Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Something Sinful by Susan Enoch


Title: Something Sinful
Author: Suzanne Enoch

Type: Historical Romance
Series: Book 3 in The Griffin Family quartet
Published: 2006

Blurb: It was lust at first sight . . .

She was a vision, an exotic goddess who floated across the ballroom, conjuring images of warm nights and silk sheets, and Lord Charlemagne Griffin felt lightning shoot straight to his . . . well, he was definitely interested. So the lady isn't exactly the sharpest knife on the rack, as Shay soon discovers, but the generous bosom just above her low neckline more than makes up for it. Before he knows it, Shay is bragging about an impending business deal to impress her . . .

Lady Sarala Carlisle may appear naïve, but too late Shay realizes her unconventional beauty masks a razor-sharp intelligence and flawless instincts—and she'd just bested him! Well, two can play at this game, and one of Shay's many skills is the fine art of seduction.

But in this contest, the only thing to lose is one's heart.

Note: Blurb was misleading. I don't recall a single moment where Sarala acted dumb.

Why: Hmmm, not sure, LOL. It was in my TBR stack (by way of my library's paperback swap shelf). Wasn't on my TBR list--the one I live by--and I distinctly remember trying and not 'getting' Enoch a few years back. So who knows why I picked it. Just glad I did.

Thoughts: Two dozen pages into Something Sinful, I could have sworn I'd read it before. Seriously, a total sense of deja vu. But I was more compelled to keep reading than I was to go researching my reading log and blog. (FWIW, I checked later and nope, hadn't read this one.)

I want to say this was a light, entertaining read, but the after-glow suggests it was richer than that. I'm pretty sure this is because I read SS right after finishing Secret Desires Of A Gentleman by Guhrke. Compared to that one, Something Sinful felt deeper, more emotionally engaging.

Shay is a great 'light' hero--a savvy businessman behind a playful flirt, self-aware enough to see the foolishness in his own hellbent pursuit of the heroine. No deep dark hidden secrets, no crippling emotional baggage. Enjoys his social position and remains unpressured to marry or change the lay of his life at present. Like his siblings, he is saddled with a brooding, deep, dark, secretive brother. But he does not allow himself to be burdened by it. Concerned and watchful over him, yes. But not totally held back by it.

Sarala is an equally great 'light' heroine--the perfect blend of upbringing, age and circumstance. Raised in India, she comes to the here-and-now of this story with more life experience than the typical English debutante. Her name is exotic, her skin is tanned and her viewpoint reflects the freedom (or less restricted lifestyle) she experienced growing up in a foregin country. However, Sarala is also a debutante-age girl of some station now living among the London ton. And while she rebels some, she is not immune to the charms that ton life has to offer a girl. She enjoys the dancing, the theatre, etc.

Of the two, it is definitely Sarala that needs 'saving' in this enjoyable but predictable historical romance. In her past, the freedom she enjoyed in India also allowed for some bad to happen to her at a too-young age. In her present, she suffers the humiliation typical of her Momma's match-making mania. Despite both, Enoch gives Sarala a believable maturity and a will of her own.

So instead of a powerful hero and oh-so-vulnerable heroine, we get two smart (and smartass) and willful individuals who genuinely enjoy each other. Enoch crafted some fabulous scenes with these two--banter, sexual tension and loads of humor. That was fun. Watching them work out the rest of the details (some a bit far fetched) provided the rest of the fun. Here, Enoch gave us memorable supporting characters (Sarala's maid in particular) and interesting (but not overwhelming) insight into the brooding older brother (presumably the next in line for a book).

What else? Oh, I liked Enoch's voice as well. Not a standout, but solid. Same with characterization. Bottomline, I was easily captivated, content during the time spent with these characters. And yes, I'm sufficiently tweaked to read the older brother's story next.

10 comments:

  1. You liked this much better than I did. I think had I not read so many of her older titles, that I may have liked this series much more. But for me, it just didn't stand up to the quality of her older titles.

    Having said that, I'm really glad you liked it! Now you need to go back and read the Lessons in Love trilogy or her last trilogy, which I also really enjoyed. (book 3 of the Lessons in Love is the one I'm always pimping - England's Perfect Hero. Haven't I sent that to you yet?)

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  2. Sounds crazy, but I think you did send it to me like 2 years ago...and I passed on it (sending it back to you). What was I thinking, eh? I will get them and read them for sure.

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  3. Jen, Jen, Jen. For shame. This is my all time favorite historical romance hero. Even more than Nick. I think I've reviewed it about 50 gazillion times. And you sent it back to me unread? I may get Holly's help and sic her on you, too. You simply have to read Robert's book.

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  4. LOL, this sounds cute :D I'm pretty sure I haven't read it. Suzanne Enoch can be hit and miss for me. I think I'd better finish Perfect Hero first, before getting her backlist :P

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  5. Man, your review has certainly tempted me! I need more books like I need a hole in my head, lol!

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  6. Ok, ok. :-) Nath? Do you have England's Perfect Hero now? Interested in doing a buddy review? No sense letting Holly and Lori gang up, LOL. Let me know....I'm ordering it through my library now.

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  7. As it happens Lori didn't have to sic me on you..I came across this thread all on my own. Now that we've established that...

    GO READ IT! Excellent book.

    As for this one, I thought I'd read it, but now I'm thinking perhaps I didn't. I checked and it's sitting in my TBR pile. I might have to pick it up.

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  8. Holly - JUST received my email notice that England's Perfect Hero is waiting for me at my local library. So there! LOL Gonna read it, swear.

    Also, I found Sins Of A Duke in my TBR stack--huge and pleasant surprise. Finding that I already had it AND reading it. This is the story of the brooding older brother and it was quite good.

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  9. This is the first time that Ms. Enoch has let me down. I enjoyed her collaborations with Karen Hawkins in the Whistledown books, but this one is just pathetic. One cannot have for Regency Hero just by giving him a title and putting him in Hessians. There were some Blatant howlers here, which Had me wincing.
    Firstly, Prinny is never going to call one of his subjects by his nick name- Shay. He is always going to call him Griffin.
    Second, you cannot make a heroine Indian by picking up some words from Google.com and inserting them in the text as authentic Indian words. That is why the idea of Sarala calling her father pita is about as bad as a Westerner calling her father "fat". Being in 19th century India, she would have called her father Bappu-ji. In the same way, his calling his daughter a Ladaaki or "Female wench" when he should be calling her "beti" makes all the difference between good authentic writing and stupid writing. In the same way,Ms. Enoch's idea of I love you In Hindi literally translates as "I you love do".And Heaven is Swarga, not akas'a.
    In all, an utterly Time waste book.
    And what's wrong with that blabbermouth Shay that he has to impress a Just introduced female while dancing with her by telling her all about his business deal? Totally illogical And silly
    Do not read because This particular book has nothing to recommend it. Stick to other Regency novelists like Hawkins, and that excellent Researcher Mary Jo Putney.

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    Replies
    1. @Dueep Jyot Singh - I definitely appreciate the wish for accuracy. I know that a lot of people dislike inaccuracies in their historicals. Thanks for sharing the meanings of the words and the correct terminology.

      I tend to be a pretty forgiving reader, but this one didn't work so well for me anyway - language aside. However, we are all, at heart, readers with opinions. And I don't think that the book has nothing to recommend it. However, that is your opinion and you are definitely entitled. Reading is a very personal experience, though, and obviously Jen enjoyed it. I'm happy to let her have the experience of feeling good about a book she's read.

      Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Have you read it? What do you think?

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