Review: Pleasant Read
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 16, 2013
LETTER FROM A RAKE is a delightful read, with unexpected twists and turns.Millie Ashton is newly returned to England from India, where her father amassed a fortune to contribute to the family coffers. However, she is having a hard time fitting in, due to her cultural background and her figure. She is certainly no stick-thin English rose. Just when she is in the midst of despair, she finds a kindred spirit in Lucy Radley.What's even better is her friendship with Lucy's brother, Alex. Yet, when Alex sent a letter, it threatens to destroy everything they've built.Millie is newly come from India, and I can empathize with her feelings of being out of place in a foreign land, especially when her figure didn't fit in with the current trend of being stick thin. I found it admirable that she determined to find someone who will like her on her own terms, as she is, and in this, she found Lucy. However, I find this to be in contrast to her later behavior of losing weight with the sole purpose of finding friends (she'd "quarreled" with Lucy at this point) and fitting in with the girls who'd snubbed her before. It's like giving in to society's demands, that "if you can't win them, join them".Alex is a great hero in that he liked the heroine for herself, as she was. He was even horrified when she lost weight! (How I wish I could find someone like that!) Even his attempts to conceal his ailment and his consequent foolish behavior were understandable. It's also a first to see a hero instantly smitten, and the consequence of his besottedness was funny. One thing I wish for is for more scenes wherein Millie and Alex interacted and have conversations, to give support to their affection for each other.The characters' actions were a tad immature, perhaps due to their young age. Also, I find some of the reactions over the top, and while it was funny at times, I can't believe people would react that way. For example, when Millie gifted Lucy with a book and Millie's mother wanted to take it back (she was afraid Lucy and Lucy's mother, the duchess, would be horrified at Millie's gaffe, for it wasn't a socially acceptable gift), Lucy glared at Millie's mother. Yes, Lucy wanted the book, but the daughter of a duke such as Lucy would have impeccable manners, no matter that she didn't want to give back the book. Instead of glaring, she could have informed Mrs. Ashton she really did want it. Glaring bespoke an ill-mannered child, which Lucy supposedly should not be, what with her station in the ton.Another gripe was when we first meet Alex and David, David was introduced as the oldest brother, but Alex was the Marquess of Brooke. I thought that was a typo, but the situation was explained later on in the book. At that time, it did cause me some confusion, but not Millie. Perhaps because having recently arrived from India, she wasn't well-versed yet with the titles and hierarchy in the ton? Still, an explanation at that point would've helped stave off reader confusion.My gripes are not major, and while they're distracting, LETTER FROM A RAKE is still a pleasant read, especially for lovers of historical romance.Reviewed by Ashiafor TheRomanceReviews.com