Elizabeth Winters is difficult to please. At six and twenty, she has turned down nearly a dozen suitors. She will settle for nothing less than a grand love.
But can she find it in a man like Gideon Sparks? Captain Gideon is down on his luck. Having lost two ships, he is destitute, with no way to return to his homeland. Elizabeth's cousin (and about 4 older lords and ladies, whose names I could never keep straight) concoct a plan. They decide to turn Gideon into one of Elizabeth's suitors.
I've read over 200 Regency romances, and this is the first time I've put a book down. I was half-way through the book, and Gideon and Elizabeth had YET TO MEET. And when they finally DID meet, I didn't care anymore. Gideon fancied himself in love with Elizabeth's portrait, which I thought was pretty shallow. Elizabeth's character was not standout in any way, and a lot of things seemed unrealistic to me, on top of everything else. I put it down on page 108. I love Regency romances, but this one left me cold. Completely. Zebra has changed their book covers; I hope that doesn't mean they've changed their standards as well.
It's a shame, because I've liked some of Julia Parks' past novels. However, she really dropped the ball on this one. I would have much rather read about Elizabeth's friend Penelope and her handicapped brother Roger. |
Marriage Minded (Zebra Regency Romance) Books In Print, Audio Books.