Customer Reviews

To Please a Lady

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I wish I had seen some of the later reviews before I picked this book up. Definitely, NOT one of Ms. Johnson's best efforts. Where was the plot? The character building? The descriptive narrative? The building of sexual tension? She did her usual historical homework, but even that seemed contrived to me. It seemed as if she had to keep up with her previous books by putting in endnotes, so let's find some information that might fit the time period. If they shrunk the typesetting and moved the margins outward, where her previous books were printed, I don't think this story would fill 175 pages. When I finished the book, I couldn't believe that was it, where was the rest of it? Argyll gave up way to easily, even if he was greedy. What of Queensbury? He just disappeared. Sometimes I had trouble believing that Robbie was actually 18. At other times he was the epitome of the horny 18 year old. Unfortunately, he was very difficult to take seriously. I won't even try to get into Roxy's character, or what little there was beyond craving Robbie's body. Please Ms. Johnson, I know you are capable of so much better than this. Quality over quantity will guarantee my loyalty as a reader every time

Susan Johnston is known for juicy and erotic love scences and all of that was missing in this book,after this I don't think I will be buying anymore of her books.First the hero is an eighteen year old who has basically lived a full life,he is in my opinion infactuated with a twice widowed mother of 5 and soon to be twins with the hero.the lovemaking in the book is very tame compare to her other novels,she has another one due out next year if I do get it I would rather saved myself the money by getting the book from the library.

This one is for all your prudes who complain about excessive sex in Susan Johnson novels. This one, I will personally vouchsafe, is impeccably clean. I did not quite get what the danger in the book was all about , because Roxanne had to be shut up in some house in the beginning for a very long time. Robbie is more of a whining teenage boy, if that's the type of lover you prefer. Also, Roxanne has kids, which kind of diminished the exciting factor of romance novels. The lead antagonist is Argyll who lusts for Roxanne, but he gets vanished after a few chapters, though it would have been nice if he reappeared to show some consistency. Too clean and too boring

This is the worst of SJ book I have ever read. First of all Robbie Carr is too young, at 18 and spoil, selfish and acts like a child all the time, doesn't constitue what a man should be like. Sorry readers but I enjoy romance and love hot steamy sex but this book lacks everything. The only reason I finish this book was because I spend money on it and also I wanted to know more about Elizabeth and Johnnie(Outlaw). If I had to suggest a book it would be Outlaw and that readers you will get your money worth

Not Johnson's best effort--each new book by her is more disappointing than the last and this latest offering doesn't even have as much of the erotic scenes Johnson is noted for--at the very least her books her a sizzling 'forget about the plot just look up the naughty scenes!' diversion. At the very best, they are a blend of outrageous adventure, historical detail, and (usually forbidden) passion.

WARNING: This book was neither of those things!

It was okay. That's all. Just Okay. Not 'wow' or 'great' or even 'good'. The banter was funny. But if I wanted a funny book I could think of a dozen authors I'd pick before Johnson.

The heroine is sassy and saavy as well she should be...she's a real woman, thirtysomething without a regret--not one of your virgin turned temptress maidens that you usually find in historicals. She is in lust with life and men. Unfortuately the hero is so...well, he's so young. Eighteen? What was the author thinking? Couldn't he at least be in this twenties? Even that is sometimes too young for me to imagine for a historical hero.

They weren't a good match. He doesn't act like any eighteen year old I know. And even then, his 18 turned 30 persona was just too unsettling for me. Not exactly what I'd call a romantic fantasy. Johnson's heroes run the gammut--the only thing they tend to have in common is their prowess in bed. However, lately, most of her heroes have been too whiny and immature for me. Selfish. Macho. Misogynistic even. Womanizing. Maybe even a little whorish. Her heroines are great fun to read (except for that one with Trixie--I forget the name of the book but it was awful--even worse than this novel) but she must do something about her heroes! Here's a hint, Ms. Johnson: how about letting them grow up first! Save the cradle robbing for another genre.

After reading Susan Johnson's novel, A Touch of Sin, I rushed to find and read her other books. I've read her entire library and enjoyed every title. I was really looking forward to her new novel, To Please A Lady. I'm sorry to say that I was very disappointed in this book! It seems that Ms. Johnson has not put the effort into this novel that she has put into the others - as I was reading I wondered if the book was written to fufill a contract. Ms. Johnson's other novels were full of historical detail, great characters, and incredibly erotic love scenes. This books seems to be missing all of those! I never really liked the hero, and the heroine was the sterotypical romantic leading lady and not the strong woman that Ms. Johnson usually writes. The best part of the book was the prequel to Ms. Johnson's next, unnamed novel. Come back Susan, we miss you!

The two main characters in this book already knew each other when it wtarted. There were references made to their past together and how he had seduced her before (it was in her previous books). So, basically, they were already in love when the book started. We don't even get to enjoy their falling in love. I normally love her books, but this one fell short of what I have come to expect from Ms. Johnson.

I used to buy Susan Johnson's books the moment they were published but not anymore. I wish I'd read some of the reviews before I shelled out my money.

Here's my advice: Don't bother with this book if you're looking for an interesting hero, worthy of a strong heroine's love - the hero is an 18 year old Scottish Donald Trump (the Donald's money AND attitude toward women!). Don't bother with this book if you like to read stories where the main characters actually spend time together - they spend as much time apart as together with just a few love scenes. And please don't bother with this book if you enjoyed Ms. Johnson's sexy love scenes from Sinful, Wicked, or Blaze - you won't find enough here to make it worth reading. I suggest you re-read Sinful for the best of Ms. Johnson.

I'm confused about what's happend to Susan Johnson over the last few years. A couple of years ago, I would have called her my favorite author. I eagerly awaited each new release and bought her books the minute they hit the store shelves. But the last three or four books (or maybe even more) have all been lacking the quality to which her readers had become accustomned.

Characterizations are flat -- and maddeningly similar to those we've seen before. (Including many instances of word-for-word dialogue repeated in each of her last few books.) Plotlines are weak -- and she seems to have much more interest in educating her readers as to the actual historical events taking place within the stories than in creating dynamic hoops for her characters to jump through.

As always, the footnotes are fascinating, but all this attention to historical detail -- with a corresponding lack of attention paid to character and plot -- makes me wonder if Susan Johnson wouldn't be happier writing non-fiction. Maybe if she got that off her chest, she'd be ready to once again write the quality romances of which we know she is capable.

I honestly dont know where to start with this book. I guess for starters, I dont see the huge age gap between Roxie and Robbie sexy in the least. The whole book, I was trying to imagine Robbie as being older and Roxie as being younger. But the biggest thing for me was the yo-yo romance. Up one minute down the next. Very tiring! The only reason I finished was because I cant stand not finishing a book I start. I DO NOT reccomend this book to anyone.