Okay, someone do me a favor and come slap me if I decide to download another romance novel audiobook any time other than a weekend where I preferably can do nothing but sit like a lump while listening to it for however long it takes to finish it. Because this is twice now where I’ve downloaded one (both of them Tessa Dares) and my need to listen to them has gotten in the way of things I should be doing. There’s just something about a romance novel for me that demands I consume the whole thing in one go, even if it’s not that great.
Thankfully, this one was good. It’s not my *favorite* Tessa Dare book, but the parts that were good were really good, and so far at least, bad Tessa Dare turns out to be still pretty great.
This one follows Clio Whitmore, who has been engaged to Piers Brandon for eight years while he’s off doing who knows what on the Continent, to the point of almost ignoring her completely. She’s been patient, but now that she’s inherited a castle of her own and has the potential to support herself, she wants out. Enter Piers’ brother Rafe, a prizefighter and family blacksheep, who takes it upon himself to make sure Clio makes it to the altar with his brother. You immediately see where this is going, of course, but that’s half the fun.
The other half of the fun comes in the banter and the sexytimes. Rafe and Clio are really good together, especially because Dare sets Clio on the path of self-actualization that is, frankly, not historically accurate, but who even cares. It’s fun to watch her be so confident in her identity, and fun to see such a passive character come into her own. And she ain’t shy, neither. Most of her sexual encounters with Rafe are initiated by her. You don’t sign up for a Tessa Dare book and expect historical accuracy or verisimilitude. You sign up for sexy fun.
Parts of it were a bit too predictable for me, though. When the banter lightened up, sometimes the plot creaked and groaned a little. Clio and Rafe weren’t my favorite, though, and their relationship wasn’t *quite* enough to overcome the predictability of the plot.
But still, very enjoyable. And also, PHEW, this had some sexytimes. Definitely some stuff mentioned in here I’ve never seen in a historical romance before. Ahem.
Not sure when I will get to the next book in the series, but I’m very much looking forward to it ;D
[3.5 stars, but rounding up for funsies]
