The whole purpose of my blogging my "reviews" of books is for me to remember later that (1) I did read the book and (2) how I felt about it and maybe even (3) a plot synopsis. When I wait even a day after reading a book - even one I loved - sheesh, I cannot remember a thing about it.
In this case, I remember that I was thinking it was just an ok read until a certain point, and then thinking how much I loved it. And then I finished it - on vacation, where my internet connection was spotty, and the computer I had with me was the Netbook - so I decided to wait til I got home to write. and dang if I can hardly even remember the plot, much less the turning point and why I changed my mind.
Ok, actually I do remember something about the plot. The heroine, a Mrs Dews, first name Temperance, runs an orphanage in an awful neighborhood in London with her brother. There's a sister named Silence, married to a sea captain, and 2 other brothers and maybe some more siblings, but only the 2 of them work at the orphanage (brother and Temperance). Mrs Dews is a widow and her thoughts imply that she has some deep dark secret in her past, possibly relating to her husband.
The hero is Lazarus, Lord Caire, who, we are told repeatedly, has unusual sexual appetites. He is searching for the murderer of his mistress, a woman who apparently would indulge unusual sexual appetites. I remember waiting to find out what these unusual appetites would be, and we learn that he ties her up and puts a blindfold on her. Or, as it is later described, "the rope and hood" which I just didn't think was exceedingly unusual. I expected something truly different - not sure what - paddling? buttseks? all of the above? Considering how we are lead to believe he is truly depraved, I was hard pressed to consider tying her up that outrageous. (In fact, I thought learning Temperance's secret was more shocking.)
Caire decides to employ Mrs Dews to help him in her neighborhood since he is a Lord and she is a resident. He is also attracted to her, and she lets us into her thoughts by admitting she's attracted to him as well, which she considers part of her awful secret.
There was something towards the end where Caire makes a realization about his inability to let anyone touch him because it causes him pain that I think might have been my turn-around. Unfortunately, I read the review at AAR to see if I could recapture my thoughts - but reading it, although it was a B review (that is to say, not a bad review), completely screwed up my own thinking about the story. What I liked, the reviewer didn't, and now I'm completely lost and will either have to re-read it to figure it out, or just let it go.
Maybe it will come out in audio and I'll get to experience it again that way. For now, I'll just say I liked it 5 stars worth and get on with my life.
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