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Barely A Lady (2010)

by Eileen Dreyer(Favorite Author)

3.69 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0446542083 (ISBN13: 9780446542081)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Forever

series

Drake's Rakes

review 1: Oh, goodness. Where do I begin with this one? And should I even bother?... I probably shouldn't. Let's just say I wanted to light the hero on fire, have a glass of wine while he burned, and then push his half-burned carcass off a cliff. And the hero - while one of the biggest - is not the only problem of this novel... PROCEED WITH CAUTION.Better yet, do not proceed at all.
review 2: Title: Barely a Lady, book 1 of The Drake's Rakes seriesAuthor: Eileen DreyerGenre: Historical RomanceStory Setting: 1815, Belgium, EnglandPublished By: Forever (July 1, 2010)Pages: 436ASIN: B003JTHXYKAbout the Story: Olivia Grace was in hiding. Hiding from the ton, from her past and from her thoughts and deepest secrets. She had everything tucked safely away until that awful night... more when she was found. How did Gervaise find her here in Belgium? Would she be able to slip past his net?That terrible night when she lost so much she found three wonderful women who became her friends and she theirs.Jack, was the hero of the story, starting out in non-hero category. Though he had loved his wife very much, he listened to rumors, numerous times about his wife and then found her in the arms of another man. Without hesitation, he banished her from his life and from that day on Olivia, left pregnant, had to fend for herself, a divorced woman with a ruined reputation. For five long years she’d barely managed to take care of herself and keep hidden.Olivia had joined her friend Grace to search for Grace’s father on the battlefield of Waterloo near Brussels. When Olivia found Jack, he looked very much like a traitor of his country. He was wearing the grey uniform of the French. (I ask you, what would you have done?) He had treated her abominably. Well, you shall see the stuff of which Olivia is made of.My Thoughts: This is the first of Eileen Dreyer’s books I’ve read. I chose this because it begins a series. Her writing is engaging and quite descriptive and eloquently expressed. I delighted in some of her sentences expounding wisdom on human nature or when she brought a simple movement to life. She expresses herself brilliantly. I’m impressed.Lady Kate, the duchess was uproariously funny at the most serious of times. She had a droll sense of humor, with a tongue and will that embarrassed and cajoled people to do her bidding. She championed the most underdog and those who society had wronged with warmth and compassion. She took Olivia under her wing as was her nature when she heard Olivia had lost her position.I was particularly drawn to a secondary character, Lady Bea. She was only able to speak in two-word phrases due to a past accident, so she chose her words carefully. She added comic relief in some situations and a commentary by those very words in others.Ms. Dreyer’s very clever usage of Jack’s amnesia, provided me an amnesic reading experience mirroring Jack’s frustration. It was if I, the reader, also had amnesia—knowing bits and pieces of the story as it unraveled knowing some of the characters knew things about each other which I was not privy to. (reader’s amnesia)As every good series makes you do, I diligently purchased book 2 of the series. A highly recommended read to anyone who enjoys a well-writtened romantic suspense mystery in a historical setting.Here's a quote from the book that will linger long with me.He thought her smile was the saddest thing he’d ever seen. “Oddly enough, women expect trust to be based on faith. Not evidence. She’d hope you loved her enough to take her word.” less

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