Rating: 
Summary: Mundane and mediocre
Review: Beautiful cover, but nothing inside.I'd hoped for something grand and rich along the lines of "Bomarzo", but this is just another tacky romance-novel masquerading as something finer. And boy, is it ever tacky!Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud in all the wrong places, I wonder if this was written as a prank by a couple of Harvard undergraduate males instead of the lush babe in the author photos.But as the Kirkus Reviews pointed out, it will probably sell like hotcakes...
Rating:
Summary: Purple prose, hackneyed characters
Review: I was really looking forward to this one because this is a time/place I adore, and the reviews have been great. Plus, how often do you get the chance to read a fun book by a Harvard graduate?But after reading three chapters, I'm wondering if I got the same book. Purple prose and hackneyed characters are making this pretty darned unreadable for me, and making me send it back, too. Can't tell you how dissapointed I am in this...
Rating: 
Summary: So much fun!
Review: I loved this book! I don't know how to describe it -- is it a romance or a mystery or just a unique twist on Renaissance romance? -- I'm not sure which description fits best, but suffice to say, this is one of the best reads of the season. It manages to be exciting and sexy and intelligent all at the same time. I can't wait for Michele Jaffe's next book!
Rating:
Summary: Super Summer Reading!
Review: Just the kind of fun, exciting, can't-put-it-down book I love to help me escape the daily grind. With smart, funny characters displaying superhuman heroism, The Stargazer delivers everything you want from a romantic mystery. Can't wait for Jaffe's next!
Rating:
Summary: All hype, no book...
Review: This is an emporer's new clothes book -- if readers are impressed by all the fuss and money the publisher is throwing at this book, then they're bound to love it. Well, guess again!This is a barely acceptable historical of the bodice-ripping kind, with vile characters, historical gaffes galore, and plot holes as big as the Grand Canal -- which is about as close as you'll get to Renaissance Venice reading this tripe. Don't waste your time...
Rating:
Summary: The Stargazer is a superb historical and romantic adventure.
Review: With its vivid historical detail, witty dialogue, and vibrant hero and heroine, Michele Jaffe's Stargazer is a remarkable achievement in romance writing. Jaffe combines a sophisticated understanding of the Venetian Renaissance with a remarkable romantic sensibility and skill in storytelling. The reader will immediately be drawn into Ian and Bianca's perilous and sensual adventure, and will remain enthralled to its very end.
Rating:
Summary: a fascinating look at history as well as a fun read
Review: Michele Jaffe has captured the flavor of the Renaissance in Stargazer. Her strong female character conveys a look at not only women's roles of the time but the spirit of one at odds with that role. The attention paid to detail provides us with delicious escapism while also enlightening the reader about the social mores of the period. A new author on the scene Michel Jaffe I am sure will provide us with many years of reading pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant and entertaining read
Review: In spite of the societal revolution caused by the renaissance, most upper class Venetians disapprove of women practicing medicine. That taboo fails to stop Bianca Salva from providing medical assistance to the poor of the city. Bianca stands over the corpse of a courtesan holding the murder weapon, a knife that belongs to Ian Foscari, Conte d'Aosto. When he Ian arrives at the crime scene, he immediately thinks Bianca killed the victim since she is holding the murder weapon. She, in turn, believes he is the killer since the murder weapon belongs to him. Ian persuades Bianca that they must work together to uncover the truth. He insists that she move in with him as his fiancee so they can investigate the murder. They also move the body to his mansion in order to buy time to uncover the identity of the culprit. As the pair falls in love, their doubts about the other's innocence remain high, but they want to believe, especially when other suspects surface. THE STARGAZER is a rousing Renaissance romance that will provide much pleasure to readers. The story line combines elements from historical mysteries with romance in a delicious mix. The resplendent details bring the era to life even as they help propel the plot to its rousing climax. The lead protagonists add much heat as well as intelligence to the tale. Sub-genre fans will clearly relish the addition of a new talent, Michele Jaffe, by desiring more novels from the author. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Well, I'm not gonna read it again...
Review: ...But it has its good points, too. The plot is very interesting, the characters equally engaging, and the history well researched. The writing, however, leaves something to be desired. I can't quite put my finger on the problem, but there were numerous times when the story felt extremely unreal because of the way it was written. That said, I had no trouble finishing it, which I usually do when books suck. The end is predictable, but the plot never loses interest.
Rating:
Summary: Simply a mess!!!
Review: This "simply" has to be one of the worst books I have ever read. I can say that I seriously considered dropping this one in the trash! However I perservered and found this: an extremely choppy mess with a rushed onset-pressing an excessive amount of secondary characters before we had even been introduced to the primaries. "Simple" me had figured out the killer after the first introduction to the cousin and the ending was long-overstated with a blunt ending of the harsh herione finally saying the "I love you". At first I was excited-the setting-Venice-rare not your typical "ton" atmosphere. I was extremely disappointed about the form of the text-shocked the author is a Harvar graduate-seen better writing in high school. The reasons I gave it one star-the scenery-sadly wasted on this book. Too bad she couldn't have applied this discription to the characters. The sex was hot-but if I wanted strait erotica I would have picked several other authors. Overall-"Simply" disappointed.
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