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Hallie's Reviews > Steam & Sorcery
Steam & Sorcery (Gaslight Chronicles #1)
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by
Maybe 2.5.
I liked a few things about the fantasy, but the romance was underwhelming. I mean really - very much more powerful/higher status male who's totally smitten and planning to marry the poor, abused governess, but just doesn't tell her about it? Her determination to be with him while she can, knowing her heart will be broken when he leaves her doesn't cause the necessary heart-string tugging when the reader knows he's just -- uh, waiting for the perfect moment? Didn't find the sex scenes very appealing either, partly because Merrick was being such a goop in letting Caroline think he only wanted an affair. Not my cuppa, though I'm not sure there was anything really wrong with it.
I liked a few things about the fantasy, but the romance was underwhelming. I mean really - very much more powerful/higher status male who's totally smitten and planning to marry the poor, abused governess, but just doesn't tell her about it? Her determination to be with him while she can, knowing her heart will be broken when he leaves her doesn't cause the necessary heart-string tugging when the reader knows he's just -- uh, waiting for the perfect moment? Didn't find the sex scenes very appealing either, partly because Merrick was being such a goop in letting Caroline think he only wanted an affair. Not my cuppa, though I'm not sure there was anything really wrong with it.
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Reading Progress
July 9, 2012
– Shelved
Started Reading
September 1, 2012
–
Finished Reading
February 2, 2013
– Shelved as:
fantasy
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Anna
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Feb 02, 2013 09:46AM
I really hate "romances" featuring that kind of high-handed, controlling behavior on the part of the man (well, I think I'd hate it in the part of the woman too, but I'm not sure I've read one like that) - the authors try to sell it as romantic, protective & nurturing but it always reminds me of the guys I've known who would try to pull something like that. Serious creeps, every one. If a book is set in an earlier, far more sexist, age I can sort of buy it as an expression of the culture the characters are living in, but if it is set in the here & now that sort of thing always makes me want to outfit the book's heroine with some pepper spray & a rape alarm.
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Anna wrote: "If a book is set in an earlier, far more sexist, age I can sort of buy it as an expression of the culture the characters are living in, but if it is set in the here & now that sort of thing always makes me want to outfit the book's heroine with some pepper spray & a rape alarm. "I know what you mean and share your sentiments totally, but to be fair to the book, a lot is made of the fact that the hero isn't as sexist, classist, whatever-ist as the other men of his class. (I can't remember now if it's supposed to be Victorian or Regency.) It really felt as if the romance part of the story would have been over if he'd acted with a bit more cop-on and so the author didn't let him. Still not satisfactory, but not a creepy, supposedly romantic hero!
