A Dumpster Fire of a Romance

I have some serious ire at this book. Ms. MacLean almost lost me with this one, because this was some hot dumpster garbage. Let me tell you why…

Temple, one of the Scoundrels of this Rules of Scoundrels series, is actually the Duke of Lamont. He was disowned and cast out from society twelve years ago when on the morning of his father’s remarriage he is found in the bride’s bed covered in blood with no memory of what happened and her missing. Fast forward twelve years and Temple is now a wealthy casino owner and boxer while Mara (the missing and not dead! bride) is hiding in plain sight in London. She reveals herself to Temple in order to get him to repay the debt her brother gambled away at his casinos. He is, as anyone would be in this situation, suitably angry. Things progress from here.

And God I HATED it. The idea that someone could move past and forgive the murder setup is inconceivable. On top of that, because Temple has no memory of that night, he assumes for those 12 years that yes, indeed, he did kill her. She made him think himself a murderer, but no it’s now totally okay because love. Efffff you Ms. MacLean. That is garbage. It doesn’t matter how much he wants to get in her drawers, one does not just forgive being framed for murder.

And that’s only point one on my disliking list. Point two goes to Temple calling Mara a whore. No, she is not a prostitute, and yes he does mean it in an incredibly derogatory manor. She is justly upset about it, but I still find that unacceptable. Any hero (be they real or fictional) are made suitably awful by calling women such terms. I don’t care for the, “it’s probably historically accurate, blah, blah, blah” nothing about this book is, and I’m fine with that, but not fine with being so icky.

Thirdly (yes, there’s a thirdly (and fourthly, but I think I’m stopping at three as this is making me too angry to type) there is after the “whore” calling, another incident. Mara does something foolish, and Temple literally almost dies from it. His response? It’s okay, I still want to see you naked. His character continually thinks he deserves all of these awful things that happen to him, because of that fake event all those years ago, and it’s insane to think this poor man (who is no means perfect) deserves it. MacLean writes it as though he does, and he literally did nothing remotely wrong all those years ago. It’s garbage. He deserves better. And this is coming after I’m mad at his name calling characterization.

Anyone I hated this one obviously. I finished it, just so I could write this review. Funnily enough I read the last one in the series and LOVED it. Oh, Ms. MacLean, you’re so up and down. I shall keep reading you for now…