Good basis for the 1797 collection.

I thouraghly enjoyed the book and purchased the audio so that I could listen to it at the gym. However, the story, which is delightful, is not enhanced by the narration which was disappointing to say the least.

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Great story, not so great narrator

The narrator would read lines very sharply and loudly and then follow with "she whispered". This ruined many intense and fragile moments

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Performance not very good

The performer was good when narrating the story and when voicing the female characters. However, when voicing the male protagonists all the men sounded the same, so it was hard to understand who was speaking, and one really needed to be reading the book along with the audiobook. Also she voiced all the male characters by doing a Sandi Toksvig impersonation (this likeness is probably only relevant to UK listeners).
Additionally, there were some very strange pronunciations - for example buoy was pronounced “boo ee”, so I assume this to be an American voice actress trying ‘to do’ an English accent....Yep - I have just googled the pronunciation of buoy and her pronunciation is as per an American accent!!! But the book is set in Regency England!!!!! :((
There were other really random pronunciations all very off putting and once again one needed the book to read the word that was being “totally garbled” by the American performer.
I have read all the books in the series and they are all narrated by the same performer :(

Also note to author - in England/Britain a foyer is an entrance hall or other open area in a building used by the public, especially an hotel or theatre - not a family home of whatever size.
In an English/British home we have an entrance hall - which is the room or space immediately inside the main door of a large or grand building like a stately home or townhouse.
Americanisms are a real turn off when reading a novel set in Regency England - authors should read Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskell or the more recent Georgette Heyer.

The books themselves each have a very different storyline, but each woman that ‘captures’ a duke’s heart is completely OK to go in for oral sex and premarital sex. That may have been the case with a widow, but an untouched virgin would have been inculcated with stories of young women being seduced and then left at the altar.
I know one has to suspend all pretences of reality with this genre but really it would have been nice if just one of them went to their marital bed chaste and the author could then have indulged her love of mild erotica once the ring was in her finger and the couple were exploring their relationship. The fact that they don’t remain chaste just starts to become tiresome after a few books in.
The main idea is: Lady meets Duke - a bit of groping - oral sex - premarital sex - oh and let’s not bother to lock the door each time either even when they get naked!!! WHAT REALLY!!!....in the 1810s?? Even today any sane person would lock the door!
It’s a shame - I quite liked the series but the books become very ‘Samey’ after a while EVEN THOUGH they have dissimilar plots and protagonists.

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The narrator can't do male voices.

I think the narrator's effort to do a male voice is the most jarring part of the story. It hurts the ears and impinges on what is being said.
The hero and heroine both have embarrassing parents, he is also suffering from longterm child abuse.
Funnily only his mother and himself really suffer, while his sister seems a happy soul. The heroine's parents seem alot worse as both are still alive.
The story is disjointed and seems stuck together with lots of additional characters thrown in. I failed to see the romance, she has fancied him for ages, he then mets her, wants her in his bed, but not to marry. They are eventually forced into marriage and realise they love each other. I don't think, there has ever been ten Dukesin England, let alone all round the same age. No doubt that is romantic licence, but just adds another jagged part.

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1 person found this helpful