The Deepest Edge

Rating:
Summary: An unlikely hero.
Review: Hoping to further her career, Val St. Charles journies to France, hoping to win the right to display enigmatic Oriental millionaire, Jian - Shan's, fantastic sword collection. Yet the brassy American gets far more than she planned on when she interrupts an assassin's attempt on Jian and his little girl, Lily's, lives. Feeling responsible for her injury, Jian brings her into his home while Val heals, and agrees to let her catalog the collection, even though he has no intention of allowing her museum to display them.

Val finds that she is in the middle of an Asian mafia war, as Jian's crime lord father attempts to bring his wayward son back into the fold. Danger fairly crackles in the air, as does sensuality. From the first moment she laid eyes on him, Val began to fall in love with her quarry, and although he denies feeling more than desire for an attractive woman, the feeling is mutual. Yet, the past is something that stands between them and happiness, and if they survive the current crisis, Val and Jian will have to overcome their haunted and broken hearts.

*** Sizzling and very different, this novel paints a world seldom seen. Mixing the exotic Orient with the sensual beauty of France and the spice of a Southern lady, this is only the first in an exciting trilogy. Jian is a hero unlike any seen before with his unique heritage, while Val is a favorite heroine, tough, yet tender. The supporting cast, even though within it lurks a traitor, makes a strong impact upon this fast paced plot. The promised sequel looks even better. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

Rating:
Summary: Not a good romance
Review: I like SL Viehl's Stardoc books (Hall is Viehl). They're tightly written with lots of suspense and good characters and relationships. For some reason that didn't translate over into the romance genre.

This book had far too many plot holes and gaps in logic. We were given too many flat characters instead of a couple well rounded characters with depth. The relationship between the main h/h was told to us instead of shown - they love all of a sudden when we see no reason for it and we're expected to believe it. Suspense often consists of interrupting sex time and again until we no longer care, and also consists of the heroine doing stupid things to get everyone in danger (she risks her life to talk to the hero, then once she gets there she's determined to run away, then once she runs away she's determined to talk to the hero. ???!). And worst of all, the characters and their actions or thoughts just don't make sense (when the hero traps the heroine in her hotel room, she plans to escape out the window and is disappointed when he tells her she can't because they're on the 12th floor. What, she didn't know this after staying in the room for days? Good thing she happened to get out on the right floor when she took the elevator up the previous page. This is just one of times when you ask what planet these people are from.).

These are all the characteristics to me of an old style of romance that went out of fashion because it's just not satisfying. I prefer characters with depth acting in a manner consistent to what we know of them, in a story that focuses on their relationships. I just could not like this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not a good romance
Review: I like SL Viehl's Stardoc books (Hall is Viehl). They're tightly written with lots of suspense and good characters and relationships. For some reason that didn't translate over into the romance genre.

This book had far too many plot holes and gaps in logic. We were given too many flat characters instead of a couple well rounded characters with depth. The relationship between the main h/h was told to us instead of shown - they love all of a sudden when we see no reason for it and we're expected to believe it. Suspense often consists of interrupting sex time and again until we no longer care, and also consists of the heroine doing stupid things to get everyone in danger (she risks her life to talk to the hero, then once she gets there she's determined to run away, then once she runs away she's determined to talk to the hero. ???!). And worst of all, the characters and their actions or thoughts just don't make sense (when the hero traps the heroine in her hotel room, she plans to escape out the window and is disappointed when he tells her she can't because they're on the 12th floor. What, she didn't know this after staying in the room for days? Good thing she happened to get out on the right floor when she took the elevator up the previous page. This is just one of times when you ask what planet these people are from.).

These are all the characteristics to me of an old style of romance that went out of fashion because it's just not satisfying. I prefer characters with depth acting in a manner consistent to what we know of them, in a story that focuses on their relationships. I just could not like this book.

Rating:
Summary: to add to previous reader's review
Review: Jessica Hall = Gena Hale = Sheila L. Viehl.

Rating:
Summary: Very interesting suspense thriller
Review: Museum curator Valance St. Charles heads to Paris, France, determined to lure enigma Oriental millionaire Jian-Shan T'ang in to letting her museum display his White Tiger sword collection. Her chauvinistic boss Drake Scribner makes it clear that if she fails, she will not have a job to return to. Jian-Shan's business manager Madelaine abruptly tells Val that Jian will under no circumstances meet with her regarding the swords. The ever-tenacious Val stows away in the trunk of Jian's limo, and makes her way to his estate, only to interrupt an assassination attempt on Jian and daughter Lily. Jian-Shan feels responsible for Val's subsequent injuries, and vows to protect her from those determined to see him dead.

Jian's Chinese Tong chief father is attempting to bring his son back into his organization, and will stop at nothing to accomplish this. Val finds herself caught in the middle, and soon she and Jian are on the run from his father and government agents determined to either capture or kill them. Val and Jian's relationship sizzles, and little Lily complicates this situation even more. They each carry a lot of baggage, but as danger surrounds them, they begin to realize their haunted pasts are best left there, if they can live long enough to see this crisis through.

Evil surrounds Jian's father, and the hurt he has caused others in horrendous. Traitors have infiltrated Jian's life, and with a strong cast of secondary characters, add a few surprises in this fast paced suspense drama. The exotic Orient is not frequent subject matter, and makes for a very interesting read. Lovers of taught romantic suspense will enjoy "The Deepest Edge", the first in a trilogy.

Rating:
Summary: Very interesting suspense thriller
Review: Museum curator Valance St. Charles heads to Paris, France, determined to lure enigma Oriental millionaire Jian-Shan T'ang in to letting her museum display his White Tiger sword collection. Her chauvinistic boss Drake Scribner makes it clear that if she fails, she will not have a job to return to. Jian-Shan's business manager Madelaine abruptly tells Val that Jian will under no circumstances meet with her regarding the swords. The ever-tenacious Val stows away in the trunk of Jian's limo, and makes her way to his estate, only to interrupt an assassination attempt on Jian and daughter Lily. Jian-Shan feels responsible for Val's subsequent injuries, and vows to protect her from those determined to see him dead.

Jian's Chinese Tong chief father is attempting to bring his son back into his organization, and will stop at nothing to accomplish this. Val finds herself caught in the middle, and soon she and Jian are on the run from his father and government agents determined to either capture or kill them. Val and Jian's relationship sizzles, and little Lily complicates this situation even more. They each carry a lot of baggage, but as danger surrounds them, they begin to realize their haunted pasts are best left there, if they can live long enough to see this crisis through.

Evil surrounds Jian's father, and the hurt he has caused others in horrendous. Traitors have infiltrated Jian's life, and with a strong cast of secondary characters, add a few surprises in this fast paced suspense drama. The exotic Orient is not frequent subject matter, and makes for a very interesting read. Lovers of taught romantic suspense will enjoy "The Deepest Edge", the first in a trilogy.

Rating:
Summary: taut romantic suspense thriller
Review: New Orleans Museum of Art and Antiquities Junior Curator Val St. Charles is excited to learn that Jian-Shan owns an Asian White Tiger Swords collection. Val informs her boss Scribner that she wants to go to Paris to see if she can borrow the collection for display. Instead of supporting her even with her previous success with a Swedish collection, Scribner tells her if she wants to go shopping do it with her money and if she fails to obtain the collection enjoy Paris on an unemployment check.

His staff thwarts Val's efforts to see Jian so she sneaks into the trunk of his limo. She manages to sneak onto his secret complex, but assassins working for his Chinese Tong chief father traced him through her. Val risks her life to save Jian and his daughter, but soon they are on the run with government agents and assassins wanting to kill the two women and capture him.

Though the ending seems rushed, readers will enjoy this taut romantic suspense thriller. The story line grips the audience from the moment Val slips into the trunk until the final scene, but the characters make the tale hum. The audience will admire Val's bravery, Jian's willingness to risk his life for those he loves, and hiss at his father so nasty as to justify the estrangement with his son. The audience will appreciate THE DEEPEST EDGE.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: taut romantic suspense thriller
Review: New Orleans Museum of Art and Antiquities Junior Curator Val St. Charles is excited to learn that Jian-Shan owns an Asian White Tiger Swords collection. Val informs her boss Scribner that she wants to go to Paris to see if she can borrow the collection for display. Instead of supporting her even with her previous success with a Swedish collection, Scribner tells her if she wants to go shopping do it with her money and if she fails to obtain the collection enjoy Paris on an unemployment check.

His staff thwarts Val's efforts to see Jian so she sneaks into the trunk of his limo. She manages to sneak onto his secret complex, but assassins working for his Chinese Tong chief father traced him through her. Val risks her life to save Jian and his daughter, but soon they are on the run with government agents and assassins wanting to kill the two women and capture him.

Though the ending seems rushed, readers will enjoy this taut romantic suspense thriller. The story line grips the audience from the moment Val slips into the trunk until the final scene, but the characters make the tale hum. The audience will admire Val's bravery, Jian's willingness to risk his life for those he loves, and hiss at his father so nasty as to justify the estrangement with his son. The audience will appreciate THE DEEPEST EDGE.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Cluttered with too many minor characters.
Review: Val St. Charles is a curator for a museum in the united states. When she learns of a fabulous collection of antique swords is in the private collection of an elderly man in France, she convinces her male chauvinist pig of a boss to allow her the time off to see if she can procure the collection for the museum.

Unfortunately, when Val arrives she inadvertently gets involved in a plot involving the Chinese Mafia. Also, she finds the man she's supposed to meet - Jian Shan is far from the elderly man she presumed, but a slender attractive long-haired millionaire (too bad the cover shows a short haired man in silohuette).

I really enjoyed the deepest edge, at least the first part. But towards the second part of the novel I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief. There were far too many minor characters taking up a significant chunk of the lime light (obviously waiting in the wings for their own books) that I lost track of what the main couple were doing. Also, I found it unrealistic that a modern heroine of Val's spunk and initiative would allow her supervisor to speak to her in the manner in which she does. Can we say 'sexual harrassment?' Please.

Overall, this novel started out great, but left me wishing for more.

Rating:
Summary: Great start to new trilogy!
Review: Valence St. Charles grew up wild on the streets of New Orleans two of which she is named for. Now, she has her life on track and is an expert on Asian Antiquities. She is particularly interested in the famous collection owned by the illusive T'ang Jian-Shan. In an attempt to gain access to these famous swords she manages to enter his property and save Jian-Shan and his young daughter Lily from an assasination attempt. This act embroils Val in the desperate battle between Jian-Shan, his father, a ruthless Tong leader, and American Government agents, and leads her to a searing and passionate relationship with Jian.

This story works on many levels. The history of the Tong leadership and the priceless sword collections is facsinating. The many characters are very well drawn, especially Valence and Jian-Shan for whom we are rooting throughout the story. The suspense kept me reading until late in the night and then waking early to finish. This is the first I've read of Jessica Hall (though I wouldn't be surprised if she's written under another name) and I am looking forward to the next book in this trilogy, 'The Steel Caress'.