RITA Reader Challenge Review

No Mistress of Mine by Laura Lee Guhrke

This RITA® Reader Challenge 2017 review was written by Shoppermom. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Long Historical category.

The summary:

USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke is back with the latest in her dazzling An American Heiress in London series, in which a reformed rogue finds all his honorable resolutions tested by the only woman who ever broke his heart…

After spending his youth as one of the wildest rakes in the ton, Lord Denys Somerton has devoted the past six years to putting his past behind him. He is determined to fulfill his duties, find a suitable wife, and start a family, but that plan changes when Lola Valentine—the red-haired temptress from his past—returns to London, sparking the same irresistible desires that almost ruined his life once before.

Lola is a woman with no romantic illusions. She knew love would never be enough for a British lord and an American girl from the wrong side of the tracks. For Denys’s sake, she walked away from him and the glittering life he offered. But when an unexpected inheritance brings her back to London, Lola discovers the passion between them is as hot as ever. Can they vanquish it, or will it burn out of control again and destroy them both?

Here is Shoppermom's review:

Oh, Bitchery, I hang my head in shame and consternation. I promised to read and review No Mistress of Mine several months ago, and I embraced the task with enthusiasm. I read it and another book in one week and sat down and wrote an effusive review of the first book. And then I dallied. And dithered. I went on to read and listen to several other books, and every few days my glance would land on my copy of No Mistress of Mine sitting on top of one of my stacks, and I would think, “Gotta get going on that review.”

My dilemma: I’ve read and enjoyed other books by Laura Lee Guhrke, and I was really looking forward to this one. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s a second-chance-at-love-story involving two likable characters. They have a reasonable conflict (he’s wealthy and upper-crust; she’s from the wrong side of the tracks, and his family wants her out of their boy’s life), and the passion between them is hot. He’s been holding a grudge due to her presumed earlier betrayal of him and their love, but he’s used the intervening years to mature into a better man. She’s showed pluck and endurance and a determination not to bow to the demands of his family ever again. And while she doesn’t return with a plan to win back his love, she is determined to win his respect and convince him she never meant him harm.

But here’s the problem. I’m writing the review without the book in front of me, and I have no recollection of either of their names. Yes, of course, it would be easy enough to look them up and fill them in, but I don’t think I “knew” their names even while reading the book.* I remember well that she was an aspiring actress, who used their time apart to hone her skills and prove her talent, and I remember vaguely that aside from running a theater, he did other “admirable” things. But for whatever reason, I never grew to care about either character. I never had that “leave me alone. I’m reading!” sensation when I had to put the book down.

Unlike other meticulous and conscientious reviewers, I never marked any particularly offensive, awkward, or ridiculous passages because I didn’t notice any. But neither did I notice any memorable passages. I just read the book, finished it, and thought, “ho-hum.” Which is not what I expected to think of a book by Laura Lee Guhrke or of a RITA-nominated title.  I’d love to throw in a “It’s not you; it’s ME,” if I were defending myself to the book, or the author, but I’m not. And I’m not sure it is me.

Here’s my problem. My to-be-read pile, were it to be stacked as one pile, would probably exceed the Empire State Building in height. I want every book I read to be a good book, one I’d want to come back to again were time to permit such luxury, one that grabs my attention and makes me forget about all the other things I should be doing. There is no time to waste!!

What’s-his-name and What’s-her-name didn’t fill a memorable slot in my memory banks, never made me forget about the piles of laundry that need attention, and the minute I hit “send” on this review, the book is going into the donation pile. But for the reader for whom time is not an issue, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this book.

*Okay, I checked.  Their names are Lord Denys Somerton and Lola Valentine. Although I do remember her name turns out to be something different. And many reviewers have given it 5 stars. So maybe it’s me . . . but I’m going to stick with a B-. I’m a teacher, so to me that grade says, “No, of course the work wasn’t terrible. But I really expected so much more.”

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No Mistress of Mine by Laura Lee Guhrke

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  1. PamG says:

    I kind of loved this review. Not remembering the main characters names after a couple of months says it all, giving new meaning to “damned with faint praise.” I’d like to rent a copy of this review and attach it to every “meh” book I’ve ever read. Because who hasn’t read books like that? Perhaps Shoppermom could start a franchise?

  2. Heather T says:

    I call these kinds of books “eminently forgettable.”

  3. Ginger says:

    …or “chewing gum for the mind.” Tastes great, and then just fades away.

  4. QOTU says:

    Mine is “Potato chips”

  5. Scene Stealer says:

    This was the first book of hers that I didn’t finish. I read half of the first chapter and decided that I was bored. I never picked it up again. I’ve been disappointed with her last few books and I used to love her writing.

  6. LauraL says:

    Fun review. I’ve had the same happen to me a few times. The book is enjoyable while reading it, but let’s hope there isn’t a quiz a few weeks later. As I read the summary, I was trying to remember if I read No Mistress of Mine as second chances are my catnip. Don’t think I did. I mostly read books with the word “Duke” in the title.

  7. jimthered says:

    I’ve seen a lot of movies like this: They’re not particularly bad, but they didn’t leave a good impression and five minutes later you can barely remember anything about it. I’m surprised this book didn’t get a C, for being in the extreme middle of good and bad.

  8. kkw says:

    I can never remember the names of the characters after I’ve read a book. I’m unlikely to remember the author. In fact, after reading and liking one book by this very author, I spent ages poking around the library being like, wasn’t there an author whose backlist I wanted to check out, named, uh, something like Pickle? Must be popular, I haven’t seen that book again, much less any others…
    So my rubric for whether a book is good doesn’t include whether it’s memorable. But I totally agree with the review. I thought I’d love this one. I liked it fine.

  9. SusanE says:

    kkw, I’m even worse. Everything I’ve read blends together into one big mush. When I pick up my Nook after an hour away, I play a little game where I ask myself, “What title am I reading? Who is the author? Who are the characters and what is going on in the book?” I’m lucky if I can remember any of these even for the most compelling books. I guess my brain is just full.

  10. Kareni says:

    I’m with you, SusanE. Sometimes I remember the names of the characters in the book I’m reading and sometimes I don’t. I’m reading a book by KJ Charles now. At least, I remember that! I neither remember the book’s title nor the name of one of the leads. The other is named, I believe, Rowley. That said, I’m enjoying the book! (If I really enjoy a book, I re-read it. After a few re-reads some of the details might stick.)

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