"A new fresh, witty voice in romance"
For a new writer, Katie MacAlister has a strongly
developed style, the willingness to boldly go where no
romance writer has gone before. She abhors stereotypical
anything and it makes for such a fresh voice in Romance.
If you are a fan of Lynsay Sands, you will appreciate
Katie Macalister's brand of wit! Her Second book IMPROPER
ENGLISH (a contemporary romance) is an absolute delight! In this wonderful Regency Era Romance, Katie gives you a
delightfully, warm and strong-willed character in Gillian
Leigh. She is a very unfashionable Yank and not really
looking forward to her coming out in the Ton of England.
However she is forced to attend her cousin's coming out
party. She is quite delighted to be a wallflower -
provided she could stop doing klutzy things like setting
the Duchess' favorite gold curtains on fire. She does not
waltz - she murders toes! She is brash, outspoken, and
has dogs that have a 'problem' that has everyone fanning
the air! She is very tall, bright redheaded, accident
prone - in other words, everything that would ensure she
would not fit into the snobby world of the Ton. But one
thing, she is not is stupid. She is quick to judge
character and not afraid to blister her aunt for going
along with the Ton in giving the cut direct to the Earl of
Essex. Noble Britton is called the "Black Earl" due to
his reputation as a possible murderer, but Gillian see
through his harsh veneer. Noble is in London for the first time in 5 years. He has
avoided the Ton following the death/murder? of his
beautiful wife, supposedly at his hands when he found her
in the arms of her lover. The prideful, arrogant Earl
wants a wife to produce an heir, a mother for his
illegitimate son, but most of all he wants a wife that
will cause no problems, no gossip. He has had a lifetime
of gossip. Most especially, he wants a wife that obeys
his every word. Gillian's perfect cousin quickly sets sites on the Earl,
assuring Gillian reformed rakes make the best husbands,
but she soon sees the earl has eyes for her tall, Amazon,
redheaded cousin. He is drawn to Gillian for her open
honesty, and despite the smashed toes, a black eye, a
bashed head and a broken nose, he thinks Gillian is just
what he needs. He will make her his Countess, giving her
everything - but his heart. Their coming together on
their wedding night is just too perfect, and gets through
his scarred heart, so Nobles dashes off leaving his new
bride on the morning after. Instead of Gillian being a stereotypical bride who moan
and cries her fate, ones that follows her husband's
orders, she packs her bags and goes after Noble, not
willing to let him dictate how their marriage is going to
be. She arrives with her dogs and Noble's illegitimate
son in tow at their town house, only to find Noble is
absent. She finally tracks him down to the house of his
former mistress! Instead of being shocked at this -
especially when she find Noble (lured there on a ruse),
naked & spread eagle and tied to the bedposts of his
former mistress - she seizes this as the perfect
opportunity to sit down and discuss a few things with her
new husband, letting him know she is not going to be
his 'brood mare' and put in her place in the country. I applaud Katie giving us a less than perfect female, that
is warm, funny, witty, of being daring enough to buck
stereotypes. Her writing is sparkling, charming and will
make you howl with laugther, and the sex scenes sizzle. So Katie Macasliter is a welcome voice in romance.
Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted April 1, 2003
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