Alas, My Love

And so to the second instalment in Edith Layton's trilogy about three convict "brothers" back from prison in the Antipodes. I'm afraid that, whilst I enjoyed this a little more than the first book, Return of the Earl, it again failed to get me deeply involved with the characters.

This is the story of a lost identity and a man who uses questionable means to find it. Amyas St Ives at least is a sexier, superficially more attractive character than Christian in Return of the Earl, but he seemed to be caught up in a story that didn't do him justice. The heroine, Amber, was an interesting character although I felt that she was rather bland and it was not obvious how these two were attracted to each other. Yes, there was sexual chemistry but somehow it seemed "bolted on" and did not really add to the story. The fact that both were nameless orphans was not, in my view, enough of a reason for them to be physically attracted to each other. It just seemed an obvious and weak plot device.

We read references to Amyas's daring-do as a spy for the British during the war with Napoleon. This is evidently meant to enhance his attraction as an alpha male. However, the author leaves this completely undeveloped and we never learn anything about it - this is a huge hole in the plot and a missed opportunity to add to Amyas's charms. Why?

The local Cornish characters were two-dimensional and weak, particularly Amber's "stepsister" Grace and her father/guardian, Mr Tremellyn. However, as they were caught up in Amyas's elaborate deception, perhaps they should be forgiven their shallowness.

The author takes Amber off to France to become the daughter of a scheming aristocrat and the plot then really goes off the boil. The wicked father and his attempts at a forced marriage for Amber were just silly. The whole episode did not add value to the story and was no more than a very trite plot device.

If there is any message in this book it's got to be that foundlings are ill-advised to go searching for their roots!

The third hero in this trilogy, the half-gypsy Daffyd, appears once again. I'm afraid that he won't appear on my bookshelves, however, as I won't be reading the third instalment in this trilogy. Disappointed is putting it mildly. Three stars because Amyas was interesting - much more so than Christian - but this story just did not appeal, it took me three weeks to read (during which time I read four other books) and the author has sadly disappointed me. Please, Edith, let's get back to your earlier standards.

Amyas St. Ives is a man desperate for a legitimate identity in 19th century England. He grew up in an orphanage and escaped to the slums of London as soon as he was able to, fearing the infamous workhouses of England. Soon after returning to England a self-made man after having been sent to the Antipodes for lifting a pound note as a child, he departs for Cornwall, hoping that his unique first name will lead him to his family.

In his search for his true identity, he happens upon the Tremellyn family of Cornwall. There, Amyas begins to believe in the success of his quest for respectability and belonging. Although himself a fishmonger and a member of the lower rungs of society, the widowed Hugo Tremellyn has built his fortune with his fishing ventures and is the most respected personage in his little seaside town. Thus, Amyas begins to court Hugo's biological daughter, Grace, although he is immediately attracted to Amber "No Name," who is the Tremellyns' "gift" from the sea--a foundling.

Amber is a warm, competent, loving woman, but like Amyas, suffers from the uncertainty and stigma of not knowing her biological family and true identity. She knows that Amyas is drawn to her, but questions why he courts her adopted sister instead of her. Amyas's attraction to Amber deepens into something more, but his desire to marry Grace and build a new identity outside of his street urchin and "criminal" past sidetracks him. But the two are forced to reconcile their lifelong dreams and present desires after Amyas is expelled from the Tremellyn home for revealing his past and Amber finally discovers her true identity. A rescue in France ensues, followed by the two protagonists' somewhat satisfying realization that they can build their future together.

I understood why Amyas felt that he should marry Grace, but was annoyed by his persistent courting of her even though he had to continually force himself to avoid Amber. The very difficulty with which he tried to do so should have clued him in to his true feelings earlier, before he was forced to leave Cornwall and then rescue Amber in France.

In all, I think that Amyas and Amber's passivity in their feelings for each other made for an unbelievable, and unemotional, ending--I never fully understood why they loved each other. Layton's presentation of Amyas's feelings for Amber weren't enough motivation to fully explain why he would venture all the way to France, by ship (which is very difficult for him), just to see her.

For me, while I didn't necessarily like the fact the hero was focused on courting a different girl than our heroine, it made complete sense with the hero's background and I understood why he did it. The book was well written and he got his comupence enough that it satisfied me. Every book can't be the same and I like books that are a bit different from the norm. This was one such a book. I liked both the hero and the heroine and was only slightly disappointed at the ending which, as usual for romance novels, seemed a bit too pat. But not unduly so, so I would recommended this book as a good read. Just not Great.

I am a devoted, loyal fan of Edith Layton. I have enjoyed many of her novels, but I have to agree with the previous readers, this novel was not worth my money. The hero was "not to die for" but instead stilted and hypocritical. The majority of the book was wasted on describing his courtship with the wrong woman! He continually fought his attraction to the heroine, causing us readers to lose all patience with him. The lovers did not come together until the book was almost at its conclusion. There was no sexual tension, no romance no true character development or evolvement. All in all, I would like my money back! Edith Layton is a wonderful writer, please do not judge her by this novel, rather, read her earlier books. The "C" novels are excellent!

This is the first Edith Layton novel I have been exposed to, so I cannot comment on how good her other work is, but, unfortunately, this novel was quite boring. To be honest, I have not finished it (and have no plans to). I usually finish a good book in a day, but this novel took me three days just to get through four dull chapters (because I kept putting the book down to find something more interesting to do). The basic plot of the book seemed fine, but there was no spark in this novel or in the characters themselves. The characters' dialogue seemed forced, the characters themselves were one-dimensional, and the forward momentum of the book was, well, nonextistent. I don't usually write reviews, and negative ones at that, but I felt people should have the option of reading differing points of view before deciding to buy this book. If you have never read Edith Layton before, I suggest trying one of her other titles first, they might be better.