The Other Woman

Ladies in Waiting #2

by Autumn Dawn

Allyson wants passion and adventure. She’s ready to seek a lover. There’s just one obstacle--her husband….

Love at second sight...

Roland had little use for his child bride--until he saw her again after ten years at war. Her tongue cut like a sword’s edge, but her body promised nights of raw passion. If only he could overcome her hatred….

But it’s not hatred that has her on the run. A far different emotion drives her to flee his touch. Once an unwanted wife was bad enough. This time she won’t wait around to become the other woman.

Genres: Romance, Historical, Historical Romance

ebook

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

About me:

I'm a stay at home mom with three kids, a dog and an active imagination. I spent the first 34 years of my life in Alaska, land of the midnight sun, but these days I'm located in Washington, and am enjoying a much warmer sun :) I'm married to my high school sweetheart, John, who is known to bring me flowers "just because".

My leisure time is filled with gardening, crochet, knitting, sewing, art and reading.

Reviews

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one weird little book. And where's my angst??
2.25*

Weird as in the very non-conforming genre.
Like I said in my review for book #1, the author has done a lazy/clever job by taking elements of HR, alternate world and chicklit/YA and then made a crazy mish-mashy thing. Actually, it's a smart move. You don't have to do historical research, you don't have to watch yourself over expressions, language, geography, clothings, social mores and practices etc. So,*clap clap*.
(If I ever write a book, I'll do the same. *eyeroll*)

*Major spoilers*In book #1, I still thought perhaps we were somewhere, sometime in England but here I gave up on any such calculations. I am sure at no time in history, England had 'passes' (as in mountain passes) that were un-passable during winters. The hints one way or other being - the capital is Queenstown, other towns are unheard of and we have a continent nearby. And one time, the Alps are mentioned as in comparison to the h's own assets! Then, our h wishes to go live on a tropical island, drink coconut water and have a hot native guy give her foot massages or more. Not a very medieval-y aspiration. (In the end they do sail there and it didn't seem to take them too many days.)
Behavior and conventions wise, we are closest to early medieval England if you can overlook greenhouse dining places, couple spa massages, prolific journal/diary writings, and letters to and fro from the battle that seems and sounds very WWll-like. And Generals and lieutenants?
So after geography and behavior, language is the last thing I should pick on. So, I rest my case.

Now, coming to the story.
I quite dig an abandoned bride/wife story and so I was looking forward to this. But, I am not sure what I read here. Where do I begin?
Firstly, the author at no time feel the reader deserves a better explanation of the sequence of events or the time frame. The h/H marry under family pressure (in the prologue-ish first chapter) with the H in love with his mistress who's expecting his baby and the overly clever lil h promises to stay out of the way and let the H-ow play at being real husband and wife (without being asked). The h is a skinny 15 yo at the time so I can forgive the guy for not 'seeing' her but few odd things are revealed later. (Like do they all happily co-habitate is just hinted at - but later, much later.)

Next chapter and two years later, we get the H being abducted and sold as a slave on the continent and he thinks the h betrayed him and is in cahoots with these fellas. Okay.

Now, eight more years later, the H is apparently back in the country (since when??) and as we see him in Book #1, he's roaming the countryside with Uric (from book #1) doing whatever - fighting battles etc. Still, no contact with wifey or going back home or thoughts thereof. And nothing is explained as to what happened to the mistress or how and when he escaped his 'owners'. I was going mad at this point.

If you've the first book, you'd know Odell, the bard is actually this h in gender disguise and the h/H have a very intersting altercation where the H feels the boy is 'interested' in him and warns him off.
Now, Odell is revealed as the his wife and he wants to settle down into marital harmony. 'Why' is not clear. I mean, he may be somewhat attracted to her but no real reason on suddenly wishing to hang up his boots is explained. (The queen too agrees with him and tells them to live together and see how it works out etc.) So, the h's plan to retire to tropical bliss is put off.

Suddenly, we get the input that the mistress had betrayed him etc. and that's that. But when was this? Before his leaving, of course. But, so again were all three of them co-habiting till then? And the mistress sold him off? Why?
Also, now he doesn't believe the wife had betrayed him. When and how did he reach this conclusion is not explained. While, we get to know from the h's pov that she was sending him large amounts of money that he was spending on himself and his (newer) mistresses. So, the h thinks he's using her while he's mad at her - a double duping of the h/H was going on all this while. Read Villian/s. But, neither the H nor the h try to confront the other in the present.

The h, meanwhile, after this forced co-habitation turns from a kickass independent miss(us), into a silly, dithering WAP. Yes, it's high time she gets some but still. I did not want her to turn into a limpy noodle before the super patronizing, smirking, smug and unrepentant H. Super annoying. Things don't really happen but he's always smug and anyways he's sure that she always wanted him. This didn't do my mood any good.

Oh and btw, the h has a bad (read skanky) reputation. She's supposed to have shagged anything with legs while he was away. Now, the fun/crazy part begins. Om after om start spilling out of the woodwork. At last, the H is disconcerted! Are we to believe that she fell for at least two men in the years he was away? Did it really happen? Clap-back time? I even liked one of these om. *gleeful clapping*

Here I will let go of the story without giving more away. But, it's already a hot mess as you can see.

What really annoyed me most is the H's smug attitude. I love an alphahole H as the next angst-lover but a timely and suitable rumination, repentance and an actual grovel is mandatory for me. And consistency. Here, it's hinted but is never really played out. Yes, she asked for the h/H/ow deal but still some honor is required and what of so many wasted years. The author never tells how or when he came back to the country.
And him feeling an ache for the ow/wife of his heart just before the end doesn't help. (Strangely, the shadowy ow is under-used.)

[Dani · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this book one star. Why? The historic background was badly researched. The setting was supposed to be in the Middle Ages but there were many references to things that weren't invented or used yet (for example: h kept journals: hello - books were rare and difficult to produce out of hides at times in which only few people were able to write and books to be found mostly in monasteries. Paper was first produced in Europe around 1300) The h and the H didn't act at all like medieval people.

[Stephanie S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book solely for the female lead. She's a strong, extremely capable, intelligent woman. It's too bad that I hated the Male lead's character. She deserved better than a man w#ore, who didn't acknowledge her strength and abilities. When she helps him out, it would have been nice if he would have appreciated it, then let her know he was worried about her, instead of just having a hiss fit and being upset with her. Her character is an adult, who has been running his estate, quite brilliantly, while he was of sleeping around with anything in a skirt. (Probably even the time he spent as a slave.) So, loved her, hated him.

[Samanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough

The romantic banter was incredibly steamy, and for the first three-quarters of the book the plot was both logical and dramatic, keeping the reader hooked. It’s easy to root for Ally while still hoping Ronald can earn a second chance. However, the surprise ending felt contrived and unconvincing. The reveal of the true villain was ultimately a disappointment and left the story on a weaker note.

[Lena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not the best series from Autumn Dawn

I think I finally figured out why this series rubs me the wrong way. Both book 1 and 2 have strong, independent heroines, but it feels like both of them fold under pressure and deviate from their positive growth.

[BrownAyez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 2.5 stars rounded up. Story almost works, but doesn’t.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allyson wants passion and adventure. She’s ready to seek a lover. There’s just one obstacle; her husband. Love at second sight. Roland had little use for his child bride--until he saw her again after ten years at war. Her tongue cut like a sword’s edge, but her body promised nights of raw passion. If only he could overcome her hatred... But it’s not hatred that has her on the run. A far different emotion drives her to flee his touch. Once an unwanted wife was bad enough. This time she won’t wait around to become the other woman.

**

[Mary Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so different from all the others i have read of autumn dawn

but still well worth the read i like'd how she keep on delaying the inevitable it had me on edge

it was a story i hadn't expected Of all the stories i have read thous far from autumn dawn but i love'd it it

was such a good read

[jj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant read.
Story would make more sense though if The Woman Inside was read first

[Melania Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

The climax let me down a little (because it was not really a climax), but I like the hero and the heroine and their love story.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuation of the first, only slightly longer in timeline.

[Julz]

Read the Woman Inside first.