Jumping the Gun

Have you ever begun a series, loved it, gotten all excited over the fact that more books were on the way and then been left with a bitter taste in your mouth because some of them (or maybe just the last one) didn't deliver?

Back in March, I began reading Tracy Anne Warren's THE HUSBAND TRAP and enjoyed it thoroughly. As soon as I found out the book was part of a series of 3, out each month, I was overcome with joy (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea). The 2nd book in the series, THE WIFE TRAP was enjoyable to a degree; the heroine was the spoiled brat sister of the first novel's heroine. I wanted her to get her comeuppance and she did, to a certain extent. However, heroine's antics and disregard for her husband at one point really made me want to reach out and strangle her. I wished the husband would have kicked her out. Nevertheless, the read was pleasant and I began recommending the series to friends (Kristie J, you're one of them). A few days ago, I purchased the final book of the series, THE WEDDING TRAP, fully expecting it to be the best. The plot wasn't exactly one of the most original I'd ever read. On the contrary, if I had a penny for the times I've read a story about an ugly shy bluestocking wallflower turned babe magnet of the century, I'd be one very rich woman!

The story covered the love story between Eliza and Christopher "Kit" Winter, the brother of THE HUSBAND TRAP's hero. I didn't enjoy the book; as a matter of fact, I skimmed most of it.

I have a few things to say on the matter, especially to romance authors. Much of the book featured characters from the previous books, being so so cute and so so freakin' annoying I wanted them all to die in a blast. I just wanted to scream, "YOU HAD YOUR OWN BOOKS...NOW GET LOST!" Authors, please please please...you do this all the time...these reunion type books are ok every now and then, but I hate hate hate it when the last book of a series becomes a WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO reunion special. Not that I'm saying that's what happened here...it didn't, but characters from previous books were present all too often and I got sick of it!

Also, I wasn't entirely convinced the two characters loved each other...too much time was spent depicting Eliza's transformation and I really didn't get a sense for the two really getting to know each other, except in the physical sense. The sex scenes were blah! Just a little push and oopsy daisy, Eliza was soon "compromised" by Kit....something that doesn't seem to worry Eliza all that much. I just don't get it. Was the novel set in 2006 or 1814? I was under the impression that back in the day, women couldn't even be alone in a carriage with a guy without being ruined and Eliza here was acting like freakin' Sharon Stone.

I could totally picture her face, while all of this was going on to. I'd like to call her expression THE MICHAEL MYERS. Has anyone seen HALLOWEEN? Remember when right before Michael kills some half naked chick, he tilts his head to the side and just looks on. Well, that's how I pictured Eliza, the heroine, walking around the house. Apparently, sex with the hero left her with a lobotomy!

Furthermore, I'm starting to get a little tired of the villain that's not really a villain but some idiot with a gun and a horse. I want real villains...nasty ones, men and women with no scruples, who will do anything to get what they want. The villain here was pathetic.

I loved the first book in the series and it upsets me that the third and last romance would leave me so cold. I'm not giving up on the author...as a matter of fact, I really hope she writes about a certain character, Lancelot, who got screwed in the last book.

1st book - THE HUSBAND TRAP = B+
2nd book - THE WIFE TRAP = B
3rd book - THE WEDDING TRAP = C