Humor is interesting the second time around.http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk
I remember finding this book hysterical when I read it the first time and this time it was still funny. However, I was able to look at it with more analytical eyes and I was truly amazed at the writing skill of the author. I am a big fan of all those screwball comedies from the 30's and 40's... My Man Godfrey, Bringing Up Baby, Twentieth Century, The Awful Truth, etc. The similarity in all of these is even if the main characters in these stories are good looking, they are just a little off, quirky and not really hero/heroine material. And, that's what this book is. This is the story of two characters who would be the secondary goofballs in some other story.
This has so many misunderstandings and side stories that if you are a skip reader, this is not the book for you - you will miss some delightful dialog. The banter between Abigail and Cary is wonderful, bright, crisp and funny. The story never slows down and when Cary's sister shows up at his estate, the story accelerates at an amazing pace. I was truly amazed at the writing skill; I love good comedy writing. I found myself wondering about how Ms. Lejeune plotted her story. This story reminded be a lot of My Man Godfrey with all of those wonderful things going on in the background. One of my favorite scenes in My Man Godfrey is when Carlo has been insulted, all of the main characters are close to the camera and talking but in the background almost out of focus is Carlo sulking... funny scene. Watch for it if you ever see the movie. And, by the way turn off that nasty colorization and watch it in black and white. I digress.
I do have a minor quibble with the book, even though the couple was wonderful and they had chemistry, at least comedy chemistry. when Abigail announces she's in love, I was taken by surprise - I didn't see her fall. Abigail is also a bit of a doormat, but in this book it is written in such a way that her timorous personality plays well.
I highly recommend this book, however, as I said before this isn't a book you can read with only part of your attention turned on. This is a zany, zany book.
And, by the way, why doesn't Tamara Lejeune have a website? She's written four books and another is coming out this year, but her web presence doesn't exist. Ms. Lejeune, you need a website.
Time/Place: Regency England
Rating:
Sensuality Rating: Hot
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