The Ugly Duchess

Title: The Ugly Duchess

Author: Eloisa James

Publisher: Avon Historical Romance

ISBN: 9780062021731

Pages: 331

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I was so looking forward to this.   I've read and enjoyed an Eloisa James book before.  And based on the synopsis this book had so much promise to be just the sort I like. The moment I saw it on someone's Monday post I put it on hold at the library.  I had to wait for it to come out, and then for it to be my turn, but I waited eagerly.  By the time I started reading it, I didn't remember what it was supposed to be about, so it could be a fresh surprise.

Here's the thing.  I read the beginning.  I read the end.  But I skipped chunks of the middle because it was making me so upset I just wanted to know if it turned out okay.  And the ending wasn't what I hoped for either.

Now, much of this dislike had to do with thematic things (things that left me thinking, "Where'd that come from?"), but I also found myself disliking the characters.  James started of young but decent and ended up a jerk as far as I'm concerned.  Theo was likable in the beginning, and fine through the middle.  But once James came back she seemed to loose the essence I liked.

If I could have stood to leave things as they were it would have been a DNF.  Since I couldn't, I just ended up disappointed.