Born of Persuasion - A Review

About the Book:
Publisher - Tyndale House Publishers, published August 2013

Author - Jessica Dotta

Series - Price of Privilege Book 1

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Format - ebook, paper, audio cd

Summary:
The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.

My Thoughts:
I thought that this book had very interesting premise. I enjoy, for the most part, reading things set in Regency England. In some ways, there was a Jane Eyre/Wuthering Heights kinda of feel to this one. It also felt very Gothic. Yet, despite that, I found I couldn't get into the book. The main character annoyed me to no end, which for me is never a good sign. I couldn't relate to Julia at all.

As I got further into the book, I became more frustrated. There were parts of the book that were really good - page turning, kept my attention, I didn't want to put down. But those sections were few and far between for me. When the book dragged, it literally dragged and I felt like I was being tortured to keep reading. I realize that this is the first book in a series, but I wasn't expecting the ending to be so abrupt. It literally just stopped.

Overall, the saving grace for this not being a one star rating, is the fact that when the book was good, it was really good. I think that this author shows she has talent. But I think too she needs to figure out how exactly to keep her reader engaged. I'm hoping her next work will prove, for me at least, to hold my attention better.

I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion.

Fans of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Downtown Abbey, Jane Austen may enjoy this book. I wasn't one of them.

Rating - 2 stars