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A review by mastersal
Deception by Amanda Quick
1.0
So after being on my TBR for a year and a half I finally decided to give this a go. The classic Amanda Quicks have a special nostalgic place in my heart, I’ve read many of them (including this one but I don't really recall it so I’m considering this a new read) and they follow a predictable, comforting routine. There is a alpha, possessive hero with a naive, younger heroine who is pretty scatterbrained. There hero spends a lot of the discombobulated while falling in love ‘despite his better judgement’ while the heroine is off getting into trouble.
This book follows this outline quite closely but something about it doesn’t work as well. I think it’s the writing. The prose is very purple and the constant metaphors about how Olympia is a “siren” and “did not yet know her own power” grated by the end. If you are rolling your eyes instead of rooting for the couple you know you have a problem.
As an example, when the couple are having sex for the first time there is reference to the “sultry waters of passion ...” - ouch
Despite my love for Ms. Quick’s work, this book didn’t land as well as the beginning. I found the romance largely unconvincing and slightly condescending. I get the charm of having the heroine as scatterbrained but here there is a thread of condescending amusement at Olympia’s naivety. She doesn’t do a very practical job and the hero has to save her time and time again. Yes, it’s the trope but here, the heroine was too lost in her world - she can’t even organize tea for guests or have a conversation with them. She is kind but I can’t see her being responsible enough to take care of her nephews. None of this would have been a problem but there was a sense we were smirking at the heroine instead laughing with her.
Overall, this was one was not one of the best Ms. Quick’s work. The balance is not right - the heroine forgives the hero’s deception too quickly and we never got to see why she was special. I found her to be quite foolish so I was not convinced as to why the hero loved her.
It pains me but I am giving this a one star as the combination of the awkward prose and the annoying plot left not much to be admired in this one. Pass this one and pick up another Amanda Quick instead.
This book follows this outline quite closely but something about it doesn’t work as well. I think it’s the writing. The prose is very purple and the constant metaphors about how Olympia is a “siren” and “did not yet know her own power” grated by the end. If you are rolling your eyes instead of rooting for the couple you know you have a problem.
As an example, when the couple are having sex for the first time there is reference to the “sultry waters of passion ...” - ouch
Despite my love for Ms. Quick’s work, this book didn’t land as well as the beginning. I found the romance largely unconvincing and slightly condescending. I get the charm of having the heroine as scatterbrained but here there is a thread of condescending amusement at Olympia’s naivety. She doesn’t do a very practical job and the hero has to save her time and time again. Yes, it’s the trope but here, the heroine was too lost in her world - she can’t even organize tea for guests or have a conversation with them. She is kind but I can’t see her being responsible enough to take care of her nephews. None of this would have been a problem but there was a sense we were smirking at the heroine instead laughing with her.
Overall, this was one was not one of the best Ms. Quick’s work. The balance is not right - the heroine forgives the hero’s deception too quickly and we never got to see why she was special. I found her to be quite foolish so I was not convinced as to why the hero loved her.
It pains me but I am giving this a one star as the combination of the awkward prose and the annoying plot left not much to be admired in this one. Pass this one and pick up another Amanda Quick instead.