Monday, February 25, 2013

If You Give A Rake A Ruby by Shana Galen

Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Jewels of the Ton #2
Publication Date: 5th March 2013
Pages: 352
Book Source: Sourcebooks & NetGalley

Synopsis: Her Mysterious Past Is The Best Revenge . . .

Fallon, the Marchioness of Mystery, is a celebrated courtesan with her finger on the pulse of high society. She’s adored by men, hated by their wives. No one knows anything about her past, and she plans to keep it that way.

Only He Can Offer Her A Dazzling Future . . .

Warrick Fitzhugh will do anything to protect his compatriots in the Foreign Office, including seduce Fallon, who he thinks can lead him to the deadliest crime lord in London. He knows he’s putting his life on the line . . . 

To Warrick’s shock, Fallon is not who he thinks she is, and the secrets she’s keeping are exactly what make her his heart’s desire . . .


Karen's Thoughts
It pains me to say it because I absolutely adore Shana’s books and on Goodreads have given all her previous reads 5 stars….but this book just didn’t grab me. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I can’t even pinpoint why … I honestly think I need to pick it up again down the track and have another go because I just have to be wrong.

My initial feelings are just that I didn’t feel the connection between the two characters. I feel that Fitzhugh seemed to declare his feelings for Fallon without me really feeling them alongside him.

There are touches of why I love Shana’s books…but overall for me it just didn’t gel. 

“Warrick?” Fallon whispered.  “I thought you were going to give her-him some sort of code name.  You know, Jackal or Raven or Fluffy Bunny.”  She detected the ghost of a smile on his lips.
“I don’t have a code name.  I wasn’t that sort of operative.”
“You mean to say Fluffy Bunny was taken?”

To give disclosure, I don’t ordinarily like my historical romance when it involves secret spy operations but when a favoured author writes along those lines I’ll always give it a try.

Like I said it could just be me and not the book so don't discount this one. I'll be keen to see what others thought.

Guest Review by Karen Barr

Find Shana Galen on website, facebook, twitter

5 comments:

  1. Bummer that it wasn't that good... thanks for the review!

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    1. Thanks Julie, I loved Shana's previous books, so I'm putting this one down to my mood at the time of reading.

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  2. hmm don't think I've read any historical romances with spy operations but I know mood can definitely influence your feelings on a read. Will be interesting to see what other's think. Thanks for your honesty Karen :)

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  3. That stinks that this one didn't gel with you!!! Maybe her next one will be great!!!!!!!!!????

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  4. I hate when a fave author diappoints!

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