Flash

Rating:
Summary: Thank goodness for the library
Review: Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, another of my favorite romance authors moves further into the realm of "mainstream" fiction. Jasper and Olivia (our hero and heroine) meet and set off sparks, then are caught up in a confusing and ultimately unsatisfying blackmail plot (I mean, how easy is it to have the bad guy shouting the answers to all of the questions before he's even taken out of the picture?). I was very disappointed in this book, and I am grateful that the public library saved me the $24.

Rating:
Summary: An incredibly fast read!
Review: Krentz develops Jasper and Olivia's characters very well from the onset so you really like them throughout the book. The story is kind of weak but the spark between Jasper and Olivia and their lust for success and power keep you interested.

Rating:
Summary: A can't-miss author! Filled with wit and charm.
Review: Krentz is an author I can always count on for a funny, touching page-turner of the book. Few authors can do so many things so well, but this is one who can. Lovely clean writing, plenty of twists and turns, and a delightful cast of characters--what more could a reader want?

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: 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: Excellent
Review: This a perfect thriller for our times about stocks and corporations, considering the stock market fever that has recently infected our country...and if you took a hit during the recent stock market crumble, you'll be able to relate to the anxiety the fight for company stock creates in this book! It's a page-turner as good as Craig Furnas's THE SHAPE, or Michael Crichton's DISCLOSURE, and to be highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Boring, nothing new.
Review: This book was so predictable and boring I didn't even get half-way through before I returned it to the library. I'm disappointed in Ms. Krentz's lack of originality and depth in her last few books. The plot is essentially the same as most of her others. Same hero and heroine, different names. Same villians, same lifestyles...

Rating:
Summary: silly, silly book
Review: This is such a silly book it boggles my mind how it got printed. I'm glad a friend loaned me the book and I didn't pay for it. She's sorry she bought it too. Annette Kelly

Rating:
Summary: Would someone explain this book to me?
Review: This is the first Jayne Ann Krentz novel I've read. It will probably be the last. I'm sure there's a story in this novel of two terribly boring people, Olivia and Jasper. But I couldn't find it. I'd heard such wonderful things about Ms. Krentz's novels so I was disappointed by the flatness of this tale.