Rating: Summary: Wonderful! Review: BAD KARMA is a suspenseful story filled with dark, ominous overtones, yet it is also a romance that slowly and carefully reveals the incredible resiliency of the human spirit. Cleo Tyler is the kind of woman who will travel by train for seemingly endless days just so her dog, Premonition, won't be frightened by confinement in the cargo hold of an airplane. She is also the sort of person who doesn't have to think twice (well, maybe twice) when the chief of police of a hot, dusty little Missouri town calls on her to use her supposed psychic powers to locate a missing key. If the horoscope-reading top cop wants to pay lots of money for what will probably be a futile effort, then so be it. When a skeptical Daniel Sinclair shows up to meet Cleo at the station, however, this bad boy makes it very clear that her presence in the community isn't supported by every member of its police force. In Daniel's jaded opinion, "Miss Clara Voiyant" is a scam artist of the first order, and he's not going to waste any more time in her company than he has to--even if some very hot and elemental feelings seem to arc between them whenever necessity brings them together. As Cleo is caught up in the swirling undercurrents that lie just below the surface of this tightly-knit community, we witness a very painful and steady decline into a mental state that makes life almost unbearable for her. It is that very vulnerability, when it is revealed painful by painful layer, that touches something deeply hidden in Daniel's heart--a heart he'd thought was beyond anyone's reach. Is it possible for two such wounded human beings to find what they need, solace and healing, in each other? That question, and many others, are answered in unexpected ways as the story rushes toward a shattering climax. Darkness and light--that's what readers consistently find in all of Theresa Weir's books, and she blends these elements in such compelling ways that her books, once begun, are nearly impossible to put down. In BAD KARMA, the author again brings us a character-driven story line that provides a veritable roller-coaster ride of emotion right to the very end. I especially liked the secondary characters in this book. Daniel's brother Beau is mentally slow because of a brain injury at birth, but the bits and pieces of his life that flow through the story are often what provides the "light" that contrasts with the "darkness." Most of Ms. Weir's previous books have been unforgettable reads for me, but I definitely think she's hit her stride with this one. If you love being pulled into a story that just won't let go, don't miss BAD KARMA. Simply stated, it's wonderful! ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
Rating: Summary: Buy this book! You won't be sorry! Review: BAD KARMA kept me up late on Friday night and got me up early on Saturday morning to finish it. _Then_ I wanted to start right back at the beginning and read it all the way through again. This is one of the most sensual books I ever read, and by this I mean I was right inside the characters' skins, seeing through their eyes and breathing their air. The heroine is a psychic hired by a small town to help the chief of police solve a crime, and the hero is the inevitable sexy cop who thinks she's a fraud. I picked up the book expecting the usual treatment, but Theresa Weir's is _so_ unusual and compelling. I've read all of her books, and she still surprises me every time.
Rating: Summary: A different but great book Review: I enjoyed reading about these quirky, imperfect characters and finished the book in one day. Ms. Weir gives us an offbeat, but not stupid, sense of humor to handle the problems the characters were dealing with. The book was wonderful.
Rating: Summary: I bearly finished this Review: I had never read TW before and was happy to find that I can add her to my list of authors to look for. I found Cleo endearingly imperfect, with her self doubts and her atypical eating disorder. Also, I never would have expected the hero of a romance novel to have the added dimension of wanting to be a guardian for his mentally challenged brother; it adds depth to the story. Both of these characters made for good reading with a different, attention-getting twist. I'm happy I bought this book. If you're looking for a new perspective on love stories, try it.
Rating: Summary: Good Reading Review: I had never read TW before and was happy to find that I can add her to my list of authors to look for. I found Cleo endearingly imperfect, with her self doubts and her atypical eating disorder. Also, I never would have expected the hero of a romance novel to have the added dimension of wanting to be a guardian for his mentally challenged brother; it adds depth to the story. Both of these characters made for good reading with a different, attention-getting twist. I'm happy I bought this book. If you're looking for a new perspective on love stories, try it.
Rating: Summary: I bearly finished this Review: I purchased this book because of the glowing on-line reviews -- I generally find many goods books this way. I almost stopped reading this mid-way. The heroine was so unlikeable -- she lied without qualm. And at times the story just dragged on. I agree that it's good to have stories that discuss disorders and/or mental illness -- even in the "glamourized" world of romance fiction. Other authors have done so successfully. But the plot was not compelling and main characters in this story did not grab my heart. I read dozens of romance novels every year (and sometimes every month). This story ranks as one of my least favorite of all time. I don't believe I will read any more of this author's books. If you are not currently a fan of T. Weir, I suggest that you borrow the book from the library and read the first few chapters before buying this book.
Rating: Summary: Book number 13 -- BAD KARMA...? Review: I used to tell myself tht the number 13 was my lucky number. In grade school, when kids were assigned numbers, I often got number 13. In high school gym class I was 13, and even had the ten-inch tall numbers slapped on my back to prove it. People would ask me if that didn't give me the creeps, having to wear number 13, and I would say, "Nah, thirteen's my lucky number." Now I realize I was just whistling in the dark. So now that you know how far back number 13 and I go, I'll tell you a story of my thirteenth book, BAD KARMA. It started out in the usual way, as a proposal, then the lst book of a two-book contract, except at that time the title was CLEOPATRA TRANSCENDING. I was on about chapter 3 when my editor called and asked if I'd be interested in doing something really dark instead. There were a few back and forth phone calls, then I finally decided I'd like to keep on with what I was doing, with CLEOPATRA, but that I would add a dark element to it. That was fine. Now this is where the weird stuff starts. As I was writing the book, I found I really enjoyed the Gothic element, and maybe got a little carried away, I don't know. But when I turned in the book, I discovered that nobody at Harperknew I'd been writing anything in the least dark. As I was working on the story, they were making plans for a light, fun read. This whole twisted happening sent number 13 and me into limbo for several months, with everybody trying to figure out what to do. It was suggested I rewrite the whole thing, but I loved the book the way it was, and to try to make something light out of something dark just wouldn't work. In my entire writing career, I've had three books I've felt strongly about and they are: AMAZON LILY, COOL SHADE, and now BAD KARMA. So I offered to give them a completely new book. After more discussion and time, it was finally decided that they would publish CLEOPATRA TRANSCENDING the way it was, but that it would at least need a new title. Their suggestion: CALL ME CRAZY. Appalled, I shot back BAD KARMA and it was accepted. Then it hit me -- my 13th book was being called BAD KARMA. And now I'm wondering, am I still whistling in the dark?
Rating: Summary: Unforgettable! Review: I've been a fan of Theresa Weir for years and this is her best work yet
Rating: Summary: A Great Read Review: Kudos to Theresa Weir, this novel is an excellent read! Unusual characters, well developed plot, and a fascinating H&H. Theresa Weir is exceptionally gifted with the ability to describe scenes in a way that is different than others. This is the first Romance Novel I have read where the Heroine has an eating disorder. Kudos are in order for addressing a socially relative topic in a sensitive manner. Overall Excellent. Note: Personally, I would have preferred a cover that had something to do with the novel.... If I hadn't heard this novel was so good I would've completely overlooked it because of the plain cover. Cupid seems completely out of tune with the "Psychic Suspense" flavor of this novel. Perhaps a Key would've been more appropriate.
Rating: Summary: UNEXPECTED! UNFORGETTABLE! Review: Theresa Weir never writes what you expect -- unless you expect the unexpected! Say "romance fiction" and you think "two fairly normal people" and "obstacles to a happy ending" equal a pretty good book. With Theresa you get sometimes pretty "un-normal" people, or pretty flawed people, or people who are just barely coping, people who make you stop and think. Cleo is one of those people. She has problems -- serious problems. But she is not without redeeming qualities. In fact, in her slightly skewed way, she's wonderful. And Daniel, the sceptical cop who is drawn to her all the time he knows he should be running the other way, is pretty wonderful too. If you've ever gotten involved against your better judgement, you will appreciate this book. If you've ever had a few less than perfect storybook moments in your life, you will appreciate this book. If you want standard romance fare, you will probably wish you'd picked up another book. But Theresa always makes me think, she always challenges the boundaries of the genre. She always makes me glad I read her books.
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