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I need to preface this by
saying I have the greatest respect for the author, Anna Campbell, and
her skill as a writer and success are witnessed by her being a finalist
8 times (unbelievable!!!) for the recent ARRA awards. However, I struggled with this book and attributed some, but not
all of that, to bringing a 'manview' to this review.
I thought the book was reasonably well written, but I found the story line dull, unbelievable and slow-paced. While it had an interesting twist to start the book with both the hero and heroine being imprisoned (in a stately fashion, but imprisoned none-the-less). From 10% in, I felt the time I was putting into reading was not rewarded with enough new stuff going on. The pace of each one discovering the other was just too slow.
I made it 58% in, finished Chapter 18, did not start 19 as I did not want to read about Grace being healed after her attack. I thought it would be too painful to read!
I thought the book was reasonably well written, but I found the story line dull, unbelievable and slow-paced. While it had an interesting twist to start the book with both the hero and heroine being imprisoned (in a stately fashion, but imprisoned none-the-less). From 10% in, I felt the time I was putting into reading was not rewarded with enough new stuff going on. The pace of each one discovering the other was just too slow.
I made it 58% in, finished Chapter 18, did not start 19 as I did not want to read about Grace being healed after her attack. I thought it would be too painful to read!
What did you think of Matthew and Grace?
I felt I was being
demanded to like them, given their characteristics, niceness and
support for each other, but felt the characters where manufactured
instead of revealed. And I felt Matthew was a fake. There is no way, no
matter how much noble blood you possess, that after being tormented,
deemed mentally unfit, imprisoned your adult life (and cut off from the
world - it's not like he had access to the Internet back then!) and
abused along the way, that he could have been as astute, insightful and
caring as he was. By all rights, he should have been a stark, raving
lunatic when he was presented with Grace.
Matthew was a virgin in this book until he meets Grace. What do you think of this usual spin on a virgin hero?
Building on the last
point, and knowing why Grace was brought to him, it is far more
probable he would have immediately raped her, or at least been all over
her, unknowing of love or the art of seduction. Yet, he kept his
virginity intact, even though they slept in the same bed together, she
threw herself at him several times and he obviously had raging hormones
that needed release. No man has that type of control. And he was too
accomplished a lover on his own without knowledge or experience. I
would have much more enjoyed Grace teaching him while she was teaching
herself than having him so naturally become an accomplished lover
through intuition.
And as a man, I get a little bit jealous when Matthew has a penis so large, he cannot fit inside of her, yet within a minute makes her so relaxed, she opens like the Red Sea to be entered easily. This goes beyond romantic fantasy.
And as a man, I get a little bit jealous when Matthew has a penis so large, he cannot fit inside of her, yet within a minute makes her so relaxed, she opens like the Red Sea to be entered easily. This goes beyond romantic fantasy.
Matthew and Grace are held in captivity for the majority of the book. What did you think of that limited exposure to the outside world and the enforced time and space they shared together? How do you think this affected the flow and pacing of the story?
This part of the story
just dragged for me. Each day seems liked a week in passing with
nothing changing. I would have been more interested had they been
planning an escape, or doing some other big project than just
gardening. While I thought it was an interesting opening, and knew
something was going to happen sooner or later, the later just kept
getting later and later and I finally gave up.
You did not finish this book. Can you say why?
For the reason mentioned just above.
Had there been some sort of side story of Grace's family looking for
her and making progress, I could have stuck it out, but that was not to
be.
Was there anything you did enjoy about the book?
Not really. The only thing
I enjoyed was Grace finding out she had a gigantic sexual appetite, and
falling in love with sex. I have given another book a 2-star or
2.5-star review and found some things I really did enjoy and I finished
that book. But this book was flat for me throughout.
What's your next read?
Blindsided by Gwen
Hernandez, my second review by an American romance writer!
(Deanna) Manview for Blindsided here.
(Deanna) Manview for Blindsided here.
View all my reviews
About the author

Anna Campbell: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
About the reviewer

Steve Shipley: Website - Facebook - Twitter - Amazon
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WOW I have to say honestly that this is one of my most favourite stories of Anna's I just loved Matthew and Grace and Wolfram, I loved Matthew's strength and caring nature and how they fell in love :)
ReplyDeleteBut I love your honesty Steve and I do enjoy reading your Manviews :)
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, I SO wanted Steve to love it too since I loved it so much. I think this was my favorite of Anna's stories too.
DeleteOne of those not every book will be for every reader things. Ah well.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely is.
DeleteFrom what Steve says, I'm not sure I would like the book either. I'd like to read Deanna's review.
ReplyDelete