Pendragon

Rating:
Summary: I liked it, sue me.
Review: It seems like every romance I pick up nowadays is constantly talking down to it's readers. I reallly admire Catherine Coulter for at least making even the most insipid and lifeless of characters have interesting lives.

The cat racing was corny, Meggie was a bit of a dunce, Thomas was a bit of an ass, but overall, the story grabs you and you'll be swept in by Catherine Coulter's great storytelling. I started reading it and didn't put it down until I finished.

The disappointing thing to me was that Thomas seemed more like a basket case than just a man with a jealous nature. Maybe it was expounded on more by the author, but it didn't make it to the final cut. I don't know. He just seemed full of holes. Still, it was a satisfying read.

Rating:
Summary: Keeps on Giving
Review: It's very rare to find a series that you could pick up the first or fifth book and still find it entertaining. Yes it refers back to the Sherbrooke's, but it is still delightful reading on it's own merit. I've read practically all of the Bride trilogy and have not read them in their exact order and they were all still delightful.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful gothic undertones -- Recommended
Review: Meggie Sherbrooke has loved her "dratted" almost-cousin since she was thirteen. Of course, over the six years intervening between the time they met and the present, Meggie almost forgot him; that is, until her coming out allows them to cross paths again. Meggie is immediately smitten, and then heartbroken, as Jeremy announces his engagement to another. Aware of her feelings, Jeremy later behaves rather badly in an effort to disillusion Meggie and free her heart to love another.

Earl Thomas Malcombe expresses his interest in Meggie, but knows her heart belongs to another. Only when medicine he brings saves the life of a younger brother does Meggie afford him the opportunity to spend time together. While she immediately captures his heart, Meggie still mourns the loss of love that never was. Kisses distract her, however, and eventually lead her to marriage with Thomas. But words overheard only an hour after their vows are spoken provoke jealousy and anger, thus ruining their wedding night.

As Thomas and Meggie travel cross country to his family home, they are delayed by a homicide, soon followed by an attempt of Meggie's life. When Meggie's family arrives to offer their protection following a second attempt on her life, Thomas' jealousy increases. Often his negative reactions create unnecessary distance in their relationship, despite Meggie's assurances regarding her commitment to their marriage.

PENDRAGON is my first exposure to author Catherine Coulter's prose, I admit to feeling a bit torn about this book. On the one hand, she creates a lovely background with strong characterizations and delightful gothic elements. Meggie's puppy love for her cousin that eventually gives way to true love with her husband is a delight to watch. On the other hand, her heavy-handed innocence and pressing the point regarding tongues and kisses grows a bit tiresome. Likewise, Thomas presents a bit of difficulty to like. On the one hand, he is a strong male character who handles his brother's escapades with grace. On the other hand, I wanted to shake him and tell him to pay attention when he yields too much to his jealous emotions, especially given his crude use of his wife on their wedding night. Yet even that scene is offset nicely when Meggie and the innkeeper share a bottle of champagne and talk of men. Further, the sparring between Meggie and her mother-in-law also proves to be a delight. She never allows the older woman to repress her spirits despite sometimes cruel, often inappropriate, comments. While I'm not entirely satisfied with PENDRAGON, the remarkable strengths will certainly have me giving this author another read. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: It's a paperback so it's ok to buy
Review: My title and my rating seem to be at odds so let me explain I enjoyed the book. I liked Meggie's character, she has a sense of humor, a refreshing outlook and a quick mind. What bothered me was the wedding night scene. I don't like the use of violence to subdue Meggie. I thought romance writers had caught on to that fact. The scene in the tavern afterwards helped make up for it partially but obviously not entirely thus my rating. Thomas does redeem himself although it would have been nice if once in the book he actually helped rescue Meggie or better yet partnered in helping her instead of just gnashing his teeth.

Rating:
Summary: Could have been so much better
Review: Ok - keep in mind, I am a fan of Catherine Coulter and have been for a long time. This one, though....could have been so much more. The plot line is there (beyond the lost love, to the strange family of Thomas, to the twist in the game), but just isn't developed. A few sentences are supposed to give you everything about Lord Kipper? Hardly! This all left me feeling very flat after finishing the book. But, what's worse - the use of language. Sentences that make no sense, sentence construction that looks like the author doesn't understand English grammer. Catherine - we know you do! Was she going for "Irish speak" or some form of speech that was different in England in the 1800's? Well, if that was the case, it is far from the mark. I kept wanting to edit the book as I went along, and it really disturbed me.

Poor Meggie - the real disservice to her wasn't how her husband or new mother-in-law treated her or the danger she faced, it was her author not playing out her story fully, and not giving good voice to any of the characters except Tysen and Mary Rose.

Rating:
Summary: Another Sherbrooke bites the dust. . .
Review: Okay, I'll admit being a Catherine Coulter fan from way back, and I truly did enjoy reuniting with Sherbrooke characters from previous books, which I do remember amazingly well considering how many books I have read since that I don't remember at all.

Frankly, I found myself alternately laughing and crying my way through this book. I cried because I thought Meggie's crush on her "almost-cousin" went on far too long and caused much pain to the husband who loved her and deserved better. I laughed when the cook sang while serving nutty buns, the butler defined everyone's worth based on their suitability to walk on his back, and the new bride drowned her sorrows with the innkeeper's wife after a less than satisfactory wedding night. The two dowager countesses, although mean-spirited at times, made their contributions to the hilarity as well.

Did I ever want to know so much about cat racing? Probably not, but the images of cats leaping to the finish line with a crowd of Sherbrookes and Malcombes and their households cheering them on provoked many a chuckle even after the book was finished.

Meggie is a worthy Sherbrooke heroine, feisty and loyal and determined to the end. What man wouldn't fall in love with her? How Thomas turns out to be such a deserving Sherbrooke consort, considering his upbringing, remains a mystery.

The murder mystery plot at the end seemed a bit incongruous in comparison with the lighthearted crazy tone of the novel. I think the book would have turned out much better had the murderer remained a comical character bent on making mischief between the two dowager countesses. And perhaps that would have left room for a bit more romance between Meggie and Thomas.

Regarding the comments of a previous reviewer that Ms. Coulter is sensitive to criticism:

Give her a break. She's human and no one likes to hear negative comments, especially not about something in which one has invested much time, effort, and emotion. I'm guessing that, in retrospect, she regrets sending that message.

At the same time, I think it's important to hear what your readers are saying. As much as I hate to admit it, publishing is a business, and any business that ignores the needs and desires of their clientele will not flourish. When I review a seriously flawed book, I do so because I hope what I say can be used to help the author and/or editors to avoid these problems in the future, not because I want to hurt anyone's feelings.

Frankly, it's discouraging to find the same silly mistakes over and over again. What are editors for, anyway? I often get the impression that publishing houses think all romance editors are equal, and don't make any effort to seek out personnel who are truly knowledgeable about historical fiction. Surely a halfway decent editor would make an effort to correct some of the more obvious errors in these books.

As I keep saying to my students: MAKING mistakes can be positive thing if you have the courage and initiative to LEARN from them. Ignoring them is just plain stupid.

Rating:
Summary: Unbearably bad read
Review: Pendragon is the fifth book in the Sherbrooke Brides series, a sequel to The Scottish Bride. I'm afraid I just skimmed through it, too much catracing and other stuff and very little writing actually on the hero and heroine. Not much on the romance. I didn't learn much about the hero, Thomas, and Meggie grown up is such an unsympathetic character I was sorry for Thomas he ended up with her. Also, I hated Calypso Magic, because I don't want a romance involving a slave plantation (I don't want to read about the exploitation of black slaves) and Jeremy is back and he still owns that slave plantation. I read too much romance and Coulter used to be a pleasant enough read but I think I'm too picky now, I don't like light historicals anymore and I don't like that wedding night thing, why do the women always act so surprised and hate it so much, doesn't seem realistic to me. If you like light historicals you might like this book but I would suggest start at the beginning of the series.

Rating:
Summary: Silly Heroine...
Review: This book just rubs me the wrong way. I love Catherine Coulter & was excited to pick this one up. However it was not to be.
I can't abide the heroine...Who names a romance heroine "Meggie"? C'mon! It's hard to find her sexy or beguiling with a childhood nickname attached. And yes...the cat racing got on my nerves too.
There are better Catherine Coulter's out there...no, there are some wonderful Catherine Coulter books out there, however Pendragon isn't one of them.

Rating:
Summary: Silly Heroine...
Review: This book just rubs me the wrong way. I love Catherine Coulter & was excited to pick this one up. However it was not to be.
I can't abide the heroine...Who names a romance heroine "Meggie"? C'mon! It's hard to find her sexy or beguiling with a childhood nickname attached. And yes...the cat racing got on my nerves too.
There are better Catherine Coulter's out there...no, there are some wonderful Catherine Coulter books out there, however Pendragon isn't one of them.

Rating:
Summary: A great read!
Review: This was a great book. I have read everyone of the Sherbrooke storys and I have not been let down yet! If your a fan of the Sherbrooke clan then this is a must read. It was like visiting with old freinds and making new ones too.

Meggie Sherbrooke is the daughter of the youngest son Tysen the vicar who thank god, lighten up in the last story Scottish Bride.
She falls real hard for her almost cousin Jeremy. However he is in love with someone else. In haste Meggie gose off and marries Thomas Malcombe.

Thomas takes her to his home in Ireland called Pendragon. That is whem all hell breaks out. Some one is trying to kill her, her mother-in-law hates her. To top that off Thomas finds out about Jeremy and they are trying to find themselves together. This is a great read. Once you pick it up, you will not put it down.