(blank)

The hero had hardly anything to recommend him, beyond looks and charm, for maybe 75% of the story. And the heroine I thought had some potential, at first, but then proceeded to be pig-headed at every opportunity for the rest of the book. Which ended up seeming to go on and on for ages... I think Loretta Chase has improved since 1992 though, which is what one would hope. =) ( )

It’s time, at 41% and one month, to admit absolute defeat. I couldn’t get engaged, partially due to the side plots and the way they were weaved (tangled?) in. Partially because of the extent to which I just did not care about the MCs. I see how the writing is appealing, when the book is working...unfortunately it wasn’t consistent enough for me. ( )

Loretta Chase is probably my favorite romance author, and this book really stands out from her others. It's less slick, but more heartfelt; maybe because she's writing about Albania, and I gather that Chase has some Albanian ancestry.

Of course, some of the things that one expects from Chase are here in force: strong women, for example. There are lots of them, and the heroine in particular is a fierce little thing. Excellent research, for another. This isn't a book full of vague guesses and stereotypes; there's a real feel for the contemporary landscape of Albania and Italy, both geographical and cultural. Excellent dialogue, for a third. It positively sparkles.

The story is of the "reforming a rake" variety. Edenmont, a dissolute wastrel, stumbles by accident into the role of a hero and then doesn't quite know how to walk away from it. He's used to being lazy, pampered, and ultimately unhappy. In "The Lion's Daughter," he finds himself concerned over the welfare of a young boy, obsessed with a beautiful girl of terrifyingly indeterminate age, and in a rough, dangerous country he doesn't know much about. For all that, it's the best thing that's happened to him in years.

Esme, the heroine, is used to leading a wild, wandering life. She's used to danger and fending for herself, but she's also innocent and pretty lost in the battle of the sexes. She has no idea of her own appeal, and hadn't learned any kind of caution or restraint. Esme is an amazingly well-drawn, rich character; alternately practical and wild, matter of fact and fantastic.

Their relationship is "tempestuous" - they fight a lot, but I don't think either of them ever comes out entirely on top. There's a lot of passion, a lot of sparking, a lot of making up, and also a lot of love between the two. This makes for a really fun and sexy read.

The narrative is very well worked out - it is fast-paced, smart, and really stunningly intricate. Chase writes beautifully as always and has managed to write a romance here that's fun to read but also has more depth of feeling and character than most romances. Definitely one of her best. ( )

Overall Rating: 3.60 // Action: 3.5 / Emotion: 3.0 / Romance: 3.5 / Sensuous: 1.0 / Suspense: 2.5 // Historical Flavor: 5.0 // Laughter: 0 / Teary: 1

The Lion's Daughter: 3.60:
Loretta Chase displayed her skill at writing a well-told story. However, the author's style of writing and the reader's failure to identify with both the hero and heroine made this book unexceptional.

Hero: 3.0:
Varian Edward Harcourt St. George, Baron Edenmont of Buckinghamshire, England. Varian was the typically handsome and charming hero, but the rest of his personality labeled him a very unique hero. He was a self-centered wastrel who sponged off others as he made his way through life. However, he qualified as heroic material because he was willing to change -- even if he wasn't quite sure how to do so.

Heroine: 2.0:
Esme Brentmor. Esme was difficult to warm up to. Even though it was nice to see a heroine who didn't fit the standard regency mold, (quite often dirty, unkempt, and wearing boy's clothes) this half-Albanian "little warrior" was too busy making rash judgments and acting like a "know it all" to inspire much empathy. However, her loyalty to Varian and Percival when they reached England was endearing.

Story Line: 2.5:
The story line definitely had possibilities. But the details of the Albanian culture and its people as Varian and Esme traveled through the countryside made for slow reading. It was difficult to buy that an accomplished rake like Varian would be so lustfully attracted to a woman he thought was underage.

Action: 3.5:
The action that took place was not extensive. For instance, the fight that took place on the beach of Durrës, Albania was not detailed -- it faded to black about as quickly as Varian did when he was conked over the head. Most of the action consisted of a backdrop for the conversations between Varian and Esme as they headed to Tepelena.

Emotion: 3.0:
Sadly, did not feel a deep emotional connection to either Varian or Esme -- not the kind of connection that makes for an outstanding read. Yes, there was some humor during the ongoing conversations, but Chase did not inspire laughter nor tears.

Romance: 3.5:
The romance played a major role in the story. Varian did not understand his undeniable attraction and feelings of protection towards Esme, but they managed to consume his thoughts. Esme thought (since she was devoid of femininity) she should have been immune to Varian's beauty and charm, but, alas, she wasn't.

Sensuous: 1.0:
No spice nor sizzle when it came to the lovemaking scenes.

Suspense: 2.5:
There was a slight underlying degree of suspense in the story. How was Chase going to successfully weave into a cohesive fabric all the threads she had running through the story: {1} Jason's faked death, thus, Esme's vengeance; {2} Percival's wrongful abduction and the chessboard black queen; {3} Ismal's arms smuggling deal with Gerald Brentmor; and {4} the unlikely romance building between two polar opposites.

Historical Flavor: 5.0:
Chase was simply outstanding when it came to revealing her research about the landscape, customs and people of Albania. She successfully catapulted readers back to Albania and England in 1818.

Secondary Characters: 4.0:
To be quite honest, the secondary characters inspired greater interest than the protagonists. Loved the development of {1} Percival and {2} Lady Brentmor. Would loved to have read more about: {1} Jason (the "Red Lion") and his relationship with {a} Diana, {b} Ali Pasha, and {c} Bajo; and {2} Varian and his relationship to his brothers, {a} Damon and {b} Gideon "Gilly."

See Wolf Bear Does Books (http://goo.gl/yfB90) for a more in-depth, detailed review of The Lion's Daughter. ( )