A review by teaandspite
Slightly Tempted, by Mary Balogh
1.0
I flat-out refuse to re-read this one for a more thorough review because I remember hating it just that much. Who thought this book was a good idea? Who approved this plot? And why on earth does it not have more one-star reviews?
First off, 18-year-old, newly out Morgan is paired up with 30-year-old Gervase. That alone would have been enough to make me sceptical because there is just no good reason for a grown man to have any interest in a girl who at that point in time wouldn't have even been considered a proper adult. And, of course, there isn't a good reason. Gervase wants revenge on Morgan's brother by embarrassing and compromising her.
At some point in there, we're supposed to believe that he's begun to care for her, but as a practical matter, this man has spent their entire acquaintance manipulating a naive teenager. That she thinks herself grown-up and worldly enough to handle him is not remotely a good enough explanation. She is 18. She knows absolutely nothing. It is demonstrated that she knows absolutely nothing when she. She is young and naive and at no point does she seem remotely Gervase's equal in maturity and understanding. If anything, she spends the entire book demonstrating just how young she is. Capable for her age, yes. To a certain extent. But still barely more than a child and not at all on the same level as her supposed love interest.
That Gervase never comes off as anything other than creepy and slimy doesn't help. Even when he's supposedly falling in love with her, he just exudes pervy vibes. The French isn't charming, the way he continuously views and treats Morgan like a child isn't cute. He's a gross old man who needs to leave the teenage girls alone.
This is all already infuriating enough. More than enough for me to give the book one star because it was all just so terrible. But then Balogh had to go and.
So yeah. This is a terrible addition to the Bedwyn series. I wish I'd skipped it entirely. The impromptu trip to Waterloo it spurred was not worth the rage I feel toward it.
First off, 18-year-old, newly out Morgan is paired up with 30-year-old Gervase. That alone would have been enough to make me sceptical because there is just no good reason for a grown man to have any interest in a girl who at that point in time wouldn't have even been considered a proper adult. And, of course, there isn't a good reason. Gervase wants revenge on Morgan's brother by embarrassing and compromising her.
At some point in there, we're supposed to believe that he's begun to care for her, but as a practical matter, this man has spent their entire acquaintance manipulating a naive teenager. That she thinks herself grown-up and worldly enough to handle him is not remotely a good enough explanation. She is 18. She knows absolutely nothing. It is demonstrated that she knows absolutely nothing when she
Spoiler
only realises she's been manipulated after her brother points it out to herThat Gervase never comes off as anything other than creepy and slimy doesn't help. Even when he's supposedly falling in love with her, he just exudes pervy vibes. The French isn't charming, the way he continuously views and treats Morgan like a child isn't cute. He's a gross old man who needs to leave the teenage girls alone.
This is all already infuriating enough. More than enough for me to give the book one star because it was all just so terrible. But then Balogh had to go and
Spoiler
make the woman who falsely accused Gervase of raping her a lesbian. Because of course. That's a totally rational response a lesbian might have to her father marrying her off to a duke. Absolutely no other reasons Gervase and Bewcastle might hate each otherSo yeah. This is a terrible addition to the Bedwyn series. I wish I'd skipped it entirely. The impromptu trip to Waterloo it spurred was not worth the rage I feel toward it.