Customer Reviews

Gentleman's Mistress

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

From the book cover: "Sarah should have been grateful for Mark Tarrington's timely intervention. Without a reference, no one but the notoriously handsome lord would ever have hired such a young and lovely widow as a governess for his niece and nephew. But instead Sarah was furious-at being forced to accept Tarrington's favors, at his ruthless arrogance and taunting remarks, and, most of all, at the way her heart jumped every time his piercing eyes bore into hers . . ."

This is one of my favorite books. I like the heroine, who never knows when to shut up or give in. I like the hero, who is absolutely ruthless. I like the fact that it's a Regency with a sex life. The story hearkens back to the old days (such as the early 80s) when we enjoyed reading about alpha males and the women who could stand up to them. The storyline may sound familiar - destitute woman forced to become a mistress - but it's told in an original way with some surprising plot twists. If you want a story with strong characters and an emotionally wrought storyline, read this one.

I hesitated writing this review, as I note the date of publication makes this one of Ms. Brendan's earlier works, and I have VERY much enjoyed her recent works. Because this book is still being sold, I had to share my thoughts on a disturbing plot, and a very messy editing and proofreading effort.

There is a common plot recipe in historical novels, where a young heroine, with few options due to familial folly or death, tries to rise above the situation with courage, wit and resolve. Enter a brooding hero who has a past, and desperately needs to grow up and let go of something. This recipe works well when both characters are compelling, and developed so that we are rooting for them to find each other despite miscommunications, missteps and societal inhibitions.

This plot is about rape and humiliation, and the use of power to remove all options and ability to earn an honest living from one's prey. Not until the last quarter of the book does the hero in any way become sympathetic. Until then, he is arrogant, egotistical, and for some bizarre reason has decided he must take a compromised woman with few options and REALLY punish and humiliate her. The heroine spends her days trembling and plotting either how to avoid seeing him, how to protect herself and her daughter, or how to escape him with some shred of dignity and the ability to earn an honest living intact.

This was difficult to rate. Mary Brendan's writing is fantastic. Her grasp of the time the story plays, is accurate. However, and here I would have given a minus star, the hero is cruel, malicious and while the last few chapters tell us he loves her and all he has done, he did to keep her and to convince her to love him, I did not see it. I wanted to say to the heroine, do something, get out of there, but alas and this is where Mary Brendan's knowledge of the times comes in, she really had no place to go. She had no options as hard as this is for us in the 21st century to believe.

I've read a few books by this author, and she writes an old-school emotionally remote, authoritative Alpha Male hero. It that's not your thing, you won't enjoy this book. Personally, I found this hero to be overly harsh and I agree with the prior reviewer that some of the interactions feel out of date. I do not have issues with "forced seduction" in romance, but this book took that concept a bit too far. I would recommend readers try Mary Brendan's "Beloved Avenger" which is a much more satisfying tale of lovers in the old-school style.