I enjoyed the first few chapters because the story was so engrossing. The characters were lively and believable. But then reading on, I got to know the hero Jack. I came to find him immature, petty, and close-minded. I liked the heroine Olivia ("Livvie"), but could not understand what she found in the hero. Yes he's good looking and romantic. But he's weak through and through. Of course as with all love stories, he redeemed himself. Not enough, though. Not nearly enough. This was a total mismatch.
I was also dissatisfied that Jack never fully regained his memory and it left a lot of holes. He and Livvie had been estranged for more than 4 years, so there was a lot to be filled up and explained. The events were patchy and explanations inconclusive.
Other than that, I though the author wrote wonderfully, using colorful description, and rich characterizations. This was a historical romance and I didn't find any anachronisms. I've been having a surfeit of that lately and this one bucks the trend.
If you're looking for an engrossing romance with a hero to die for, skip this book. If you're looking for an author who can write historical fiction without romance, try this one.
I liked this one a lot. It had so much suspense in it. The build up to find out Olivia's secret was so great. In the mean time we're introduced to quite a few characters who all seem to have some kind of secret of their own. This one really had me guessing all the way through it. Jack's memory loss makes finding out the secrets so much better.
I have to say that this one had a lot of anticipation build up. But I think the ending was well worth the anticipation. The pay off is well worth it.
The writing was great, the main characters were well developed. The secondary characters weren't as developed but they still had their own stories and they felt like they were real people. I think my favorite character was Lady Bea, even though she doesn't play a huge role she was very interesting, to say the least. Lady Kate was also a great character. She could have come off as being a brat, but I ended up really liking her. Although it did take me a while to warm to her. Then there's Olivia and Jack. There was so much suspense there. So many questions as to what happened in their lives that have led them to where they are now.
This one really did have everything; romance, suspense, thrill, anticipation, and a great climax. It seems some of the books I've read lately have been so anti-climatic that this one really sticks out too me.
After reading the book I still don't understand the title but that is just what it is. The main characters were well developed and had depth to them, the loss of memory did provide mini flashbacks into their history. The secondary characters were well done in my opinion, they aren't the main focus but still provided excellent intrigue to the storyline. I liked the story, how it developed and grew. It was a great read and look forward to the next one.
Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Historical books have always been a favorite of mine, but lately I have gotten away from reading them, taking more to the cozy mystery side. So when I got a chance to read this book and to get back into a historical vein, I was psyched.
I actually really loved this book. I loved the storyline, the way things move and evolve. I was completely in the dark, along with Olivia, as to what Jack had been up to for the past five years, and I loved that his amensia allowed him to grow and learn what it was to be a real man, a real husband, to have faith in a person and to truley love a person.
So I sorta gave you the storyline. Olivia and Jack, they were married but that was five years ago, and now, when she finds him on the battlefield, he is wearing the enemy uniform and has no memory. He doesn't remember than he not only divorced Olivia, but he turned her out into the street in a dramatic display. Olivia is no wilting violet, she dug in and learned to provide for herself and still keep a matter of pride and respect about her.
The book storyline then revolves around helping Jack to remember what he had been up to, and why someone might be searching for him, especially someone with some not so nice plans for his person, and that are willing to involve his wife in their plans weather she knows anything or not.
It is a really great book, and a teaser of book two in the back has me searching my resources for that second book. I can't wait to follow up on some of the other characters in the book, as well as Jack and Olivia.
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Olivia Grace, once the young bride of the Earl of Gracechurch is a victim of betrayal. Divorced and thrown out by her husband, the Earl of Gracechurch, she manages to survive on her own as a ladies companion. On the battleground of Waterloo, she finds her exhusband wounded, unconscious, and in a French uniform! When he wakes up, he has forgotten the past 5 years and how horribly he treated her.He thinks they are still married. (He does, however, recall a French mistress he had and how wonderful SHE was.) I spent most of the book wondering how Olivia could have loved such a shallow arrogant fool, but since she forgave him so easily even when he hurt her AGAIN, she doesn't seem a character to be admired either. The cast of characters for this trilogy all appear in this first book and there are some who have more promise. Aside from the unsatisfying H/H relationship, there are questions I had about Olivia's years on her own (she had her baby in a cow shed and worked as a barmaid...REALLY?) that bothered me enough to take me out of the story over and over. Not one I would recommend.
Enjoyed this interesting & lively title. Complex plot with substance vs the usual she thinks he meant/he thinks she meant. Historical setting unusual for a regency as most of book's action is near the Waterloo Battlefield in Europe instead of Britain. Wicked villain is truly evil, heroine brave but wronged. Former husband was too quick to believe lies about wife. Slowly learns he was wrong about wife. Together they work to solve mystery of what happened to him before his amnesia & why he was found in a French uniform. All ends well.
I was skeptical about this book when I read the blurb because the whole amnesia plot line sounded close to ridiculous, but I have read this author when she wrote as Kathleen Korbel and enjoyed her books a lot, so I gave it a try. I'm very glad I did! The heroine and her trio of friends are a delight, and there is more history and complexity in this book than your average romance. I only wish book two was coming out sooner!
Nice love story with characters that are selfish, greedy, vunerable, and real. Enjoyed the read. Looking forward to the next one.
