A Bride Unveiled by Jillian Hunter

October 31, 2011

What would a Cherry pie be without the cherries? A hot fudge sundae without the hot fudge?
http://www.jillianhunterauthor.com/

A romance novel without the romance? What happens to anything when an ingredient is missing? When there's something wrong and you can't quite put your finger on it? When something like this happens, usually you can't finish it. There is something bland about it. It's incomplete; you are disappointed that your expectations are not met.

Well, that's what happened with A Bride Unveiled. The story started out great! In the first two chapters we meet the hero, Kit; the heroine, Violet; and their three friends: Winifred, Ambrose, and Eldhert. It is in these chapters that we get a glimpse of their childhood and the unlikely bonds of friendship that form. This part of the book had an almost fairytale quality about it as we watch this group of children from different strata of society grow to depend on each other. I loved this part of the story; it was fascinating, well-written, and I wanted more of the same in the rest of the book.

Sad to say, the rest of the book didn't live up to the promise of the beginning. The rest of the story was a mixed assortment of plot-lines that didn't go anywhere, characters who were bland and uninteresting, a villain who didn't seem to have much of a v-i-l-l about him, a supposedly jerky fiance who wasn't that jerky, and hardly any sexual tension between the main couple. But let me tell you, if you like to read about fencing, you'll get your fair share in this book. Granted, Kit is a fencing instructor so there should be scenes of slashing, jumping, thrusting. But, Gee Willikers there were lots and lots of these scenes. I've never been a big fan of sword fighting in books, so for me, all the parrying and thrusting was w-a-y too much.

Then there is the other kind of thrusting and parrying, and that kind was almost non-existent. Oh sure, our couple desires each other. How do we know this? Because they say they do. But I never felt any of that from either character. There are a few encounters and of course these encounters are not completed. However, in this case the standard Romanceland whankey-woo interruptus does not create any sexual tension.

I struggled to complete this book. Yes, it almost became a DNF. What saved this book from a lower rating was the occasional glimpse into the adult lives of the five friends. I thought Ambrose, especially, had what could have been a fascinating story. I just wish there had been more of the five friends in this book.

See DNF Rant in SidneyKay Get's Distracted.

Time/Place: Regency England
Rating:
Sensuality Rating: Don't Blink!