Love On The Green [Paperback]

The hero and heroine are likeable, unique, and well-developed. The plot rarely hangs, keeping the reader interested throughout. There is a bare hint of passion, keeping this book from being too sweet (or, for that matter, too raunchy as some series romances are). The rather detailed picture of the early days of golf is intriguing as is the athletic hero's struggle to master the sport. He also battles the social stigma of having a trade, an interest he discovers that he shares with the heroine (who herself is frowned upon by society for her abilties and desire to use them).

Filled with the realistic developmentment of a romantic relationship, a couple with sufficiently unique characters, and a fresh approach to an old plot (rescuing the family fortunes).

Why then did I rate this book at only 3 stars? Well, because the first chapter goes nowhere, and is full of errors and dropped plot lines. For one, the hero's fiancee is called by three different titles or styles within the first two pages. She is Lady Honoria Dunster, but she is called Lady Dunster and Miss Dunster by the author almost immediately. For another, there is no development of Hertford's motivation - as to why he is out to ruin Chittenden (the hero's father), or why he wants to humiliate the hero.

This is a major problem, almost as much as why the heroine hates Hertford. The author has created a stock villain here - someone who is simply hateful and hated, without any history and motivation of his own. [Incidentally, the Marquess of Hertford was a real-life peer, although I am not sure if the 2nd or 3rd Marquess would have been the peer at the time this book is set - there is no precise dating here. I am not sure that either Marquess was out to cheat and ruin peers for the heck of it, although the 3rd Marquess was quite a character by all accounts].

The best part of this story is the skilful interweaving of how a sportsman-hero learns to play golf (which he has believed to be like cricket, but his friend more wisely compares to battlefield strategy) with the romance. The hero is helped in his quest by a young and impudent caddy, who is actually a young woman disguised as a caddy. [She loves golf, but women are not allowed in the sport]. Some of the craftsmen and golfers mentioned in the story are real, and St Andrews is indeed the mecca of golf. Those who play golf or have golf-loving relatives and friends will find this story particularly interesting.

I should add that I wish the author had been as careful in her historical research and in her development of her villain as in her golf research. For one, her villain is such a cardboard character that he is hard to believe in. For another, her villain is given the name of a real peer (or two real peers). Even more embarrassingly, an octogenarian Duke and his infant (or unborn) son and heir are made keen golfers in the story. A little bit of research on these points and on proper styles for the daughter of a peer would have created a better impression on this reviewer.

Adrian Lindley, the Viscount Marquand, determined early in his life that he would not follow in the footsteps of either of his parents, known to society for their unconventional ways. For the Earl of Chittenden not only had a fondness for drinking but was also a gambler, unable to help himself in spite of numerous promises to his son that he would give it up. It took one final disastrous wager with the Marquess of Hertford to bring matters to a head. The Earl had done the one thing he'd promised his son he'd never do--wager Woolsey Hall, the last unencumbered property and the one closest to the heart of the Viscount.

Having experienced the residual effects of an overiding passion only too well, the Viscount had determined never to succumb to such lures for himself. He would be stable, and steady and dull, if that's what it took. That was why he'd proposed marriage to (and been accepted by) the beautiful Honoria Dunster. The blonde and beautiful young woman was considered a chunk of ice by many of the young men in London because of her lack of emotion. Adrian thought her exactly what he wanted and needed.

Of course, he was also a young man of his time, well up on shooting and riding and all the other manly activities. But the men of London seldom engaged in golf. So it was off to Scotland for Adrian to take a crash course in the game, as the only way to prevent the loss of his favorite estate, even if it meant nearly jeopardizing his true first love-- landscape design. A commission he desperately wants is about to be awarded, and time is short. But yet--there is Woolsey Hall to be considered.

To his great surprise, the game turned out to be far more complicated than he'd originally thought, and while Hugh Philp, the acknowledged master of St. Andrews promised to help Adrian in his quest, it was the young caddie Dirty Derry, who became his teacher.

Along with learning about the game, Adrian learns about himself, about Derry and about Honoria. For Derry isn't a lad, but an impetuous young woman, Derrien Edwards, who not only shares Adrian's great passion--landscape design--but has a prodigious knowledge of the game of golf--forbidden, of course, to females. Secrets unfold, while others are maintained, and tensions rise while waiting for the climactic game.

It's amazing how much story is stuffed into these 229 pages. Not one word too many is utilized in the setting forth of this story. It's simply marvelous! Worthy of the Masters, in fact!