Customer Reviews

Truly Yours (Signet Eclipse)

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

 

 

Contrary to the very thoughtful reviews posted above, I have to say that I liked this book. I liked the characters, I liked the premise, and I stayed interested & was enterained all the way through. True, it's not as hilarious as Miss Lockharte's Letters, nor as moving as A Debt to Delia, but those are such excellent books that I don't expect any author to hit that level every time. Anybody who's read Metzger before knows she doesn't write sex manuals, and God knows there are enough of those out there already, so I don't feel that delayed consummation, etc. should be a consideration. In fact, I am damn tired of regencies that substitute graphic sexual athletics for character, setting and story. I would recommend Truly Yours as a good read, and it's going into my keeper box.

I had a hard time trying to decide how to rate this book, the premise of the book was very good and original, the Royce family have a trait that apparently runs through the males of the family, they are able to tell the truth from lies. Jordin Rexford has inherited that gift (to him it seemed more like a curse) from his father. He sees colors when people are talking (If lying he sees red, if telling the truth he sees blue, if in doubt he sees green, etc)

Lady Amanda Carville is accused of killing her loathsome stepfather. She is innocent. And since her godmother is Lady Royce (Rex's mother), she sends note for her son to come to the aide of Amanda. Upon arriving in London (in a huffy mood), he directly removes Amanda from prison and puts her under his protection. After talking to Miss Carville, Rex directly knows that she is innocent, because her answers are "true blue". And so the story starts as Rex with the help of his cousin Daniel set out to prove lady Carville's innocence. And all the while Rex is fighting his attraction to Amanda.

The problem with this book is that although it has its charming moments, and the characters are likable, the romance in it takes a second seat to the mystery of solving the crime, and who the real culprit is. And the mystery itself was not very interesting to begin with, with Daniel and Rex going around trying to find if Amanda's stepfather had any enemies and who would gain from his death. A big part of this book was wasted on drawn out, and somewhat boring investigations directed by Rex and Daniel. I found myself skipping pages especially after the first few chapters of this book, to get to the parts where there would be some interaction between Rex and Amanda. Of course there were some nice, and charming moments between Rex and Amanda, but not enough to carry a "romance" book. I didn't see how they could have fallen in love. It seemed to me more like attraction or infatuation, but not love. I also got frustrated with Rex's insistence that he would not marry, out of fear of siring children with this ability to see the truth, (since he considered himself a freak).

Another problem is that the characters were not really developed. They were likable characters, but they could have been great characters, if the author had only spent more time on that aspect of the story. Amanda suffered greatly in her first week in prison before Rex had come to her rescue. And yet that matter is dealt with very superficially. The whole plot was focused too much on the mystery storyline, hence completely overshadowing the romance and the character development. Now I like romances that contain subplots of mystery/suspense/adventure, but this book didn't really contain any of those. In this book the rather bland mystery was the plot and the romance was the subplot.

Barbara Metzger strikes me as more of a thinking woman's romance writer. In my 400 level political science classes from Dr. Sawyer, we covered the philosophers. From Plato to Aristotle, Machiavelli, and Edmund Burke, drawing comparisons on the issues of good vs. evil, truth vs. lies/deception and all the shades of lies in between, dictatorship vs. republic/democarcy as types of gov't.. It was the first time I heard Burke's most famous quote, "All that is needed for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." (The latest time was outside Columbia Univ. Monday, 9/2407, in protest of Ahmadinejad's speech.) All timeless concepts, morals, ethics, the grist of books from the beginning.
I have found many of Metzger's novels to deal with good vs. evil, how we choose to live our lives, i.e., An Angel for an Earl, turning lives around by changing our choices from bad to good...and eternity awaits....
Another story, the name escapes me, starts on the Spanish Peninsula in a war and St. Peter and Old Nick are arguing over who will get the soul of a soldier about to die. Old Nick cheated and sent a dog to make sure the man was his. The romance was a good one, per usual, but a very interesting secondary character was the sulphur smelling dog who changed sides from evil to good.
Metzger can do all of this with humor, wit, creativity, imagination, the deft turning of a phrase, and alliteration. (A week ago I wrote an e-mail using the phrase, "proverbial primrose path", and thought to myself, 'Barbara'.) : )
She does not need sex scenes to sell a book. I always pick her books up because I know that it will not be endless sex scenes loosely strung together, nor a vampire book. She writes a good story that keeps your interest. I never liked 'farce' until I read her "Mrs. Whilton's Wedding". That was the first Metzger I read and I believe that I have read all of her books since then. I agree with 'dizzheart' that "Miss Lockharte's Letters" is one of her best.
I admire her courage in taking on a philosophical study of "truth" in a way that reaches a broader spectrum than a class, as a romance noval, "Truly Yours". Something to make us stop and think, for at least a few minutes. It leaves us with something constructive to chew on rather than a trip through a pornographic sewer.

Viscount Rexford has the special gift or should we say curse, to tell if someone tells the truth or not. He used this family gift during the war, which left his reputation in shreds. So he decided to retire from the truth business, until he is asked to help Amanda.

Amanda Caville is alone in the world and no one believes her that she didn't kill her stepfather, because she is found with the weapon in her hand. At first he doesn't want to help her, but soon he has no other choice because he falls in love with her.

Mrs. Metzger wrote with TRULY YOURS a really interesting and unusual Regency story. The light paranormal elements make this book unique and set it apart from other Regency tales.

Amanda and Rex are both really wounded characters who need each other to find true happiness in life. Both of them never thought it would be possible to find true love in their life, but destiny brings them together although it isn't an easy journey for them.

The secondary characters in the book also play a huge part in making the story so special. This reviewer is looking forward to seeing more of them.

TRULY YOURS is the first book in Mrs. Metzger's new series and it is full of interesting characters that are so worthy of having their own stories. Keep you eyes open for the next book of the series, The Scandalous Life of a true Lady, which will be released in June.

Courtesy of Loveromances and more

Amanda Carville has no family, no friends, no dowry, and absolutely no one who believes her innocent of murdering the man who was the cause of all her problems. Of course, being caught with the murder weapon in her hands standing over the body, did not help her situation.

Viscount Rexford (Rex) has been physically scarred by the war but more importantly his very honor has been questioned over the work and methods he and his cousin used in their work for the war department; methods, which Rex was not at liberty to divulge. Rex had inherited a special gift; the ability to tell immediately whether people told the truth or lied; some would call it a gift, he thought of it as the bane of his existence. Rex just might be Amanda's only hope, though he'd believe in her innocence, he'd still have to find the real killer to keep her from hanging.

*** Author Barbara Metzger is at the top of my list of favorite authors and with TRULY YOURS, she retains that distinction by continuing to produce the most fabulous Regency era stories with fantastical plots, and the most creative and inspired characters.

Rex was truly a hero, when knowing little of the charges brought against Amanda he used his influence to rescue Amanda (his mother's godchild) from the abusive treatment she had received in jail. By portraying Rex as wanting to bury himself away from all society, Metzger brought him back to life by giving him purpose - one to rescue Amanda, whom he felt an immediate attraction to, and secondly, to look at his `gift' in a whole new light.

Metzger's characters are extremely likeable and in TRULY YOURS, both Rex, his dog Verity, along with his cousin Daniel (who has a similar affliction) provided numerous laugh out loud moments. One of the funniest episodes was how Daniel's reaction to lies, had him tossed out and barred for life from the hallowed halls of Almacks! This was really hilarious and way too funny of an episode you should not miss!

All of the secondary characters were plentiful and congenial (for the most part) adding depth to the story, both in the way of mystery, and humor - especially Rex's slobbering dog, Verity whose voracious appetite was equal to his cousin Daniel's. There were some funny, poignant, and tense moments from one of the masters of the very best in Regency-era romances who wove a lovely twist into this highly entertaining story in solving the murder. I loved the portrayal of Rex's fantastic `gift of truth' which I truly enjoyed, and Metzger's allowing Amanda the opportunity to shed her inhibitions in order to seduce Rex before facing the hangman was also a favorite moment. Bottom line - Metzger is still the `bomb' when it comes to Regency Era Humorous Romances and TRULY YOURS is highly recommended.

Marilyn Rondeau, [...]

I didnt read the reviews on this book until after I finished it. I dont even know how this book came to be in my collection but it did sound good.

The first few chapters had me mesmorized. What a great gift. 'Seeing' the truth in colors. Too cool. And Amanda was a great character. Wrongfully charged, but strong enough to retreat into herself to avoid the abuse while incarcerated. The other characters in the book all were entertaining. Rex's father, his cousin, his Nanny, and his mother were all charming and interesting.

My major problem with the book was that Rex and Amanda didnt have a romance. They kissed a couple of times and then bam they were in love? I didnt see it. I was so busy trying to keep the culprits in line. Who was who? Why did we have to hear about every person he questioned? The heroine is barely in the book at the end.

And when they were together I felt like I was reading about teenagers. There is one part where she asks if he likes her? He says 'Yes, do you like me?' 'Yes' and his heart soared. I actually laughed. Maybe they could pass a note in study hall. That is about halfway through the book and it goes down from there.

This book has a great premise but completely loses focus. I wished the beginning of the book Rex (tortured by his war experience and parents) and Amanda (cast aside and wrongfully accused of murder) made it to the end.

Barbara Metzger is the living successor to the title left vacant with the death of Georgette Heyer, "Queen of the Regency Romance."

With TRULY YOURS, Metzger shows a growing maturity and assurance as an author.

All of Metzger's books are clever and erudite. Her prose is flawless and her plots are compelling. So steeped is she in this era in which she specializes that I am sure that she, herself, must speak exactly as an educated lady of the period would have done.

And TRULY YOURS transcends the conventional Metzger themes of sweet and sassy. Her hero here is possessed of a form of second sight, either a blessing or a curse, and her heroine is framed as the killer in a murder that she did not commit.

As it is with every romance novel, the ultimate conclusion of the story is inevitable. Still, seeing the turns and twists that Metzger employs to get her characters to their predictable happy ending is to read the work of an author in her prime.

The only flaw in this wonderful book is that the dog in it--dog characters being a Metzger tradition--is not as endearing as it could have been; certainly, not as endearing as my own real-life pet who never, ever, slobbers. Yet this is a tiny quibble about a romance that is as close to perfect as a romance can get.

I look forward to reading whatever Metzger produces next.

Barbara Metzger is an excellent writer, and anyone reading this book will know it.
I enjoyed reading it immensely.

The entire Royce family can tell if you are lying. Rex's cousin Daniel gets an itch, his father hears sound and Rex will see a color. After the war Rex just wants to enjoy the country but his family has other things in mind. Amanda is acussed of murdering her step-father and left in prison awaiting to be hung. This novel has interesting mystery, a sweet romance and a great group of men! I hope she writes more about this novel. Enjoy!

I completely agree with Donna M's review, though she was more generous with her rating - I am only giving it 1 star. After terrible frustrating time with her last book - THE HOURGLASS - which was preposterous, boring and uninspiring, I thought to give a second attempt at Barbara Metzger's books. After reading the back cover description, it seemed like an original setting and story... DEAD WRONG!!!!!!!!

The book lacked character development and it was bland throughout - it banked on the mystery surrounding the novel, not in the characters themselves as it seemed the romance was a subplot to the story.

Though the writing is descriptive and plot was worthy of note, the book was dreadfully BLAND, monotonous and unexciting. There was no romance development between the hero and heroine, lacking in depth and their dispositions were so nondescript. The situations in the story were trite and contrived. I got halfway through and I was tremendously disappointed by the lack of passion and lackluster aspect of this book. Not just the lack of passion between the characters but the lack of passion in Metzger's writing. The heroine was insipid and the hero, though at times seemed interesting enough, his demeanor and behavior was rather annoying and bothersome and just as dull as the heroine.

Sorry if my review is less that fabulous - but I was very disappointed. After receiving numerous recommendations to her books, I can't quite fathom what all the uproar is about for this author.... This is the last time I waste time and money in her novels... trite and tiresome.