Review: 3.75 stars for Mr. Gorgeous and the Abomination
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 20, 2014
What Not to Bare contains possibly the most far-fetched, implausible plot I've enjoyed reading in a long time. The story is built on the theory a large gorgeous bee buzzing around a blossom will attract other bees.  I call this the Lemming Theory of Conformity.  Twitter, FB, Faceless-Man-Boob Book Covers and Playgrounds have proven the validity of this theory repeatedly but feel free to do the research yourself.The story progresses in amusing ways with internal dialog that made me laugh out loud, repeatedly. Staccato sentences that flit from subject to subject, from Nonsense to Epiphany in the blink of an eye suited this story and these characters quite well.  The romance was not rushed or Totally Unbelievable.  David and Charlotte are exceedingly modern but Charlotte, at least, despises her Regency Costume. David is accustomed to his but it does Chafe a bit.  Secondary characters are as expected, some stalwart, some sniping, most of them bewildered and confused.  Stir vigorously and you have just the right seasoning for this Smorgasbord.  Historical accuracy, not to mention reality, is irrelevant - except when it is convenient to use as a plot device. The subplot of the Fashion Column holds it all together.  I mean that literally, sincerely.As to the intimate encounters ... wow! They were definitely more than I expected when I began, I admit they jarred me considerably in context and I skimmed the Big Scene.  I thought it was too unlikely to happen and frankly, David tumbled from his pedestal of Learned That Lesson in India, won't make That Mistake again.  For if cuckolding your boss's wife is bad, how much worse is taking the virtue of a director's niece?  Oh true, he was intending to marry her ... but Darlings, that didn't make it all right.  And though Charlotte was an enthusiastic, demanding vixen, the word No is useful, especially in diplomatic circles.Much to my surprise, David and Charlotte did manage to grow and mature, and look beyond their own little bubble of existence.  It wasn't an Enormous Change, just some of those baby steps we all experience in real life.  I dare anyone to look back and not find a moment or twenty they weren't defiantly pathetic in their desperation to have life happen Now, the way they wanted it, Immediately, If Not Sooner.Overall, I liked this book. I laughed, I giggled, I read parts out loud to my daughters and it was just plain fun.  On a bad day, I'll probably read it again because it was just the right mix of silliness and over the top that I occasionally need to keep from taking Real Life too seriously.  With the cautions mentioned above, I recommend What Not to Bare for a Jolly Read.**~Read my complete review of What Not to Bare at Pagetraveler dot blogspot dot com~**