Bess Willingham

This book is another one left by my friend and housemate.
I found this one to be a bit messy for a romance. It felt like it was also trying to be a detective novel while being a historical fiction and a smutty novel.
By the end I didn't care a single bit about the main characters 7 day romantic infatuation. I was more interested in finding out more about the case Styven was sent to investigate.
Personally found Camilla to be a right annoying character that seemed too dumb in some situations, show more and too intelligent and capable in others.
Wouldn't recommend if you are after a smoldering romance that is well put together and leaves you feeling heart broken you are single.
Pick this one up if you are interested in the detective aspect and don't mind the forced-in-there smut and attempt at romance. Also lower your expectations accordingly, this cover can help you judge the book. show less

Funny moment about this one. It's a US published romance novel. Dublin City Libraries collect books by and about Dublin, when I saw this one on a book buy I knew that if I bought it, it would be ordered for the collection. I grinned and bought it. I was right.

Okay I must admit I occasionally read romances to remind me how bad they can get, this was one of them, pretty bad but readable, set in Victorian Dublin, it lacks detail, there's no real feel of Dublin about it, the city could have show more been anywhere. I wish people would actually give you a feel for the city when they write books like this. Overall it was readable pulp (I read it mostly in the bath and it was what I needed at the time) and the characters were okay and fairly well written but it could have been anytime and anywhen.
It's all about a widow getting dumped with her husband's illegitimate children who have a sibling whose father is another man. Apparently in Irish Law at the time the man had to repudiate his right to the child to allow the child to be adopted so she approaches the father of the third child and sparks begin to fly. show less