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Summary: My erotic first taste of Robin Schone
Review: This is the first book I have read by Robin Schone. I guarantee I will read her others. The subject matter and characters were rather dark but I still could not put the book down. I was captivated by the two title characters and felt strong emotions as I read about them. The sexual interludes were erotic and in some cases enlightening. In criticism I would say that I hope I never have as many people around me that would tend toward betrayal as these two title characters did and I would have liked a more definitive end (one that would let me know about our lovers life together after the book) -- it just stopped and left me wishing for a little more. I will definitely search out other Schone books - I think she is destined to be one of my favorites.
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Summary: Schone stretches her talent yet another notch...
Review: It's been said that Ms. Schone stretches the boundries of romance, but in The Lover she has stretched her talent as a writer as well. I was absolutely astounded at how she created the fragmented thoughts that went through the characters' minds. I kept thinking, what makes this so different from anything I've read, and it dawned on me. She truly brings the reader inside the character's mind. When our minds are at work, one doesn't think in full blown sentences and our thoughts are constantly being bombarded with outside stimuli. Schone captures these thought processes so eloquently that the reader can't quit reading anymore than they can quit thinking. It just keeps flowing..... I also loved the underlying fear of death constantly lurking, influencing the characters. What a wonderfully executed technique to pull the reader in. It was fast paced and filled with tension. I could NOT put it down. The characters were wonderfully flawed, especially Michael. When Michael and Anne were giving to each other to heal their traumas I was swept away. Now I will be the first to admit that at first I was uncomfortable with this explicit scene, but I forced myself to continue and was stunned by what had initially seemed a bit absurd, became the most sensual scene I have ever read in a novel. Could it have been written with subtler sex? I'm sure it could. Would it have had the same impact? I think not! Knowing that Anne understood Michael's pain and wanted to heal him as he was healing her was a truly touching moment for me. The subtle way Schone introduced so many things, and the bold way she made the reader face the intimacy just kept me captivated. Needless to say, I think that Ms. Schone not only stretched the boundries for romance but she stretched her own creativity in the literary world as well. She has an incredible talent that could one day be recognized as influencing our generation's literary style. This is one book that up and coming novelists absolutely MUST read. Her style is definitely one to be emulated. And what better compliment of one's talent. A definite 5 star read.
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Summary: A walk on the dark side
Review: This book was nothing like the others I have read by this author. The story was difficult to follow and some of it very cryptic with no explainations. I will continue to read her but with some caution.
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Summary: Dark, erotic and highly sensual
Review: Yes, the tone of this book is far different from The Lady's Tutor and Awaken My Love but Ms. Schone's takes a dark, disburbing plot and blends it with tastefully erotic love scenes, sensual, forthright dialogue, a hero that is tortured to the max and a heroine who pushes the dictates of 19th century society aside to satisfy her own needs after spending so many years tending to others. Michel des Agnes is dark, violet eyed and sensuously attractive. Found on the streets of Paris at age 13 by a French madam and he was trained as a male prostitute. His expertise with being able to bring women to incredible pleasure earned him the nickname "Michael of the Angels" for his ability to "make them see angels". Now 40 years old, he now has to pay women to lie with him due to a fire that scarred his face and hands five years earlier. He longs for the willing touch of a woman and one that would willingly accept the touch of his scarred hands, almost as much as he desires vengence for "the man" that tortured his youth, caused his scars and killed just about everyone he comes into contact with that he cares about. Anne Aimes is a plain faced 36 year old virgin spinster who buried her elderly, sick parents 10 months earlier. Knowing that she probably will never marry, she still yearns for the touch of a man. She solicits Michel out of his 5 year solitude to spend one month of pleasure with her in exchange for the 10,000 pounds she inherited upon the death of her parents. Little does Michael/Michel know is that Anne saw him many years ago when she was a young, plain debutante and he the toast of London. He never gave her the time of day then but, knowing of his expertise as a whore, she knows that he is the man who's touch she yearns to have. Although he now looks different she is not repulsed by his scars and Michael revels in the willingness in Anne to receive his touch and be touched. What follows is a night of erotic awakening passion that will boggle the mind and stimulate the senses to the heavens. Michael begins to care for Anne but he also knows that "the man" who has destroyed everything he has ever cared about will probably destroy Anne. Michael is torn from not wanting to let the first woman in five years who willingly longs for his touch and pleasure go from his life in order to save her from the evil that will come after her and keeping her knowing that her presence will bring "the man" out so Michael can have his revenge. There is a lot of foreshadowing in this book, cryptic clues as to the evil to come, "the man" responsible for the evil, death and desire that is not completely answered until the end of the book. Do not get frustrated by these clues for the purpose for them becomes very clear in the end. They also serve to make this book a real page turner. I also recommend that once you know the end to go back and re-read the book. Having your curiosity satsified by knowing what's going to happend allows you to re-enjoy the healing. relationship between Michael and Anne. There are disturbing references to Michael's past and they may be hard to digest but it only proves the strengh that he has in getting over his fears. It only makes you appreciate Anne's acceptance of him as he is all the more. Ms. Schone is gifted as a writer of erotic romance. She foregoes all the silly "purple prose" for straight "no-holds-barred" sensual dialogue and descriptions that is neither crude nor repugnant. This is definitely a book that will wrench your gut long after you've finished reading it. You will actually be sitting thinking what Michael went through as a boy and burst out crying. That is how well Ms. Schone captured the emotion of this book. I HIGHLY recommend it.
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Summary: Robin, thank you so much!
Review: I had to report that the poignancy of the story, the hurt and anguish of two lives battered and used by circumstances out of their control, the desperate cleaving of two souls as they find solace, peace, love and acceptance within each others arms, the angst of unspeakable evils that befell not only Michael and Anne, but so many others, this poignancy touched me again to the point of tears. I laid in bed, hot tears streaming down my cheeks as I envisioned Michael, a small, innocent boy who had done nothing wrong save be loved by his mother. My chest heaved with my own anguish as I empathized with Anne, a woman who felt herself plain, unlovely and somehow unworthy of love. My heart broke as Gabriel, his soul dying, reached out to touch the one man he loved, and hated....the first touch he had willingly given in years. My hear almost died as I read what that small innocent boy was forced to endure at the hands of the only adult he had left in his life....of one who should have been there for him, nurturing him, but instead, blamed and punished the boy and then the man, over and over and over for sins he had never committed. Then, I wept at the acts of love and healing that were offered, freely, unconditionally. Robin, I know that you have been told this time and again. You have a gift! I would not have changed one word. I would not have omitted anything. Every noun, every verb, every adjective and adverb - they speak to the heart of healing, of forgiveness, of loyalty, of unconditional love. We all want to feel and experience these things...the pleasure and pain of being loved so much that no sacrifice is too small. Without the word pictures of suffering you created, we would never have seen the full impact of what the love of a good man or a good woman can do to change the course of life and to eradicate the past. Thank you! The sex was of course wonderful and imaginative...but the story! That was truly magnificent!
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Summary: Touching and Erotic
Review: Yet again, Schone has come out with another winner. The story line was touching as well as being extremely erotic. The twists and turns were intriguing kept me reading non stop. I will read anything by Robin anytime. Am already starting to read it for the second time.
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Summary: For a great book that is not an easy read....
Review: The Lover is not an easy read. It is intense, dark, erotic and passionate without all of the usual cliches. The heroine is not beautiful and the hero was a gigolo and yet I cared intensely what happened to these characters. This book is not for the faint of heart. The loves scenes are sizzling. I read this book in one day and enjoyed every minute of it. Ms. Schone sets the standard for erotic romances that other authors must live up to.
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Summary: Not your mother's romance
Review: I rarely read a book in one sitting, but I have done so twice now in the last year. First it was THE LADY'S TUTOR and now THE LOVER. In order for a book to maintain my interest like that, the characters have to be sympathetic and interesting, the story compelling, the writing skillful, and the pace steady. THE LOVER fills all of these requirements in spades. When I first heard that Anne, the heroine, was a 36 year old spinster, I never realized just how much I've been longing for such a heroine. 22 year old extremely beautiful heroines are fine, but as a 40-something woman I can't relate to them anymore. Reading about Anne was like reading about myself. She has all the angst and insecurities about her attractiveness that I and most of my friends do. I instantly and completely identified with her and admired her greatly for going after what she wanted, even though it was totally forbidden to her by society. And what she wanted was Michael, a beautiful man Anne saw and wanted when she was a debutante, a man who was completely unavailable to her, particularly since he was a gigolo. When circumstances provide the opportunity to have him, she doesn't hesitate but reaches out for what she needs. It was courageous in the extreme for Robin Schone to pick a male prostitute (even a retired one) as a hero. Some people will judge and not accept that prostitutes are people who have feelings and are as deserving of happiness as anyone else. But in fact, what better hero could there be for a story about redemption and overcoming the past than a prostitute? Who could need it more than a man pressed into it as a child and who has suffered greatly because of it? Michael is a man crying out for love and ultimately willing to risk everything because of it. I admired both characters for their strength and courage in the face of truly terrible odds. The mystery is also compelling with a wonderful secondary character, Gabriel (whom I hope we will see again!). We are not sure what drives Michael and the sense of dread is masterfully created. The denouement does not disappoint either, with surprises galore. Robin's writing has grown and changed dramatically from her first book AWAKEN MY LOVE. With THE LOVER, she has reached new heights. I have rarely read such condensed, intense prose that conveyed so much emotion. The style of the writing matched the tone of the story exactly and it helped drive this story to its conclusion. Chapter One should be used in writing classes as an example of setting the stage and mood and introducing characters. The frank sexual language is also a real treat. There is no purple prose in this book, just frank, mature language. It is a real pleasure to read such skillful writing. Yes, the story is dark and very disturbing in places and the journey Anne and Michael take is not always pretty. The story is also very erotic with explicit sexuality and overtones of horror. It is not for the faint of heart or for those who prefer sweet stories. Rather, this is a book for adults who recognize the dark side of life but hope for a bright morning after and who believe that really, love does conquer all.
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Summary: not the same old love story
Review: Robin's new book is exactly what the cover promises sensual erotic and dark the tension sizzles from the very start and dosen't quit .a real page turner this is not for unimaginative straight laced or narrow minded people
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Summary: Brilliant!
Review: This is a must read all lovers of romance, as well as mainstream fiction readers. The Lover is another keeper from Ms. Schone, a very talented author! This story, like Tutor, and Awaken My Love, will keep you reading through the night. I loved it! Thank you, Ms. Schone for another beautiful love story, with characters who have emotional depth, who are sensually erotic, and "real."
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