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Summary: This is Love?
Review: Julia, kidnapped by Alec to keep his inheritance, is a reformer who demands half of Alec's inheritance to help her in her Women's Society efforts. Alec should have sent Julia packing. She supposedly loved him for years but instead of behaving in a friendly manner, loving I guess was too much to ask for, is always a shrew to Alec. Why? It is logical to assume that the more shrewish and unreasonable, yes very unreasonable, she became, the more problems they would have. This is not a good love story in that I wish Alec would have found someone else. Lucien's story, which comes out in 2001, I look forward to and I hope he choses more wisely.
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Summary: A KEEPER!
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. The characters were very fun to read. The heroine was very spunky and hero was wonderful. She is a dedicated reform worker from America and he is a rake from England. She marries him so he could take possession of his fortune. She wants a portion of the fortune so she can continue her charity work. She has loved him for many years and he falls in love with her after he marries her. Her cousin and his cousin are trying to foil his attempts at getting the fortune. This was a great book. I cannot wait for her next one.
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Summary: Fast and FUNNY!
Review: The dashing Viscount Hunterston, Alec Maclean, must marry before midnight. When he accidentally absconds with the wrong woman, he finds himself married to Julia Frant instead -- a pragmatic American reformer known to the ton as the Frant Dragon.Julia Frant has loved Alec Maclean for a long, long time. She agrees to marry him with two objects in mind -- to use his fortune to help her charities and to reform him from his wild ways. Little does she know that Alec is not the only one about to undergo a transformation! This book was simply wonderful. From the first page to the last, it will grab your heart and never let go. I thought Julia was marvelous -- and such a great reformer. She was true to character, stubborn in her beliefs, and head-over-heels in love with Alec throughout the book. Alec, too, was an interesting, intriguing character and I fell in love with him. This book was fast paced, refreshingly funny, had A TON of incredible secondary characters -- Aunt Maddie, Edmund, and the dark and sexy Lucien. A light, fun read for anyone who loves Regency historicals with a touch of humor! This author reminds me of Julia Quinn and Cathy Maxwell. Well done, Ms Hawkins! I'm looking forward to Lucien's book.
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Summary: I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Review: Julia and Alec were meant for each other even though they didn't think so at first. I'm hoping to see these wonderful characters in MORE books!
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Summary: Good writing skill but weak characters
Review: Ms. Hawkins' has an amazing capacity for detail as well as excellent writing abilities. Her writing flows smoothly and she pays special attention to each character's feelings which is good in that it allows you to understand them. Unfortunately, I had an extremely difficult time in understanding or relating to the character of Julia. I found her to be the most vexing, tiresome, predictable, inflexible, priggish, and selfish - yes selfish - character I have ever had the misfortune to read about. She is this supposed reformer who has loved Alec Maclean for years. She has an odd way of showing her love, I'll tell you that. She keeps claiming that he is unresponsive to her overtures of "reforming" him for the better. Odd that I had not noticed her putting ANY effort into reforming him. She seemed content to let him flounder on his own rather than make a move to draw him. Ever hear of catching more bees with honey, Julia dear? She was an incessant whiner. Always complaining about the plight of her damn women's society as if it was Alec's fault for all the problems they suffer. And she was a cold fish who always threw his cousin - whom he is estranged from - in his face. Yet she LOVES him. I found that hard to believe. Alec, I believe, for all his faults did not deserve to be saddled with her. Sorry, but that's my opinion. He was an overall good guy. It also irks me that Nick came out smelling like roses in the end after all the nasty things he'd done. I also found it hard to believe that he was estranged from his cousin for such a stupid reason. Aside from Alec the only other redeeming character was Lucien, whom I loved. I am anxiously awaiting his book which is due out January 2001. Hopefully his heroine will be easier to like.
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Summary: Cute...but Too Slow For Me
Review: The premise of this book is cute. I love the idea of Alec needing a very specific bride to fulfill the terms of a will--and being stuck with a woman whose nickname included "dragon". Slowly, he begins to see the passion beneath the front she presents to society and to really understand Julia as a woman. He doesn't expect to be attracted to her, but he is. They must ready her for society as a wife now, making her drop her mousy, "poor relation" image. And they must live without scandal for a year in order to collect this inheritance. Naturally, there are a nasty duo working against them, who are great fun to watch. My only complaint was this all moved too slowly--without enough dramatic happenings along the way to keep me going. Everything is very focused on society and their perceptions of the newly wed couple, but I would have liked more focus on the difficulties Julia and Alec experienced in learning to be man and wife, some of their emotional processes, their growth as people. Instead, we see a good Regency romp with lots of societal situations and a few good laughs along the way. If you're not looking to be deeply involved or moved, this wonderfully-researched book will be up your alley.
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Summary: A very pleasant read
Review: This is the perfect book for a quiet interlude on the couch. You will enjoy it from beginning to end
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Summary: Julia and Alec were delightful!
Review: The Abduction of Julia was very humorous and fast-paced! The main characters, Alec and Julia were perfect for each other. I love regency era historicals and this has to be one of the best I've read in a long, long time. Karen Hawkins reminds me of Julia Quinn or Amanda Quick. Just a taste of the history and a lot of personality. A GREAT read!
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Summary: Goes to my Keeper Shelf
Review: What a wonderful new talent. Ms Hawkins has the ablility to keep the reader on the edge of her seat for the entire book. Julia and Alec's back and forth banter is great and the love making tasteful. I can't wait until Ms Hawkins comes out with another book. I am keeping this one.
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Summary: Fun read
Review: Determined to win his rightful fortune and comply with his grandfather's will, Alec MacLean must marry before his next birthday. In just two hours. When his plans to marry the woman mentioned in the will backfires, he marries the woman he accidentally abducted instead, her cousin Julia. Julia Frant has secretly loved Alec for four years so when the opportunity to marry him arises she jumps at the chance, and at the chance for money to go toward her worth causes. But the will has one stipulation. They must live scandal free for one full year. Can a do-good reformer like Julia live a year without a scandal? The marriage starts off rocky with plans for an annulment after one year, but love gets in the way and the two find themselves drawn to eachother. Is it possible to fall in love with your own spouse? This was the first book I've read by Karen Hawkins and was completly impressed. I highly recommend this book and hope to read more of her in the future.
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