Bound by Marriage by Nalini Singh
Feb. 18th, 2007 07:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jmc_bksBound by Marriage is Nalini Singh's sixth Silhouette Desire release. You can check it out here, including an excerpt.
Why did I pick this book? Ms. Singh has written several Silhouette Desires, two of which I have reviewed here and here. I’ve read a third, but that was back before I blogged. The books ranged between B+ and B- grades for me.
Copyright: 2007, Silhouette Desire.
Did I like the cover? In the world of category covers, it isn’t bad. The hero is wearing a green shirt, which is relevant to the story, and putting a necklace on the heroine, also relevant. But the heroine’s hair is wrong and type of necklace is wrong as well.
Did I enjoy the book? Well, not really. I kept reading it, thinking it would get better, but it didn’t. It’s rare that I can’t find something to like in either the hero or the heroine, but in BbM, I despised both of them. The heroine, Jessica Randall, was a spineless, pathetic lump; the hero was a heartless prick. They engage in a marriage of convenience, which is a plot cliché that tends not to work very well in modern settings, IMO. And it didn’t work here. Jessica came off as basically prostituting herself to hold onto land as her father’s legacy…although what exactly that legacy was supposed to be was never made clear. Gabe has some psychobabble bullshit reason to be a heartless bastard. I didn’t believe the HEA: having the hero chase the heroine didn’t fit with the character as previously drawn, and the obligatory epilogue with Gabe fawning over the toddler? Yeah, also didn’t seem consistent. Frankly, the brevity of this particular line (180 pages) didn’t give Singh enough time make either character sympathetic in my eyes, or to redeem them. D+ from me.
New to me author? Would I read her again? No, not new to me. I have her Slave to Sensation TBR somewhere, but I’ve been in a paranormal slump lately, so I haven’t picked it up yet. I also have its follow up Visions of Heat on my wishlist at PBS.
Keeping or passing along? Passing along, already posted on PBS and promised to another reader.
Anything else? Let's see. Other than despising the hero and the heroine? There was a distinct lack of place in the book. I think I mentioned this in an earlier review as well. The book is set in MacKenzie country in New Zealand, and that is supposed to be relevant, but the book could’ve been set anywhere for all the difference or impact it made on the story.
This book was sold out according to the eHarlequin website a couple of weeks ago, but they must’ve increased the print run, ‘cause it is available again. I’m thinking that Singh is not long for category romance, since her paranormal single title debut, Slave to Sensation, was so well received. Check out the dueling reviews as Dear Author, which can be found here and here, along with Bam's review. I’m guessing that a lot of people who read StS picked up a copy of BbM, because Desires don’t often sell out before the first of the month AFAIK.
A deal with the devil…
How else to describe the pact Jessica Randall had made with wealthy New Zealand rancher Gabe Dumont? In exchange for marriage and an heir, he would save her family property. The agreement was calculating, completely devoid of any tenderness, just like the man himself.
Their relationship was supposed to be a simple arrangement. Instead, it was fraught with secrets and mistrust, jealousy and ultimatums, -- emotions that wouldn’t allow her to maintain the distance she needed. Worse, the sizzling attraction between them made this marriage of convenience decidedly inconvenient.
Why did I pick this book? Ms. Singh has written several Silhouette Desires, two of which I have reviewed here and here. I’ve read a third, but that was back before I blogged. The books ranged between B+ and B- grades for me.
Copyright: 2007, Silhouette Desire.
Did I like the cover? In the world of category covers, it isn’t bad. The hero is wearing a green shirt, which is relevant to the story, and putting a necklace on the heroine, also relevant. But the heroine’s hair is wrong and type of necklace is wrong as well.
Did I enjoy the book? Well, not really. I kept reading it, thinking it would get better, but it didn’t. It’s rare that I can’t find something to like in either the hero or the heroine, but in BbM, I despised both of them. The heroine, Jessica Randall, was a spineless, pathetic lump; the hero was a heartless prick. They engage in a marriage of convenience, which is a plot cliché that tends not to work very well in modern settings, IMO. And it didn’t work here. Jessica came off as basically prostituting herself to hold onto land as her father’s legacy…although what exactly that legacy was supposed to be was never made clear. Gabe has some psychobabble bullshit reason to be a heartless bastard. I didn’t believe the HEA: having the hero chase the heroine didn’t fit with the character as previously drawn, and the obligatory epilogue with Gabe fawning over the toddler? Yeah, also didn’t seem consistent. Frankly, the brevity of this particular line (180 pages) didn’t give Singh enough time make either character sympathetic in my eyes, or to redeem them. D+ from me.
New to me author? Would I read her again? No, not new to me. I have her Slave to Sensation TBR somewhere, but I’ve been in a paranormal slump lately, so I haven’t picked it up yet. I also have its follow up Visions of Heat on my wishlist at PBS.
Keeping or passing along? Passing along, already posted on PBS and promised to another reader.
Anything else? Let's see. Other than despising the hero and the heroine? There was a distinct lack of place in the book. I think I mentioned this in an earlier review as well. The book is set in MacKenzie country in New Zealand, and that is supposed to be relevant, but the book could’ve been set anywhere for all the difference or impact it made on the story.
This book was sold out according to the eHarlequin website a couple of weeks ago, but they must’ve increased the print run, ‘cause it is available again. I’m thinking that Singh is not long for category romance, since her paranormal single title debut, Slave to Sensation, was so well received. Check out the dueling reviews as Dear Author, which can be found here and here, along with Bam's review. I’m guessing that a lot of people who read StS picked up a copy of BbM, because Desires don’t often sell out before the first of the month AFAIK.
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-19 06:43 pm (UTC)But I'll admit that I love her voice, and I'll forgive a lot for that.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 12:56 am (UTC)I like Singh's voice, too. Bound by Marriage just didn't work for me. I'm still going to read STS when my paranormal ennui wears off.
~jmc
Keishon
Date: 2007-02-22 12:34 am (UTC)Re: Keishon
Date: 2007-02-22 03:26 am (UTC)