5 comments about Holly.

1. Jude Deveraux's novels often impress me (The Summerhouse, and Remembrance) but this new one by her, "Holly" leaves alot to be desired.
   
   This book is a continuation of the Montgomery Taggert modern romances that Jude Deveraux has been writing for a number of years. However, Holly is the worst book I have ever read by Ms. Deveraux and I would suggest you save your money.
   
   I bought this book thinking it would be a great Christmas read however situations the heroine gets into are just laughable and stupid (Falling down a well and having unprotected sex with her recuser within an hour of meeting him being one, and taking off all her clothes while cleaning since she got so hot and dusty being another).
   
   I am wondering if Ms. Deveraux was on a deadline to submit a book for the Christmas season and she just slapped this mess together knowing that however horrible it is (believe me it is) it would still sell.
   
   Keep your money and if you have a taste for really bad porn and dumb plots check this book out at your local library.



2. The best way to describe my feelings about this book is that I was mislead -- a bait and switch happened here.
   
   The cover of the book is very classy-looking and the description of the story indicates an interesting and cozy Christmas story. Being a sucker for Christmas novels, I immediately picked it up when I found it on the clearance rack at the used book store. What a disappointment (even though I only paid $1, I wasted my precious time).
   
   This book is nothing but a supposedly virginal and brilliant woman who has sex with strangers, runs around naked most of the time (every opportunity for her to take off her clothes is used) and makes really stupid decisions. In addition to all of that, there is a very violent ending to the book with gunfire involved that flies in the face of any heart-warming tale of the season. I assumed I was getting something along the lines of "Silver Bells" by Luann Rice. Instead, I got a soft porn book mixed with James Patterson. I will definitely not be passing this along to friends and family.
   
   Yuck !



3. I bought this book for myself for Christmas I love to read and I am looking forward to reading it soon



4. I thought this book was refreshing. Holly steps out of character and takes chances for the first time in her life. Previously, she was always focused on work, and didn't make time for men. She has to make a choice between what she thinks she has always wanted and what she really wants. A very relatable book, and a good read.



5. I am a definitely a Jude fan and I have my favorites ... and this is one of them! I have read this book several times as it is my "get lost in the story, laugh out loud book." I love the charactes and the plot - it all really works for me.

5 comments about Wild Orchids: A Novel.

1. This was a real winner for me. It is word for word captivating from beginning to end. I felt Jude Deveraux must have known the Devil personally to write this piece. Not meaning it in a bad way, just that it felt so real. Everything flowed so well. I can't say enough about it. Thank you Jude Deveraux for a book that inspired me. I hope and pray you never stop writing, you definently have a gift for it. I have to say this is a fantastic read. Thank you Jude.



2. Jude Deveraux books are usually feel good romances with a lot of wit and humor. The kind you will stay up reading until 4AM. That's what I expected when I started this one but this one was different than the mindless romance read I was expecting. Different in this case is not bad, just unexpected. The book had me from the beginning and kept me guessing until the end, which is rare. I feel for those who were disappointed because it was not her regular style but it does not deserve the bad marks some of her long time fans gave it. Wild Orchids is a very high caliber writing style that could have easily competed for book of the month in the more snobish literary circles were Deveraux not already established as a romance writer. I wasn't sure I liked the 1st person writing style and I know I did not care for rehasing the same events from competing perspectives but the book still held me captive to the end. It had an excellent story line and still had Deveraux's imagination, wit and humor. What Deveraux needs to do is write this style under a pseudonym, so she doesn't blind side her unsuspecting romance fans.
   
   In summmary: I highly recommend Wild Orchids, just know that it is not going to be one of her feel good romps. You really need to read this book when you don't need one of her "chocolate Sunday for the romance reader's soul" books to fully appreciate it. I give it high marks and hopes she continues with this style under a pseudonym.



3. Deveraux alternates between her two main characters telling the story in first person. Ford Newcombe is a writer who has lost his wife of 21 years, and both his beloved in-laws, as well as the will to write. Enter Jackie Maxwell, half his age, health conscious and feisty; a very unlikely couple.
   
   Ford and Jackie grope their way toward a working relationship at first, without any of the usual "falling in lust" of a typical romance novel. They find ways of making their differences mesh instead of working against each other.
   
   What brings them together in the beginning is Jackie's devil story, which Ford wants to research and write. They soon discover that there is something much more sinister behind the story, and that it may be more than just a tale told by her mother to scare her.
   
   The paranormal in this book is more chilling than horror and is very well done. I didn't like Deveraux's other attempt at paranormal, the Forever trilogy. This one is quite different and gave me goosebumps without giving me nightmares.
   
   To give you an indication of how much I liked this book, I read the paperback, and as soon as I finished reading, I bought the e-book for my Kindle.



4. Book was selected by one of our group, so there wasn't any negotiation related to the selection .Book kept readers interest, quick read,majority of group enjoyed.Much controversy regarding the May-December romance and the "devil".Good book for the beach, that's where I read it!



5. This was my first novel by Deveraux. Not into romance books at all, but it was recommend to me from a good friend who knows what I like. I really enjoyed the book, because it was not only well written but it was just a touch of romance. Was surprised how well I enjoyed it with Deveraux being an romance author.

5 comments about Someone to Love.

1. I read this book in a few hours; Jude Deveraux's books are quick reads. Jude usually carries me away to a different reality, but in Someone to Love, she doesn't. Overall it's not a memorable book, but I don't feel as if I have completely wasted my time reading it. It had some enjoyable funny moments.
   I liked the mystery aspect and the fact that Jude tied in the ghosts, it made the plot line more interesting. I honestly was a bit skeptical of this book when I first picked it up; I'm not a big mystery fan usually. I felt that Jude had something good going with the mystery of the ghosts. But she carried on a bit too much on Jace's obsession with the dead and his fiancé. I didn't know his fiancé from reading about her character; mayhap that's why I felt no sympathy for him or Stacy. I have heard this book came out after the tragedy struck of losing her son (Jude's). So in my mind I feel that Jude did a good job after something of that multitude had happened to her. Yes Someone to Love isn't her best, but its not her worst either. The ending I felt was off for the two ghosts. I know Jude meant for it to be sweet but it came off kind of creepy. I wouldn't want that to happen to me. I'm not going to spoil it for future readers. Just know that the ending isn't what you expect, not like it's a twist or anything...it's just weird.
   I also thought as usual that Jude does a great job with setting. Some readers have complained that Jude has mixed up some English terms with American-English terms, very easy mistake to make especially after having a death in her family. Her editor is most likely American and that's why he/she hadn't caught on to it. There's a lot of slang in English (American), so possibly do you think there's a lot in English terms? I felt this reader maybe a bit particular. It honestly did not bother me when reading Someone to love.
   Overall the book was not a disappointment, but it was no "Knight in Shining Armor" or "Remembrance".



2. Took awhile to get to me but it was within the time stated and I wasn't in a hurry anyway. Quality was good and the price was excellent. I would buy from this seller again.



3. I read some of the other reviews and I do agree that this was not a gripping, sensational story..., but entertaining and enjoyable. I love reading anything about England, so I very much enjoyed the setting! The reading was light and quick with a charming, albeit odd story about ghosts and love and moving on...It was just a fun book to kill a weekend with!



4. 'Someone to Love' is the first book I read authored by Jude Deveraux.
   
   Someone to Love is a romantic novel, interwined with a mystery. It was the 'What Happens Next?' mystery element kept me glued to this book.
   
   The story is about Jace Montgomery, an Amercian, who goes to England to find out the mystery behind his fiancee Stacy's death. What is it that happened in the small village pub in England where Stacy died? Jace decides to find out such that he himself is able to move on with his life and not think about the incident and ensure that Stacy rests peacefully.
   
   Jace purchases the unsightly Priory House in England and discovers it is haunted. Unraveling the ties between past and present with the help of a beautiful local journalist, Nigh, Jace must at last reconcile his heartwrenching loss and his own hopeful future.
   
   Though Jude Deveraux, the author, could pull few strings here and there, overall it's a pretty decent read.
   Recommended.



5. I was really disappointed with this novel. Jace, an enormously wealthy American, has been in mourning for three years following his fiancee's suicide. It's a little hard to feel sorry for a man when the author barely bothers to show us Jace and Stacy being happy together. It's even harder to feel sorry for someone who can purchase a haunted mansion in Britian for 3.5 million dollars on a 'hunch' that the place has something to do with his beloved's death.
   
   There's some confused business with a couple of ghosts who don't follow any of the accepted folklore rules and a new love interest for Jace--Nigh, a completely unbelievable character. Nigh's been away from home for 10 years while working as a reporter in the Middle East but has kept paying the rent on her parents place for--oh, who cares, it's not like any of this makes sense. She and Jace come together and break apart in a series of eye-rolling-does-the-author-expect-me-to-buy-this encounters.
   
   In the end we find out Stacy was a complete slut during her formative years and did a lot of things with the town's bad boy. As a mystery, this book falls flat. As a romance, ditto.

5 comments about Mountain Laurel.

1. a huge Jude fan, and would read any of her novels based on hr authroship alone. But this book stands alone in her series and no romance book I've ever read makes me cry so much, laugh so hard, or fall in love with the same man so often (just don't tell my future husband that).
   
   'Ring isn't dreamy, he's too straitlaced and perfect. Tall, dark, handsome, devoted to his duty as an army officer and to his men he needs excitement.
   
   Enter LaReina, the singing duchess. She's actually a mountain girl, daughter of famous explorers who's sister Laurel has been kidnapped. For ransom she must transport gold in her giant coach under the cover of a singing tour.
   
   Her friend sent for one man to escort her but since he died Ring the tight-butt comes along to spar verbally with her and warily watch her three hired companions.
   
   Filled with beautiful descriptions of Native Americans, really colorful secondary characters, and great humor that will have you giggling this is a timeless escape.
   
   And the love between these two characters is so real it will instantly make you remember how it feels to fall in love. No hate-love here it's simple attraction and two very well rounded characters with their own wounds and insecurities coming together in desperate times.
   
   The sex is very minimal and towards the end but this is the most sensual thing I've ever read. The anticipation that builds between these two will have you chasing your honey that night.
   
   How I wish they'd make a movie of this novel! But for now, I'll keep reading it, and it would be so terrible if you missed this one.
   
   Admitedly, the follow up "Wishes" about their son is very funny but lackluster in comparison, but you revisit with these heroes. And twenty some odd years later in the second book, you feel their love just as strongly.
   
   Don't miss this or you will be sorry!



2. Madelyn Worth (Maddie) is a World famous opera singer also known as La Reina the singing Duchess. She journeys out to the West to rescue her sister, Laurel, who has been held hostage. She must sing in 6 towns and deliver letters at each post.
   
   Captain 'Ring Montgomery has been assigned to escort her across the rough terrain by General Yovington. He's none to pleased to be babysitting a 'travelling singer', not knowing the purpose of her journey into the West. At first he tries to scare her so that she goes running back to safe East. He fails and stands by his duty and escorts from one town to the next.
   
   Maddie does not want 'Ring to travel with her as she thinks that he will put Laurel's life at risk by attempting something dangerous like chasing after the kidnappers. She does all she can to dismiss him but fails. As the journey across the West in search of Laurel, they find a growing attraction for each other that they cannot deny.
   
   It's a pleasure always to read a Jude Deveraux book, especially ones that concern the Montgomery clan. Those Montgomery men sure are to die for. Always handsome, gentle, caring gentlemen. However, I was not drawn into the love story. I could not believe that these two people really cared for each other. Neither did I warm to Maddie who I thought was rather spoilt. However, the plot runs smoothly and the secondary charachters add flavour to the book. 'Ring Montgomery also makes an guest appearance in "Eternity" also by Jude Deveraux which I thought was a much better book than the present.
   
   Lea Ling Tsang



3. Maddie Worth is known as LaReina, which means the Singing Duchess. She is no duchess, but she is a talented opera singer enjoying her steady rise to stardom. But when she receives a notice that Laurel, her younger sister, has been kidnaped by spies who may or may not be against slaves, she has no choice but to abandon her tour in the Northeast and do what the captors demand from her. Her job is to play decoy by singing across the West and help them deliver messages and notes. Captain Christopher " 'Ring" Montgomery is put in charge of protecting her while she "tours" the West. Straitlaced and honorable to a fault, 'Ring isn't thrilled with the idea of escorting some singer. He has more pressing matters in his hands, like serving his country. His idea is to scare her off so he could be freed of helping her, but Maddie refuses to budge and gives him a hard time as he reluctantly decides to do his job. He realizes that something is troubling her, but will she trust a law-abiding soldier with her dilemma? Her sister's life is in the hands of her captors, and they are not happy with the fact that Maddie is traveling with a soldier. There are various twists throughout the novel.
   
   This pre-Civil War romance is fun, romantic and sensual. Jude Deveraux has once again given me a story that I couldn't put down. 'Ring is so incredibly hot. He is reserved compared to other Deveraux heroes, but his seeming indifference to Maddie makes him all the more sensual and handsome to me because it is obvious to everyone except Maddie that he has the hots for her. And he is hilarious! I loved his quips when Maddie was telling him about her father while she removed cactus thorns from his body, one of the funniest scenes in the novel. Maddie, like all Deveraux heroines before and after her, is spirited, independent and intelligent, a woman before her time. She sort of reminds me of Axia from The Heiress. The sexual tension between them is so palpable it almost jumps off the pages. The love scene seems almost anticlimactic because it isn't quite as wonderful as the tension between the protagonists before they get together. The scene is great, but not as good as I expected. There is also a lot of back story about characters here that could be spun off to another novel, like the stories centered on 'Ring's sister or brother. All in all, Mountain Laurel isn't as engrossing as the works I've read by this author so far, but that's not saying much because this is above most romances I've read and I can't recommend it enough.



4. Basically if you like an easy read with a romance, funny comments, and declarations of love in the end...then this book is for you. It's not highly intelligent or factually correct, but it's cute and warms your heart. If you then also have a little knowledge of opera, or just like it, then you'll probably get this book and the characters a little bit better too. I loved it! Hope you will too!



5. She is known as LaReina, the singiness Duchess. Maddie Worth is a spicy young opera star on a mission to save her beloved younger sister; Laurel. When Captain 'Ring Montgomery is given orders to escort Maddie he is furious! Why should he, the Captain of the fort, play nursemaid to a pretty little singer?
   
   After Maddie refuses his offer to escort her, 'Ring attempts to scare her from her journey so he may return to the fort. Maddie isn't scared easily though and beats 'Ring at his own game.
   
   'Ring is unaware of her real reason for traveling and exposes her lies little by little. No matter how hard he presses she will not give him the truth.
   
   Annoyed with 'Ring hovering over her, she runs from him. This leads to a hilarious and never ending chase through town. Just when he thinks he's caught her, she screams and 'Ring is jumped by eight men. She stops in a bar and takes a few shots of Whiskey and points to 'Ring upon his arrival, "He's paying." before she splits. 'Ring grows frustrated by her game and eventually catches up to her, roughed up with a bruised ego.
   
   During a meeting with one of her blackmailers, 'Ring handcuffs her to him to keep her from escaping. However the next morning they are robbed of their key and horse and must travel down the mountain cuffed together, leading to another hilarious scenario.
   
   No matter how much Maddie wants to tell 'Ring of her sister's abduction she refuses. 'Ring begins to piece things together and discovers her secret about Laurel. He leaves camp one morning and leaves only a note behind. Maddie grows worried that 'Ring won't return. Where did he go?
   
   ---
   
   Make sure you read this before you read "Wishes" or the whole story will be spoiled for you! :( It's a wonderful book, but I couldn't help but grow frustrated by 'Ring's game of chase with Maddie. One minute he's romantic and the next minute he's platonic.

5 comments about Temptation.

1. I laughed outloud so many times during this audio. I believe the narrator is Exquisite! She does the scottish accents so well that you really believe in each character. I believe she may be a co-author as well, but I'm not sure. This was a cute corky romance that I enjoyed very much. I believe the only thing I didn't particularly like was the time the two main characters spent apart towards the end. But over all I would definitely recommend this, at least in audio format.



2. I loved this book. I had purchased a used cd version and hadn't looked to see if all the cds were there. I had finished all the cds except the last one and found it was missing. I was sooo upset!!! I wanted to find out what happens to Temperance. So I had to purchase another copy of Temptation just to listen to the last 45 minutes of the book!! It was worth every penny.



3. I enjoyed this read very much,I laughed and cried. I felt like I new the characters personally. Towards the end of the book you will be shocked. I wasn't expecting any of that to happen. I wont give it away, but is so worth reading.



4. I truly enjoyed Temptation. I felt the characters were funny and well thought out, especially that Charmaine! I had to scan over what she was saying because she was already giving me a headache. I really liked James; he is strong, funny, and stubborn. Temptation at times was a bit annoying, especially in the beginning when she is trying spite her step-father, she comes off as a bit of a spoiled rich brat. It was good that Angus sent her off to Scotland to clean James' house, she seemed to learn and change from the experience. The people of the little village seem to change her for the better as well. At first I did not like Temptation, I don't like New York, and I didn't feel she was helping anyone there; she was just a landlord, that's it. So I was happy she changed into a character I wanted to root for. Although the main thing I did not like about this book is the ending. Why wait two years? What's the point in that? Yes he tricked Temperance but it was for her own good and it was the only way to do it. I felt Temperance had been a little cruel especially to run off with Kenna and leave James. I truly hated Kenna, I do not think she changed in the end. She was too spiteful, selfish, manipulative, and pretty much every bad word in the dictionary that could be used to describe her.
   Temptation is not my favorite Deveraux book, but I would read it again.



5. As I started out reading this book, I liked it a lot, and the chemistry and humor between Temperance and James was great. But as the story goes on, it drags and the ending was really haphazard and without emotion. Plus, there is only one love scene in the entire novel, and even that ends on a sour note. I normally love Deveraux's books, but this was a major disappointment, except for the great first 1/2.

5 comments about First Impressions.

1. I am a huge fan of Jude's. However, this book rambled along. If your looking for humor like you are used to seeing in her older books, you won't find much of it in this one. The supporting characters weren't very supporting with the exception of the leading man (not men). This book is worthwhile to check out from the library though.



2. If you loved Nancy Drew as a kid, you will love this adult version. It absolutely took me back to those days when I couldn't wait to read what happened next and solve the mystery - only this one has an adult twist.



3. Overall,I thought the premise of the story showed promise. What I found, after forcing my way through reading, was that the plot is not up to Jude's normal standards. The theme seems to drag and it's hard to stay intereseted when the plot changes so very much and so drastically every five pages. I also found he lack of romance a bit disappointing. It really didn't feel like there was enough of the charecters interactions to understand them. It's definitely not her useual style. Her romance writing style is what I like so much about herbooks, and I saw none of it at all.



4. I am proud to admit I am a fan of Jude Deveraux, but this book was better than the rest I have read. The heroine was believable. The story kept me trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I was surprised to the very last page. If you like Jude's books, you will love this one.



5. Jude Deveraux is my all-time favorite author, but this work is not up to par with her usual standards. When I pick up a Deveraux, I expect a fantastic love story. This seemed to me to be more of a "coming of age," but for a woman in her forties who never got the chance to "come of age" as a teenager. It was more about her growing up and realizing things about herself and her family than about the love.
   
   I didn't think the mystery overshadowed everything else, and I thought the characters were well-developed, but they didn't seem to get anywhere in their relationships, except maybe for Eden's relationship with her daughter.
   
   Also, am I the only one who thought "the other guy" was more suited to her than "the guy who got the girl"? I found myself frustrated with all the characters by the end of the book, and frustrated at the not-so-fairytale ending.
   
   I didn't have trouble getting through the book, as I've seen other people say, but I was certainly a little disappointed in it, as I have been with several of her latest contemporary novels. (Holly and Carolina Isle come to mind.) I find myself wishing the old Jude would come back.

5 comments about Lavender Morning: A Novel (Edilean).

1. This is the first book I have read by Jude Deveraux. I really actually liked it, not usually my type more of a crime/mystery reader. The characters were great. I especially liked how the book kept me deeply involved with the different twist of figuring out about Miss Edi and the life she had kept hidden from Joce. I thought the characters all played well together, meaning you could tell the relationships and the developments between them all. It was fun to be in the mind of Joce and Luke to piece together Miss Edi's past. It took me awhile to figure out where it was leading, but I did before the end of the book. The ending was wonderful for the most part. I just wish the second in the series continued to evolve around Luke and Joce, because I could defiantly feel the "sparks" between them from the beginning. But overall I loved this book and I will defiantly be looking for some of her other books.



2. First of all, I am a fan Jude Deveraux and have read everything she has wrote. But this book just did not work for me at all. My biggest problem with this book is the lack of romance between the central characters. Where is the sexy dialogue, the inner thoughts about one another--like that of Sweet Liar. From the start, I was not at all invested in these characters getting together. When the hero (Luke) first sees the heroine (Joce) he finds her "Pretty but not strikingly so" and likens her to Alice from Wonderland with her "prissy and prude" looks. Ummm....this is not romantic! I have never read a romance novel like this where I could not care less if the two central characters got together or not. I was just not at all invested in their relationship.
   
   Jude obviously puts a lot of research into her novels. Here she recycles her notes from Holly about old preserved homes. She creates intrigue with a secondary story line about past romance told through old letters. ALL this is worth NOTHING if the primary story is lacking in ROMANCE. There is no spark, no magic, no chemistry between the two leads.
   
   
   In sum, this is one of the worst she has ever written.



3. I enjoyed this book very much. I couldn't wait to see how it would end, but I also didn't want it to end. I bought this book last spring/summer at a second hand bookstore. I almost didn't read it b/c of the lukewarm reviews I read at this site. After being snowbound last week, I pulled it out of my box of books and got sucked right in.



4. I found this book really confusing as to all the characters. It would have been helpful if a generational tree(?) had been included. I never could figure out how each character was related to the other. Also, did I miss something? Why did Eric McDowell owe Edi anything?
   I am sorry but I was not interested enough to want to read the next book in the Edilean series. It is the only book written by Jude Deveraux I have been disappointed in. Eudora



5. I agree with Bookaholic. If this is the real Jude Deveraux she is phoning it in big time. I have read her books for 14 years, and this is the worst ever. I don't need clothes falling at the drop of the hat, but there was no heat whatsoever between these characters. Has she sold her name to a hack for a few million of is she just bored? After amazing books like 'Remeberance' (my favorite romance of ALL time),'A Knight in Shining Armor', and 'Wishes' it just makes me sad to read this knowing how great she is! PLEASE COME BACK, MS DEVERAUX!! After the Montgomery and Taggert men we know what you are capable of! I can't say I won't buy any more of her books, but I will wait and see how it goes from here instead of buying just because of her name on the cover.

5 comments about The Summerhouse.

1. I bought this book before I got my kindle. I just like the way Jude Deveraux writes.
   I was very taken with this book and the one Return To Summerhouse. They were both very interesting.



2. One summer I watched my mother then my grandmother read this book and having noting better to do I decided to see what was so special about it. I absolutely fell in love with the book and could not put it down. It was my first romance read and it is still my favorite. It is not trashy and has a plot which will keep you reading it through the night.



3. This one really hits home. How many of us would give just about anything to have another chance to correct past mistakes, change those failures into a success, and have a redo of our lives? If I could have put myself inside this book, I would have jumped in feet first. We've all screwed up, and screwed up royally with rarely the chance to change things. This story offers up hope for the future, and the courage to do it better the next time. And yes, I loved this book!



4. it has been over a month and I still have not recieved it! I ordered it early for a book club which is in 3 days and I still have not heard from the seller. don't buy from this company



5. I absolutely loved this book. I mean, what's not to love?! The main characters were sooo relatable- I too have experienced what it is like to be so shockingly attractive that strangers recruit me for their personal entertainment. I think every woman reading this knows what it is like to be an unrecognized genius, whether an international supermodel in hiding, a gifted dancer also gifted in homemaking, or an artist capable of writing bestselling novels. I am so glad that these women represented REAL women, not women trying "too hard" to fit into society's ideals, like teachers, doctors, or businesswomen.
   
   In addition to the everyday women that star in this novel, the writing skills of the author are so engaging! Deveraux creates continuity in her spellbinding novel by repeating the same adjectives over and over, often on the same page. That's a technique you just don't see with your everyday, Booker-prize-winning authors.
   
   Finally, I have to mention that my absolute favorite chapter in this book is when Ellie meets her Jesse- the image of him, shirtless on a black horse taking her for a ride at midnight, is one that I will keep close to my heart forever. The descriptions were so vivid that I could almost feel the unbearable chaffing of her bare upper thighs as Ellie rode in her tiny nightgown. This chapter gave me hope for what we women can expect from romance in our lives.
   
   And you know what I never saw coming?! That Madame Zoya only appears to those that need her! WHOA!!!

5 comments about Days of Gold: A Novel (Edilean).

1. Englishwoman Edilean Talbot is young, beautiful, wealthy and privileged. In 1766 Scotland, she should be happy and content with her lot in life. And she would be if not for the terrible fate about to befall her --- marriage to one of two men, both of whom repulse her.
   
   Stuck in the backwoods of Scotland, Edilean is smart enough to know that her greedy uncle and guardian is all too eager to marry her off to one of his cronies. In spite of her dearly departed father's wishes for her to marry a man of her choice, her Uncle Neville plans to take control of her considerable fortune and marry her off to a man who is willing to do as he says. Edilean is simply a convenient means for him to replenish his coffers.
   
   But Edilean has other plans. Not one to be easily thwarted, she springs into action and formulates a plan for her escape. All she can think of is joining James, the man she loves in Glasgow and sailing away to start a new life in America, far from the reach of her wretched uncle. The only problem is that she must put herself and her fortunes in the hands of Angus McTern, a man she despises. Angus is the laird of the clan, which unfortunately is now defunct. While his people are still together and look to him for leadership, their lands are no longer their own and they now work for Englishman Neville Lawler. Ever since Angus's grandfather carelessly gambled with their heritage and lost, the clansmen have been under Neville's rule.
   
   While Angus is impressed with Edilean's beauty, her personality leaves much to be desired in his eyes. When Edilean hires the most scurrilous member of his clan to assist her, Angus steps in and helps himself in spite of his better judgment. As we all know, however, no good deed goes unpunished; in helping Edilean, Angus seals his own fate.
   
   When things go awry with James, Edilean's beloved, she ropes Angus into helping her again. Unable to return to his lands and his clan, Angus sets sail for America posing as Edilean's husband. During the voyage, the two develop a closeness that neither is ready to relinquish when they reach America despite their difference in class. With all the odds against them, will Angus and Edilean be separated by the circumstances in this new and wild land, or will they find a way to rise above all that distances them and find happiness together?
   
   DAYS OF GOLD is an amazingly good read. Angus and Edilean wormed their way into my heart from the first pages, and their growing relationship amused and touched me all the way through the book. There is something about these two characters that make them both memorable and endearing. With this second installment in her Edilean series (which began with LAVENDER MORNING), Jude Deveraux has returned to her roots --- the historical romance. While her books are a pleasure to read no matter what period they are set in, DAYS OF GOLD took me back to a time when romance novels were fun and satisfying, and everyone lived happily ever after.
   
   --- Reviewed by Amie Taylor



2. I loved the first book in the Edilean series, and was looking forward to this one. So, I purchased it and couldn't wait to sit down and get lost in the story. I was still looking for that experience 3/4ths of the way into it. At that point I was just jumping ahead as some of the plot points got completely implausible and irrelevant. I will keep my fingers crossed for the next installment. This one was a complete bust.



3. You know those books where the first chapter is really the ending of the story and the second chapter is really the beginning of the story? I hate those books! In this case, 'Lavender Morning' is the first book in the series and is the ending of the story, and 'Days of Gold' is the second book in the series and the beginning of the story. I say 'beginning' because it starts with the story of the Original Edilean, the one Joce alluded to writing about in 'Lavender Morning'. I enjoyed 'Lavender' so much I actually bought it, but I'm leaving my money in my wallet with 'Gold'. Check it out from the library instead. I had to overcome my aversion to the 'second-chapter-is-the-beginning' aspect of the book, but once I started to read 'Gold' the story moved along quick enough for me. One thing I'd change: I really wish JD had tied 'Gold' into the characters from 'Lavender'.



4. I have been a fan of Jude Devereaux for many years and if this book had been written by another author, I might have given it only 3.5 stars but the 4th star is probably a very generous rounding up. Judged against Deveraux's best books (A Knight in Sning Armor for one), this is a 2 to 3 stars. Even thought it had some flaws, I enjoyed it.
   
   This book is the second in the Edilean Series that started with Lavender Morning (Edilean). That wasn't my favorite of her books either but I always hope her new books will move me as much as her older ones. It starts in Scotland in 1770 and features the source of the name Edilean.
   
   The beginning of the romance is really delightful. But right at the time the romance should kick it up a notch, a really unbelievable plot obstacle comes in and the rest of the book swerves past the limits of believability (even for a romance!). This interruption takes away from the depth of feeling the reader gets for the hero and heroine and as a result, it is a zero hankie ending. (This in contrast to some of the author's earlier books that had major tear-fest endings.)



5. I keep telling myself not to buy anymore of her books, but it's like a knee-jerk reaction to take it off the shelf and go purchase it. I actually thought this one started out pretty good. I was hopeful. But like someone else pointed out, once they boarded the boat to America, things started on a downward spiral. I kept waiting for mention of little sparks of chemistry between the characters, an accidental touch, a look. Nope. Just her getting jealous because he was talking to some other woman. Another reviewer was right, why would he feel the need to leave her just because he saw a wanted poster of himself. America is a HUGE country. Why wouldn't he just take the girl and go start over somewhere down south or something? What's James going to do? Leave posters all over the country? Paper was expensive back then, how did he afford to make these posters in the first place?
   Midway through the book, she goes on page after page with Angus working for the army at this fort. None of this pertained to the story and was completely unnecessary. And boring.
   
   It took me several days just to force myself to finish the book after this point. The ending was stupid with all the lonely characters being neatly paired off, even the hideous wife of James. Talk about a Scooby Doo ending. Ugh.
   This really doesn't deserve 2 stars, but I give it an extra one just for the promising start to the book...

5 comments about Secrets: A Novel.

1. I have read every book that Jude Deveraux has written. Both this book and her new book Lavender Morning are terrible! They are not written in the same style and preciseness as her other books. The plots of both books ramble and get lost numerous times. The characters of these stories lack any personality and are totally uninteresting. If I had not seen the cover of the book I would have never had guessed that this book was written by best selling author, Jude Deveraux. Since these two books are so drastically lacking from her other books all I can assume is the publisher has an amature Ghost writer penning books under her name. I want Jude Deveraux back!



2. I had already read this book under a different cover, so was bummed when I read the back and realized that I already knew the story. The book was so, so. Jude Deveraux is always good for a happy ending and sweet story.



3. Sometimes I just like to read a suspenseful, not too deep, almost trashy romance novel. I'm not a book snob, sure I like the thought provoking, but as I wrote sometimes I just want a juicy lovestory, etc. Well, this book was none of the above. Plainly put, it sucked. I even read three quarters of the way through, and still decided to put it down - just not interesting enough to keep slogging through. The love interests do not display any real chemistry and the plot is wildly all over the place. It was like the author had to publish a book and decided to cut and paste previously discarded plot ideas into a rambling mess of a book, that at the end of the day - I just couldn't care enough about to finish - even though I'd already ready 3/4 of the way through. That's a new low point of disinterest on my part.



4. This book was just getting to the good part when it abruptly ended. I'm not saying that I wanted it to be longer just felt like I missed something..



5. What a disappointing waste of time! I like a good suspense novel; I also like a good, passionate romance. Secrets tried to be both, but really ended up being neither. I am usually a fan of this author. I feel I get to know her characters and they touch me. Secrets didn't even read like Jude Deveraux's work. I listened to this on CD. It was 10 CDs long, which is a little longer than average, but despite its length, I never felt like I really got to know ANY of the characters. Nor did I feel that I found any of the characters especially likable. The dialogue seemed silly and unrealistic and filled with too many unimportant, superficial characters who didn't matter in the end. I also wasn't fond of the narrator of this audiobook who often made the characters' voices seem...I don't know...just unnatural.