Notorious by Nicola Cornick

Notorious by Nicola Cornick

Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Historical Romance
Recommended for: Fans of angsty romances who care more about emotions than details

Devlin is a man on the lower steps of the ton's scale, with a less than stelar reputation and in sore need of funds. His only hope to escape his debts, is a good marriage for both him and his sister. But just when it seems that they've both made it, with Devlin being betrothed to a rich earl's daughter and his sister on the verge of being proposed to by a Marquis, Susanna enters. Susanna, happens to be not only his sister's rival for the Marquis' affections, but also Devlin's ex-wife. And suddenly, it appears that the attraction that brought them together 10 years ago, is still there. But is attraction enough to make them forget their lifelong goals and duties?

Yes, I am aware of the fact that technically speaking, this book is far from perfect. I also am not oblivious to the cold-hearted heroine, or that this was mostly a tale of falling in lust than in love with each other. However, being a big fan of angsty, heartwrenching romances I can't help but be captivated with it!

Well, as I said, the most obvious problem for the story, is that throughout the whole book, Devlin pretty much hates Susanna and with good reason. What he sees, is a cold-hearted, ambitious, manipulative female, even if the reader knows otherwise. Of course, this is a romance, so at the same time, Devlin can't fight his attraction to her. It would be much easier to believe that those two finally fell in love than in lust, had Susanna revealed the truth to Devlin at some point earlier in the plot and thus become more sympathetic to him. As it is though, and with hardly an insight as to how those two met and fell in love in the first place, it is difficult to believe that Devlin not only desires her but also loves her. On top of that, the resolution given to the romance between Devlin's sister and her beloved, was hardly satisfactory at all.

On the other hand, the angst, tension and heat between those two, set the pages on fire:) I cried with them, ached with them and was really anxious about how they could escape all the obstacles that seemed to get endlessly in their way. Susanna, for the reader if not for Devlin, is a woman to be admired despite the mistakes she's done in the past. She does whatever she must to survive on her own, using her wits and beauty in the best way she can. I can understand that there are readers who will still think of her as cold-hearted, but personally, I refuse to castigate people for doing what they must, not to gain money or power, but simply to survive. As for Devlin, he might have been a rake in the past, but what the reader sees here is a man devoted to his sister, a man with purpose, patience, decency and reluctant to hurt back the person who has most injured him in the past. Much of the story is told by his point of view and I really appreciated that, especially as I could feel his ache, sorrow and internal conflict between duty and desire as if it were mine.

In the end, whatever the book's faults, the fact remains that the book managed to touch me deeply emotionally, as few books have, and that makes it a winner for me. So, it's a solid 5 stars for the emotional punch delivered and a 3 for the plot & technical execution. If you love angsty reads, you should check this out. I know I'll definitely be on the lookout for more works by this author.