Jo itibaren Castell de Cabres itibaren Castell de Cabres

Incredible, a Coulter novel without physical abuse and rape. It's the first in the Brides series. Douglas, the Earl of Northcliffe, is 28. He proposes to his old flame, Melissande, who agrees in order to save her family. However, the same week he's to be married, he's given a mission in France, so he sends his cousin Tony to marry him to Melissane by proxy. Tony takes Melissande for himself and marries Douglas to Melissande's younger sister, Alexandra (18). Such an annoying book. I understand Tony and Melissande eloping, but Tony shouldn't have picked someone else for Douglas. I disliked Alexandra for accepting--she had adolescent crush on Douglas. She was supposed to seem strong-willed, but to me she was silly and conniving. Douglas treats her coldly and heaps some mild verbal abuse on her. I was on his side, but she is portrayed as the victim. He should have annulled the marriage. When he discovers he has feelings for Alexandra, I felt like Yeah right. The feelings weren't believable at all. When Alexandra decides she wants to escape, it gets even more annoying. The book's annoyingness kept escalating for me!!! And the character I hated the most was, yet again, Sinjun, the blithe, guileless younger sister who on two occasions prevented Alexandra from leaving. I detest this character. She's the heroine of the third book--I hope she goes through all the trauma I've come to expect from a Coulter novel (not that I plan to read it).