Inamorata by Megan Chance
Publication date: August 1st, 2014
Pages: 420
Synopsis (according to Goodreads):
American artist Joseph Hannigan and his alluring sister, Sophie, have arrived in enchanting nineteenth-century Venice with a single-minded goal. The twins, who have fled scandal in New York, are determined to break into Venice's expatriate set and find a wealthy patron to support Joseph's work.
But the enigmatic Hannigans are not the only ones with a secret agenda. Joseph's talent soon attracts the attention of the magnificant Odile Leon, a celebrated courtesan and muse who has inspired many artists to greatness. But her inspiration comes with a devastatingly steep price.
As Joseph falls under the courtesan's spell, Sophie joins forces with Nicholas Dane, the one man who knows Odile's dark secret, and her sworn enemy. When the seductive muse offers Joseph the path to eternal fame, the twins must decide who to believe--and just how much they are willing to sacrifice for fame.
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Review:
I received a physical copy from the author in exchange for an honest review and participation in a blog tour.
I must admit I had grown predictable in my reading choices. It was normally paranormal romance or contemporary romance and I never deviated. When I was approached to read Inamorata, I pondered the discomfort of branching out of my normal genres. Finally, I threw caution to the wind and decided a historical read, with just a dash of fantasy so I didn't venture too far away from my zone, was going to be my guinea pig. I had never read anything by Megan Chance so it was also a way to test a new writer (for me at least).
Joseph and Sophie Hannigan are two twins with an odd connection. They are incredibly close and Sophie has learned to take a backseat to Joseph's work. It was no surprise that they ended up in Venice in hopes of expanding on her brother's talent and finding a rich benefactor to make him rich and famous. Sophie, Joseph's docile muse, is willing to do whatever it takes to make her brother a star. Even seduce and manipulate a man by the name of Nicholas Dane.
The Hannigans do not have to work very hard to dazzle anyone they come into contact with. They seem to compliment each other to such an extent that men and women alike can't help but be captivating by them. But their abilities to draw people in could also be their downfall when a seductive succubus catches wind of the handsome artist sibling, Joseph. Sophie has a strong aversion to Odile from the beginning and makes every attempt to keep her brother away from the temptation that is the famous courtesan. But Joseph seems under a spell that no one can break. Not even the sister he loves more than anything in the world.
Sophie finds help from the most unlikely of people. Nicholas Dane who she was meant simply to seduce into introducing her brother to a well known patron of the arts has a secret past with Odile. He has been following her for years trying to thwart her attempts at destroying young artists' lives and leaving them in talent-less ruin. Can Sophie and Nicholas stop Odile from claiming Joseph's soul before it's too late?
This book was incredibly odd to me. When I finished it, I closed the book, stared at the cover, and muttered a 'Huh. That happened.' The incestuous undertones between the twins coupled with Sophie's potential romance with Nicholas confused me. I didn't know who I was rooting for. And if I rooted for the siblings to become romantically involved, how screwed up was I? I really liked Joseph. I saw how pained he was to know his sister was hurt by the scandal they left in New York and how much he wanted to be famous, not just for himself but for his sister. He wanted to take care of her. I loved him as a character. I growled and bared my teeth when he became involved with Odile though. No likey the succubus. Sophie seemed a little too submissive and docile for my liking, but thinking back, women were taught to be that way in the 19th century. Is it really a surprise that at least one of the characters had that sort of personality?
I found the book to be okay. There was no part of it that resonated in my brain really. It kept me reading but with a bit of a lackluster attitude. I liked the different landmarks in the book, but being as I know nothing about Venice or it's popular places, I had a hard time picturing the scenes. That was a bit frustrating for me personally. Other people may not have the same issue. If you are a history buff who also likes a dash of otherworldliness in your reading, Inamorata is for you.
