90. Priceless – Christina Dodd, AVON Historical Romance, January 2008 (c1992), ISBN: 9780061041532, 406p.
Featuring: Bronwyn Edana and Adam Keane
Synopsis:
In a World of Wealth and Privilege, Their Love was Priceless
She was one of the celebrated Sirens of Ireland, a captivating creature of fiery spirit. Bronwyn Edana stunned titled society with her courageous exploits and daring adventures. Yet in nobleman Adam Keane, she met her match. From the moment they first clashed, the headstrong Bronwyn was swept away by A breathless desire. Betrothed to Adam, a man branded by his haunting past, Bronwyn soon found herself at the center of a shocking conspiracy that could rock the British realm. From the dangerous streets of London, to sweeping Boudasea Manor, she followed her most passionate dreams--and risked everything for the only man she would ever love.
Comments:
This wasn't my favorite read. I didn't dislike it, but... I usually end up skipping/skimming to some extent or another in most romances because I don't read the sex scenes. But I don't usually skip anything else. Except in this book, I would find myself turning pages, and then stopping myself with a, "Woah. You didn't read that. Go back." At least partially it had to have been because I just wasn't in the right mood. But part of it was the discussion about Change Alley and stock. Finance isn't my forte', and just like I would in real life, I glazed over.
Then on top of that, I didn't feel any great romance. The hero and heroine "loved" each other from the first 3rd or half (not that they told each other), but I didn't feel the connection. And with just over 400p. of a romance I expect to feel a real chemistry other than just sex between the characters. But who knows, maybe I was missing it between glazing over sections of the finance talk.
My third problem was the heroine's not-there-but-really-there beauty (sounds confusing doesn't it?) and self-esteem issues. She's not beautiful like her sisters, has to wear a wig, make-up, and fake beauty mark patch to improve her looks, but when she finally ditches the exterior stuff and gets a little hair-styling tip from a French woman, she's suddenly beautiful. And then it takes forever and a day for her to believe the hero is attracted to her, even though he supposedly was even before her transformation.
Anyway, I don't usually like to do ratings because everyone's tastes are different, but this time I will... IMO, this was an average, take-it-or-leave-it book.
The great gift is the passion for reading. It is cheap [Hah! It most certainly is not!], it consoles, it distracts, it excites. It gives knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is moral illumination. ~ Elizabeth Hardwick
