PERFECT

Rating:
Summary: As beautiful as its cover!
Review: ..but it isn't as perfect as it's title. In fact, this book has many flaws and some of them are unable to be forgiven.

First of all, it left a lot of puzzles in my mind. -Where's Dom and his family? why didn't the story mention to them even a word after the world realised Zack's innocent?-Where's Paul Richardson? Isn't he suppose to come back and try to win Julie's heart after explaining the truth to Zack just to make it right for her after his mistake?

Moreover, I hate the fact that the hero's betrayed by the heroine even after she'd already known he love her. I still have a hard time fogiving julie for her silly weakness that led to her biggest mistake. I also think Zack is too forgiving. Julie deserved far more torture, and more suffering, than the story gave her.

Still, there're several reasons why I still give the book 5 stars. I give those stars to Zack, an incredible charming hero. I give it to his perfectly balance in strengthes and weaknesses, his gentleness, his sense of humour, his self-estreem, his occasional ruthless, ..and so on. I give them to a captivating story that forced me to finish the book in one sitting. I give it to those moving and touching moments that made me reread them again and again. I give them to all colourful supporting characters who add the right amout of spice to the bitter or sweet moments of Zack&Julie relationship. I also give them to the heroine, Julie, becase apart from her terrible mistake, her kindness, generousity, capable of strenght, and unconditional willingness to give her love to everyone make her the perfect soulmate for Zact's torture soul in every way.

And above of all, I give those stars to an incredible good feeling I felt after I finished the book.

So, let neither some negative reviewes nor those flaws in the book distract you from reading it. The most important thing is, if you ever read this book, you'll end up love it just as I do.

Rating:
Summary: As captivating as Paradise
Review: Any romance novel buff would be sucked into reading a story about a couple who falls in love, gets torn apart and then overcome insurmountable obstacles to live happily ever after. And Perfect is exactly just that.

Zachary Benedict Stanhope was born into a rich family. He had the looks and grace that comes with the breeding, not to mention the arrogance that characterizes the Stanhope males. But when a tragic incident led to him being banished from his home, he found himself working at a Hollywood studio, where he was soon discovered and launched into stardom to eventually become an academy award winning actor/director.

Julie Mathison is an orphan who grew up being thrown from one home to another. Thus, at the age of 11, she was an illiterate who's never had any parental guidance and spent more time in the streets learning how to hot-wire cars until a kind psychiatrist takes an interest in her and finds Julie a home with some relatives in the obscure town of Keaton in Texas. For the first time in her life, Julie is happy and vows to make herself perfect to show her gratitude to the Mathisons who gave her all the love and kindness she's always craved for.

More than a decade later and these two cross paths by accident, when Zach, who was wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife, was forced to kidnap Julie when his escape from prison didn't go according to plan. Soon, trouble intensifies when Julie finds herself a willing hostage, and Zack develops a feeling of protectiveness over her, something he's never felt for a woman before. So when Zack sends her home, she did her utmost to convince the whole world of his innocence. But when things she starts discovering cause her to doubt Zack's innocence and mental health, she ends up betraying him, thus causing both of them much anguish and unhappiness.

As with the other four books that I have previously read (AKOD, Something Wonderful, Once & Always, Paradise), this book made me laugh and cry. It just goes to show the magic that Judith McNaught weaves, as I really felt drawn to the characters. Perfect is just so wonderfully told, I loved it and found myself unable to put it down. There are some pretty funny scenes like the movie session they had, with Julie ignoring Zack's movies and Zack criticizing every movie and actor she's picked. Then there are those heartbreaking moments - like Zack's letter, the airport scene - that brought tears to my eyes. And although I wanted to strangle Julie for betraying Zack, I couldn't help but feel sorry for how she's suffered because of it.

I've noticed that some readers mentioned feeling a little nauseated about the whole Barbra Streisand dance sequence, well I must agree it was a little too much, but I actually enjoyed them dancing to Jose Feliciano's "Light My Fire" and have been listening to that song over and over again since.

Another incentive to reading this is Matt and Meredith Farrell's re-appearance. For those who have read Paradise and found it hard to say goodbye to them, you will truly enjoy their part in this book. It was so good to see again just how much they love each other.

Despite a couple of quibbles, namely the sudden disappearance of Paul Richardson and Dominic Sandini, the lack of participation of Greg, whom Julie was almost affianced to, Perfect is still a great novel, almost as great as Paradise. Read this and enjoy.


Rating:
Summary: Perfect is definitely Perfect
Review: I bought this book at a yard sale. It was the hardcover and looked brand new. However, I wasn't sure if I would like it. Boy, was I wrong. I couldn't put it down I soon as I started page 1. In the past 4 months that I have it I have read it 5 times straight, and many times I have read my most favorite parts. I have let some of my friends read it, and they absolutely love it.
Zack is my favorite male character ever written. Once I was asked who would I marry if I could marry any fiction character, and I picked Zack without a doubt. He is so sexy, and wonderful, every women's dream. And the good thing is, he makes mistakes too, (the whole 3 minutes thing) and that makes him sooooo believable. But he totally redeems himself with the apologies and THAT letter!!!
Julie is a great character too, however, I can't stand her whole Mexico City mistake. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?????? I can't stand that part, she was so stupid.
On top of everything, the book holds a valuable lesson. We should help people who can't read this book like we can, 'cause this book is PERFECT!
This book is the greatest I have ever read. I would recommend this for anyone.

Read Paradise if you read Perfect. It's the story of Matthew Farrell and his wife Meredith before Perfect. It's a good book, however, I like Perfect better.

Rating:
Summary: Romatic Pageturner with a Heroine who is a bit *too* Perfect
Review: I have read and enjoyed *all* of Judith McNaught's historical romances (my true passion), so I decided to try one of her contemporary romances for a change. "Perfect" is a great story--a real page-turner with a complex, dark and sexy hero.

Zachary Benedict, a gorgeous self-made man with a mysterious past, is a phenomenally successful Hollywood movie star and director until his adulterous actress wife is murdered on the set of the film he is directing and he is convicted of her murder and sent to prison for 43 years. He escapes from prison 5 years later (with the help of some *amazingly* lax prison security) and in his flight takes Julie Matheson, an innocent schoolteacher, as his hostage to a mountain hideaway in Colorado. Although Zach initially plots cynically to seduce Julie to bind her to him, he finds himself genuinely drawn to her warmth and spirit. Julie is appalled to find herself attracted to her captor and desperately tries to escape (well, at least initially...)

Zach is a great hero--strong but damaged by his past, sexy and gorgeous but remote, cynical but with the heart of a romantic. He is the engine that keeps the story running, in my opinion.

Julie is a pretty good heroine, but (in my opinion) the "goody-two-shoes" stuff is a bit overdone. Abandoned by her mother at birth, she is a rebellious and unwanted foster child prior to being adopted by the Mathesons when she was 11 years old. Overwhelmed by their love and trust, she vows to be worthy of it by being "perfect". And, boy oh boy!, is she ever *perfect*! A minister's daughter and teacher who works with handicapped kids, an adult literacy volunteer and activist, a 26 year old virgin who has actively avoided dating sexy men, Julie is *beloved* in her small Texas town. Unfortunately, all this perfection is a little bit cloying. I liked more the fact that she was genuinely a *kind* person--she gives Zach a ride initially because she feels sorry for him. As his captive, Julie intially tries to escape, then to gull Zach into complacency. There is a little too much adorable woman-child behavior by Julie for my taste, but Zach eats it right up. He is a *little* bit suspicious when she wants to build a snowman in subzero weather, but (gosh, darn it!) isn't she cute! Of course, three days with Zach and Julie's 26 years of virginity are down the drain (talk about the Stockholm syndrome!)

The plot is interesting and moves along well, although there is the "trademark" Judith McNaught *major hiccup* in trust between the main characters that is later brushed off and forgiven. Although this plot event introduces all sorts of tension and turmoil into the story--I have to say that I thought that it was out of character, had potentially disasterous results and was almost *unforgivable*. My other major complaint with the story was with all the Hollywood name-dropping. I found it annoying and out of character for Julie and especially Zach to be so star-struck.

This is a longish book (over 600 pages) but I finished it in one day. The story is entertaining and Zach is the kind of dark, driven, sexy and complex hero that I adore. I love to see the strong, cynical type brought to his knees by his love for a good woman!
Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: I dunno about you guys, but Perfect made me cry...
Review: i just absolutely love this story. it was one of the first books that ive read from ms. mcnaught---one of those that contributed to this enthusiasm over romance.

zachary or zack (oh gosh...is his name hot or what??) is so perfect for julie. as julie is perfect for him. you cannot help but fall in love with these two. the halcyon days they spent all cooped up from the authorities made me wonder if i'll let myself one day be "kidnapped" by a man as de-lish as zack.

but more than the sexuality and the sensuality, as usual (as i was bound to discover upon reading more from ms. mcnaught), the most provocative and compelling facet of Perfect is the emotional turmoil that the protagonists felt as they faced the charges that threatened Zack. and i was just brought to tears on that part where Zack sent Julie a letter. it was so heart-wrenching---and the way ms. mcnaught drove the atmosphere on that particular scene---nothing but a master could do that.

Julie is one of the best heroines ever lovingly created by a writer. she's brave, tough, generous, and so adorable especially when she gets agitated (note the alphabetical obsessive-compulsive thingie that she does...it's really sweet)

with all confidence, i would say that Perfect is the most "perfect" contemporary romance written by ms. mcnaught (and that's saying a lot--since Paradise is a close contender)--there's action, so much drama, passion, tender humor, and that rewarding part where Zack realizes how wrong he was about Julie on the airport ambush scene. and the way he atones for everything by practically lavishing Julie and treating her like she's the only woman on earth (which was really the case for him...)

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Winter Love Story!
Review: I just read Perfect over this weekend, while there was a major snow storm taking place right outside my house. It was just the perfect setting for a perfect winter love story.
July's wit and courage was a perfect complement to a dark and somber Zach.
Thank you Judith for including my two other most favorite characters from Paradise, Mat and Meredith Farrell, another unforgettable couple.


Rating:
Summary: Beautiful story, but.....
Review: I must say, I enjoyed Perfect very, very, very, VERY much for the first, oh - third of it. When I started it I never wanted to put it down, but I did have to sleep at night and go to work the next day. HOWEVER - I agree with one other reviewer who loses interest in romance books the minute the hero & heroine "get together" and/or profess their love for one another early on, which happened by the first third of Perfect. Under the circumstances of this story's particular plotline, it was believeable, but I was just a little disappointed. I like for the characters to truly know one another before anything really romantic happens. Now, that issue aside, I also agree with more than one reviewer who commented about a few missing characters near the end of this novel - Dominic Sandini for one, and Paul Richardson for another. I have to admit, I didn't really miss either one, because I was so caught up with the dramatics in the last 100 or so pages, but yes, now that they remind me, they both should have been mentioned again. A resolution to Paul's character was sorely lacking (it's like no one cared that he was the one who actually played the biggest part in bringing Julie and Zack together in the end). Dominic needed to be mentioned simply because he was so important to Zack in prison. I mean, the man was his best friend for five long years, and helped him escape for crying out loud! But the one character whom none of these reviews have mentioned (since 2/2002 at least) is Julie's original boyfriend, Greg. Or was is Glen, or Doug? Heck, I can't even remember his name and I finished reading the book 45 minutes ago! Now, don't you find something a little strange about a storyline that doesn't even mention the man Julie was thinking about MARRYING when she was kidnapped by Zack? Come on, not a mention of this man after she returned home to the great relief of her entire family - the entire TOWN, actually! Even though he lived in another state at the time - not a phone call, not a breath of word from this boyfriend Greg (I had to consult the book for his actual name). Don't you assume he at least wondered how she was after being held hostage by a deranged killer for a couple of weeks? Hmmmm.... I am so shocked that none of the editors caught that nor any of the reviews I read mentioned him. One other thing I found a little disturbing: Julie was so ready to drop her entire life (the wonderful, fulfilling life her adoptive family had selflessy given her when she was 11 and which she had vowed to never take for granted) and flee off to be with Zack in some far-away, unknown location, knowing there was a good chance she would never see any of her friends or family ever again, after only THREE weeks of separation from Zack? I would have really believed it more if the timeline had been stretched out A LOT more, like say, 6 months or a year. Three weeks is just too soon, and in my opinion, Julie would have had to think about it a great deal more before deciding to just disappear from the face of the earth for this man! If it weren't for the glaring character omissions mentioned before, and the fact that yes, I too agree that Julie was a LITTLE bit over-the-top of a goody-two-shoes, this book would have been a lot closer to being "perfect"!

Rating:
Summary: best of the best
Review: I've read thousands of books and this is by far one of the best if not the best. Judith Mcnaught is an amazing writer. If you haven't read Paradise read it first. Just when you think Paradise is one of the greatest reads, Perfect then blows you away. Definately a page turner which is very important to me. If a book doesn't grasp me in the first two chapters I don't even finish it. I really like how Mcnaught includes the problem of illiteracy in the book. I think it is wonderful how she makes us see what a problem it is and how it greatley effects peoples lives in ways that we "readers" couldn't imagine.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect is the book, the characters and the feeling you get
Review: Judith McNaught is the best weaver of romantic fairy tales that I have come across in romantic fiction (and I have read a lot). Even in her contemporary titles, like Perfect, she manages to bring a lot of the "Hero" aspect into normal, modern day men to make you feel that you are reading a fairy tale.

Julie and Zach are completely different, thrown into awful circumstances and yet, it's just another tribute to show that love can conquer all. The story will make you laugh, make you cry and leave you feeling long after you've put the book down.

I judge books not only on their ability to hold my attention while I'm reading them, but also on their abililty to keep it after I've finished. This book kept me enraptured while I was reading it, and fondly (and regretfully) thinking about them when I was done with it.

If you like fairy tale romance, endearing heroines and strong heros, you can't go wrong with this book.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect read for lazy afternoon!
Review: Perfect by Judith McNaught is the perfect read for a lazy afternoon. It's also a book you will want to read more than once. I loved it!