Marrying the Marquisby Patricia Grassoreviewed by Cybil SolynDecember 2009, 352 pages, Publisher: Zebra, ISBN: 0821780743 Back Cover Blurb: Daughter of a wealthy duke, Blaze Flambeau has no shortage of gentlemen vying for her hand in marriage - yet all she desires is her independence. She'd much rather devote her energies to caring for her prized thoroughbred than to the fortune hunters who knock down her door. But her father is ready to see her wed, so he makes her a bargain: she may participate in the racing season only if she gives each suitor a fighting chance at her heart. One man, however, makes Blaze a far more scandalous proposition: her reputation or his bed!
For Ross MacArthur, Marquis of Awe, knows something that could ruin her, and he will not hesitate to use it to win her. Blaze cannot let the Scottish rogue have his way - or her innocence - but never in her life has she been so tempted. Perhaps the Marquis's scheme doesn't pose such a dilemma after all...
I enjoy a funny read. I appreciate one. I really enjoy tongue in cheek humor and dry wit so when I first started Grasso's latest that is what I thought I was getting. But as the book continued, I realized that no matter how much I wished this book was clever and witty, it was just silly and absurd.
There are seven Flambeau sisters and each has a special "gift." Blaze can communicate with animals, and plans to use this gift to turn her horse into a race winner. Her only desire is to never marry and live on her own terms. The problem with that is not only does she need money, but her father (a duke) and her stepmother want her to marry - badly. In that hope they have brought together three men to vie for her hand. The most intriguing to Blaze, and the one her sister Raven (whose special gift is seeing the future) says she needs if her horse is to win, is Ross MacArthur, Marquis of Awe.
Ross is a Scotsman through and through (which we never forget with all the "canna" and "dinna ye lass" es that are used) and a man's man. He knows Blaze's father wants them to wed and after meeting Blaze he agrees with the idea. But he also wants her in his bed now.
Ummm. Yeah. Can you already see what's wrong with this book? For those who aren't already in agony by just reading the synopsis let me break it down for you. First you have a bunch of really ludicrous names. I mean Blaze Flambeau and the Marquis of Awe?! Really? REALLY! Then you have seven sister all with a special "gift" who I assure you have equally silly names- oh and there are two sets of twins by the way. So Seven sisters with two sets of twins and really, really bad names (Moon Unit Zappa anyone?). Then you have a hero who has a terrible accent, terrible morals, and who I found continually offensive.
Okay then you have the characters. At four different points of this book I was horrified by what I was reading. The first is when Blaze's father, a duke, discusses tongue kissing with his little girl. TONGUE KISSING. Eeewww. I don't want to discuss that with my own father let alone watch it happen on the pages here. The vulgarity continues with our hero Ross. The man just sickens me. Things like, "Keep the shawl around ye cuz we dinna want anyone noticin' yer flat titties," didn't just make Blaze blush, but me too. When he suddenly decides that he needs her in his bed NOW and proceeds to blackmail her into having sex with him I literally threw this book across the room.
I'm sad to say that I forced myself to finish this book, but just hated it more and more with every turn of the page. I wish this book has been written as a mockery of the genre because then I could have laughed and enjoyed it. But once I realized that the author had written it in all seriousness I found no pleasure in slogging through it.
Bottom Line: I forced myself to finish this book and recommend you stay far away from it.
Contact us!
Cybil Solyn, csolyn@rakehell.com
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