Synopsis from Amazon:A protagonist who rebels against the social conventions of the Gilded Age, Nina De Bonnard has a sharp wit and a temper to match. As a young girl, Nina experienced a side of male behavior so damaging that she picks and rejects male suitors like the gowns in her closet. Such behavior earns her a reputation, and makes her a target for the amorous attentions of some and pedestal-toppling plans of others. She is drawn to Jordan Houghton Windsor, eldest son of the Windsor newspaper dynasty, who is the only man strong enough to challenge her willfulness. But misunderstandings keep them apart, and no sooner is one conflict resolved than fate conspires to separate them with another.
My rating: 1 star
My review: A really crap romance couched as "historical fiction." It's not even Edith Wharton-lite; it's more like Edith Wharton for Dummies. The author embraces the veneer of the Gilded Age, such as its incredible opulence, but she fails miserably in addressing the social issues of the upper class. The book's main problem is its main character Nina, a self-centered brat. Now, I like the occasional self-centered character (we can't all be humble, modest, generous souls) but Nina is so annoying that by the second half of the book, I began to wonder why Jordan even bothered with her because in my mind she had no redeeming qualities. Anyone who is a fan of Edith Wharton and/or Henry James will find this book ridiculous.
