The Stranger I Married by Sylvia Day
Jan. 18th, 2007 07:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jmc_bksThis was an impulse purchase from the library's sale shelf. I had to admit that I wouldn't have purchased it otherwise and likely would never have thought to check it out from the library. Why? Because I read Day's debut, Bad Boys Ahoy and was not particularly impressed -- it wasn't awful but neither did it stand out to me. But TSIM looked so lonely there on the sale shelf that I had to take it home.
Was it worth picking up? Absolutely -- it was a fast, pleasant read. I enjoyed it enough that I'll check out Day's next book.
The primary conflict is Pel's resistance to Gray's seduction, and her desire to continue separating sex and love. As a romantic, she was devastated by her first husband, who seduced her then went on his merry way. After his death, she decided that friendship and attraction went well together, and chose long-term lovers who were companions. When they try to move beyond a comfortable "friends with benefits" kind of relationship, she cuts the ties. Gray, on the other hand, was just a careless young man, getting as much as he could while obsessing over a "lost" love. When disaster chases him away, he leaves Pel without a thought to deal with the gossip. Upon his return, his initial plan is to re-establish himself in society and be a real husband to Pel. Fidelity hadn't really crossed his mind, nor had love or any other deeper emotion. He doesn't get why Isabel wouldn't want a deeper relationship with him.
The thing that I liked best about this book is that neither Pel nor Gray is a fake rake. She has lovers -- one at a time, for an extended period, but she isn't a Pretend Outrageous Widow. Gray gets around as well. While skankitude isn't necessarily an admirable trait, I appreciated that Day didn't falling into a Romancelandia cliche -- rakes who really aren't. Further to that same point, I loved that Pel was the older woman (granted only by 4 years, being an ancient 30 at the end of the book), an experienced woman and she stayed the heroine. She wasn't cast off or vilified or sentenced to some evil doom, as the experienced mistress usually is.
Day has a talent for tempo, I think, and for writing love scenes. The book flowed smoothly and the love scenes were scorching hot. Having said that, I'd've liked to see Pel & Gray outside of the bedroom more in the second half of the book. One particular scene early in the book, before their separation, demonstrated to me as a reader that they were friends, showing me how their marriage of convenience worked. It would've been nice to see something similar after they became lovers. The concentration on sex made me think that they would eventually burn themselves out as lovers, leaving only the remnants of their old friendship.
One thing that bothers me more as I think about it is the role of Grayson's mother. He proposes marriage to Isabel more or less to spite her, and plans to have his brothers as heirs (which strikes me as unlikely and odd, but okay). Later on, she is a thorough bitch to him and Pel, and manipulates them into the final big fight. While I don't discount the influence a mother in law can have, she seemed excessively vicious about Pel.
And frankly, the Big Misunderstanding/Miscommunication at the end? Spoiled the ending for me. Seemed like a cop out. IMO, better to have a confrontation and resolution specific to Pel's resistance, rather than a trumped up issue that pops up almost out of nowhere.
My only other question -- is there no thesaurus or source for appropriate period slang? I think "fuck" was used in every sex scene and every conversation about sex, as did "rut", "cock" and "cunt". While the f-bomb doesn't bother me, after repetition, it loses effect.
All in all, a very fast, hot, enjoyable read. B- from me.
Was it worth picking up? Absolutely -- it was a fast, pleasant read. I enjoyed it enough that I'll check out Day's next book.
Lady Pelham could not have designed a husband more suited to her needs. The Marquess of Graysonn is a dear and enchanting friend and an unrepentant ladies' man. Their union is solid; their hearts safe from one another. But every marriage has its surprises...
They were together for all the wrong reasons...
They are London's most scandalous couple. Isabel, Lady Pelham, and Gerard Faulkner, Marquess of Grayson, are well matched in all things -- their lusty appetites, constant paramours, wicked wits, provocative reputations, and their absolute refusal ever to ruin their marrige of conveience by falling in love iwth one another. Isabel knows such a charming rake will never appeal to her guarded heart, nor will she sway his philandering one. It is a most agreeable sham...until a shocking turn of events sends Gerard from her side.
Now, four years later, Gerard has come home to Isabel. But the carefree, boyish rogue who left has been replaced by a brooding, powerful, irresistible man who is determined to seduce his way into her affections. Gone is the devil-may-care companion who shared her friendship and nothing more, and in his place is temptation itself...a husband who desires Isabel body and sould and who will stop at nothing to win her love. No, this is not at all the man she had married. But he is the man who might finally steal her heart...
The primary conflict is Pel's resistance to Gray's seduction, and her desire to continue separating sex and love. As a romantic, she was devastated by her first husband, who seduced her then went on his merry way. After his death, she decided that friendship and attraction went well together, and chose long-term lovers who were companions. When they try to move beyond a comfortable "friends with benefits" kind of relationship, she cuts the ties. Gray, on the other hand, was just a careless young man, getting as much as he could while obsessing over a "lost" love. When disaster chases him away, he leaves Pel without a thought to deal with the gossip. Upon his return, his initial plan is to re-establish himself in society and be a real husband to Pel. Fidelity hadn't really crossed his mind, nor had love or any other deeper emotion. He doesn't get why Isabel wouldn't want a deeper relationship with him.
The thing that I liked best about this book is that neither Pel nor Gray is a fake rake. She has lovers -- one at a time, for an extended period, but she isn't a Pretend Outrageous Widow. Gray gets around as well. While skankitude isn't necessarily an admirable trait, I appreciated that Day didn't falling into a Romancelandia cliche -- rakes who really aren't. Further to that same point, I loved that Pel was the older woman (granted only by 4 years, being an ancient 30 at the end of the book), an experienced woman and she stayed the heroine. She wasn't cast off or vilified or sentenced to some evil doom, as the experienced mistress usually is.
Day has a talent for tempo, I think, and for writing love scenes. The book flowed smoothly and the love scenes were scorching hot. Having said that, I'd've liked to see Pel & Gray outside of the bedroom more in the second half of the book. One particular scene early in the book, before their separation, demonstrated to me as a reader that they were friends, showing me how their marriage of convenience worked. It would've been nice to see something similar after they became lovers. The concentration on sex made me think that they would eventually burn themselves out as lovers, leaving only the remnants of their old friendship.
One thing that bothers me more as I think about it is the role of Grayson's mother. He proposes marriage to Isabel more or less to spite her, and plans to have his brothers as heirs (which strikes me as unlikely and odd, but okay). Later on, she is a thorough bitch to him and Pel, and manipulates them into the final big fight. While I don't discount the influence a mother in law can have, she seemed excessively vicious about Pel.
And frankly, the Big Misunderstanding/Miscommunication at the end? Spoiled the ending for me. Seemed like a cop out. IMO, better to have a confrontation and resolution specific to Pel's resistance, rather than a trumped up issue that pops up almost out of nowhere.
My only other question -- is there no thesaurus or source for appropriate period slang? I think "fuck" was used in every sex scene and every conversation about sex, as did "rut", "cock" and "cunt". While the f-bomb doesn't bother me, after repetition, it loses effect.
All in all, a very fast, hot, enjoyable read. B- from me.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 07:29 am (UTC)The story sounds compelling except for the second half being about sex. Ah well, a B- is still a recommendation and Jay liked this one also ;)
CindyS
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 12:51 pm (UTC)If I see another copy for sale, I'll grab it for you. I'd offer to mail it to you, except it's already promised to Megan. Maybe she can pass it on after reading?