As a vicar’s daughter and a crusading do-gooder in her own right,
Miss Emma Fitzgerald is horrified and incensed when the new Viscount Wakefield issues
eviction orders to his needy tenants. Determined to make him see the light, Emma is
stunned as well as a little bit titillated when she arrives at the manor home only to
catch the Viscount in a most intimate situation with his mistress! But her own desires
aside, Emma decides to make the Viscount right the wrongs he’s committed, no matter
how tempting or beguiling he is.
John Clayton would not
conform to tradition, no matter what! His elder illegitimate brother knew that only too
well. Even though he was now the Viscount, John did not intend to give up his raunchy ways
or licentious behavior. And when the prim and proper, and yet oh-so temptingly beautiful
Vicar’s daughter barges into his home and starts preaching to him, in his inebriated
condition he comes up with what he believes to a devilishly good idea to shut her up! He
makes her a proposal that would have sent scared any other spinster away. But beneath her
correct exterior, Emma had always longed to experience the joys of the flesh. So, neatly
turning the tables on this irresponsible and immature playboy, she accepts his offer!
And thus begins a most
heated and arousing game of cat and mouse, which will leave the readers as well as the
main protagonists stunned.
Cheryl Holt has created
a raunchy and rakish read for the entertainment of her devoted readers in this latest book
of hers. The story does not follow the traditional norm of a historical and is made so by
the character of the strong and sensual heroine Emma who, even though she’s a
vicar’s daughter, looks forward to getting some experience in the bedroom and that
too without a ring on her finger! However, the story twists and turns and at every
opportunity provides its readers with page upon page of seduction and eroticism. So much
importance has been given to this aspect of the story that as a result the
characterizations have suffered and are not very deep. In fact, the hero’s actions
and behavior is very un-hero like until the very end, and does nothing much to gain the
readers’ admiration or respect. The author provides reasons and excuses for this, but
it’s not very convincing. The plot has little surprises, there is virtually no
suspense apart from the erotic one, and the villain is so predictable as to be
caricaturish. Its numerous plot deficiencies do not detract from the fact that this
sexually provocative story will most likely prove to be extremely popular with the
majority of the readers.
Reviewed By Rashmi
Srinivas for The Road to Romance
August 25, 2003 |
