Customer Reviews

Amanda's Child (43 Light Street, Book 20) (Harlequin Intrigue Series #582)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love a book that brings tears to my eyes at the end! And Rebecca York has crafted such a book with Amanda's Child. I have read almost all of the Light Street books, and I have to say that they just keep getting better and better. This is one of my favorites. Amanda and Matt are both such likeable and sympathetic characters. Pregnant and on the run is no way I'd ever want to be, but Ms. York makes you believe that Amanda is strong enough to survive the ordeal. And the way that she learns to trust Matt over the course of the story is especially poignant. Even though they are in danger throughout the book, they still keep living their lives, trying to keep things as normal as possible. All the while falling hopelessly in love, of course. And they are also resourceful enough to spend a good portion of the book playing an active role in getting themselves out of danger, which is much more satisfying than sitting around waiting to be rescued. The Wyoming setting at the beginning is something entirely new for the Light Street series, and it's always fun to see Ms. York set a book outside of her usual Baltimore setting. She must do lots of research to make her settings so authentic! I can't wait to see the next installment in the exciting and emotion-packed Light Street series. Definitely add this one to your list if you're looking for a good read!

Amanda's Child was a keeper. I'm an avid reader of Rebecca York and thought Amanda's Child one of her best. Matt is a hero to die for and Amanda stirred my heart. The plot is well thought out and no two people are ever so completely for each other as Matt and Amanda are. The characters are so real they walked off the pages and entered my heart.

I purchased based on word-of-mouth locally, and the book's write-up that's missing here:
PREGNANT AND ALONE. When Amanda Barnwell was kidnapped from her Wyoming ranch, she feared for her unborn child. But her captor, sexy Matt Forester, swore her was saving her and her baby. He'd discovered the identity of the sperm-bank donor who fathered the child---a man whose family would stop at nothing to claim the baby and eliminate Amanda from their family tree. With a would-be killer at their heels, Amanda had no choice but to trust Matt. But her abductor was more male than a virgin country girl like Amanda could ever handle. Was Matt telling the truth? And with her baby's life at risk, could Amanda take the chance?

The Queen of Intrigues delivers another powerful story in a wonderful series. If you are a fan of the Light Street books, then this one is definitely for you. Great plot, terrific characters, and York's classy writing make for another winner.

I've been reading and enjoying the Light Street books for years. Amanda's Child is one of the best in the series. It takes a unique blend of talent to seamlessly integrate a heart warming romance into a taut suspense story, and Rebecca York has that talent. In Amanda's Child, it's the relationship between Matt and Amanda that truly makes the book. Amanda's been wounded so badly by life that she can't understand what a strong, sexy guy like Matt sees in her. But she's a woman who's been willing to take risks--and the biggest risk of all is letting go of her fear and learning to trust her instincts. Matt is a romance hero to die for. It's not hard to see why Romantic Times gave him their WISH award. Like her heroines, Rebecca York is a writer who's been willing to take risks over the years. Usually the time frame of a suspense novel is short--to increase the tension. In this book, Ms. York keep up the tension while she draws out the story over a four month period--giving herself the opportunity for a heart-stopping climax.

Amanda's Child is a story with a unique plot that captured me from the first page. Rebecca York has long been a favorite author of mine, and she doesn't disappoint this reader!

AMANDA'S CHILD is a nominee for the ROMANTIC TIMES 2000 Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Harlequin Intrigue. "The talented hand of Ruth Glick, writing as Rebecca York, serves up excitement and adventure in AMANDA'S CHILD (4.5) and reaches a new level of warmth and romance in the process." --Debbie Richardson, ROMANTIC TIMES

AMANDA'S CHILD was just selected as the winner of the 2001 Golden
Leaf Award for Long Contemporary Novel by the New Jersey Romance Writers.

Any series that has run for ten years can expect to have a weak entry once in a while. For the 43 Light Street series, that weak entry is "Amanda's Child." After such recent stunners as "Nowhere Man," "Midnight Caller," and "Never Too Late," this is a big disappointment. When Amanda Barnwell made the decision to get pregnant through artificial insemination, she didn't know it would put her in danger. A powerful man who believes his dead son was the sperm donor would do anything to get his hands on her baby. He doesn't count on Matthew Forester overhearing his plan. Matthew has been attracted to Amanda from the first time he saw her. Can he keep her and her baby safe?

"Amanda's Child" begins very well with a fast opening (everything explained about happens in the first ten pages) and taut suspense. A couple chapters into it I was thinking, "This is why I read Intrigues." It was that good. But starting with Chapter Four or Five, the story falls apart. By the end, I was very unsatisfied. A story that began with great promise fell into a muddled mess.

The weakest part of the story was the heroine. Amanda is constantly described as a strong person who took over her father's ranch after his illness. With one exception early on, we never see this part of her. Matthew completely takes over, telling her what she's going to do now, planning every part of their escape, not allowing her any input in her own fate. As a result, Amanda becomes a supporting character in her own story. Especially galling was one scene where she apologized to him for demanding to know what was going on. It's her life and her baby in danger. She shouldn't have to ask the "hero" not to keep things from her. For those who like men who take over women's lives, for their own good or otherwise, here's a hero for you. I was unimpressed by his high-handedness. It's a good thing the book wasn't called "Matthew's Child." We would have had no idea if it referred to the baby or Amanda.

There are also problems with the story. What seems like a clear plot with a tight focus eventually becomes unwieldy and all over the map. Glick has trouble maintaining the suspense for the entire book. Too often her characters seem to forget they're even in any danger. I was baffled more than once, wondering why Matthew and Amanda were doing things that could have waited until after they were out of danger. The romance is forced, happening too fast to be believed. The appearance by a character from another book in this series is welcome, although it only demonstrates how far this book is from that one, one of the best Light Street Books ever.

The beginning of this book is so good that I can't completely condemn it. Or it could be that my reaction wouldn't be as harsh if it wasn't as strong. I'm willing to allow the series one weak entry, since it's been years since I've had such a negative reaction to a Light Street book. Let's hope the next book finds the series back in good form.