Helpful Score: 2
A fast, okay read, not memorable. Another chick-lit disguised as a historical, with an implausible plot. Abundant with anachronisms. Author should research the period in more depth. Don't read further if you don't want...
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My biggest beef is the premise. Eva, the heroine, runs a dating service for courtesans and men willing to overlook that fact because they just want arm candies. Be real now.
My other complaint is the error in titles. Eva's half sister Nicole is an unmarried daughter of an earl. Nicole is oftentimes referred to as Lady Seymour--wrong. Should be Lady Nicole. Author got it right once or twice, but veered again to the other direction.
Busy subplots distract from the story, too. These are about: Eva's butler Harold; Eva's other half-sister; one of the courtesans.
And c'mon, will a high-born duchess really embrace and even encourage her son, the duke (hero Alex) to marry Eva, after seeing Eva for the VERY FIRST TIME with Alex, and just after Alex discloses to her that Eva is his courtesan? Won't she at the very least be upset about Eva's dubious background, which by the way, the duchess really has no clue about? She only sees that Alex and Eva seem to belong together. I would think anyone in her position would be more discerning.
Lastly, I cannot connect with the Alex and Eva. I find Alex to be a selfish jerk and Eva a doormat. There's no romance, no stirring passion, but only a few quick sexual encounters. Their banter is witty, I admit, but still too modern. These two are better of best friends rather than mates.
I admit the author's got a deft hand with comedy, reminiscent of Julia Quinn. Had the author more diligently studied the period, customs and titles, whittle the side shows, plus throw pathos between the h/h, a smoother, more believable, engaging story might have emerged. I have the author's next book on my wish list and now hope that one's more polished.
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P
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My biggest beef is the premise. Eva, the heroine, runs a dating service for courtesans and men willing to overlook that fact because they just want arm candies. Be real now.
My other complaint is the error in titles. Eva's half sister Nicole is an unmarried daughter of an earl. Nicole is oftentimes referred to as Lady Seymour--wrong. Should be Lady Nicole. Author got it right once or twice, but veered again to the other direction.
Busy subplots distract from the story, too. These are about: Eva's butler Harold; Eva's other half-sister; one of the courtesans.
And c'mon, will a high-born duchess really embrace and even encourage her son, the duke (hero Alex) to marry Eva, after seeing Eva for the VERY FIRST TIME with Alex, and just after Alex discloses to her that Eva is his courtesan? Won't she at the very least be upset about Eva's dubious background, which by the way, the duchess really has no clue about? She only sees that Alex and Eva seem to belong together. I would think anyone in her position would be more discerning.
Lastly, I cannot connect with the Alex and Eva. I find Alex to be a selfish jerk and Eva a doormat. There's no romance, no stirring passion, but only a few quick sexual encounters. Their banter is witty, I admit, but still too modern. These two are better of best friends rather than mates.
I admit the author's got a deft hand with comedy, reminiscent of Julia Quinn. Had the author more diligently studied the period, customs and titles, whittle the side shows, plus throw pathos between the h/h, a smoother, more believable, engaging story might have emerged. I have the author's next book on my wish list and now hope that one's more polished.
