Wait ... what?

There's a Harlequin Romance on my bookshelf.  I have no idea how it got there; I mean, I assume I picked it up at a book sale someplace, but I'm not sure why.

Not that there's anything WRONG with Harlequin Romances; the mom of one of my best friends in high school went to the library every week and brought home a wheelbarrow full of them; I have nothing but respect for anyone who reads that much, and for books in any form.  I have no idea how many Archie comic books I plowed my way through in elementary school.  Reading is reading.

SO.  My point.  I do have one.  The other day I was browsing my bookshelf, seeing what to read next, when I spotted the Harlequin.  I picked it up, flipped it open, and here's the first sentence I came to:

"In all probability Luque de Mayo was so unpredictable that those who knew him as well as anyone was able to know him were not surprised when he did the unexpected."

- from Satan Took a Bride by Violet Winspear.
 
FIRST off, "Satan Took a Bride"?!?  AWESOME title.  Secondly, I think that sentence has to be one of the most convoluted things I've ever read.   What's that award?  The "dark and stormy night" award?  They should start up another one for most confusing sentence.  I'm pretty sure Ms. Winspear would win.

I mean, a simple "Everyone knew that Luque was unpredictable" would have done.  I am hoping that Ms. Winspear was getting paid by the word, because she really milked that baby for all it was worth.  Now I kind of want to meet her.  Just to shake her hand.