This is a book which reminds us that sometimes, those who truly deserve pitying (usually nobody in chick-lit) are the ones who need it the least. 
 First thought: Ho ho! An educational list on the qualities that make men GENTLEMEN?! This is such a girly book. If men came up with the a list on the opposite gender themselves, we women and members of the women's rights organisations will be screaming phrases of the Women's Charter. 
 Well, after reading this book, I realised that the "lessons in love' and the love list played not even a shadow of a role in this novel. In fact, the blurb is horribly misleading - what was promised as a light, hearty, and perhaps humorous read (or so I thought) turned out to be anything but. 
 Lucinda is the last of her clique to settle down, and due to peer pressure or some other reason that only girls can pull off, she sets her sights on a handsome devil who is already sorta marriage material, if not perfect, as the guinea pig whom will receive her lessons. Turns out, unbeknownst to her, there already is a willing student right under her nose - hardened, changed and once-tortured - like really tortured war veteran Robert Carroway. The all-knowing and equally-desperate Robert offers to help Lucinda with her lessons to Geoffrey/guinea pig (*My, ain't Robert the most unconventional, exasperating teaching assistant ever!*), but he has other ancillary hopes of his own - perhaps, in Lucinda's company, and with a task at hand, this can help him re-enter society and overcome his aversion to crowds, which he so belonged to before the war. 
 The book is sad and dark - it focuses on Robert's horrible tenure in the military, without going into the details of what exactly he endured four years ago but rather, how he tries so badly - and fails - to cope with the horrors that keep haunting him. With a man as damaged as him, and for some stupid reason so annoyingly goddamned prejudiced by society too, he deserves a pass for everything he does or thinks. This man is a fresh - but not necessarily invigorating - breath to the typical arrogant and perfect nobleman that usually take the role of the leading man in harlequins. 
 With Robert and his perils, everything else pales in comparison - the romance, the other characters, the suspense, the Lessons in Love. The other characters, having not experience as much and as deeply as Robert has had, seem shallow and petty in comparison. As for the romance - I don't really know what Robert saw in Lucinda as a touchstone for comfort and solace - she seemed so ordinary to me. However, I was so busy pitying Robert, I kept on screaming at Lucinda to just accept Robert on a silver platter and be done with it. In fact, Robert deserved anyone he wanted, after what he'd been through - he could've chosen a Kardashian and I wouldn't have objected much. 
 All in all, I always preferred happy books - even if the leading roles were given to perfect, sheltered people. I know that it makes me seem shallow compared to Robert, and all those who can appreciate such books for their true worth. That said - Enoch is an author whose books are worth reading.