Forever and Always

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointed
Review: I have every book Jude Deveraux has written. That tells you how much I love her work. But the last 4 books have been disappointing. "The Mulberry Tree" started out great but dissolved into a mystery novel. "Forever", with it's take-turn 'voice overs' and a female lead that I found I couldn't really care about. (She was more annoying than anything else). Not the strong women leads Deveraux is known for. (This 'he said-she said' continues in "Wild Orchids". Again a mystery novel rather than romance and nothing about the Taggerts or Montgomerys). Then "Forever and Always". The same annoying her turn/his turn and just a filler novel until the third "Always" book comes out to finish the story. There seems to be a running "I really want sex" theme throughout these 4. I noticed in her biography bit at the back of the book she seems to be unmarried/divorced and lives with her small son. If that's what it takes to bring back the old Jude Deveraux writing, take Jackie Maxwell's advice in "Wild Orchids" - 'I decided I needed to start dating'.

Rating:
Summary: Not her best book.
Review: I liked Forever - okay, I didn't love it, but it was a good book, interesting reading. With Forever and Always - things start to change.

First of all, this is not even a tiny drop a romance novel. I don't like the hero (hero??) what is he exactly?? and I don't like the storyline.

In this story, Darci is alone, Adam is missing - either dead or something, the book mysteriously hints something about being under ice. In my opinion, a romance novel is not supposed to end with the hero being under ice, and the heroine - that's Darci - being told that her marriage is not important, it's her mission in life that's more important. That's strike one for me - romance novels are supposed to be happily ever after, in my opinion.

This book doesn't seem to go anywhere. There's a mystery, Darci has to use her psychic powers to solve the mystery. That's it. Along the way she gets to meet all kinds of ghosts and beings - who tell her that she has to solve this to go further in some kind of game. This book seems to me to be somewhat of a filler between two books - Forever - and presumably a third book. Nothing much happens in this book, at least to Darci and Adam. That's strike two.

Strike three, this book is so unrealistic as to be ridiculous. In Forever, although Darci comes across as well, different, she seems normal, just a little psychic. Here, I feel like I fell down Alice's hole. She seems to have presumably worked on her gifts to enhance them (is that possible? I thought that psychics were like either born, or not, at least that's how they're usually portrayed). In this book, she does come across like a real freak. It's hard to believe that her psychic gifts have become so much more in just a few years - well, to me it's really unrealistic. The first novel, you get the feeling that it COULD be true - the things she does are not SO SO much out of the ordinary. And that she's also a real person, who just happens to have some gifts. In Forever and Always, she's not real anymore, she turns into a freak, or a heroine out of a ghost novel.

Also, I really hated the hero - I forgot his name - plus, he doesn't seem to have any role at all except as a sidekick to Darci while Adam is missing - he doesn't turn into the hero or anything, so what's he doing there?

This was the first book I have read by JD that I really didn't like.

Rating:
Summary: Was anyone as confused as I was?
Review: I always enjoy reading a Jude Devereux book and this one held my interest, but the story did not match the description on the inside cover. It said she was teaming up with the FBI in exchange for their help in finding Adam. What happened there?
Also, when I read Forever, I did not realize it was going to be a series.

Rating:
Summary: It's not a romance, but it's pretty good...
Review: I selected this book randomly off the shelf at the bookstore. I was really desperate for a good book. I was an avid reader of JD's earlier work (Velvet Series, Knight in Shining Armor)and loved them all. I've really tried to get into the new way she's writing with little success. So now I've read the book I chose and I was very surprised. I actually liked it. I love the way the whole story is written in 1st person. It's like you actually experience what the characters are feeling. With the 3rd person POV it's hard to *really* get to know a character. I absolutley loved Linc. This is the first "romance" novel that I have read with one of the main characters being African-American. It's quite refreshing to read something different than the norm. You get time-travel, ghosts, villians, and other characters wrapped up into one neat little book.

Other reviews have stated that you have to read Forever first. This isn't true. I did not read Forever (I probably will go back and read it though) and understand everything that was going on. Not once was I lost or found something hard to understand.

Just remember, so you won't be disappointed later on, this book, or any of her newer books, is NOTHING like her earlier work. The book's spine says romance, but it definately is not that. It's a really good story about a woman looking for her husband.

Rating:
Summary: Different in a good way
Review: Once again, Ms. Deveraux has provided a story that is both different and refreshing. I finished this book understanding a lot more about Darci's actions and why she behaves as she does in the previous book, Forever. Linc was a wonderful and interesting new addition to the story line, and I hope to see him again in the future. Hats off to the author for being brave enough to write a male lead of African American descent outside the Multicultural market.

Like Forever, Forever and Always is a departure from the Romance genre norm, but in a good way. I love traditional romance novels, but I also think it's nice to read something different every now and then. The one thing I had difficulty adjusting to is the heroine lusting after a man other than the hero, however, I tried to keep an open mind and it didn't detract from the story as a whole. Overall, I thought Forever and Always was interesting and entertaining, and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Rating:
Summary: A Great NOVEL!
Review: If you are comparing this book to any secondary romance novels out there, yes, it will come up short. IF you pick this up and decide to read it because it a great STORY, the it is a real winner. The plot is great, I love how the characters of both Darci and Lincoln become so real that you can almost anticipate their next move. I was really hoping that Darci and Lincoln wouldn't forget her husband and once all was explained, it really shows Darci's full love for Adam. (There's your romance, critics!)
This type of series is hard to read for me, since Ms. Dereraux is one of my all time favs, I am hungry for the next book as soon as I finish the last. "Forever & Always" sure drops you into a full pit of questions. Some unexpected twists get you skipping ahead to the next paragraph so that you miss something and have to re-read the section. It's great and fast paced and a true original!!
Kudos to Jude for writing outside the box! I can't wait for"...Always" to hit the market. Be sure to pick up the first book, "Forever..." before reading this one because there is just a full leap into this story and not knowing the events from the first book might be a bit hindering.

Rating:
Summary: You Guys really didn't like this one
Review: I did.
I found it very amusing, and not a serious story it was laughable. I like your books, this was very good. I read forever first like I hope everyone else who read this book took the time to do the samething.
So Jude, now, don't let a little bad press, stop you from writing about how she finds her husband, and where is her Daddy? what happen to Lincoln? It was a cute story, but you have to do your thing on the next book cause I know how to be a disagreeable reader as well as next person. So Write away, Jude , Write away.

Rating:
Summary: A plain good enjoyable read
Review: Being a loyal Jude Deveraux reader and fan, I buy every book that she has written, but when I first bought this book I was a little skeptical because I don't generally like books in this genre that are written in the first person but when I started to read, I was hooked! It took me one day to read this book because I couldn't put it down. If you enjoyed Ms. Deveraux's new books, then you will probably like this book as well. It may not have as much romance in it, but what it is not lacking is Ms. Deveraux rioutous sense of humor.

I gave this book four stars because some places in the plot were a little sloppy and Linc's obsession with [physical activity] had me rolling my eyes in a couple of places, but overall it was a very enjoyable story with very enjoyable characters.

Rating:
Summary: Baffled
Review: So, I have two questions. Did she really write this? Why do we need a sequel?

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: I like many other have read all of Jude Deveraux's books. And I too agree that her latest books have not been good at all. Maybe she needs to start over with a new line of family or something. But definately more romance. I have now resorted to trying a different author.
I am only 1/2 way through this book but I'm forcing myself to finsih it since I started it. I did read the first book. It was okay but still not like any of her other books.
If anyone wants books like her try Julie Garwood...some of her are excellant.