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Don't start tossing this book against the wall just yet, because there are wallbangers and then there are wallbangers. And, this book has one of the hottest wallbanger moments I've read in a long time. Yowie! Let's just say that our stuff-shirt hero, Edward knows all the right moves...even if he's a tad bit hard on the furniture.
Now, on to the rest of One Night in London. There were some elements in this story I really liked a lot and then there were some things that perplexed me.
The good. I loved the couple, Edward and Francesca. I thought they were a well-written, mature couple. There wasn't any of those I hate you, I love you, I'm not worthy of you, I hate marriage moments. I found the romance itself to be intriguing. The romance was what I'd call a "just happens" romance. There wasn't any outside influence creating any sort of tension. Just sort of a "mosey along" romance. A nice gentle courting. Except for the wall. Now don't get me wrong, there were outside things going on, lot's of things - they just didn't affect the growing relationship.
Edward was a little bit harder to understand than Francesca. He just wasn't an emotional type of guy, and that was one of the things that perplexed me. He says he loved his fiancee, but he seemed to fall out of love pretty dang fast. I can only assume, after reading so many romance novels, that he never loved her. Being a cold-fish, he probably "never knew what love was." Of course, his cold-fish persona didn't stop him in the sex department. He was hot hot hot! However, what I really enjoyed about the sex, was the "after the sex" scenes. They were wonderful, especially Edward's reaction to the "best he's ever had." He almost skips down the street, he's so happy. Anyway, I thought Edward and Francesca were a complex couple and I enjoyed the book when they were in it. I also thought the brothers were well-written and interesting enough for me to want to continue reading their stories.
Now, where the story didn't work for me...too many things going on. There were too many problems to solve and still squeeze in a romance at the same time. And, some of the plots (I think they were plots,) never went anywhere. For instance, Percy the painter. He seems to be portrayed as a villain in the beginning, but in the end he wasn't. There was not enough of his story in the book for me to understand why he was in it. There was also the whole issue of the mysterious death of Francesca's husband (or I picked up what I thought was a mystery); maybe there wasn't, because nothing ever develops. Then, there is Lord Alconbury. I was always suspicious of Lord Alconbury, I don't know why, maybe I'm watching too much of the CLOO channel. But, I thought he was somehow responsible for the death of Francesca's husband, and he just seemed like a villain in this book. He was just so possessive - always seemed a little shifty to me. Turns out I was wrong. So, I guess that's something I cannot blame on Caroline Linden, because I was looking for things that weren't there. I had trouble identifying the bad guy. However, there didn't seem to be any bad guys, at least in the end. I was very confused. And then, once again a missing/kidnaped child who is conveniently forgotten as the couple journey to romance-bed thumping.
There was an interesting twist at the end, a heroine who doesn't always get what she desires. That was a very poignant moment. I'm interested in the other brothers and the continuing mystery of whether their father is a bigamist or not. I just wish the books were being published closer together, because I know I won't remember all of the dynamics when the next story comes out.
I did have questions that didn't get answered - mainly, was Francesca's husband's death an accident and what about there's-more-than-meets-the-eye-Lord Alconbury? However, I suspect those questions are of my own making and won't be answered.
Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality Rating: Hot!!
1 comment:
I liked the romance in this one but I was left with too many questions at the end.
I also didn't care for how the outcome to the child search and what happened there. I guess it was ok but still - not the way I wanted it to go.
I'm very interested in what exactly happened with the duke and wanted more info on that. I fear we'll have to wait until book 3 to truly get all the gory details. :)
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