Chase, Loretta - Don't Tempt Me, Lord Perfect, Your Scandalous Ways

[oyceter]

Don't Tempt Me - Zoe Octavia Lexham's family has never stopped searching for her after she disappeared in the Middle East twelve years ago, and she's finally escaped the harem to return to England. Her childhood friend Lucien de Grey, Duke of Marchmont, is now trying to salvage the reputation of Harem Girl as a way to repay his debt to her family. I wasn't going to read this because of the Orientalism, but succumbed anyway. I loved both Lucien and Zoe, particularly Zoe's lack of understanding of social nuances and Lucien's need for everything to be just so. I skimmed the book any time anyone started to talk about the harem and etc., because ARGH. The second half of the book is rather different from the first, and Lucien tries to smother Zoe to protect her. Chase manages to do this without making me hate Lucien too much (this is a trope that really annoys me), and though I loved Zoe's reaction of "Oh yeah, people trying to kill me is totally normal," it would have been nice if it hadn't been for the murderous eunuchs in harems thing. I also had some serious class issues with the second half. Fun and funny, but beware!

Lord Perfect - Benedict Carsington, Viscount Rathbourne, is perfect. He is responsible, never scandalous, and well-versed in social niceties. Then his nephew meets Bathsheba Wingate of the Dreadful DeLuceys and her daughter. I started this when it first came out years ago and never finished it because I got bored. My giant Loretta Chase reread finally got me through this one. Sadly, even Loretta Chase cannot do twee children all that well, though I did love Olivia and her complete lack of morals. Though I liked the idea of Bathsheba being a Dreadful DeLucey with a conscience, along with the thought of Benedict losing his much-vaunted control, this lacks the spark of better Chases.

Your Scandalous Ways - James Cordier has been sent to Venice to get a packet of incriminating letters from the famous courtesan Francesca Bonnard. I started this when it first came out and could not finish because I was so disappointed in how much more emotionally vulnerable Francesca was compared to James. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but Francesca is not at a disadvantage for long, and the banter between her and James is delightful. I especially love the non-traditional marriage contract at the end, Francesca's friendship with the other famous courtesan of Venice, and Francesca's attempt to make nice at the end with the villain. Also, chapter one begins with the priceless lines: "Penises. Everywhere."


And on another note, the Giant Loretta Chase Reread makes me happy I never bought Mr. Impossible. I loved it when I first read it, but on the reread, OMG the Orientalism is SO BAD. I do not think I will ever be able to read it again. Why, Loretta Chase, why?

Comments

[coffeeandink]

Chase's next book is apparently about Olivia and Perry, which I have been looking forward to, because I am hoping they will remain partners in mischief as adults.

[oyceter]

Oh yay! I had been hoping for that but also wondering if their now-step-sibling relationship would get in the way.

I hope Olivia keeps her thieving ways and EMPHATIC shouting letters.

[sajia_kabir]

Your Scandalous Ways is one of the few romances I really like. Slightly on-topic: I have this idea for a chromatic gender-swapped Pride and Prejudice set in modern Vancouver. Instead of balls we have rock concerts and bellydance shows. Elijah Bennet is a generous hearted, sharp mouthed Chinese-Canadian with an awful white Decent Left father and long-suffering Chinese mother, Darcy Ahmed is a blunt-spoken steel hard Bangladeshi Muslim feminist artist and organizer (yes, this is so a Marium Sue, except I am not so hypercompetent). Rita Wickham is a charming and seductive white female artist appropriating non-white cultures.

[wealhtheow]

Oh sweet chim-chim-erie, please write this!

[oyceter]

Sounds like a cool idea!

[meganbmoore]

I think our thoughts on Don't Tempt Me pretty much match up. I really liked Your Scandalous Ways when I first read it, but developed some problems with it later. One thing I did like is that, instead of glorifying James type of "service" as most romance novels do, it's rightly labeled another form of prostitution.

[oyceter]

I think I liked YSW a lot more the second time around because I had gotten more time (a year or so!) to get used to my disappointment in Francesca not having more agency re: the spying plot. I do like how it ended, though a lot of me wishes (spoilers) Marta had taken the offered sapphires and run off with them instead of being Evil Irrational Henchwoman. Still, I loved Giulietta (sp) and Francesca's POV on it!

[shana]

Book alert: coming April 1, _Hello Kitty Must Die_ by Angela Choi got a starred review in the 2/22 Publishers Weekly.

[oyceter]

Interesting! Though from the Amazon book description, I'm really hoping it's not an "Asian woman escapes her traditional family and society by dating a White guy" book.