5 comments about Mercy.

1. This is one of my favorite Julie Garwood contemporary novels - love all of her historicals but this is by far my favorite contemporary of hers. All of the characters in this book are fun & memorable, and Mike's family is close-knit and loving which really made their interactions with both Mike & Theo fun and exciting. (Remi is a sexy character that shows up in 'Killjoy' which is also a really great book!) I've read both books several times!



2. Ms. Garwood has set the bar for romantic suspense! Heartbreaker was good, but Mercy was Wonderful. It picked up right away and was fast paced. Mercy was a perfect balance of mystery, suspense, comedy and sexy. Michelle and Theo were great and had awesome secondary characters. It will leave you hungry for more.



3. i enjoyed this book very much i have enjoyed all of her books i believe i have read all of them



4. I read this when it first came out and recently re-read it. It's much better than I remembered. I love the plot and how Theo and Michelle are thrown together. Theo and Michelle have great chemistry, and I love that Michelle is dynamic and smart and can hold her own. I completely "get" how they fell in love and why they're right for each other. There was some pretty good suspense, too, especially since I couldn't really remember what happened:)
   What I like about Theo as a character is that he isn't just a macho alpha male. He has a caring, compassionate side, too. It was so sweet how he bought the boy a fence to keep the gator out, helped with the football team, made sure they got equipment, and worked a number of cases pro-bono. I did NOT remember Theo being this hot, but his being a good guy on top of everything else seals the deal. I was glad to see a return of Noah, although I reeeeeeeeally think his book should have been next instead of John Paul's. It seems to me that Julie Garwood should have stuck with her obvious set up...that each of the brothers and sisters get their own novel. Suddenly we're branching off to John Paul's book???? At least with Noah he was featured prominently in two books. Anyways, to me, Julie Garwood's romantic suspense novels all started to go down hill from here, with the last 3 or 4 being terrible. Such a shame, too, since Noah was a fantastic character and ended up with a crummy book.



5. Julie Garwood has produced one of the most entertaining reomantic suspense novels that I've ever come across. This book is the PERFECT beach read.
   
   Here's the skinny - Theo (a young widower) is a federal prosecutor. In New Orleans at a fancy banquet, he starts to feel sick and promptly throws up on Michelle, a beautiful young surgeon. Michelle takes him to the hospital, where she performs an emergency appendectomy. After some brief conversation upon his awakening, she departs for tiny Bowen, Louisiana, where she's from. See, Michelle is planning to leave the hospital and set up a little clinic in under-served Bowen so she can be close to her family and her home. When her father stops by the hospital to pick up some equipment being donated to the clinic, he and Theo have a little conversation about fishing, and an invitation to come fish in Bowen sometime is extended to Theo. You can see where this is going . . .
   
   Storyline number two - Four friends who met in preparatory school have formed what they call "The Sowing Club," a secret alliance to procure ill-gotten gains. Dispersed in the banking, police, legal, and performance industries, the four friends are uniquely positioned to make mischief sucessfully, and they have squirrelled away millions of dollars. The friends have a pact that they will not touch the money until their 40th birthdays (still five years away at the novel's inception), when they will all cash out and go their separate ways. But something goes wrong with the club's plans, setting the two groups of characters (and their stories) on a collision course.
   
   What really made this novel worth reading for me was the HILARIOUS cast of characters that Garwood used to populate little Bowen, Louisiana. I laughed out loud - OUT LOUD, I tell you! - reading some of their conversations. Funny, funny stuff. Plus, it was romance, suspense, with some nice human interest thrown in for good measure.
   
   So, if you're looking for an easy beach read that will neither tax your mind nor offend it, I can reccommend this novel. Before I head out to the seashore again, I will pick up something Garwood has written.

5 comments about Come the Spring : Julie Garwood, Megan Gallagher (Audio, 1997).

1. I really enjoyed the character of Cole from the first books. I am glad I have my own copy of Come the Spring in hardcover. It is just so enjoyable. I am pleased. The only reason I do not give it a five is there are a couple of predictable moments, but they are enjoyable.



2. Let me tell you up front, if you are looking for more of the Claybourne's in this book, you will not get it. The focus of "COMES THE SPRING" is capturing the Blackwater Gang. We start off with the bank robbery scene, and the identity of the witness is a mystery. Julie does a very good job in hiding who the witness is, until it is revealed.

   We finally get the story of Cole Claybourne, the most "rough" of the Claybourne brothers. Cole is made into a U.S. Marshal by Marshal Daniel Ryan, who supposedly stole his compass from Mama Rose. Little is known about the compass that causes Cole to search for Ryan, and this plot does not follow in the book.

   I thought Jessica and Grace were very good heroines. Jessica was really the perfect match for Cole, loving and in need of his care. The baby, Caleb, was also very adorable throughout the book. Grace was the exact opposite of Daniel Ryan's first wife, which proved to be a challenge to the Marshall to figure her out. While I enjoyed the chemistry with Grace and Daniel, I was a little disappointed that Cole did not have a story all to his own. I thought his character deserved more.

   Overall "COMES THE SPRING" is a good end to the series. I would recommend it to anyone who has followed the Claybournes since "FOR THE ROSES." Mama Rose's speech at the end did not bother me, as it did some reviewers, because we really don't hear a lot from her, but we know she has been behind the meddling. Definitely read this book, it's worth the time.




3. I have enjoyed many of Julie Garwood's novels, including "For the Roses", the beginning of the Clayborne series. While I have to admit that I skipped "One Red, One White Rose", etc. about the other brothers; this one interested me because it was about Cole. He was my favorite brother in the original book. Unfortunately, "Come the Spring" is very drawn-out and predictable. The title doesn't even apply to anything, except a quick statement made in the last chapter (an after-thought?) Maybe it was just the narration by Richard Ferrone that turned me off, but I found my mind wandering. It was clear to me who the female villain was from early on. While Cole and Daniel were compelling in their parts as lawmen, the romance part of the book is disappointing. After all the passion in "For the Roses", this book was just lukewarm in that category. Maybe it was because there were too many characters. Oh well, Julie is still one of my favorite authors, but this one is not up to par with her others.



4. Usually Julie Garwood makes you laugh and warms your heart. She delved into the arena of thriller as early as "Castles" and came along nicely with it in the opening of "Come the Spring". Sadly, she seemed to forget how to write her humorous and charming relationships along the way.
   
   Trying to do a dual romance in this novel was a mistake. Time was taken away from both relationships such that one loses interest in either one. That leads a lacking dramatic finale because you just don't care.
   
   The writing appeared exceptionally juvenile in places where humor was intended.
   
   It was a nice try and I applaud an author wanting to grow her talent, but this Clayborne series never should have left the editor's desk. "Come the spring" was half-baked at best.



5. I'm surprised ar some of the two or three stars for this awesome ending to such an amazing fictional family series. I've had this book for years now and I know that I can always go back and read this and not be disappointed.
   
   I think she spaced out the dual romances very well and I think it helped that each couple is on their own journey in a way. I love a story with a cute child or baby in it and I just think that Caleb is a delight to read about and imagine. I have to say I am more interested in Cole's part of the story than Ryan but that's mainly because I knew him from the other novels in this series.
   
   I think that the murder mystery was very well done and well described and I think most readers will be surprised by some of the twists and turns in the mystery.
   
   My only quibble with the series is how little Mama Rose got to say in all of the novels not just this one.
   
   I think Julie Garwood is one of the best writers in the field of historical romances and if you want a sexy, funny, romance with history and a little of her more murder mystery inclined stories then I think you should give this novel and the other novels in this series a shot, you won't be disappointed.

5 comments about Saving Grace Cassette.

1. All I can say is Julie Garwood is THE BEST author of historical romance. This book Saving Grace is a book to be read and re-read again and again. There are no words to describe how wonderful this book is. I highly recommend it to anyone that is into historical romance. Julie gives the characters a personality that you love and they make you happy. You feel good after you read the book and you never seem to get enough of it.



2. What a great story. Gabriel is Johanna's protector, boy does she need one and yes a sequel to this book is so needed to follow Johanna's brother and new wife love story! Anyways, I do so love how Gabriel shows his love to Johanna but doesn't say it, and I love how Johanna accepts Gabriel as he is. My favorite part of this book is at the end the speech Johanna gives to her ex-husband. I had to reread several times. You will love this story.



3. I have read A LOT of historical fiction books... I got this one, trusting the raving reviews on it. I couldn't even finish it. The plot was dreadfully boring. The writing was choppy, and blunt, and it really bugged the heck out of me. It didn't flow. It makes me really not want to read another one of her books if its written like this one. The premise was good... I just wish I wasn't so bored! Gabriel, the male lead, was just downright mean! He wasn't likeable at all to me... and the female lead... she was just too accepting. There are much better books out there... please, don't waste your money on this one! Selling my copy!



4. I am obviously not a fan of Julie Garwood, since the only novel of hers I've liked so far is Castles. I didn't even manage to finish "The Bride" and had hard time finishing this. I really hated The Bride, but Saving Grace was not a bad book; it just failed to grab my interest. All three books of hers I've read so far have the same type of heroine: weak and naive bordering on stupidity. My main objection about Mrs Garwood stories though, is the slow development. I'm generaly looking for drama or action or at least a mystery to keep the story going. This happily living together for days or weeks, nothing changing in the premises but the couple's growing affection while all is well, is making me tired and bored. But then a lot of people probably like that stuff since Mrs Garwood is one of the most loved writers of historical romance. So no more Garwoods for me from now on, even if Castles was great.



5. I absolutely LOVED this book. I couldn't put it down, which only means that I was extremely annoyed when I had to do mundane things like feeding cats and cleaning house. The whole time I was doing chores my thoughts were with Johanna and Gabriel.
   
   I loved both Garwood's characters and loved how Johanna became self assured toward the end of the book. I hate giving away endings so I won't do so now, suffice it to say that Gabriel was good for her. I also liked her secondary characters of Nicolas and Clare.
   
   Aside from The Bride and Ransom, this is the best Garwood I've read to date. I have all her medievals except Shadow Music which I have coming and look foward to reading.

5 comments about The WEDDING (GARWOOD) CASSETTE.

1. I have read "Ransom" and loved it, and "the bride" which I really liked. "The Wedding" however, which is the sequel to "the bride" was an okay read at best.
   
   There were some really funny scenes such as the wedding scene when they are saying their vows, I laughed out loud when poor Brenna said her vows, it was hilarious. However, Connor was too much of a jerk, for me to like this book.
   
   There were some tender moments, though very few and far in between, with Brenna and Connor. But for the most part this book contained nothing but Connor and Brenna not understanding each other, and Connor being a jerk to her. Brenna however made a lot of effort to make the marriage work, while Connor didn't even bother to make the slightest effort.
   
   And it wasn't until the last ten pages of the book that Connor realizes his love for his wife, and goes and pursues her because she has left him at that point. Well it's a little too late for this reader. If Connor had just put some effort into his marriage, I would have rated this book higher. But him being a complete jerk, brought the rating down and took from my enjoyment in reading this book.
   
   Not a keeper. It's predecessor "the bride" was a better read.



2. I couldn't put this book down. I have never laugh so much reading a book as I did with The Wedding. English heroine Brenna was the perfect match for quick
   tempered Scottish highlander Connor MacAliser.Brenna witty come back replies sedated the giant
   highlander everytime. Brenna was just what the hottempered laird needed. Anyone reading this book will not dare throw it across the room. A remarkable page turner.



3. Nothing she writes is bad. its fun and keeps you entertained. If you like her read Johanna Lindsay, and Kathleen Woodwiss. They are all wonderful writers.



4. For me The Wedding started out rather slow and I had a hard time really getting into it, however, it did pick up toward the end.
   
   
   Although this book CAN be read on it's own, I recommend that you read The Bride before The Wedding as characters mentioned in this book are in the first one.



5. I don't remember where I got The Wedding but I remember reading it in high school as either a freshman or a sophmore.
   
   By the first paragraph I was laughing out loud. In between classes I passed it to a friend just so she could read the first chapter. She refused to give it back until she finished it. LOL
   
   This book started my love for romance novels. It's a good romp through the Highlands and I love Brenna and Connor. It also brought me to my favorite Julie Garwood book, The Bride.
   
   Even though The Bride is my favorite, The Wedding has a special place on my bookshelf as my start into romance.

No comments about One Pink Rose, One White Rose, and One Red Rose.

5 comments about For the Roses.

1. I usually love Julie Garwood's books but this one I'm having the hardest time finishing. It's just dragging on and on. I like it better when an author really focuses on the main characters story but this has all her brothers piping in and it just bugged me after about 50 pages.



2. Night Owl Romance Reviews: http://www.nightowlromance.com
   
   For the Roses by Julie Garwood
   Score: 4.5 / 5
   Clayborne Series
   Reviewer: Deidre Sine
   
   Mary Rose is the beloved sister to the Clayborne's. The Clayborne men protect their family and friends with a vengeance and have become a force not to be reckoned with in Montana. Only this family is different than most, the men aren't a blood family but they have forged their family for Mary Rose. The men were a rough gang of street kids in New York, who fought together to stay alive. One night they saw a parcel discarded and in that parcel they found a beautiful baby girl. That girl was Mary Rose and they decided to move to Blue Belle, Montana and raise her as a lady. Well, Mary Rose is now a well-behaved, independent, beautiful young woman who has returned to Blue Belle after her schooling. All goes well until Mary Rose meets a stranger in town.
   
   The stranger is Lord Harrison Stanford MacDonald. He is a gentleman through and through; however, he needs help to learn frontier survival. While the Clayborne's teach Harrison about survival he falls in love with the strong woman Mary Rose is. Harrison carries with him a secret, a secret that could destroy his newfound love with Mary Rose. Mary Rose must deal with the past before she can have a future.
   
   For the Roses is a wonderfully written book by Ms. Garwood, which I have read, and reread. I find Ms. Garwood's ability to create such fantastic and real characters a tremendous gift to her readers. Readers who enjoyed the Clayborne family can read more in the rest of the Clayborne Bride series.



3. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the detailed character development. I felt as if I could identify with each brother and their personalities. I loved Mary Rose and Harrison together. I loved their love!!! Just a really good book.



4. For The Roses starts out as one of the best of Ms. Garwood's novels. I found myself laughing out loud a number of times as the charachters were introduced. The fiery interaction between family members was easy to imagine and enjoy. However, about three-quarters of the way through I began to get frustrated with the main charachters. A change in setting brought such a significant alteration to their personalities that I found myself hurrying through to get back to the "good stuff". Overall I enjoyed this novel, though it doesn't follow the format of a typical romance. Readers should be prepared for absence of the expected societal scandal and heroine in distress scenarios that come with most novels of this genre.



5. This book was a great read, classic Garwood and a book you don't want to miss. I do have to give it 4 stars due to fact it took a while for me to get into the book. It just took a little longer to have the story set up- not a reason to miss out on this book. Once the story was set up, it was smooth sailing. What I love about Garwood is the depth she brings to a story, you don't just read it, she shows it to you in her writing.
   
   This is the first "Frontier" book I have read and enjoyed greatly. I felt I was right along side the Claybourne family with their struggles. There are two books left in the trilogy, The Claybourne Brides (One white rose, One Pink Rose, One red rose) and Come the Spring. I am most looking forward to reading Cole's story in Come the Spring.

5 comments about Killjoy.

1. It's been a while since I've read Garwood and this is the first of her contemporary novels I've read. This is a mystery with a little romance thrown in. FBI agent Avery Delaney's aunt is kidnapped by Avery's sociopathic mother and hitman Monk. Monk is being pursued by John Paul Renard, so Avery and John Paul cross paths, hence the romance. I found the story line some what concocted and it became unbelieveable. The murders' plans fail too many times which made the book drag on. I felt cheated at the end when the Avery relates how they captured the villians in a conversation with her boss, instead of getting to read how they were captured. It was almost like Garwood decided the book was too long and she needed to finish it in as few pages as possible.
   I did like Garwood's characters. She has a variety that you can like and dislike. Some of the minor characters in this book were unnecessary, like Anne. But I think Garwood does a good job writing realistic dialogue.
   This was definitely a light read. I found it mildly entertaining, but not engrossing.



2. When it comes to compelling novels of relentless suspense, Julie Garwood is in a class by herself. She is a dominating force in the craft of creating living, breathing characters in gripping situations. This offering takes us into the life of Avery Delaney, abandoned by her mother 3 days after her birth and raised by her Aunt Carrie and Grandmother Lola.
   Now an adult, Avery works as a crime analyst for the FBI and possesses an uncanny talent for scrutinizing and deciphering clues. She must utilize her deductive gifts to find her Aunt Carrie, who has disappeared as well as stay one step ahead of a killer named Monk.
   
   Although Garwood will never win the Nobel, the Booker, or any of the other prizes bestowed for writing prowess, she definitely takes home the gold in the category of "Fun light reading, no in-depth analysis required".



3. Julie Garwood writes good suspenseful books like Killjoy. I read it in four days, I could not put it down. The characters and the situations they found themselves in are really well written. And I agree with one of the other reviewer's about having Noah Clayborne as the main character in a novel, I would definately buy that one as well.



4. Two words will make you run for this book: John Paul. The deadly loner from the swamp is baaack (pant, swoon). This time he's on the trail of Monk, the hitman from Mercy, who got away. Monk tried to kill John Paul's sister, so John Paul is still patiently and systematically flushing him out. Whether he will bring Monk to justice legally or illegally remains to be seen... John Paul discovers Monk is playing killing games with three women. One has a niece, Avery, an FBI typist who is an excellent strategist and thinker. When Avery sets out to track her missing aunt down she tangles with the enigmatic, tough, opinionated Jean Paul. He has his own guerrilla agenda and doesn't want to deviate from it, even when they discover there's a more sinister reason for Monk's deadly hit than was apparent at first. Watching these two go head to head is sensual dynamite. And yes, Noah's back again, teasing us with his cheeky grin and flippant insults. Settle back for testosterone overload and enjoy... (Worth it just to hear John Paul grumble about Theo, his brother-in-law, and how Theo's likely to shoot himself in the foot if he has to get his gun out.)



5. Killjoy is a pretty good book. What gives is 4 stars is the lack of tension between the 2 until the middle of the book. Great mystery and once the tension was there, it was good. Avery was tough and a true match for John Paul. It was fast paced and a very enjoyable read.

5 comments about Prince Charming.

1. I am a new Julie Garwood fan. This was the first of her novels that I read. Since then I have read "The Bride" and "The Wedding". Even though the other two books were highly enjoyable, Prince Charming in my estimation was the better. I just recently read it again. Initially the reader may have wondered why the book was entitled Prince Charming. However as the story went on, Lucas was revealed as a true "Prince" among men. He wasn't a man of high birth, he didn't possess wealth, and he wasn't a man who courted notoriety. Indeed, he was of the lowest birth, a bastard, he wasn't a man of means, and he ran from fame. However, his character was of the highest a human being could achieve,and he never wanted to be given praise, achieve fame,or wealth for any of his acheivements. Through divine intervention, he met the perfect match, Taylor, aristocrat. A person who had so many of the same character traits. How could he not fall in love with her even though he deemed himself unworthy. I loved the title. The moral of the story, it's not a person's station in life that tells you the worthiness of an individual. It is truly the character that matters. There was a second romance in the story between Hunter and Victoria. He too was a Prince among men.



2. Ms Garwood is "the" absolute best writer of all time in my opinion. This woman "Throws Down"! I am partial to many other authors, but Ms Garwood is my favorite! Anything with her name on it is going to give you a fantastic reading experience. I have read almost all of her books and each one has been a super page turner. Her wit will have you laughing out loud and her characters in each book become so familiar they're almost real. In Prince Charming there are a number of quotes from Shakespeare (who I am a big fan of) that are integrated so appropriately throughout the story and enhances the endearment of the story. A number of issues that are so relevant today are woven so powerfully into a wonderful love story that starts in England between Lucas Ross and Taylor Stapleton and then transports them to America due to Taylor's grandmother's (Madam) "grand plan" to protect her granddaughter and great twin granddaughters.
   I wish any one of Ms Garwood's stories would be put on film like Jane Austen's stories (who I am also a big fan of). Once you read anything by Ms Garwood, you will automatically become addicted to her books and will want to consume each and every one of them.
   Julie Garwood, "You Go Girl"!



3. This story was good, but very slow reading. It took forever for the story to get going. Don't get for an easy, weekend read.



4. Not one of the best, but then I find most of Garwood's books cheesy and sappy, but pretty entertaining. This one was pretty hot, the hero was damned sexy, and the scenes with the children were pretty sweet.
   
   Note-some people mentioned that Taylor shouldn't have had the twins calling her "Mama", but "Aunt." I disagree. Considering they were only two, that MIGHT have geen a bit confusing. Later on, she could simply tell them that their first mother had been her sister.
   And I don't think adopting Daniel/David/Michael was such a bad thing, either. Poor kid was desparate for a family.



5. This book has a different setting (mostly USA) when compared to other Garwood novels and that works out well. All the characters are beautifully developed and the hero is very good. I like Garwood's heroes better than McNaught's. They are reliable, protective and definitely not mean.
   
   Any Garwood fan would definitely love this book.

5 comments about Heartbreaker.

1. This book was awesome! It kept me guessing until the end and the suspense made me gasp and I was about to cry and I laughed and I just couldn't wait to get done with it! I loved this book and it was just so wonderful! YAY!!!



2. writing and I wouldn't boycott her for anything :)
   
   She had me sitting up till the wee hours of the morning reading about Nick Buchanan and Laurent Noah and Tommy etc etc I loved this book and am reading every single Buchanan brother and sister related novel :)
   
   Julie never is boring in her storytelling bravo Julie keep up the great work can't wait for your new novel to hit the stores this Tuesday and have Noah finally get his own story :)



3. Garwood is a new discovery for me! I enjoy her books and I know that they will keep interested from page one to page end! They are easy beach reads that can be finished in just a few hours if you are an avid reader!



4. I did like the book, however, I just wanted a bit more. I didn't really like the name Laurant either. Story moved quickly, I just wanted a little more from my H/H. The ending was a little too quick. Those are my only complaints... I laughed numerous times.
   
   I love all Julie Garwood's historicals and only have 2 or 3 left to read, so I decided to read a couple of her romantic suspense and save the last historicals for later.
   
   I am reading The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss next!



5. I actually wanted to give this a 3.5. I read this book when it first came out and remembered loving it. I recently re-read it and found it to be a bit boring. I actually liked the suspense/killer part. That was interesting, especially for a romance novel. If I wanted a fantastic mystery/thriller, then I would read one instead of a romantic suspense. Now, that being said, the romance was lacking. Nick has a great storyline. He has a layered, in-depth background complete with friends and family and anecdotes. I can't say the same for Laurant. I'm sorry, but she isn't written realistically. She's not even 30 yet and is written as acting, dressing, and talking much, much older. Very blah and boring and flat. Re-reading this, I can't really figure out why Nick and Laurant fell for each other, other than the fact that they're both hot and are thrown together into this situation.
   The scenes between the two of them didn't sizzle or spark or anything.
   Noah, however, stole the show. He wasn't flat at all! He had me laughing my butt off, as did some of the other side characters.
   This is definitely better than her recent novels, but I just can't get over the flat romance.

5 comments about Ransom.

1. This book would have been better if the couples were switched though to tell you the truth I don't understand why Bridig was even in the book, she was extremely irritating. Brodick was also another irritating character, I mean like some kind of wild caveman. I Liked Gillian and Ramsey and think they would have made a better couple. This is her first book where I think she overwrote the male lead. This is the first book I've read by JG that I wasn't crazy about but Gillian, Ramsey, Ian and Judith made up for the shortcoming with this one.



2. I have this book next to my nightstand!. I have both of her books in this series. Wish she could have done a third!! I love scottish historicals, and whenever I feel like having a little bit of comfort, I grab these 2 books and enjoy them over and over again!
   Try "The Secret" and "Ransom"!! They are "feel good " books!!!!



3. I've read many of Julie's books and although I've never read one of her books that I didn't like, this is one of my two favorites, the other is The Bride! They story is well told and includes many storylines. Ramsey's love story is the weakest but like Lady Gillian, he didn't impress me as much as Brodick! Believe me, if your a fan of Julie's books, you'll enjoy Ransom



4. I've read three Julie Garwood novels which were similar: The Secret, Saving Grace and Ransom. All three have an English heroine going to Scotland and falling in love with a Scottish laird. All three women were too saccharine for me. They bring some changes and knowledge to the Scottish people by telling them not to commit certain crimes, to be polite and to have better manners. For example, one heroine says never steal horses, just borrow them and return them later. One tells the ruling council to give more rights to women. One says a husband doesn't curse in his wife's presence. In two of the books, the heroines bring improved medical knowledge to the Scots. These were too much of the same story and the heroines were too syrupy sweet for me. The heroes were the same, strong, silent warrior types and excellent leaders. In both The Secret and Ransom, the author creates mystery by not having normal communication between the two main characters. In Ransom I was angry at the author for drawing out confusion and mystery through miscommunication. For example, a priest blesses Gillian and Brodick. She thinks it means they are bethrothed (engaged) but the truth is they were married in a method she didn't understand. Later she tells someone she is bethrothed and a soldier says no she is not. If she had then responded to him by asking what the priest had been doing, he would have said that was a wedding. Instead, she says I don't want to talk anymore and walks away. Her not knowing that she was married lasted through several scenes in the book. There were other situations where Brodick would say half of a thought, not finish it and she would assume something incorrect. Or, she overheard part of a conversation, and then assumed something incorrect. Too much of this was happening for me to enjoy the story.
   
   Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: medieval England and Scotland. Copyright: 1999. Genre: historical romance.
   
   For a listing of my reviews of other Julie Garwood books, see my 2 star review of "The Secret" posted on 6/21/08.



5. I love this book so much that I tell my girlfriends to get their own copy...cuz I'm not sharing mine! I have re-read it a dozen times and find something new to enjoy each time. This book takes you on a journey, so be prepared to settle in and let it unfold at it's own pace. It's well worth it. The plot is engaging, the characters strong, and there's enough hot-steamy-stuff to keep you warm at night. You will be enthralled by the chemistry between the lead characters, be charmed by a little boy, and wish you could lay your heads on a man like Brodick. Great summer reading!