Customer Reviews

Loving a Lost Lord (Center Point Platinum Romance (Large Print))

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I started reading this book and it seemed like it was going to be really good. But, NO, it had to be totally ridiculous. First off, the cover of the book is all wrong. The main female character, Miriah, has blond hair not brown. If you don't want a spoiler, stop reading. This book had more resurections then we will see before the biblical rapture. Almost everybody that dies in this book mysteriously comes back to life. To start with, the main male character, The Duke of Ashton, Adam/Ash, is suppose to have died in a steamboat explosion. But he washes ashore on the main female character, Mariah's beach. Which that is all fine and good because that is what the basis for the storyline. Mariah's father is murdered while he is away on a trip to London. Later in the story, she finds out that he is alive and well and staying in London with her mother. And guess what, her mother was also suppose to have died when Mariah was only two years old. There's more, she finds out that not only is her father and mother alive and well, but she also has a twin sister that she never knew about. In the meantime, the main male character, Adam/Ash, has found out that his mother, who was also suppose to have died when he was a young child, also lives. Not only does his mother live, but he has younger sister. And his mother has remarried his dead (who died & stayed dead), father's best friend. And lucky him, he also has two step siblings. Now Mariah also has a friend, Julia, from her life at her manor. The story eludes to Julia being part of the high society circles in London and then she had ran away to this small town near Ireland to hide from this elusive past. But Mariah talks her friend into going back to London with her. Another resurection mystery, while out shopping they stop in a tea room and two women seem to recognize Julia and start whispering "isn't that?" and "I thought she was dead" ect. Which by the way never was explained. In the meantime back at the bat cave....A mysterious assasin is popping in and out of the story trying to kill Adam/Ash. He has loyal friends working behind the scenes to hunt down this would be assasin. They have discovered that the killer is a sailor who also was suppose to be dead. The story finally comes to a climatic end when the Duke, Adam/Ash decides that he wants to have a dinner party to have all the involved family get together to meet each other and celebrate all their resurected lives....And of course the would be assasin shows up to make his kill in front of a room full of witnesses, because that is what all the smart assasins do. What could go wrong?.., he has been discovered, so he grabs Mariah and puts a knife to her throat and threatens to kill her. He cuts her throat, but not enough to kill her and Adam/Ash saves the day by shooting the would be assasin in the head with a gun he had hidden in his coat. They all find out that the person behind the murder plot is none other than Adam/Ash's Aunt who raised him as her own son but secretly despised him for his inheritance to be Duke, over her own son. But, the party must go on. Mariah excusses herself like a proper lady and retires to her room for the night. Her best friend Julia walks her back to her room but returns to finish the dinner party because everybody still has to eat right? What could be more appetizing then having the host blow someone's head apart and having his lover's throat cut. At least they cover the murderer's body up. So all is well in LA LA LAND. Mariah's new found family, Adam's New found family and his loyal friends all live happily ever after.


Why did I contiue to read? You ask? Well it's like looking at a terrible accident. You know you shouldn't look but you do anyway because that is just our nature. We know how bad it's going to be but we just can't help ourselves. What can I say? I hoped it would get better but alas it didn't. :(

I've read all of Mary Jo Putney's historical books (as well as her recent magic-oriented books) and generally love most of them. I somewhat enjoyed the first half of this book --- which is why I gave it two stars. Even then, there was a little too much background information on all of the Duke's friends (I imagine this is because they'll each be getting a book of their own). The first half also has several plot holes (such as when she asks him if he speaks English and then announces they are married -- well, wouldn't you know that your husband speaks English???). However, the second half has so many coincidences and unbelievable twists that I came close to just giving up on it. I read thru to the end but it definitely DOES NOT compare with her early historicals -- read Dancing on the Wind or Shattered Rainbows for a true taste of Putney's ability to write good historical romance novels.

What a flat and boring book! I thought the premise interesting: a school for Lost Lords.... a new series by Putney - who in the past has written superb historical romances - so I dived into the book with gusto.

However, this book was by far one of her worst efforts. I am not going to get into the plot - because a few reviewers have posted it already - but I will go as far as saying that even though the story was interesting and it attracted me to read it - I was taken aback by the lack of character development and lack of poignancy, which I was hoping a story such as this should have had.

The main characters were very lackluster and flat - almost wooden and stilted and lacking in vitality. They had no chemistry and their attraction for each other didn't sizzle off the pages or left you panting waiting for their demise.... The secondary characters were for the most part ok - but the narrative got too wordy and the love scenes had no heart felt passion.

Specially the lame-ass ending of who the killer is and their motives... I cannot recommend this book - and I am shocked I actually finished it.... Wow - very disappointing and a total waste of time and $$$!

One of my top ten historical romances ever is by MJP - The Rake - and I just can't believe that this book is written by the same person!? I haven't read her most recent books because they are not my thing but she has returned to historical romance and I decided I would definitely give it a go. I'm just glad I bought it 2nd hand on Amazon and didn't throw good money away on a new copy. The plot is unbelievable - OK - like someone else points out, so are other plots in other books, but if it's well written and the characters are good then you can suspend your disbelief. This book was not only full of unlikely coincidences but it was so flat, the characters so uninspiring and one dimensional, the cliches and coincidences piled high one on top of the other that I was just snorting in total disbelief by the time the last long lost family turned up with barely any outrage on the part of the heroine (whose father had deceived her all her life). I am deeply disappointed and I definitely won't be giving any of the other books in the series a look in. Straight to the charity shop with my copy.

I admit, despite the gaping plot holes, and the cover art that doesn't actually match the female lead (she's blonde! with shiny hair!) I did enjoy the book. The first part before his identity is discovered was very well done, with the second part in London being somewhat disappointing in that all of the things that made them such strong characters being nullified out of thin air. It was very predictable in that whole he-turns-out-to-be-very-important-but-loves-her-anyway-and-oh-look!-she's-really-perfect-for-him kind of way, but it does make great brain candy. I recommend this book if you are in the mood to read heart-warming fluff, with a happy ending that is classic in Regency romance.

A game of cards goes awry, leaving George Burke in a state of frustration and believing he was cheated by the new owner's father. It is 1812 and, Mariah Clarke, the new owner of the stately manor in England, finds herself in a very awkward situation. It seems that, George Burke, wants his house returned and plans to force, Mariah, to marry him. A lie is told, however, claiming Mariah is already married. The seas were always a treacherous place, and no one knows that better than Adam. Adam is having difficulties remembering his past...or the shipwreck that almost took his life. He is, however, a man that will help Mariah out if her current predicament. Remember the lie she told about being married? Well, after rescuing the amnesic Adam from the shipwreck, she tells him they are married.

Unable to remember, Adam, believes her, and the two soon fall in love. A deceptive love, however, and she finally realizes it when she discovers Adam's true identity. It seems this mystery man is really the Duke of Ashton. How can she tell him? Their love was built on deception, and he'll surely want to leave her once the truth is told. What to do? I'll stop there so I don't spoil the story for you. The first half of the book really showcases Mary Jo Putney's talent as a writer. Yet, while the book has a great cast of characters...the story is rather predictable. The way Mariah is weaved to handle two different men - each with a his own agenda - is well-done, and moves the story along at a good pace. The book wasn't bad, but by no means was it good either. I would recommend some of Mary Jo's earlier work or JoAnna Wylde's beautifully written Price of Freedom or Price of Pleasure any of which will sink you into a richly detailed story.

I don't think I have anything to add to the conversation. I found this story incredibly boring, clichéd and simplistic...so much so, I could not even finish it. Mary jo Putney has written some classics such as The Rake and The Wild Child which I highly recommend. I would not bother to even get this book out of the library.

I won't summarize or go on and on why I didn't like this book other than to say that this one didn't affect me at all like my MJP keepers. Loving a Lost Lord more or less felt like any other average random historical romance that I could have blindly picked up at the store. Read it once and forgotten immediately. Just felt flat.

What I'm looking for are books like The Rake, Thunder and Roses (Signet Historical Romance), and Angel Rogue to name a few and haunting characters like Peregrine, Meriel and the Black Beast of Belleterre. I just have to believe that MJP still has it in her to create this romance magic. It wouldn't be fair to dismiss the series when so many of her other books have brought me hours of reading pleasure. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the next one.

I got this book thinking it would be a good historical love story and at the beginning it did have some potential. I did like the story line of the long lost sailor/lord washing ashore with amnesia, etc. The first half the book was quite interesting and I found myself really wanting them to be together despite all the differences and issues they had.

Then I got to the second half of the book. I ask myself if it really could have been any more unrealistic? All the sudden family members are popping out of the woodwork, people that they thought were both dead and/or never existed. And the thing that drove me the craziest is that not only did this happen for Adam/Ash, the author decided it would be fun to throw this in for Mariah as well. It was SO overdone (Good news! Not only is your dead father alive, your mother you thought was dead for 20 years is here. OH! and you have a twin sister you never knew about and she is here as well!). I almost completely forgot about the assassin running around trying to kill people.

I ended up quickly scanning the last few chapters just to see what happened but that was it. I had lost complete interest in the story. I would not recommend this book unless you like completely unrealistic endings.

I agree with the majority of the other reviewers. I read this in one day and considered it a complete waste of my time. I am a huge historical romance fan and I am very willing to give anything a try. The premise was implausible, but still I wasn't deterred. Some books start with off-the-wall plots but the characters, writing or emotion save them. This is not the case here. The writing is uninspired, the characters flat and wooden, and as would follow, the emotion was nonexsistant. I wouldn't have spent the 6 or 7 bucks if I had known.