Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Merriwell Sisters #3
Publication Date: 11/7/23
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 316
This final book in the Merriwell Sisters trilogy was a hit – and a miss – for me. I loved the epilogue where we caught up with all of the couples five years later to see how they were doing and what had been going on in their lives. That was a definite HIT. Another HIT in all of this author’s books is the wit and humor – and while this book seemed to have a lot less of that than there usually is, there was enough to bring a smile – and even a giggle on occasion. So, what then is the miss? Venus! I just did not like her. I really disliked her in the first book of the series, but in the second book, I still didn’t like her too well, but I thought there was hope for her. That just didn’t happen for me. Throughout all of the books Venus has been very judgmental and very self-centered and that was certainly true in this book as well.
Venus (Vee) Merriwell and Galahad (Gal) Sinclair have known and disliked each other for four years. They first met when Venus tackled him with the intent to do as much bodily injury as she could – read the second book in the series if you want to know more about that. Galahad Sinclair is Giles Sinclair’s cousin – and Giles is married to Venus’s sister Diana. Since that first meeting, they have either avoided each other totally or they have sniped at each other through whatever time they were forced to be in closer proximity. Is it a case of protesting too much?
Galahad has long wanted to build a club in the area of Covent Garden – a decent club where he could have both ladies and gentlemen attend. He has worked his fingers to the bone, scrimped, and saved until he finally has enough saved to buy a location and renovate it. Now, he just needs to find the perfect location – and miraculously, he does. Then, he learns it is right next door to the orphanage where Venus teaches. OOPS! When Venus learns about it – she is livid – because she thought that building was going to be left to the orphanage. OOPS!
For me, watching them work through to their HEA was a bit of a painful process. Venus was always looking for the worst in everyone – especially Galahad. She looked down her nose and judged him guilty of anything and everything whether he was or not. She was also very self-centered. She thought nothing at all of thinking Galahad should just give up his dream and hand over his building to the orphanage even though he had done absolutely nothing wrong in acquiring it – and had paid good money for it. She thought that because he played cards well, he was a gambler (he wasn’t). She thought that because he wanted to open a club it would be one of those dissolute, disreputable places like the ones she and her sisters had to drag their father from after he’d gambled away the rent money. So, anyway, I just couldn’t get myself to like her or to care whether she got a HEA or not. I really liked Galahad, but he annoyed me as well. He was just too perfect. He never got mad or raised his voice even when the most heinous things happened to him. Also, he was always apologizing to Venus – I mean for everything – all the time!
I am glad to have read the book and to have seen the happy futures for all of the Merriwell sisters, but I wouldn’t read this one a second time. If you have read the other books in the series, don’t skip this one, because it wraps up the series and gives you a glimpse into their futures. One thing it doesn’t do is provide a final resolution to the Merriwell’s father. I know that has nothing to do with them and their accomplishments and that they don’t care – but – I just never like loose ends and he’s a loose end. I would like to have learned that he was captured by Pygmies and covered with honey and then hung upside down over a red ant bed OR maybe he tried to fleece the wrong woman and she captured him and locked him up in her dungeon and used him for a plaything. 😊
Anyway – if you have read the other books in the series, don’t miss this one. I have scanned over some of the other reviews for this book and none seem to mention a dislike for Venus, so perhaps it is just me and you’ll love her. My dislike for Venus has nothing to do with the author’s writing abilities – to me, she is just an unlikable, needy character. Hopefully, you will love Venus.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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