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Women's Fiction
Wild Orchids : A Novel

Wild Orchids : A Novel

List Price: $25.95
Your Price: $18.16
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Wild Orchid
Review: Let me say I've been a fan of Jude Deveraux's forever it seems. I didnt think it was possible for her to write to me anyway a boring book. Sadly thats just what I found in Wild Orchid characters that left me indifferent, and bored. A story that left me indifferent, and bored. I dislike personally first person perspectives and tend to avoid them like a plague. But even for Ms Deveraux, I was willing to endure because I just knew she wouldnt let me down on the story, and being such a huge fan I kept psyching myself into believing it would get better.

It didnt, not for me. Sadly like a victim of a car wreck I couldnt quite give up all hope either. I wish I had though. Lackluster story, coupled with characters one couldnt get interested in much less care about with an endng that sputtered and died add up to a book I cant say was one of Ms Deveraux's best and truthfully was quite disappointing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Love - Suspense - Mystery - Friendship - Family - Secrets
Review: Let me start by saying I liked this book (I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the subject matter - read on) - I have only read the last three HC books by Deveraux because I'm not a fan of traditional, historical romance/fiction which Deveraux is so famous for and of which most of her earlier works of fiction were (Knight in Shining Armor ring a bell?) - I'm more of a fan of "women's fiction" - which class her last three books seem to fall into - - With that said, I like a good love story so the story of Jackie (great name!) and Ford really held my interest - no mushy, corny, hearts and flowers for these two - no, theirs is more of a sarcastic, tease-fest - war of words! I like how the story is told alternately between Jackie and Ford - that's always a good thing in my opinion - gives the reader the opportunity to view the story from two different viewpoints without having to re-read the book to look at it from another angle - I like to see how the opinions of the same events are so different between the two main characters - Most of the other characters were likable (even Ford's cousin grew on you!!) - and there was enough suspense to hold your interest and keep you turning the pages (but not too much to change the subject to mystery or suspense) - although I had pretty much figured it out early on (I'm sure most readers will too) - it didn't make me want to skim the pages or skip anything - I just wanted to know how they ended up where they were - the one thing I disliked about this book is the use of the devil - I don't usually care for occult fiction and I think there may have been a different way that this same story could have been told - although the devil story is one of the major plot points, it does not take over and monopolize the entire book - that's why I was able to [put up with it and] "grin and bear it!" I have to say, I enjoyed this story much more than Ms. Deveraux's last HC release (The Mulberry Tree, which seemed to go on and on & left me disappointed in the end) - while there are many characters and names to remember and it can at times be a little confusing - each character has a purpose and no one was written unnecessarily - the book flowed nicely and because there are "sub-plots" going on all the time, it was easy to overlook the devil aspect of the story and just enjoy some good ole fashioned story-telling! A few things caused "alarm bells" ring - for example, how quickly Jackie agreed to work with Ford and move to another state!! (in this day and age, would you move away to another state, to a town where you knew no one and agree to live with a person you just met only days ago??!!) - Overall, I liked the book and thought it was a good read - I'd recommend it to friends - I think most readers will identify with at least one or two of the characters of the story - and the main characters are really, genuinely likable (one can see right through the rough and tough exterior Ford tries to give off in the beginning - you just know he's a big, lovable "teddy bear!" It's a fun story and has everything you need to be a good 'beach read" this summer - love, friendship, mystery, romance, suspense, etc. - If you're a fan of Deveraux, you will definitely want to read this book - I don't know how it compares to her earlier novels, but compared to some of the novels published recently, this is an enjoyable read - and if you like women's fiction , then you won't want to pass this one up - thanks for an entertaining, "different" story! If it weren't for the 'devil' ' I'd give it 5 stars!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A wonderful new book by a remarkable author !
Review: Now that I've grown accustomed to Jude Devereux's 'new style', I must say that I am truly enjoying her latest books. Initially, her leap from historical romance to contemporary mystery was difficult for me, but with each new novel, she clearly becomes more proficient at this type of storytelling, and I have become more involved in the new genre.

In any case, "Wild Orchids" is a terrific, page turning, interesting novel. The chapters alternate between the male and female protagonist's point of view, in a "he said", "she said" format. While this can be confusing in some books, Ms. Devereux makes the first person character transitions so flawlessly, and so adeptly, that as the reader learns one character's point of view, you can't wait for the next chapter to see how the other one is going to view the same event.

"Wild Orchids" involves love, suspense, mystery, and an inkling of the supernatural. It's a page turning novel, with flawed, but likable characters. It certainly is the best book I've read in quite some time. I am certain that this is a novel that will please both Jude Devereux fans and mystery fans alike.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Interesting...
Review: Ok, at first, when I opened Wild Orchids and started reading chapter one, my first thought was, "Oprah Book Club Selection," UGH. There was a lot of, and I mean A LOT, of narrative in this book. And the chapters are sort of odd, because while one takes place in Ford's point of view, the next is in Jackie's, and often they repeat events the other just told us about. However... Jude Deveraux is such a compelling story teller that by page 10, I just didn't care about those things.
Best selling author Ford Newcombe needs an assistant, and when Jackie tells him the story of a murder involving the devil in a town called Cole Creek, he hires her on the spot. Together, they find romance on this hilarious, yet frightening journey. Wild Orchids is a story, within a story, within a story. Once it got going, I could not put it down.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Decent, not wonderful.
Review: Overall, this book was interesting and fun to read. I have two complaints. The first is that there is VERY little romance, just a lot of built up tension between the two main characters but Jude takes way too long for them to get together. Also, the book is pretty slow on action. A lot of the scenes are just people hanging around and while it is interesting, it gives the book a "drag on" feeling. Like you wish something exciting would happen. Overal, a good read though.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: How did this book get published?
Review: Probably one of the worst books I ever read. Actually, I couldn't even finish it-it was so bad. The story is written from the point of view of the two main characters, a man and a women. The character development is poor and erratic and the story is sooooooooooooo boring. I picked this book up in an airport thinking it would get me through a long international flight- boy was I wrong!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Very Enjoyable Read
Review: Simply put...I enjoyed this read. I enjoyed seeing the same situation through both characters senses. I enjoyed seeing the Devil (ex-Heaven resident) be a character in this story. He is protrayed as he was made...something beautiful (ex-angel...as do you ever see an evil looking angel?)vs the red-horned devil we are used to seeing. I enjoyed the story premise. I try not to limit myself to an author ALWAYS writing each book the same way. When an author has a large library of characters I feel it is nice to see them stretch their imagination and not try and limit themselves. I wish more readers would simply allow all the walls built around an author fall down and enjoy the story. If a person was telling the story as a storyteller would I think we would all pull up a chair and listen to a good tale. Simply put. I have enjoyed this author's hardback's and feel she has grown. Go Jude !!!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: BORING !!!
Review: Sorry to say this but this is the worst books i've ever read,i could not believe it that it was a Jude Deveraux book,my gosh ! I was so bored with this book that i almost didn't finish it,it took me a week to read this and in that week i read two other books while in the middle of reading another,i've never done that before ! So disappointed,i love Jude's books but this one was bad,sorry...
The chapters of this book is what one character thinks of the situation then the next chapter is about what the other thinks,ugh,sorry it was just boring and redundant...
BIG DISAPPOINTMENT from a huge JUDE DEVERAUX fan ....

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: woeful, neither romance, suspense, nor paranormal
Review: The book is dull right from the start, and all her attempts to shock with grisly details never get it off the ground. There is enough angst in the first chapter to keep shrinks busy for a life time, and to have the supposed hero get a happy ever after ending is insulting to our intelligence. The whole Devil thing is predicatable and trite, and as for the romance, well, she is abou as steamy as a chilled latte. This writer is long past her sell by date if this is the best she can come up with. Try some Christine Feehan if you really want sensuality and chills.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not Her Best Effort
Review: The synopsis of this book sounds so great but the story differs from it too much. The characters are interesting, but there is no romance in this novel. I typically expect more of a love story from Jude Deveraux. Also, I expected more of a ghost story not a tale about the devil. I really wouldn't reccommend this book to Jude Deveraux's normal readers.


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