A Proper Façade Esther Hatch book review

A Proper Façade

Esther Hatch 

 

 

 

 My review: 4/10

 I should start by saying Esther Hatch is one of my favorite authors in this genre, so it pains me to rate it so low. This comes on the heels of having just read the extended version/rewrite of There Goes The Groom. I noticed some similar things.

SPOILERS

The whole premise of the book is that Nicholas is a very physical, passionate man who made a devastating mistake at 17, so now he keeps those passions firmly bridled. Lady Mercy is chosen as his bride for practical reasons (which were quite flimsy). She wants a love match - strike that - a passion match, because everyone around her has had them, and successful ones at that. She doesn't believe Nicholas is capable of passion, at least toward her, so she is determined to break him or foist him off on someone else. That's it. The entire book. There is a -very- little bit thrown in about the starving Irish, which is supposed to testify that these characters have substance and morals and will fight for a cause. But really, it's only about passion.

Because Nicholas and Mercy spend the entire book pushing each other away, there was very little conversation or charm, very few opportunities for humor or connection. So I did not connect with them with either.

I found Nicholas' obsession with Mercy's skin and freckles weird and his constant struggle with general lust painful to read. Mercy was not any better. She's naive, shallow, and reckless, taking strangers into her confidence and setting up compromising situations for OTHER PEOPLE nonstop, instead of just facing her problems with intelligence and grace. She does eventually realize she was foolish (about 75% of the way through the book), but it is too little, too late, in my opinion. And then, she pushes him away -because- she loves him. -_-

I did appreciate that Nicholas had learned propriety, respect and integrity the hard way. But Mercy was determined to break him of all that when it came to her, as if that proved something. Terribly disappointing and an awful message to send. It felt very similar to the situation in There Goes The Groom. I don't like this theme the author appears stuck on, of finding rare men who are strong in their convictions and destroying it in the name of "love" and passion.

So on the whole, I found this story and characters lacking in substance. Would make a lethal drinking game ("passion"). I couldn't recommend this book, but I am not ready to give up on this author yet.  I will eagerly await her next novel, hoping for a return to the humor and wit that made her stories so great.