The Slightest Provocation

Summary (from the publisher): As children of feuding Derbyshire landowners, Mary Penley and Kit Stansell eloped against their families' wishes. But neither their ardor nor their marriage could survive their own restless natures. Nine years later, Kit is a rising star in the military while Mary has made her way in a raffish, intellectual society of poets and reformers. A chance meeting re-ignites their passion, but still they have very different values. Yet when Kit uncovers a political conspiracy that threatens all of England, they agree to put their differences aside. Amid danger and disillusionment, Kit and Mary rediscover the bonds that are stronger than time, the selves who have never really parted - and the love that is their destiny.

Review: I found a signed copy of this at Goodwill, and since I'm sucker for historical fiction, and particularly historically based romance stories, I snatched it right up. This story is about an estranged husband and wife who reunite after years apart and reconcile their differences. While it could have been a great story, I was really disappointed in this book. 

The narrative style of this book was vague and rather odd. There were ongoing indeterminate pronouns being used and the POV would randomly switch to a very minor character who was then never mentioned again. For example, the preface to this book is told from Kit's mother's point of view, and she never really appears again following that scene.

I also felt like the sex scenes were  too graphic - Rosenthal even goes so far as to describe the smell of well-used sheets and the feel of you-know-what hair pressed against Mary's lips. Way too much for me. Really disgusting, honestly. I almost stopped reading this book several times, and as I write this review, I'm still not sure why I didn't just go ahead and do so. 

Despite the lovely cover image and the signed copy I have, I can't say much else positive about this book. 

Stars: 2