Customer Reviews

The Handmaiden's Necklace

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Ms. Martin's last entry in the Bride Trilogy is not as strong as the others...but not as dismal as it could have been. This story seemed to lack the heart the previous titles offered. Still this was a nice regency romance a stand alone read if you've not read the previous titles in the series.

Five years earlier Rafe and Dani are engaged to be married. They are in love and all is right with the world until Rafe is lead to believe his Dani has been unfaithful. He finds her in a very delicate situation with another man. Crying off from the marriage, Rafe leaves Dani to face the gossips and to be shunned for her part in the escapade. She claims innocence but Rafe is to hurt to listen. Years later Rafe has learned that he has been duped. Dani had been telling the truth and he now vows to win his ladies heart back at all costs. He follows her across the Atlantic and keeps her from marrying an American...but at what cost? He has to resort to blackmail...he will do what he must because there is still a large attraction between them. Will he ever be able to win Danielle's heart for his own?

Danielle has lived the past five years in seclusion. She has been ruined in the eyes of society when Rafe ended their betrothal all those years ago. She is wants a happy ending more then her next breathe so she agrees to marry an American. She sets sail with her ladies maid and aunt for Philadelphia. There she hopes to have a fresh start with a happy ending. She is not prepared for Rafe's arrival and explanation. Or his need to have her at all costs. She agrees to marry him...but she will not love him again. At least she thinks she won't love him...but she can't forget how he makes her feel. When someone starts trying to kill them will they be able to sort out their feelings or will a killer manage to bring an end to their happy ending.

This was a push/pull romance and honestly it did start to wear a bit thin towards the end. Still Ms. Martin was able to create a wonderful secondary romance which was a pleasant addition to the story. Rafe and Dani were endearing characters but the vehicle in which Ms. Martin kept them separate did not allow for a believable romance. This was the weaker of the three stories but a fair addition to the series.

My opinion is along the same lines as the other reviewers. I was greatly anticipating this book and was disappointed. I love the "childhood sweathearts" premise and had high hopes for Kat Martin's latest.

I felt the conflict of unrequitted love was resolved too quickly. Danielle didn't make him grovel for her affections.
Also, the book's other conflict is based on "the BIG misunderstanding" which I do not like.

As in her other more recent efforts, the love scenes are sensual, but too contrived. The development and quite frankly the positions of which they make love occur at the same time as in her other books. I don't want to spoil it by saying exactly what I'm referring to, but any other avid Kat Martin fans know what I am speaking of.

Not my favorite book, but not a complete dud.

Kat Martin wraps up the "Bride's Necklace" trilogy, with THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE and measurably, the final entry lacks emotion. Martin's writing style is wretchedly distant and for a genre that floats in emotion, a distant writing style is a major problem!

Five years ago, their betrothal ended. Rafael Saunders, the Duke of Sheffield, promised her forever - but he believed the lies. Once, Rafael and Danielle were in love, but their marriage never happened - he had believed the lies! Losing him cut deep . . . and now . . . now . . . he wanted to do it all over again . . .

Rafael Saunders, the Duke of Sheffield, no longer was a passionate youth. Danielle's betrayal still pained him; yet, he could not forget the woman who had stolen his heart. The memory of Danielle still haunted him and suddenly Sheffield wanted to know the truth . . . what really happened five years ago? F I N A L L Y, Rafael decided to get to the bottom of his nightmare! And shockingly . . . it seemed the entire affair was nothing more than an enemy enjoying a cruel, vindictive joke.

Now . . . let the games begin!

Quietly, Rafael Saunders and Danielle Duval wed. Kat Martin's game? The standard "discontent/deception" theme. For weeks, Rafe and Danielle do not make love - Danielle needs time to adjust. The necklace is missing - is Danielle lying? Desperately, the Duke of Sheffield needs an heir - Danielle is barren and consciously she holds back the truth. An attempt is made on Danielle's life - is Rafael responsible?

This is cagey writing. By using the "discontent/deception" theme, an author can cover much ground. In THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE, Kat Martin remains true to form. The "discontent" theme displays lustful nights and unpleasant days. The "deception" theme uncovers guilt and half-truths. Both themes are acceptable if the story has a degree of excitement; unfortunately, here that is not so! When it comes to the romance genre, the reader wants and demands emotion. Kat Martin is a bestselling author; unfortunately, "bestselling" and "expertise" do not necessarily create winning novels. Without a doubt, Kat Martin wrote THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE from experience - not from her heart!
Grade: C-

MaryGrace Meloche.

This trilogy ended with a whimper, especially with the miraculous conception at the end--v. hard to believe, esp. when the author went to the trouble of having a doctor reiterate how "damaged" the heroine was from her previous accident. Without that, the reader might have believed it, 19th c. medicine being what it was(nt'), but with it... And the heroine did a pretty good job of seeming reluctant to marry the duke, when all she had to do was tell him that big secret. "He owes me his name" is flimsy justification.

Rafael Saunders finds a note written by his fiancée Danielle Duval asking his friend Oliver Randall to come to her room tonight. Stunned Rafael arrives at Danielle's room to find a naked Oliver in bed with her. He like everyone else blames Danielle for the scandal though she swears she is innocent.

She remained in hiding for five years, but two weeks before going to America to marry her new fiancé businessman, Richard Clemens in Philadelphia, her beloved Aunt Flora coaxes Danielle to make an appearance amidst the ton. Rafael attends the same bash. He angrily asks why the betrayal, but she still insists she is innocent and that he betrayed her. Stunned Rafael hires Bow St. runner Joseph McPhee to learn the truth; two weeks later, Joseph reports that Oliver hates Rafael, duped him, and that Danielle told the truth. He wounds Oliver in a duel, but Danielle has left for America. Rafael pursues the one woman whom he loves not knowing whether he can overcome the mistakes he perpetrated on his beloved.

The circumstantial evidence that condemned his beloved five years ago haunts Rafael, as he realizes how much he allowed Oliver to dupe him, which in turn makes him a less than sympathetic protagonist, but perfect for this deep Regency romance. Thus the audience empathizes with the unfairly scarlet lettered female who hopefully will find happiness in America. Oliver's plan seems weak as he destroys two lives without a blink, but also assumes somehow he will win Danielle's hand. Still historical romance fans will appreciate this fine tale starring a mortified lead male trying to overcome all the mistakes he caused when he failed to follow up on his beloved's crying pain of innocence.

Harriet Klausner

I really liked Rafe in the first two books of this trilogy and was looking forward to his story. Maybe that is why I was so disappointed in this book. There is really nothing likable about Rafe here. And frankly, by the end of the book, I didn't much care for Dani either.

Five years ago Rafe allegedly loved Dani but didn't listen to her, believe her or bother to investigate the incident that tore them apart. His actions toward her caused all of society to ostracize her - he basically ruined her life. Now, he decides to have a runner look into what happened - amazingly, he is able to discern within a few days that Dani was innocent all along. He supposedly feels bad about ruining her life so, logically; he blackmails her into marrying him-even though she's engaged to someone else. His threat - that he will ruin her reputation in America where she has finally managed to rebuild her life. Nice guy.

What's even more irritating than Rafe's actions? The fact that Dani agrees to marry him despite the fact she hates him. I usually enjoy the steamy scenes in these books, but was so disgusted with the idea of these two as a married couple that I didn't even read the scenes. I just skipped over them. When I finally did read one he was angry throughout it and it was a totally controlling slam-bam-not-even-a-thank-you-ma'am. Thank goodness she climaxes on his command or she'd be getting nothing out of this. When finished, he just rebuttons his pants and announces he's going to his club.

We're supposed to believe that he is cold and distant all day, they don't trust each other, keep secrets, and yet they have this overwhelming passion for each other? I don't feel it at all. By the end of the book I didn't like either character so I did go back and read the skipped scenes. It was just as well that I had skipped them. They would have been great scenes if I'd felt the characters cared for each other but as it was, they just left me feeling disgusted.

I don't feel that Rafe ever really fully apologized or even felt an appropriate amount of shame, guilt or anything here. Maybe that's the problem - I don't believe there is really any feeling anywhere. I like a powerful hero as much as the next girl but Rafe wasn't powerful or even domineering in a good way. He was just cold, arrogant and controlling.

I think this could have been much better if Rafe had convinced Dani not to marry the American and wooed her back to him instead of being so high-handed about everything.

Finally, if Dani's accident resulting in her being unable to have children is going to be used as such an important part of the plot (to the point where there is even a second accident to cause further damage and confirm the inability) don't be so ridiculous as to have a miracle conception in the epilogue. "A grand miracle that could not be, and yet..." Spare us. Skip this one. Not worth the time or money.

I'm sorry but this book was such a bore! Especially the heroine. There just wasn't enough... something. And, worst was it seemed the antagonistic plots were just for the sake of having some. For some reason, the whole not being able to have a baby thing just didn't move me in this case. It just seems like it was always brought up when you start to sense the hero/heroine are going to be somewhat happy. There was just no passion to this story. Another problem, is the author claims the heroine is firey and smart, but she goes and gets herself kidnapped towards the end b/c of some hairbrained idea of divorcing Raef b/c she's barren after the fact that he's told her he's fine with it and meant it. Plus, she waits months to make love with him and even after that, she vows not to fall in love with him and he does the same in regards to her. This is really silly b/c obviously he loves her if he follows her to America and "forces" her to marry him. He should at least have admitted it to himself. Quite simply, this book is a load of crap.

I loved the first two books in this series, so I pre-ordered this one to be sure I had it right away. I don't remember ever being so dissapointed. I had to put this book down in the middle as my gag quotient was met time and time again. Probably one of the worst heroines of all time. True Regency heroines slip away into the night or day when they feel their beloved would be better off without them. Rafe's mother wasn't nasty enough to bring her into the Goodbye for your own Good speech.
I pretty sure that even in modern times if you had crippled a man for life and then someone is trying to kill you, you may conclude that he may be involved! One last complaint, what dumb woman wouldn't think that a Duke might just need an heir?

I'm in the middle of the book & can't even finish the book - a rarity for me. The heroine is pathetic. A real jellyfish. Even for that time period, she could have had some backbone at least. And the hero - well, the heroine should have smacked him upside the head, rather than let him boss her around all over the place! I didn't think he was a likable character at all. I found him to be immature, mean & conniving. All in all, a total waste of my money.

Too predictable. No interesting character development. I was so bored that I skimmed much of the book. I hated the heroine's actions and lies. I was not drawn to the hero. This was my first Kat Martin book and will probably be my last. Sexual content: moderate.