Helpful Score: 4
Absolutely wonderful book. High quality writing, fully developed characters, complex, believable storyline with interesting plot twists.
Helpful Score: 3
A long-winded tale of a girl who falls for a rake. The book starts with a dark chapter with young women and children being viciously beaten by their grandfather. Then the minute they're away from him the dialogue goes fun-loving and silly, the actions of the girls don't seem to fit people who are running away from a childhood of torment. It remains practically a side issue until nearly the end of the book when it is finally resolved.
The romance was cute and the characters were cute but there wasn't enough story or action to justify the length of the book. Considering the terrible history of the young women, there should have been more lasting scars and repercussions, instead it seemed easy for them to move on to being obnoxious "ladies".
What I enjoyed about this book was that while the heroine was described as someone not particularly attractive, the hero sees her as beautiful. More beautiful than anyone else. Instead of him acknowledging that she's not pretty, then later "learning" her beauty, he just finds her beautiful right off the bat. It was a very refreshing approach.
Anne Gracie's style, at least in this book, is to have the entire book be a build up to a sex scene at the end, a very 70's/80's style of romance writing. The payoff wasn't really worth the book but it was written well enough that I'd give this author another try.
2.5 stars
The romance was cute and the characters were cute but there wasn't enough story or action to justify the length of the book. Considering the terrible history of the young women, there should have been more lasting scars and repercussions, instead it seemed easy for them to move on to being obnoxious "ladies".
What I enjoyed about this book was that while the heroine was described as someone not particularly attractive, the hero sees her as beautiful. More beautiful than anyone else. Instead of him acknowledging that she's not pretty, then later "learning" her beauty, he just finds her beautiful right off the bat. It was a very refreshing approach.
Anne Gracie's style, at least in this book, is to have the entire book be a build up to a sex scene at the end, a very 70's/80's style of romance writing. The payoff wasn't really worth the book but it was written well enough that I'd give this author another try.
2.5 stars
Helpful Score: 3
This book made me gag a little.
I can't tell you how tired I am of reading books about women who weren't beautiful...or even pretty really, but there was just SOMETHING about them, etc. *Yawn* To add insult to injury, THIS heroine is the plain sister to 4 gorgeous ones and of course she OUTSHINES THEM ALL! The hero is completely dazzled by her, enough to be kind of a buffoon. But of course, Prudence, who is supposed to be smart, doesn't quite get that he's into her and not her sisters even though her something-ness makes him stoopid ... UGH. And throw in the cartoonish evil grandfather who tries to beat the evil red hair off of Prudence's head...I mean, I just can't.
I can't tell you how tired I am of reading books about women who weren't beautiful...or even pretty really, but there was just SOMETHING about them, etc. *Yawn* To add insult to injury, THIS heroine is the plain sister to 4 gorgeous ones and of course she OUTSHINES THEM ALL! The hero is completely dazzled by her, enough to be kind of a buffoon. But of course, Prudence, who is supposed to be smart, doesn't quite get that he's into her and not her sisters even though her something-ness makes him stoopid ... UGH. And throw in the cartoonish evil grandfather who tries to beat the evil red hair off of Prudence's head...I mean, I just can't.
Claudine G. (darkhuntress) reviewed The Perfect Rake (Merridew Sisters, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
i loved this story.
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time.
