Customer Reviews

All I Desire

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I read this book after a recommendation from a friend, and now wished I'd saved myself the time and money. Nothing in the plot made since. The hero was this huge chauvinist pig who acted more like Francesca's pimp than her lover, and Francesca, the heroine was a lap dancer trapped in the body of a demure nineteenth century virgin. I can only say I came away feeling very disturbed by the undertones of female subjugation and overwheening male arrogance. The only interesting point in the whole book was the Aryan sub-plot to create a master race, intitiated by Francesca's childhood sweetheart and Aunts. I have to agree with all the other reviewers and say give this one a miss!

This story was not a romance or a sensual sex book. In general the "hero" and "heroine" hate each other thorough the entire book and don't seem to really get past dark lust even at the end. I never found any qualities to like in any of the charaters in this story. Not one person was likable or very sympathetic. I think the author was trying for deep dark passions, but what you end up with is thinking all these people are WARPED! I almost gave up on the last third where the author goes too far by giving a really bizarre kind of sci-fi/psyco thriller type of ending. I thought something had to redeem it in the end. I was wrong. I don't think that the main characters ever even talk about liking, much less loving one another even at the end. I could be mistaken, but I would have to read the ending again and I will never read any of her books again. Even if it wasn't a good romance (maybe it wasn't supposed to be) you'd think it would at least have some good sex scenes. Nope. Don't get me wrong, there is sex in the book. It just wasn't sensual, just crass. It's the kind of sex you have after drinking too much, getting "beer goggles" and wake up a bit sick and wondering what you were thinking of the night before.

I've been reading romances forthirty-five years and have come across some real stinkers, but this one takes the cake.Horrific storyline.disgusting sexual scenes,no character development, not even real characters. Can't understand the publisher letting this get by.Shameon you,SHAME onRomanticTimes Magaxine in not reviewing honestely

I read Thea Devine's Harlequin Temptation, "Night Moves." It was very good book. So, when I saw "All I Desire" at the library I decided to give it a try. One of the main characters, Reay, was a very weak character impersonating and exotic dancer to protect her cousin. Reay's aunts and favorite cousin were trying to impregnant women to start a new nation. He would perform this one by one in succession. Did they have Viagra in the 1800s? Secondly, there were some mysterious papers that were being searched for, but, Devine never explained what the papers were and their purpose.

This book had the potential, in the beginning, to end with a great romance. But the ending was a flop.

I will not allow this book to deter me from reading another one of her books.

Each time I thought this book couldn't get worse -- it did! The plot was implausible from the beginning, the hero and heroine never really fall in love (can you believe it!). The prose is so ridiculous that I couldn't decide whether to laugh or just be embarrased for the author. If one more character "seized up" with desire I thought I would throw the book out. Secondary characters are having raunchy sex even before the main characters. Motivations of characters are withheld from the reader so that we feel no sympathy for them. If you believe a virgin could really impersonate Europe's greatest exotic dancer and courtesan, well, you might enjoy this book. But I doubt it.

I bought this book after reading several reviews of Thea Devine's other books. The sensuality came through, as promised, but I was disappointed by the complete lack of emotional connection between the two main characters. Love is never mentioned in this book; every encounter of the hero and heroine is driven by lust only. I don't consider the main character a hero; he is a complete control-freak who would rather die than admit to any mistake. The heroine is door mat material who never stands up for herself. At the conclusion of the story, the characters seem to stay together only due to their mutual passion for each other. Also, the whole plot is based on finding some mysterious "papers" which don't seem to have anything at all to do with the rest of the story. The conclusion is so far out of left field, I still don't know what was going on. I suggest you pass on this one unless you are a BIG Thea Devine fan.

I was disappointed with this book. I've read a lot of Thea Devine's book and I thouroughly enjoyed most of them but this one is just so unlike the author. It's so empty and it just makes you want to skip a lot of pages. I didn't really finished the book because i just can't warm up to the characters. It's such a shame because Ms Devine is really a great writer. For all the readers above, please don't judge the author by this one book. She's written really good books in the past and hopefully more good books in the future. I'm still a fan.

Unlike the other reviewers, I enjoyed it. Yes, I said it. Lighten up and read the novel for what it is - erotic entertainment.

I actually bought this book after reading the bad reviews. I thought that maybe the reviewers were judging too harshly...they weren't. If I could give this book zero stars I would, but I guess I'll have to settle for giving it a very low one star. I finished this book in just a few hours, not because it was so engrossing, but because the story was horrible and I could skip several pages, and not miss anything. This was no where near a sensual romance. It was just stupid. What happend miss Devine?

ALL I DESIRE brings a possible, yet unbelievable story to life. It's shrouded in mystery and unfolds slowy to come into a shattering focus. Old loves are not what they seem. Something sinister is going on. Who can one trust. The heroine, a virginal Francesca, takes on the role of her recently-deceased friend, Samara, an exotic dancer who made men swoon at her feet. But this deception brings Francesca confinement, humiliation, and betrayal. This book shows less erotic adventures than usual for Ms. Devine, a master of the erotic. It isn't her best work, yet I couldn't put it down until I saw how it ended. As always, this author's style twists and turns can't be anticipated.