A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran

But once I started to truly dislike this book, I got very annoyed with the amnesia things that happened in the last few chapters. I can accept something bananas that is needed to tell an amazing story. I had decided that I was going to accept the premise that amnesia is a real thing. But I absolutely assert this is what a fantasy novel would have given me, and the assertion that historical romance is basically the same as fantasy doesn't hold quite as much water as we like to pretend it does.

I really did try to love the book I was given before I concocted this version in my head. I would have devoured the story of her spying on her Uncle for Crispin, passing along the information he wanted for her, pulling off the fake marriage under his nose, and then having found another piece of information her wants (or even blackmailing him) and using that as a way to make him agree to stay married. I hated that she had to be backed into a corner before she was able to make the choice to 'marry' Crispin. Jane got to make one 'selfish' choice (that she was literally backed into a corner before making) and then just had to be an absolute angel for the rest of the plot. I get so frustrated while reading historical romance that it seems like so many heroines are allowed to do one 'bad' action. I just really think that Jane needed more to actually do in this plot aside from being angelic near Crispin.

But this book was really not her story it was very much Crispin's story, which is fine.

She had a plan, she made beautiful artwork as a way to get back at her abusive family, and she seemed really smart. I was so invested in her at the beginning of the story.

But I genuinely was trying to love the book up until that point. I really was engaged at the beginning of the novel, more on this later, but as the story progressed, I just added more and more things to my list of dislikes, and by chapter 15, I fully freed myself from hoping my mind was going to be changed. Very unfortunately, I just did not like this book. The writing itself is really wonderful, the dialogue is occasionally really honest and romantic, and there is a really prominent plot outside the main couple. I want to begin by saying I totally think I see why some people really like this book.

A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran