Rating: 
Summary: I'm "relunctant" to ever read anything by this author again
Review: This was perhaps one of the worst books I have ever read. I finished it solely out of a sense of duty (for I hate to leave something I started unfinished). The plot was thin and the characters abrasive -- especially considering that their "love" seems forged out of an obsession with the superficial. The reluctant Colton only considers pursuing Adriana because of her pulchritude and throughout the novel her beauty and his handsomeness stands as the only foundation of their relationship. In my opinion, neither have redeemable qualities except token scenes where Adriana conveniently demonstrates maternal "instincts" with local orphan children.It seems not a page goes by without Colton praising Adriana for beauty that is ostensibly not only second to none but practically rivals Venus. (...)
Rating:
Summary: Was Kathleen E. Woodiwiss body snatched?
Review: My all-time favorite romance novel is _Shanna_. I actually reread that book perhaps once every year because I love Woodiwiss' prose and her characters. I was so excited when I saw this book that I bought it immediately, but when I was on page 5, I was instantly confused. Did Kathleen E. Woodiwiss die and her family sell her name to someone else to write under? Or worse, did she hire a ghostwriter to write this novel? Whatever the explanation, this novel is awful. I actually took out _Shanna_ to compare the prose and just can't believe that the same person wrote these two books. How could someone who wrote "The sight of a threadbare blouse beneath a waistcoat or a rumpled and empty purse hanging from a belt abruptly cooled her to offers of marriage" have also written "If not for the man's sterling good looks, she'd still be struggling to drag her musings away from his loins." And how could a Woodiwiss hero ever say "My goodness"! Or, her heroine "warble cheerily"? Worst of all, the editing is atrocious!
Rating:
Summary: heavy going
Review: WOW, how many words can you take to describe one scene. The authoress has tried to imitate an old style of writing and ended up with text as heavy as molasses. You keep waiting for something. . .anything to happen and when it does (first real scene takes place in a bathtub of all things) it is totally unbelievable as a set up and the dialogue inappropriate for everyone in any era.
It got so bad that about page 114 I put the book in the recycle box. final judgement. unfinishable.
Rating: 
Summary: What happened?
Review: Although I stopped reading this type of romance novel many years ago, Kathleen Woodiwiss has always been a favoite of mine, so when I saw her new book, I bought it. I loved Shanna and several of her other books, so I anticipated a happy reading experience. Not so. Ponderous is the best word I can use to describe the heavy handed vocabulary Ms Woodiwiss chose to use in this book. By the end, I felt that if I read the word "orb" one more time, either to describe eyes or breasts, I would scream. And why so many adjectives? Why can't they just be eyes, instead of glowing orbs? Get over the excess verbage and stick to the story next time.
Rating:
Summary: Ewww !!! Gross
Review: Gross gross what is this? what happened? This book made my stomach queasy. I'm a fan of the Birmingham's saga, Shanna, A Rose in Winter, The wolf and the Dove; so after that what happened?
Rating:
Summary: Ms. Woodiwiss what happened?
Review: I have been a great fan of Kathleen Woodiwiss for years and was terribly disappointed in the last novel. The plot is poor, the main characters are not likable and I started rooting for the murdering creap just because he had some personality! Please Kathleen come back to us!! You have written some of the best romance ever!!
Rating:
Summary: Can you give negative stars?
Review: I picked up this book in an airport as a last resort to Tom Clancy. I came to the conclusion, about 40 pages into the most stultified prose I've ever read, that I would have been better off with Tom Clancy. Even the BEST author can't make an introduction of 8 people last 80 pages and keep the dialogue flowing. Her characters have no personality; I could not find anything likeable about Colton, and Ariana came off as a silly bimbette. Plot? I couldn't parse through the prose far enough to get to a plot, although of course Roger did it; that he was a villain (whatever the crime) was obvious from his first entrance. This author needs a good editor and some lessons in character development and how to write clean, clear dialogue with some wit and humor. Euw. Bad book. Bad book.
Rating:
Summary: Garage-sale worthy, but her other books are great
Review: I normally wait to buy my romance novels used, but I snatched this up at the store when I saw Kathleen Woodiwiss had a new book out! Unfortunately, I can't seem to make myself finish it. There were no challenges to this love story! The title and the book description on the back are both deceiving. Colton is hardly a "reluctant suitor" once he returns. He and Adriana fall in love with little difficulty and both characters seem annoyingly perfect. Woodiwiss' best characters in the past have been flawed but ultimately very likeable. These characters are very superficially written and are hard to identify with. Also, the other storylines in the novel are difficult to follow -- I found myself flipping ahead to avoid those extraneous subplots. Woodiwiss' other books really are wonderful; I'm just sad that this latest doesn't measure up. Not even close.
Rating:
Summary: Worst Book Ever
Review: Ms. Woodiwiss used every trite expression known in romance book when she wrote this. If I never hear the phrase "glowing orbs" used again, it will be too soon. This book is simply one of the worst romance novels I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Wow ..I thought it was just me
Review: I was in for a long Doctor visit, (no appointment) so I knew I would be waiting forever..So I grabbed this book from home, thinking, hey Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, I will never notice the long wait...OMG it was awful...It was so full of detail, wasted detail... that meant nothing. I finally put the book away, and played solitaire on my cell phone. I love you Ms Woodiwiss..but this book was so unlike any you have written. It was just boring.
I am glad someone liked it...I think getting it from your library was a good thing....you didn't have to spend a dime.
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