[stunned silence followed by vociferous string of profanity-laden expostulations]
That was a change of pace. Well written. It seems historical romance author Tessa Dare is going in a new direction, one more whimsiquirkilicious than I had anticipated. I have never given my Kindle the side-eye before. And I did, in fact, resist the temptation to throw it across the room. That counts as a victory. And that was certainly the most expletives I have ever let loose while reading a love story. A lot of new things today, it seems.
[cleansing breaths]
[re-reading most of the book]
“I believe there are two ways of writing novels. One is making a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn,” said P.G. Wodehouse, giving a surprisingly apt posthumous description of Romancing the Duke.
Delightful historical romance author Tessa Dare has abandoned the ladies of Spindle Cove and embarked on a new series called “Castles Ever After”. As the name suggests, this new novel has a fairy tale undertone/overtone, not to mention many clever references to classics of the romance genre. Dare writes incredibly consistent and enjoyable stories, but of all the authors whose work I buy automatically, Dare is the one who most consistently requires a willing suspension of disbelief. Romancing the Duke broke mine, Dare BROKE IT, with this playful and quirky novel.
Doubt not that Tessa Dare’s tongue was firmly planted in her cheek: Isolde Ophelia Goodnight’s father not only saddled her with a tragedy-in-waiting name, he left her penniless and alone. Summoned to Gostley Castle in hopes of claiming a bequest from an anonymous benefactor, she instead encounters a derelict estate and its equally derelict ducal inhabitant, Ransom, Duke of Rothbury, who will serve as the tortured hero for the purposes of the story. He’s as big, brooding, and gorgeous as one looks for in such characters. Ransom is just sitting around waiting for the redemptive power of love to bring him back into the world. It’s a good start.
The ermine was a bad sign. Izzy has a pet ermine which, in her defense, was a gift from a fan of her father’s serialized medieval fairy tale. She brings it with her to the castle and they both stay when she discovers that the estate has been bequeathed to her. This comes as quite a shock to Ransom as he did not know the castle had been either a) up for sale or b) sold. His recent blindness has left him a little behind in his correspondence. Things should have proceeded apace from there, but the hijinks, DEAR LORD, the hijinks that ensued.
I had not anticipated costume play or live action role-playing in a Regency romance. I daresay few have. I daresay I’m not even sure it was a Regency romance. It was more of a historically-indeterminate homage to a Gothic novel: the truculent hero; the crumbling castle; the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed destitute heroine; things that go bump in the night; sexual tension; aggressive carnivorous pets; plot elements that are picked up and dropped; inexplicable character shifts; and the almost successful interplay of the love story and whimsy. It was all so cute, I cringed. I wanted a love story, not a Duke getting his LARP on.
I’m not sure who exactly this novel was written for. The short answer is, “Not me.” I get it. It’s not you, Romancing the Duke, it’s me. I was expecting a heartfelt love story with some of Dare’s trademark caprice and smolder, but instead the novel is a romp with an emphatic lack of connection to reality instead of the veneer-of-plausible-deniability connection to reality I look for in romances. It was not what I expected and it was not, like Ransom’s feelings for Izzy, everything I never knew I always wanted.
My partner-in-romance, Malin, loved the book. Check out her review for a different take on Romancing the Duke.
Tessa Dare Recommendations:
A Week to Be Wicked – includes a summary of Dare’s catalogue
The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright
Any Duchess Will Do
“I wanted a love story, not a Duke getting his LARP on.”
*snort*
I saw your review after reading Malin’s I’m caught between not wanting to read it (because cute and I don’t mix) and desperately wanting to read it instantly because so I can jump into the discussion about it :)
PS. Have a kindle now but am struggling to embrace it. I finished my first book (The Rosie Project which I liked far more than I thought I would) but I don’t find “curling up in bed with the kindle” to be as enjoyable as an actual book. So still am advertising my shameful…I mean reading paper copies of romance novels.
It basically comes down to Malin being more fun than me. She found the book hilarious and embraced the romp. I just found it silly and disruptive of the love story.
Those other three romances I listed above are all really good, if haven’t tried Tessa Dare and would like to.
I started using a Kindle on the heels of reading the Outlander books, so my wrists were grateful. I do recommend getting a cover, if you don’t have one. I used to get what I called “Kindle Klaw” from holding such a thin device. I am actually annoyed now when I have to read a paper copy of something, BUT if I really love a book I want to have a paper copy of it. Except the romance novels. Those I prefer to read privately, as it were.
I’m your partner-in-romance! Yay! Also, I love your review, even if you didn’t like the book as much.
I’m not sure that I’m all that much more fun than you, I think it was just that due to the books I’d read lately, and the fact that I hadn’t really worked up any specific expectations to the book, I was diverted and amused by the whimsy.
I would never give this book to a romance newbie, and I would warn anyone I did give it to that it was on the excessively twee side. Most of the reviews I’ve seen on it online rate it highly though, so I’m not the only one who was entertained by it.
Alexis, I was once like you. I own a lot of romance in “dead tree” format. Then I bought a Sony Reader before I went on a three week trip on the Trans-Siberian five years ago, and discovered how incredibly convenient it is to ba able to carry hundreds of books on one tiny device. Five years later, the only physical books I get are the ones I’m given as a present, or that I just desperately need to own in physical form.
I read faster on the e-reader, and it’s way more practical to read big fat fantasy books on it, as they weigh a lot less. Plus, we live in a small flat, where there is no more space for bookshelves. That means that if I want to fit more books in, I’ll have to get rid of some old ones that I love, or buy the electronic copy. I’m totally an e-book convert, and when re-reading, will actually choose to read on the Reader (if I own duplicate copies) rather than my book from the shelf.
Hang in there with the Kindle. I’m a nook user, and it took me the better part of a year to get comfortable with it, versus a book. I still get regular books from libraries, the occasional impulse buy, gifts, or Rainbow Rowell books. But, the nook and I are friends now.
I also agree with Mrs. Julien – get a cover. Preferably one that has a book-ish feel. It’ll help with the conversion. :)
Yes yes I need to embrace the Kindle. Otherwise I’ll end up some old fart who doesn’t get the technology that the cool kids are all into. *sigh*
I do have a cover but I didn’t get the $60 origami cover. Instead I end up making blanket origami so I can get it to prop (without me holding it) at just the right angle.
Maybe I’ll end up like Malin, choosing to eread books even when they’re owned in paper copy. As of today, however, my Kindle Fire is still largely a very expensive Plants vs. Zombies player ;)
Great review. Probably enjoyed it more than I would the book though. Have yet to pop my romance novel cherry.
Thank you! I enjoyed writing it more than I did the book.
If you decide to wade into romance, I can give you suggestions.