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A review by laurenjodi
A Buccaneer At Heart by Stephanie Laurens
2.0
A Buccaneer at Heart
2 Stars
The saga of the missing residents in the British Colony of Freetown, Sierra Leone, continues with the arrival of Miss Aileen Hopkins, who is determined to learn the truth behind her brother's disappearance. During her inquiries, she encounters Robert Frobisher, who has been sent by the British government to further the investigation begun by his brother.
Series note: The events in this installment continue from where the previous book left off. As such, it is crucial that this series be read in order.
Stephanie Laurens' writing has never been the most scintillating, but she is certainly skilled at creating interesting characters and conveying a compelling story. So far, this series has missed the mark.
Even though Aileen and Robert have more intense interactions and better chemistry than Declan and Edwina, they do not actually meet until 1/3 of the way into the book. Despite the relatively long exposition, their characters are woefully underdeveloped. Aside from being a member of the seafaring Frobisher family and having a mysterious history as a sometime diplomat for the British government, readers learn next to nothing of Robert's past and the type of man he is.
Likewise, Aileen's background is provided in very broad strokes - she is the only daughter in a family of 4 children and her brothers are all in the navy - and...? Moreover, her behavior is completely anachronistic. No reputable young, unmarried woman in the 18oos would be able to travel unaccompanied across London much less across an ocean to Africa without suffering serious social consequences.
Although there is some progression in the ongoing mystery of the abductees, it is very minimal and there is much less excitement and action than in most of Laurens' other works. The writing is also tedious, repetitious, and wordy even by Laurens' standards.
In sum, the original setting and intriguing mystery cannot compensate for the sluggish writing, poor characterization and average romance.
2 Stars
The saga of the missing residents in the British Colony of Freetown, Sierra Leone, continues with the arrival of Miss Aileen Hopkins, who is determined to learn the truth behind her brother's disappearance. During her inquiries, she encounters Robert Frobisher, who has been sent by the British government to further the investigation begun by his brother.
Series note: The events in this installment continue from where the previous book left off. As such, it is crucial that this series be read in order.
Stephanie Laurens' writing has never been the most scintillating, but she is certainly skilled at creating interesting characters and conveying a compelling story. So far, this series has missed the mark.
Even though Aileen and Robert have more intense interactions and better chemistry than Declan and Edwina, they do not actually meet until 1/3 of the way into the book. Despite the relatively long exposition, their characters are woefully underdeveloped. Aside from being a member of the seafaring Frobisher family and having a mysterious history as a sometime diplomat for the British government, readers learn next to nothing of Robert's past and the type of man he is.
Likewise, Aileen's background is provided in very broad strokes - she is the only daughter in a family of 4 children and her brothers are all in the navy - and...? Moreover, her behavior is completely anachronistic. No reputable young, unmarried woman in the 18oos would be able to travel unaccompanied across London much less across an ocean to Africa without suffering serious social consequences.
Although there is some progression in the ongoing mystery of the abductees, it is very minimal and there is much less excitement and action than in most of Laurens' other works. The writing is also tedious, repetitious, and wordy even by Laurens' standards.
In sum, the original setting and intriguing mystery cannot compensate for the sluggish writing, poor characterization and average romance.