Tuesday, August 5, 2008

LORD Of SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase




I know what you're thinking 'K, the Regency Romance novel lover, didn't have time to read a book this month so she pulled a classic every fan has read.' Ummm… actually I've never read Lord Of Scoundrels. Someone told me the hero cheated on the heroine and that in my books (or in other author's I read) is a big no-no. So I gave it a pass.

Then I was bored and hanging out in the bookstore and started reading and reading and reading, until I was so sucked in, I HAD to buy the book. I also found out that someone was a liar, liar, pants on fire. Sure, the hero messes around after they've met but NOT before they get emotionally or even physically involved.

There are so many reasons why I love this book (another rare one for the keeper shelf). The hero knows he's messed up. The heroine knows he's messed up. Her pet name for him? Beelzebub. The man makes mistakes. Big mistakes. He doesn't treat people (including his son) nicely. We know why. We know the hero knows he's being a jerk. We know why he can't help himself.

And the heroine doesn’t simply accept this. She holds him accountable for his actions. On one occasion, she shoots the hero. On purpose. We're not talking a flesh wound either.

The plot has been done. Brave sister tries to keep her gullible brother from ruining himself while hanging out with the big, bad rake. The characters have not. They're real and gritty and not at all perfect. I believed these two tough as nails people would make their relationship work or die trying. The writing is tight, a thing of beauty, something to aspire to.

There's violence (obviously). The sensuality level is the lower end of sensual.

4 comments:

Kimber Li said...

Great job, K. Gotta love a heroine who lets her man know when he's being a jackas and to knock it off or else!

Anonymous said...

That's what I liked,
the heroine gave as good as she got.

Plus the writing was tight.
Not a wasted word.
A novel to aspire to.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, this book sounds good. I might have to pick it up.

Hi, by the way. I migrated over here after seeing kimber_an post on Bookends about a Shades of Dark Cyber-Launch Party. I love, love, love Linnea Sinclair and can't wait to get my hands on that book. Unfortunately, I'm "stuck" in the UK until September. :-(

Oh, who am I kidding. I love it over here. ;-)

Anyway, I think I'm going to like this blog. Now I have to go find this Scoundrels book.

Agent Z. said...

This is one of my all time favorites. I rarely have the desire to re-read romance novels. This one stays on my shelf and gets read at least once a year. When acquaintances say they don't like romance novels, this is the one I give them. It's never failed me yet.