The Countess Book

An entertaining, somewhat campy, & occasionally saccharine bit o' vintage romantic suspense -- that is, entirely suited to one's mood, & when it works, it works.

Natch, I read the rougher, pulpier original 1979 version & not the shiny, sleek 21st-c edition. Apparently Coulter extensively rewrote the book, expanding upon what was there & adding new things to the story. That's unfortunate, IMO; the story works as-is (a true gothic/regency hybrid, aka the rarest of gothic rom subgenres) & doesn't need silly subplots about cutesy dogs & endless pages of witty banter. Rather, I liked the brevity & self-contained aspects of the story. I liked the hero & his grumpy lack of frills; I liked the heroine in her unconventional-but-not-overdone habits; I liked the conflicts arising from her (given childhood history, not unreasonable) fear of sex; I liked the OTT resolution & everyone's abnormally calm reactions to it.

In short, I liked it. :)