Brilliant

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, cute story
Review: American Katherine Day Keswick, a.k.a. Kick, has worked for London's Ballantine and Company Auctioneer, Ltd. for over 30 years. She's a true professional and a real expert on fine furniture, paintings and especially jewels. She leads a very private life and wishes to keep it private and soon retire to southern France. Kick has created quite a nest egg for herself over the years in her secret life as a jewel thief. "Just to add a touch of class to my residential burglaries, a little bouquet of shamrocks tied with an ivory satin ribbon replaces the goods. A signal to the target that the bad news is they've been robbed, but the good news is they can take pride in knowing they were robbed by London's best-the Shamrock Burglar."

But now the auction house has a new CEO. "Owen Brace, a self-made man, Irish-American, one of the most successful international takeover artists in the history of business, was a high-speed adrenaline addict and a notorious slash-and-burn specialist." Owen is a womanizer, on his 3rd wife, and a scoundrel. Yet he somehow manages to open Kick's eyes to a new world of love, romance and a physical pleasure she's never known. She sticks around, postponing her departure although something tells her that Owen's intentions may not be honorable.

Does Owen really love Kick? Does she really love him? Will her secret life be found out? Well, I can't tell you that.

The premise of this story was very cute and fun, at times dangerous and exciting. Good character development as well. My only complaint was in Kellogg's descriptions and explanations, such as jewel expertise and jewelry histories. They seemed dictated straight from an encyclopedia, a laundry list of facts. I'm no writer and can't advise on how I would have overcome this. But as a reader, that was my impression.

Rating:
Summary: delicious melodrama
Review: At the age of eighteen, college student Kathleen "Kick" Keswick met Sir Cranner Ballantine sole owner of Ballantine & Company Auctioneers, a very wealthy married man old enough to be her grandfather. She immediately becomes his mistress with her own home, which he paid for as well as bestowing jewels and fashionable clothes on her. His gave her a job at his company where she worked her way up to senior executive assistant, a loyal employee and lover until the day he died.

She transfers that loyalty to his son Sir Benjamin until he runs the business into the ground. Owen Brace, a high-powered industrialist buys the whole company except for the 15% that Kick owns. Owen wants that 15% but he doesn't know who owns it and Kick does nothing to enlighten him. She prepares to leave the firm and start her second career as the Shamrock Burglar and return to her home in Provence, but she is drawn into Owen's web, and despite his shady dealings and illegal activities, becomes engaged to him. When she discovers he betrayed her, she takes her revenge, as only a woman scorned can do.

Marne Davis has written a delicious melodrama starring a heroine who pretends to be so proper, but literally gets away with her crimes. She shows no remorse for her actions and is the epitome of an elegant lady. The antagonist of BRILLIANT doesn't have Kick's class and is more of a felon than a suave cat burglar. Readers will be sympathetic towards the heroine who is living life on her own terms without harming anyone.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars with some complaints but overall 5 stars
Review: I give this book 5 stars for the story itself. Kick Keswick as a woman who escaped to London as a teenager to start a new life after a baby she gave up for adoption, a mother who cared less and a juvenile record she needed to escape from. She winds up the protege of Sir Cramner owner of a well established Auction house. After his death the company is taken over by Owen Brace a flashy business man who she helps make over in order to fit in better in the upper class English society that most of their business is done in. In her spare time though she's a well trained and knowledgable jewelry thief. This was a great part of her character.
From the beginning of the story she is tough and does what she has to so she can get by. Perhaps that is why she kind of blended into the the side lines at her job with Ballantine Auction house.

She's very talented in art, jewelry and antique appraising, so I didn't understand the fact that a woman who had been working for years under the owners training would still be an Executive Assistant. In one scene in particular she describes that she's the one that makes sure everything is locked up and another time one of the Vice Presidents is asking her where his coffee/tea is. I didn't understand this part of the story considering she is such a dynamic character to begin with. It bugged me. As I said maybe I missed something, but I don't know that bothered me. She's worked at this company since she was about 18 and although she does make sure everything is running well one of the men was asking her that seemed highly unlikely in today's world.

However, I found the story interesting and fun. I wasn't sure that I'd like the story it took me a little while to get into it, but when I did I was eager to know what would happen next.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just tell you that I enjoyed it. It's a nice change of pace for a female lead to be a jewelry thief and the heroine in the story. I loved the ending too.:)

I loved the first person account she gave also so it's like you are reading her diary or talking to her over brunch.

It's got a few flaws but I still give it 5 stars because it kept me involved and I will recommend it to friends and family.

Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars with some complaints but overall 5 stars
Review: I give this book 5 stars for the story itself. Kick Keswick as a woman who escaped to London as a teenager to start a new life after a baby she gave up for adoption, a mother who cared less and a juvenile record she needed to escape from. She winds up the protege of Sir Cramner owner of a well established Auction house. After his death the company is taken over by Owen Brace a flashy business man who she helps make over in order to fit in better in the upper class English society that most of their business is done in. In her spare time though she's a well trained and knowledgable jewelry thief. This was a great part of her character.
From the beginning of the story she is tough and does what she has to so she can get by. Perhaps that is why she kind of blended into the the side lines at her job with Ballantine Auction house.

She's very talented in art, jewelry and antique appraising, so I didn't understand the fact that a woman who had been working for years under the owners training would still be an Executive Assistant. In one scene in particular she describes that she's the one that makes sure everything is locked up and another time one of the Vice Presidents is asking her where his coffee/tea is. I didn't understand this part of the story considering she is such a dynamic character to begin with. It bugged me. As I said maybe I missed something, but I don't know that bothered me. She's worked at this company since she was about 18 and although she does make sure everything is running well one of the men was asking her that seemed highly unlikely in today's world.

However, I found the story interesting and fun. I wasn't sure that I'd like the story it took me a little while to get into it, but when I did I was eager to know what would happen next.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just tell you that I enjoyed it. It's a nice change of pace for a female lead to be a jewelry thief and the heroine in the story. I loved the ending too.:)

I loved the first person account she gave also so it's like you are reading her diary or talking to her over brunch.

It's got a few flaws but I still give it 5 stars because it kept me involved and I will recommend it to friends and family.

Rating:
Summary: D, Flawless!!!
Review: I LOVED this book! It was literally difficult to put down & one that you hate to finish. I found Kellogg's descriptions so delightful to read. From the way she made a simple omelette to her minute steps in replicating jewelry- it was great fun! Kick's sass was refreshing to see & I liked the fact that she still was a "lady" throughout her escapades.
I saw where another reviewer was bugged by the fact that she had so much power at the auction house, yet was still bringing the boys tea. Ballantine is old-school England! She was smart enough to know that did not demean her. She knew how to play the men. I am sure she could've moved up, too, but hmmm.... wouldn't that have made her "other job" more dangerous? I think she had the best of both worlds here & knew it.
Kudos to Kellogg for her good research job in writing this book. She definitely knew her stuff.

A great book here. Do not pass it up! Can't wait to read "Priceless", her sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Fun
Review: In Kick Keswick, Marne Davis Kellogg has created a heroine with a life that anyone would desire (well, except maybe for that jewel thievery thing). A beautiful flat, stunning clothes, good food, exceptional wine and a sharp brain to boot - Kick has it all. And she may be about to get one more object of desire in the love of a handsome, rich and talented lover. When Kick begins to sense danger both at home and in her work at an ancient auction house, things begin to get really, really fun.

Kellogg's crisp, sure writing keeps the plot moving and never gives in to gimmickry. She's done her research, too, with superlative descriptions of jewels, paintings, and other trifles that fill the auctioneer's life. The reader actually feels as if part of the room being described - the writing is that vivid.

Definitely a recommended read. Perfect to enjoy on a languid spring night along with a glass of wine.

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting and likeable heroine
Review: Kick Keswick is an unapologetic, fascinating creature whose thoughts drive this book. She successfully draws the reader into the world of high-brow auction houses as well as her own, shadier realm. The descriptions of jewelry that grace Kick's life are sumptuous. Her characters are interesting and complex - the kind you love and hate at the same time. Even though I cheated and read the epilogue before I was half way through the book, I was still amazed out how masterfully Marne Davis Kellogg kept me guessing as to how the plot was going to work out. The reader really learns the importance of "the value of discretion and the virtue of keeping [one's] mouth shut and the essential nature of confidentiality and trustworthiness," to quote Kick's own narrative.

Rating:
Summary: I was left disappointed
Review: Let me start out by saying I am very much a romantic, which biases me a little. So without giving anything away, I'll say that I wasn't very satisfied by the way this story wrapped up. Certain characters were made so likeable throughout the book, and certain relationships so dynamic and passionate, that I was inevitably disappointed when the plot took an abrupt turn toward the end, and cavalierly dismissed those things as fraudulent. The tacked-on happy ending wasn't happy as far as I was concerned, and a much needed confrontation was completely missing at the end. LIke I said, I don't want to give too much away to people who haven't read the book yet, so I apologize if this review is coming off as a bit sketchy. But I will just say, this is not a book I'd recommend for the hopeless romantics out there.

Rating:
Summary: I was left disappointed
Review: Let me start out by saying I am very much a romantic, which biases me a little. So without giving anything away, I'll say that I wasn't very satisfied by the way this story wrapped up. Certain characters were made so likeable throughout the book, and certain relationships so dynamic and passionate, that I was inevitably disappointed when the plot took an abrupt turn toward the end, and cavalierly dismissed those things as fraudulent. The tacked-on happy ending wasn't happy as far as I was concerned, and a much needed confrontation was completely missing at the end. LIke I said, I don't want to give too much away to people who haven't read the book yet, so I apologize if this review is coming off as a bit sketchy. But I will just say, this is not a book I'd recommend for the hopeless romantics out there.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant- NOT !
Review: The first few chapters of this book were great, I had an immediate liking of the character Kick. So I had great hopes this would be a fun, interesting fast moving book, so much for high hopes. I got to page 175 (half way through) and decided I had better books waiting for me then to trod on with this one. After 175 pages one would hope SOMETHING would happen, something interesting enough to compel you onward, but there just was nothing happening in this book. Ms.Kellogg is not a bad writer she needs to have a plot. This was a real disappointment as I had looked so forward to getting this book, don't make the same mistake I did, get something else.