lorenalee

Did not finish. Seriously of all the ridiculous, stupid heroines.

Bourne, or the Marquess of Bourne, is an asshole, I knew that going into the book, a title by the name of A Rogue by Any Other Name kind of gives that away. However I did not expect the heroine, Lady Penelope Marbury, to be such a TSTL, insipid idiot.

Bourne, the hero, seeks his revenge and his only objective in life, is to get back his land, which he lost in a gamble, by no one’s fault but his own I might add. Penelope was his childhood friend and neighbor, her father attaches Bourne’s ancestral land to Penelope’s dowry, as she is well on her way to becoming a spinster (the horror…). Bourne of course rushes to his old home, since this is his only chance at getting his land back (really how stupid is Penelope’s father? How could he not see this outcome?).

Since Bourne has been betrayed ONCE (which was really his own damn fault), he hates everyone and everything and will stop at nothing to get his land back and to get his REVENGE (because that always ends well).

Then follows the horrible treatment of the heroine, when he kidnaps her, hits her, and states that he will force her to marry him.

This after she was so happy to see her childhood best friend after all these years...

After abducting her he has the nerve to ask her why she is unhappy, because being abducted by him and forced to marry him is not reason enough for unhappiness.

Really, his behavior is not at all explained or excused by his past: he gambled, he lost. He was an adult and new the fucking risk. I’m not going to waste any tears on him. For a hero to be a “rogue” and still have the reader’s sympathy, he needs to have a backstory that is relatable, understandable, and that inspires some compassion. Moaning about how unfair his life is, and how he was a poor, innocent victim; while plotting his revenge and hating everybody, is really not an appropriate response to losing in gambling.

Penelope’s reaction to him is not understandable either. After being kidnaped, told she was being forced to marry this utter asshole, she uses the first opportunity she gets, to slobber after Bourne – instead of escaping. Then, after just accepting her fate - without a fight - she is upset, that he doesn’t rape her on this grand abduction. Because she wants “more” from life. He of course takes this invitation to seduce her, or I don’t know if he really seduces her as she was lusting after him and wanting him to do exactly that while he was asleep – instead of escaping. Therefore compromising her, so she really has to marry him. Instead of her other childhood friend, who respects her and doesn’t kidnap her.

DNF. Because I have better things to do.