AAR

[Kristie(J)]

I just finished reading the review for this book and since the reviewer made it clear from the start she hadn't read the previous books, I was wondering all through it, if it was fair to have it reviewed by someone not familiar with the dynamics of the characters from the previous books. I found the review pretty much useless to be honest. No offense to the reviewer meant, but because she was new to the characters, she didn't even touch on what so many of us have been dying to know, Harts unusual sexual preferences for example. Since she didn't know the characters, she didn't know the background of Hart and his mistress. She didn't know the family and the complicated relationships between all the brothers, particularly with Hart and Ian.

I would have loved some mention of how the other brothers are doing. And I would have liked to see if Hart mellowed in his controlling ways.

I wouldn't have wanted spoilers, but if someone who had read the previous books had done the review, at least that person would have had an idea of what we readers who have enjoyed this series would have wanted teasers on.

I was also quite disappointed that this book was given to a newbie as its such an anticipated book, Louise couldn't possibly bring the sense of anticipation into the book.

Again, no offense to Louise, but I really think you blew it by having her do the review as the review was useless to me. I have loved all the books in this series, especially The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and even the reviewer herself states she doesn't care enough about the characters.

The grade itself may have been the same, it's not the grade I'm complaining about. It's the fact it was given to someone who didn't care about the characters. I felt was unfair to those of us who do.

[njoireading]

I totally agree; someone who has not read the other books will have no idea how Ian's autism plays into the story, the addiction that Mac has overcome, and Cam's history. Without knowing the dynamics of the family, Hart and El are short-shifted by the reviewer as are the readers. I am glad that she recognized the writing as being very good, giving credit where due. Perhaps a review is in order by someone who has the background of the entire series.

[Phoenix]

In Louise’s defense, many of the reviews on this website are meant for a general audience. For fans of this series, or any series, you are already locked into buying the book no matter what the review said. Reviews like this one are for readers like me who missed the boat a few years back and didn’t read The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie and perhaps are interested in starting the series, or for those people who spot the book at a retail outlet but want more information before buying it. I agree that TPTB on this site might want to assign books to reviewers who have some point of reference to the series a book could be a part of. However, with so many series books out in the market now, the average reader might very well pick up this book at Wal-Mart, not knowing it was part of a larger family arc, and they will probably be as disappointed as Louise was about the character development.

[Dabney]

I have to say, having read all the books, and loved the first, I think this book wasn't that great.

I too found Eleanor hard to know and care for.
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"Faith is believing that one of two things will happen--there will either be something solid for you to stand on or you will learn to fly."

[Estelle]

I think that if the book doesn't stand on its own, the fault lies with the author and not the reviewer.

If an author is writing a series about the same H/h, nobody expects each book to be a standalone. But if it's a series about a family/group of friends, not having read the previous books shouldn't be a handicap.

Someone familiar with the series should get a little something extra out of it, sure. But if someone new to the series feels like he/she is missing too much of the story, the author failed somewhere.

I read the extended excerpt available and was on the fence because I found the hero had way too much baggage for me: broken engagement because of a mistress + married someone else + wife and child died + naughty pictures taken by same mistress = way too depressing for me as a reader. I don't want to read about a hero with that kind of baggage. It's just not my cup of tea.

The review confirmed my impression and I've decided to give this book a pass. I did like The Madness of Ian McKenzie ( it was a B read for me) but that's the only book in the series I really enjoyed).

[Lynda X]

Ideally, a book in a series should be able to stand for itself and I thought that Louise's review of very fair; however, it did make me yearn for a review from someone who has read the whole series, hoping that she would like it more, but I bet the same weaknesses that Louise found will also be cited. With reviewers of books in a series, I want my cake and to eat it too: I want reviewers who have not read the series when I haven't, and who have when I have. Unfortunately, I've noticed that all too often, the earth revolves around the sun and not me.

[PatW]

I'm sort of in the middle - I read The Madness of Lord Ian MacKensie and loved it - I wasn't that interested in the premise of the next two and skipped them. So I was really wondering if I should try this one as Hart intrigued me in Ian's book. This review convinced me not to try it unless I read the previous ones.... which I might do someday, just not immediately.

Aa has been noted on other threads - there's so much stuff to read these days!!
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When in doubt, read.

[ChrisReader]

I'm kind of surprised by the number of people who seem to think every book should be (or be able to be read as a stand alone). I'm definitely not in that category- I really like series and linked books.

I also think it is a bit unreasonable to expect to jump into books labeled a series on the fourth book and not have missed much. I'm not directing this at this review or reviewer, it's something I have noticed many readers and reviewers complaining about, most recently with Elizabeth Hoyt's last book "Scandalous Desires." (At Dear Author, Jane said she would have given it an even lower review had she known what she missed in the previous books). Elizabeth Hoyt had said specifically (and on her website) that it was a series and was meant to be read in order. The book also said "Book three in the Maiden Lane series" on its cover.

I don't know what the cover of "The Duke's Perfect Wife" says on it regarding the series so I can't speak to that. I am however a stickler about series and linked books and would never read out of order. I haven't read the Eve Dallas books but own a few of them. When I read them I won't start out of order because I know I will be missing key elements.

I can see how discussing that 'The Duke's Perfect Wife" doesn't work as a stand alone is helpful to people new to the series who may have thought to grab this book to start but I do find it disappointing at any of the review sites I visit when a series book is reviewed by someone unfamiliar with the series. And it is something that happens more and more frequently lately. Perhaps the responsibility is on the part of the publishers to stress the series element more on the covers etc.

[Estelle]

[Kristie(J)]

[MEK]

I wonder if it would be too difficult (a scheduling nightmare?!!) to make sure reviewers have read the previous books in a series before reviewing an author's latest.

In the case of this book, it does seem it faired poorly because the reviewer was unfamiliar with the Mackenzie family and their story from the previous books. The reviewer was depressed by Hart's family, yet there was such wonderful resolution and feelings of hope and love in Ian, Mac, and Cam's books. Especially in Ian's. Ian was not just "the autistic brother put in the insane asylum because watching his father kill his mother traumatized him." (that's not really why he was put in the asylum anyway)

I love this family!! They've overcome so much, and I love the way Jennifer Ashley writes them. I hope I like Hart's book. Can't wait to read it.

[Sandy AAR]

[LouiseAAR]

Hi all!

First of all, Kristi, I know how you feel - 100%! I know that I have had favorite authors and series reviewed by someone who wasn't familiar with the details of the characters, and who didn't love them as I did, review a recent book and not see the depths that I did. So, for what it is worth, I feel your pain!

I just wanted to let you know though, that I tried to make it clear that the book was well written and the characters were vivid. In case you are curious, I didn't know that it was a series, or that it was a fan favorite, when I got it. There isn't anything on the cover that indicates it is part of a series - I think someone asked that.

But even taking away all the backstory that a fan would bring in from reading previous books, what I felt was that there was a lack of engagement with the two main characters. That was where the problem went from merely "missing the back story" to something that was a bit bigger. That was what I was trying to convey more than anything. Without making the reader care enough about the characters to WANT to delve deeper into their story, there is something missing. A book, even if it is part of a series such as this, should not expect you to come into the book caring about the characters. You have to build it in the book. I think that this book was too dependent on the reader caring before they read this book and I thought that was a weakness. The series that you mentioned - Twilight and Fifty - are about the same couple throughout. Those, yes, it is ok to expect that the reader cares going in. But Hart has never been the lead in this series and Eleanor, it is my understanding, was never more than a minor character. Important players, yes, but not leads. So you can't expect the reader to care about them going in. It is up to the author to take Hart and Eleanor from supporting roles to leads and make that transition engaging.

I hope that explains things better to you all! I hope that you enjoy the book. I think that you probably will! One thing I can't dispute is that the plot is sophisticated and the characters are vivid - to say the least!

[desiderata]

I admit my first reaction to the review was annoyance. Of course the reviewer feels left out in the cold -- she was, by not reading the first 3 books in a very clear series. Still, the review itself was very fair and I appreciated the lack of spoilers. Although I'm a fan of this series and eagerly waiting Hart's story, I won't pay the agency price for this book so I'm going to be on a waiting list to read it and appreciate that Louise managed to express what she liked and didn't like about the story without spoilers.

[ChrisReader]

Hi Louise,

I hope I made it clear that I wasn't picking on you or your review. For all I know, as I haven't read this book yet, I may consider it a B- book. Many people have been disappointed in the last two or didn't care for Ian's book as much as others have.

I think you were at a real disadvantage not knowing this was really the fourth book in what I would almost call a "family saga" series and that so many people were interested to see what the author would do with Hart in his own book. He has been somewhat of a polarizing character to readers of the series and there has been a lot of speculation over whether he would be "defanged" a bit in this one.

As I said, this is becoming more common with people expecting stand alone reads while so many books really are continuations of storied begun in other books. I really enjoy this format as things can progress organically, sometimes over the span of years without prologues or "flashbacks" which can pull me out of a story.

I do think publishers need to make it clear that these types of books are series per se and that readers jumping in on a later book are being shortchanged.

Thanks for being such a good sport. As I said there are probably a number of readers not familiar with the series who are happy to know from your review not to start with this book.