January 19, 2022
Charles Dickens, here we come!
https://www.lorraineheath.com/I hope everyone is fond of Oliver Twist, because that seems to be what Lorraine Heath has based her Scoundrels of St. James series on. Unlike Charles Dickins, Ms. Heath isn’t stingy with the sex scenes.
The first book in the series is In Bed with the Devil. Our luverly couple are represented by Lady Catherine Mabry and Lucian Langdon, Earl of Claybourne. Allow me to expound on something often referred to as “pet peeves.” Once upon a time, a long time ago, I read an article or a comment about the use of the term “pet peeves.” This article/comment suggested, that we should never use that term. According to the article/comment, “pet peeve” implies the negative, or whining, or something subjective, or it just wasn’t nice. To which I must say: well, yeahhhh. You betcha! A pet peeve does imply that I, the reader, finds something in the book irritating. Usually, it’s something I, the reader, have read over, and over, and over, again. While, maybe the first time I read it, it might not have bothered me, but after the 5 gazillion times, it becomes an eye-roller. It becomes a sigh occasion, a throw one out of the story moment; hence a “pet peeve.” Because I don’t like to stir the pot, I have adopted the luverly term of “hot button.” Isn’t that so much better?
Anyway, In Bed with the Devil has one of those pet peeves aka hot buttons. Our hero, Lucian Langdon is in luuvvvv with his childhood friend, Frannie Darling. He has luved her always. He wants to marry her. He can never luv another as he does her. No other woman can mean as much to him as Frannie. Too bad his Timothy Toad bumps into buildings every time his eyes land on Catherine Mabry. Here is the conundrum I had with Lucian. How is it possible for someone to luv someone sooooo much he can have no other, but he still can’t honor her enough to keep his willi-winker in his pants. Hence a strong “pet-peeve.” Lucian was dishonest with both the woman he luved, Frannie, and the woman he lusted after, Catherine. I have arrived at the conclusion after all these years, if you cannot control what your Timothy Toad does, then you are not really in love with the person you are supposedly committed to. I couldn’t get past Lucian’s dishonesty with himself, Frannie, and Catherine.
So, that’s Lucian, but what about our heroine Catherine? Well, you know how there should be some kind of connection between the heroine and hero. That’s the assumption I’ve been under all these years in Romancelandia. You know that little problem Lucian had controlling his willie-winker? Not only was it irritating, but I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand what he saw in Catherine…and, let me tell you, it was an instant attraction. If the author hadn’t told me he was lusting after Catherine, I would never have known. Catherine seemed like a pod-person…you know the ones I mean…the ones who walk around stiffly and – talk – like – robots. She was a nondescript pod-person.
Then what about the rest of the book? I’ll tell you. It’s too bad there was all the rigamarole surrounding the romantic duo, because there were some wonderful back stories. Lucian’s childhood was especially interesting, and vividly drawn. The solution to his problem was written with some lovely emotional finesse. The secondary characters who inhabited Lucian’s world were absorbing, and made me want to read their stories. This could have been such a good story, if only the hero hadn’t been so dishonest and the heroine hadn’t been so flat. Ms. Heath brought both the dark side of London, and its aristocratic world to life. Too bad her two main characters didn’t fit into the story. Catherine and Lucian just didn’t work for me.
https://www.lorraineheath.com/I hope everyone is fond of Oliver Twist, because that seems to be what Lorraine Heath has based her Scoundrels of St. James series on. Unlike Charles Dickins, Ms. Heath isn’t stingy with the sex scenes.
The first book in the series is In Bed with the Devil. Our luverly couple are represented by Lady Catherine Mabry and Lucian Langdon, Earl of Claybourne. Allow me to expound on something often referred to as “pet peeves.” Once upon a time, a long time ago, I read an article or a comment about the use of the term “pet peeves.” This article/comment suggested, that we should never use that term. According to the article/comment, “pet peeve” implies the negative, or whining, or something subjective, or it just wasn’t nice. To which I must say: well, yeahhhh. You betcha! A pet peeve does imply that I, the reader, finds something in the book irritating. Usually, it’s something I, the reader, have read over, and over, and over, again. While, maybe the first time I read it, it might not have bothered me, but after the 5 gazillion times, it becomes an eye-roller. It becomes a sigh occasion, a throw one out of the story moment; hence a “pet peeve.” Because I don’t like to stir the pot, I have adopted the luverly term of “hot button.” Isn’t that so much better?
Anyway, In Bed with the Devil has one of those pet peeves aka hot buttons. Our hero, Lucian Langdon is in luuvvvv with his childhood friend, Frannie Darling. He has luved her always. He wants to marry her. He can never luv another as he does her. No other woman can mean as much to him as Frannie. Too bad his Timothy Toad bumps into buildings every time his eyes land on Catherine Mabry. Here is the conundrum I had with Lucian. How is it possible for someone to luv someone sooooo much he can have no other, but he still can’t honor her enough to keep his willi-winker in his pants. Hence a strong “pet-peeve.” Lucian was dishonest with both the woman he luved, Frannie, and the woman he lusted after, Catherine. I have arrived at the conclusion after all these years, if you cannot control what your Timothy Toad does, then you are not really in love with the person you are supposedly committed to. I couldn’t get past Lucian’s dishonesty with himself, Frannie, and Catherine.
So, that’s Lucian, but what about our heroine Catherine? Well, you know how there should be some kind of connection between the heroine and hero. That’s the assumption I’ve been under all these years in Romancelandia. You know that little problem Lucian had controlling his willie-winker? Not only was it irritating, but I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand what he saw in Catherine…and, let me tell you, it was an instant attraction. If the author hadn’t told me he was lusting after Catherine, I would never have known. Catherine seemed like a pod-person…you know the ones I mean…the ones who walk around stiffly and – talk – like – robots. She was a nondescript pod-person.
Then what about the rest of the book? I’ll tell you. It’s too bad there was all the rigamarole surrounding the romantic duo, because there were some wonderful back stories. Lucian’s childhood was especially interesting, and vividly drawn. The solution to his problem was written with some lovely emotional finesse. The secondary characters who inhabited Lucian’s world were absorbing, and made me want to read their stories. This could have been such a good story, if only the hero hadn’t been so dishonest and the heroine hadn’t been so flat. Ms. Heath brought both the dark side of London, and its aristocratic world to life. Too bad her two main characters didn’t fit into the story. Catherine and Lucian just didn’t work for me.
Time/Place: Victorian England
Sensuality: Tons of Legs over Ears
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