Rating: Summary: Innovative and enjoyable Review: This was my first read by Ms. Bangs. I really enjoyed myself! Kathy Bartlett made a fun character to follow. She has a unique way at looking at life. The time travel aspect made the plot very interesting, but it was Ian who made the book for me. Not sure how realistic such tenderness would have been in a Scots warrior of the 16th century. What the heck, it's fantasy! The rapport between Kathy and Ian is well done. While I expected something a bit steamier, give the book title, I thought it was really wonderful. In many places, I nearly fell down laughing. The way Ms. Bangs puts things and has Kathy explain stuff from the future is part of this book's immense charm. Highly recommended!
Rating: Summary: What a waste of time! Review: This was probably one of the dumbest books I have run across and it came recommended.. Yes, time travel can be difficult but this story is just stupid, full of characters that have no character and make no sense in their actions. For example,how could this author allow the main character to use her cell phone to reach her friend in another century?? Dumb,dumb,dumb. Don't bother with this one.
Rating: Summary: What a fun book! Review: This was such a fun book! I loved "Kathy of Hair", her quick wit and unique solutions to the problems that crop up. The "toy" Peter was a scream. Woven throughout the humor was the terrible loneliness of "The Pleasure Master" and his response to her treating him as if he were a person rather than a "sex object". It was a great read.
Rating: Summary: Too light -- it floats away into nothing Review: Time travel is my favorite romance subgenre and unfortunately there are a lot of duds out there. Usually, IMO, a time travel is a dud because the author spends too much time on descriptive prose, makes the story too serious, and/or does not spend enough time on character development. The saving grace of this book was its humor; if not for the humor (largely from Kathy's toy deus ex machina Peter and not from the characters themselves)this book would have been a dud. The sizzling sex scenes one might expect from the set up never materialize and one is left wondering just how the hero, Ian, obtained and retains the "pleasure master" title. Although most readers prefer the hero to remain faithful to the heroine once she enters the picture and therefore we don't want to see Ian cavorting with his customers once Kathy arrives, some foreshadowing would have been helpful to establish his title if the author is going to tease the reader throughout most of the book. I must say something about the stinkin' cell phone: clearly, the only reason the cell phone works is to allow Ian's brother Neil to communicate with his challenge, Kathy's lawyer Coco. This plot device is (1) too transparent and annoying and (2) should have been carried to its natural conclusion by having Neil go forward in time with Ian and Kathy to deal with Coco. (If this book had been better, I would want the author to write a sequel with just that plot.) the book could have been a blast if the author had taken more time to fully develop the story.
Rating: Summary: Wild, amusing and often-satirical time travel romance Review: While Christmas shopping, Kathy Bartlett's car overheats along an isolated stretch of I-95 in New York. The hairdresser concludes that cars and men are alike as both overheat at the wrong time. As she starts to freeze, she grabs a toy she dubbed Peter and wishes she was somewhere else, preferably warm. The next thing Kathy realizes is that two men in Kilts speaking with deep Scottish accents are argueing their sexual prowess. Afraid they may accost her to settle their debate, Kathy takes a can of mousse out of her bag and sprays the duo on their love guns. As the twosome flee from their attacker, a third Scot appears who is not afraid of the mousse because he noticed that some safely landed on Kathy. Ian Ross introduces himself as THE PLEASURE MASTER. He explains he is in competition with his two brothers, who just fled from Kathy's wrath, over who is The King of Sex. Kathy is even more stunned when he proves to her that it is 1542. As Ian turns up the seduction, Kathy begins to fall in love, but to his amazement so does Ian because for the time since he began pleasuring women, a female cares how he feels. THE PLEASURE MASTER is a wild, amusing and often-satirical time travel romance that stars two wonderful lovers and a fabulous magical matchmaker. The story line is hilarious as the competition between the brothers heats up the pages almost as much as the relationship between Kathy and Ian does. As she did with AN ORIGINAL SIN, Nina Bangs commits sub-genre heresy by adding humor and irony to a torrid historical romance. Harriet Klausner
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