Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Mary Balogh's story is the only one worth reading) 『From the back cover:
THE HEIRLOOM by Mary Balogh: A bewitching sapphire engagement ring leads a skittish groom to Regency Wales--where he learns there is no love like the present...
A DREAM ACROSS TIME by Constance O'Banyon: When a lovely librarian chases her dream to a New Orleans plantation, she finds a faded bridal veil she swears she has worn before...
MAN OF HER DREAMS by Virginia Brown: An antique wedding gown lures a Mississippi belle to the Civil War--and into the arms of a rebel love...
BRIDE'S JOY by Elda Minger: Love letters in an English manor send a reluctant bride into a centure past, where she must break a curse--and return to the church on time...
And my review:
Mary Balogh's THE HEIRLOOM was the only story in this book worth reading. She managed to create a lovely dual romance with a touch of the paranormal in just under 70 pages, and managed to make it touching and believeable. Now that's talent! Four stars.
Constance O'Banyon's A DREAM ACROSS TIME just wasn't engrossing. But then I wasn't surprised. I know this author has a big following, but her writing does nothing to capture me. And the heroine came across as weird. I just couldn't connect with her at all. One star.
Virginia Brown's MAN OF HER DREAMS suffered from a rushed romance and a large dose of unreality. People in this story kept doing thing that just made no sense. For instance, the heroine's ancestor, upon finding an unannounced houseguest in the middle of the night (the heroine), just accepts the heroine's assurance that they're related and gives her a room to stay in. Uh...okay. If a person who I'd never even heard of before, let alone met, was walking around me house in a robe, and then claimed to be one of my distant relatives, I'd be tossing them out the door and calling the police, not putting them up in my guest room! And the hero in this story came across as arrogant and full of himself. I guess he was supposed to be cocky and self-assured, but he just annoyed the heck out of me. Also, there was more political struggle in this story than romance. One star.
Elda Minger's BRIDE'S JOY was a story that focused more on the heroine breaking a curse than it did on romance. I just didn't feel the chemistry between the two leads, and that's vital for a good romance read. One star.
As with most romance anthologies, the limited space means that the authors don't get enough room to work, resulting in a bunch of weak stories. If you find one good story, then you're lucky. In this case, one of the authors is Mary Balogh, and she has enough talent to pull off a novella.
But even that story is one that you'll only bother to read once. Borrow this book from the library if you're still determined to read it, but apart for Mary Balogh's contribution, you might want to skip TIMESWEPT BRIDES altoghter.』
(A nice break from everday worries.) 『I enjoyed the stories. Each one held enough adventure, romance, and fun for a quick escape from reality.』 『Four stories of romantic love across time include "The Heirloom" by Mary Balogh, "A Dream Across Time" by Constance O'Banyon, "Man of Her Dreams" by Virginia Brown, and "Bride's Joy" by Elda Minger. Original.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (cute book) 『This book reminds me of cross between a Doris Day/Rock Hudson romp and McHale's Navy. It is cute and somewhat amusing but a little short of "science" in the science fiction category. It is more of a fantasy book. Our heroine gets kidnapped by a bunch of drunken space sailors (actually miners) from the future because she can cook and they haven't had a decent meal in a long time. Problems insue. There is an interesting plot twist that becomes apparent about half way thru the book. All in all, it is an easy read that I wouldn't buy in hardback, but is OK for paperback.』
(Walking On The Moon) 『Shift Officer Denys Duchamp of the mining ship Hatton was bored and hungry - hungry not only for decent-tasting food, but also for some female companionship. Unfortunately, this was not like other missions, where the crew could just land on a planet and take some R&R. This was a super-secret mission into the past that was being guided by The Book. In order to save their worlds in the present, they had to go to the past and mine a deposit of a rare ore only found on Phobos, one of the moons of Mars. And they definitely couldn't let anyone from 21st century Earth know of their presence in their time. It was quite a problem, then, that six of the men under Duchamp's command, accidentally - sort of - kidnapped an American tourist and brought her back to the ship. What was Mr. Duchamp going to do with Claudia Cameron, TV chef and caterer, and how was he going to keep the dreaded Captain Andrews from pushing her out of the airlock to protect their mission?
I think Sizemore is one of the best writers in the time travel genre, and I have always enjoyed her books. This one is no exception! Most of the time travel novels that I have read deal with a modern hero or heroine transporting from the 21st century to the Middle Ages or earlier. That's why this one involving a spaceship and crew coming from our future to the 21st century struck me as unusual. The characters are very realistically drawn, with a great sense of humor. Duchamp is a likeable, earnest officer desperately trying to do the right thing. Claudia Cameron is a strong, smart woman who keeps Duchamp on his toes. Even the secondary characters have distinct personalities. I particularly liked the six crew members reporting to Duchamp, who would give the Keystone Kops a run for their money as the comic relief. While this novel is sensual, and includes somewhat explicit love scenes, it is primarily a science fiction novel with romantic elements. Sizemore skillfully combines the genres into a seamless whole, resulting in a book that I just couldn't put down!-- Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews (courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews)』 『Mix a ship full of men from the future orbiting present-day Earth, a woman who's never been afraid to act on her dreams, a mining engineer who discovers how he must "go by the book", and a pot full of chili, and you have the ingredients for a witty and fun futuristic romance!』
price：$7.99
Love Spell
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (ONE OF THE BEST) 『I admit I'm a fairly recent participant to "romance" genre...having been a literature snob in my younger years. In recent years health issues have caused a 'sea-change' in my attitudes and I find romantic interludes, character discovery and relationships much more satisfying to explore than the classics or spy/thriller genres that add to my life-tensions. SO, all that self-description aside, I use it to intoduce what I found so strong in this story-line. I loved the idea of a turn-of-the-century woman, somewhat spoiled, who is put to 'tests' of suitability by the mother of the man she is coming to love. There would be enough tension simply in developing the primary love relationship without adding the "peas under the matress". But, that is after all the name of the story! I recommend this one. Younger readers may feel somewhat irritated at the perceived interference~we older folks will probably have a chuckle or two along the way.』
(An entertaining read) 『THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA is a bit hard to find, as it is out of print, but it is worth the search. It's an entertaining version of the princess and the pea fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. Set in 1895, the "princess" is Cece, an America heiress in her early twenties whose family thinks it time for her to be married. The "prince" is the Earl of Greystone (hey, wasn't that Tarzan's title?), who desperately needs to marry an heiress to repair his family estates and fortune. The two fall in love at first sight, both unaware of the other's true identity and circumstances. The Earl then dumps Cece, as he must marry for money. When he discovers she's an heiress, he thinks all turned out perfectly. Cece soon sets him straight, and he must earn his way back into her good graces. The Earl's mother sets many tests for Cece to pass before true long conquers all. Cece is a strong heroine, well able to deal with stuffy peers and meddling mothers-in-law. A delightful and entertaining story. Be sure to find this one!』
(delightfully original, fast-moving, very well written) 『Fans of Arnette Lamb, Nora Roberts, and Marsha Canham will enjoy the wit and pace of Alexander's books. The dialogue is natural and the writing refreshing for those tired of books written at a junior-high reading level. This book in particular was very entertaining; I learned many things about that period and Alexander even made the emerging automobile industry a fun read - much more interesting than it sounds (in England, drivers had to have someone walking in front of the car waving a red flag).』
(A wonderful read!) 『Ms. Alexander is a really good writer, and she just gets better with every book! It is very hard to portray humor and passion in the same book and do it well, but she excels at this Herculean task. I highly recommend this book!』 『Preparing to inherit her father's business empire, independent nineteenth-century beauty Cecily White resists money-seeking suitors, until she is tempted by the Earl of Greystone, who she insists must prove his love to her.』
price：$5.50
Love Spell
Usually ships in 1 to 2 months Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Absolutely perfect!!) 『I read her second book first and loved it and little did I know when I picked up this one that I would love it even more!!!! It defintely is one I wished would never end!!! I have tried new (to me at least) authors and have never struck gold before!!! She is now writing contemporary novels, but I hope in time she will return to the time travel, she's just amazing!!』
(A Stunner!) 『A time travel romance that is beyond any I have read before! Amazingly, this is Karen White's first novel. I didn't know that until I finished the book and went to her website to write to her and tell her how much I enjoyed "In the Shadow of the Moon".
The book centers on Laura Truitt and a strange lunar eclipse combined with a comet. Laura travels back to the Civil War era in search of her daughter. Here she meets Stuart Elliott and his family. This book kept me enthralled as Laura attempts to blend with the era she finds herself in and at the same time find her way back to the twentieth century. I had to laugh as Laura stuns and surprises Civil War era men with the independent spunk of a twentieth century woman. This book is a keeper and I will read it again, which I rarely do. Readers who enjoy romance, time-travel and edgy excitement will positively love this book!』
(Wanted: Likeable Heroine) 『While the writing is smooth and competent, the plotting and characterizations leave something to be desired. Laura Truitt, apparently intended to be spunky and forthright, comes across as thoughtless, rude and sometimes cruel, often acting like a child with no social graces. The hero, Stuart, is longsuffering and bland to the point of boredom. Laura's search for her daughter was the most compelling part of the book, yet that did not deliver the emotional punch that it should have. Many of the plot elements seemed contrived. That said, Ms. White has great promise and will hopefully attempt something in the future that is more original and borrows less heavily from those who have gone before (namely, Diana Gabaldon and Margaret Mitchell).』
(Brilliant first novel!) 『Karen White is a rising star whose first novel was a "grabber" from beginning to end. Current reading tastes don't favor the first person but Ms.White has used this technique so superbly, I can't imagine this tale told in any other format. Nor was there ever a moment during the reading that I was wishing the book were written in other than the first person. Though we weren't in the thoughts of any one but the heroine, Ms. White was still able to develop the hero so well, I "knew" him just as well as I might have had we been privy to his thoughts.
All her characters are very well drawn and the paranormal/time travel element handled to perfection. This is a well-researched book that reflects the authors strong grasp of history--but she weaves it through the tale so skillfully, the action is never halted. From the first moment Linda Truitt stepped over the threshold of that house, I felt like I became her and traveled with her as she searched for her lost daughter and stepped into the turmoil of our country's civil war. I was as torn as Linda was when she couldn't reveal all to the hero for fear of changing history and wondered whether had I been put to such a test would I have had the same strength.
I couldn't turn the pages fast enough but by the book's end-- satisfying ending that it was-- I would've loved 400 more pages so I could continue experiencing the trials and joys Linda faced living out her life in a time long before her actual birth. Instead I closed the book with a sigh and am eager for the next book by this talented new writer.』
(True Entertainment!) 『The main character is Laura Truit --- an educated and spunky woman of the 21st century. Unexpectedly she finds herself flung back into the 1860's. I cried with her, and learned a new perspective of the Civil War. I also laughed with her, got frustrated and angry, and fell in love with the people in her new life. In other words -- I became her and couldn't put the book down. In my opinion, this is true entertainment. Buy it, you'll love it!』
price：$6.99
Dorchester Publishing Company
Usually ships in 3 to 6 weeks Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Delightful - Magic and Romance) 『Ghosts, Time Travel, Fairies, Magic and Scotland figure in this delightful story. I liked it. I had one little wish -- I got a bit confused with the love scenes - wish they were a little more detailed and longer.』
(enjoyable) 『This is the first book I've read by Melanie Jackson and I found it to be a enjoyable book. It was a bit hard to follow in parts but the story line was interesting enough to keep me at it. I liked the fact that the heroine is a strong yet vulnerable woman who can stand on her own but also knows when to lean on her man. The hero is a very sensitive man who probably because of his heritage makes him irresitible to his heroine.
This is a combo of a timeswept/fantasy romance. The heroine, Taffy starts off in the 1880's and ends up in the 1640's. She is helping her father with his archeology by taking photographs of the bones they have discovered of a piper. The piper was killed after warning of a trap. His hands had been cut off and he bled to death. While taking the shot she sees a ghost who happens to be the piper himself. The piper, Malcolm, is our hero. She is sent back in time to save him by the fairies. She and he both are of fairy blood and the fairies need them.
Together they must overcome their human enemies and the fairy dangers which await them. I enjoyed the excitement in this book. You weren't sure what was going to happen next. I plan on reading more of thisd authors works in the future.』
(Abosultely stunning!!) 『I am one of the male managers of WISE Writers and Readers, and I generally leave the reviewing to Lady Ashorah, the head of WISE. But I wanted to say the male readers at WISE loved this book!!
Melanie is a super writer, with a haunting, evocative quality that leads the reader into a drama drawn from real historical events. She is one of the strongest historical writers around.
WISE WrIters and Readers Book of the Month for MAY and Book of the Year for 2001』
(This book can be reread time and again) 『Taffy and Malcolm are extremely beleivable charactors in a fantastic faerie filled plot. The plot is fey but the Taffy and Malcolm are 3-D humans. Part of what makes this book so believalbe is that it is based on real historical fact and the resulting ghost story that sprang up around a real life piper/hero. The real Malcolm knowingly gave his life for what he beleived in. Moreover, the death he suffered was not kind. This books just gets better the more often you read it.』
(Just not worth it) 『Ok, I read hundreds of books a year, and in that time frame, there are about 1 to 2 books I just can't finish. Night Visitor is my second one this year (and hopefully my last). There were so many typos and glaring grammatical mistakes (two things I usually read right over) that I just could not get into the story. I got about half way through it, and found that the characters were dull, flat and wholly unrealistic. I tried to suspend my belief because this is a fantasy (fairie story) but nothing I read made me want to continue on.
A female photographer from the late 1800's, with a father who doesn't understand her and is patronizing coupled with a Scottish piper that has farie blood (oh yes, let us not forget the diluted fairie blood in our heroine as well!) sets our story. The piper is killed for warning his allies about a trap set. For this, his hands are cut off and he dies (supposedly bad luck for the killers since you are not supposed to kill a piper). His pipes haunt the castle for 200 years until our heroine touches his newly uncovered bones and makes a connection to him. This is the first few chapters and the most interesting part of the story. Our heroine then goes to the past to rescue our hero. Everything else seems to rush past, with little description or depth.
I rarely do this, but I suggest you steer clear of Night Visitor, there are better stories out there.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The cover might be outdated, but the story is Timeless) 『Like another reviewer, I find it harder and harder to find good time-travel romances that I haven't already read. I search reading lists and reviews to try and find good books in this genre. That is why when I find one that I really enjoy, I like to write a review incase others are looking for the same. This book had all the elements I like in a story: time-travel, romance, good character development and an interesting plot. My only complaint about the book (besides the front cover) is Robyn's relationship in the present time. I felt that it was rushed and I never really understood why they were so in love. Other than that, I really enjoyed Robyn's relationship in the past and how the present and the past meshed together in the plot. Please don't let the cover detour you, it might be outdated but the story is Timeless.』
(Deceptively good) 『The concept of people switching bodies has been done, and the concept of people time-traveling has been done. I've never read both, and Jasmine Cresswell nailed it. You'd think, "What would one expect from a paperback romance?" yet this is the closest romance I've come to literature quality. The thought of a woman having to live someone else's life, in the context of time travel, struck me sharply and intrigued me.
Expectedly, the plot is predictable to a point. Yet it finishes with a jolt, which devastatingly becomes the aching realization that it was inevitable. (I read this in two days, one sitting each day, and I was only able to speculate about what was going to happen!)
This book has its short-comings, namely the characters' relationship and some of the round-about dialogues earlier in the book. I felt gypped by the change in pace half-way through the book, and I felt very gypped by the ending. There wasn't a balance established between Robyn's feelings of the two centuries, and I wasn't convinced by her ability to live equally in both. Half-way through, the dialogue characteristic of the first half slowed down, leaving gaps in the characters' changing relationship. I'd like to know how William and Robyn conversed later and how she truly was happy.』
(loved it) 『despite its corny Fabio-like front cover, this was a surprisingly well-written book. I found the romance touching and the main characters likeable. William was adorable.』
(A great read!) 『It's getting harder to find time travel romance novels that are worth reading. This is one that meets my criteria for a keeper. Although the author uses a plot twist that's been done before, she does it in an entertaining fashion. Usually I flip to the back to find out what happened (that's how I know the book is boring) but with this one I didn't read the ending beforehand!』 『Robyn Delany is thrust back into eighteenth-century England where she finds love with William Bowleigh, Lord Starke, a mysterious man of the past. By the author ofTo Catch The Wind.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Not my ussual genre) 『Romance novels are not my ussual reading choice but I met the author at a writers workshop and I wanted to read one of her books. I thought it was great! I think she is a very gifted writer and will read more of her books.』
(The only romance novel I've ever kept) 『I usually pass on my romance novels... not this one. It's dog eared, well read many times over, and the spine cracked beyond recognition. I pop on here every few months hoping to find that she has started writing again. This book is just so good!!
When I know I am getting to the part about the rabbits, I make sure there are tissues close at hand... because I laugh so hard, I cry.
I do hope she starts to write again. What a wonderful story. I hated for it to end.』
(If not the best, then among the best time travel books around) 『I read this one several months ago, and I dearly regret not reviewing it right after I read it. But, I can tell you, it stuck with me, because of the plot, the charaters, the detail. It was just awesome. It felt like it went up&beyond what is required of a time travel, or even of just a great read! That's how taken with it I was.
On the 1-10 scale, I would be a good solid 12. On the star scale, 7 stars. This book was that outstanding.
If you're moving to a desert island or running from a burning house, be sure to grab this one on the way out. It's just totally awesome. It's too bad Amy Elizabeth doesn't appear to be writing anymore. I haven't read much of her work (yet), but what I have read is outstanding.』
(Excellent) 『This book was excellent. It kept me wanting to read "just one more chapter" all night long!』
(reprint of an enchanting mid 90s time travel romance) 『In Seattle, Ivy Raymond owns and operates an antique store, ENCHANTED TIME. She normally sees sellers by appointment or in bulk lots, but to rid herself of the pesky elderly woman, she agrees to look at the package. Inside is a book from the sixteenth century that obviously is worth a lot, but the woman insists on $100 or she will sell it to the nearby bookstore owner. A stunned Ivy feels some sort of weird inexplicable connection to the names inside the tome and buys the book.
Ivy reads some of the incantations only to find the spells work though she remains skeptical. However, the last spell she cites sends her back to the drafty abode of a seventeenth century gentleman, Julian Ramsden. As they fall in love, he wonders if she is a spy working for his enemy trying to stop Julian from regaining all he lost. Then there is the Witch Hunter General who will hang female family members of Julian including his beloved Ivy if he is not stopped in time.
This is a reprint of an enchanting mid 90s time travel romance that is one of the sub-genre's best. The story line is exciting due to a tremendous cast who will make moving back and forth in the time stream seem possible. Ivy is a wonderful heroine and her beloved is a delightful hunk struggling between love and desire vs. trust. The secondary characters provide depth to the mid-seventh century especially the Witch Hunter General. Readers will have an ENCHANTED TIME perusing Amy Elizabeth Saunders' appealing tale.
Harriet Klausner』
『Restricting her interests to great works of literature, antiques store owner Ivy Raymond purchases a mysterious book of spells and is transported back in time, where she meets dishonored knight Julian Ramsden.』
price：$6.99
Love Spell
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (a weak futuristic romance) 『I've come to realize that when I read a Shomi book I either like it a lot or I don't care for it at all. That said, 'Irreversible' falls into the second category. Usually I am careful to read a book in sequence. I failed to check to see if this book was in a series and started to read. I soon figured out that there was a prior book, 'Wired', and I stopped Irreversible to read Wired's reviews. I decided I was fine without it and continued on.
I caught on quickly that Wired was Mason and Roxy's story and their entanglement with Leonardo Kaysar, a man who wanted to rule the future. Kaysar now dominates Kitty, Roxy's best friend, and has her living in a time loop without the knowledge of her past. Mason, Roxy and their coworkers are trying their best to save her but barely making a dent. Enter 'Q', a coworker's brother and a specialist with time problems.
It was suppose to be another futuristic romance but the technical side of the book felt scattered, Q's and Kitty's romance lacked believability until the end and, most of all, it was boring. Ms. Maverick took on quite a project when she decided to write a series on the future and time. Unfortunately, she didn't do a very good job. The ending left the team to continue so I assume there will be a third book but I won't be reading it.
If you want an excellent futuristic romance series to read try the 2176 Series:
#1 The Legend of Banzai Maguire by Susan Grant #2 Day of Fire by Kathleen Nance #3 The Shadow Runners by Liz Maverick #4 The Power of Two by Patty O'Shea #5 The Scarlet Empress by Susan Grant
Make sure you have access to all the titles because once you've finished one book you'll want to go on to the next.』
(Irreversible) 『Katherine "Kitty" Gibbs is having a wonderful week, living a wonderful life. Great job, great friends and a great fiancé. Too bad she's living this week over and over. Unfortunately, she has no idea what's going on. All the people in her life are actors and her days are scheduled with fake events, designed to keep her living the status quo, the better for the experiment she's the subject of.
But her real best friends know what is happening. Living in the present, missing Katherine who is stuck in the past, they are desperate to get her out and away from her fake fiancé, Leonardo Kayser. They attempt to get to her in the future, but their methods aren't working. So they call in an expert - Walter "Q" Sheffield, a time-anomaly specialist.
It's Q's job to get her out. The plan includes him developing a relationship with Kitty, something that scares him to death. But if they can get her to recognize him, they have a better chance of pulling her through to the present, where she belongs.
Irreversible is the sequel to the first Shomi book, WIRED. The beginning is a bit confusing, even for someone familiar with the concepts of string theory and quantum physics. Once you get past the first several pages covering Ms. Maverick's version of time travel, the story takes over and is much better. The gradual realization Kitty has of what is going on is interesting, if not entirely consistent. Q's attempts to understand his feelings for Kitty is sweet. The ending, however, gets mired in too many pages explaining... well, I am not sure I understand it. If you can get past the science, the story is a readable romance.
Niki Lee Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed』
(Not the author's best, but very enjoyable.) 『Katherine "Kitty" Gibbs knows she is a successful clothing designer, engaged to Leonardo "Leo" Kaysar, and blissfully happy. What Kitty does NOT know is that it is all a lie. Leo and his people are using her as a test subject. Kitty has lived this same week over-and-over. Her life's wires have been crossed and spliced before being assigned a whole different reality. The test is being conducted in the "future-present" and Leo had once murdered Kitty in the "past-present".
L. Roxanne "Roxy" Zaborovsky is Kitty's best friend. It has taken Roxy and her group quite a while to locate the where-when in which Kitty is trapped. The barriers of time are like a simple computer screen (or apartment wall) and they can be demolished. However, Leo has set up Kitty's time-space with tough firewalls. Roxy needs the help of a time-anomaly specialist to extract Kitty from Leo's reality.
Walter "Q" Sheffield is one of the best and just the man to free Kitty. But Leo is one of the best too. So Q cannot simply walk into Leo's reality, grab Kitty, and walk back out because even Kitty's body chemistry is firewalled. Q is determined to succeed in rescuing Kitty though. Q and Roxy believe that friends do not let friends marry guys in the future who murdered them in the past.
*** Even if you have read science fiction your entire life, as I have, you may still find yourself scratching your head and going back to reread sections over again in order to fully understand the whole time/life/different realities stuff. I suggest that when you begin reading you force yourself to slow way down so you can soak it all in. After the first five or six chapters, things will come together and you should be able to read the rest of the story at normal speed. Don't blame the author though, this plot concept is very hard to describe to readers. I believe the author did a great job trying to make sure readers understand exactly what is happening and why. This is a very enjoyable story to spend an afternoon with. ***
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.』
(Maverick's blend of cyberpunk, suspense and romance is an irreversible hook) 『In WIRED, L. Roxanne Zaborovsky, a reclusive freelance computer programmer and her lover, wire crosser Mason Merrick prevailed over the evil time anomaly specialist Leonardo Kaysar preventing him from recovering a critical code that Roxy had yet to write. In revenge, Leo had shot Roxy's roommate Kitty Gibbs in the heart right before her eyes. Kitty had died in Roxy's arms. But that was not the worst of it.
Kaysar had spliced a few wires and somewhere in the future Kitty was very much alive but not at all well, although she didn't know it. In Katherine Gibbs' new reality this was the happiest week of her life. She had the perfect job, the perfect friends and the perfect fiancé (Leo). The problem was that none of it was real, but a perpetual loop she relived over and over as each new week began.
Roxy, Mason, his partner Louise Sheffield and her intern from the future, Vesper having discovered Kitty's timeline, attempt to break through the wall that separates them to recover her. The problem is that the new Katherine doesn't know any of them and refuses to be rescued. A different approach is needed. Roxy and Mason cannot go to her as they have already been through too much and their timelines were too intertwined with Kitty's. They couldn't risk losing each other again. The job required someone with know how but to whom Kitty wasn't connected. Louise calls in her brother, Walter, a time anomaly specialist who goes by just "Q."
"Q" follows Kitty's scripted week carefully discerning when she has "free" moments that he can infiltrate. At first he insinuates himself into her time as a psychiatrist, and attempts to get her to think for herself, to resist those actions that went against her instincts, and to remember their visits as part of this Pavlovian experience. But it isn't long before his objectivity is compromised. He hates lying to her and even more he hates that with each new week she does not remember him. Based on a childhood of loss he and his sister had religiously eschewed relationships, now he was falling in love with a woman he was almost certainly doomed to lose. But even if he lost her forever he could not, would not leave this beautiful, intelligent, fiery woman to this zombie like existence, a mere puppet in the grand machinations of an evil genius like Kaysar.
Maverick paints quite a picture of this complex charade. Not only is Kitty reliving her life each week but there is a whole cast of Kaysar employed characters who relive the week with her from Monday's workday to Friday's engagement party. From "best friends" to chauffeurs these are the people who must keep her week on track. It's wild to see how some of them improvise to pull her back in line as her true personality begins to emerge and resist, while others struggle with the ethics of their assigned role. It's mind boggling to say the least.
What I really love is the fact that Kitty's true consciousness is in there fighting for supremacy all along. She is not merely the center of two men's tug of war and slowly begins to realize that her whole "happy" life is a sham. "Q" of course is the kind of hero we can't help but adore. Though his untried heart is almost sure to be broken, he is willing to risk it all, even his very life, to liberate the courageous woman he admires, respects and loves with everything he is. Of course the biggest obstacle is that the longer it takes him to extract Kitty the more likely Leo Kaysar is to notice that something is not quite right.
Though I'm not partial to one or the other, I thought it should be pointed out that unlike WIRED, IRREVERSIBLE is written in the third person point of view. Perhaps it is because the story is told from the hero's perspective, or perhaps to strike a balance between the cyberpunk futuristic aspect and the romantic one. I can't really say but it definitely gave this tale a different flavor from the first. Whether or not this makes a difference will be up to the individual reader. For me it's all about the story and what an incredible story this is! Unfortunately even though the file on Kitty is now closed, Vesper has gone missing as has Leo and the gang now realizes that their past, present and futures are all tied up with Kaysar's. A scary thought but I suspect they'll all turn up soon in yet another story. I sure hope so. Liz Marverick has this reader irreversibly hooked on her incredible blend of cyberpunk, suspense, time travel, and romance. ~Reviewed for PNR Reviews 』
(great romantic science fiction thriller) 『Katherine "Kitty" Gibbs is living the dream life as she is popular and engaged to a hunk who cherishes her above everything else. There is only one flaw to Kitty's perfect life; it is a WIRED lie created by her revenge attained genius maniac lover Leonardo Kaysar, who manipulates the time-place continuum changing her reality. In fact Kitty's best week ever is replayed week after week after week.
Her best friend L. Roxanne "Roxy" Zaborovsky recently escaped from that virtual world due to the help of her lover Mason Merrick. She feels guilty having left Kitty behind in a no escape virtual programming loop. Roxy hires time-anomaly specialist Walter "Q" Sheffield to rescue her roommate from the insane machinations of Leonardo. Q relishes the mission impossible until this relationship phobic realizes only love can free her and he is the one who loves her sol he can possibly reverse the IRREVERSIBLE.
As good if not better than the superb WIRED (Roxy's tale), IRREVERSIBLE is a great romantic science fiction thriller. The story line is a one sitting fast-paced tale with the irony of the heroine has no reason to be saved from her existence. Thus the hero who stinks in reality relationships realizes only love can give Kitty a reason to break out of her "heavenly" existence, but she believes she already is in love. Liz Maverick provides a strong romantic cyber sci fi novel.
Harriet Klausner 』 『Every day seems perfect to Kitty, but what she doesn-t know is that a villain has looped her reality-and only the Wire Crossers and the handsome time-anomaly specialist Q can save her.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Falcon's Bride) 『The book was ok but later into the story it keep jumping back and forth. But I will read other books by this author』
(2 Stars) 『This book was just okay. It was boring in certain parts and the author used the same words over and over again. I didn't understand at what point the heroine fell in love with the hero and why. It seemed as if on one page she hated him, with very good cause, and the very next page she was madly in love with him. I even checked the book to see if pages were ripped out because it happened so fast. The only explanation being that they were soul mates and that made everything okay. As another reviewer has said, it did seemed like chapters were cut short in this book and it made the story rushed without making sense. Some of the side characters didn't seem to really have a point in the story, they just filled up the pages and left you wondering why they were even mentioned in the first place.』
(A very inventive and gripping read!) 『It's refreshing when an author can come along with something new and inventive. Dawn Thompson really showed some amazing talent when she wrote this book. I loved how she was able to take us back and forth through time without getting the reader to confused. The characters were great too. However, I wanted to kick the crap out of that little weasle Nigel. Very bad boy! And don't even get me started on his mother...just plain evil. Pick up a copy of this book, you won't be disappointed.
』
(Could not get into it) 『I had to force myself to finish it. Love scenes were wooden, and all that back and forth between different time periods was boring. The whole book had a depressing quality to it. From the reviews, I thought it would be good. I was dissapointed!』
(WHAT A FABULOUS RIDE!) 『Ms. Thompson takes you on a whirlwind ride - two people trying to make their lives work in uncertain times meet because it is their foretold destiny. While they have so much they must overcome individually, they allow their growing love to help them in their separate quests - making their difficult roads merge into one love, one heart, one soul. One risk the author took is that she has the hero and heroine time travel more than once and to different places. Ms. Thompson's skill and talent make this work beautifully. Ms. Thompson is now on my auto-buy list. I can't wait to read her upcoming vampire series!』 『At twenty-one, after two Seasons with no takers, Theadosia Barrington should have been grateful to snare Nigel Cosgrove. The earl-to-be was a blue-eyed Adonis, a true catch-and surely the incident in Covent Garden was exaggerated. And yet, upon her arrival at Cashel Cosgrove, Thea found herself more intrigued by the Irish castle's legend, that of the tragic Ros Drumcondra. "The Black Falcon" he was called. Party Gypsy, part Celt, the warrior had been conquered by betrayal alone. His ghost was still reputed to wander these halls, making women tremble with fear and desire-for who could resist those burnished copper eyes? Hadn't he stolen away the betrothed of Cian Cosgrove, made the woman his love slave? If only Thea herself could suffer such a fate. If only magic were a reality. If only that Gypsy woman had spoken the truth, and Thea was a woman out of time, the one meant to be...THE FALCON'S BRIDE』
price：$6.99
Love Spell
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (As disappointing (or more so) than Fashionista) 『Now, I'll admit that I shouldn't have given this book a chance, but I had hope that perhaps Fashionista was just pathetic because it was the first and that, with a character who isn't supposed to be as vapid and shallow, this book would be better.
Hopes dashed. This is definitely the last book I'll read by Mari Mancusi as she is great only at spitting out crap. Every other sentence has some ridiculous pop culture reference that is entirely unnecessary and only shows how very shallow her character is. Oh look, a minstrel! Time to comment on American Idol and make not one, but TWO jokes about "Sherwood Forest Idol" and how Simon Cowell and Paula would react to the minstrel. And that is just 2-3 sentences of a book FILLED with references that are supposed to be amusing but are just too numerous to be so. And the slang? As horrible as Fashionista. Chrissie is supposed to be in her 20s in the 21st century, not her preteens in the 1990s.
Good writing should be able to stand on its own without stupid contrivances, pop culture "jokes", and juvenile slang. This is not good writing. Steer clear if you're looking for substance.
Also, this is ROMANCE and not "chick lit". The sex scenes, word choice and sexual focus is typical romance/erotica fodder and not lighthearted womens' literature.』
(This rip roaring romance is a blast in the past!) 『Note: This story is written in the first person which works surprisingly well in this comical time travel romance!
This story returns to King Arthur's Renaissance Faire in Upstate New York (present day), the starting point for Kat Martin's journey to Camelot in "A Connecticut Fashionista in King Author's Court".
La Style magazine fashion photographer Chrissie Hayward is already irritated with the missing "Park Avenue Princess" when she receives a disturbing (and unbelievable) cell phone call from said coworker.
Kat claims to be calling from the future with her medieval boyfriend Sir Lancelot, and Queen Guinevere (due to the famous misunderstanding which was apparently caused by Kat's need for secrecy) and needs help getting back home.
Chrissie thinks she's being Punk'd especially when she finds Nimue (a time traveling gypsy from Avalon), at Kat's request, and is told she'd have to travel back in time to the point of King Richard's return to England and bring back a drop of blood from the Holy Grail to aid in Kat's return. The gypsy sends her with a message about love and an outlaw bent on revenge.
Chrissie arrives in Sherwood Forest expecting to find Ashton Kutcher and instead who does she find? Could it be? Robin Hood in the flesh?
It is indeed Robin of Loxley but he's far from the legendary version. Yes, he's incredibly handsome but all that business about stealing from the rich and giving to the poor hasn't crossed his mind and he thinks the idea of putting his neck on the line to defend the helpless is just plain crazy. Worse yet he thinks she's a boy!
Fortunately for him Chrissie's fully prepared to pull Robin up by his bootstraps and mold him into the man of the hour. What she isn't prepared for is losing her heart to him. After all she's on a mission and can't afford to be selfish. Then of course there's the fact that her idol thinks she's his latest merry man.
Poor Robin thinks he's gender confused until she finally reveals the truth. Although he is relieved that he's not gone crazy, a woman's betrayal had been responsible for his outlaw status, and another had broken his heart so he had formed a pact with his men that no women would be allowed into their camp. Can Chrissie trust a love that must be kept secret and what will happen when King Richard finally makes his appearance?
As we all know Prince John is just a puppet for the evil Sheriff of Nottingham who is not at all pleased with all this new distribution of wealth. His accomplice however may surprise you.
This story is a hoot especially when Chrissie is drawing on pop culture for their strategies or through some rather extraordinary magic Kat and Chrissie are dishing about their men and predicaments on their cell phones. And don't even ask about the ladies-in-waiting, it's just a little bit too much déjà vu for our erstwhile fashion photographer! For a rip roaring blast to the past I highly recommend A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest.
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews』
(Delightful!) 『Chrissie receives a strange phone call from Kat stating she's stuck in the future. Kat insists that Chrissie must speak to the gypsy fortuneteller. However, the gypsy doesn't just zap Kat back to where she belongs, instead the gypsy sends Chrissie back in time.
Chrissie makes the best of the situation. She's thrilled to come face to face with the notorious Robin Hood, until she realizes he isn't even remotely similar to the hero she's read about in books.
However, Chrissie is determined to shape Robin into the man he was meant to be.
Ms. Mancusi's Robin Hood tale at times had me laughing aloud with the hilarious banter between Robin and Chrissie. Her heroine is a strong take-charge woman who cleverly urges Robin and his Merry Men to be all they can be. The hero is strong and honorable, very likable and not afraid to consider Chrissie's suggestions. This is a delightful fast-paced chick-lit tale!
』
(time travel romance love story and chick lit at its COOLEST!) 『i've read lots of time travel romances and rarely read chick lit, but i must say, the blending of these 2 elements by the author is unique, fresh, and wonderful!!
i won't summarize the story since the summaries are all here. Suffice it to say that i read the author's "fashionista" story (which was almost as good as this sequel) and the author blending the heroine going back in time in trouble with the fact that she can use the cel phone to communicate with her friend to discuss her man troubles (like in chicklit stories) is a nice supporting touch.
And i was surprised how the author turned this classic robin hood tale on its head with the edited addition of maid marion. How does the author resolve Robin's love of Maid Marion and his love for the heroine? well when you read about maid marion you know why!
and the author as everyone says puts robin hood at first in the not_so_heroic light when he first refuses to save a boy who would be punished bodily by the Sheriff for stealing food because his family's starving. And only the heroine stepping in to help moves Robin. But Robin improves when the heroine shows up and she encourages him to fight for the poor more and more and the poor look up to Robin and his merry men. And this sounds more realistic, esp. when Robin bans women from his merry band because of maid marion rejecting him once and another woman betraying them, so when he and Chrissie, the heroine, become intimate, he tells her sadly that he can't admit their relationship to the others because of his ban otherwise they'll turn to another leader, but this really turns off Chrissie as it would to any woman who wants her relationship acknowledged.
And i like the fact the author didn't make the heroine perfect. she's not a stupid innocent virgin and she becomes furious and reacts physically (smashes their love nest) when she thinks robin is still in love with maid marion just like a real you or me would have reacted even though we find out later robin has let go of marion and his love has grown for Chrissie.
and mancusi's books are SOOOO funny, always referring to teen angst, modern fashions/celebrities/situations with modern humor, so that we can understand exactly how we'd react in modern terms if we were in her shoes. in contrast to fashionista, hoboken's heroine is definitely a take charge type. You see this in the beginning when Robin thinks she's a man(because of how she's dressed) and challenges her to knock him off a log in water if she doesn't want to pay him his "tax". The heroine manages to use her gymnastics athleticism to knock him off and so he's surprised but liking her (as him).
DEFINITELY GREAT READING MATERIAL worthy of an award.』
(Entertaining sequel to "A Connecticut fashionista at King Arthur's Court",) 『 This highly entertaining romp is the sequel to Mancusi's equally amusing novel, "A Connecticut fashionista at King Arthur's Court."
Ever since Mark Twain wrote the brilliant comedy "A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court" other writers and Hollywood have mined a rich seam of humour from copying the idea of someone from the writer's own time sent back to Camelot.
Some of these have been very good. One of my favourite comic songs is "Busy Doing nothing" which comes from the first film version of Mark Twain's book. Others have been less inspiring. (For instance the film "Black Knight" starts well but gets increasingly tiresome.)
Marianne Mancusi's two books are definately amongst the more amusing of the genre.
Both books starts in upstate New York in the early 21st century at a mock medieval event called "King Arthur's Fayre". The editor of top women's magazine "La Style" has sent an assoicate fashion editor and a photographer to the Fayre to research an article about how medieval fashions are influencing the latest styles.
They are a mismatched pair. The heroine of the first book, Katherine (Kat) Jones, is the associate fashion editor, a Park Avenue Princess straight out of "Sex and the City" complete with the $400 Manolo Blahnik shoes and killer Armani couture which she insists on wearing despite the fact that "King Arthur's Fayre" is being held in a muddy field.
The heroine and first person narrator of this book is the photographer, Christine (Chrissie) Hayward, who is of course the Hoboken hippie of the title. Unlike Kat she is enjoying King Arthur's Fayre - or would have been if Kat would stop bitching.
Kat manages to annoy a gypsy fortune teller who threatens to cast a spell on her. Nobody else takes this seriously, but a few minutes later Kat is watching a simulated joust when the lance breaks, and a fragment flies towards her and strikes Kat on the forehead, knocking her out. She recovers in Camelot ...
Chrissie wasn't looking in Kat's direction at that moment, and this book opens with her searching for the absent partner she assumes has skived off. Then her mobile rings ...
Spoiler alert: it's Kat on the phone, having found a way to speak from another time, and if you read this second book as far as the call, it gives away the surprise ending of the first book. If you are minded to try these books, I strongly recommend that you read "A Connecticut Fashionista" first and then tackle "A Hoboken Hipster" if you like it.
What one can say without spoiling either book is that Kat needs help to get home: she asks Chrissie to go back to the gypsy (who is actually a sorceress from Arthur's time in disguise) to ask for assistance. At first Chrissie thinks Kat is playing a ludicrous joke or has gone off her rocker, but she goes to find the gypsy. Next thing she knows, Chrissie is sent back to the time of King Richard the Lion-hearted to find an item necessary for Kat's return.
Unfortunately she arrives while King Richard is still being held for ransom in a dungeon in Austria. Prince John and the wicked sheriff of Nottingham are running the country. Then Chrissie meets Robin of Locksley.
Robin is not remotely as Chrissie has imagined him, but nevertheless she finds herself falling deeply in love with him. There are three barriers in the way of her doing anything about this. The first is that she is due to return to her own time. The second is that he think's Chrissie is a boy. The third is Maid Marion ...
The style in which the story is told is a delight, and it is a funny, entertaining romp. Strongly recommended.』 『If Chrissie Hayward knew that morning she'd be going back in time to rescue her crazy coworker Kat, she'd have worn better shoes. Doubly so if she'd expected to meet her true love. According to the mysterious gypsy, Chrissie was the "gentle soul who would tame an outlaw's thirst for revenge" -- aka the real Robin Hood. So how come the guy was such a dud?
LOST...IN SHERWOOD FOREST?
No, Robin of Locksley was no Prince Charming. And the part about robbing the rich to feed the poor? He didn't get the memo. In fact, all the guy seemed to do was mope. (And he and his not-so-merry men thought Chrissie was a boy. Sure, she wasn't stacked, but still!) Nonetheless, he was loyal and brave and handsome as sin. If Chrissie coudl just get him with the program, she could right his wagon and get these boyz'n the wood to be heroes of the realm instead of twerps in tights. Only then could this prince of thieves become king of her heart.』
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