The Virtuoso (Duke's Obsession, #3) (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
It's a good story that is brought down by the inauthenticity of the period. My immersion in the story would regularly be interrupted by some obviously wrong inaccuracy such as referencing the hero, the youngest son of a Duke, as Mr. instead of Lord. The nonchalance in which class boundaries were observed. It's historical fantasy that is a hodgepodge of periods. Set in the Regency period, it borrows heavily from early and late Victorian as well as modern day sensibilities. Eh. This book was fine. The characters were likeable and the mystery was fine. Things that annoyed me:- OMG the discussions of lady business were ridiculous and way overdone. I get that you're trying to show that the hero is romantic, but I have no desire to read extensive discussions about period relations.- The book references WAY too many characters from other books in the series without completely explaining how they're related. I've read the two earlier books in the series, but my recollection of how they all work and how the mystery was resolved is sketchy, and these books need to be able to stand alone. There are a ton of characters that I think I'm supposed to like from their appearances in prior books but I can't remember who they are or why I should care. Romance authors with series like this one usually OVER-explain the character references; this was a dramatic swing in the other direction.
What do You think about The Virtuoso (Duke's Obsession, #3) (2011)?
Loved it! Valentine and Ellen had a lot to overcome, which led to a wonderful conclusion!
—dawn
Excellent book but the ending was a little abrupt. Still, I loved Val.
—Iman
4.00 stars/ 3.25 sensuality. full review to come soon.
—darthturbo
