Historical Romance Review: My Favorite Marquess
Review of My Favorite Marquess, reviewed by Terescia Harvey, also posted at WeWriteRomance.com (because I share the love!)
My Favorite Marquess was fun, lively and humorous. Widow Violet Treacher and Sebastian Cavenaugh, the Marquess of St. Just, exchange letters at the book’s opening and that correspondence starts in motion Violet’s determination to set out for Cornwall and settle in the ancient (and crumbling) Trembledown. Sebastian, helping king and country, masquerades as smuggler Robert the Brute and ends up kidnapping Violet. They share something more than smuggled brandy when they become trapped in a cave together, and suddenly Sebastian, “the Brute”, is looking on Violet as more than a nuisance. He desires her, all the while thinking she might be a spy for the French.
The e-book version of My Favorite Marquess ran 419 pages so there was plenty of story to keep me entertained. I have to admit, I had a feeling this was a second book in a series (following His Chosen Bride, it turns out), but it didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book anyway. Violet Treacher was quite obviously some other heroine’s troublemaker, but I loved her for it. Her character flaws, her take on life, these were the bits that made her unique and interesting, and not just some other heroine in a historical romance novel. Her views made for a great opportunity to poke fun. Her flaws engaged me in the story and I ended up enjoying this book more than I’ve enjoyed any historical in ages!
Violet and Sebastian sparkle when they’re together, and the chemistry, the humor, all combine to create a comedy of wit and charm. I won’t gloss over the fact that the one thing truly missing from this story was sex. The potential for passion never dissipated, the tension was there, but in the end, the story itself took precedence, leaving me cool in places where I would have loved to see a little more. Regardless of this small flaw, My Favorite Marquess has to be my favorite historical find in years.
Summary:
I liked it.
I laughed aloud more than once as I read it.
I might read it again, especially if I have the opportunity to read His Chosen Bride.
I would certainly recommended it to my family and friends.
Lillian Kollar said,
July 16, 2009 @ 10:10 am
I couldn’t agree more with your review. I have read both books by Alexandra Bassett (I believe that is a pseudonymn representing two sisters who write together). I keep hoping for another regency historical by this team, but so far see nothing on the horizon. By the way, there was enough sex in the book for me — the scene in the cave where she got drunk, had a great time, then fell asleep before he could take care of himself was hysterical!
Terescia said,
July 16, 2009 @ 11:12 am
The book definitely had some laugh out loud moments, didn’t it? Sometimes I’m disappointed at how perfect our heroines are supposed to be. I want more flawed characters. (And I’m not talking about those fake flaws that are really just how the character sees herself or those flaws that are part of larger strengths.) This book showed how a good writer can take a heroine who has real flaws and make her story fun, exciting, and heartwarming.
Here’s to hoping these sisters put out something new for readers like us!