Thursday, September 8, 2011

BOOK REVIEW: In The Arms fo a Marquess by Katherine Ashe

Avon Romance Sept 1 2011

284 pages   By Katherine Ashe

BLURB ON BACK OF BOOK:

She’d never forgotten him . . .

Miss Octavia Pierce is witty, well-off . . . and shockingly unwed. Still, she is far too successful in society to remain on the shelf forever, and her family has hopes that Octavia will finally make the perfect match. What they don’t know is that, years earlier, Octavia was scandalously tempted by the one man capable of sweeping her off her feet— the man now known as the Marquess of DoreÉ.

A third son, never meant to inherit, Lord Ben DoreÉ has abandoned his past and grown accustomed to his illustrious new position of wealth and power. But he has never forgotten Octavia, and now she desperately needs his help in a most dangerous, clandestine matter. Although she claims she has put the memories of the passion they shared behind her, Ben is determined to once again have her in his arms—and in his bed.

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 This is the third book in the 'Rogues of the Sea' series, I haven't read the other books in the series.

I found myself immersed in this book when I started out, the chemistry between the two was sizzling. It is too bad the plot got in the way. I am not one of those people that despair over a heavily plotted romance novel, I embrace it. Here however, it bogged down the story so much I skimmed through the last part of the book, my eyes glazing over. 

Octavia Pierce was raised in India and it is here she meets the hero when barely out of their teens, Ben Doree, a half-Indian, half British stunning specimen of virile, youthful manhood. Ben soon proves that by rescuing 'Tavy' from some market thugs and the spark between them is lit. Tavy's aunt and uncle soon come between the young couple and pull them part.

Flash ahead seven years and the couple meet up again in Britain. Ben is now a Marquess thanks to the untimely death of his father and older brother. As I stated above, the attraction and love scenes are well done, I was really pulling for the couple. But the misunderstandings from seven years ago are still there and that is just exacerbated by the dense, complicated plot the couple are soon pulled into. Also the conflict of the couple is thin to be carried over from their youth and still be an obstacle seven years later. It is one of those stories 'if only they would talk to each other.'  I can live with that, usually it makes a good conflict in a story but here I did not quite buy it.

Sorry if I do not go into the plot here, to me it is even too confusing to explain. The book is well written and I know some reviewers question some of the historical accuracies. Historical hiccups in a romance novel do not distract me, I tend to let it go. I do despair however when a book starts quite promising with an intriguing hero and heroine and premise, then goes off the cliff .

I did not dislike it totally, it is just another current Avon release I have found to be satisfactory enough read but soon forgot after I had finished.

2.5 out of 4 stars for the book

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