Monday

Sinful in Satin by Madeline Hunter

Katherine Hepburn or Audrey Hepburn alert! It doesn't matter which, they were both sticks!

http://www.madelinehunter.com/
Before I start I just want to ask - what's with the malnourished model on the cover? I found the vision of an emaciated chest with the very visible collar bones to be really repulsive. I implore all cover artists out there, put some meat on those renderings of historical women. Please!!! I know that you artists studied art history just like I did and I don't remember one skinny woman in any portrait by David, Ingres, Gainsborough, VanDyck, Rembrandt, Stuart, Goya... well, maybe Goya but I think some of his were a tad bit scary. There is a difference between skinny and slim. And, yes I love Katherine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn, but they were both skinny, skinny women and not terribly sexy. So, but some flesh on these cover models!!!

Back to the book.The third in the Rarest Blooms series, Sinful in Satin isn't my favorite. My favorite so far as been Ravishing in Red and I'm going to have to admit that I had a hard time reading Sinful in Satin, because once again it was a slow mover. It was so slow that I felt myself nodding off, which is too bad, for I have a great respect for Madeline Hunter's writing.

I liked both main characters, Celia and Jonathon, but I think my problem with them was their situation seemed so sad. Especially Celia. She's had all of these dreams about living a normal life, but we as the readers know that this is never going to happen because of her mother. So, I was sad for her, watching as one thing after another got in the way of her happiness. And then there's Jonathon, the hero. We know that he's not rich, so he can't rescue Celia from the dilemma that she finds herself in. Maybe that's the problem I had with this book - it was so melancholy. Plus, even though Celia sees Jonathon's manly chest a number of times, and they both seem to have very erotic fantasies about each other, I didn't feel the chemistry. It seemed rather forced to me.

For me this book was good, just not great. I do find the series as a whole to be well-written and I am looking forward to Daphne and Castleford's story, Dangerous in Diamonds, coming out May 2011. Castlefords been my favorite character in the series, which may or may not be a good thing.

Time/Place: England
Rating:
Sensuality Rating: Hot

2 comments:

Tracy said...

I really do love the colors and the set up of the cover of this book but you're SO right. The emaciated model doesn't do it for me at all.

I haven't read any of this series but I think my mom has copies - I'll need to borrow hers and read away. :)

Melissa said...

I have enjoyed this series and agree this book moved much slower. May 2011 is too long to wait for Castleford's story. I hope the build up is worth it.