Rating: 
Summary: Great escape
Review: I bought this book while on business travel -- looking for a way to wind down. I enjoyed it very much -- it's a good airplane/beach book.
Ms. Lowell did a fine job of conveying time and place -- mentioning current events and including description that was good enough to remind me of places around Dupont Circle in DC.
I am quite aware Claire's dating-service dates were stereotypical, but I didn't care. In fact, I've met some of those folks in my own DC travels. In any case, it was the interaction among Claire, "her" cop, his partner and her friends that was fun. I thought the tension of Claire and her cop watching each other watch the action was amusing.
I hope that the characters who didn't get paired off in this book appear in future books. It'd be fun to follow them all over time, the same way one likes following the Donovans in Elizabeth Lowell's books.
Rating: 
Summary: I keep reading it and reading and reading
Review: I don't see how anyone can NOT like this book. Oooh super [intercourse], a fine...detective, a strong independent woman, fighting their feelings for one another.This book is great and buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Only because 0 stars is not an option.
Review: I enjoy crappy detective novels as much as the next gal, so it's not that my standards are too high. But this is hands-down the worst detective novel I have ever read. To say the plot is thin would be an understatement. A sassy, independent woman stumbles upon a murder scene, bumps her head and forgets what the killer looks like, falls in love with the lead detective on her case and scampers about town looking for the killer, with her sassy, independent friends in tow. Every couple of chapters, she has creepy sexual encounters with the detective. If I wanted to read Harlequin novels, I would. I don't appreciate them sneaking their way into my house disguised as crime fiction. From the moment the lead characters meet, they act like horny teenagers who don't understand that a murderer running loose, bent on your destruction, is kind of a serious thing that warrants your full attention. The flowery sex scenes, full of "moist centers" and "the most intimate love a man can give a woman," are paint-by-numbers softcore. Somehow, without having any conversations that go beyond childish bickering and nauseating pillow talk, they fall madly in love within a few chapters. Maybe each instantly recognized a complete lack of depth in the other and thus decided that it was a perfect match. While this pairup would probably work in real life, it's not something I care to read 452 pages about. Even when the detective does try to focus on his job, his choices are completely absurd. The setup they come up with, using the witness as bait, is so hackneyed it would be rejected as a Lifetime movie script. He rejects poring over hard data in favor of wacky schemes that no self-respecting cop would go for. Did I say Lifetime movie? Because now that I think about it, I believe I saw this scenario on "Three's Company" once. This book was obviously supposed to be a delicious mix of murder mystery and erotica, but it left me never wanting to have sex again, yet having a strong desire to murder someone. I did not like this book.
Rating:
Summary: Good read.
Review: I liked the characters and thought the dialogue was funny. This is a very good first novel, and I was here in Amazon looking for another book by Heather Lowell to read. In When the Storm Breaks, we watch two control freaks struggle with losing control; Clare whose carefully organized world gets tipped on end and Sean whose caredully controlled emotions and rules of conduct go out the window when he meets Clare. I like the struggle between instinctive attraction and professional or self imposed rules of conduct. The internal dialogue was funny. It was refreshing that both protagonists had equally developed tempers and vulnerablilites and that the tempers didn't turn violent. I liked the byplay between Aiden and Sean and Olivia and Clare too. I also thought the sex scenes were pretty darn hot.
Rating:
Summary: This was a great book...l could not put it down..
Review: I look forward to the next book..Ms. Lowell is a wonderful writer and if you like mysteries this one keeps you guessing and holding your breath until the end.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent foray into romantic suspense!
Review: I purchased this book on a whim and, after reading the Publisher's Weekly review, nearly didn't get past the cover. I'm certainly glad I chose to judge it for myself. I completely disagree with the professional review of this work. Sure, the storyline could have been tightened up a bit to achieve a faster pace. Personally, I think the onus for that belongs as much to the editor as the author. But, for an inexperienced, nascent novelist this was an excellent foray into romantic suspense.
The prose was terse, contemporary (young and fresh) and rang true for me - something so lacking in many romance novels. The plot's climax was gripping. The characters grabbed hold of my heart such that, when the last page was read, I felt a sense of bereavement at the thought of ending the book; Ms Lowell crafted characters for whom I cared very deeply. For me, that sense of loss at a book's conclusion ONLY occurs with the very best characterizations from the likes of Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood, Linda Howard and, of course, Elizabeth Lowell.
I acknowledge that TV soap watchers may consider the amnesia plot device to be shop-worn. However, the plot devices used in this novel worked for me - they were well-crafted, intriguing and mostly believable. And the date scenarios were certainly no more clichéd than that which we find on episodes of Sex in the City. In addition, I did not find the love scenes to be prosaic in the least. For anyone who is TIRED of flowery, syrupy, melodramatic love scenes, you won't find them here; you won't find the typical fomulaic phrasing, the esoteric and worn-out euphemisms nor the vaguely-described action. I found Ms. Lowell's love scenes to be plausible and titillating yet tasteful. They were exactly right.
For myself, my next click is to order the second Heather Lowell book. She's earned a place on my list of must-buy authors. Keep `em coming, Heather!
Rating:
Summary: This is a good book!
Review: I read this while on holiday and could not put it down. The suspense was great, I liked the romance between Claire and Sean (the police detective). Would certainly buy Ms. Lowells next book, hopefully about Sean's partner. I do admit that the plot is somewhat cliche(dangerous serial murderer gets obsessed with heroine and tries to kill her), but that is not important as the key persons are interesting and the romance is hot. You really care about what happens to them. Sometimes suspense novels tend to focus on the action and less on the romance. That is in not the case here and I really recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Rising Star
Review: I really enjoyed this book! I have to disagree with Publisher Weekly's review of the story. I found it refreshing... the tension and attraction between the characters was exciting, the story line kept me guessing until the very end and it moved very quickly, the dialogue was good...sometimes I feel as though the dialogue between characters in other books don't fit with the supposed age of the characters and in this story, anyway, it seemed "real." I liked that the main female character was an independent, strong woman (and saved herself for the most part!)--she seemed very real, a very real version of "today's" young woman. I highly recommend this book and eagerly look forward to Heather's next novel!
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Debut!! Review From N.J.
Review: I was very cautious about reading this book because of some of the negative reviews. I was always taught to judge for yourself. I'm glad I read this book because I found it to be amazing. I fell in love with the characters, was caught up in the plot, and was very sorry to see it end. The writer introduces us to a woman who is independant,a workaholic, and an event happens in her life when she becomes dependant on others for her saftey. The hero in the story is a macho cop who I instantly loved. He is strong, macho, and comes to the main characters defense.
I gave this book 5 stars because of the great story, the wonderful characters, the fluidity of the story (no on and on writing) and the author's first published novel. I can honestly say I was sorry to see this story end. My advice is to pick up a copy and read it with as little interuptions as possible. To the author- I loved the book and would love to see another one SOON. I would like to see a story about Aidan, Afton, and Olivia. Of course with Sean and Claire making an appearance. Congradulations!!
Rating:
Summary: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!
Review: I wouldn't deign to befoul my lofty mental ambience with Ms. Lowell's fetid gutter pap, but a valued colleague of mine did relay her educated thoughts on this "novel" to me. My colleague is highly artistic and cultured so do not doubt her opinion. She remarked that the affect that reading "When the Storm Breaks" by Heather Lowell has upon one's state is akin to finding out that the one week in 17 years that you forgot to buy your Sweepstakes ticket, you find out that your numbers won a jackpot in excess of $39,000,0000.00. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
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