Customer Reviews

The Secret Wedding

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am an avid Jo Beverley fan, but I have to admit that this book will not be a reread for me. I enjoyed parts of this story, but by the end I was very disappointed. I think I'm not enjoying this off-shoot of Jo Beverley's Georgian series.

At first I understood Caro's motivation for hiding. Since she thought Christian was a relative who might be her "dead husband's" heir who might take everything from her, I felt her fears were legitimate.

But as we went along, her obsession with maintaining her own wealth for the sake of dead ancestors (rather than dependents) became tiresome. And then her behavior at the masquerade was so appalling -- accusing him before witnesses of attempted rape when she knew it wasn't true -- I didn't blame Thorne for disliking her, and I had a hard time accepting that Christian continued to love her. What a weak man to want to win someone like that over. So both characters were unlikeable for different reasons by the end.

I've had a problem recently with authors letting murderers and rapists off without any punishment whatsoever. Again, we see someone completely insane getting away with near murder. It's as if Ellen's trying to make sure Caro didn't get any of the poison clears her completely. Well, why not? The whole world revolves around Caro and her loot, so why not make helping her avoid the death being dealt to another a get-away-with-murder pass?

I don't love the use of Rothgar and Diana in this trilogy. It imposes on the main characters. The same formula is being used where the hero and heroine meet at an inn, then face some danger together, then get separated by the occasionally TSTL heroine's impulsive action, then Rothgar takes over with the heroine while the hero does his thing separately and then they meet again at a masquerade. In this book, the entire thing could have been accomplished with much less Malloren presence. I can't believe I want that, but they just aren't all that interesting in these books, so I'd rather not see them at all. Rothgar and Diana have been diminished considerably as a couple by the extended sex scene where dry conversation took precedence over passion. And I really loved their story, too.

But back to the heroine. In "Secrets of the Night" we saw a similar plot. A dishonest act to preserve property. But in SotN there were dependents involved who would have been hurt terribly by the loss. In TSW there were no dependents. Just one selfish, childish, heroine who used the hero and, when she found out he was the right man all along, went so far as to humiliate and attack him in front of others. And the entire time we're treated to her inner monologue that adds up to "my money, my money, my money, it's allllll minnnnnnnnnnne."

So, while I'm sorry to give one of my all time favorite authors a bad review, I am very disappointed in this book. Caro deserves no stars. The Hessian cat-rabbit and Christian (before he became spineless -- he should have ditched her at the end) are all that make it a two star from me. :(

I've loved many of Jo Beverley's previous books, so I was anxious to read her new one. However, I found it very disappointing. I found the heroine completely unsympathetic. She wants to know if her husband is still alive, but when someone comes who could answer her questions, what does she do? She runs away like a lunatic and spends the rest of the book sneaking around disguised as someone else!

I find it very, very irritating when the entire plot revolves around an "adventure" that could have been avoided by 5 minutes of sensible conversation.

I found myself pretty bored throughout the first half of this book. I thought a lot of the conversations between the characters were useless and boring. Other than the idea of the story, there wasn't much going on that was very interesting. The second half picked up pretty good and I remained interested in the story til the end, with no desire to skim. The problem in this half, however, was the diminished likability of the heroine. Another reviewer explains it in detail with spoilers so I won't do so here, but I agreed with her assessment. I was appalled at the heroine's treatment of the hero at the party, and overall. My goodness, what he did to protect her, and on many occasions. What an ungrateful wretch she was. She could have been angry with him, and even untrusting, but the way she handles it made her most unlikable, and the end was not enough for redemption in my opinion. I still love the Mallorens and will continue to read these books...they just seem to be a little hit and miss, and I think a good and honest editor could do wonders.

Jo Beverley has been on my autobuy list for years. Like any author, she's produced the odd clunker and a few uneven books here and there. With the first two books in her 'Secrets' series, though, she's on a downward spiral.

This book suffers from the same flaws and disappointments of the first in the series: an unlikeable heroine, a hero whose actions simply don't make sense at least some of the time, pages and pages of tedious detail which appear to be there solely so that that Beverley can demonstrate her research (yes, it's impressive, but good research should be like good manners: barely noticeable in its presence, but marked in its absence), and some sections which are so boring I ended up skimming. I actually started counting pages until the end of this book.

The plot's clichéd, to begin with, though admittedly a good author can carry a clichéd plot easily. Young couple forced to marry to cover up an indiscretion (hers, not his; he actually saved her from the indiscretion, which was with another man). They go their separate ways, and the young girl's aunt arranges things so that each thinks the other is dead. Fast-forward ten years, and Christian, Viscount Grandiston, hears that someone is making enquiries about Jack Hill, an army officer - he used the false name Jack in the wedding, and his family name is Hill. Here begins his pursuit of his missing wife, Dorcas Froggatt - who now goes by the name of Caro Hill. Cue many cases of mistaken identity. Christian ends up travelling with Kat, a purported lawyer's wife, who is in fact his wife in disguise.

Tedious: the long, drawn-out mistaken identity. I was thoroughly fed up with it halfway through the book, and could have applauded Rothgar when he finally unveiled what the two of them were to each other (and why neither of them had realised it before is mind-boggling). Also tedious - and something Beverley has done before - the l-o-n-g journey through the countryside and overnight stay at an inn. We don't need a play-by-play, and this was unutterably boring. Eye-rollingly tedious: the 'Hessian rabbit/cat'. Yes, I get the explanation that it was a Manx cat, but the five pages or so devoted to Christian's extremely patronising efforts at fooling the local yokelry were simply appalling. (Note: I love cats. But this cat? Incredibly irritating, in particular the quasi-phonetic attempts at expressing miaows).

I agree with other commenters who have said that the Rothgars were wasted in this. I seriously wondered why they bothered with Caro: yes, selfish and self-centred, and at times indeed too stupid to live. Noblesse oblige, perhaps? They must have been glad to be rid of her. And, yes, I DO get that married women in this period had no rights at all and she had good reason to be concerned for her own safety and her financial security, but I can't help wondering if Beverley isn't at the same time assigning 21st-century values to an 18th-century character.

The only likeable aspect of this book was Thorn, whom I have liked in both books so far. I can only hope that his own book won't be as poor as the first two - but, judging by Beverley's postscript where she talks about common themes in the series, it seem that it might very well be.

The reviews for this book are an interesting dichotomy. Readers love it or hate it. If you like romps or farces with mistaken identities and disguised characters, this is the book for you. All others need not apply.

Caro makes sense in the context of the times. She has no family. Her "deceased" husband (whom she met for an hour when she was a young teen)could have named an heir who now owns all her property. A living husband would have complete control over her and her property. Yes, she is desperately concerned about money and about the character of her husband. At the masquerade, the hero and heroine are both led, through suspicion and anger, into making wild accusations. They don't fall sweetly, trustingly in love at first--or second--sight.

Jo Beverley seems to be having fun writing this trilogy. She has set it up as an intellectual challenge--three stories, each containing a plot with characters who meet for the first time at an inn; mistaken identities; witty dialog; and an animal as an integral character.

I enjoyed the first of this series more (maybe I'm a dog person rather than a cat person). There are more holes in the plot of this second volume and the French countryside of the first book makes for better vicarious touring than Yorkshire, but I'm looking forward to Thorn's story next year.

(Spoilers) Yes, Christian deserved much better than a "heroine" who lied and lied and lied and then accused him of rape and brutality in front of witnesses in order to get her way. I truly despised her by the end of this book. Christian baled her out over and over and all she ever did was count her money and think of nobody but herself. Even in the end she decides to give the marriage a chance because SHE doesn't want to spend her life alone. She certainly never gave a thought to what Christian wanted or needed. I have never read a romance where the heroine has no redeeming qualities whatsoever but there is always a first time and Dorcas Froggatt has about as much charm as her name.

I usually love all things JoBev but this book left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. Many other reviewers have listed the faults in detail and definitely should be listened to before spending money on this tasteless trash of a novel. I've wasted enough time with it as it is.

This book is the second in a trilogy, the first of which was quite good, but the second one, is just too contrived. Ms. Beverley is doing three books, all of which have the same premise of meeting in an inn, hidden agendas, hidden identities, exotic pets, and a long, eventful, if unbelieveable, travel sequence. This book starts out with a rape, murder and forced wedding, all involving a 14 year old girl. However, we are asked to believe that after this event, the same person submits to a very obvious, immature, rake within 24 hours of meeting him. One reviewer said that this story is believable within the context of its Georgian setting. I am very much in disagreeance. If you can believe that a woman who suffered such a trauma could fall into bed with a stranger, what about the fact that she did so within a just a few miles of her home? What about the fact that she valued and very much enjoyed her reputation and station in life which was all important in Georgian times, and which was constantly ad nauseum reiterated in this book? It does not seem that a woman of this history would go for this boring "quickie" seduction, even if she has a "hidden" identity, which could be blown by a neighbor at any given moment. Both of the main characters were not very likeable. The heroine was more worried about her money to the point of ridiculousness, and the hero was very immature, not at all the romance reader's usual expectation. He "forgot" that he was married when that marriage involved a murder, rape and forced marriage? Pl-luh-ease. That is why women read these books after all. To experience at least in books a man who is our romantic ideal. I skimmed at least 35% of this book. I was so bored, I almost quit it altogether. It seemed that Ms Beverley could not think of enough story or plot line to fill her alloted and required 400 pages so had to fill it with inane and boring conversation that did not advance the story line at all. However, when I finished the book, I wondered how Ms. Beverley could not see that the peripheral characters and deciding motivations and goals very much needed to be expanded upon. It shows me that her publisher does not even edit her anymore. They just want her name on the front of the book at all costs, even alienation. I admit I was one of those that if Jo Beverley was on the cover I would have bought it sight unseen, but no more. I will check it out much more thoroughly before investing next time.

Sad to say this book is a bit of a mess. The main characters, Christian and Caro meet and marry at the tender ages of 16 and 14. This knife-point nuptual takes place when he saves her from a fortune hunting villain and is made to stand in the mans stead to save her reputation. Christian then goes off to fight a foreign war. Years pass, each assumes the other is dead, due to the machinations of an overbearingly protective Aunt. Caro meets a kindly gentleman and begins inquires to make sure that her long lost husband is lost for good. Christian, recently returned to the country, catches wind of these inquiries and begins to wonder if his child bride might in fact be alive and, if so, what the state of their union might be.

Okay, so far, so good . . . lots of possiblities here, not an original premise but plenty to work with. What happens over the next 400 pages is a mish mash of harem scarem adventures, taken on and cast off identities, and luke warm villanous threats. None of it is believable and much of it is tedious.

If you must, check this one out of the library and then skim with reckless abandon.

I hate having to give this book only two stars, but it was not good. I was really looking forward to reading it, but the first three chapters were so hard to read.

The best part of the book was when Christian, and Caro were traveling together. I loved how they interacted with each other during that. The adventure was thrilling.

I love Rothgar and Diana, but not in this book. It was very odd, but there were times I skimmed over the parts where Bey and Diana were in it because I couldn't stand what they had become. They were not the same characters from the previous books.

When Caro basically accused Christian of rape I wanted to throw the book across the room. What was she thinking? What was Christian thinking about wanting to be with her anyway? HORRIBLE. What little love I felt for her vanished after that.

I LOVED Christian, he was charming and fun to read, but I did not like Caro. I think this is the only romance novel where I did not like the happy ending. I did not want Christian to be with Caro. Plus the money talk was awkward.

It was so sad for me not to like this book, I have read all of the Malloren series and loved every single book. I had high hopes for this one and was let down. I do plan on reading the one coming out in 2010. I'm not giving up on the series just yet.

Bummer.

I actually bought this book because I had this author confused with someone else, but I won't be buying anymore of hers. The characters are not likable at all. About 120 pages into it I decided that I had had enough. It went into the Goodwill bin. I get so frustrated when characters are dishonest with each other instead of dealing with their issues. (That's why I find Eloisa James so refreshing). I love a strong female character, but she must be likable too, and unfortunately the main female character in this book is not.