Jan 27 2009
REVIEW: Sins of Lord Easterbrook by Madeline Hunter
Dear Ms. Hunter:
This is the last book in the Rothwell series which started off with Rules of Seduction. Christian, the eldest of the Rothwell brothers, has been an enigmatic figure throughout the series. He’s unconventional in his attire (often roams about his home on Grosvenor Square in a robe and barefeet) and is generally considered to be a recluse. In previous books you got the sense that part of Christian is not within him, that he left it behind somewhere or with someone.
Sins of Lord Easterbrook is an apt title because it refers to not only the current Lord, Christian, but his father, as well. Leona Montgomery has come from Canton to London to pursue an investigation started by her father over seven years ago which may reveal more sins of his father, particularly that related to opium trade. Leona and Christian shared something seven years ago when Christian had left his family to try to find himself, addicted to opium and too rich for his own good, he flitted from one place to another, landing in Canton where Leona’s father ran a shipping concern.
Whatever Leona and Christian had shared was put to an abrupt end when Christian was forced by Leona and her servant man, Tong Wei, to flee Canton after Christian had seen something that imperiled his life. Christian never went back to Canton believing that Leona would be marrying her fiance and yet, he never forgot her.
Leona does not know Christian is Easterbook. He presented himself as Edmund so many years ago, wealthy but untitled. She calls on his aunt and Christian sees just a glance at her through the window, immediately bestirring himself to confirm that it is, indeed, Leona.
The story takes time to unravel itself as Christian and Leona’s backstory is told in small references here and there. Further, the reason for their separation and their continued distance once they meet again takes some time to understand. For an impatient reader like myself, this can be very frustrating. Yet, I held my eagerness at bay and allowed myself to move with the rhythm of the story. It’s told at a languorous pace that in the hands of other authors might have been maddening. The use of language, however, is beautiful and understated that I just let go and allowed myself to appreciate the writing even though my preference is for a faster paced novel.
The story has an unexpected layer to it and while it was interesting, I thought it was occasionally artificial. It conveniently served as an excuse for Christian not to offer to marry Leona. They shared a misunderstanding about each other’s motives. I.e., Christian refuses to offer marriage to Leona believing she would reject him due to the fact she had spent 7 years running about the Far East as a trader. Leona doesn’t want to be a mistress to Christian and despairs of having his love. It was one of those wherein if the two would have just talked it would have immediately cleared the air. Christian’s reluctance to share the depth of his feelings seemed at odds with his penchant for revealing other previously untold deep secrets only to Leona.
I enjoyed Christian and Leona although I felt that Christian too often played the martyr. I appreciated, though, that Christian did not impede Leona’s investigation for the sake of deterring her, but for the fact that he was trying to make her stay in London longer, thus prolonging their contact. Leona was made out to be an interesting character, one who took up the reins of her father’s shipping interest upon his death because her brother was too young to do it. She has spent seven years, haggling, sailing, and taking risks other men would shy away from. Yet, the Leona that we see on the pages is not one of great command nor is she one who is a risk taker, at least not with Christian.
I admit to linking the first one the best in this series and this one second best. Since I gave Rules of Seduction a A-, and I thought this one was less successful in its execution, I have to give it a B-. This is not to say that I don’t think it’s a good read because it is, but I can see that some readers finding the pace of the book too slow and a bit too melancholy at times.
Best regards
Jane
This book can be purchased in mass market from Amazon or ebook format from the Sony Store and other etailers.
Send to Kindle
Jan 28, 2009 @ 07:52:28
Great review! I’ve been looking forward to Christian’s story. Strong characterization and beautiful use of language always draw me back to Madeline Hunter. Although I have my favorites, I’ve never been disappointed in her work!
Jan 28, 2009 @ 15:02:08
Yes, thanks for the review. I, too, have been eagerly anticipating Christian’s book and will be reading it. I also have some trouble with Ms Hunter’s often “languorous pace” but I enjoy her characters enough to put up with it. Rules of Seduction was also my favorite of the series. I skipped the last one, as it just didn’t look interesting to me.
Jan 28, 2009 @ 20:04:02
I’ve always been an admirer of Hunter, even just for her beautiful prose and description.
I’ll be reading this one, but is it wrong that I still hope she’ll go back to writing medieval romances? While I loved Rules of Seduction and The Charmer, I’d love it if she’d go back to medievals. They were just so fantastic and well researched with wonderfully complicated characters. That’s so rare in regards to that specific vein of the romance genre.
Jan 28, 2009 @ 23:27:24
Theresa –
If it’s wrong to wish that Madeline would write another medieval, then I’m right there with you! I love her writing, but her medievals are among my most favorites — she always creates characters who cannot be together in the historical time and place and society of the period and then gets them together in a real way — always difficult but always believable and historically-accurate.
But, I do love this series and am looking forward to reading this new one — Lord Easterbrook has been interesting so far and I look forward to finding out his secrets….
Terri B
BOOK REVIEW: The Sins of Lord Easterbrook by Madeline Hunter « Tour’s Books Blog
May 15, 2009 @ 09:25:50
[...] My Grade: C- (2.8*) Note: This was rated higher by Dear Author and you can read their review here. [...]
Jun 14, 2011 @ 23:25:06
I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed at Madeline with this novel. I’ve read several novels by her in english and I’ve bought every book of hers that arrives here, in Portugal. I usualy get mad at myself because I spend the money bying the book and I read it in the very SAME night. I must confess that I bought this one two weeks ago and I haven’t been able to finish it, it seems superficial, as you suggested, and realy poor when compared to the others. I don’t know if it is my fault, because I’m reading it so slow, but the plot is starting to seem a little bit confused, too, for Leona and Christian are visiting, as he had promised, all those men she requested in order to investigate and to stablish trade businesses. the rules of seduction is still my favorite from this series, both Hayden and Alexia where really well structured.
Jun 14, 2011 @ 23:25:36
I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed at Madeline with this novel. I’ve read several novels by her in english and I’ve bought every book of hers that arrives here, in Portugal. I usualy get mad at myself because I spend the money bying the book and I read it in the very SAME night. I must confess that I bought this one two weeks ago and I haven’t been able to finish it yet – it seems superficial, as you suggested, and really poor when compared to the others from this series. I don’t know if it is my fault, once I’m reading it so slow, but the plot is starting to seem a little bit confuse, too, for Leona and Christian are visiting, as he had promised, all those men she requested in order to investigate and to stablish trade businesses, and I’m lost in the middle of so many names and pasts and suspictions. the Rules of Seduction is still my favorite from this series, both Hayden and Alexia were really well structured.Plus I can’t make myself like Leona – she seems empty as a person, with no believable explanation for her wanderings in order to solve her misteries, and Christian has lost all his mistery ways (that had tempted me into this book) and he is acting like a fool. He should have half his brother’s Hayden intelligence.