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sweehan's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very well-written book. The descriptions of Georgian life and dress were good. However I had issues with the leads and the plot. I disliked the great age difference: he was 43 and she was 22. I dislike beautiful heroines (who are universally admired) and saintly heroines (she didn't have a single vengeful bone in her body) and she was both. The plot was weak and melodramatic.
Suffice to say, I wouldn't be reading another book by this author.
Spoiler
The hero is supposed to be an honourable gentleman. To call him a man of honour destined for greatness is laughable, he deflowered an 18-year old virgin and was betrothed to her secretly (considering he was a mature 39-year-old man at the time). I'm sorry but the plot didn't click for me. The villainess was so vulgar in her language it was also laughable. I expect an aristocratic lady to be able to insult without resorting to vulgarity.Suffice to say, I wouldn't be reading another book by this author.
rosannelortz's review against another edition
3.0
Jane Despard thought the earl had loved her. But when she woke up from the nightmare of betrayal, she found herself alone, destitute, and obliged to rely on the aid of a miserly merchant who wants nothing more than to punish the Earl of Salt-Hendon.
Salt thought Jane was the light of his life, until she broke off their betrothal and fled never to return. Fortunately, his cousin's widow, Diana St. John, is there to support him and play hostess at his estate, but his cynical, bitter soul may never recover from the unkind cut Jane has dealt him.
When the contents of a will force Jane and Salt together again, Salt is determined to make Jane's life a living hell for the pain she put him through. It does not take him long to discover, however, that his sweet, darling Jane has been wronged, and as their love finally flowers, it will take more than the machinations of a malicious murderess to separate them again.
This Georgian romance is a Gothic page-turner. The villainess, Diana St. John, is about as evil as they come, determined to stop at nothing so that she can marry the earl herself. Jane's treatment at the hands of the merchant, Lady Diana, and even Salt himself was horrific. The great misunderstanding, of which Jane bears the brunt, drives a wedge between the two lovers, but while Jane bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, Salt takes out his ire on her like a petulant ogre. In the end, true love conquers, but somehow, it didn't quite seem to compensate for the wringer that Jane was pressed through.
Salt thought Jane was the light of his life, until she broke off their betrothal and fled never to return. Fortunately, his cousin's widow, Diana St. John, is there to support him and play hostess at his estate, but his cynical, bitter soul may never recover from the unkind cut Jane has dealt him.
When the contents of a will force Jane and Salt together again, Salt is determined to make Jane's life a living hell for the pain she put him through. It does not take him long to discover, however, that his sweet, darling Jane has been wronged, and as their love finally flowers, it will take more than the machinations of a malicious murderess to separate them again.
This Georgian romance is a Gothic page-turner. The villainess, Diana St. John, is about as evil as they come, determined to stop at nothing so that she can marry the earl herself. Jane's treatment at the hands of the merchant, Lady Diana, and even Salt himself was horrific. The great misunderstanding, of which Jane bears the brunt, drives a wedge between the two lovers, but while Jane bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, Salt takes out his ire on her like a petulant ogre. In the end, true love conquers, but somehow, it didn't quite seem to compensate for the wringer that Jane was pressed through.
alicejm's review against another edition
emotional
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love the Salt duo of books. The stories are equally sweet and dramatic with lovable characters juxtaposed against a few horrible villains. Well researched, the descriptions of the clothing are gorgeous. Good pacing, with satisfying endings to each story. The miscommunication trope usually infuriates me, but the social conventions of the time make the misunderstandings in this story believable. This is a HEA with a few struggles on the way. It's definitely a guilty pleasure read, very sumptuous and every author promise is fulfilled to satisfaction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Abortion, Child death, and Child abuse
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Romancing-the-book read. Review to follow on www.romancing-the-book.com
fairytaleteacup's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Child abuse
welkinvault's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Melodramatic romance. Excellent background historical detail.
madamstassica's review against another edition
2.0
I chose this book because I wanted something light, fluffy, and easy. I wasn't expecting much out of it, which was good since that's exactly what I got. It was intriguing enough to keep me interested in a soap opera kind of way. Otherwise it was just wasn't a good book.
The characters were ridiculously bland and overly stereotypical, and the writing was terribly amateur. Every now and then (often, actually) it became very hard to follow what was taking place since the author switched scenes and perspectives smack dab in the middle of paragraphs without any transition whatsoever. Not only that, but you can tell she was very restless when it came to the conflict within the story. There were so many opportunities for dramatic build ups and deep story lines to make things interesting, but she quickly resolved those troubles without using them to her advantage. It was as if she didn't have the patience to draw out the conflict, which would have made things so much more interesting.
I'm not too disappointed since I was looking for something simple, and while we shouldn't "judge a book by it's cover" I figured this one wasn't going to be all that amazing from the start. I cannot, however, give it anything beyond two stars. It met my expectation, but my expectation was low.
The characters were ridiculously bland and overly stereotypical, and the writing was terribly amateur. Every now and then (often, actually) it became very hard to follow what was taking place since the author switched scenes and perspectives smack dab in the middle of paragraphs without any transition whatsoever. Not only that, but you can tell she was very restless when it came to the conflict within the story. There were so many opportunities for dramatic build ups and deep story lines to make things interesting, but she quickly resolved those troubles without using them to her advantage. It was as if she didn't have the patience to draw out the conflict, which would have made things so much more interesting.
I'm not too disappointed since I was looking for something simple, and while we shouldn't "judge a book by it's cover" I figured this one wasn't going to be all that amazing from the start. I cannot, however, give it anything beyond two stars. It met my expectation, but my expectation was low.
rachelleahdorn's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the book. I was a little annoyed with some of the less plausible events and how difficult things became to resolve, but I blame the very bad villain. If you are willing to suspend disbelief and assume that events could really happen this way at this time, then I think the story is entertaining and interesting.
I reall liked the main character. I want to read more about her. Actually, I want to read about what happens with these people next. I don't usually wish for a sequel after a well-resolved story, but I do actually like--or find these characters interesting.
Beside that the story arc was similar to many Regency romances, the bad things were more orchestrated than misunderstandings or miscommunication, but there was enough insight into each character's thoughts to make them interesting and more dimensional
I reall liked the main character. I want to read more about her. Actually, I want to read about what happens with these people next. I don't usually wish for a sequel after a well-resolved story, but I do actually like--or find these characters interesting.
Beside that the story arc was similar to many Regency romances, the bad things were more orchestrated than misunderstandings or miscommunication, but there was enough insight into each character's thoughts to make them interesting and more dimensional
taisie22's review against another edition
5.0
Taking a break from Ms. Brant's excellent Roxton family series while I absorb the splendiferousness of Dair Devil, I decided to try this duality by the same author. It's another great book, but I have to say it set my heart pounding in a different way.
Jane is forced to marry the Earl of Salt Hendon four years after their initial meeting. Theirs is a complicated and convoluted history and the marriage seems doomed at the beginning. There's a malevolent force at work that is gradually revealed as the story goes on. Diana St. John is a villain on the order of 'bunny-boiler' Alex Forrest. Ms. Brant builds the tension and I was really worried that all was not going to work out for a HEA as the villain is really devious in her ploys.
All I can say is why haven't I read Lucinda Brant before last week? I'm plowing through her books as fast as I can; I love them as much as Georgette Heyer which I read long ago as a teenager and often pick up to read again. Ms. Brant is a more than worthy successor with wonderful historical details and characters. Not many authors write in the Georgian era, so I'm so glad to have found these books.
Jane is forced to marry the Earl of Salt Hendon four years after their initial meeting. Theirs is a complicated and convoluted history and the marriage seems doomed at the beginning. There's a malevolent force at work that is gradually revealed as the story goes on. Diana St. John is a villain on the order of 'bunny-boiler' Alex Forrest. Ms. Brant builds the tension and I was really worried that all was not going to work out for a HEA as the villain is really devious in her ploys.
All I can say is why haven't I read Lucinda Brant before last week? I'm plowing through her books as fast as I can; I love them as much as Georgette Heyer which I read long ago as a teenager and often pick up to read again. Ms. Brant is a more than worthy successor with wonderful historical details and characters. Not many authors write in the Georgian era, so I'm so glad to have found these books.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
I read this one yesterday on the Kindle and I really enjoyed it, but now that I'm thinking about the plot and how to describe it, I realize that's it's just full of holes. All kinds of things don't get explained about why the characters act the way the did. Jane and the Earl were lovers, but Misunderstandings drove them apart, and now they are forced together again. Will they make it work this time? Well, of course. But despite being totally predictable, it was still fun. And obviously it didn't keep me from enjoying the book, but really, all these peripheral characters and their motives and relationships were confusing. I had no trouble keeping up with the main characters, but these others were not well explained.
Also very annoying was the huge long previews of Brant's other books at the end. Only 80% of the file was our story - the rest was about her other books. That's a bit much. Still, 3 stars.
Also very annoying was the huge long previews of Brant's other books at the end. Only 80% of the file was our story - the rest was about her other books. That's a bit much. Still, 3 stars.