Illusions

Rating:
Summary: This Book is Not an Illusuon
Review: Leigh Dunn,an illustrator of children's books, is flying to London to visit her father, from whom she has been estranged for years. Having survived the earlier loss of her husband and son, this trip was prompted by the recent death of her beloved stepson,Joel. On the plane she meets Daniel Goddard, a businessman. The two fall into a brief encounter in London,which is only that for Leigh, but is much more for Daniel. After returning to New York ,Leigh,still grieving for Joel and upset over her reunion with her father,cannot re-establish herself in her old life. Her mother, an author of romance novels, and her agent Miles try to encourage her, but she is unable to ,and a quarrel with her mother plunges her deeper into despair. In the meantime,Daniel is becomming obsessed with her and falling deeper into his obsession. Leigh slowly comes back to life,making amends with her mother, and falling in love with Miles. Just at a point where good things are happening to Leigh an unspeakable act by Daniel changes the course of everyones' life, almost destroying everyone.This leads to a very exciting ending. This is an earlier book,1987,of Charlotte Vale Allen's, but is as contemporary as today. As always,her characters have such dimension you feel that they really exist. Her story-line moves quickly forward, never missing a beat. Once started, this book is difficult to put down.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've EVER read!!!!
Review: This book was like reading a dream. It drew me into the story like a magnet. The writing was mysterious, enigmatic. This is her first book I've read and I intend to read every book she's written. The sex scenes were well written and very true to life. The plot kept me guessing; I could not put this book down. A fabulous story which I highly recommend!

Rating:
Summary: An Illusion of a real novel
Review: This novel is like a parody of a suspense novel, bland and unsuspenseful.

After wading through 200 pages of so called character development I was still marveling at the lack of depth that the author manages. Especially Dan, the antagonist. There is absolutly no indication in his personality that he is capable of his crimes. There is vrtually no connection between the Dan of the first half and the second.

So maybe the author was trying to surprise us with this guy's character flaw, but half the fun of reading this type of story is the marvelous sense of forboding that can be developed and which can keep you looking back at the beginning for clues to the dissolution.

But we get none of that here. Nice guy one minute, terrorist the next. So Dan has some issues with his first wife, how exactly does that lead to his need to kidnap?

And are we to believe that the so called strong, independant Leigh really wants to marry a guy who calls her "my little trollop" and other sexist inanities?

The portrayal of New York City aristocrats is shallow. It seems mearly to give the characters the free time to play out the events of the novel.

The ending is totally ridiculous. After raping, beating, torturing and otherwise abusing Leigh she turns around and forgives the guy, doesn't tell the police, and starts hangin with his daughter? Come on.

I suspect that this is a basic bodice buster romance novel trying to make a leap into a serious subject, but fails.