The Soldier (Duke's Obsession, #2) (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
I had read The Heir years ago and had enjoyed it thoroughly but the first attempt hadn't captured my attention. However, this second effort was worth the wait. I really liked The Soldier a lot, especially the balance of a character driven journey between Devlin and Emmie's secret mystery--which I guessed but still entertaining--as well as the care over Winnie, made for a satisfying read, beginning to end. Once again, the writing was superb and deftly handled. Even the secondary characters were enjoyable and she uses them well to break up scenes between our main leads, while giving us some background information, which tends to be really scant but still manages to sketch fully-fleshed characters. How Ms. Burrowes churns out such detailed but consistent stories so quickly is amazing to me (and might add to a couple grammatical errors). Burrowes utilizes children a lot in her books, and I don't particularly find them interesting within the fabric of the book as she renders them much wiser and adult than I can fathom, and even when they are pivotal to the overall plot. In this case, it worked to advantage and it was well handled. The only thing that caught me off guard, and only because I didn't know the context in which the author was writing these scenes, was Devlin's interactions with his close friends--which bordered on sexual in some instances (but it was also hinted at in The Captive, too). I am not against such an idea but it felt so out of place and never explained fully that left me confused and scratching my head at those scenes.For me, ultimately, Ms. Burrowes, on many levels, is not unlike most romance authors, be it contemporary, erotica or historical. All romances tend to be quick and predictable. There a lot of unbelievable plot devices that are rather too convenient, re-hashed and unoriginal. I usually spot these right away and lament, bemoan and eye roll the unbelievably and silly lines and scenes. The modern style of the characters despite its 1800s placement, is flawlessly woven within.What is unique about Burrowes and her books is the journey that she is able to take us on and that sets her apart and she gets you to care about the character. She is not reinventing the wheel; her settings and stories echo so many others. She is, however, presenting us emotional characters that are deep and thoughtful, sultry but also intelligent. She gives and takes, push and pulls back just right and her writing skills are without a doubt another reason why her books feel so effortless and sensual. Usually, Burrowes avoids the sappy and her characters aren't prone to misunderstanding each other or the male lead is overbearingly annoying and meanly aggressive or the female is submissive and meek, or stupid. Her character's actions and words mirror each other and usually consistent. What they do and say, and how they go about doing it, makes sense. It is refreshing and it can forgive a lot of other issues that I usually am so unforgiving of from other authors. Alas, my obsession continues. Honestly, I usually start to see the thin threads when reading so many books by one author but I have yet to tire of her and her books, despite the flaws that do exist and prevail. I can't wait to read the next installment! I really enjoyed this book, mostly because the main character's history was so well-developed. I cared about what happened to him, and I loved his interactions with the other characters, especially Amery and Val. Too often, male friendships are forgotten in a romance, but Grace Burrowes does a great job. My only complaint is that the situations between Emmie (more specifically, Winnie) and Devlin are a little too conveniently similar. Nevertheless, when a book leaves you wanting more, it is usually a good thing. I look forward to seeing Devlin, Emmie, and Winnie return as secondary characters in the following books.
What do You think about The Soldier (Duke's Obsession, #2) (2011)?
Very enjoyable. Horses, men, and dogs add to any story.
—nick
Quiero un soldado como Devlin!! Me encanto el libro ♥
—Chel
