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anna_hepworth 's review for:
Haunting Miss Trentwood
by Belinda Kroll
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall I enjoyed this, but I found it a bit overwrought, melodramatic, and too many plot strands. I suspect for people who like complex dramas, this would all be a win, but I found it rather exhausting to read. The romance plot arcs work nicely, I was entirely able to believe in Mary Trentwood, her ghost, her romances, and her place in the world. The reasons to do with why the two suitors were present were less believable, although the coincidence of one being the solicitor sent to read a will was at least reasonable.
In terms of characterisation, I found all of the characters a bit underdone, with missing motivations and implausible emotional reactions. At least there was some reflection on the part of at least one that this was a very fast romance, with 'but I've only known them a day'. World building was also quite sparse, although it is possible that if I were more familiar with this specific sub-genre of romance there would be a stack of details I was back filling in terms of assumptions about what was going on, and how various details could be read. As mentioned above, the plotting was complex; I guess it hit the beats in the right order, but I was rather sighing with each new thing going 'what now', so it wasn't working for me.
However, the writing is very good, and it makes up for the issues I have with the rest, making this book a fast read, and not particularly difficult to get through.
In terms of characterisation, I found all of the characters a bit underdone, with missing motivations and implausible emotional reactions. At least there was some reflection on the part of at least one that this was a very fast romance, with 'but I've only known them a day'. World building was also quite sparse, although it is possible that if I were more familiar with this specific sub-genre of romance there would be a stack of details I was back filling in terms of assumptions about what was going on, and how various details could be read. As mentioned above, the plotting was complex; I guess it hit the beats in the right order, but I was rather sighing with each new thing going 'what now', so it wasn't working for me.
However, the writing is very good, and it makes up for the issues I have with the rest, making this book a fast read, and not particularly difficult to get through.