In Pursuit Of Miss Eliza Cynster (Cynster Sisters #2) by Stephanie Laurens
Historical Romance
Paperback
September 27, 2011
Reviewed by Tori
When Heather Cynster is returned to her loving family by Viscount Breckenridge, the Cynster’s know that the kidnapper will try again, so Eliza Cynster is placed under heavy guard until the elusive Laird is found. However, the Cynster’s failed to take into account just how desperate the Laird is and Eliza is kidnapped right from under their noses. Spirited towards Edinburgh, Eliza sees a familiar face and seizes the chance to escape.
Jeremy Carling, a placid scholar of ancient tomes, is shocked to see Eliza Cynster screaming for help from a carriage. Not your usual knight in shining armour, Jeremy cannot abandon a damsel in distress and enlists his friends to save her.
As Eliza and Jeremy race through the wilds of Scotland, one step ahead of a desperate Laird and a vengeful kidnapper, they find themselves on the brink of something magnificent…if they have the courage to seize it.
I have been a longtime lover of Ms. Laurens’ Cynster series. A delightfully complicated family of dangerous men and courageous woman who aren’t afraid to go after what they want in life. Brimming with humor, suspense, and the obligatory happily ever after, I spent many a night happily following their journeys to "happily ever after." The Pursuit of Miss Eliza Cynster is the second in the Cynster Sisters trilogy that revolves around three sisters-Heather, Eliza, and Angelica. Eliza Cynster is the second oldest and the most mild mannered of the three. Now that Heather has found her true love, it is Eliza’s turn. While scanning the ballrooms of the ton, she receives a note stating that a certain young man would like to meet her in private. She goes in search of her mysterious admirer and is taken.
I wish I could gush about this story but I cannot. The best I can say is that it is nice. The characters are nice. The plot is nice. The rescue is nice. Even the villain is nice. There is no sense of adventure in here. No intrigue or suspense. No standing on the precipice, quivering in anticipation wondering what will happen. We never at any time doubt what will happen. Eliza and Jeremy are two of a kind. Calm, rationale, and mild mannered. No arguing. They listen to one another and work extremely well together.
There were a few problems I just couldn’t let go of. One was Eliza meeting a strange man. She knows she is the next in line to be kidnapped so why on earth would she agree to meet a strange man alone? Then we have Jeremy and Eliza running from the Laird. Not once do they discuss the kidnapping or the possible reasons behind it. Though we do learn why the Cynsters’ have been targeted, I found it odd that that Jeremy and Eliza never visit the topic. The Laird is an enigma that will leave you wondering. He needs a Cynster in order to save his clan. He has a high sense of honor and when it becomes apparent that Eliza has escaped his clutches he goes from villain to matchmaker. He decides that fate saved him from a "woman who can’t ride" and makes it his duty to see watch over Eliza as she makes her way home. What a thoughtful kidnapper.
The romance is slow and sweet. The time Eliza and Jeremy spend together allows for the flames of desire to morph into love. I did like that in being alone they were able to shed the trappings of society and explore their feelings fully. The physical scenes are well written and allow for the consummation of Jeremy and Eliza’s love in a realistic yet fanciful sense.
The most interesting character in the entire book for me is the man that the Laird hires to kidnap Eliza. Unfortunately, we don’t see much of him after Eliza escapes. I was also disappointed that the rest of the Cynster family were not given more standing in the story. I looked forward to seeing Devil’s scowling face or Mrs. O’s snarky comments. The ending is anti climatic as we knew what would happen from the beginning and nothing is left to the imagination or chance. My advice is to wait for a copy from your library. Definitely not the Cynsters of the past.
I give this a D+
Recent Reviews:
All About Romance – C-
Red Hot Books – 3/5
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this sounds… nice. heh. Great review – I’ll have to pass (sigh) this just does nothing for me. I need something exciting!!
LOL It was nice.
This one wasn’t great for me either. –They consulted those maps every five minutes…. I just kept blanking out. And it felt too much like the Breckenridge book. I’m reading The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae right now. So far, I’m liking it much better than the other two in this trilogy.
I am looking forward to reading that one. Glad to hear it’s better. :)
Please, please tell me how I can also read “The capture of the earl of glencrae” also. If money is necessary, name a price. I have Pancreatic cancer recently diagnosed and am soon to have a “Whipple Procedure” which may or may not prolong my life. I am a 57 year woman who has read and re-read and listened and re-listened to all of Stephanie Lauren’s published books. Her books have helped me cope with what life has dealt me over the years and especially now.
I would so appreciate how to obtain this book either by mail or email in any way. I am also so eager to listen to the last Bastion series audiobooks set for release in March 2012 and hope I will be able to do so.
Thank you for your time. byassinger@aol.com, byassinger54@gmail.com
I think it had the worst of trilogy-middle-book problems. All the setup was done in Viscount Breckinridge, and all the wrap-up will be in Glencrae, so the middle one needs to stand on its own from a character and story perspective…and doesn’t really do it well. The story is a bit of a re-hash of #1, and all the niceness is a bit much. Glad to hear that Glencrae is looking good.
I agree.
Stephanie Laurens’ Cynster series was auto-buy for so long. Then the last several books were just meh. Guess I’ll wait to find this at the library.
I really enjoy her old Cynster novels. *sigh* I miss Devil and Honor so much.
Ooo and I really did like this book better than the first one in the trilogy. I liked that both hero and heroine are different, not so adventorous or a warrior. I know the Laird is blackmailed to kidnap a Cynster sister, so he doesn’t really want to but he must. What I do want to find out, is why the blackmailer wants it done.
And I think the Laird will have his hands full with Angelica next.
I really want to hear the whole story behind the kidnapping too.
Why is he so obsessed with the Cynster girls? And I do think he will find a HEA with the next one if he is that nice
*giggle* Oh he’ll get his HEA we are assured of that. :)