The Duke by Gaelen Foley

Annnndddd TIME!

Whadaya mean I set a world record for the slowest reading of one book? I mean, things came up. I had to get quotes for moving and roofing and boxes, oh my! I started our taxes and should be finished sometime over the next few days because procrastination has set in. Okay, more like my horrible filing system has failed me and I will have to muck about in paper work for a solid day.

Then there was the doctor.

This time, it was all me and Lord have mercy, I think my doctor has decided to run every test known to mankind on me. Now, normally, have at it but, I am so deep into nocturnal mode right now that one of the testing labs closes at 4pm and all last week I couldn't get back there in time! They open at 7:30am but I know there is a line-up and well, my test is of a delicate nature and I don't want witnesses for the exchange of, uh, stuff. *snort* Really, could I be more subtle? Next, I'll be drawing you all a diagram of my spleen - TMI? - no really, there could be more but I'll spare us all ;)

There was this book I was reading - Oh, right! - The Duke by Gaelen Foley which I liked very much except it seemed really slow.

Really slow.

Like sllllooooowwww.

Maybe my mind is just too wired to read a meaty historical with political slants running throughout. In the end, politics go over my head. Well, no. I just get bored and we all know where bored leads me.

Cindy Blurb - Hawkscliffe is this horribly noble man who loved a married woman who got herself killed. The husband of said woman decides to use Hawkscliffe's love of his wife for revenge on his nephew.

Belinda Hamilton (can't believe I remember her name) has become the object of obsession for the above mentioned nephew who has her father sent to debtors prison, has her thrown out of her home and then has her fired from her job all in an effort to get her to marry him. Whada prince. While barely scraping by she is raped by the warden of the prison and then decides to thwart 'the nephew' by becoming a courtesan.

Courtesan and Duke team up to destroy 'the nephew' with a contract for a couple of months and no sex because you know, the Duke is above all that. No. No, he's not.

I'd grade this book a B because I enjoyed everything and I am a sucker for women who have had their reputations ruined. I have heard people say that Foley's writing is purple but I just didn't see it. Dramatic at times but that's the point of a romance. Purple prose to me means 'purple soldier of love' or 'watery grave' (yeah, I'm horrible with examples). There was none of that so all in all, I would like to read another book of hers but I think I better wait until my brain stops playing ping pong.

Hmmm, what was wrong with the book? Nothing really. Just a kind of 'meh' feeling at times which I can't really explain because that's usually my own quirks playing in there. I did find the love scenes to be uninspired but then, I like darker emotions so that's probably what it is when I say it's just me. I was also going to mention the ending but I don't really know what bothered me about it except that maybe a Duke couldn't marry a known courtesan. In the historical notes area, Foley mentions a couple of courtesans who actually married and one married a Viscount so I should really just get over myself.

As a complete aside, c'mon you knew it had to be there somewhere. I was weirded out by Hawkscliffe's rage and punishment of the warden. I'm not sure if I have been watching too many 48 Hour Mysteries or American Justice or what but I really felt like I was in a raging man's mind. Now, he didn't kill him but did send him on a convict ship. I would have to know the laws from that time much better but maybe rape was not a crime. If so, then I am glad there were men who viewed it as such. Still, there was that part of my brain that asked about the morality of what he was doing. Was this how men have come to murder their friends (I'm thinking of the last weeks show about a man and woman who killed her husband in order to be together. At least that is what the thoughts are. The problem is, they never saw each other again. The brutality of the killing was beyond what I am becoming inured of by watching these shows but I swear I could see hunks of this guys skull and face. It was truly gruesome and I was left wondering why. The why just didn't work for me so maybe that is why I had a problem with this scene.

Hey, and let's face it. I have read many books that skate the edge of any form of justice. I guess if I know the hero is an assassin (Anne Stuart) then I am aware of what he is capable of but having this morally superior Duke go and beat the crap out of this guy with a lead pipe - well, I had a tough time with it. I understand the motivation because quite frankly, I don't know that many men understand rape and what it truly does to a woman. So obviously Hawkscliffe is the hero that we would want in our corner to fight for women's rights. It was just a quirk of my own that popped up unexpectedly because I have read many retribution scenes before and not blinked an eye but for some reason, this one had me feeling uncomfortable.

Where were we, ah right, and that is my uninspired review of the book.

Bored much?

Edited : Blogger ate the first draft which is fine because this was the draft I wanted up but Kristie (J) was the first official poster telling me that this was one of her 'meh' books so I want to know which book everyone would recommend!