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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Notoriously Sensual!, April 29, 2008
This review is from: A Notorious Proposition (Avon Romantic Treasure) (Mass Market Paperback)
When it comes to reading an Adele Ashworth romance, readers can expect an excellent story, in-depth characters, and a sensuality that oozes from the pages, keeping a reader riveted to the book. It is no different with this new title "A Notorious Proposition."
Revisiting a place called Winter Garden from a previous book of that name back in 2000, we find two people who left an intense emotional and physical love behind two years ago due to undercover government intrigue, mystery of missing Martello diamonds and amnesia. The handsome Garrett Burke, who is the mysterious Winter Garden's Marquis of Rye, left the beautiful Lady Ivy Wentworth in his warm bed after an intense night of love to finish this mysterious business with the intentions of returning and asking for her hand in marriage. But then it seemed everything went wrong and to make matters worse, due to an injury he received that evening while trying to retrieve the famous Martello diamonds, he is left with no knowledge about what actually happened that night and the aspects of his relationship with Ivy. He is so confused that he actually suspects she may actually be involved in the nefarious plot; especially because her brother is missing since that fateful night.
Now it is two years later and the diamonds and other individuals besides Ivy's brother, involved in the original mystery are missing. Everyone seems suspect, but most of all, it is Ivy that is the one deeply hurt at Garrett's treatment of her, past and present, and his suspicion toward her. Her reputation is at stake, together with her fear for her brother's life and his possible involvement in the original theft and current mystery. Garrett and Ivy find themselves thrown together at Winter Garden, at the invitation of the Marquis of Rye, who Ivy does not know is actually Garrett, while walking a fine line of suspicion, love and hate. Will Garrett find the diamonds and who is responsible for their theft and his injury, while at the same time will his memory return so he can remember just how important Ivy is to him? Will Ivy help Garrett by using her famous talent as a seer, to find her brother and somehow rediscover the diamonds and the love she once had for Garrett, while fighting the continuous sensual desire she discovers she cannot put behind her since that fateful night two years ago when Garrett left her in his bed?
Adele Ashworth is a superb talent that seems to get better with each book that is a definite keeper. Crime, mystery, and sensuality combine with excellent storylines and interesting characters to keep readers patiently awaiting a next release.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Secret tunnels and missing diamonds, May 17, 2008
This review is from: A Notorious Proposition (Avon Romantic Treasure) (Mass Market Paperback)
'A Notorious Proposition' is a rather misleadingly-titled book as there was no notorious proposition in the book, at least not that I noticed. Instead, set in 1850, it features Lady Ivy Wentworth, a seer whose brother is missing, who has been tasked by the mysterious Marquess of Rye to investigate ghosts in his new property. Two years before Lady Ivy loved and lost Garrett Burke, a man who was looking for the missing Martello Diamonds. When Lady Ivy meets Garrett in the village of Winter Gardens she has real animosity towards him because of the way in which he discarded her after seducing him. However they soon find themselves having to work together to explore mystery tunnels in the Marquess of Rye's house in their search for the diamonds. Do the tunnels hold more than just cobwebs and dead cats? Is there more to the history of Garrett and Ivy than they both realise? Is there more to Garrett than Ivy realises?
This story was a reasonable read with the characters exploring dusty tunnels, trying to find diamonds, attending a ball, that sort of thing. However it also felt rather loosely plotted without a strong thread of characterisation to hold it together. The names of the characters also felt unconvincing for the time - Ivy and Garrett - and the author's dialogue was peppered with modern-day Americanisms that aren't appropriate for the time and location in which the book was set. The pace of the story ramps up a little at the end where the various threads all join together and the villain or villains are identified but the suspense was never that great and, having finished the book, I doubt I shall remember much about it within a week.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Notoriously bad, June 30, 2009
This review is from: A Notorious Proposition (Avon Romantic Treasure) (Mass Market Paperback)
First, as many have pointed out, there is no proposition, notorious or otherwise in this book.
There is very little dialogue, plot or common sense either.
The first half of the book is excruciating as we become all too aware of how acutely AWARE Ivy and Garrett are of each other. The author goes on ad nauseum describing their sense of each others presence and the physical and mental distress/arousal being near each other causes them. Amidst all this angst there is precious little actual conversation which brings to mind rather ridiculous scenarios of them mutely containing their feelings as they sit and stare at each other like a couple of owls in a tree.
Eventually they have sex and you would think they would actually discuss this ridiculous and convoluted mystery they are involved in but of course they continue to defy logic and common sense and hold things back from each other.
Frankly the mystery is the only reason I finished the book, having little respect for two such clueless and obtuse characters. However, the mystery is chock full of holes and loose ends and in the end makes hardly any sense at all.
SPOILERS: Two points being, if Garrett is Lord Rye and requested Ivy investigate the house, why does he continuously ask himself why she is there?? Duh, because you (under the guise of Lord Rye) asked her. There is no indication at the beginning of the story that Ivy has any solid concern for her brother just a niggling doubt about his whereabouts then a little bit of concern as she senses his call for help in a dream, BUT then we find out that out of the blue she says she is being blackmailed to find the diamonds to save him. Really??? When did that happen?
And poor crazy Desdemona is so intent on finding said diamonds to restore the fortunes of her family yet never bothers to search Benedict's pockets? Even more strange she has the tiara the whole time and doesn't even consider selling it to raise much needed funds for her family?? Nor is it ever explained why Hermione hates Lord Rye so much. What the heck did he do to her? Or to any of her family for that matter? The whole thing makes no sense and the characters actions make even less sense.
Was there even an outline for this book or did the author make it up as she went along??
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