Review: Passionate Persuasion
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 31, 2013
Most people list 'Pride & Prejudice' as Austen's finest work, and it's the one that gets most of the attention. For me, I have always been torn - while I adore Darcy and Elizabeth, Anne and Frederick probably have the edge for me as Austen's greatest couple. Make no mistake, this is not a witty comedy of errors and misjudgments, this is a tale of bitterness and regrets, and this new 'wild and wanton' version really builds on the couple's painful backstory, and allows us further insight into their story.There is plenty of hot sex to justify the 'wild and wanton' label, but it never feels like it shouldn't be there. And despite the spicy scenes, for me, the beautifully interwoven words during the non-sex scenes are just as passionate - if not more so - than the sex scenes themselves. In fact, and this might seem strange because it IS after all a spicy book, I think it was the more subtle additions that endeared me to the story even more. One of the most memorable scenes for me is where Anne feels so tortured, simply because she is watching Frederick's lips as he speaks.'Persuausion' has always been a favourite of mine anyway, but this new version has definitely given me a further appreciation of the story. Ms. Persell has added to the original seamlessly, and while I'm sure Jane Austen would be suitably shocked at the behaviour of her characters (it's not just Anne and Frederick who get to have some spicy time),I'm equally sure she would have been tickled to know that her characters lived up to the passion that she created between them.Note: I was provided an ARC for review in exchange for an honest review. No monetary or other compensation was involved.