Wednesday, July 1, 2009

To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt


I decided that since I liked What Would Jane Austen Do? that I would try another historical romance. Based on several mentions that I saw on the internet, I picked To Beguile a Beast. Bad choice. I hope this book is not representative of historical romance.


Where to begin? I just couldn't get with the plot. The heroine was the mistress of a Duke, Ms. Fitzwilliam, that decided to run away with her (and the Duke's) children because he didn't pay attention to her anymore. Not because he beat her or was blackmailing her or anything. He kept her in a house and gave her expensive gifts, he just didn't have sex with her anymore. I didn't buy it. She went to the castle of a codgerly man who lived alone and had let his castle go to rot after he was disfigured in an unfortunate accident; his face was scarred, he'd lost an eye and 2 fingers. She showed up on his doorstep to be his housekeeper at the recommendation of a mutual friend. He told her to go away and she wouldn't; she took charge and hired new staff!


Of course, the Duke came looking for his children to steal away and force her back to her life with him, and Mr. Munroe helped her rescue the children and free her from the Duke's clutches.


I just didn't buy it. The running away, knowing society would not acknowledge her because she was a mistress; her taking over Mr. Munroe's castle and falling in love with a horribly scarred and grumpy man - not believable to me.

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