This Month's Featured Author & book:The goal of Second Chance Saturday is to give a second chance to a book/author/series we've written off for some reason. Check out all the SCS we did here.
Published January 29th 2013 by Avon
The Rules of Scoundrels #2
Goodreads summary:
Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.What happened: So. This is going to be blasphemous BUT, Sarah MacLean has been a fail for me. I tolerated Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. I skimmed Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart and I didn't finish A Rogue by Any Other Name. I know MacLean is historical romance royalty and even non-historical romance readers love her but I just have NOT enjoyed her stories at all.
Like any good scientist, Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion—the experience of ruination without the repercussions of ruination. And who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? But when this odd, unexpected female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting . . . and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts—and giving the lady precisely what she wants.
This book was a FOURTH chance because... Sharon texted me and told me she was reading One Good Earl Deserves a Lover and it had a slow burn romance and I was SOLD. I trust Sharon and I love slow burn and since I already had an e-ARC collecting dust, why not give Sarah MacLean ANOTHER chance.
Second chance thoughts: I'm happy to report back that I REALLY liked One Good Earl Deserves a Lover! I'm glad Sharon made me read it because I've FINALLY found a Sarah MacLean book that I like. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover was a fun, fun read. I couldn't stop laughing the first 1/3 of the book because the heroine, Pippa, went around hypothesizing about things. Pippa was just great. She's super smart and interested in all subjects, mathematics, astronomy, and even seduction. She was deemed odd because ladies of that time weren't supposed to show a great interest in learning. As I told Sharon, Pippa might have been "odd" but she wasn't ridiculously quirky and completely and annoyingly different. The plot might have been a bit ridiculous but I really enjoyed it! It was a great set up that offered a lot of laughs. The hero, Cross, was quite swoony up until he become cheesy which is why I enjoyed this book, but didn't love it. I like Cross but all his "sin" and "dark side" talk got really eye roll-y. Just get over yourself already! Despite that though, I also loved the side characters, Bourne, Temple & Chase who are Cross's buisness partners. Even Castleton! Can Castelton have his own book, please? Beta hero FTW! And I abosultely can NOT wait for the next book, No Good Duke Goes Unpunished, which is Temple's book and I REALLY REALLY want it to be another MacLean HIT for me.
Laugh out loud quote:
"I am happy to pay you," she announced. "For your services."Verdict: [C+ rating ] I've FINALLY found a Sarah MacLean book to enjoy. It was funny, sexy and full of great characters.
A Harsh, strangled sound cut through the room. It came from him. "Pay me."
She nodded. "would, say, twenty-five pounds do?"
"No."
Her brows knit together. "Of course, a person of your--prowess--is worth more. I apologize for the offense. Fifty? I'm afraid I can't go much higher. It's quite a bit of money."
