TEST
It’s a rare occurrence when I can’t bring myself to finish a book. It’s rarer still when I actually throw one against the wall, heedless of the damage it might take. I threw The Marquess. I probably would have stomped on it had there not been other people present.
The Marquess is a well-written book, don’t get me wrong. Strong writing is one thing, but characters I can’t care about are another. And when the characters I hate are the hero and heroine, all the good writing in the world won’t turn it around.
The Marquess is Gavin Lawrence, recently titled, just out of the US Navy, and badly scarred (hence, a beast). He hides out in his decrepit house with few servants. His brother Michael (one of the two characters I actually enjoyed in this story) pops in from time to time when he’s not out playing spy.
Michael has been pretending to be a footman in the household of Lady Blanche, who is badly burned when her house catches fire. He takes the lady (who of course someone is trying to murder) to his brother’s home. They are followed by Blanche’s cousin and lady-in-waiting, Dillian Whitnell (the beauty), who hides in the marquess’s home. Why does she hide instead of revealing herself? I was never sure.
Dillian hides in the walls, using secret passages. In fact, she gets around rather well for someone who has never been inside the manor before. All the servants think she’s a ghost, but Gavin knows better. She leads him on a merry chase, but he eventually finds her. And guess what? His scars do not bother her at all!
So Dillian and Blanche are in serious trouble. Michael is off investigating a possible suspect while Gavin broods and plays cat and mouse with Dillian. Fearing that Gavin will turn them out, Dillian offers herself to him if he’ll keep them safe and hidden.
Gavin takes her up on the offer and relieves her of her virginity. At this point, I’m not even sure if the two of them are attracted to each other, so the sex seems rather hollow. I’m all for hot love scenes between characters who lust for one another, but Gavin and Dillian didn’t even convince me that they even had that going for them. His reference to sponges soaked in vinegar made me cringe. This plot device is not new, but never have I read a book where I wanted to take a shower after reading such a scene. My dislike for Gavin only grew from his callous treatment of Dillian. And Dillian, who started out as a likable character, quickly slid into the too stupid to live category. And she began to develop feelings for this lout?
And so the plot dwindles from there. There is a lot of running around, skulking in the dark, mobs with torches. Michael and Blanche develop fledgling feelings for each other as well. Truly, during this book, I wished that these two were the main characters as I liked them much better and I had the feeling that Rice actually preferred them to her hero and heroine as well. I smell a sequel (and I actually look forward to it!).
The Marquess was a very disappointing read, all the more so because author Rice has real talent. Gavin was just too Alpha for me and Dillian did not come across as a self-reliant heroine. Poor scorched Blanche seemed to have more backbone, and Michael was twice the man his brother ever could be – and a much more likable character as well. Michael is a bit of a rogue, he speaks with a fake Irish accent, and actually tries to help the two women. He loved playing spy and his always running around in disguise was about the only fun the book offered.
Of course, Gavin is redeemed in the end, but it was too late for me. He and Dillian laughed their way in to Happily Ever After Land and I took The Marquess to my local second hand book store so I could at least get some of my money back, and a different book that wouldn’t double as a football.
Grade: D
Book Type: European Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 17/07/98
Publication Date: 1997
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.