Customer Reviews

Rules of Attraction (Governess Brides, Book 3)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

.... "Rules of Attraction" is an all right read but it is not one of her better efforts either. Actually, I haven't exactly warmed to this entire trilogy (The Governess Brides Series) and that it primarily because of the 'heroes' in all three books. The heroines, Charlotte, Pamela and Hannah were all so spunky and intelligent -- characters that you actually would like to know in real life and have as friends; but the men! They were all so childish and arrogant. I really couldn't see what any of these splendid women saw in any of the 'heroes'. As for "Rules of Attraction," I didn't wonder at Hannah leaving Dougald at all (Hannah left Dougald nine years ago because she felt unloved and undervalued). His charge that she should have persevered in their marriage and tried harder to talk to him and to make him see her point of view, struck no chord with me. In fact when he finally admits (in the last few chapters of the book) that their marriage probably wouldn't have worked back then because they were both too young and stubborn, all I could do was snort in derision. What saved this book for me was Dougald's three dotty aunts, who are not dotty at all, but merely a bit eccentric and overlooked and (again) undervalued by their male relatives. They are a riot!

In general I have enjoyed most of Christina Dodd's novels, and I definitely will read her next one. I just hope that she goes back to writing about the kinds of heroes that made her earlier works so memorable.

Let me begin by saying I have read all of Christina Dodd's novels, but "Rules of Attraction" is a total clinker. She is one of my favorite writers and has given me many hours of pleasure. Because of that history, when I read "Attraction," I kept telling myself it would get better. It never did. From the time that Hannah meets her husband, from whom she has run away years before, he is abusive and threatening. Other novelists have portrayed such dark men, but the levening agent is their deep love for the heroine. It has been almost a formula: the love and attraction of the hero must be greater than his hurt and hostility . Ms Dodd ignores this balance and throughout the novel Dougald is potentially violent in his cruelty, both past and present. Lacking this balance, I kept waiting for that "ah ha moment" when he realizes what an abusive husband he has been to Hannah and his true repentance. That never really happened, except weakly. After he blames her entirely for the end of their marriage, after he still continues to employ the servant who caused this break up and who still is hostile to Hannah, after he threatens to take all her savings for the past years, he then demolishes her by telling her that he was sexually using her, that he did not love or respect her. Somehow, after weeks of abuse, Hannah senses that Dougald is doing this to protect her from a murderer, in an attempt to drive her away. Before this truly awful moment, Hannah still is sexually attracted to Dougald and they become intimate, without any real affection between them. In the past, I have loved Dodd's love scenes, some of which have deftly balanced the hero's force with his restraint and concern. Ms Dodd's magic was entirely missing in this novel and I advise you NOT TO BUY IT.

Remind me not to start a book by Christina Dodd until I've got lots of time. I read this book in the grocery store check-out, at my in-laws, while I was waiting for my kids to get out of school. I finally got time to myself after the kids went to bed, and was up until midnight finishing it. Dougald was the darkest hero I've read of Dodd's, but he was so focused on Hannah it was hot and sexy beyond belief. I need ice!

In 1843 Hannah Setterington sells her very successful business, the Distinguished Academy of Governesses, to accept a job as a companion to an elderly person. Her real reason for going to the countryside is to obtain information about the identity of her father. Hannah hears rumors that the present master of Raeburn Castle murdered his wife, but she can prove otherwise because the new lord is her husband Dougald Peppard. He has searched for her since she ran away over eight years ago and only found her through the money she recently returned to him. He tells her he worried about whether she lived or died, and plans to enact vengeance for her desertion.

Hannah agrees to stay after meeting Aunt Spring and her three elderly buddies. An angry Dougald threatens her, but Hannah retaliates with a kiss that shakes up both of them. However, before they can explore their feelings, someone tries to kill the new lord, just as the previous four were murdered in the last few years.

Best-selling author Christina Dodd concludes her awesome governess trilogy with a powerful tale starring Hannah. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action while the loose ends from the two previous novels (see RULES OF ENGAGEMENT and RULES OF SURRENDER) are fully tied together in the subplots. The lead couple is a darling duo who hopefully live long enough to share the love that was placed on hold eight years ago. Fans of Victorian romances will relish this exciting tale and be enticed to obtain its predecessors.

Harriet Klausner

After nine years as proprietress of The Distinguished Academy of Governesses, Miss Hannah Setterington, has sold the establishment in favor of delving into her unknown roots. But first, she has accepted one last post as companion to the elderly aunt of the Earl of Raeburn. She knows little about her new employer, except he is newly titled, and rumored to have murdered his wife, a fact Hannah feels has most likely been fabricated. Arriving at Castle Raeburn late in the evening during a storm, the mysterious lord insists she attend him immediately. Hannah is shocked to discover she intimately knows Lord Raeburn. His name is actually Dougald Pippard, the man she loved, and ran away from nine years ago.

Dougald has been diligently searching for Hannah all these years, and her arrival at his home was painstakingly planned, out of anger and his need for revenge. He has just the ammunition to force her into staying. He can arrange for her to meet her deceased father's parents, something she longs for. Their battle of passion and will rages out of control, but soon their attention is diverted to dangerous occurrences at the castle. The previous two earls were each killed in an accident that took place shortly after coming into the title. Now Dougald has been shot at, and attacked, so it would appear he is next to be eliminated. Therefore, he and Hannah will need to solve the mystery and capture the culprit, before they can finally settle their differences, and discover if their future lies together.

This is the third installment in the Governess Bride Series, and while this particular story is probably my least favorite of the six, its still very good and well worth reading.

I found it somewhat difficult to like the character of Dougald in the beginning of the book, since he was cold and bent on revenge at that point. Of course, he did thaw out and redeem himself, but he was more of a dark and brooding type hero. Hannah was the typical Dodd heroine I enjoy - intelligent, independent and pragmatic. The love scenes were quite sensual, and the mystery subplot was engrossing and very well done. The humor Ms. Dodd does so well was present, although more subdued in this story. Dougald's aunt, and the assorted elderly ladies who also live in the castle, supplied the majority of the fun and witty dialogue. They could all be quite outrageous at times.

Ms. Dodd is one of the few authors I buy sight unseen. For those who would like to know the series order, it is as follows: RULES OF SURRENDER, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, RULES OF ATTRACTION, IN MY WILDEST DREAMS, LOST IN YOUR ARMS, and MY FAVORITE BRIDE.

I have not read any of the other books in this series. However, I have suffered through several inferior books in recent weeks. What I liked about this book was the tension between the characters throughout, the above-normal debt of character development for a romance novel and the sensuality. The book didn't culminate in one big love scene. I intend to read more of Dodd's books.

I do not understand why ANY woman would want to be with a man like Dougald. I like books where the characters evolve, but I didn't get the sense that Dougald evolved at all.

He was so unbearably cruel and mean to Hannah in this book. He even talks to himself about how "easy" it would be to kill her! And he's the "hero"? Not in my world. He never acknowledges his part in his failed marriage and is so pathetic that he's planned revenge on the innocent young woman who ran from him nine years ago. Get a life, Dougald!

He's mean to Hannah, and takes pleasure in her pain. That isn't love.

I kept hoping for some glimpse into Dougald that would salvage this tortured and torturing character but I found none. I would have run away from this ogre too.

Please, writers, get back to ROMANCE.

Readers, save your money and read all of Julia Quinn's books or Suzanne Enoch's. THOSE are heroes to remember.....

Kat

At the beginning when Hannah arrived at her new post and discovered that her employer was actually her estranged husband, I was hooked. It appeared that Dougald had been anxiously awaiting her arrival and that he wanted to make amends. I was eager to discover the misunderstanding that had separated the two lovers for nine long years.

But I was disappointed. Dougald only wanted to get revenge from the humiliation he suffered after her departure and the rumors of her death at his hands. He didn't care about her at all, except that she be obedient to his demands. He was just too cruel to be believed.

On the other hand, Hannah is a strong, independent woman who has proved that she doesn't need a man to succeed. So why does she succumb so easily to this man's wiles? Does she really believe a man this troubled can change overnight? She needs a good taste of Dr. Laura's "Ten Ways Women Screw Up Their Lives."

This story lacks the humor of the Christina Dodd's other books. Well, there WERE traces of it, but it seemed to get swallowed up by the cruelty of the hero and his nasty butler. The ending had some humor, but I would have crowed to see that nosy old butler eaten by a crocodile or left to rot in the dungeon. (No, I'm not usually bloodthirsty, just disgusted with this guy's interference.)

Having thoroughly enjoyed the other two books in this series, I was rather dissapointed with Hannah's story. Hannah is very independent, it was unthinkable to make her "match" with someone *that* stubborn. A little high-handedness is fine, but Dougald seemed much too imperious. In the previous two novels, Dodd made the heroes pigheaded, but also there was a limit. I really liked the old ladies. I thought that their work on the tapestry and all their little quirks made for a necessary relief from Dougald. Hannah is really a character to be enjoyed. Your heart aches for her history and you admire her attempts of independence. I think this book worth reading for the sake of the series, but I don't think it is especially worth keeping.

Christina Dodd is undoubtedly one of best romance writers on the market today. I highly recommend Rules of Attraction. Interesting plot with characters that have real issues to settle--plus the humor and heat I've come to expect from Ms. Dodd's work. Great finish to the trilogy!