The Ties That Bind

Rating:
Summary: Just okay.....
Review: 'The Ties That Bind' was ... just ok. Not what I've come to expect from JAK. Of course I didn't know until I was halfway thru that it is a reprint of a 1986 Harlequin Temptation. I guess JAK has just grown alot in her writing since then. This was a pretty vintage JAK (which I usually absolutely love) - big business man meets & falls for artsy-craftsy small town girl. Unfortunately, the characters weren't very well developed & therefore it was pretty easy to not fall for our hero all that much. In fact, he ruffled my feathers more than once. Not the first recommendation I'd have for a JAK book.

Rating:
Summary: Just okay.....
Review: 'The Ties That Bind' was ... just ok. Not what I've come to expect from JAK. Of course I didn't know until I was halfway thru that it is a reprint of a 1986 Harlequin Temptation. I guess JAK has just grown alot in her writing since then. This was a pretty vintage JAK (which I usually absolutely love) - big business man meets & falls for artsy-craftsy small town girl. Unfortunately, the characters weren't very well developed & therefore it was pretty easy to not fall for our hero all that much. In fact, he ruffled my feathers more than once. Not the first recommendation I'd have for a JAK book.

Rating:
Summary: "The Ties that Bind"
Review: ANOTHER REPRINT! 1986!!! A good story in 1986, but soooo dated in 2002. Ms. Krentz is a great author and I read just about everything she writes.
From now on, I'll be sure to check the copyright page, I'm not going to get "taken" again with a reprint!!
I'll save my book dollars for the new releases!! My rating is not for the story or Ms. Krentz's writing ability....my rating is for the fact the book was first issued 16 YEARS AGO!!! I'll check with my local used book store for the "oldies."

Rating:
Summary: It tied me to it...
Review: I always like a story that combines love and great sex, with a little distrust, suspence and life in the business-world.
The brooding Garth get completely knocked off his corporate-feet by sweet, honest and antsy/craftsy Shannon. And when their two worlds crash, there is fireworks and danger. It's a nice little book that I can recoment to anyone who is a Krentz fan.

Rating:
Summary: Not Krentz's Best Work
Review: I really did not like this book at all -- which surprised me, because I usually love Jayne Ann Krentz's stuff. But this is one of her earliest books, and it shows. It lacks the deft, delicate touch of her other works; she clearly hadn't found her own distinctive voice yet when she wrote this.

I didn't like either of the main characters -- he was too untrusting, controlling, and unpleasant, she was too ditzy and annoying -- and I didn't think their romance was at all believable. I couldn't understand why they were attracted to each other and why they stayed together. The mystery subplot was also entirely uninteresting -- I really just didn't care at all.

"The Ties That Bind" gets a thumbs-down on all points. It's not funny, it's not suspensful, and it's not romantic. If you want a book that is all three of those things, I recommend you try Krentz's "Trust Me" instead; it has many similiar themes -- the artistic woman paired with the emotionally-wounded businessman who has trust issues -- but is much, much better written. And way more entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: The Ties That Bind
Review: I was disappointed in this book. I didn't care if the couple stayed together or not--not a great thing for a romance! The character's were not well developed and were not particularly likeable. I would not recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: GRRRRRRRRR Another reprint!!!!!!!
Review: Okay, I am getting a wee bit tired of these flood of JAK series romances given a new cover and charged big book price. I feel like this is a game of fleece the sucker!!

I got this book only to find I had it sitting on my shelf under Harlequin Temptation label at a [cheap] price!!! Reprint them fine, but give the reader a decent price instead of presenting it like its a new work.

The book is dated. JAK makes it readable, but I really did not care for the male lead. Keep the little woman as a weekend thing because he could protect her from his world of big business mentality, just left me cold. I am sorry, romance means sharing - the good and the bad, so this idea of him trying to shove her into a little hole and keep the world away, just was too dated.

I love JAK, but this flood of little book series romances that are very dated being repackaged for higher price really is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. They reprinted some of her Stephanie James ones, but gave you a decent price. That is how it should be done.

Rating:
Summary: GRRRRRRRRR Another reprint!!!!!!!
Review: Okay, I am getting a wee bit tired of these flood of JAK series romances given a new cover and charged big book price. I feel like this is a game of fleece the sucker!!

I got this book only to find I had it sitting on my shelf under Harlequin Temptation label at a [cheap] price!!! Reprint them fine, but give the reader a decent price instead of presenting it like its a new work.

The book is dated. JAK makes it readable, but I really did not care for the male lead. Keep the little woman as a weekend thing because he could protect her from his world of big business mentality, just left me cold. I am sorry, romance means sharing - the good and the bad, so this idea of him trying to shove her into a little hole and keep the world away, just was too dated.

I love JAK, but this flood of little book series romances that are very dated being repackaged for higher price really is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. They reprinted some of her Stephanie James ones, but gave you a decent price. That is how it should be done.

Rating:
Summary: But it is a great re-print
Review: This is a great re-print from the 80's. It is dated, and one can tell this from the synopsis. Consider it a historical if you need to, but get over that fact it is a re-print, because this is too good a book to miss.

Shannon is a wonderful herione. Kind, artistic, concerned with others (being a non-talented person surrounded by talented people I can tell you how fictionalized this is), smart, and takes care of herself.

Garth is a mega rich "silicon chip guy" who was betrayed by his wife and best friend, and is used to women throwing themselves at his feet and his money.

The suspense is good, the dialouge appropriate, the characters fit well as a couple and their actions are exciting without becoming melodramatic. The scene after Shannon and Garth watched a feminist version of "Taming of the Shrew" is one of my favorite.

There is nothing I don't like about "The Ties That Bind", but I can't let any book go completely unscathed. His 80s car-phone worked in the mountains-I don't think so.

Rating:
Summary: But it is a great re-print
Review: This is a great re-print from the 80's. It is dated, and one can tell this from the synopsis. Consider it a historical if you need to, but get over that fact it is a re-print, because this is too good a book to miss.

Shannon is a wonderful herione. Kind, artistic, concerned with others (being a non-talented person surrounded by talented people I can tell you how fictionalized this is), smart, and takes care of herself.

Garth is a mega rich "silicon chip guy" who was betrayed by his wife and best friend, and is used to women throwing themselves at his feet and his money.

The suspense is good, the dialouge appropriate, the characters fit well as a couple and their actions are exciting without becoming melodramatic. The scene after Shannon and Garth watched a feminist version of "Taming of the Shrew" is one of my favorite.

There is nothing I don't like about "The Ties That Bind", but I can't let any book go completely unscathed. His 80s car-phone worked in the mountains-I don't think so.