The Bare Truth Summary and Reviews

The Bare Truth
by Elizabeth Clarke

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Book Summary Information

Author: Elizabeth Clarke
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-03
ISBN: 0843956720
Number of pages: 326
Publisher: Leisure Books

Book Reviews of The Bare Truth

Book Review: Expected better but this story does have a good heroine
Summary: 3 Stars

The Bare Truth is a novel that never lived up to its potential. It had a fine cast of characters but the tension and pacing tended to be uneven.

Heroine Juliette Garrison needs a job, one that will keep her in relative warmth and one that will pay enough to keep her consumptive mother in a decent London flat. Juliette has been fired from many jobs because she just cannot watch her tongue, she smarts off to employers and has to work diligently to control her impulsive nature. She and her mother manage to falsify references and she is hired by the Whitehalls. Juliette likes her job and its duties as a lady's maid

Juliette is alone at a confectioner's shop when she meets hero Thomas Jameson, a dashing American in London looking for investors in his shipping company. Thomas mistakes Juliette for nobility and she does not disabuse him of this but instead plays along. She sees Thomas a few times more in London keeping her fake persona.

Juliette soon discovers a secret about her parentage which opens up new avenues for her. She is haunted by her mother's journal and quite frankly she is doomed to repeat some of her mother's mistakes if she is not careful for she is falling in love with the dashing Thomas.

Thomas is an interesting character with a sad eventful life; he lost his parents at a young age and practically raised himself and is now a fairly successful entrepreneur. Class distinctions don't matter a whit to him but he is not willing to entertain the thought of marriage to Juliette, seems he already broke one woman's heart. I did not particularly like Thomas in parts of this novel, he seemed blissfully unaware or uncaring of the ramifications his actions would have on Juliette. His pursuit of her would only end in her dismissal if the lady of the house discovered their affections and he made no promises to Juliette.

The leads reveal their pasts to each other and these moments of dialogue are quite good but for some reason when they speak of present circumstances or a possible future it lacks the emotional spark that occurs when they retell their childhood memories. Juliette must temper her dialogue which she still lets fly. It's a wonder she was not sacked several times in this novel.

There is a mystery thrown into the last third of this book which came as a surprise. This changes the direction of the leads romance and almost interrupts their emerging feelings. Now they make decisions that are necessary rather than voluntary. Also this couple spends some time apart from each other in this story which does not give the reader an opportunity to see them fall more deeply in love.

Overall this book does have a certain charm to it. Juliette really is an unusual character, she is a champion for the underdog and she is not afraid to stand up to those in authority. She is a bit unsure of herself with the hero but it was not unusual given that she had a somewhat sheltered past. Thomas on the other hand was a bold confident man when it came to wooing Juliette and even though he had those wonderful egalitarian American ideals he still lacked a certain amount of respect and concern for Juliette's plight.

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