Review: Close but no cigar.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 14, 2012
Paraphrasing the saying, "too many cooks spoil the soup," this book is a good example of "too many inspiration result to uninspired storyline."The story of Alexander, the Duke of Rochester and Isobel, the daughter of an impoverished Earl who had to marry to save her family,"The Duke's Reform" took elements from popular and unforgettable books, but it failed to rise to the occassion.An obvious reference is from Daphne du Murier's "Rebecca"; then of course, the Duke of Rochester, aside from the name, is also supposed to be a Byronic hero and in more ways than one, it references Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre". These are the most obvious, I could name more but then, I believe these two examples already made the point.There was so much promise in the beginning of this book. But, the anti-hero, was not really an anti-hero. The Duke of Rochester was not developed enough to be a total rake. Isobel, which is supposed to be a strong and spirited woman had also become a little bit annoying with her self-centeredness at some point. And finally, with all the "chemistry" between Alexander and Isobel, the bedroom scenes did not sizzle.