Author: Meredith Duran
Original Title: Fool Me Twice
Release Year: 2014
Literary Genre: Romance
Setting: England, Victorian era
Series: 2° of Rules for the Reckless
Vote: 91/2/10
THIS NOVEL WILL BE RELEASED THE 25th MARCH 2014
Wow, this romance is intense,
strikingly so!
Fool me twice absorbed me so
much that I couldn't put it down until I read the last line.
However this novel strength, in my opinion,
is not given only by the force and power of the plot; what truly hit
me is how controversially, unusually and magnificently portrayed is the
hero. He gave me the most contrasting sensations; some of his
actions, feelings and attitudes are everything but what you would
expect from a classical hero, sometimes they are peculiar to the
point that they could be considered infamous.
I'm pretty sure that someone will
affirm that he is irritating, way too stubborn and cruel, but his
character didn't bother me at all, and the reason is that when, before reading a
romance, I go through the plot and find out that the hero is supposed to
be tormented, scarred and rough, THIS is what I want and expect. I
want the kind of character that makes you feel the affliction he
feels, I want his behaviours not to be all romantic and noble, I
want to see and read, and not just imagine because the plot or the
prologue pictured him as an afflicted grumpy man.
Olivia Mather is a sensible and lonely
young woman, her childhood wasn't easy and now she lives under
the strict policy of avoiding troubles. She wants the chance to finally make a home for herself. So when she realises that the
Duke of Marwick might hold the secrets of her family's past, the key to her freedom, she
decides to infiltrate his household as a maid.
Alastair de Grey lives for vengeance.
More beautiful than Lucifer, feared, sharp and tormented, he'll use
any weapon to punish those who fooled and betrayed him, even his new
maid, who's demonstrating to be too bold and has to remember her place.
Unfortunately the beautiful girl is irresistibly
charming and fascinating to be avoided, she is the one who can push
him over the edge making him feel alive again...but he can't survive
being fooled again.
There are two scenes in particular I
found splendid: the first for its ambiguity, Alastair's actions
are really vehement and in a certain way, sinister; it's when he
finds out about Olivia's “betrayal”. It gave me shivers.
The other one, paradoxically, hit me
for its sweetness; when Alastair and Olivia, in a very emotional and
touching situation, reflect about how their lives would have been
different if they were not the duke and the low-born girl.
This is my first Meredith Duran's novel
and I must say, she has affected me with her style and her story, I'm
definitely going to read her other romances!
Buona lettura!
M.E.G.
Rules for the Reckless series: 0,5. Your Wicked Heart (Amanda, Spencer)
1. The Scandalous Summer (Michael, Elizabeth)
2. Fool Me Twice (Alastair, Olivia)
** I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books in exchange for an honest review, thank you for the opportunity
First time here at your blog and wanted to say i enjoyed reading this.
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