Reviews for Master of Maramba

The average rating for Master of Maramba based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-10-12 00:00:00 Ryan Ragsdale With a title like MASTER OF MARAMBA (add the sound of thunder here), I thought I was getting one of those non-p.c., vintage, crazed-alpha-mine-mine-mine, HPlandia stories. But it turned out to be a pretty tepid story. I just don't understand why you set up a governess situation with a devilish (by all accounts) child and the very first five minutes of meeting her charge, they actually become best friends and the child turns overnight into an angel. Even Julie Andrews in that fantastic escapist caper, Sound of Music, had to overcome a couple of obstacles before getting her kids to thaw. Why set up all this drama about heroine's thwarted piano career, and then conclude that thread tritely with a couple of lines to the effect that the heroine found her love for music again by using piano therapy on her charge? Why all the family dysfunction drama including a cruel stepmom straight out of Disney'stock, only to leave it unresolved? Why spend so much time developing the psycho ex wife of the hero who was all but ready to stab the heroine or at least burn the mansion down, only to have her run with her tail between her legs never to be heard from again? Too many incomplete threads to this story. Too many OWs. Too abrupt an ending.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-09-15 00:00:00 Barton Rhodehouse A concert pianist heroine whose career is cut short by a tragic accident finds new meaning and love in the Outback as a governess to a disturbed little girl. The bitter hero is a cattle king with an adulterous ex wife who shows up every now and then to cause trouble. To complicate family matters the hero's uncle's young second wife comes on to him all the time and stays in contact with his ex. Rounding out the household is a sympathetic grandma, a stern housekeeper, and enough flora, fauna, and colonial Australian history to fill a guidebook. The young heroine (only 22) handles them all with aplomb. She is no Mary Sue, but she speaks up for herself at every turn, handles the little girl with compassion and intelligence, and manages to enjoy the hero's advances without collapsing with nerves or guilt or confusion. Her backstory (evil stepmother) gives her insight into the little girl. Her musical training and time in the public eye allowed her to show composure when she need it most. The hero is bitter at the right women - never the heroine. He doesn't fight his attraction to the heroine, doesn't mock her for being so beautiful. There are some lovely tender moments between the two. So why not a higher rating? It's *really* slow getting started - like four chapters of slow. The "meet cute" with the car parking in Brisbane goes on for too long. The scenes with the evil stepmother never really go anywhere. Still, the H/h romance is sweet and believable and it's a joy to read about a heroine who has her act together and can straighten everyone else out.