Not Quite
a Wife
The Lost
Lords # 6
By: Mary Jo Putney
Releasing August 26th, 2014
Kensington
Blurb
Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
James, Lord Kirkland, owns a shipping fleet, half a London gaming house,
and is a ruthlessly effective spymaster. He is seldom self-indulgent…except
when it comes to the gentle, indomitable beauty who was once his wife.
Laurel Herbert gave James her heart as an innocent young girl—until she
saw him perform an act of shocking violence before her very eyes. That night
she left her husband, and he let her go without a word of protest.
Now, ten years later, a chance encounter turns passionate, with
consequences that cannot be ignored. But as they try to rebuild what was
broken, they must face common enemies and a very uncommon love….
My Thoughts:
So, I have been trying to sort through my thoughts. I guess I should start out with I fell in love with the cover. I absolutely love the cover and after reading the story I think that the art department did a fabulous job on the cover. So, we can all guess that I wanted to read this book, because the cover. I'm not ashamed to admit the truth. Okay I got that out of the way.
Okay, I usually struggle with reunited lovers. Here's why: normally they split cause one or both parties were dumb. However, an estrange marriages tend to get a little more complicated and you normally picking a side on who was the true injured party. This is what happen to me. Basically, Laurel left her husband after she witness something she didn't like about her husband. If you didn't read the book blurb, the normal response is slept with another woman. However, that isn't the case, it was an act of self-defense. At the time she didn't see it that way. Therefore they had been separated for over 10 years. Now James respected his wife's wishes and stayed away from her. (Possible Spoiler) Then one night he ends up in her infirmary, and she does something with him will he wasn't lucid. This action brings them back together.
I'm all for reunions, but I have an issue when when one of the characters isn't willing to really try and has one foot out the door. I liked James. Even though he wasn't perfect, he tried. Even when they were on their temporary reconciliation he gave Laurel her space. He could have demanded his rights as a husband, but he was patient. So, I had a lot of problems with Laurel and with her one foot out the door attitude. I didn't like how she look for any excuse to leave at the first sign of trouble. I personally loved when one of James's friend's wife called her out her attitude.
"You should think less about the death of villains at Kirkland's hands and more about the vows you took," Julia said with unexpected tartness. "For bette or worse, Laurel. Of course you didn't know everything about the man you married. No on ever can. Marriage is a leap into the unknown, holding the hand of the person you have pledged yourself to. Remember that he doesn't know all about you, either. Because you loved, you promised. You must try harder to keep that promise."I absolutely loved that quote and that summed up how I felt what Laurel should have done. It took someone she didn't know to straight-out tell what she needed to hear.
What I actually liked most about the story was the budding relationship between Rhodes and Violet. I thought was the most enjoyable part of the story. Who knew I would love the little story between a secondary characters.
Honestly, Not Quite A Wife wasn't bad. Yes, I had issues with Laurel, but I think James compassion towards his wife won me over. Also I really liked Rhodes and Violet part of the story. Towards the end James came through and showed how much he loved his wife even with her issues.
Copy provide by Zebra via NetGalley
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Author Info
Mary
Jo Putney is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has written
over 60 novels and novellas. A ten-time finalist for the Romance Writers of
America RITA, she has won the honor twice and is on the RWA Honor Roll for
bestselling authors. In 2013 she was awarded the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime
Achievement Award. Though most of her books have been historical romance, she
has also published contemporary romances, historical fantasy, and young adult
paranormal historicals. She lives in Maryland with her nearest and dearest,
both two and four footed.
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Quite a Wife by Mary Jo Putney )
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ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting review, Mary Jo. I agree somewhat with the reviewer's opinion of the goody-two-shoes Laurel and her high and mighty attitude toward what happened between James and the person he killed. But if I understand the "spoiler" somewhat, it was in self-defense for goodness' sake! Why didn't James get angry about Laurel's attitude and give her a set-down and explain the ABC's to her? I think he should have stuck up for himself and his actions more. I get the idea maybe he didn't want the marriage because of Laurel's attitude and so he was glad to see her go? Anyway, I guess I'm going to have to read the complete story to get my questions answered. :-) Thanks for the post. jdh2690@gmail.com
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