Kimberly

I’m finding it hard to believe I am the only one that figured out how this book was going to end. It ended just the way I wanted it to! The historical fiction was interesting and I will seek out more of Susanna Kearsley’s work. The narration was excellent. The two plots were well intertwined and the end also leaves the possibilities of another story; if it comes that would be nice, but if it doesn’t that would be ok too. The romance was very well done and not graphic. There were some twists but all in all the bad guys were the bad guys, and the good guys, the good guys. I don’t understand the seemingly explosive genre of Scottish Highland stories but now I do want to visit some day. Is it a new tourist attracting gimmick?

I would have liked more development of Carrie and Graham’s relationship since it seems to have just begun and developed with little reason. Ok – stunning good looks and a non-abrasive personality would get things started for me too, but I didn’t catch the sudden reason for the love match… Possibly Ms. Kearsley was more concentrated on the history part. I’ll have to listen again.

This book has cured me for any more vampire/supernatural romance books. This one had 4.2 stars overall and thousands of reviews (2,781 not counting this one), which is USUALLY a good indication that it will be good. Most of the reviews were gushing. I VERY MUCH disagree.

1. This has to be the dumbest book I have ever listened to. The plot is so completely stupid I think I suffered brain damage. Thank goodness temporary (I HOPE).

2. The characters and character development is inconsistent and unbelievable.

3. The British accent for the hunk of burning love – right – is so cockney it barely evokes masculine let alone the standard over developed, muscled manliness. He sounds like Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady! He is supposed to be British/Australian - not even CLOSE to Humphrey Bower.

4. The stunningly beautiful, achingly insecure, and socially inept heroine suddenly becomes a self-confident – all be it still socially inept - hell cat.

5. The timid neighbor has GOT to be one of the bad guys – he is so achingly, shy and socially inept – though completely capable of making the ‘first move’ – that in this plot he has to be. (If you didn’t get it, I can’t finish – which is a first.)

6. The mother and grandparents are the only real characters in the whole book – the kind we all know and wish/yearn we DIDN'T. Everyone is has a purpose – even if it is setting a bad/scary example.

I can’t recommend anything about this story and – as stated – I was afraid I was going to need intervention to step away from these romance/supernatural books. DEED DONE! I’m cured. Thank you Jeaniene Frost.

The marriage is improbable but expedient. The story was cute and kept me interested. Not ‘literature’ but another escape. I liked it enough to finish. ;-)

I listened to this over a year ago and once again lately. I really enjoyed the book. It is a bit formula but the characters and story are entirely engaging to allow forgivness. I don't think it was as good as Pillars, but close. Don't miss this.

I enjoyed the story very much. It is a debut novel and I generally enjoy them. It is a bit overdone with clever choices of words, but it did not distract from the story. I also enjoyed the narrator; she became Kathryn Kontent. (what a wonderful name) The only disappointment was the end, but will say no more as to not spoil. I could have seen a sequel – different story with some of the same characters.

After a concious effort to listen to good literature this was such a light, funny, guilty pleasure. I usually like longer novels, but I am definately going to go to SEP for fun 'lighter' fair!

What a story! Due to the previous reviews and the synopsis I won’t go into what this was about; instead I wanted to add my views of how much I like Bryce Courtney and the narrator Humphrey Bower. What a combination. Mr. Bower is a master of acting – in narration – and if he ever becomes a huge video star his talents would be missed. Mr. Courtney is a master story teller of things I know/knew little of. In his preface he notes that the surroundings and personalities were accurate; with that in mind and having little else to go on, he painted quite an existence. As with most history, women are constantly victims and those who choose not to be, are very interesting people indeed. Get the series – each book could stand on their own but one without the other would miss a lot. I will listen to the series again.

Pure escapism! Definitely not literature, but an excellent read. It would be nice to think there is someone out there like Mitch Rapp - on our side only though...

This book was an excellent listen. The narrators are all my favorites that bring this tragic story to life. I found it amazing that she was such an intellectual at a very young age. The story moves smoothly and is engaging. I highly recommend it. Any historical fiction that inspires one to read more non-fiction about the era is worth my time - this did.

This was an excellent follow on to "Dragon Tatoo". The end seemed a bit like the author just wanted to finish it possibly because he was not finished with it before he died. The character development added to what I did not know but was hinted at from his first book - it filled in a lot of what may have been a distraction in the first book. There were too many characters with names that sounded a lot alike (being from the USA and not from Sweden) and that got a bit confusing. HINT: Start writing the characters names down the best you can and who they are early in the book, that way you can figure out which bad guy was the really bad guy or the really really bad guy or a victim. Very good except the end could have been more believable.