Rating: 
Summary: Complex, fast-moving, and a page-turner.
Review: The tension in this novel keeps the reader up late, finding out what happens next.
The characters are deep, complex, and riveting.
The plot is a bit too complex, with overly long spiritual and church related narratives or explanations.
All in all, the author conquers the challenge she has given herself, in combining the sacred and profane.
Rating:
Summary: Gay sex may be a tad too much for some tastes...
Review: but this book gains power and becomes quite moving by the time it ends. A hetero male, of course damaged in his childhood, makes his living servicing rich gay men. Circumstances bring him into the circle of St. Benet's Healing Centre, and eventually change many lives. Gavin, our hero, is not likeable at first, but he does grow on the reader as he struggles to understand his past trauma and present delusions. The female attorney heroine of "The High Flyer", the previous novel in this series, is also a major character, along with the ever-present clergymen Nick Darrow and Lewis Miles. If you liked "Wonder Worker" and "High Flyer" you'll like this one, too. If you are a stranger to the other novels by Howatch, I strongly suggest you read those two first. Her books feature continuing characters, who often grow and change in surprising ways from book to book. As good as the three novels in this current series are, I still don't think they are quite as great as the six books in her "Starbridge Series." Look up "Glittering Images" and "Glamorous Powers" and the four others in that bunch. I recommend this project to any reader of intelligence and taste and an interest in religion, psychology, and human behavior. It might take a few months to find and consume these half-dozen full-length stories, but the effort was well-worth it to me. Howatch is pretty darn good at bringing quite flawed people to life, letting their weaknesses almost destroy them, allowing Grace and their strengths to save them, and then in a later book showing them to be heroic in saving others from sin and despair. If such a plot description attracts you, start on her Starbridge novels at once. Save "The Heartbreaker" for next year!
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful and Solid Follow-Up
Review: I am a longtime fan of Susan Howatch and have been eagerly awaiting "The Heartbreaker" ever since completing "The High Flyer" two years ago. Overall, I found it a great read (could hardly put it down!) and a satisfying end to what might be termed the Nicholas Darrow Trilogy. That said, I had some minor quibbles:Carta Graham in this book isn't nearly as much fun as she was in "High Flyer". That's to be expected in some ways, I suppose, since in this book she's settling down in a new relationship; also, Howatch uses her disgusted reaction to Gavin's job to convey to the reader just how degraded he has become. Still, I would have liked a bit more sparkle to Carta. Also, in this book Eric Tucker (a compelling minor character in the previous book) barely makes an appearance. More Eric! It's great to see that masterful villainess, Elizabeth M., make another appearance in addition to a new character: her sadistic pal Asherton. We know they're bad, but we don't find out just how bad they really are until the last third of the book. The suspense in this section is nicely done. (Won't say any more, as I don't want to give anything away.) Some may find the last 75-100 pages of the book a letdown, but I do not. Howatch's brand of Christianity is nothing like the "Left Behind" series, as is clearly seen in the last section of the book which makes it clear just how hard Gavin has to struggle to succeed in his new life - even with the best support team in the world. I'd call this the best part of the book. I hope Howatch carries on with this series: it's great.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful and Solid Follow-Up
Review: I am a longtime fan of Susan Howatch and have been eagerly awaiting "The Heartbreaker" ever since completing "The High Flyer" two years ago. Overall, I found it a great read (could hardly put it down!) and a satisfying end to what might be termed the Nicholas Darrow Trilogy. That said, I had some minor quibbles: Carta Graham in this book isn't nearly as much fun as she was in "High Flyer". That's to be expected in some ways, I suppose, since in this book she's settling down in a new relationship; also, Howatch uses her disgusted reaction to Gavin's job to convey to the reader just how degraded he has become. Still, I would have liked a bit more sparkle to Carta. Also, in this book Eric Tucker (a compelling minor character in the previous book) barely makes an appearance. More Eric! It's great to see that masterful villainess, Elizabeth M., make another appearance in addition to a new character: her sadistic pal Asherton. We know they're bad, but we don't find out just how bad they really are until the last third of the book. The suspense in this section is nicely done. (Won't say any more, as I don't want to give anything away.) Some may find the last 75-100 pages of the book a letdown, but I do not. Howatch's brand of Christianity is nothing like the "Left Behind" series, as is clearly seen in the last section of the book which makes it clear just how hard Gavin has to struggle to succeed in his new life - even with the best support team in the world. I'd call this the best part of the book. I hope Howatch carries on with this series: it's great.
Rating: 
Summary: A great storyteller continues her work!
Review: I discovered Susan Howatch just a few years ago, and since then have read everything she has written. She is an incredible storyteller, and always was; but as her life-experience and wisdom have grown, her books have gone from flat (early in her career) to very, very multidimensional (at a peak with her Starbridge series and continued here.) I pre-ordered this book so that I'd have it when it was finally released, and I was not disappointed when I got it and read it! Susan Howatch takes the reader into whole new worlds: the minds of each character and their perspective, the different philosophies and theologies and historical details that she researches and presents so seamlessly in her stories, and a view of Christianity that is a wonderful marriage of Orthodox Christianity in all its varieties with a full, modern understanding of psychology and sociology. This novel will appeal to anyone who is bright and well-read because of the combination of a great story, well-developed characters, and a very intriguing view of the world!
Rating:
Summary: A great storyteller continues her work!
Review: I discovered Susan Howatch just a few years ago, and since then have read everything she has written. She is an incredible storyteller, and always was; but as her life-experience and wisdom have grown, her books have gone from flat (early in her career) to very, very multidimensional (at a peak with her Starbridge series and continued here.) I pre-ordered this book so that I'd have it when it was finally released, and I was not disappointed when I got it and read it! Susan Howatch takes the reader into whole new worlds: the minds of each character and their perspective, the different philosophies and theologies and historical details that she researches and presents so seamlessly in her stories, and a view of Christianity that is a wonderful marriage of Orthodox Christianity in all its varieties with a full, modern understanding of psychology and sociology. This novel will appeal to anyone who is bright and well-read because of the combination of a great story, well-developed characters, and a very intriguing view of the world!
Rating:
Summary: Back with the pack at St. Benet's
Review: Susan Howatch continues to surprise and amaze us with her series of books that probe the far reaches of Christianity and the history of 20th-century Britain, starting with "Glittering Images." This edition may be the most surprising of all, as about half is told in the voice of a rent boy named Gavin. Like all her narrators, Gavin finds that all his self-deceptions explode until all that's left is ready for the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. This is an explicit book, but Howatch has never flinched from sex -- after all, sex is a part of our life with God, and what can keep us from God. I was spellbound, Followers of her work from the Starbridge series will be delighted with the ending -- will the loose ends still dangling from the smash-up ending of "Mystical Paths," hinted at in "The Wonder Worker," finally be tied up? Anyway, Howatch combines the narrative inventiveness of a potboiler with characters we've come to love, particularly Nicholas Darrow, Carta Graham and the rascal Lewis Hall. One key plot point is a little obvious for people who have read her previous books, "The Wonder Worker" and "The High Flyer," but we can forgive her for that -- in a way it adds to our delight and enjoyment as we wait for the other characters to figure out what's going on.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing, Hard to put down and good storyteller
Review: Sussane did it again in an amazing way, hated mysterious Elizabeth, Gavin's pimp-mistress with a shady past in the occult and new age healing. A bit of a spooky-person for me, didnt bond with her works from the begining. Loved Carta Graham, a well-heeled former lawyer, wished her and Gavin were an item from the begining but they meet when a friend of Carta's suddenly dies-and she discovers that he was a secret homosexual and one of Gavin's clients. Gavin and Carta get on well though and helps him to come out sort of from the mess that he is in. Gavin meets his mom and they get on well when she tells him what actual his father was. Think l loved Gavin's character a bit of me, l think, however this is a well written piece which entangles all the real life issues that surround the church of England.Must read for people in christian communities, one would find himself in one of the characters.
Rating:
Summary: --Captivating--
Review: THE HEARTBREAKER is another spellbinding novel by master storyteller Susan Howatch. This author has written many interesting stories. Often, the characters overlap from one story to the next; however, the books are independent of each other. Saying that, I also have to add, if you read the previous stories, you won't be sorry.
The two main characters tell this story. Carta Graham is a brainy and attractive woman who went through a life-crisis and found hope with Christianity. She gave up being a high-powered attorney to become a fundraiser and office manager for a church called St. Benet's-by-the-Wall. There is also a Healing Center attached to St. Benet's. The Healing Center helped Carta and many other people during the difficult times in their lives.
The other main character is Gavin Blake an extremely handsome man. Carta and Gavin meet by chance and seem to have an instant attraction to each other. Gavin comes on strong and aggressively flirts with Carta. She's completely bewildered and is taken by surprise because Carta knows that Gavin is the lover of her former law partner, Richard.
In many ways, this book is difficult to read because it takes the reader into the seamy and depressing world of the London sex trade. In fact, Gavin refers to himself as a leisure worker. Carta does not want to have anything to do with Gavin, and discusses the situation with Nicholas Darrow, who is a priest and the Rector of St. Benet's. He tells her that helping Gavin out of his terrible life may be something that God wants her to do.
Susan Howatch always gives the reader a lot to think about.
Rating:
Summary: Well written, emotional, spiritual...its all here!!
Review: This book by English author Susan Howatch is an engaging narrative that employs characters familiar to the reader from previous works. I did not realize there were 2 previous books until I read the afterword. It is an emotional and interesting read. The characters are vivid and well written. It is written in a he said/she said narrative that is very effective. Carta is a lawyer and church fundraiser. Gavin is a straight prostitute that specializes in gay sex. Gavin is frankly the more interesting of the two. His take-me-as- I-am approach to life is a large contrast to proper Carta. When their paths cross after the death of a mutual friend, neither of their lives will be the same. Who will be drawn into the other's world? And who will survive? I liked this book but I found it a little long and preachy in some places. Its my first Susan Howatch book and probably will not be the last but normally with a new author that I like I go back and start from the beginning and read whatever they have written. Frankly, I'm not sure I have the strength. I read all kinds of things and usually go for something way lighter after a heavy book and that is where I am headed now. This is a book that taxed me. Between the church and the lurid sex world I need something in the middle. My only real criticisms are that there are characters that disappear and I would like to know what happened to them. And there are some improbable loose ends that tie up a little too quickly and neatly at the end.
I don't think you will be sorry you read it but allow some emotional downtime for when you finish. You are going to need it.
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