Liberty For Paul

Liberty For Paul by Rose Gordon

Liberty Banks is not pretty.  Nor is she funny.  Nor with she the slightest bit interesting.  In fact, it would be safe to say that she is simply...not her sisters.  Because of this huge discrepancy on her list of personal qualities, she has made it her goal to be unerringly proper.  All of the time, without fail.  She reads etiquette books and pays attention to every stricture of society's never ending list ways to behave.  With nothing else to recommend her, she firmly believes that this is the only way she will ever land a husband.  Unfortunately, she forgot the most common way society has to ensure marriage in the upper ranks:  Scandal!

As a minister, Mr. Paul Grimes has never done anything scandalous in his life.  Unfortunately, no one seems to believe him.  His own congregation seems stubbornly bent on believing every bit of gossip that comes to their ears, and no amount of admonishment on his part seems to help.  Unfortunately, having someone like Liberty Banks in his life isn't helping his reputation.  Her stringent belief in propriety hasn't seemed to curb her desire to seek vengeance for every slight (real or imagined) she has ever felt.  When one act of vengeance goes too far, though, they find themselves in the most unacceptable of all scandals: the kind that ends in marriage.

Confession time:  I don't really like Liberty.  I tried, I really did.  But the things she does to Paul, and the way she acts toward others, just makes me see red.  She makes me think of a devious child who thinks they are always right, and will prove it to you by embarrassing you in public.

That being said, Paul was actually an enjoyable character.  His quiet and shy demeanor hid a cunning and creative mind which he used to bring joy.  Despite my dislike for Liberty, I actually loved the way that Paul interacted with her (with the sole exception being what he did with the books).  In the end he was able to get through to Liberty and start a change in her personality, but it wasn't soon enough to redeem her in my eyes.

Speaking of reforming images.  The Duke of Gateway makes another appearance in this book, and he is slowly working himself toward redemption.  His overall character remains the same, but there is something more to him now.  I have a feeling we will see his story end on a high note in the next book.

The rest of the supporting characters redeem the book immeasurably.  Brooke and Madison provide great entertainment and mischief, Andrew and Alex return with great back and forth banter, and John rounds it all off with some wonderful "fatherly" interference.

Overall, the book was well written and ended quite well.  I just wish I had liked Liberty more so I could give the book a higher score.

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 3

Sex – 5 

Language – 4

Storyline – 3

Overall – 3