Untouched by Anna Campbell

I have a friend who doesn't like angsty books. Whenever she comes across a book with angst, she sends it over to me, saying "I know you like angst, so I'm sure you'll like this". If only it were that simple! It's tricky to write an angsty book that conveys real emotion, rather than just cardboard melodrama (and it's a skill that fewer authors seem to have these days...)

Untouched by Anna Campbell
(2007, Regency Historical) 2/22/08
Grade: 3

Recently widowed Grace is abducted and brought to an isolated estate, to become the mistress of the mad Lord Sheene. Matthew has been kept in isolation since he was 14 and suffered from brain fever, his uncle calling him insane to keep control of his fortune. He is determined not to give in to his uncle’s plans, but Grace is so very tempting...

I had high hopes for this book. A hero who has been isolated most of his life, treated as insane? Nirvana for an angst bunny like me. But something about this book just rang false. I never really believed in Matthew or in Grace. It’s hard to explain exactly why - the overblown style and somewhat purplish prose is part of it, but I’ve read other books with that style and found them compelling. But somehow, this one felt over-the-top and melodramatic, rather than heartfelt. The author seemed to tell us who Matthew and Grace were, rather than showing us. There were good aspects to the book - I appreciated that Matthew wasn’t instantly a stud in bed and had to learn, even though he caught on pretty quickly - but still, I wanted more, and I just ended up disappointed.

I was hoping for something along the lines of Flowers From The Storm, but alas, it didn't come close.