Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Burlington Manor Affair by Saskia Walker
Contemporary erotic romance ebook published by HQN 01 May 14
You can probably chalk it up to reading too many Gothics as an impressionable teenager, but I love a good house story. I also have a pretty good track record with stories written by Saskia Walker. Unfortunately while I love the house aspect of the story, and there is some groveling payoff at the end, this story reminds me of too many annoying aspects that one can traditionally find in a subpar Harlequin Presents. Which is to say a controlling hero that the author is trying to convince me, and the heroine, is really just “protective.”
Oh honey, know he’s not. He’s simply a douchebag. Run! Run as fast as you can!
When they were teenagers Carmen Shelby’s mother married Rex Carruthers’ father. Carmen had a horrible crush on Rex, and in turn he flirted shamelessly with her. Just as she was about to throw caution to the wind, she discovers Rex bumping uglies with her BFF. Which, you know, instead of making her angry turned her on to the point that she watched in the shadows and took care of herself (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Fast forward many years later, Carmen is still stung by Rex’s rejection, has vowed to not let him get under her skin, even as they both attend the reading of his late father’s will. Naturally the old goat throws a wrench in the works by leaving them both a 50% share of the family home, Burlington Manor. Carmen is attached to the house, which her mother saved from near neglect before dying in a car accident. Rex and his father were estranged, surely he has no emotional attachment to the place and will simply let her buy him out.
Naturally, Rex has other ideas. He has a notorious playboy reputation, but he’s never been able to get Carmen out of his mind. So he offers her a bargain – four weekends at the manor together where he calls the shots. After Weekend #4, she gets the house free and clear.
So our fair heroine decides to prostitute herself for a house. Hey, it’s okay, cupcake. We’ve all known romance heroines who have prostituted themselves for less.
If I have to describe this story by one trope, it would be Submissive For You. Carmen discovers she likes to have Rex calling the shots, but isn’t about to tell him why she’s annoyed with him (she’s still a bit upset over the boinking her BFF incident – go figure). Once Rex starts falling fast and hard, he has a devil of a time convincing Carmen that they belong together. I suspect I was supposed to find him charmingly rakish, but instead I find him disgusting and manipulative. Carmen, sadly, doesn’t pick up the slack as she’s one of those heroines who talks a good game but whose body constantly betrays her when Rex makes googly-eyes at her.
Things do start to get somewhat better once Rex starts to fall because Carmen is a tough nut to crack. Sadly, this is also the point in the story where a suspense thread is introduced and reminds me of the fact that I think Rex is borderline creepy. Near accidents happen to Carmen and Rex while they are apart, which leads Rex to believe they are in danger. Instead of telling Carmen someone might be trying to hurt her? Yeah, nothing. He just lets her keep on moving through life in blissful ignorance while keeping her naked and dominating her in and out of the bedroom.
The only payoff to this story is that once Carmen learns the whole truth, she makes Rex grovel mightily. I enjoy a good grovel when I think the hero is worthy, but Rex is so smarmy and controlling, in my mind, that I never really believed. Frankly, it strikes me as the kind of romance that ditzy teenage girls who don’t know any better and think Twilight is achingly romantic would enjoy. I’m not a teenager and Twilight made me throw up in my mouth. It’s readable, the sex scenes are suitably spicy, and I like the house angle, but Walker’s written better.
Grade: D+
Summary:
A legendary family estate.
A mutual longing.
A bargain struck.Carmen Shelby wants what’s been left to her—the valuable estate that she once called home. Rex Carruthers is the heir to Burlington Manor, a ruthless playboy who enjoys playing games, and all he wants is for Carmen to surrender.
There can be only one winner….
