Home :: Books :: Audiocassettes  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes

Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels
Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment
Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality
Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sports
Teens
Travel
Women's Fiction
The Heir

The Heir

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.99
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 .. 10 >>

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A quick light read
Review: I love Johanna Lindseys writing style and find her very easy to read and "The Heir" is no exception. I found that this book, like Johanna's other books to be a page turner with no dull moments and I would still buy any Johanna Lindsey book published. Having said that I do agree with many of the previous reviewers that the characters did not have any zing. Both were sweet characters in a sweet story, the problem is that Johanna's past books have some of the best romantic characters ever created where the sparks fly and you compulsively read without thought to anything else. Buying this book in hardcover and expecting that kind of chemistry between the characters you will be dissapointed. I love Johanna's previous Mallory novels where the heros are flawed and yet loveable and the heroines are feisty with hearts of gold. While reading this book I found myself interested in the outcome and yet detached from the characters, the hero in particular seemed one dimensional and the supporting characters appear to have been better thought out than the main characters. In the end I enjoyed the read but was left feeling slightly cheated.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Johanna Lindsey Gone Wrong???
Review: This book was absolutely charming, so how can so many people be saying it's not worth reading at all??

I have read plenty of Ms. Lindsey's novels, and since I'm a late fan, I still haven't read any of her previous 'bad' ones. However, maybe it's because of this that I don't find this novel to be anything but sweet and amusing. People that have rated this book rather low tend to have read the previously so-called 'bad' novels. And they may very well have been less than great. Perhaps, though, they've let it carry on to 'The Heir', when it should have been left where it belongs: with the other books.

With an unmarred prespective, I can say that my opinion of this book was a rather high one. Sabrina Lambert is a nice girl with a calm temperament, who tries her best to make people laugh. She's not bold, she's not incredibly beautiful, and she's not exactly frivilous in bed. She's what I would consider realistic in a time when women were pretty chaste.

Her lover is the new Marquis of Birmingdale, Duncan MacTavish. He's tall, a bit muscular, and a bit unacustomed to having his new and old grandfather both pushing him for a wife. He, like Sabrina, and is an all-around pretty sweet guy. The news of his engagement has just reached him in the Highlands of Sctoland, his home, and he is none too pleased at having to pack up fro England and settle the matter. It's possible that, had he not latched onto Sabrina like she was a life savor in an ocean of terribly flavored candies, we might have seen a more brooding side to him because of this. However, not very many people can stay unhappy around Sabrina. She has that effect on people.

The romance of this story is like so: Sabrina, although loosely related to gentry, doesn't expect to get much out of her coming-out Season (especially when Ophelia, the most exquisite lady a man could ever lay his eyes on, is the one taking her to all of the parties). Promised to Duncan, Ophelia is still determined to be the life of the party, and the fact that dowdy Sabrina has attracted a few stray admirers spurs her to spread the story of an old scandal. This pretty much ruins any chance Sabrina had of finding a husband. She relaxes and accepts this fact with only a little disappointment, having been raised by two maiden aunts. At the last party of her incredibly short Season, though, she meets Duncan. They become friends.

Yes, you read correctly--friends. Duncan is in need of a friend, and Sabrina befriends everyone. In fact, Duncan doesn't even begin to see Sabrina as a female until mid-way through the book, when one of his grandfathers points out that she is, indeed, a female. Until then, he spends a lot of time with her, letting her show him how to have fun. And after, there's just the matter of getting rid of Ophelia, who is being forced into the marriage because of the possibility of yet another scandal. (There's really no violence in this book, so it's not what it sounds like.)

In the end, I was left with a nice, light little read that doesn't get too taxing, and doesn't get too long. I was surprised that the flavor of Lindsey's book was so different, but I still believe it was worth reading.

-Embyr Bradson (1/29/04)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A bit bland for Lindsey, but still good
Review: Duncan MacTavish is shocked to learn that he is now expected to travel to England to take over his ailing English grandfather's duties as a marquis. He is even more shocked to learn that he is expected to marry Ophelia, a reportedly beautiful woman who he has never met. Thanks to his half-Scottish ancestry, however, Duncan is determined that he will pick his own wife!

Sabrina is not a great beauty, but she has a gift for making others laugh. Unfortunately for her, the little family scandal in her past is making the rounds of the London ton, and she'll have no chance of marriage there. She lives with her two spinster aunts, and she doesn't really care if she becomes a spinster too - until she meets Duncan by chance. The pair become fast friends, but there is so much working against them - will they ever be more than friends?

I liked this book, as I like all of the Lindsey books I have ever read. As others mentioned, this book was bland compared with other Lindsey romances - when I picked up this book I was expecting a scorching romance that Lindsey so excellently authors on most occasions. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in that regard - the book is very sweet, but there's little fire in the romance, even at the end.

Still, not all was lost. The book has other great qualities - I did like the main characters, Sabrina and Duncan, and I also greatly enjoyed the witty exchanges between Duncan and his friend Raphael Locke (I'd LOVE to read a book about Rafe!). Lindsey is great at describing what the characters are feeling at particular times, and explaining why they do what they do, and I love that. There was a lot of witty sparring in the book - Duncan and Rafe, the two spinster aunts, and the two grandfathers were all quick witted and funny. The plot was good and moved along quickly, never becoming stagnant. The book would have received five stars, in my opinion, except for the lack of passion in the book...it just didn't seem like a typical Johanna Lindsey book at all! Other than that, though, I really did enjoy the book :)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sweet love story
Review: I have read over 15 of Johanna Lindsey's books in the last two months and the love story is not as volatile between the hero and heroine in this book. It seems a lot of her characters are ready to kill each other before they begin to love each other. Reviewing her books overall, to me, this is more her style. However, the Heir is a sweet love story between Duncan and Sabrina based in a time period where the slightest action could cause one to be married or to not be married. It seemed to be an accurate portrayal of the times. I was dismayed by some of the earlier negative reviews of the book with regard to plot or story. Based on reading the book twice I believe they are out of line. Another characteristic of Lindsey stories is the snappy dialogue and you do see that between the two grandfathers who want and need Duncan to be their heir. You also see it between the younger characters. Again this is a sweet love story between two young people who must overcome the odds to be with each other. Not typical of Lindsey's earlier works but similar in vein to the Mallory family books.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: About a 4 1/2 star book..
Review: This was definately much much better than her last one, "Joining". Even though this story was sweet and much different than her others, I liked it alot. It was a breath of fresh air. No constant battle of wills between the characters, just a simple happily-ever-after love story. At first I have to admit I was beginning to say to myself, this is sounding fairytale-like, but it didn't turn out exactly that way. Definately a different sort of fairytale though. I liked the main characters Sabrina and Duncan. They were down-to-earth. My favorite part was when Duncan first kissed her on the porch, it was so sweet and touching. Your heart goes out to them. The "villian" Opheila, is so vain you have to laugh. I really liked this story alot, the only thing I found lacking was the amount of passion involved between Duncan and Sabrina. I think Duncan needed more description about his feelings and from his point of view. All in all it was a very good book, just minor complaints in the passion department and needed a little more action for my taste..=) And I almost wished she could've fallen for Locke. He was more passionate to me. I think they made a good couple, but hopefully Ms.Lindsey gives us his story...=)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Johanna Lindsey Gone Wrong???
Review: This book was decently charming, so how can so many people be saying it's not worth reading at all?

With an unmarred prespective, I can say that my opinion of this book was a fairly high one. Sabrina Lambert is a nice girl with a calm temperament, who tries her best to make people laugh. She's not bold, she's not incredibly beautiful, and she's not exactly frivilous with sex. She's what I would consider realistic in a time when women were pretty chaste.

Her love interest is the new Marquis of Birmingdale, Duncan MacTavish. He's tall, a bit muscular, and a bit unacustomed to having his new and old grandfather both pushing him for a wife. He, like Sabrina, and is an all-around pretty sweet guy. The news of his engagement has just reached him in the Highlands of Sctoland, his home, and he is none too pleased at having to pack up for England and settle the matter. It's possible that, had he not latched onto Sabrina like she was a life savor in an ocean of terribly flavored candies, we might have seen a more brooding side to him because of this. However, not very many people can stay unhappy around Sabrina. She has that effect on people.

The romance of this story is like so: Sabrina, although loosely related to gentry, doesn't expect to get much out of her coming-out Season (especially when Ophelia, the most exquisite lady a man could ever lay his eyes on, is the one taking her to all of the parties). Promised to Duncan, Ophelia is still determined to be the life of the party, and the fact that dowdy Sabrina has attracted a few stray admirers spurs her to spread the story of an old scandal. This pretty much ruins any chance Sabrina had of finding a husband. She relaxes and accepts this fact with only a little disappointment, having been raised by two maiden aunts. At the last party of her incredibly short Season, though, she meets Duncan. They become friends, and eventually fall in love.

In the end, I was left with a light little read that doesn't get too taxing, and doesn't get too long. I was surprised that the flavor of Lindsey's book was so different, but I still believe it was worth reading.

-Embyr Bradson (1/29/04)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Heir. One of The Best...
Review: I have to say "The Heir" was one of the best books I have read. It was my first Joanna Lindsey novel, and it definately has gotten me interested to read more of her books. It is a must read on my list.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Sweet story
Review: This book reminds me of Julia Quinn's style - sweet, lovely, witty dialogue, innocent and fairly wholesome. I find some parts a bit draggy, eg. when Mavis relating her history with Ophelia etc. The pace could improve though.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Heir
Review: This isn't Johanna Lindsey's best. It lacks the passion and the pace of her better works. I had no trouble putting it down. It's not a bad story, but it lacks that special spark. The main characters are likeable. They become fast friends. While the heroine soon falls in love, Duncan sees her as just a friend. She amuses him. Duncan and I don't share the same sense of humor though. While he often found her falling down funny, I found her comments playful but not really funny. The plot isn't particularly complex or fascinating. It's a fine book if you want a simple read that doesn't require much thought.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A bit bland
Review: This isn't a bad book. It's a fast read, but nothing interesting happens. This is strictly a story of finding a friend and falling in love with a silly conflict for formula. I wouldn't not recommend this as an intoduction into Ms. Lindsey's work. Her earlier novels are much more exciting.


<< 1 2 3 4 .. 10 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates