Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Looking Forward to This Author's Future., 28 Jan 2008
Reading and reviewing is at times a daunting task, but when the writer is gifted, the task is so much easier! From the first page, Sarah Elliott's THE WAYWARD DEBUTANTE engaged my interest.
In her first London season, Eleanor Sinclair is the daughter of a viscount. She is beautiful, intelligent, but a bit of a bluestocking. Which frankly means Eleanor Sinclair has not had many offers of marriage??? In fact, the poor girl has a difficult time filling her dance card. So rather than endure another night of social disgrace, Eleanor Sinclair decides to create a sick friend, don a disguise, and sneak off, alone, to the theatre. Whereupon, she encounters the most handsome rogue, James Bentley.
James Bentley also passes through life under a disguise. In reality, the rakish Mr. Bentley is really the Honourable James Stanton, the third son of an earl, who loathsomely discarded his aristocratic name, when he turned sixteen.
Reviewer's Comments:
Ahh, the old mistaken-identity plot, but what makes THE WAYWARD DEBUTANTE such fun is the characters' budding relationship. Through a series of harmless meetings, the romance gently takes root. Slowly the author nurtures the lust and desire. Elliott allows her characters to experience humour, delicious conversations, until finally . . . the kiss!
Of course, to further the story, the mistaken-identity deception must eventually collapse. But sadly, with that collapse, the entire reading mood turned from delightful to the land of unforgiving coldness. The poised, rakish James became murky and grim, and the story turned into a patchwork of misunderstandings and dark, dismal reflections. My. My. How selfishly this reader wanted to experience the mood set in the beginning chapters, right through to the end!
Final thoughts for THE WAYWARD DEBUTANTE --
The beginning is pleasant; the middle is delightful, but the ending is off-kilter. Certainly, not a story to analyze deeply, nevertheless THE WAYWARD DEBUTANTE is a page-turner. Despite the quibble with Elliott's sudden mood switch, overall I enjoyed her story and yes, I would recommend it to others looking for a bit of diversion.
Grade: B
Sensuality: Warm
MaryGrace Meloche.
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