The Bare Truth
by Elizabeth Clarke
List Price:
Our Price: $0.01
You Save: $6.98 (100%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Elizabeth ClarkeEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-02-27
ISBN: 0843956720
Number of pages: 326
Publisher: Leisure Books
Book Reviews of The Bare Truth
Book Review: The Bare Truth: Good But Could Have Been Better
Summary: 3 Stars
`The Bare Truth' is an engrossing historical romance. Set in late nineteenth century London, this is essentially a rags-to-riches tale. Our heroine is Juliette Garrison, a feisty young woman whose inability to keep her opinions to herself has caused her employers to dispense with her services. However, she lands on her feet when she obtains a job as a lady's maid.
Juliette is a very likeable character whose life has been a constant battle against poverty. The novel opens as she nervously waits for an interview with her prospective employers. We immediately sympathise with her situation and we are drawn into her life; the author, Elizabeth Clarke, does a fine job with the story's lead character.
Disappointingly, however, the same cannot be said for the novel's other main characters. In particular, Juliette's love interest, Thomas Jameson, an American entrepreneur, is sketchily drawn. He has also had a tough upbringing. We are given a tantalising glimpse of his tragic early life, but we don't find out much beyond that in terms of his back story. Given that his shipbuilding business is in trouble and the crew of one his vessels is missing, his story is alarmingly skimmed over as he pursues Juliette.
Similarly, another potentially interesting character, Sarah Whitehall, the young woman that Juliette is employed to serve as lady's maid, is somewhat wasted. Sarah's life has been the polar opposite of Juliette's. Brought up in opulence, she feels suffocated by her position in life and her apparent lack of freedom. Her sunny disposition makes her a likeable character and I wanted to find out what would happen to her when Juliette left service. It is at this point that the novel sags a little. Sarah is only fleetingly referred to again, having been a relatively major character in the story. I am not suggesting that the last third of the novel is badly written or that it lacks pace. In fact, the excitement and tension build nicely as Juliette pursues her goal (I won't reveal what this is). But, there is a feeling, for me at least, of promise not quite fulfilled.
If the author could have manoeuvered events so that Juliette kept her job with Sarah and fleshed out Thomas's life a little more, I think it would have made for a more satisfying read. If you like romances of this sort, then this novel is certainly worth reading and, if it were possible, I'd give it three-and-a-half stars.
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in It's Summer, Give me a Break
Duchess in Loveby Eloisa James
Avon; Published: 2002-12-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.36
Price in other shops:
A Matter of Temptation (Avon Romantic Treasure)by Lorraine Heath
Avon; Published: 2005-10-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.30
Price in other shops:
Lessons of Desireby Madeline Hunter
Bantam; Published: 2007-09-25; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops:
The Bride Of The Unicorn (Hqn Romance)by Kasey Michaels
Harlequin; Published: 2007-08-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.09
Price in other shops:
One Night of Passion (Avon Romantic Treasure)by Elizabeth Boyle
Avon; Published: 2002-07-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.24
Price in other shops:
The Marriage Bed (Avon Romantic Treasure)by Laura Lee Guhrke
Avon; Published: 2005-07-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Just Wicked Enoughby Lorraine Heath
Avon; Published: 2007-09-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops:
The Bare Truthby Elizabeth Clarke
Leisure Books; Published: 2007-02-27; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.89
Price in other shops:
The Christmas Heiressby Adrienne Basso
Zebra; Published: 2006-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.98
Price in other shops:
His Mistress By Morning (Avon Romantic Treasure)by Elizabeth Boyle
Avon; Published: 2006-09-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.69
Price in other shops: