No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper is one of those rare romance fiction novels that really breaks the mold and throws all your previously conceived notions about romance out the window. This modern romance author takes love stories to another place entirely and some how creates a mash-up of science fiction and historical romance that is entirely unique and captivating. The tag line for the book on Amazon reads: “It's Terminator meets My Fair Lady...” but I think it is more like Aliens meets My Fair Lady.
Modern Day Romance in Historical England
Joan, a modern day alien assassin is transported back in time to England in 1888, and thus this convoluted story begins. Joan is on a mission to prevent the one action that let aliens, or demons rather, run loose in the world and overrun the human race. Going back in time introduces her to the only man who can help her; a magic wielding gentleman named Simon Grenville. The two are opposite in many ways except one, their incessant determination. And that alone is enough to bring these two hard-headed protagonists together.
The characters themselves were well written and attractive to the reader's eyes. Joan with her kick-butt attitude and terrible past, will immediately ignite a curiosity in readers. Simon is the Darcy-esque hero, though his quizzical brow is all that a gentleman's should be, his magic-practicing ways are all that is unconventional and his 'modern' way of thinking takes some getting used to. These characters have a whole lot going on among the two of them, lots of drama and twists and emotional upheavals, which is perhaps why this story seemed a little too busy to me.
Not only does this book have the time travel element of surprise, the plot twists of a wizard-gentleman as a hero, but also the demon threat that sounds like a scene right out of Aliens. The evil villain of the story is a magic wielding sorcerer who has learned to tap into the black arts and is fast on his way to becoming a real harbinger of Armageddon. There is so many shock factors, so many things for readers to wrap their minds around, that sometimes it just seems a little over the top. The author seemed to be working on one thing too many and ignoring details that could have made the book a real hit.
As a debut novel the story is promising overall. The author's imagination and wit provide real entertainment and even when my mind was on overload I was unable to put the book down. It is one of those stories you do want to know the end to because there could be an ending the likes of which you least expected. Sadly, the book did hype up the ending and leave a little more to be desired, but I think that kept me on my toes too. You really never know where Isabel Cooper is going to go with her story.
I am not a personal fan of the idea of throwing aliens, or rather very tentacled demons, and Terminator-esque technology into 1800s England, but I would recommend the book to sci-fi fans and those romance readers who are looking for something a little different. The book itself is well-written and able to distract you from the real world if that is what you have in mind.
About the Author
Living in Boston, Massachusetts, Isabel Cooper is an editor at a legal publishing company. She lives with her boyfriend and “a houseplant she has managed to keep alive for over a year now-a personal best,” as per her novel's author profile. Currently she is working on book two of this unique series; No Proper Woman, which is expected to release April 2012.
Source
- Cooper, Isabel, No Proper Lady, September 2011, Sourcebooks Inc., 978-1-4022-5952-4
Jessica Hastings - Jessica Hastings is a published author/poet, professional reviewer, and avid reader. Schooled in journalism and creative writing, she ...
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