A Taste of Desire by Beverley Kendall

Book 2 in the Elusive Lords Series

www.beverleykendall.com/atasteofdesire.html 

     Thomas Armstrong and Amelia Bertram’s relationship was a novelty for me – it was sexy, it was dramatic, it was stunning – and I wasn’t sure I liked it. Throughout the course of a romance, I hope to see both parties changing, compromising, developing into new and better people. Unfortunately, I didn’t see that. Thomas was much too autocratic for my tastes and I felt like he took Amelia’s beautiful independent nature and locked it away under his possessive care. Yes, he was sweet and gorgeous and sexy as sin. But loving her and making her a better person? I don’t know about other readers, but for me she came across as weaker at the end, not stronger. He overpowered her, overshadowed her, and it made me want to pull her away from him. I was left worrying about her in the end, if he would continue to overpower her for the rest of their lives. An epilogue was desperately needed to put my mind at ease.

     There were also two really crucial conversations that Amelia and Thomas should have had, and without those conversations I felt the book was lacking a sort of closure. Amelia has always hated Thomas for taking her place in her father’s life – and without a conversation between them explaining that, I felt Thomas lacked a certain level of understanding of his bride. Also, there was never a conversation about why Amelia wanted to marry Cromwell or Clayborough, about why her independence was so important to her. At one point there was a line of two of dialogue indicating they might have a conversation about that and I thought ‘yes! Here it comes!’ and that was it. It was over.  

     Other than spending a lot of time considering a different life for Amelia (which is not how one should feel at the end of a romance, one should be certain of the heroine’s beautiful future) I liked the book. From the moment Amelia slandered Thomas’s sexual prowess in the middle of a crowded ballroom, I was hooked. It was funny, sexy, and soulful. Amelia can be seen as a spoiled brat at the beginning or simply a girl rebelling under terrible parental authority. Even as Thomas’s handling of her bothered me, it was a unique premise for a book and a very exciting, flirty journey. The pair’s tongues and wits are well matched, at least, and the book was a constant sparing match for the two – of which I was happy to be privy.

Favorite quotes:

“Go to bloody hell.” (Thomas)

“Why, in need of company?” (Cartwright, i.e. best supporting character in the book)

The bloody woman had probably parked herself outside, waiting for the opportunity to bash his head in. (Thomas’s thoughts regarding Amelia)

“Sexy”ness rating: *fans self vigorously* Wow.

Overall Rating: B

Bottom Line: You will either walk away from this book in love with Thomas yourself, or despising the way he treats Amelia throughout the book. The scenes are beautifully written and Kendall is an incredible writer. This book had a good mix of tender and funny, soulful and flirty, deep and shallow.

Pages: 320

Published: January 4, 2011

Genre: Historical