I was perplexed about this book. I picked it up because I wanted something light and fluffy, and in a way it was like that. But as I was considering about writing this review, more "negative" things started to pop up.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, where the two heroes meet and engage in a witty banter every time they meet. This is supposed to be a "enemies-to-lovers" kinda book, but it really missed it's target by far.
Our Characters: Kate, our heroine, is supposed to be this really clever young woman who is trying to "save" her sister, the alleged beauty of the Season, from Anthony B. who is supposed to be the notorious rake. Anthony decided that this year would be the year of his nuptials and nobody could suggest otherwise. He decided that Kate's sister would do as she was beautiful and clever enough, and apparently he could never love her, which in this case was a good thing...LOL!
However, Anthony had to pass first through Kate in order to get the little chit. Kate hated Anthony before even meeting him, as she got all the important intel about his person and character via Lady's Whistledown column. Yet they meet and sparks fly towards every direction. It sounds good right? Well, the whole concept was good in theory but the EXECUTION lacked immensely. And this is all on Mrs. Quinn!
From early on we see how attracted is Kate to Anthony and vice versa. It's clear that she would prefer that he chose her over her sister. She doesn't seem to have any qualms over his character as long as his attention is on her (roll my eyes)!
There are some elements of unnecessary "violence" between them that really put me off (see the study scene). I really didn't like this aspect and I felt cringing a lot, especially with Anthony's superiority and Alpha male character. I mean even if he was the hottest man in the world, after the way he treated her in his study, I would never have stepped near him. He was quite unnecessarily abusive.
As the story progresses and so does their romance, I felt that Kate's voice is eliminated/ silenced from the plotline, she's there in body and not in spirit, her reactions are so passive that I was wondering If she's alive or not.
After their garden game scene (the only really nice scene in the book), the character of Kate becomes 100% submissive, she expresses no restraint nor opinion to anything that happens to her, from her wedding to her short abandonment from Anthony later in their marriage. Even during their sexual encounters, you have the impression that Anthony is having his way with a plastic doll, no passion, no emotion from her part..maybe it's the way the narrative was written but it really bored me quite. After the 50% of the book, I really just wanted the story to finish. There was no spark between the characters,and if there was one at the start, it wasn't there by the end of the book.
I think that Miss Quinn although she can definitely write a good and witty banter, she should work more on her "passionate" scenes as they lack of liveliness and emotion.
In conclusion, I doubt I will continue with the series, although I would like to see what she has written about Penelope and Colin.
Tara!
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