Rating: 
Summary: Regency writing at its best
Review: Diane Farr only gets better with her second Regency effort. Her knowledge of the Regency period is expert and Fair Game's plot and characters immensely compelling. Fair Game exudes sensitivity while entertaining us to the fullest. My only question is - since this is only her second Regency novel, how will Ms. Farr top this? I am looking forward to finding out.
Rating: 
Summary: A good story, but lacking
Review: First, I concede that Farr is one of the top five Regency authors currently writing. But of her four published books (including "The Nobody," "Falling for Chloe," and "Once Upon a Christmas") "Fair Game" is her worst book. The story plot is fine (although I admit I don't like the force-to-be-the-mistress-till-we-fall-in-love plots), but the characters are lacking. The heroine, Clarissa, is sweet and poignant, but it takes awhile to really develop her beyond a passive ninny. However, the "hero," Trevor, is a jerk. He is dishonorable, unlikable, and unattractive. Thus, the attraction between the two was unbelievable: she falls for this guy even though he has so little respect for her that he cannot stop scheming to get her into bed regardless of the number of times she tells him she's not interested. What part of "no" don't you understand, Trevor?Although I never liked (or respected) Trevor, I did grow fond of Clarissa by the end of the book. That, well-drawn secondary characters, and the very smooth writing moved this book up to 3 stars. However, I recommend any of Farr's other books or short stories over this one.
Rating:
Summary: A good story, but lacking
Review: First, I concede that Farr is one of the top five Regency authors currently writing. But of her four published books (including "The Nobody," "Falling for Chloe," and "Once Upon a Christmas") "Fair Game" is her worst book. The story plot is fine (although I admit I don't like the force-to-be-the-mistress-till-we-fall-in-love plots), but the characters are lacking. The heroine, Clarissa, is sweet and poignant, but it takes awhile to really develop her beyond a passive ninny. However, the "hero," Trevor, is a jerk. He is dishonorable, unlikable, and unattractive. Thus, the attraction between the two was unbelievable: she falls for this guy even though he has so little respect for her that he cannot stop scheming to get her into bed regardless of the number of times she tells him she's not interested. What part of "no" don't you understand, Trevor? Although I never liked (or respected) Trevor, I did grow fond of Clarissa by the end of the book. That, well-drawn secondary characters, and the very smooth writing moved this book up to 3 stars. However, I recommend any of Farr's other books or short stories over this one.
Rating: 
Summary: most degrading love story
Review: I see most ot the reviews are flattering , but I think as love stories go this is the most insulting I've come across. Here is a man who is supposed to be a GENTLEMAN and all he wants is to take a innocent and turn her into a prostitute for his own carnal lusts. Through the whole story this is the theme , become my mistress because for no other reason, but her mother is one. I would think if you loved or liked someone you would want to help them and offer them something better than that. The ending I felt was kind of put together, she was always telling him she wanted something better for herself in life and I thought that was wonderful how she stood up against him and then at the end she tells him she would rather be his mistress than be married to someone she doesn" love. Give me a break , this is a man that looked at you and said he was offering you a most wretched life and you love him? That when he got tired of you he would just walk away? They want to say it is the time peroid and thats what women had to face. That may be but when I read a love story thats what I want . Your best romance writters are as far as I'm concerened are Stephanie Laurens, Amanda Quick. Julie Garwood Julia Quinn ang Josie Litton. Now those ladies know how to write LOVE stories.
Rating: 
Summary: An extraordinary writer
Review: I was, to use a cliche, blown away by Diane Farr's FAIR GAME. When I picked it up in the bookstore, I had no idea it would prove more than an average Regency novel (and that is quite a good recommendation in itself). But as I began to read, I found myself being greatly impressed by Farr's skill as a writer. Early in the book, I found myself delighted by the way she showed the hero's personality. For example, when he's pacing a room waiting for the heroine to get ready: "If he had a tail, he would have lashed it." Is that not a vivid, realistic image? And then she describes his view of women: ". . . women, far more than men, seemed to conduct their conversations in a kind of code, a code that was all the more deceptive because it resembled ordinary English. Beneath the surface of their elliptical discourse lurked messages and meanings outside the hearing of a plainspoken man." And then: ". . .women . . . invariably held him accountable for crimes he had no idea he had committed." Is this not the way females seem to males? These comments are so universal that I knew I was in for a good read. Trevor Whitlatch, the hero, is a fascinating character. He has many admirable qualities, yet he is so locked into his culture's view of what a woman should be that he has to be knocked upside the head to finally "get it." He is also very human in the way he keeps squelching the pangs of conscience because he knows that if he pays attention to it, it will interfere with his pleasure. I found him a well-rounded character despite his trappings of the typical Regency hero: devastating looks and great wealth. At least he isn't an aristocrat; as I read I was thinking that the members of the ton would be astonished to realize that people lived and loved and pursued their life's goals and became happy totally without any reference to them and their limited circle. I also like the heroine a great deal. She tends to perceive the world as it ought to be rather than as it is, which makes her refreshing and delightful. It also helps her to drive the hero crazy, because she does not see why she should accept a categorization of herself that she neither wants nor deserves. In fact, I would have liked to see Trevor squirm and suffer even more, even though he was a likable guy, just because he took so long to see her as a person rather than as a convenience for the male. The emotional power of the novel truly impressed me. There are few physical expressions of the love between Trevor and Clarissa, but I felt the underlying current of her love for him and the feelings that he was too male to admit to. No wonder the novel got a Mary Jo Putney blurb--it's the sort of thing she does so well! Farr was not well served by the cover. The woman was pretty homely, not at all like the heroine, who could not find a position because she was too beautiful. And the man looks more boyish and besotted than the hero looks in my mind. This is a real case of "Do not judge a book by its cover"! After reading this book, I looked for Farr's first novel, THE NOBODY, and enjoyed it every bit as much. Farr is an extraordinary writer, and I expect to see her become one of the best in the business.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fabulous
Review: Just finished this extraordinary book and had to write a review. All I can say is Wow. I didn't want it to end. This is romantic fiction at its best. When you close the book you close it with a smile on your face and then turn back and reread your favorite parts. Farr writes with flair and wit which added terrifically to my enjoyment of her characters, but it was the characters that really made this book for me. What's great about these two people is that they are so different from each other, and they are genuinely at odds with each other, but you see immediately that they are perfect for each other, too, and you really root for them to find a way to be together. Clarissa is a pure sweetheart, but she's a sweetheart with brains and courage. Trevor is fascinating. He's a brilliant, complex man and the thing that makes him most interesting is that his view of himself is way off the mark. He thinks he's a ruthless, forceful, cutthroat businessman who is always in charge of every situation he encounters and doesn't care what anybody thinks of him. If you pay attention to his words instead of his actions he's funny but exasperating. His actions, however, give the lie to his own view of his character. He is consistently honorable, almost in spite of himself, which eventually clues us in to the fact that he's a genuine hero at heart. He argues with Clarissa but never uses his power over her, or his brute strength for that matter, to force her to his will, which in those days he might have done. I got a kick out of the fact (in retrospect) that Farr gives a clue in chapter one about this guy: we learn that he had a gorgeous courtesan completely at his mercy for several days and never touched her, precisely because she was at his mercy - so taking advantage of her would have been dishonorable. This is a true historical novel in the sense that the hero and heroine are people of their times with the mindset of their times, and the conflict they struggle with would be no struggle at all today. To them, it is very real and their struggle is riveting. These two strong-willed people are plunged into a situation so poignant that it didn't need any trumped-up conflict, mysteries to solve, or any other kind of extra junk to make it a page-turner. This book honestly surprised me, I think because the cornball cover art does it a disservice. Many readers will pass it by (and that's a shame) because people actually DO judge a book by its cover. If Fair Game had a different cover I believe more people would pick it up and word of mouth would do the rest, and it would turn up on the New York Times list eventually. It's that good.
Rating: 
Summary: a note from the author
Review: Many thanks to all of you who helped make THE NOBODY a success. I sincerely hope you enjoy FAIR GAME. If it proves half as much fun to read as it was to write, I can safely promise you a treat! I enjoyed these characters' company so much, it took me six months to write the last chapter. I just hated to end the book! :) best regards and happy reading, Diane Farr
Rating:
Summary: Gentle, warm and angsty love story; a keeper
Review: This is the first Diane Farr book I've read, and it won't be the last. The set-up may seem a little unusual, but I didn't find it beyond the bounds of credibility at all, and once past the initial scenes at La Gianetta's home I began to enjoy the tale very much. Clarissa is a splendid heroine, determined to keep her virtue regardless of the alternatives, and Trevor - determined though he is to seduce her - displays an impressively keen sense of conscience once he is convinced that she is really a virgin. Farr develops the growing friendship between Clarissa and Trevor in a sensitive and humorous fashion, at the same time showing the sexual attraction between them which refuses to go away no matter how much Clarissa wishes it would. I did find Trevor's own attitude towards marriage and love a little contradictory, true - he was determined to view his marriage as a stepping-stone to Society, but on the other hand he wanted to marry for love. However, I saw that as displaying a lack of understanding of what Society was like; after all, Trevor is very much on the fringes of the ton. I did think the climax of the book was a little rushed; I would have liked a lot more of the character introspection which Far gives us earlier on in the book. However, that doesn't spoil the story for me.
Rating:
Summary: Hero and Heroine Help Each Other Know True Selves..and Love!
Review: VERY well-written Regency. Excellent characterization of both principals. For a novel that is mostly conversation (little action), it didn't bore me once. The conversation had a naturalness and sparkle, and I wished that it were a BBC production so that I could see skilled actors in luscious costumes in an elegant manse emoting subtly over their well-crafted dialogue.At first, I thought I would dislike the plot --and Trevor. But it quickly became apparent that this guy was a good soul trapped in his role and in the ideas of what society approves/disapproves. He was a man who did not know his own soul as well as, eventually, the heroine does. He THINKS he's this brazen fellow who can just take what he wants, but what we see and what is confirmed is this industrious, generous, sort of mushy idealist. Yes, idealist: This is a man who actually believes in love and wants to MARRY for love, and plans firmly to be a devout and faithful husband. Talk about bucking Regency male ideas of sexuality even while married!Trevor doesn't know himself; neither does Clarissa. She isn't aware of just WHAT she really wants in life--she thinks that respectability and children will be enough, or a governess position and a quiet dutiful life. But WHAM!--Trevor's presence and coming to know him over several weeks show her that she has passion as well as virtue, that she has a longing for good things, and genteel poverty isn't to her taste. She wants the lovely clothes,the beautiful house, the passionate embraces, the companionship of a kindred soul. The wonderful thing Farr does is show the development of both Clarissa and Trevor as they come to that marvelous climactic scene in the snowdrift stranded carriage. He wants her, loves her so totally, that he'll cast aside his ideal of who is suitable wife material and propose. Clarissa acknowledges that her wants have gone beyond her previous notions, and she's willing to sacrifice virtue for happiness. And Farr handles it so well that we readers CAN believe they have genuinely turned those corners in self-awareness.An excellent Regency novel in terms of prose, characterization, dialogue and structure. The ending--where he plans La Gianetta's comeuppance via granchildren--brings us back to the beginning with a humorous twist. The book also has many small touches of intimacy between Trevor and Clarissa that drew me in, made me feel like a hovering spirit watching their interplay, and it felt cozy and warm.Most satisfying. : ) My only regret is poor Mr. Henry. But he'll recover. ; )Strong A-.**Mir***
Rating:
Summary: quite a compelling love story
Review: Well written and plausible. Not, however, flawless. The set up is a bit hard to accept. There are a few little things - like a voyage from India to England that somehow manages to touch port at Marseilles, but the real flaw in a very good book is that it does not quite manage to persuade. We are not convinced that the mother could be that mercenary, the heroine that pure, the hero so very much in love while so very determined not to wed. They all could have been, of course, only Ms. Farr does not quite manage to persuade us that they are. We read their motives as she spells them out for us, we are never persuaded by their words and actions to believe that they are real people who truly feel as Ms. Farr explicitely informs us that they do.
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