THE BASTARD RETURNS, the second installment in The Montmoors serial, picks up 2 weeks after Catherine Roth's arrival at the estate. It begins with Catherine writing a letter to her best friend, Emily, who had previously advised Catherine against accepting the governess position. Unfortunately, the issues which perplexed me in the first installment are only compounded by more questions in the second, and what intrigued me in the beginning only makes me impatient now. Perhaps I am just not a fan of serials and prefer to have everything in one nice novel package to read at a quicker pace than the installments are published.
THE BASTARD RETURNS, a 22-page installment, introduces new characters, most of whom are just as creepy as Lord Andrew and the mansion. We are first introduced to the ghost of Monroe Montmoor, Lord Andrew's great-grandfather. The ghost seems intent on scaring the wits out of Catherine, and shows up in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
Next we are introduced to Lord Andrew's brother, Mr. Benjamin Smitt, who is loud, obnoxious, and just as creepy as Lord Andrew, but in a different way. Mr. Smitt says that he is "the bastard come home to claim what is rightfully" his and eyes Catherine like she is a tart fit for his dessert. She would do best to avoid Mr. Smitt. We are finally introduced to Cullen, Catherine's charge, who seems a sweet boy, but about whom we still know very little.
The descriptions of male characters continue to be well done. Their characters seem consistent, if still mysterious. Catherine's character continues to confound me, though. I was unable to resolve my questions regarding Catherine's character - whether she is as flighty and thoughtless as she seems. Her actions and words still seem inconsistent not only with each other but also with her gender and station in life.
The improprieties also continue, with Lord Montmoor spending the night in her bedroom in order to catch Monroe Montmoor's ghost when he makes an appearance. I have to ask: If the ghost has been ruling the roost at the estate for some time, why isn't the female housekeeper or some other maid on duty? Lord Montmoor's motivations are clear. We've always seen that he has some sort of design on Catherine, but why is Catherine not concerned?
Also, I would have liked to hear more about Catherine's first lesson with Cullen. It seems a momentous occasion given that she's been waiting for two weeks to do what she has been hired to do, but that event is glossed over as merely a scene to connect Catherine's interactions with the adult men in the house.
As far as historical integrity goes, the minor issues I noted in regards to the first installment were resolved here in the second. However, I was distracted by some instances of poor editing. Although I am still curious as to how this story will play out, I may have to wait until this serial is complete before picking it back up since it seems that I have no patience for the publisher-imposed pace.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6584
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Montmoors 1: The Governess and the Master by Lisa Greer - 3 stars
The Montmoors 1: THE GOVERNESS AND THE MASTER presents an intriguing beginning
in this serial publication about a destitute young lady who accepts a dubious
position as a governess in a remote and creepy castle. If you are new to this
kind of publication, think of it as the pilot episode of a new TV series. This
23-page first installment of The Montmoors definitely presents a story
with a lot of potential. If you are a fan of serials, I would absolutely
recommend you check it out.
The story opens with Catherine Roth, who suffers from multiple heartbreaks in her life, is at turning point in her life. Not only has her father passed away, but his debts have left her without any money. She has no family to protect her or provide for her, and so she does what many young ladies in her position at that time did – she seeks a position as a governess.
Despite her best friend's warnings, Miss Roth accepts a position in the household of Lord Andrew Montmoor, a man whose family and estate are steeped in mystery, to tutor Lord Montmoor's sickly nephew, Cullen. From the moment she sets eyes on her new residence, she begins to doubt the wisdom of her decision. The castle is isolated, and she knows nobody who works in the castle or lives near it. The servants are few and inhospitable, and Catherine is given a bedroom a few doors down from Lord Montmoor's room.
Lord Montmoor is creepy, even by modern standards. He provides his sister's clothing for Catherine and seems to stalk her as she walks about the property. Add to all that irregularity, Catherine is not promptly introduced to her charge. Lord Montmoor and the housekeeper say that Cullen is too ill to meet her, but as time passes, you begin to wonder whether the nephew even exists. Catherine certainly isn't performing her duties as a governess, and she begins to wonder (as did I) what exactly she's doing there.
The description of Lord Montmoor's actions and the property are well done. I definitely felt a sense of foreboding - that creeping feeling up my neck that I get when I watch horror films. It made me want to tell Catherine to get out of there as fast as her little feet could carry her. I'm still shaking my head wondering what she is thinking staying there.
This being the first installment of the series, the book merely introduces the characters and the mysterious setting of the story; there is very little character development or development of a romance. As for the characters, Catherine seems to be a little flighty and illogical. Aside from putting herself in this precarious living situation, Catherine accepts the sister's clothing with a bit too much ease for that time period, and her decision to wear an expensive silk gown to the beach is completely illogical considering that any of her old gowns wouldn't be ruined in the sand and surf. Perhaps she is just selfish and inconsiderate and doesn't care whether she ruins the expensive new gowns she's been given. I will just have to read the next installment of the series to find out whether she is really this way, or whether we should forgive her thoughtlessness while she tries to get her bearings in this new reality of her life.
As far as historical integrity goes, I was not distracted by modern colloquialisms, but there was one glaring error that I would like to see addressed in future installments or re-released versions of this one: Catherine would not be referred to as "Ms." She would be a Miss. The title "Ms." did not come into use until the mid-1900's, and it was introduced in the U.S.A., not England.
Other than that, though, there were very few grammatical issues to distract from the scary castle and its inhabitants. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series, and can't wait to get answers to my myriad of questions: What is the truth behind the mystery surrounding the house? What really happened to Lord Montmoor's sister? What role does Cullen play? Why does Lord Montmoor not mix in society? Does Lord Montmoor win Catherine?
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6529
The story opens with Catherine Roth, who suffers from multiple heartbreaks in her life, is at turning point in her life. Not only has her father passed away, but his debts have left her without any money. She has no family to protect her or provide for her, and so she does what many young ladies in her position at that time did – she seeks a position as a governess.
Despite her best friend's warnings, Miss Roth accepts a position in the household of Lord Andrew Montmoor, a man whose family and estate are steeped in mystery, to tutor Lord Montmoor's sickly nephew, Cullen. From the moment she sets eyes on her new residence, she begins to doubt the wisdom of her decision. The castle is isolated, and she knows nobody who works in the castle or lives near it. The servants are few and inhospitable, and Catherine is given a bedroom a few doors down from Lord Montmoor's room.
Lord Montmoor is creepy, even by modern standards. He provides his sister's clothing for Catherine and seems to stalk her as she walks about the property. Add to all that irregularity, Catherine is not promptly introduced to her charge. Lord Montmoor and the housekeeper say that Cullen is too ill to meet her, but as time passes, you begin to wonder whether the nephew even exists. Catherine certainly isn't performing her duties as a governess, and she begins to wonder (as did I) what exactly she's doing there.
The description of Lord Montmoor's actions and the property are well done. I definitely felt a sense of foreboding - that creeping feeling up my neck that I get when I watch horror films. It made me want to tell Catherine to get out of there as fast as her little feet could carry her. I'm still shaking my head wondering what she is thinking staying there.
This being the first installment of the series, the book merely introduces the characters and the mysterious setting of the story; there is very little character development or development of a romance. As for the characters, Catherine seems to be a little flighty and illogical. Aside from putting herself in this precarious living situation, Catherine accepts the sister's clothing with a bit too much ease for that time period, and her decision to wear an expensive silk gown to the beach is completely illogical considering that any of her old gowns wouldn't be ruined in the sand and surf. Perhaps she is just selfish and inconsiderate and doesn't care whether she ruins the expensive new gowns she's been given. I will just have to read the next installment of the series to find out whether she is really this way, or whether we should forgive her thoughtlessness while she tries to get her bearings in this new reality of her life.
As far as historical integrity goes, I was not distracted by modern colloquialisms, but there was one glaring error that I would like to see addressed in future installments or re-released versions of this one: Catherine would not be referred to as "Ms." She would be a Miss. The title "Ms." did not come into use until the mid-1900's, and it was introduced in the U.S.A., not England.
Other than that, though, there were very few grammatical issues to distract from the scary castle and its inhabitants. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series, and can't wait to get answers to my myriad of questions: What is the truth behind the mystery surrounding the house? What really happened to Lord Montmoor's sister? What role does Cullen play? Why does Lord Montmoor not mix in society? Does Lord Montmoor win Catherine?
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6529
Only Scandal Will Do by Jenna Jaxon - 4 stars
ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO by Jenna Jaxon is a refreshing take on the 18th century romance even though it involves a rather horrid social issue (sex trade). I definitely would recommend this book, especially to those who enjoy reading about Georgian England but are tired of the same old story line. I might be persuaded to buy this book if there is a sequel or follow up book that does as well. Standing alone, this book was definitely enjoyable, and I give it 4 stars.
ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO tells the tale of Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam, an American woman, sister to an earl, and recent arrival to England, who is kidnapped on her way to a masquerade ball and sold at auction at a London brothel. Lady Katarina is purchased by Duncan Ferrers, the Marquess of Dalbury, who has just returned to England after a year in Italy, where he was hiding out until some family scandals blew over. Unfortunately, Duncan's penchant for redheads might land him in scandal yet again. He believes Katarina's protestations of innocence and claims of title are part of her character/disguise and so plays along, pretending to comfort her and calm her. She caves in to his attentions for a few moments until she realizes he does not believe her and is just trying to seduce her. Then, Lady Katarina demonstrates her American fortitude and knocks him out…literally.
After making it home without the police knowing the full truth of her experience and dealing with her brother's injuries obtained during her kidnapping, Lady Katarina begins to plan her return to America in order to avoid bringing scandal on the family. Meanwhile, Duncan discovers that Katarina was telling him the truth of her family and status in the ton. Seeking to avoid yet another scandal, he tracks her down and convinces her to marry him. This is not done so easily though, and Katarina truly believes that she is destined to be miserable in her marriage to a rake who only needs her money and an heir.
The relationship between hero and heroine here develops more naturally than is typical in the romance genre, lending it more credibility, and allowing the reader to be drawn in to the characters' lives more completely. The relationship develops over several months during which the hero is more understanding and less demanding than expected. I definitely felt the frustration of the hero and the uncertainty/insecurity of the heroine. The love scenes, although explicit, are appropriate in number and context - not too many and not ridiculous. The only point which strained credulity is when Duncan kisses Katarina full on the mouth after she's been puking her guts out for days. Somehow I really doubt that he would do that - kiss her forehead, her hand, yes, but not her lips.
The conclusion of the book is a total surprise. When the bad guy was revealed, I truly was taken aback, and that rarely happens to me these days. Usually, the ending and the villain are obvious after the first few chapters, but not here. The conclusion of this book also sets the foundation for the next book in the Dalbury family series, but I would have liked to have seen an epilogue that either teases out that potential or shows a more conclusive ending to Katarina and Duncan's story. As it is, the ending of this book is rather abrupt.
On the whole, I definitely enjoyed this book. It mixes a social issue that has been around for some time – the sex-slave trade – with your typical 18th century romance, and does it well. However, there are a few romance genre clichés I could do without, e.g., after the woman suffers a traumatic experience, the man leaves the woman to recover; she gets some notion in her head about what she can do while the man is out investigating, so she goes out without telling anyone or taking anyone with her. DUH! Of course she's going to get herself in hot water! Leave a note, woman! Take a servant. Do something to protect yourself when you leave the safety of your home. This kind of situation occurs all too frequently in the historical romance genre, and I would like to see Katarina stick to how she's been written. Here, Lady Katarina is written as a reasonably intelligent woman, but all sense flies out the window at one point, and there is never any explanation about that divergence of character. A few lines of dialogue could have explained why she acted as she did after the situation was resolved without compromising the tempo of the book. Overall, though, the book exceeded my expectations, and if there is a follow-up book that improves on this one while continuing the Dalbury family saga, I might just add them to my library.
A Note about cover art: The cover art here could have been more indicative of the substance of the book. It is helpful to me as a reader when the cover art is connected to the actual substance of the book. Many books are labeled "bodice rippers" because of the cover art – featuring a half-naked man and a woman whose dress is being ripped off in a moment of passion. I am generally turned off by these books because they seem to indicate that the writing is so lacking in plot that they only way to make a sale is via a scandalous looking cover. Some of these books have much more substance than the typical bodice ripper and feature real people in situations that could actually happen. I have recently stumbled across these books where the cover art was not actually shown until after the book was purchased and downloaded.
Here, the cover art does not really reflect the book. The man could have been dressed in a domino & black mask and the woman in an Athena/Greek goddess inspired white dress and a white mask. This would reflect how the two actually meet in the book and lend more credibility to the writing. I know, I know. The book is categorized as a romance and so the cover art should reflect that. I just think it's possible to have both the substance and the genre represented in the cover art.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6328
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