Alicia’s review of Guarded Heart (Masters at Arms) by Jennifer Blake
Historical romance released 1 Feb 08 by Mira
I read this book for a few reasons. First, I read Clay a couple of years ago and loved it. I wanted to read the rest of the Louisiana Gentleman series but it never happened for one reason or another. Bad TBR management for the most part. So, when I saw an ARC was available from her I had to check it out.
It sounded good. A woman learning from a sword master. Very cool. And a historical set in New Orleans. I couldn’t wait. Then it came in the mail from Sybil and I started reading it.
[Ed.: Author has a site with nothing on it but a couple of links so-so book videos. Bad author! No bonbons for you!]
I couldn’t understand half of the dialogue. I enjoy historicals and usually have no trouble at all reading books imitating Medieval or Regency English. But here there was a lot of innuendo, poetic phrasing, and French, too. It was plainly intelligent authorship, from the parts I could follow. There were just too many parts I couldn’t follow.
There was also a lot of “info dumping.” I love the setting and can see that Blake does, too, but I would have preferred little references that I could look up on Wikipedia later. Instead there were descriptions and explanations of non-relevant subjects in the middle of the story. I just wanted to get on with it. After about fourteen chapters I had gotten the style down and it was a lot easier to read. I still had to skim a lot of extra verbiage but I was into the story, so that helped.
The characters are good. The heroine, Ariadne, is torn. She lost her brother when he moved away. Then she lost him, forever, to death. She has no other family left and has sworn to avenge his blood, herself. Gavin is a great hero. I love his smooth handling of Ariadne and her shocking demands. He understands her at every turn and is there for her, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense that he would be.
One other problem I had was a credibility issue. She just hadn’t been having lessons enough to have the second-nature responses she is given toward the end of the book. She also could never have been able to hold off a man with the brute strength of her attacker for as long as she did, especially with a heavy weapon. But this was a small part of the book.
Mostly, this was a beautiful book. The way the tension built between Ariadne and Gavin was exquisite. The dialogue was intelligent and artful. I was reminded of reading Shakespeare. Wonderful, but just so bloomin’ much work!
So, I recommend this book but make sure you are the right audience for it. This one is for those who enjoy deeper historicals and aren’t afraid of some hard words.
Grade: C+
The New Year begins with a lady’s intriguing proposition for Gavin Blackford-though not the sort he’s accustomed to. Alluring widow Ariadne Faucher requests private lessons from the rakish sword master in order to challenge her sworn enemy to a duel.
Though disinclined at first to teach a woman, Gavin is fascinated by this statuesque beauty, cloaked as she is in grief and mystery. Ariadne proves a quick study with a blade, her resolve fueled by a vendetta that is all she has left in the world. Their lessons crackle with undeniable electricity but the secret of her all-consuming vengeance may have rendered her heart impervious even to such a virtuoso as Gavin.
Read an excerpt.
