misunderstandings that dominate a book and that authors like Nicole Jordan and Judith McNaught often write, don't be put off here - I was not at all bothered by the secret in this book and thought the characters dealt very well with the situation.
When Alex and Drake first meet he's in his Captain role; he deplores the aristocracy, despite the fact that he is one himself, and he criticizes Alex for being of the nobility (concealing that he is as well), expecting to find her a haughty, arrogant, duplicitous, spoiled and pampered society miss. He of course quickly realizes that she's not like that at all and in fact, Alex has much the same opinion of the aristocracy as Drake does, despite her also being one of its members.
Once they become closer and (**spoiler warning here**) are then later forced to marry (**spoiler ends**), he's gone so long without telling her that he knows she's going to be angry and so keeps putting it off. The unveiling when Alex finds out is well-done by Kane and though Alex is understandably upset and doesn't know whether everything else that has happened between them has been a lie, she's very mature in her reaction. She emotionally distances herself from Drake (though physically they still can't deny their need for each other, lol) and then they eventually discuss the issue and Drake's misleading her; she never has any tantrums or similarly annoying reactions and instead feels as I think anyone would: hurt and betrayed.
BOTTOM LINE and SIMILAR BOOKS:
A great read (and reread) and definite buy! If you're interested in reading other historical romances where the hero or heroine is mistaken for someone else, they're impersonating someone, or they're hiding their identity, check out my GUIDE: "So you'd like to ... Read historical romances w/ mistaken identity/impersonation." For other HR that have a large part of the book taking place on a ship, check out the following: (1) THE GIFT by Julie Garwood, book 3 of an untitled connected regency series; (2) THE PIRATE LORD (Lord Trilogy, Book 1) by Sabrina Jeffries; and (3) THE PIRATE PRINCE (Ascension Trilogy, Book 1) by Gaelen Foley. The first two are all-time *favorites* of mine and I didn't like the third/last one that much.
(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com)
I've read a lot of Andrea Kane's books and she's definitely one of my favorite historical romance authors. Kane always writes delightful heroes and heroines, interesting plots and mystery subplots, and engaging well-written secondary characters. Also, she doesn't employ a lot of the ploys and tactics other authors use that often drive me crazy: her villain subplots never detract from the book, only add; she doesn't have huge misunderstandings that overtake the book and leave the hero and heroine not speaking or being dishonest with one another for eons; her heroines aren't annoying, immature, haughty, or bratty and her heroes are never mean, bordering-on-abusive, or unlikable. MY HEART'S DESIRE is the first of two Barrett Family books (it precedes SAMANTHA, whose heroine is (you got it!) Samantha Barrett, Drake Barrett's younger sister).
MAIN CHARACTERS, Alexandria (Alex) and Drake:
Lady Alexandria Cassel (18) is a wonderful heroine: honest, guileless, loyal, kind, intelligent, and adventurous. I knew I would like her right away just from how the book starts off - with her sneaking out in the middle of the night and stowing away on a ship because she doesn't want the life of an everyday-society-miss. Despite her youth, Alex is a very mature young woman and just dreams of a life very different from that which she seems bound to have - marriage to some titled gentleman who cares nothing for her and has no interest in getting to know her.
While on the ship, she is determined to help out in whatever way she can to make up for being allowed to stay aboard and the crew's reaction to her and the relationships that develop between them and Alex is great fun to watch. I loved her romance with Drake (both a friendship and great chemistry/sexual tension) and it's great to watch them fall in love. She's forthcoming about her feelings for Drake and even though he doesn't verbalize that he loves her in return, she suspects that he has deep feelings for her before he's able to say the three little words; she doesn't let herself be put off by his defenses and his attempts to push her away, knowing that it is because of past hurts that he is acting that way.
Captain Drake Barrett (32) is also the Marquis of Cairnham and the eldest son of the Duke of Allonshire (he inherits during the story). He deplores the ton because he sees them all as being duplicitous and deceitful and more particularly, he sees all women this way (except his younger sister, Samantha, whom he adores). His mother repeatedly cuckolded his father and was not even ashamed of her many affairs and ever since he discovered this when he was young, he has had a low opinion of women. Drake doesn't trust them and sees them as being only useful in bed; he has no plans of ever getting emotionally involved with a woman or (god forbid!) giving any woman his heart.
He's a great hero though and despite this chip on his shoulder, he's never abusive towards Alex - he does sometimes say hurtful things to her (as she does to him) when they argue, but after having read some authors' books where the hero is downright nasty, I can definitively say that Drake is *not* like that! He's kind and extremely loyal to his crew and family, he's sensitive and intelligent, responsible and hardworking, determined not to wile away his time but to actually work and "get his hands dirty," so to speak. Although he has trouble accepting his true feelings for Alex, it doesn't become annoying and instead one just feels anticipation for when he will finally submit to his love for her. There are also some scenes where he's deliciously possessive and jealous, which I'm a sucker for, lol.
THE "MISUNDERSTANDING/SECRET" (Drake is not just a Captain, but a Lord):
There is a "misunderstanding" in this book, since Drake hides from Alex that he's not the simple sea captain she assumes him to be, but rather a marquis and heir to a dukedom. If you're like me and hate huge misunderstandings that dominate a book and that authors like Nicole Jordan and Judith McNaught often write, don't be put off here - I was not at all bothered by the secret in this book and thought the characters dealt very well with the situation.
When Alex and Drake first meet he's in his Captain role; he deplores the aristocracy, despite the fact that he is one himself, and he criticizes Alex for being of the nobility (concealing that he is as well), expecting to find her a haughty, arrogant, duplicitous, spoiled and pampered society miss. He of course quickly realizes that she's not like that at all and in fact, Alex has much the same opinion of the aristocracy as Drake does, despite her also being one of its members.
Once they become closer and (**spoiler warning here**) are then later forced to marry (**spoiler ends**), he's gone so long without telling her that he knows she's going to be angry and so keeps putting it off. The unveiling when Alex finds out is well-done by Kane and though Alex is understandably upset and doesn't know whether everything else that has happened between them has been a lie, she's very mature in her reaction. She emotionally distances herself from Drake (though physically they still can't deny their need for each other, lol) and then they eventually discuss the issue and Drake's misleading her; she never has any tantrums or similarly annoying reactions and instead feels as I think anyone would: hurt and betrayed.
BOTTOM LINE and SIMILAR BOOKS:
A great read (and reread) and definite buy! If you're interested in reading other historical romances where the hero or heroine is mistaken for someone else, they're impersonating someone, or they're hiding their identity, check out my GUIDE: "So you'd like to ... Read historical romances w/ mistaken identity/impersonation." For other HR that have a large part of the book taking place on a ship, check out the following: (1) THE GIFT by Julie Garwood, book 3 of an untitled connected regency series; (2) THE PIRATE LORD (Lord Trilogy, Book 1) by Sabrina Jeffries; and (3) THE PIRATE PRINCE (Ascension Trilogy, Book 1) by Gaelen Foley. The first two are all-time *favorites* of mine and I didn't like the third/last one that much.
(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com)
