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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is as perfect as how I feel after reading Judith McNaught's books. I haven't had enough. I need more.
One of my all-time favorite romance novels.
Zack is kind of a douche on my zillionth reread in the year 2021. Still an old fave, worthy of the re-read.
I’ve been umming and ahing about a rating for this. In some ways it’s a fab book and in others, most definitely not. I’ve plumped for 4 because I cried several times and I desperately wanted to know what happened. It’s very well written - I truly couldn’t see how the characters were going to get out of their predicament. If it hadn’t been a romance then I wouldn’t have been able to finish it because of the suspense.
But, the romance is schmalzy, the ending a bit trite. And the leads are separated for a large portion of the book. They don’t even meet until page 120.
I love a good kidnapping though - one of my favourite tropes.
Notes
• Jesus its taking ages to get going. I've just peeked forward and he doesn't escape from prison until pg 110.
• 'dinner served by his houseboy'. Wowser that's old fashioned language... Pg 49
• Pg54. Casual reference to guns. Getting dodgy vibes from this. But, I guess the beginning had some very liberal social policy aspects so perhaps the hero will have a change of heart? Um nope. In my defence, I’m British so I don’t get the gun thing…
• Pg103. Zack's relationship with the Sandini family in prison. She does know how to make me cry, this author. I cried at the beginning too. The bit about Julie's childhood.
• Pg 120. They finally meet!
• Pg 159. First kiss. To stop her escaping.
• Pg 174. Side plot re: Julie's brother Ted and his ex-wife Katherine. ‘After six months of marriage, he couldn't adjust to living in a house that was never cleaned and eating meals that came from cans.' Just as well he didn't marry me then!
• The shame of having a baby out of wedlock! This book is set in 1993 not fucking 1893! Or maybe they were that judgemental in small town America?
• Pg 317 If you can't fool me, ridicule me.
• Pg 346 Problematic scene. Forces her to orgasm to prove a point. Subsequently breaks down to apologise. Abusive behaviour. Let's put it down to the 1993 publication date.
• It is very dramatic and gripping. But I'm not sure it's what I'm after. Its a bit too big! I can admire the craft but I want a more intimate story. This is romantic suspense.
• It all hangs on whether Zack is telling the truth and I just feel so uncomfortable with the idea that a woman should blindly believe what a man says because she' loves him'.
• Also Julie is a bit too perfect. Makes me want to puke.
• Oh God its a roller coaster - I feel sick. She turned him in. Okay, Judith McNaught was an amazing author. She didn't blindly believe him.
• Crying again. He's been released because Emily's dad confessed to the murders and he hates Julie.
• It's wierd that she is dating the FBI agent because he reminds her of Zack.
• Ending was a bit sappy. The FBI guy didn't get a decent send off. I'd have run off with him.
• I feel like I've been run over by a truck.
But, the romance is schmalzy, the ending a bit trite. And the leads are separated for a large portion of the book. They don’t even meet until page 120.
I love a good kidnapping though - one of my favourite tropes.
Notes
• Jesus its taking ages to get going. I've just peeked forward and he doesn't escape from prison until pg 110.
• 'dinner served by his houseboy'. Wowser that's old fashioned language... Pg 49
• Pg54. Casual reference to guns. Getting dodgy vibes from this. But, I guess the beginning had some very liberal social policy aspects so perhaps the hero will have a change of heart? Um nope. In my defence, I’m British so I don’t get the gun thing…
• Pg103. Zack's relationship with the Sandini family in prison. She does know how to make me cry, this author. I cried at the beginning too. The bit about Julie's childhood.
• Pg 120. They finally meet!
• Pg 159. First kiss. To stop her escaping.
• Pg 174. Side plot re: Julie's brother Ted and his ex-wife Katherine. ‘After six months of marriage, he couldn't adjust to living in a house that was never cleaned and eating meals that came from cans.' Just as well he didn't marry me then!
• The shame of having a baby out of wedlock! This book is set in 1993 not fucking 1893! Or maybe they were that judgemental in small town America?
• Pg 317 If you can't fool me, ridicule me.
• Pg 346 Problematic scene. Forces her to orgasm to prove a point. Subsequently breaks down to apologise. Abusive behaviour. Let's put it down to the 1993 publication date.
• It is very dramatic and gripping. But I'm not sure it's what I'm after. Its a bit too big! I can admire the craft but I want a more intimate story. This is romantic suspense.
• It all hangs on whether Zack is telling the truth and I just feel so uncomfortable with the idea that a woman should blindly believe what a man says because she' loves him'.
• Also Julie is a bit too perfect. Makes me want to puke.
• Oh God its a roller coaster - I feel sick. She turned him in. Okay, Judith McNaught was an amazing author. She didn't blindly believe him.
• Crying again. He's been released because Emily's dad confessed to the murders and he hates Julie.
• It's wierd that she is dating the FBI agent because he reminds her of Zack.
• Ending was a bit sappy. The FBI guy didn't get a decent send off. I'd have run off with him.
• I feel like I've been run over by a truck.
Hilariously entertaining, and so, so bad and dated. 2.5 stars.
Ugh. It does not age well. And it’s so misogynistic. I don’t know how much is left, presumably a few pages- the dads reaming into him at the end, but I don’t even care to finish. It’s too over the top and unbelievable (the letters specifically, and that she shared his letter with her family, etc etc. )
Just not my thing.
Just not my thing.
