The Sins of Viscount Sutherland - by Samantha James

The Sins of Viscount Sutherland – by Samantha James



Rating: 2.0 / 5.0


Heat 6 / 10


Genre: Historical Romance (Regency Era)



This book failed on many levels and for many reasons. It was published by Avon. They must have forgotten to pay the editors for this book, because it was truly bad.

1. Characters: The H was mostly OK. He was supposed to be a “tortured” soul. Mostly he came across as unable to make up his own mind. The h, on the other hand, was a shrieking harpy of epic proportions. Around the third time she started in on the H I figured he should just leave her alone, at his country house, permanently. The H’s mother starts off sounding like a complete birdbrain. She keeps referring to her son and daughter-in-law as children. “Come now children, let’s all have tea.” (imagine me sticking my finger down my throat at this point).
2. Plot Nonsense: The premise of the book was just ridiculous. The H killed the h’s brother in a dual. Now she’s out for revenge. But her plan is just stupid. The H is a rake. He has only one use for women. But this virginal h is going to make him fall in love with her without letting him actually touch her. Then she’s going to break his heart by leaving him. Riiiiighhhhht, that’s gonna to work. 
   
3. Lack of Historical anything: This is one of those books where the author throws in a few carriage rides, a long dress and a cravat and calls it historical. I call it B.S. The way the characters talked, the way they used names vs. titles, the way they thought, none of it rang with any historical accuracy.
   
4. Grammar: if this were an English paper, flipoid would give it a C-, I’m sure. Bad tense usage, erratic changes in POV, repetitive phrasing. Here is just a couple of the things that made me roll my eyes:
   
   1. “There is a door locked in my room” – really? Why don’t you let it out??? It’s cruel to keep a door locked in your room all the time.
      
   2. The phrase “All at once...” was used to start a paragraph three times on one page. Repetitive much??
      

Yes, I admit I’m a grammar Nazi. I know many people would not be bothered by this. But the whole book was so amateurishly written, it was difficult to come up with short examples.

I just did not like the main characters in this book. Mostly I didn’t like the h. She got so upset of the smallest stuff. She kept yelling at him to just go away. And then when he did, she was all upset and betrayed that he actually left her. Lady, make up your damn mind!


NOTE: after I wrote this I checked it out on ammie.  It averaged 2.2 stars over 21 reviews. So I'm not alone in my dislike.  One reviewer titled her review exactly what I was going to title mine - The Sins of Samantha James!!!