Wow, I'm on a roll!
http://www.elizabethboyle.com/
I love reading books with humor in them and now I've had two in a roll! How exciting!
When I found out our heroine was a twin, I thought I might have a problem (I hateesssss twin stories,) however, I'm glad to say that my twin phobia didn't kick in. We have a grumpy "House" like hero, Wakefield. (By the way, not a big fan of House either.) In this case I found Wakefield's antics, or should I say the things that disrupt his life, to be highly amusing. Louisa, our heroine, barges into his house constantly. She's chasing her mangy cat, trying to clean Wakefield's house, firing cooks, hiring cooks, chopping gardens, hiring adorable kids - just being a very big busybody. Now, while I found this a tad bit much, I also found it over-the-top, slap stick funny. Her being in his house constantly without his permission was highly unbelievable, however, I really enjoyed the silliness of it. Maybe it's because I am a big fan of heroes who lose control of everything that I found this story, while highly improbable, a pure joy. At least the moments Wakefield and Louisa were together. Most of this book is a light-hearted romance; it is only when some darker elements entered the story that I was less enchanted.
I think if the book had been a little bit longer some of the darker elements could have been developed more. Wakefield has some issues with the loss of his friend in the Napoleonic war, which I think distracts from the wonderful humor found in the book. It could be possible to have a cranky person shouting at do-gooders without there being some dark foreboding reason. Maybe they just don't like people, especially when they enter one's abode without permission and then never go away. There is also a sequel for Lavinia, Louisa's twin - more will be explained about their mother in that one - I just wish that string had been tied in this one. Lavinia can have a different problem. It is because of the sequel that the ending seemed a little bit incomplete, which is too bad because I loved the story up to that point. Also added into the mix was a romance or the beginning of a romance between an older couple, not sure if that one will have its own short story or be wrapped up in the next book. I am looking forward to the conclusion of both stories.
Would I recommend this book? You betcha! This was a light read, a light romance, and full of some amusing things. The hero is adorable even if he's irascible and that's because he is totally lost and out of control when it comes to Louisa barging into his life. The story between disagreeable Wakefield and the meddling, take-charge Louisa works, so if you want something that will make you feel good, I suggest The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane, part of the Rhymes with Love series.
Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Hot!!
No comments:
Post a Comment