Review: A gambler's passion
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 13, 2011
The title of this book should have had the word "Gamble" placed somewhere in it.It is obvious, that, Julie Andresen has quite a knowledge of cards.  There are so many explanations on the rules of how the different card games are played and a lot of scenarios are compared with gambling. She also has knowledge of Italian art & history; therefore I wish she had focused more on those details rather than the cards.This book is a lighthearted mystery romance. The characters are all likable. You cant hate the villain in the end either.  The rapport between the Hero, Richard & the Heroine, Helen, is quite friendly as well as humorous.  It's a clean romance like Georgette Heyer writes.  I like love scenes, but more and more authors are filling the pages with explicit love making, rather than taking the time out to add much else in there. And yes I know that is why they are called Romance novels. But some things should be left to the imagination. That is why I enjoyed this book. There actually is a story behind it.  Richard is a gambler, come back to England in pursuit of a Brother & Sister team that have something he wants. He has mistaken Helen as the villainous Sister but later recruits her to help him.Ms Andresen did a good job of keeping the suspense till almost the end as to what Richard is actually looking for.  The mystery about the Brother & Sister is well thought of as well. Although that is revealed in the beginning of the story.  She  did a good job of explaining every incident that takes place. It's not thrown in there randomly.  The patrons of the town "Igglesthorp Upon Inkleford"  are also complimented with having intelligence.  I have rarely read where the commoners are really intelligent in romance novels.  It is in this town that most of the story takes place.Of course you can guess that Mr. Richard Darcy is nobility. So when it is reveled in the end how he was conned into taking the name Mr. Darcy and then became a gambler is superb. Well thought out.What I really found unnecessary was the last chapter ( chapter 20), She focused so much on the people in a stage coach with Helen that she didn't put any time into the ending. It ended quite abruptly.  He pretends to his sister as well as her guests that he is meeting Helen for the first time the previous day. There have been rumors that he was seen traveling with a woman. There are no explanations as to how he is going to explain to everyone, who Helen is. If, the ending had been a bit longer, then the stagecoach scene would have been acceptable.You cant beat it for $.99 cents. But is still recommended if the price goes up.