Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
This book consists of three parts which are Princess Adrianne's childhood, Adrianne met Philip and Adrianne's revenge. Okay, those are not the real name of each part but it represented each one well for me. How Nora planned divided in book into three part and very plot, I hope this would be epic. Sadly, it's not. This plot is quite rich though Nora can't make it harmonious in realistic sense. I find many thing in this novel very strange and unreasonable. I like Phillip. I hope he takes more part in this story. This novel is not reaching the standard of Nora Roberts for me. This novel was first published in 1988 so I understand why it didn't reach the level. 'Sweet Revenge' is enjoyable, though.
I like how the author balances her leading women's need to be strong and their yearning for romance, especially with this book. There were a lot of ways for this specific romance to go wrong (the non-practicing Muslim heroine who's father is a "Fake Middle Eastern kingdom" ruler and who's romantic interest is a posh British guy), and I don't want to say they were all missed (not being a part of the culture, I'm probably missing a lot) but I don't think they were all hit, either.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this simply because it's Nora Roberts and it involves a heist or two. It's a book that doesn't age well. The main character, Adrianne, grows up the child of a Middle-Eastern king and his American actress wife in a fictional, very religiously-strict Middle Eastern country. The attitudes put forward about Islam are very outdated and over-the-top. But Adrianne is an interesting character. She acts like a rich socialite, but in reality she is a very successful jewel thief. And her ultimate target is the necklace her father gave her mother and kept after their escape.
She gets a little bit of help from Phillip, a retired jewel thief who figures out who she is and really invites himself onto her job through blackmail. But really, she didn't need his help. She could have pulled it off all on her own because that's the sort of badass character she is.
So thumbs up for being a good romantic suspense with a solid heist, thumbs down for outdated attitudes.
She gets a little bit of help from Phillip, a retired jewel thief who figures out who she is and really invites himself onto her job through blackmail. But really, she didn't need his help. She could have pulled it off all on her own because that's the sort of badass character she is.
So thumbs up for being a good romantic suspense with a solid heist, thumbs down for outdated attitudes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Islamophobia
Minor: Suicide
I have always been a Nora Roberts fan and this book is no different.the story is exciting and thrilling, and Islamic cultures that was followed in some countries have been explained well, but somehow the religion is the most misunderstood among people. Islam offers women more rights and freedom than men but somehow it has been twisted and convoluted to suit few ppl around the world.
Just fell in love with Philip and his mom, beautiful and interesting even though i would have loved to read more about the fall of King Abdu! wanted him to suffer more than what Adrianne actually achieved!
Just fell in love with Philip and his mom, beautiful and interesting even though i would have loved to read more about the fall of King Abdu! wanted him to suffer more than what Adrianne actually achieved!
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I usually like Nora Roberts's books and may read more of them but this one was a mistake. I've studied a little Orientalism in school. I know that novels that depict women being kidnapped by Arabic Sheikhs perpetrate horrific stereotypes that can be used to justify harm. While this novel does not have that plot line it nevertheless revels in these stereotypes. The heroines' father is an Arabic King with no redeeming qualities and fits the stereotype of a misogynistic man who follows Islam. The Kingdom is also made up of bad cliches and Orientalist tropes. These tropes have no basis in reality and yet continue to thrive in our media. And given recent events, I believe we need to fight back against these portrayals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Islamophobia
Great book!! Entertaining, dynamic, thrilling and romantic, like only Nora Roberts can. A history full of mixed feelings, and also so opposite at the same time, develop in differents countries and during a long period of time (Adrianne's entire life). With a muslim culture and the way they treat women; family issues or more specific father issues and of course a romantic history that develops in the middle of a revenge plan.
I like the characters: I feel sympathetic with Adrianne, as I usually do with children who've been neglected by their own father, it just became personal to me I know that story way too well.
I like to see her develop, from being a muslim little girl raised up in an harem to becoming an independent and strong woman.
And Philip... he is so simple, handsome of course, but a simple, honest and just man; and this is kind of funny because he's a thief. But he's the right life partner for Adrianne.
And I especially like the ending... when she finally get what she wanted it and sort of redeems her mother and herself and of course made her father paid. So at the end it's true what the title in english says (not the stupid spanish translation) revenge, in this case, is sweet indeed.
I like the characters: I feel sympathetic with Adrianne, as I usually do with children who've been neglected by their own father, it just became personal to me I know that story way too well.
I like to see her develop, from being a muslim little girl raised up in an harem to becoming an independent and strong woman.
And Philip... he is so simple, handsome of course, but a simple, honest and just man; and this is kind of funny because he's a thief. But he's the right life partner for Adrianne.
And I especially like the ending... when she finally get what she wanted it and sort of redeems her mother and herself and of course made her father paid. So at the end it's true what the title in english says (not the stupid spanish translation) revenge, in this case, is sweet indeed.
There was a lot of problematic things in this book, and at a certain point I was close to DNFing it