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The Betrayal Of The Blood Lily (2010)

by Lauren Willig(Favorite Author)
3.82 of 5 Votes: 1
ISBN
0525951504 (ISBN13: 9780525951506)
languge
English
genre
publisher
Dutton Adult
series
Pink Carnation
review 1: This book's adventure was a particularly good yarn. More adventure, more moving parts (it read better the second time when I had a firmer grasp of who was doing what for whom). Overall a great read, but it did come at the cost of the main characters. Alex is woefully underdeveloped. While there was quite a bit more to Penelope -- she is a recurring character, after all -- I felt like the book could have gone just a little deeper on her, too.One thing I really admire about these books is Willig's willingness to take on all sorts of heroines -- old, young, widowed, rich, poor, idealistic, complicated. She's written elsewhere about the challenge Penelope presented, and you can see early in the book how difficult it is to pin her down. It's also interesting, reading the books ... moreout of order, to see this introduction of the Reids and how the colonel's story ... changes a little, depending on who is telling it. She based him on a 19th-century military man, but the more I read these descriptions, the more I also think of Bill Clinton.I've been mentally ranking the books in this series, deciding which ones I'd buy in the interest of supporting bookstores as well as a writer whose work I like. This one would make the cut.I did skip a good portion of the Eloise. The exposition relating to India was neat. The rest of it I'd figured out from other books in the series.Finally caught up on these books. Nothing to do but wait for the last two installments.
review 2: This book follows the story of Penelope Deveraux, now Lady Frederick Staines, as she flees to India to await the scandal of her marriage to abate, while simultaneously following Eloise's relationship with Colin in modern-day-ish times. Penelope is the third of the trio of Henrietta, Charlotte and herself to have her story told, and it was well done. Her personality is different from that of her friends and unlike most of the girls in this series, she shocks with her impulsive actions and disregard for her own reputation. Exiled to India with a husband who is more interested in the pleasures of a gentleman's existence like playing cards and hunting, Penelope finds herself embroiled in the politics of the region and the intricate complexities of the colonial situation. She also finds herself crossing paths with one Captain Alex Reid, a modicum of efficiency who can't help but enjoy her sense of sarcastic humor while being immensely annoyed by her at the same time. A love story ensues, surrounded by the threat of treason and war. Fun, quick, mindless. P.S. Eloise sucks. See previous reviews for details. less
Reviews (see all)
alphaomega
Genre: Regency RomanceUnlike the other regency romances of the Pink Carnation series, this one is set in India, featuring the newly married Penelope Staines (nee Deveraux). Unlike any other historical romance I've read, this one tackles the difficult issue of a mis-matched couple struggling to find a workable way to live together, and issues of how fidelity plays into that. Willig has created an interesting character with difficult problems, and India is a lush and fascinating background (with intriguing political plots and cultural currents!) but her desire to keep the tone light and witty actually gets in the way of truly exploring Penelope's situation and being as good a book as it could've been.
bstansel
Genre: Regency RomanceUnlike the other regency romances of the Pink Carnation series, this one is set in India, featuring the newly married Penelope Staines (nee Deveraux). Unlike any other historical romance I've read, this one tackles the difficult issue of a mis-matched couple struggling to find a workable way to live together, and issues of how fidelity plays into that. Willig has created an interesting character with difficult problems, and India is a lush and fascinating background (with intriguing political plots and cultural currents!) but her desire to keep the tone light and witty actually gets in the way of truly exploring Penelope's situation and being as good a book as it could've been.
Sparta
Hands down, best one of the series so far. Loved it!
ac2015
So much fun!
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