Flash

Rating:
Summary: I've read better!
Review: After reading Absolutely, Positively, I immediately loved Jayne's style and technique, which made me spontaneously buy Flash. But I was somewhat disappointed. The characters seemed to lack depth. There were too many characters to keep track of! It was difficult to know the main characters since there were not that many descriptions about them. The romance between the main characters did not seem real to me, maybe since the description of the romance was short. The romance was not an explosion but a tiny spark.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining,Funny and Heartwarming
Review: I have read almost all of this author's stories, and this one is my favorite. It looks like I am in the minority here, but I was totally enthralled with Flash and I think it is one on the best stories by Jayne Ann Krentz.

Since many reviewers have sumarized the plot, I'll just say what I liked. Olivia is a great heroine. Smart, sarcastic and dedicated to her family. Jasper is one of the most endearing heroes I have read about. An all-around nice guy with some quirks to his character that make him very human to me. He is very neat and methodical, and he doesn't relate to Olivia's disorganized unmethodical tendencies. It was great reading about these two clashing, then working together to uncover a blackmailer, and realizing they are in love. I loved this story and must have read it at least ten times. My ablulute favorite book by Krentz.

Rating:
Summary: Flash was a little disappointing following Sharp Edges.
Review: I have read and re-read all of Jayne Ann Krentz books. I love all of her work as Castle and Quick as well. Usually after I read one of her works, I have a good feeling. This book left me with no feeling at all except for disappointment. I can see where several of the characters are made up of character from other books with minor alterations, but they have no depth to them. I will continue to read her books, but I will not be re-reading this one.

Rating:
Summary: very enjoyable
Review: I saw a lot of reviews screaming about how unoriginal this was...earth to readers....lol....JAK is NOT original. She is formula, but it is a formula we so enjoy. All her males are deceptive mild on outside, very controled inside; they are Alpha Males underneath and don't you think otherwise. They are green, grey or amber eyed. She is not that pretty, but very vivacious, a forceful personality and is used to getting her own way. Generally, she has been hurt, maybe he has been hurt or both, and one side of their family - close kissing cousins of the Adams Family - will drive them nuts. Every book has their share of quirky characters, and lots of rapier repartee, mostly centre around a mystery that forces the leads together.
There!! I just reviewed EVERY JAK book every written...however, have you ever looked at Nora Roberts?? You are talking formula again. Lets face it - out side of Maggie Davis with her Out of the Blue and Last Male Virgin - most stories have already been written dozens of times. It is what the writer DOES with the story. JAK does very well. Just we sort of know her too well so the razzle-dazzle is a bit expected, so we are let down. When someone yells BOO! you jump the first time. 5th time it's the same fightful BOO!, but you go yeah yeah...

I really enjoyed Flash. Not as much as Wildest Hearts, Deep Waters or Absolutely, Positively, but I really enjoyed it.

Olivia Chantry is a messy bessy in the desk department, but she is a one woman dynamo in her business Light Fantastic. The Chantry family (the pains in the bums this go around) expected her to inherit and run her uncle's business Glow, Inc. when he dies. Instead, he was in money troubles and sold the 51% of the stock to Jasper Sloan. Naturally, they are at loggerheads about how to run the business, with Olivia not likely she is 49% owner, but they have little time to iron this out, before a blackmailer strikes. They are forced to reveal all to each other and work together to stop the blackmailer.

Formula, formula, formula...JAK trademark all the way...but this dog and and pony show is one well polished rendition....

Rating:
Summary: Not that well written
Review: I usually really hate to critize a book like this, but this book was not what I expected it to be. This book was to be romantic suspense, but where was the romance? This book focused mainly on the mystery(which was solved by the the time you reached the middle of the book), and then the story kinda dragged on, probably to finish the love story. The love story was okay, but there was no serious focus on it and it just kinda closed off. In the end, for my first book by Krentz, it was not the greatest.

Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed this book.
Review: It wasn't as good as some of her others but considering how many books she's written, it will happen. I agree with what Kelly said about plot lines. There is just so much original material out there but I read to escape and enjoy and that is what I do with Ms. Krentz's books. I am a fan for life.

Rating:
Summary: Set your mind on cruise control and sit back for enjoyment!
Review: Okay, I'll come out with it. Jayne Ann Krentz may not be the most origional story teller out there. Sure, alot of her books have similare story lines. But, guess what? If you've ever read more then one of John Grisham's books or read a handful of any of Judith McNaught's books, you'll know that it is a common thing in the world of author's to recycle plots somewhat. Each book always has enough quirks in it to make it an origional, and _Flash_ is no different. Jayne Ann Krentz has used her trademark story line, but has added a new twist to it. So don't judge her because her books are a little similare. It's a common thing. Anyways, back to the book.

Olivia Chantry is the owner of a company called Light Fantastic. When her company is hired by another, their job is to make sure that the party that the company that hired them is giving is decorated and set up. Olivia gets most of her supplies for her job from her uncle's company Glow Inc. which supplies all of the lighting for the events. It is assumed by the Chantry clan that when Uncle Rollie passes on, Olivia will take over and that the buissness will stay within the family. But, when good ol' Rollie dies, it is discovered that a couple years back, he needed some financial help and got it from Jasper Sloan. To pay back his debts to Jasper, Rollie had it set up so that if anything ever happened to him, Jasper would own 51% of the company. So, Olivia is stuck with only 49% of Glow. The two clash when they first meet, Olivia thinking that Jasper will sell his percent of the company to her, and Jasper thinking that he will do no such thing. They work it out, and an attraction developes into something more serious. But, Olivia's aunt is being blackmailed, and the two are dragged into the scheme. As the blackmailer's threats become more personal, can Jasper and Olivia survive to live happily ever after?

I really did enjoy this book. Although Krentz's mystery was not at it's strongest, I was still guessing until the end. The mystery plot was a lot more complex then it has been in previous books, and I found that to be a very nice element to _Flash_. Olivia and Jasper's relationship was not hot and heavy, but it fitted nicely with the mystery, and I was not at all dissapointed with it. It's true that Krentz has used the same blackmail theme in one of her books under the name of Amanda Quick. But, _Mistress_, the historical romance in question, is one of my favorites by Quick/Krentz, and I thorougly enjoyed seeing it in a modern setting. Krentz's dialogue is at it's prime in this book, and I have yet to see another author match her in such witty exchanges between their characters. I love the setting of Seattle, and Ms. Krentz does it justice. She describes every place with such great ease, that it is obvious that she is a local. For all of you out there that want a good picture of what the Seattle atmosphere is, I suggest you pick up a book by JAK. Don't let the other reviews here fool you. This book is a flashy gem among books. It is garunteed enjoyment!

Rating:
Summary: This hurt me
Review: Terrible dialogue. Everybody speaks in full sentences and is careful to tell each other everything the reader needs to know. Annoying hero and heroine. I did NOT fall in love with either of them. And the worst: a villian who explains the whole plot at the end of the book while stalking his victims.

Ouch!

Rating:
Summary: Mystery with a dash of romance.
Review: This mystery was pretty good. It was less predictable than some of Jayne Ann Krentz's others. I found the romance to be rather uninspired but not so dull as to be boring. This isn't Krentz's best work but if you like a good mystery with just a dash of romance, this might be the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Mystery with a dash of romance.
Review: This mystery was pretty good. It was less predictable than some of Jayne Ann Krentz's others. I found the romance to be rather uninspired but not so dull as to be boring. This isn't Krentz's best work but if you like a good mystery with just a dash of romance, this might be the book for you.