Where to begin? This book was all over the place. The opening is characteristically chaotic for James. There are a lot of characters to meet, a lot of shouting, and one intriguing premise. Eventually, both the heroine and the reader figure out what's going on, but that clarity doesn't last long. Fool for Love is a mess in more ways than one, and it's so disappointing.

Henrietta Maclellan has a bad leg that causes her to limp, which makes her an unusual heroine, and I was immediately drawn to her. However, the more I got to know her, the more I found her prudish, idiotic, and even dangerous. When we first meet her, she pours water onto little Josie's because the four year old was having a tantrum. I know we've all wanted to do this to children when they're being ludicrous, but that doesn't mean you actually do it! I was actually quite frustrated by the way James thought it was "endearing" when women burst into violent bouts of rage by throwing things at men or dousing children with water. Just because these women are "desirable" and "petite", doesn't mean they should be excused for exhibitions of violence.

The only saving grace in this book was the hero, Simon Darby. He's a certified dandy, and consequently unnerves every country gentleman of his acquaintance by his discussion of lace and waistcoats. I found him quite refreshing and fun. His adoration of Henrietta carried the book, seeing as she never reciprocated. The man was turned on despite the fact that she rarely kissed him back. Henrietta is described, multiple times, as keeping her lips shut or not touching him, but this still manages to drive Darby wild. Most people would be put off by someone so uninterested, but to each his own, I guess.

The big conflict comes in regards to Henrietta's hip condition. She's been told all her life that her disability will not only prevent her from having children but that she will die likely in the process. Naturally, this just makes her long for a child all the more. Honestly, while I personally want children of my own one day, I was looking forward to reading about a heroine who didn't fit the traditional mold. Darby is very uninterested in having children, being content with raising his two step-sisters (even when he does have his own child, he's quite clear he's only excited about it because his wife wants the kid). This promised to be a modern family in a historical romance novel, and I was excited for that. Alas, that was not to be. Henrietta inevitably gets pregnant and is desperate to have the child, despite knowing that it will likely kill her. She's forced to contemplate between dying and potentially giving birth to a child or aborting the baby, which, at this point, is a cluster of cells because it's only been a month. Now, I'm fairly liberal and pretty pro choice. While my decisions are my own and everyone should do what they want, I was rather put off by the heroine's obsession to have her own kid, despite the fact that she admits to tricking Darby into marrying her solely so she could parent his step-sisters.

Throughout the novel, Henrietta insists that having a child made her complete as a woman. Without a natural child, she as a woman was a failure. This message is pretty persistent, and I didn't care for it at all. Darby makes it crystal clear that he loves her for her and that they are still a family, even if it's unconventional. Yet, she can't grow from her obsession to be a "real woman". I think this message is pretty damaging, and I could not enjoy the book due to this.

Esme and Judge Frollo - excuse me, Sebastian - reappear in this novel, and they're just as infuriating in this book. Sebastian is even bigger of a hypocrite, if you can believe it. Not only does he admit he would've happily killed Esme's ex-husband to be with her, he also declares that anyone who couldn't appreciate Esme is a boar, despite the fact that he was planning on doing the very same thing to his fiancé, who is also his beloved's best friend, might I add. Truly, they're the worst couple in regency romance, and I wish they would just move to Italy together so I never have to read about them again.

Between the extremely damaging message about what makes a "woman" and the hypocritical relationship between Esme and Sebastian, there was very little to like about this book. The reasons I rated it two starts instead of one is because the children in this book were actually pretty well-written and not at all precocious plot devices. Additionally, the book itself is well-written, if the pacing is off due to the balancing of the two "romances". Unfortunately, that's not enough to save it, the way it saved the first book in this series. ( )

I found this overly weighted down by very contrived drama, which is not my thing at all. Eloisa James can write well, but sometimes reason seems to fall by the wayside. A man wants to marry a woman but is deterred when told he won't be able to bed her because any risk of pregnancy would sign her death warrant- fine. He's a man of the world but doesn't consider just using birth control- fine. But then when the woman is told of it, rather than go to the man like, 'hey, that hurdle could be surmountable after all, let's weigh in this new information and maybe marry after all!'. Somehow she and his aunt contrive this whole plot that is bound to sully both of their reputations, and cast shame on their families, all in an effort to *trap him into marriage*, ('cause everyone likes that, right? A great way to start off a lifelong relationship!?) all still without giving him the new information, and even though *he had already wanted to marry her of his own volition!* ... What the Hell?! That is just insane. Sometimes the heroine seemed like a steady sort, and then she would fly into being totally irrational, and somehow men found her utterly charming when she was rude? I don't know. It was just too much. There were some nice aspects too, but they were overwhelmed by the problems for me. ( )

Glad that it's over! (I rounded up) ( )

I gave this book 3 stars, it would have gotten an extra star had I not had to read so much about Esme. I didn't like her character in the first book, and I found that her story took away from Henrietta and Simon's. I was enjoying their chemistry and looking forward to the next chapter but it would be interrupted by a chapter about Esme. Perhaps my dislike of her is just me, perhaps others will enjoy her and the story will move along great. But unfortunately for me she just made the story drag along. I will give this author one more chance... but not from this series as I have a feeling Esme will pop up again... ( )

I didn't get to know the hero, maybe because there isn't much from his point of view, but still liked the story a lot. Again, I was equally interested in Esme and Sebastian. ( )