When Veronica said “I do” to Sebastian Sinclair, Duke of Edgefield, she thought all her dreams had come true. He was dashing and doting, and she absolutely adored him—until he betrayed her trust, shattering their marriage, and her heart, into a million tiny bits. She hasn’t seen her husband in the two years since, and she’d just as soon make it twenty. But when she learns that her beloved grandfather’s dying wish is for her and Sebastian to attend the family’s Christmastide celebration, she swallows her pride and asks him a favor: to pretend they’re the happy couple they once were.
Sebastian is shocked to find his lovely duchess on his doorstep, but he’s ready and willing to play the part of a devoted husband for the Christmas season…if Veronica will grant him a favor in return. All he asks is that she share his bed every night. All night. And maybe even give him the heir he needs.
It was gaudy and cheap.
I am prejudiced because I don't like novels that are built solely on a "misunderstanding" and there is nothing more to it than mulling over the fact and emotional torture between two people. The other aspect that really made me wonder is that I am pretty aware of all the things that happen in historical romance, basically it can be an erotica, but some authors still manage to write about it with great care and not seem vulgar. This book on my meter came off as one. This writer with her number of years in the industry still writes so plainly and without any wonderful twist that is beyond me.
The story isn't so wonderful, I'll just spoiler it entirely, because I don't think it deserve the reading and wasting time. This might sound harsh, but how else am I to express my own dissatisfaction about time wasted on it.
Veronica is visited by her mother and gave her verdict, you come to the Christmastide (I had no idea there was such a thing) and you also take your estranged husband with you, because your grandfather is dying and he needs the last holiday with family. Of course Veronica is devastated by the news and she'd do anything for her beloved grandpapa, because she loves him immeasureably.
She and Sebastian haven't seen each other for two years, all because she believed he was unfaithful. It is not really clear what happened and who is at fault, because author does not present us with any exposition or backstory. We find out the whole truth about the situation from the dialogue, which to be honest sounded like such a lazy writing. When at Whitmore Manor, Sebastian and his frind Justin, Veronica's brother, play billiards and Justin asks by the way - care to explain again what exactly happened, as if he's hearing the story not for the tenth time. Quote:
“I cannot believe I’m about to say this,” he began with a wince, “but tell me again precisely what happened.”
And of course Sebastian shares the events of that day, his former mistress Melissa, called upon him and informed him that actually she was now with the child. Although Sebastian promised to never have anything to do with Melissa again he had to confirm it with his own eyes, even if there is only a tiny chance of it happening. It was a lie, he left shortly after. But Veronica caught him lying and saying he was only at the club. He didn't explain fully why exactly he visited. Going through the horrible memories of her parents' marriage, which we find out much later, he was too afraid to choose a man who is the same as her father, who promised to stop but never did. She packed her things and left for the country where she spent her two years. Sebastian resided in London all this time.
This is why I don't like such situations, no one fully explained why they did what they did, there is no trust between them and they don't sound like a good couple material, even if they love each other.
So today she had to make him come with her for Christmastide. Sebastian has a wild idea and as one of the conditions she must go to bed with him. But God forbid he paints it as an obligation and not love. She loves him, she loves her, but they don't understand each other, classic bad situation, nothing exciting.
What is dreadful is that they mull on their emotions almost the entire book and it's vexing. She must have said the phrases that he's a liar and a cheater over ten time throughout the text and it's quite annoying.
They spent the first day, they actually returned to having the wild s* they both liked, but they managed to break up in a fight again. The next week was spent with little to none interaction. No one was willing to step down and be the first to admit defeat. One explained many times that he didn't cheat, although he went to the ex-mistress' house, but the other part did not believe.
The other part of the lazy writing is that the conflict had a start to be solved not thanks to these two finally figuring things out, of course not, but thanks to the third party in the face of Justin, who managed to invite Melissa over and explain what happened back then. Veronica was shocked by this revelation among others (one of which is the possibility of Sebastian's mother lying to her that he was still having an affair). But because she was too shocked to utter anything he considered she had nothing to say and doesn't mind (everyone manages to have a blank face I suppose, though it's hard not to express completely, as if no one is looking at each other), so he thought she dismissed even this truth.
In the end it was her who realized her mistake of being too stubborn and admitted her mistake crawling to him at night and they immediately were happy and admitted their mistakes and that they should have been more opened about their family situation before. They should communicate more and promise never to do it again. What an idealistic preschool way of making promises.
There is no character growth actually, no storyline, there was only emotional mulling that was built on nothing, I cared too little about their original fight because it wasn't described or explained, it was only subjective from both sides and episodic instead of a good dramatic scene tbh.
Also what I didn't like is that eventually it was somehow her fault, she didn't listen, she jumped to conclusions and didn't give him a chance to explain... this is why having no scene did not work for me, I also felt like he could be blamed as well, he didn't bother to explain in detail and when she left he waited for her to be the first to bow down. It was the same for the two of them, each waited for the other party just to say "sorry".
If I would rate it, just because of rage and wasted time I'd give it a zero :)
The reason why nowadays I try to read the original, even if it tires me to read in English sometimes, but the closer I am to the original the better I feel and explore. And the reason for my another point in the "dislikes list" is that I didn't really like Bowman's style of writing. You know sometimes when you read you do have a feeling like you read a historical romance, at other times you feel like it reeks too much of a modern literature. Those questions dashed through my head as reading. For example, Veromica's impression of her husband:
She hadn’t seen the man in two years, and he’d certainly been muscled back then, but he was more muscled now. His biceps bulging, his pectorals swelling, his abdomen outlined in six clearly defined packs. Her mouth went dry. She was looking all right. But not at what he’d offered.
I'm sorry, but the lady of that year, 1814, should not have such knowledge in anatomy. It is also unlikely he was that swollen. And honestly calling his back a fine arse was hysterical.
Their thirsting for each other took the other half of the book, you know they love each other physically still. But honestly it sounded like a cheap erotica and lacked style. Example:
He remembered only too well what it felt like to let the long strands filter through his fingers while he rode her, her gasps of pleasure filling the room, her fingernails raking down his back.
Basically, half of the book was them describing how they want each other still and the description to be honest has this modern feel to it.
Oh yeah, it was in passing, but when I read that one of Veronica's sister crossed her arms in front of her chest I doubted it, because I always felt ladies shouldn't do it? :)
The ending of it all is so.. childish. They came to the ball and meet the entire family, she sounds stupid not understanding she's been played, her mother and grandfather wanted to make them come together and deal with each other, so they created this play to help them at least communicate. Although they really didn't do anything to help them solve it. It really felt shallow. Sigh.
One thing is a good thing, with this I don't think I'll be needing to continue reading other of Bowman's books, this was enough.
I'm surprised I haven't read her before, but my subconsciousness tells me that I probably did, too long ago to remeber and I also didn't like it :)
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