The author improved by leaps and bounds with this second in the series. Story dragged at times but the characters kept me coming back for more. ( )

Review to follow. ( )

I found this story to be pretty boring in all honesty. The book suffered greatly from a lack of pacing and the middle of the book meanders for quite some time. I, never at anytime, felt that the main characters had nothing but only the slightest of obstacles to overcome. For me, this lead to the feeling that the story lacked urgency and excitement. The pairing of the two main characters, the Earl of Xavier and Louisa Oliver, felt rather lackluster and comfortable. Kind of like an old shoe. The dialogue wasn't anything to write home about, and the evil villain comes across as stupid and petulant. He never showed any sort of depth of character. Which, I suppose, is somewhat understandable.. but just added to my feeling that the story was somehow lacking. The ending does pick up the pace somewhat, but I never felt like that made up for the beginning and middle parts of the story. ( )

My first by this author, I'm sorry to say I found this book to be dull and uninteresting. The original premise is about two Regency gentlemen who have nothing better to do with themselves than act like rakes and make wagers in the big betting book at White's. They make a bet that Xavier (our hero, who has a secret passion for reading Dante) can't get an infamous bluestocking spinster to come to his annual bawdy Christmas house party without damaging her reputation - or something close to it. Frankly, I got a little confused. Xavier falls for her, and his cousin, the other one in the wager, tries to do everything he can to soil her reputation, while Xavier is trying to save it, even though all he "really" wants to do is get her somewhere where he can "ruin" her! She was dull as dishwater and he wasn't much better although handsome - as we are told over and over again. Glad I finally finished this, but what a slog! Lovely cover, though. ( )