Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I did manage to finish this book, so I guess that's something. But that's the only positive thing I have to say, and even that isn't saying much because I stopped reading anything for 3 weeks straight just because I really didn't feel like finishing this book. I normally devour regency romance novels in a day or two at the most, but this one took me over 6 weeks to finish. First, the story feels like it's missing an introductory chapter. The reader is thrown into the story after The Event has already happened and without any lead up, thrusts both the reader and the two main characters smack into the middle of the drama. As a result, there is no emotional connection between the reader and the heroine, which would have easily been changed by starting the book with The Event rather than dancing around it for 3/4 of the book before the final reveal. It didn't create suspense or intrigue; it created a disconnect. Second, there is a long and graphic scene of torture of the heroine. I don't mean like she gets kidnapped and hit once as is typical of the regency romance novel danger; I mean real torture. Not pleasant and totally out of place in a romance novel. Finally, there is a lot of anachronistic language and description. For example, she describes the heroine as "throwing a dress over her head" and rushing out the door. Dresses of this era weren't put on over the head; they were stepped into. It's a trivial point, but this type of language was prevalent throughout the novel and took me right out of the story.