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jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
I was looking forward to this final volume in the Wild Quartet, featuring the least reputable of the male friends: Julian, once outcast art dealer, now unexpected Duke of Denford. After his mother remarries and absconds with her new seafaring husband to America, dumping Julian's two half-sisters on his doorstep, Juilian finds himself in need of a governess. Lucky for him, a gorgeous woman shows up on his doorstep, too, in search of work. More interested in seducing Miss Jane Grey than in finding out about her past experience, Julian quickly hires the woman. Julian has no idea (but of course, readers do, given the his/her POV switches) that Jane Grey is really Mlle. Jeanne-Louise de Falleron, oldest daughter of a French aristocratic family who were all killed, in part because of Julian's carelessness and greed as a young man. "Jane" is set on revenge, determined to kill the Mr. Fortescue who betrayed her father, and hopes that taking a place in the Duke of Denford's employ will lead her to him. Readers know that Julian and the betrayer are one in the same, which makes the tension mount as rakish Julian finds himself growing interested not just in Miss Grey's body, but in her mind and her heart.
I'm usually a big fan of Neville's stories, but I had real difficulties with this one..
I'm usually a big fan of Neville's stories, but I had real difficulties with this one.
Spoiler
15-year-old Jane/Jeanne-Louise had to choose between going to the guillotine or becoming the mistress of a radical Frenchman. Given this history, Julian's seduction attempts left a really sour taste in my mouth; would a woman who had been forced to prostitute herself find sexual harassment on the job at all appealing? Yuck. I also found Jane a woefully passive, and woefully stupid, avenger; she does little to find her Mr. Fortescue, and takes forever to realize that he and Julian are one in the same. And Julian, of course, turns out to be not quite as cynical as we all thought him to be, a bit of a disappointment to me!kathleenmcg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The duke, who has been a character in previous novels, has his three half-sisters unceremoniously dumped on his door step. Chafing at being the duke, he has troubles or basically does not want to have the responsibility over three children. He needs a governess, and enter our heroine, who conveniently answers his ad for a governess. He hires her more because he wants to seduce her than whether she would be a good governess.
The two characters grow through the course of the book. The story, including lost paintings, French emigree`s, the terror of the French Revolution, and good old fashioned primogeniture, round out the story. I fell in love with the duke by the end. The heroine was appealing, but damaged. They, of course, get their HEA. I liked it. Well written: 4.25
The two characters grow through the course of the book. The story, including lost paintings, French emigree`s, the terror of the French Revolution, and good old fashioned primogeniture, round out the story. I fell in love with the duke by the end. The heroine was appealing, but damaged. They, of course, get their HEA. I liked it. Well written: 4.25
tessisreading2's review against another edition
4.0
Made fantastic use of the revolutionary background, good compelling characters, not too many inserts from the other series characters (they all made sense in context), and just in general a really immersive read.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't read the previous Wild Quartet books (I have at least one kicking around somewhere) but since I have already read a Neville series backward (the Burgundy Club) I figured it wouldn't hurt.
This one is a bit exposition-heavy, with a big backstory for Jane, but it works once Jane has inveigled her way into the governess position at Julian's house. Julian's middle sister, Fenella, is a delight.
Definitely going to check out the earlier three books in the series (although I am miffed, only a very tiny bit, that my suggestion for the title - The Duke of Denford's Crime, to match her Oscar Wilde theme - wasn't used. :p ).
This one is a bit exposition-heavy, with a big backstory for Jane, but it works once Jane has inveigled her way into the governess position at Julian's house. Julian's middle sister, Fenella, is a delight.
Definitely going to check out the earlier three books in the series (although I am miffed, only a very tiny bit, that my suggestion for the title - The Duke of Denford's Crime, to match her Oscar Wilde theme - wasn't used. :p ).
chandelierskies's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
alisonb's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great finish to the series and I enjoyed Jane and Julian. Julian’s three sisters were a nice addition to the story. There was some great humor in the dialogue that added brevity to a darker history.
The plot was fascinating and I was impatient for the reveal. For some reason I wanted it to be earlier and for more character development to occur after the climax. Maybe I’m just used to more angst and even a misunderstanding- which this story did not have and that is perfectly okay.
The plot was fascinating and I was impatient for the reveal. For some reason I wanted it to be earlier and for more character development to occur after the climax. Maybe I’m just used to more angst and even a misunderstanding- which this story did not have and that is perfectly okay.
msmattoon's review against another edition
2.0
It was okay. Duke, governess, mystery. All good in theory, but *meh* in practice.
The author told us how they felt instead of showing it, and as a result I didn't feel it.
The author told us how they felt instead of showing it, and as a result I didn't feel it.