Rating:  Summary: Wonderful, Truly Wonderful Review: I'm slightly disappointed with this book. I loved All Through The Night and As You Desire, rereading them often, and I waited every week in bated breath when this book came out. Then when I read it at first, I groaned. "This isn't as good as the others!" I exclaimed. But I was wrong. This book is not like the others, because it is different. Each Brockway book tells its own story, and this one tells of a love so quaint and sweet I couldn't help but to love the characters. Avery Thorne was my kind of guy. Sensitive, intelligent, shy, yet so dependent on, he is such a wonderful character. His letters and Lily Bede's make me chuckle aloud, and when they finally meet face to face, sparks really fly. This book lacks the sensuality of love scenes typical of Brockway's books, but the tenderness and warmth are intact. The characters are vivid and fully drawn. Lily and Avery are so funny, so happy, so alive together it is hard not to succumb to smile and laug! hter seeing them fall in love. My only complain is that Lily took too long to realise who she was in love with, but all in all, with beautiful prose, wonderful characters, humour, and love - this book is a keeper.
Rating:  Summary: Brilliant Wit Review: I've never read Connie Brockway before, and this was my first. This book is technically historical romance, but much better than most in the genre. First, the Avery and Lil are not really aristocracy. So there isn't the usual round of London balls, rides in the park and other assorted regency stereotypes. The book has a series of letters that are really funny (and tender, when needed). The romance is very believable (I can't believe I just said that about a historical romance!) and the characters are truly likeable. From the other reviews, 'My Dearest Enemy' may not be Connie Brockway's usual style. Thats a pity. I haven't enjoyed a book so much in a while.
Rating:  Summary: A true storytelling genius Review: In 1887, Horatio Thorne sends a letter to his only living adult male relative, Avery, a world traveler. Horatio writes in the letter that he is dying, but Avery will not be named as guardian to his younger cousin. Instead Lily Bede will manage the estate for the next five years unless Avery shows up to take charge. Lily only has to send Avery money from the estate. If he never shows up and the estate is run in a profitable manner, Lily takes over permanently. For the next five years, Lily has managed Mill House and sends Avery money with a letter explaining the role of women in modern English society. Just before the estate is hers to manage forever, Avery, arrives on the scene. Apparently her letters have inspired the man, who quickly falls in love with the independent Lily. Now all he has to do is convince her that marriage to him is not slavery. Instead, it will be a glorious partnership. Even if it is all through the night, readers will sit down and peruse Connie Brockway's newest historical romance, MY DEAREST ENEMY, in one sensual sitting. Lily is a great role model, who shows how far an intrepid woman can go even in the confines of the late nineteenth century. The alienated Avery is clearly a dangerous man to Lily's plans, thereby turning this story line into a intelligent, passionate, and crisp tale that substantiates how good a writer Ms. Brockway is.
Rating:  Summary: Good Brockway. Forget Scotland! Review: Laughing. First, I want to say, I love Mrs. Giggles. And I totally agree with her on this book and many other reviews. She's a scream. I just finished rereading Connie Brockway's books over the last month. And I am anxiously awaiting her latest coming out in the fall. I hope it's as good as this book, or ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT or AS YOU DESIRE, which I consider classic historical romance. The very best in the genre. I want to tell readers that the letters in the front of this book between Avery and Lily Bede are worth the price of the book. They are fantastic. But the rest of the story is good too. Interesting. Funny. Serious. Romantic. And written with great skills. Forget Scotland, Brockway fans, and go back and buy all her older books and give the lady the numbers she deserves so she can continue to write from the heart! Connie Brockway is really the reigning queen of historical romance in my book!
Rating:  Summary: Fresh and lovely Review: Man! Different strokes for really different folks! I read this book in one sitting and I really think it deserved to get RITA for best long historical and it did! I wanted MORE letters! They became a sort of wonderful, perverse courtship that just swept me right into the lives of the hero and heroine. Lily and Avery are one of my fave romantic couples and their story just makes you happy.
Rating:  Summary: Sets a New Standard Review: More than a romance, this is a true love story. The anguish is palpable, the characters are memorable. The RITA is well-deserved: Ms. Brockway is setting a new standard in romance writing.
Rating:  Summary: Battle of Wit and Wills Review: My Dearest Enemy is a delightful, highly intelligent battle of wit and wills between Lillian and Avery, two charming misfits each determined to take possession of Mill House estate. Their letters to each other are witty and finally moving while their in person battle sparkles with electrifying attraction and deep emotion. Their eventual union is as satisfying as any I've ever read. These are wonderful characters we root for all the way!
Rating:  Summary: A draw Review: The only thing that redeemed this book were the snippets of letters that the hero an the heroine wrote to each other, and perhaps the epilogue at the end. There was a conflict, yes, but not one that I personally could sympathize with or felt moved from, and after the sweetly funny As You Desire and the darkly intense All Through the Night, this came as somewhat a downer.
Rating:  Summary: Very funny, although it lacked the final sparkle Review: This is a classic "battle of the sexes, matching of wits" type of romance and VERY well done. However, if you create two heros who are *spectacularly* good looking, by all descriptions, it's always a far stretch for anyone to imagine them unaware of this. Honestly, other people hit on them, they look in the mirror, and they are highly intelligent, why would they believe themselves to be unattractive, right to the very end??? Aside from this, I really liked both heros and ABOVE ALL, the letters in the beginning, they are the best part. Thanks for a fun ride!!
Rating:  Summary: PUT ME TO SLEEP. Review: THIS IS MY FIRST BOOK BY THIS AUTHOR AND I WAS VERY DISSAPOINTED.I READ IT AND IT SEEMS TO GO "NOWHERE". THE STORY IS SO BORING, ALL THE CHARACTERS DID WAS WROTE ONE LETTER AFTER ANOTHER! I THREW THAT BOOK DOWN BEFORE I FINISHED IT AND I DON'T REGET IT.MY SISTER DID FINISHED IT ONLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO GIVE IT A CHANCE,SHE FELT THE SAME WAY I DID AFTER FINISHING IT. WHAT A SLOW PACED BOOK, NOTHING INTERESTING ABOUT TWO PEOPLE JUST WRITING LETTERS.A WASTE OF MY MONEY.I'VE READ BETTER BOOKS FROM OTHERS AUTHORS!
|