This was difficult to get through. I didn't feel any connection to the story or its characte
A few times, I was on the verge of liking Ethan's personality, but Becca interrupted the flow of details and emotions with her aggressive prodding that she called reasonable questions. She was nosy and invasive, although Ethan seemed ridiculously robotic himself. All the characters behaved like stilted caricatures of themselves, while the majority of the book was unnatural in cadence, tone, rhythm and overall presentation. British and American people don't behave or speak to others like these characters did. Becca was inordinately rude and disrespectful to Ethan, not to mention to people in general. She has to be the most abrasive, unlikable female lead character of all time, and was vain, selfish, and irrational where Ethan was concerned. Also, since when do royal and nobles adopt American names? Ethan isn't a commonly used English name used by the aristocracy. Charlie also wouldn't have been referred to so casually, given the fact he was the Duke's firstborn son.
Gah! I've read books where the writer apologizes up front for any gaffs and irregularities in speech in the book. I was in suspended disbelief through most of this book, as nothing in the it supported Ethan beinag British, much less aristocratic.
Okay. Let me be completely honest. I did not like the book. I disliked Becca and her personality that was all over the place. Her sister was another convenient stereotype; how often would you find an American employed by a British magazine or newspaper? Ethan's secretive behavior and furtive mannerisms weren't natural or realistic either.
I barely finished this book - it certainly took ang time (I normally read a 350-page book in a few hours. This book took me three days - I kept falling.asleep, then tried to catch up and remember what had happened before my naps.) Usually, reading is a pleasurable experience and escape for me. I'm pretty depressed by Ethan and Becca (her name seems more British than his), and their mechanical sex that included the same positions and moves used by the two characters in every intimate scene. I really thought the "Big Ben" reference Becca made about Ethan's *ahem* was lame and annoying. Every. Time. She. Said. It. One and a half stars.