A History Nut's Romantic State of Mind

This is one of the few Amanda Quick good oldies that I have no intention of re-reading.

Don't get me wrong, this book has all the Amanda Quick signature charms. Formulaic but well-written. Not to be missed if you have read and liked Quick's romance novels.

In this story Phoebe Layton is the reckless heroine who dreamed of chilvary and gallant knights. Her prince on the white horse was Gabriel Banner, who once eloped with Phoebe's sister. They met again when Phoebe was 24 and tried to engage Gabriel in some kind of a quest. Odd girl meet emotionally unavailable boy, oh my she is so different from any other women, why won't he love me? I am plain but smart. I can get him to love him. Handsome hero finds odd heroine intriguing. blah blah blah I love you, the end.

Phoebe is your typical Amanda Quick heroine: an impulsive, practical, un-pretty and no one finds her attractive except said hero but supposedly has her own charm kind of woman. I really have the feeling that Amanda Quick is writing about herself in these novels. And just how many queer women are there who all met handsome and hot earls who have eyes only for odd women?

When I read this book years ago I thought ugh I really do not like Phoebe. But the earl is alright. This is pretty much the case for all of her novels. I like her heros but why must they all have the misfortunes of being paired with women who are odd and unpretty but oh so smart? While in some books Quick managed to present the heroines in more attractive lights, Phoebe in Reckless belongs to the unfavorable group in my eyes. A headstrong, impulsive, dreaming of her own knight woman, god help me, I want nothing to do with such women and pity the men who have to marry them. Amanda Quick does not just make them headstrong and impulsive. She makes her heroines practical to a fault. A few examples:

"I am no beauty so i must accept my lot."
"I am odd so it is ok if everyone thinks of me as an oddball."
"I have my interests so it is ok if i am a spinster."
"I am not pretty so I don't care for fashion. I dress for comfort and I am plain. It's ok if my husband is not overcome with love. It is only natural since I am not beautiful. But have no fear, I have my brains."

I don't know why Amanda Quick has to make them so.....un-femenine and so typically spinsterish? They can be odd, but must they all lose their femininity as a result?

I do realize however, that my feelings toward Amanda Quick's heriones, in particular Phoebe in this book, are my personal view. I suppose such females would appeal to readers who can appreciate such characters. I, regrettablly, am not one of them.