Next stop, the Greycourt Family
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We have now left Maiden Lane behind and are preparing our entry into the Greycourt family series. I was sorry to say goodbye to the Maiden Lane series, even though I was growing
Let’s take a look at a few of my reasons for this. There are a whole lot of angst-filled people in this story, and I can only assume we will get to visit them when it’s their story-time. There are friendships which were torn asunder, misunderstandings galore, families ripped apart, murder, blackmail, mysteries, and heroes who don’t seem to be too heroic. One of the problems I had with this story was that it all seemed to be a long prelude for the rest of the series, and little time was given to the romance. So far we have Ranulf de Moray, Christopher Renshaw, Julian, Lachlan, Caitriona, Elspeth, Messalina and Freya. And, I know I’ve left out some of the other living characters. We also have dead Aurelia Greycourt – her death is the reason for all the angst. Oh, then there is the ancient secret society called Wise Women – oh, no not another secret society. By the way, the Wise Women are witches.
Our heroine, Freya, is a member of the Wise Women. In fact she is their “Macha.” It didn’t take me long to feel as if I’d stepped into one of my daughters old D and D games. Ah, yes such fond memories I have of my daughter explaining to me all about the magical people in D and D land. Alllll the mage, and wizards, and trolls – oh my. It never took very long for my eyes to glaze over, or for my ears to hear blah, blah, blah. But one must always encourage ones child, so I usually incorporated a nod of my head here and there throughout the narration. Anyway, there were parts of this book that took me back to those days. And, my entire brain glazed over.
Freya, the Macha, has the job of spying, keeping a look-out for anyone who might be contemplating doing further injury to the Wise Women. In the beginning of the book we are introduced to Freya as she runs through the streets of London trying to save a baby from his guardian. She jumps into a passing carriage. And, much to her surprise that carriage is occupied by Christopher Renshaw. She knows him, but he doesn’t recognize her. He’s bored, and he thinks that something just might be up when a woman with a baby jumps into his carriage. Then she jumps out and takes off running, followed by a bunch of men in hot pursuit. Mighty suspicious, he thinks rubbing his chin in contemplation. He does wonder why the woman was glaring at him. Although he does have to admit that they were nice, sparkling, glaring eyes, and they seemed mighty familiar – ummmm.
Of course Christopher is the man Freya blames for her family's disastrous condition – after all he’s wearing her brother’s ring. I knew I had a problem when this revelation was made clear to me, and I knew that what I had on the pages in front of me was a jump-to-conclusions-based-on-nothing heroine. And, Freya really jumps to lots of conclusions, even though she’s the Wise Woman Macha.
Another issue. Even though this story takes place in 1760, the narrative would like us to believe that there were still witch hunters abounding in the countryside. Those witch-hunters were called Dunkelders – at least in this book. Dunkelders – that word made me cringe, and I did waste a whole lot of time searching for it.
Back to Freya. When she’s not spending her time running through London saving people, she’s acting as a companion to a Lady Holland. Supposedly Lady Holland doesn’t have any idea who Freya is. Joy, oh joy, they have been invited to a house party in the country. Also at that house party is Freya’s old friend Messalina Greycourt. They are not speaking. Messalina is there because she wants to find out what happened to Lady Randolph. Lady Randolph, a neighbor, seems to have disappeared. Messalina suspects Lord Randolph did something nefarious to his wife. Freya on the other hand thinks that Lord Randolph may be a Dunkelder. Lord Randolph is also trying to pass a law which would make witch hunting legal again. Freya wants to find something to use against him so he won’t do it. Messalina just wants to find Lady Randolph. Eventually, after a long talk, Freya and Messalina start working together.
Guess who else is at the party? Christopher. Christopher is there because he’s being blackmailed, and the blackmailer is at the party. It seems that his dead wife Sophy wrote some letters which he doesn’t want anyone to see. Are you keeping count? Wise Women, Dunkelder, kidnappers, murderers, blackmailers, witches, friends/not friends – it was all tooo much.
Another issue. Freya as a heroine. Freya is also very hard to like. She’s stubborn, jumps to conclusions and treats her ex-friends and the hero horribly. If she’s an example of a Wise Woman, I’m not sure I want to read about the others in the group. There were too many plot lines threaded throughout the story, too many too keep track of, and definitely too many to remember by the time the next book comes out. There was also more than just the hero and heroines point of views throughout this book – it was very dizzying.
Because of all the different plots clamoring at us from the side-lines, the chemistry between Christopher and Freya is sadly lacking. Not even the requisite humpa-bumpa scenes could add to the romance. If anything the humpa-bumpas seemed to add a sense of seediness to the book. For the sensual side of a romance to work there has to be an emotional connection between our hero and heroine, and there wasn’t.
I’m hoping the next book in the series is better, because the first book in this series is not up to what I have come to expect from Ms. Hoyt’s usual magnetic prose. For the most part, Ms. Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series was jam-backed with atmosphere. All of my senses came alive in that series, but this one just doesn’t live up to its predecessor. Keeping my fingers crossed for the next book in the series.
Time/Place: England 1760
Sensuality: Warm/Hot/Seedy
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