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Beguiling the Beauty Berkley Sensation Sherry Thomas 9780425246962 Books

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Beguiling the Beauty Berkley Sensation Sherry Thomas 9780425246962 Books

I read this book a few months ago and decided to re-read it today. I might have enjoyed it even more on the 2nd read than I did on the first. Christian, the Duke of Lexington first encountered the lovely Venetia when he was a young man and was forever bound by her great beauty. His initial disbelief that she was married and unavailable was nearly unbearable. As if that fact wasn't enough, once husband #1 passes on, Venetia marries again, but unknown to Christian it is a white marriage to an older man who has a secret male lover/companion - a fact that Venetia is fully aware of - a prior agreement where each party got what they wanted out of the marriage. Venetia has suffered greatly from the effects of her first marriage and she needed time and freedom to heal. This second marriage gave her that time and she was left a very wealthy widow. But... her second husband's family disparages her and some believe their accusations that she is a cruel, heartless beauty.

Christian is a man of science who has lived his life based on facts, not feelings. The fact that he has pined for Venetia and her unearthly beauty for 8 long years has frustrated him to the point, he begins to blame her and, in point of fact, has heard of the rumors surrounding Venetia and has convinced himself that she is all beauty but no heart.

When Venetia and her sister and other companion travel to America, they hear that the almighty Duke of Lexington will be giving a lecture at Harvard. Venetia, having absolutely no clue of Christian's feelings for her, desires that her sister be able to meet Christian thinking the two of them might make a match. The three ladies attend the lecture and at some point, a question is asked from the audience that Christian decides to answer with anecdotal evidence as opposed to scientific evidence. Since he is in America, he doesn't think anyone will ever connect his example of Venetia and her great beauty/wicked heart back in England. He goes on to describe a scenario specific and to the point that Venetia and her companions know exactly who he is speaking about. Of course, Christian doesn't know that the beauteous Venetia is in the audience and as as matter of fact, as soon as his lecture is over, he knows in his heart he should never have used such an example, for what if his remarks do find their way back to England.

Venetia is dumbfounded at Christian's remarks and remains so for a few days. Her sister isn't happy with him either and when she suggests to Venetia she should make Christian fall in love with her and then drop him like a hot potato, Venetia is too upset to give it much thought. But, she is so distraught she decides to head home earlier than her companions and as she enters the hotel where she will stay the first night, she encounters the despicable Duke of Lexington. She is, fortunately, veiled and decides to speak German so Christian won't recognize her. She soon learns that he will be taking a cruise home and decides to teach him a lesson. She buys a ticket on the same ship he is sailing on but she keeps her veil on and travels as a German baroness who can only speak German. Of course Christian can also speak German and very soon he is fascinated by the lovely baroness. She agrees to become his lover but makes him promise that he will never make her unveil, or at least not look at her face.

While on the cruise home, they have a hey-go-mad love affair and before you know it, they are head over heels. When they depart, Christian tells her that they will meet at the Savoy in a few days time - he is expecting that she will unveil and they will move on with their lives together. But, it isn't that simple because now the cat is out of the bag and people in London know he disparaged Venetia back in America and Christian's reputation is being affected, etc. How will this all play out? Will Venetia let him know who she is and that her trick has backfired on her heart? Stuff happens and hearts are broken but of course eventually Christian learns some facts and realizes he assumed things he should not have. Lovely romance between two lovely people.


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Beguiling the Beauty Berkley Sensation Sherry Thomas 9780425246962 Books Reviews

I'm somewhat new to Sherry Thomas's books. I have found that they are oddly plotted with strange and complicated yet original premises that somehow manage to be charming despite the oddness. This book was very odd. Nonetheless, Thomas managed to write a sweet love story underneath all the plot devices. You just have to have some patience with this book.

Spoilers!!! I won't bother to summarize the story, in detail, but the plot is so odd that I cannot avoid writing about it. If you are reading reviews to see if you'll like this book, then you will need to read a few spoilers.

My biggest criticism of this book is that the author does too much of the work or, more appropriately said, her work is too visible as she is not fully hidden behind the Great Oz's curtain. A really fabulous story flows in a somewhat comfortable way and, while the author is always there steering, it appears that the story is flowing in the way it was meant to flow. Here, Ms. Thomas is way too present in the outlandish plot devices she choose to move her plot along. We have love at first sight, we have love from afar, we have star-crossed lovers, we have grave misunderstandings, we have a good heroine who is desperately misunderstood as "The Whore of Babylon", we have fateful coincidences, we have mistaken identities, we have revenge, we have an unplanned pregnancy, and we have a marriage of necessity. And as the most egregious manipulated plot device, we have a version of a Greek Chorus who literally end the book for us by summing the entire tale up. Be warned, the book takes a byzantine path to a happily ever after. It is just plain odd.

However, if you can stand all the devices, the hero and the heroine are really enjoyable. The worst thing I can say about them is that we don't get enough of them or their interaction- too many pages devoted to manipulations rather than character development. The Hero is a well-shaded character- stiff and formal while also being boyishly earnest and enthusiastic (I must admit, one of the devices was totally responsible for the Hero dropping his guard so it had some value.)There is a rather sweet role reversal in the characters. Where the heroine is usually the starry-eyed innocent in romances, here the Hero becomes the inexperienced one who is happily and innocently embracing love without regard for the obvious, lit-in-neon dangers. The heroine, on the other hand, starts off as a true victim and her role changes to that of an avenging (or mean-spirited- it comes across as both) predator. Neither character is obvious or simple. He may be a little innocent but he can be cruel with the best of them. She may be a little mean but she is also empathetic. They really are interesting characters and there is no pop psychology answer or cardboard cut-out back story to account for their complexities- I like that.

The two characters have surprisingly good chemistry. This is where I have to totally applaud Sherry Thomas' talent. One character is in total disguise- a veil and assumed nationality and language- and, yet, Thomas somehow makes it seem reasonable that the Hero and Heroine are falling in love with each other rather than the pretense. The moments with the most emotional resonance are those where identity is irrelevant. Thomas does a very good job of keeping a the extravagant plot device from capsizing her love story by deftly and lightly showing them falling in love with the other. The love story is also surprisingly sweet despite the cold-blooded nature of its beginning. They have a star-crossed lovers aspect that makes the readers root for them to get free from all the plot devices and obstacles cluttering their way.

Again, I have to complain, the ending! Good Lord, the ending! One of the worst endings I have ever, ever read. I was totally discombobulated by that ending. I had to read it three times to make sure what I thought had happened actually had happened. It was the most bizarre choice. It was as if Lady Whistledown, from Julia Quinn's books, had flown into the room and decreed the end. To have such complicated and well-shaded characters who have genuine chemistry, and to end their sweet love story with strangers barging in? Ack. It was unsatisfying.

If you are patient, there is a sweet love story underneath all the devices (and that ending!). Like I said in my title, I'm surprised I liked this as well as I did. But, I did. I just will will do selective re-readings and skip the parts that annoy me.
I read this book a few months ago and decided to re-read it today. I might have enjoyed it even more on the 2nd read than I did on the first. Christian, the Duke of Lexington first encountered the lovely Venetia when he was a young man and was forever bound by her great beauty. His initial disbelief that she was married and unavailable was nearly unbearable. As if that fact wasn't enough, once husband #1 passes on, Venetia marries again, but unknown to Christian it is a white marriage to an older man who has a secret male lover/companion - a fact that Venetia is fully aware of - a prior agreement where each party got what they wanted out of the marriage. Venetia has suffered greatly from the effects of her first marriage and she needed time and freedom to heal. This second marriage gave her that time and she was left a very wealthy widow. But... her second husband's family disparages her and some believe their accusations that she is a cruel, heartless beauty.

Christian is a man of science who has lived his life based on facts, not feelings. The fact that he has pined for Venetia and her unearthly beauty for 8 long years has frustrated him to the point, he begins to blame her and, in point of fact, has heard of the rumors surrounding Venetia and has convinced himself that she is all beauty but no heart.

When Venetia and her sister and other companion travel to America, they hear that the almighty Duke of Lexington will be giving a lecture at Harvard. Venetia, having absolutely no clue of Christian's feelings for her, desires that her sister be able to meet Christian thinking the two of them might make a match. The three ladies attend the lecture and at some point, a question is asked from the audience that Christian decides to answer with anecdotal evidence as opposed to scientific evidence. Since he is in America, he doesn't think anyone will ever connect his example of Venetia and her great beauty/wicked heart back in England. He goes on to describe a scenario specific and to the point that Venetia and her companions know exactly who he is speaking about. Of course, Christian doesn't know that the beauteous Venetia is in the audience and as as matter of fact, as soon as his lecture is over, he knows in his heart he should never have used such an example, for what if his remarks do find their way back to England.

Venetia is dumbfounded at Christian's remarks and remains so for a few days. Her sister isn't happy with him either and when she suggests to Venetia she should make Christian fall in love with her and then drop him like a hot potato, Venetia is too upset to give it much thought. But, she is so distraught she decides to head home earlier than her companions and as she enters the hotel where she will stay the first night, she encounters the despicable Duke of Lexington. She is, fortunately, veiled and decides to speak German so Christian won't recognize her. She soon learns that he will be taking a cruise home and decides to teach him a lesson. She buys a ticket on the same ship he is sailing on but she keeps her veil on and travels as a German baroness who can only speak German. Of course Christian can also speak German and very soon he is fascinated by the lovely baroness. She agrees to become his lover but makes him promise that he will never make her unveil, or at least not look at her face.

While on the cruise home, they have a hey-go-mad love affair and before you know it, they are head over heels. When they depart, Christian tells her that they will meet at the Savoy in a few days time - he is expecting that she will unveil and they will move on with their lives together. But, it isn't that simple because now the cat is out of the bag and people in London know he disparaged Venetia back in America and Christian's reputation is being affected, etc. How will this all play out? Will Venetia let him know who she is and that her trick has backfired on her heart? Stuff happens and hearts are broken but of course eventually Christian learns some facts and realizes he assumed things he should not have. Lovely romance between two lovely people.