A review by hantheam
A Lady's Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett
2.0
The book has some charm, but it's sprinkled over an appalling lack of craft. (I'm really --I promise you-- not a stickler for rules. I think romance especially gets to play fast and loose with narrative convention since it is a character driven craft.) However poor characterization and a total lack of cohesion is what really fumbled the bag here. What we ended up with was ill-defined stakes, impotently quashed conflicts, tell-don't-show style writing, and a politically confused message.
The book opens with the promise of danger and intrigue. This is advertised as a bodyguard romance after all, and we have a mystery at the heart of it! Expect, our hero is actually more the head of a security detail and the imminent danger can be easily dismissed and placed on a shelf. Our heroine is the de-facto leader of a women's retreat which she runs on her property. Unfortunately being surrounded by a sisterhood of independent women working toward progressive goals only leaves her feeling lonely and incomplete. (And why yes this aspect is portrayed carelessly.)
Oddly enough, the narrative unfolds through unhurried, loosely related vignettes, despite having a dependable through line at its disposal. While not entirely out of place for a romance it throws off the already tenuous pacing.
The book opens with the promise of danger and intrigue. This is advertised as a bodyguard romance after all, and we have a mystery at the heart of it! Expect, our hero is actually more the head of a security detail and the imminent danger can be easily dismissed and placed on a shelf. Our heroine is the de-facto leader of a women's retreat which she runs on her property. Unfortunately being surrounded by a sisterhood of independent women working toward progressive goals only leaves her feeling lonely and incomplete. (And why yes this aspect is portrayed carelessly.)
Oddly enough, the narrative unfolds through unhurried, loosely related vignettes, despite having a dependable through line at its disposal. While not entirely out of place for a romance it throws off the already tenuous pacing.