Caretti's Forced Bride, by Jennie Lucas

Caretti's Forced Bride (Wedlocked!) by Jennie Lucas

My rating: ★★★★

I haven't read a single book by Ms. Lucas that I haven't liked. This one is also gold. Her writing, as usual, is very evocative and draws you into the story. This book was filled with a whole bunch of angst, even more than her usual; it made for great tension and holding interest while reading :)

Paolo is the hero of our tale, and what a yummy hero he is! Very likable, right from the get-go, and I found myself rooting for him immediately. And it stayed that way till the very end.

So, we have a good story and a great hero. Why four stars instead of five?

1) The heroine. Isabelle is the worst of Ms. Lucas' heroines that I've read so far. From the beginning. I did not like how rude she was to Paolo, especially when she was asking a favor! A favor, mind you! I could immediately see where her story arc was going and I hated it (and her) right there and then. I just don't think it is in any way acceptable not to tell a man he has fathered a child, unless that man is an excessively violent, internationally wanted criminal with ties to the mafia and all the major underground mobs, and who happens to hate children. . So I thought it was unacceptable what she did. And then she did it again! Her internal struggles did not help. Reading what was going on in her mind made me dislike her even more. She did not appear noble and martyr-ish to me at all, which is probably the angle Ms. Lucas was going for. It failed big-time. Girl is just a self-serving individual masquerading as a martyr.

2) Alexander's transformation into king was kinda weird. Eleven-year-old boys simply do not talk like that, even if they've just been crowned king.

So yes, this is what kept me from loving it completely. I sincerely wish Paolo had dumped Isabella and gotten himself someone who was worthy of him. Ooh - what I wouldn't give to see an HP that ended like this!

But, yeah, I would recommend it. The writing is excellent.



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