2.5Wow, where to begin. Okay, obviously, at the beginning. If this book weren't written by Kresley Cole, one of my absolute favorite authors of all time, I would not have finished it. About page 65 or so, I hated the heroine's idiocy and thought our Alpha male hero was just a jackass rather than an Alpha. I am glad I finished it because around page 250 or so I began to like the book. Why such the gap? I can't be sure, but I feel like our idiotic heroine and our jerk of a hero became two separate characters. And not in the good "Oh they've grown" kind of way, in the "Am I sure this is the same book? Same names, yep, same title, yep. Okay same book."So, with all this not really liking or caring about our people, why the decent rating you might ask?Well, it's really a 2.5 star, but since goodreads doesn't give it halfsies I added a half star for Kresley's witty dialogue. She is the only author who can write an historical romance during the Victorian era of all times, and use current snarky sarcasm in her witty banter and PULL IT OFF!! So, well done, KC, well done.By the last hundred pages plus, I found some amazing lines from Court that I just loved, and they are so typical KC,"I never want to see you with a gun in your hand, Anna." "Why not?""You were no' meant to," he said simply."What is that supposed to mean?"His gaze caught hers, and she saw his eyes were bleak. "It means people like me were put on the earth so people like you never had to do bad things and suffer from them."The first time I actually saw who Court really was.Next, Annalia was naked in front of him, and getting shy because Court was staring. I loved how again we see a glimpse of the real Court, who feels he doesn't deserve her and would never see her."I'm starin' because you're more beautiful than I could ever imagine and it gives me pleasure tae look at you, all of you. I'm starin' because I never thought I would."My favorite one, isn't really all that fantastic or romantic, but I loved how Court sees himself. He's telling her why he can't stay in her room with her, since she's safe now."I might do something we'd both regret.""Why do you think I'd regret that?"She saw his shoulders stiffen, his hands clench. "You doona know me, Anna." As he shut the door behind him, she barely heard him mutter, "If you did, you would no' waste your interest in me."I think with the snarky but sassy heroine and the Alpha male, and the fated mates, I can see Kresley Cole entering her flow as far as what she uses in her IAD series. But here, it drove me nuts.So, I liked the book after about 2/3 of the story, and at that point I would definitely have put this book off if it weren't a KC.