A gothic romance worth reading, but was definitely uneven for me (3.5 stars)
So I know I'm the odd-woman-out on this one, but while some aspects of thiA gothic romance worth reading, but was definitely uneven for me (3.5 stars)
So I know I'm the odd-woman-out on this one, but while some aspects of this book were really superb, I had several issues that stopped it from being stellar for me. This is my first Charlotte Featherstone book, though I've been wanting to read her book Sinful for awhile, and I definitely think she's a talented author and one I will seek out in the future.
Praise The hero and heroine were wonderful as individuals and together as a couple. Isabella Fairmont (23) and Jude Sheldon, Earl of Black (33) are well-written and three-dimensional characters, both tormented by secrets in their past that they are trying to put behind them. Black is a very dark, sensual hero - reminded me of Caire from Elizabeth Hoyt's Wicked Intentions - and while he might have overshadowed a weaker or more timid heroine, I think that Isabella stood her ground with him (while flip-flopping a little too much for my taste).
The chemistry between them is sizzling, and in this area I was actually not sure what to expect, since Featherstone's books Sinful and Addicted are marketed as erotic novels. While she does an excellent job at writing sexual tension between Isabella and Jude - and it's a large part of their romance - their relationship progresses stage-wise at the pace one usually finds in historical romances.
I'll admit that I have a thing for those dark and tormented heroes - who doesn't? - and my biggest weakness is heroes who are intensely drawn to their heroines - on the healthy side of obsession, shall we say? Black definitely delivers on both these fronts with his single-minded devotion to and pursuit of Isabella. I absolutely loved how strong his feelings were for her, as well as one of the mysterious reasons it started.
We're introduced in this book to the leads of both books 2 and 3, and I found all of them very engaging and intriguing, with the exception of Lucy, Isabella's cousin and the heroine of the next book. She got on my nerves and her complete disregard for the Duke of Sussex, who seems like he will be a fabulous hero, did not endear her any more to me.
The final thing that I absolutely loved is a spoiler, so I unfortunately can't detail it. I will say that out of the 300-400 historical and contemporary romances I have read so far, this is the first one that had this incorporated into one of the main characters. I thought it was very brave of Featherstone and for personal reasons, I thought it wonderful that she included that and wish that it had been more fully explored.
Criticism While the strength of this book was the main characters' relationship, it was also the biggest weakness for me. There was so much potential, with all the right ingredients, but while Black's feelings for Isabella felt authentic, he almost always expressed them out loud by describing their physical connection and it seemed to revolve solely around him wanting to finally bed her - and then be able to bed her every day for the rest of his life. Due to a specific aspect of how his feelings for Isabella came to be, and even some of his internal thoughts about her, I thought that the depth was actually there and did exist, but was not expressed enough or fully acknowledged. For Isabella's part, she is definitely attracted to Black (who wouldn't be?!), but I saw no basis for her to have an emotional connection with him so quickly in the beginning of their relationship. While at first her internal struggles added an interesting dimension, eventually I grew tired of her attempt at an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude and felt that Black deserved more constancy on her part.
This is not a paranormal romance, but I personally had to categorize it as one because there are some really weird things going on. There's the subplot, which involves mysterious powers and forces and reminded me of Amanda Quick's Arcane and Vanza series. That in and of itself could have slipped by, but what was up with the book that Isabella is writing? As she writes it, some parts of it come to pass between her and Black, so ... Was she making it happen? Was she predicting the future? I don't know and since it was never explained, even illogically, it bothered me. There is also Isabella's entire morbid relationship with Death, which she talks and writes about as if it's a person, and her constantly seeing shadows, feeling darkness, etc. That, combined with Black's very gothic character, made the book feel extremely melodramatic at times.
The mystery subplot is one that runs throughout the series, so nothing is fully resolved in this book, though I think several things are pretty easily guessed. A great deal of the subplot action is crammed in at the end and that, followed by a quick HEA conclusion to Isabella and Black's romance, make the ending feel very abrupt.
Finally, there was an overall feeling of inconsistency for me. The romance, the characters, the mystery subplot - all of them had a stop-and-go quality that I'm not sure I can properly explain. While some points or aspects of the story are belabored (Isabella's internal struggle, that she and Black are both emotionally haunted, her fear of darkness and the shadows, etc.), others are glossed over, not fully fleshed out, and/or flimsily explained (why he initially became interested in her, why he approaches her now, Isabella's thinking behind her unfortunate event, etc.).
The Brethren Guardians Series Book 1 - Seduction and Scandal (3.5 stars) Book 2 - Pride and Passion (exp. publication date: Nov 15, 2011) Book 3 - Title Unknown
Bottom Line I would recommend Seduction and Scandal and might myself read it again - Black is delicious, and the attraction and connection between him and Isabella at times leap off the page, both making it worth a read. However I had several issues with the book that left me feeling as if not enough had been explained and wanting more depth or background. I will therefore most likely not be buying my own copy, and will instead check it out from the library if/when I want to read it again.
Juliana Philippa
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