Review: Double Standards
Okay, so I’ve pretty much read almost all of Judith McNaught’s works and I have yet to be disappointed. Seeing as I’ve read so many of her books, I’ve noticed certain similarities which are present in most of her books – such as the fact that the female protagonist is always so naïve (and a virgin), even if the story is not a historical (which requires more naïve characters to fit in with the times). Double Standards is no different. Another thing I’ve noticed is that when everything seems to be going well for the couple in the novel, there is always something which ruins it all and creates so much drama and tension. As a reader, I kind of dislike it, haha, but as I writer, I assume it’s funny.
I had so many feelings while reading this novel, and they mostly pertain to the female protagonist; Lauren Danner. So my first impression of Lauren was that she was sassy as hell with her quips about falling and such, but then this feeling gave way to me kind of disliking her. She met Nick Sinclair only once and she was so very desperate to see him again and I just wanted to shake some sense into her. She fell in love with him so quickly and I kind of felt embarrassed for her, in fact, she reminds me of another of McNaught’s characters: Alexandra Lawrence from Something Wonderful (reviewed here).
Nick Sinclair is like any other handsome, rich male. He’s still arrogant, and he angers easily, but he can also be a very sexy lover. Damn, McNaught really does know how to write those love scenes and also a male protagonist such as Nick Sinclair. So after he’s done being an asshole to Lauren, he leaves a highly highly important meeting to confess his love to her and stop her leaving, and then to marry her. But let’s be real here, would someone really leave a meeting like that twice for a girl? I wouldn’t bet on it. Overall, Nick was a pretty good character, his development was paced, and I’m all for the tall, dark, and sexy type.
So it didn’t take me long to read this book, as it’s a lot shorter than the rest of McNaught’s novels. I think that if she created less naïve characters, then the story would be a little better or more interesting to read? I wouldn’t know, I’m just judging this based on a readers point of view, it’s probably a whole lot different from a writer’s point of view.
Anyways, I did enjoy the story and I love it when I get to read it all in one sitting instead of coming back and having to remember what happened beforehand. I can honestly say, that near the end of this book, my heart was beating so fast because it was so intense, haha. I think that proves that Judith McNaught is a very talented writer – I love it when I’m so invested in a book that I feel like I’m there.
