Review: Disappointing
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 10 27, 2012
Delilah Marvell's story of the Duke of Wentworth and Lady Augustine is quite the disappointment. While the story blurb suggests that both H and h are looking for love and that their pasts will mean a bit of heartache and perhaps angst in the story, what we are given instead is a stunningly weak portrayal of two people who apparently have loved each other from afar for some time and for no discernible reason.The story starts with the Duke quite suddenly throwing himself at Augustine at a garden party he is hosting. There is no explanation for his feelings for her, though he claims he's admired her for some time. There is NOTHING in the entire story to explain this admiration. In fact, what we are told is that he's observed that she's sad and depressed and in need of someone to confide in. Really?! Depression is attractive? I mean, sure, she's got every right to be sad about the mysterious disappearance of her brother two years before, but that he finds this attractive just seemed rather creepy to me.Likewise, it seems that the main attraction Augustine has for the Duke is that he rescued her. I require a little more from my heroes.Even when I would have normally given up on a book, I kept going with this story for two reasons--it was incredibly short, so I knew it would be over soon, and I wanted to know what happened to her brother. Unfortunately, in that regard, this book is just a teaser for another book. I've enjoyed some of Marvelle's novels before, but this short story just doesn't show her writing in the best light.