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cupcakegirly's review against another edition
4.0
http://jenuinecupcakes.blogspot.com/2014/08/heroes-are-my-weakness-by-susan.html
dtrumps's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted on Gone Pecan
Annie has run out of options. She’s recovering from a sickness and her mother’s death, which has her in dire financial straights. She’s run to the one place she doesn’t really want to be, but it is the only place that she has left, her mother’s cottage on Peregrine Island. The island holds a lot of memories for Annie, most of them bad. She was almost killed there one summer by the one person who she loved more than anyone in her short life, Theo Harp.
These days, Annie is a failed actress, but has made a name for herself as a ventriloquist. She has four dummies and has conversations with them in her mind in their distinct voices & personalities. They are her conscience, kind of. It’s not as weird as it sounds, though it did take a little getting used to. Annie also has a thing for the gothic novels she grew up reading and this colors a lot of her early experience in the novel, including her deep distrust of Theo.
Theo, all brooding masculinity, is very reminiscent of Heathcliff in Bronte’s Wuthering Heights (a book I dislike immensely, by the way). He lives at Harp House, a grand estate on the island, while Annie is holed up in a smaller cottage on his property. Theo makes it very clear that he wants nothing to do with Annie and he doesn’t want her around, but Annie defies him and keeps showing up at his home because she is helping his housekeeper and her friend, Jaycie, who is injured, to do her work because she feels that she owes Jaycie, who saved her life. Annie is also enamored with Jaycie’s daughter, Livia, a mute 4 year old. Annie’s work as a ventriloquist comes in handy when trying to interact with the little girl.
Overall Thoughts:
I had a little bit of a hard time getting into this book because Annie was irritating at times. She was scared of what Theo could do, because he had a history of cruelty, but she baited him, too. Annie continually blamed Theo for the things that were happening, but kept returning to his home, despite her suspicions, which I thought was very contradictory. If you suspect he’s that bad a person, keep away from him, really.
This book was an attempt by Susan Elizabeth Phillips at a gothic romance. It was pretty effective. There was some spooky elements and heavy romance, all of which I liked. It was different than her other books because of the spookyness, but right on the money with the romance.
Holy cow, the romance was HOT. Their first sexual encounter…left me a little speechless. In a very good way. Wow. And their chemistry was smokin’. I have to say that heroes are my weakness, too, Annie, and Theo was a hero. It was very interesting to me how SEP would redeem Theo of his actions as a teenager and the way that played out was very well done. I love heroes. I love the good guy. I have never really been a big fan of the bad boy or the boy that needs fixing. But Theo intrigued me in a way that had me questioning my moral compass. Could I forgive him for what he did simply because he was pretty and poetic? I was ashamed of myself. But at the same time, I let myself off the hook because I knew there was a method to his madness.
There is another mystery in the book about who is trying to get rid of Annie and being so threatening to her and the resolution to that was unexpected, but it made sense. SEP’s characters are always very layered and evolving and this book did not disappoint me. I really appreciated the way the book was not like all the other romances out there, there was mystery and it was a little darker, but it was well done and I wish I could find more books in this subgenre. It was compulsively readable. And the ending is probably one of my favorite romantic resolutions of all time. Right up there with Kristan Higgin’s end to Just One of the Guys, which is probably my favorite romance of all time.
4.25/5
Annie has run out of options. She’s recovering from a sickness and her mother’s death, which has her in dire financial straights. She’s run to the one place she doesn’t really want to be, but it is the only place that she has left, her mother’s cottage on Peregrine Island. The island holds a lot of memories for Annie, most of them bad. She was almost killed there one summer by the one person who she loved more than anyone in her short life, Theo Harp.
These days, Annie is a failed actress, but has made a name for herself as a ventriloquist. She has four dummies and has conversations with them in her mind in their distinct voices & personalities. They are her conscience, kind of. It’s not as weird as it sounds, though it did take a little getting used to. Annie also has a thing for the gothic novels she grew up reading and this colors a lot of her early experience in the novel, including her deep distrust of Theo.
Theo, all brooding masculinity, is very reminiscent of Heathcliff in Bronte’s Wuthering Heights (a book I dislike immensely, by the way). He lives at Harp House, a grand estate on the island, while Annie is holed up in a smaller cottage on his property. Theo makes it very clear that he wants nothing to do with Annie and he doesn’t want her around, but Annie defies him and keeps showing up at his home because she is helping his housekeeper and her friend, Jaycie, who is injured, to do her work because she feels that she owes Jaycie, who saved her life. Annie is also enamored with Jaycie’s daughter, Livia, a mute 4 year old. Annie’s work as a ventriloquist comes in handy when trying to interact with the little girl.
Overall Thoughts:
I had a little bit of a hard time getting into this book because Annie was irritating at times. She was scared of what Theo could do, because he had a history of cruelty, but she baited him, too. Annie continually blamed Theo for the things that were happening, but kept returning to his home, despite her suspicions, which I thought was very contradictory. If you suspect he’s that bad a person, keep away from him, really.
This book was an attempt by Susan Elizabeth Phillips at a gothic romance. It was pretty effective. There was some spooky elements and heavy romance, all of which I liked. It was different than her other books because of the spookyness, but right on the money with the romance.
Holy cow, the romance was HOT. Their first sexual encounter…left me a little speechless. In a very good way. Wow. And their chemistry was smokin’. I have to say that heroes are my weakness, too, Annie, and Theo was a hero. It was very interesting to me how SEP would redeem Theo of his actions as a teenager and the way that played out was very well done. I love heroes. I love the good guy. I have never really been a big fan of the bad boy or the boy that needs fixing. But Theo intrigued me in a way that had me questioning my moral compass. Could I forgive him for what he did simply because he was pretty and poetic? I was ashamed of myself. But at the same time, I let myself off the hook because I knew there was a method to his madness.
There is another mystery in the book about who is trying to get rid of Annie and being so threatening to her and the resolution to that was unexpected, but it made sense. SEP’s characters are always very layered and evolving and this book did not disappoint me. I really appreciated the way the book was not like all the other romances out there, there was mystery and it was a little darker, but it was well done and I wish I could find more books in this subgenre. It was compulsively readable. And the ending is probably one of my favorite romantic resolutions of all time. Right up there with Kristan Higgin’s end to Just One of the Guys, which is probably my favorite romance of all time.
4.25/5
megmcardle's review against another edition
3.0
This might be a little harsh. 3.5? Phillips is always enjoyable, and this tribute to the gothic has good qualities, but the heroine never clicked with me.
beth_menendez's review against another edition
3.0
If one were to divide this book in half, the second half is MUCH better than the first. I think the author was trying to make this book much like gothic novels (think Jane Eyre). Since I find Jane Eyre tedious in the extreme it was hard to get into the book. I know that SEP writes romance novels, but I had a really hard time figuring out who the main leading male character was supposed to be. I did not like several of her characters, and the main character herself was not one of my favorites. I have read several other Susan Elizabeth Phillips books and have loved them. I was kind of shocked how much I did not love this one. Leave it unless you find gothic tales lovely. I do not.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended by Andrea. Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sheroes%20are%20my%20weakness%20phillips__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
belle18244's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the book and I liked the original idea of the book with having elements of gothic horror and mystery. The tone changed in the middle of the book with the original elements dropped for standard romance novel fare.
ARC provided by Edelweiss.
ARC provided by Edelweiss.
arcdejoan's review against another edition
5.0
This book is like Daphne Du Maurier (the author of Rebecca) and Charlotte Bronte (famous for Jane Eyre) had a modern Gothic baby together. At first I wasn't sure I was going to totally like it because of the mention of puppets (yes puppets) but they added in a nice little light hearted touch. I absolutely love this book and I do highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for some light reading.
barkylee15's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this love story, but this was definitely different than a normal SEP novel in that it was darker and did not have as much of the LOL moments, as well as that I didn't feel like there was as much detail or a "full-story" as her previous novels have had. I would have given it about a 3.5 but THEN the "declaration of love" came and it was just so damn perfect, I bumped it up to a 4.
mandy_pandy's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the suspense in this book! I had no idea what was going on and what I guessed was wrong so I was pretty excited about that. Plus, the romance was one of my favorites by this author. I really loved this couple.