Customer Reviews

Reynold de Burgh: The Dark Knight (Harlequin Historical)

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

 

 

Reynold de Burgh takes a last look at his family's castle with a bitter sigh. Surrounded by his brother's happy families this black sheep decides its time for him to move on. Right before he manages to sneak away, the l'Estrange women gift him with some parting gifts and the knowledge that his plans for an aimless pilgrimage may not be as aimless as he thinks. Wary of their matrimony-minded meddlesome ways, but secure in the knowing that marriage is not meant for one such as he, Reynold sets off for his future. Never imagining that he was headed straight into legend, and to a love that would finally bring this aimless wanderer home.

Eh. Sorry folks. Reynold was never one of my favorite de Burghs. Simon always took that prize. I was always optimistic for his story though, because I certainly never could have imagined that Stephen with his charming drunken ways would have nearly usurped Simon's position as my favorite, but Reynold always seemed too bleak for me. I liked him, but I never could imagine how his story was going to unfold. And I never could imagine a heroine able to bring life into his eyes.

Sabina Sexton tries her best, but I think she was too broken herself to be of much use. Unfortunately she reminded me too much of an uneducated, superstitious peasant (harsh, I know) than a fiery and passionate woman capable of shaking Reynold out of his self imposed loneliness and despair. You know how you look at a famous model and you think, "eh. I just don't see the appeal." I never saw her appeal. And Reynold - I don't know what other women see in him. He came across as kind of dense to me. *Ack! Runs away from knife-wielding Reynold lovers* Even Reynold's squire gets disgusted by his woe-is-me attitude.

The story itself was interesting, but a wee bit drab and monotonous. I've always liked how Deborah Simmons's de Burgh brothers all had stories that were slightly unique, and character based. Marion with her amnesia, Geoffrey with his shrieking, spitting, shrew of a wife (she was my favorite heroine), Simon being taken prisoner by his bride, Stephen's lush-like qualities and his witchy wife, and of course who can forget Robin and his witless search for a cure. Reynold and Sabina certainly face a foe that none of his brothers have ever faced, and no medieval romance hero to my limited recollection, and for a while it helped send this story on it's way. When I found out why Sabina was desperately looking for a hero I wondered how DS was going to extricate herself from her own plotline and while she did a good job, I didn't get a whole lot out of this story. The middle part of the book seemed to go nowhere and the rest of it was just drab and colorless. The villagers were all drab, a villain popped up out of nowhere and pieces of the story did not seem to be fully fleshed out. Or maybe I had stopped paying attention. I don't know. I only know that this was so far my least favorite of the de Burgh brothers. In fact, I might even have rated it lower if it had not been for eventually revisiting with one of my favorite fictional families.

So to sum up. I love Deborah Simmons, yet this was my least favorite de Burgh brother and my least favorite de Burgh book. But I can't wait for Nicholas's story. Which hopefully won't be an eight year wait.

The Dark Knight arrived approx. five weeks after ordering. It stated it would arrive between Dec 20 and Jan 20. It arrived in that allotted time. It did not let me know it had been sent out. Copy arrived in good condition

I read all the De Brug family`s books and this one was very boring!! I almost quit readind but had the hope that it would get better in the end but....nah!

I bought this book thinking it would be as exciting as "Taming the wolf" or "Robber bride" but got very disapointed.

I ordered a book and it was even better than I had hoped it would be . It is the dark knight of Deborah simmons and it gets 5 out of 5 . I highly recommend it.