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Book Review of Forbidden to Love the Duke (Fenwick Sisters Affairs, Bk 1)

Forbidden to Love the Duke (Fenwick Sisters Affairs, Bk 1)
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Jillian Hunter is a new author for me, which is rather weird since she has been on the scene for almost as long as I have been reading romance novels. But unless something sounds way out terrific, trying out someone new is risky. I get that. Still, I couldn't resist the delicious possibilities of a forbidden encounter at a masquerade. So, yeah, I was game.

Now, I'm in the story. Absolutely in the moment. I'm with James and Ivy during the ball, the kiss, and the unfortunate events that separates them. No worries. I know eventually they will hook up again, and their close encounter before the actual meet-up was memorable fun. I ate it up. What I didn't see coming was being yanked out of my temporary fantasy. What happened?

Few things about historical romances irritate me more than its characters who act out of character for the period. That's exactly what happened here. Unfortunately, when it did, I couldn't get back to that happy place where I was before. I felt like an observer, constantly distracted by the modern vibe and behavior, kind of the way you can perceive actors acting instead of living their roles. This alone made it an average read for me. In fairness, however, if my peeve isn't yours, the entertaining antics and witty dialogue will certainly keep you engaged in this light-hearted tale, but if you are looking for a more true-to-the-period historical, perhaps this shouldn't be your first choice. 3 stars.