Official Review: Pretend by Barbara Cuyler

[Mrunal Tikekar]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Pretend" by Barbara Cuyler.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Elizabeth and David, the two remaining children of the Crawford family, are forced into a ruthless game for survival when most of the members of their family die. They both must assume roles, pretending to be someone they are not, to protect themselves from the mastermind behind the whole plan. The pretend game quickly escalates out of their control, threatening the bond between the children. Elizabeth, pretty and coy, simply wishes for a life without debt. Just when she finds the one she wants to share her life with, a handsome man from her past appears in Elizabeth’s life. Ironically, David turns out to be the person whose life changes the most after the appearance of this mysterious gentleman. Will this man permanently change the course of the children’s lives? Is the person Elizabeth is attracted to, the right choice? Will she manage to stay out of debt? What would happen to the mastermind that can kill to get their way? Pretend by Barbara Cuyler is a saga set in 18th century England. Replete with twists and turns, this book is a good pick for readers who enjoy romantic stories.

I found the beginning of the book choppy. The jump from one generation to the next was very abrupt and poorly linked. It was only after 20 odd pages that the story assumed its smooth pace. The story started coming together and I found myself engaged. The thing I liked the most was the language and the author’s choice of vocabulary. The character descriptions and the way they communicated with each other gave a sense of the era in which the story is set.

The focus of the story remains on David. There were times when I did not relate to the choices he made. At times I felt sorry for the choices forced on him by circumstances. This made his character unpredictable and enjoyable. Characters like Alice and Lucy added depth to the story with shades of complex human emotions. The character I had a hard time liking was Elizabeth. I found her inconsequential. Similarly, I wished the villainous mastermind should have gotten more space in the story. Their role ended abruptly, and they vanished from the scene without a major impact.

During the second half of the story, the author suddenly adds several characters. They share complex relationships with the main characters which made it difficult to keep a track of everyone. However, overall, I loved the story. It was poignant, powerful, and set me on an emotional rollercoaster. There were times when I kept the book aside just because I felt too sorry for David. The pace and length of the story are perfect.

I do not have any complaints about the book. I did not find any grammatical errors in the book, so I am certain it is professionally edited. There are some sexual scenes, but none is described with graphic details. Cuyler has kept her sensitive readers in mind, using language that is not too offensive. There is a degree of profanity, but it fits the circumstances. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend the book to readers who enjoy emotional sagas. I look forward to reading more books by Cuyler.

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Pretend
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[Kanchan Sharma]

The review is depicting so many twists and turns that I am really wishing to read the book.

[Becca Olsson]

I’m glad the author was able to write in a way that indicated what era the setting was. I hope they can address the issues of the beginning of the book you mentioned. Thanks for the honest review

[El_limitless]

I love the complexity of the plot. I'd love to find out what finally became of Elizabeth and David at the end of the day. Great review.

[Pallavi Lakra]

A story on conflict between siblings would be relatable. Thanks for the review.