A Season For Sin by Vicky Dreiling
Historical Romance, Novella
Released: September 4, 2012
Forever
Reviewed by May
If there was one thing Virginia understood, it was that people, men in particular, always wanted forbidden fruit. And Laura, a respectable lady, represented a challenge. Ah, yes, a very proper widow and a ruthless rake would make a very combustible couple. But oh, what a wonderful way to burn.
Laura Davenport (Lady Chesfield) is a respectable widow, raising her late husband’s son and finding the seventeen year old boy to be quite a handful. She worries about his guardian taking an interest (and taking him away from her), and about how to help him become a good man that his father would be proud of.
Andrew Carrington, the Earl of Bellingham likes order and routine. Lately though, things have been unraveling and he keeps seeing this same trio of young reckless boys about town that remind him of his own youth when he too thought nothing bad could happen to him. Searching for a new mistress and always up for a challenge – he learns a new lady in town, Lady Chesfield, is rumored to be all that is good and proper, and that no man can seduce her. The pair meet at a ball where she is warned to have nothing to do with him, and that whatever she does she should make sure to not become a woman of interest to him either. Because what the Earl of Bellingham sets his sights on, he gets.
The Sinful Scoundrels is author Vicky Dreiling’s new series, and Laura and Bell will be starring in the first book. This novella is a prequel, the teaser for the new book that was at the end of the novella shows that the story starts up exactly where the novella ends – with Laura desperate to get the Earl of Bellingham out of her house and away from her – and the Earl determined to get closer to the widow by offering advice about her step-son.
I opened this book expecting a holiday or seasonal story based on the title, and I assumed it would be a novella set in the world of Dreiling’s new series. Instead, it was a teaser, a promo if you will giving us a bit of set up on what the next novel from this author will be about.
The writing in this piece reminded me of why I have enjoyed Dreiling in the past, and it definitely left me wanting more! The potential problems I felt might grow into full blown issues for me was that these characters didn’t seem to stand out as special or different in any way, and I found the young man in question to be entirely too predictable. Based on how easy Laura is on him, I could not understand his deep rebellion against her. She was not controlling or heavy handed with him at all, in fact she seemed to have very little spine at all when it came to the boy.
I would like to read more about the Earl (aka Bell). He has a dark past that is alluded to, no family, and keeps his emotions all locked up. While those aren’t especially original details, as a character I believe he has potential. He is a man of routine – to the point of having the exact same breakfast each day. He also is a man whose only close friends have found love, married, and altered his world in ways he is not happy about.
Do I recommend it? This author has always impressed me with her set ups and how quickly she draws me into a story. This novella did all of that, really showcased Dreiling at her best. The problem I have with that (or recommending you read this) is that I do not know if the novel will stand up to the challenge. True it is only about a dollar, but it is also not in any way a satisfying story. It is an add-on, bonus material to the novel itself really. I am not sure how much it will really add to my enjoyment of the novel, but I don’t think in any way it would be required to read this before checking out the (yet to be released) novel.
I don’t really feel like I can grade this piece. If I grade it on the writing, and how much it made me want the real book from this author it would score very high indeed. If I grade it as a novella, well then it would be a fail because no story was really told and we are left waiting for the real story to begin.
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Hi May,
Thanks for reviewing A SEASON FOR SIN. I don’t usually comment on reviews, but I do want to say that you’re absolutely correct that this e-novella is a prequel to the upcoming series THE SINFUL SCOUNDRELS. My intention with this e-novella was to give readers a preview of the characters who will star in the new series while I am writing the new series. The production process for a full-length book in multiple formats takes several months, and I wanted to give readers a short story during that time. While I might have written a completely different story with a definitive ending, I thought readers would enjoy the prequel of the characters. The choice I made, however, left me with a conundrum. I couldn’t end on the usual Happily Ever After because that happens in the upcoming full length book. I included the beginning of the upcoming book to let readers know that the story would continue, but it is unusual. While you didn’t feel that you could grade A SEASON FOR SIN, I do think you did an excellent job with setting expectations with your summary. Cheers!
Vicky, I hope you understand that it is frustrating to be expected to pay for what you admit is effectively promotional material for the author.
You’ve told me why you did this as a author, but you haven’t told me why I should read this as a reader. This isn’t a full story. Why should I pay money and spend time to be frustrated? Is this prequel necessary to understand the full-length book, and if it’s not necessary to understand it, is it just random filler? If it is necessary, do I have to buy two books instead of one?
Please, next time think not about what a story will do to promote your books, but about whether it will satisfy readers. This did not. It left a bad taste in my mouth, and it made me feel like I didn’t want to buy your next book because I do not want to encourage publishers and authors to think that writing incomplete stories and publishing them and asking for money is a good business strategy.
I think you would have done better promotionally to have a complete story about related characters and a few chapters from the new book.
This book, and especially your response here, makes me think that you think of me as nothing more than a source of money, someone to be marketed to, and not as a reader who deserves a satisfying reading experience. Your response above makes me think you’re clueless about the fact that when I read I’m giving you not only money but time, and you don’t value my time enough to reward me with a complete story when I’ve invested in you.
I hope that isn’t the message you really meant to send but it is the one I got. This isn’t about my going in with proper expectations as you seem to think. It is about my believing that if you publish something, it should have a storyline. It should not end in the middle of the story with no resolution.
If you don’t value my time as a reader, I don’t need to give you any more of it. This book, and your “explanation” told me why you thought this would benefit you. Next time think about whether this will benefit your readers.
And I am confused on what to say, I guess I’d feel like with most novellas