Customer Reviews

Duel of Hearts

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I have mixed feelings on this story. This is my first book by Anita Mills. While I did finish the book-the story was entertaining but had a lot of flaws pertaining to her characters out of place behavior. The hero was very good but the heroine was a bit of a nitwit although she's supposed to be a bluestocking.

This story falls into the theme of "commoner character (or "cit") marries a titled character (or "quality").

I think my main problem with this book is what starts as a romantic comedy quickly turns into non comedy with the H/H constantly fighting with each other. About the only saving grace of the story was the anti-hero Rotherfield-a brooding male secondary lead interesting enough to warrant his own story. Another surprising facet is the story was pretty racy for a regency but was tastefully written.

The book was interesting enough to stick it out but I'd recommend that a regency fan not go out of their way to search it out.

I found this story terribly over-written, with every Regency romance cliche thrown in for good measure.

The heroine was supposed to be a strong woman, but I found it offensive that her fiance/husband and her father manipulated her into a marriage she didn't want. It was the equivalent of reading an old Harlequin Presents with a heroine who just can't stand up for herself and tell the men flat-out, NO: I won't do this.

Also, while the hero is attracted to the heroine, he acts so selfishly, so rudely and inconsiderately toward her from the first instant he becomes acquainted with her, that it's extremely difficult for the reader to summon up any liking for him.

The character of the father is simply ridiculous. He only exists to put pressure on the heroine to marry a worthless man. The father doesn't even take offense when the hero mistakes his daughter for a high-priced courtesan. You'd think a man who earned his money by the sweat of his brow would be reluctant to part with it, especially in order to give it to a broke, ignorant, (but titled) society doofus, but apparently the hero's noble title is all the father can see. Ridiculous.

Very disappointing read. Shallow characterizations and a weak plot propelled by its characters doing unbelievable things. I really cannot figure out why this first novel from Anita Mills won an award.