Noble Intentions

Noble Intentions
書封作者名: Katie Macalister

圖書資訊

內外曼: 
外曼
出版時間: 
2002-02-01
2
我的評比:無葉 平均:2 (1 vote)

Noble Britton suffered greatly at the hands of his first wife, and he refuses to fall into the same trap again. This time he intends to marry a quiet, biddable woman who will not draw attention to herself or cause scandal. Gillian Leigh's honest manner and spontaneous laughter attract him immediately. It matters little that she is accident-prone; he can provide the structure necessary to guide her. But unconventional to the tips of her half-American toes, his new bride turns the tables on him, wreaking havoc on his orderly life. Perpetually one step behind his beguiling spouse, Noble suffers a banged-up head, a black eye, and a broken nose before he realizes Gillian has healed his soul and proven that their union is no heedless tumble, but the swoon of true love.

Gillian Leigh has been known for having "Unfortunate" things happen whenever she is around. Small fires, accidents, black eyes and the like seem to occur when Gillian is anywhere in the vicinity. Gillian has accepted her fate and only wishes to get on with her life, which now has taken a turn to the London Season. Half American, Gillian doesn't understand why she must be presented just because her younger cousin and great friend Charlotte is. Gillian doesn't expect to find a husband this Season or any Season and is simply content to sit idly by while Charlotte enjoys her time in the spotlight. The last thing she ever expected was to gain the attention of the infamous Black Earl, Noble Britton. And she never expected he would ask for her hand, or that she could fall into love so quickly!

Noble Britton, Lord Wessex is used to the wagging tongues of ton. He's heard the rumors that say he murdered his cold, unfeeling former wife, and he's been publicly cut down because of it. Noble is determined that his next wife will be the kind of woman who is content to care for his son and for all the other children they will have together. It is also a must that she is a quiet lady, not the kind to bring upon scandal. After spending a very short time with Gillian Leigh, Noble is certain he has found the right woman for the job. But Noble never bargained on gaining a wife AND losing his heart as well!

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2
我的評比:2葉

 

9/15/2003

要命,誰曉得個性太甜美、太善解人意的女主角,也會讓我反胃到快抓鱉......我是說抓狂?

Gillian 的純真傻氣,無心間製造災禍的本事和總是在不知不覺中冒出不該冒出的話來,和茱麗筆下的一些女主角很像;她堅定捍衛(謠傳中謀殺前任妻子的)丈夫的信心,則讓我想到珍安以奎克為筆名的某本書(惡魔的XX)。

遺憾的是,這個作者 Katie MacAlister 的詮釋方式和寫作風格,在我眼中完全不似珍安和茱麗這般有特色。她的幽默感對我來講,宛如煎得太久的牛排,裡外都乾硬,嚼起來無汁而乏味。
女主角 Gillian 那永遠掛在臉上的微笑,則讓我想用拳頭幫她整型一番。
如果有女主角讓我聯想起滑稽的卡通人物,非 Gillian 莫屬啦!

Noble 是那種「一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井繩」的典型男主角。被愛灼傷過,自此遠離火苗。但在我看完【Noble Intentions】之後,這個心靈有傷疤的男人,只搾出了我一少許的同情心。我看不出他遭被叛的傷痛是基於愛,說是自尊受創還差不多。啊,他肯負起養育私生子的責任是很可敬啦,可是既然婚後沒多久就已知道他老婆是什麼樣的女人了,竟還把當時僅有四、五歲大的兒子交給她看護(或者該說他沒盡力隔離他們),真是愚蠢得殘忍啊!

為了追查殺害 Noble 前妻的兇手,女主角 Gillian 決心求助於男主角的前任情婦們。看見 Noble 的四個下堂情婦在他家的起居室裡「共聚一堂」(第五個,也是最後一任情婦則失蹤了。這些情婦,都是 Noble 與前妻結婚後來撫慰他寂寞和創傷的工具。雖說他的老婆是個不貞的爛貨,但他的行為實在也好不到哪邊去) ,女主角則和她們像相識多年的老朋友般談笑風生,甚至慫恿並協助她們成立所謂的“情婦聯盟”……這一幕場景溫馨甜蜜嗎?除非讀者們覺得妻子與情婦們嗑牙聊天是人之常情,否則 Gillian 和丈夫的老相好們一見面就惺惺相惜的場面,真的只讓會讓妳感到荒唐、可笑。

Gillian 這個心無城府、不知嫉妒是何物的小傻瓜,居然還「不恥下問」地請教那些美艷的下堂情婦們取悅她丈夫的方法──比方說她老公喜歡哪一種做愛姿勢。得知她親愛的丈夫竟然如此深富“創造力”,她的驚喜似乎遠勝於訝異。啊,這種沒有一點猜忌和心機的女主角,我能說她偽善,說她矯情?我哪敢啊!我又不是驢到看不見她的好。

問題是,她好得、開朗得、慷慨得過頭了,甜姊兒的笑容底下,她的腦容量大概只有幾隻蝌蚪那麼大。(不過,喜歡她的讀者可能會說她的智慧就和她的心腸成正比,所以說呀,看個人的觀點囉

【Noble Intentions】女主角 Gillian 的表妹 Charlotte 是個粉膚淺、虛榮、任性的角色,我是笨伯 + 蠢蛋才會浪費時間去把她的故事【Noble Destiny】找來讀。【Noble Destiny】的男主角 Lord Alasdair 呢,在【Noble Intentions】這本書裡和 Noble 的前任妻子通姦,原因與過程和 MJP 的【魔鬼與玫瑰】頗雷同──兩個男主角那個死去的前妻都是個說謊成性、善於操縱的婊子;男主角的好友都受了他妻子的蠱誘,和她有一腿,並相信她挑撥離間的謊言,以致和男主角反目成仇;她死亡後,男主角的好友堅信男主角必須為他眼中的天使的死亡負全責,因此心懷報復──不同的是,【Noble Intentions】的男主角 Noble 的老婆是慘遭冷血謀殺的,而且男主角被兇手設計出現在陳屍現場,以致情夫 Lord Alasdair 相信 Noble 在怒氣中殺死他的愛人。此外,Lord Alasdair 比起我心愛的麥格,可是差了十萬八千里,說難聽一點,連替麥格提鞋都不配,可見在我眼中,Katie MacAlister 把Lord Alasdair 這角色塑造的有多失敗啦!

看了諸多讀者的高度評價,只能暗自嘆息,再度證實了每個人的觀點與欣賞角度的差異。

兩片葉子,一片是嘉獎男主角那些端莊嫻雅的下堂情婦;第二片,用來獎勵作者的第一本長篇創作。給讓我大笑好幾聲的女主角一片枯萎的幽靈葉子。

Noble 和 Jillian,後會無期了……

 

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