Customer Reviews

Amber

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

 

 

Her brothers are laying down the law, and Kendra Chase must choose a husband. The one man Kendra is attracted to is a highwayman, a man she has just met, and only for a few minutes. Angry that she must choose a husband, Kendra rides off in a huff, contemplating her suitors, when she finds herself face-to-face and alone with the handsome robber.

Patrick "Trick" Calwell was attracted to Kendra and can't believe that she is actually in front of him. When it started to rain, he invited her to keep warm and dry in his nearby cottage. Through some innocent mishaps, her brothers catch them in a compromising position and now they must wed.

Kendra believes the wedding is an elaborate prank put on by her brothers to make her choose one of the other suitors, while Trick thinks that the time is right to get married. After all, he needs an heir and he's sexually attracted to Kendra. It's not the best way to start off a marriage, and it doesn't help that Trick isn't what he seems. Lies, omissions, fears and intrigue all threaten to tear their marriage apart. Can Kendra learn to trust, and can Trick learn to love?

AMBER is the third novel in the Jewel Trilogy, following AMETHYST and EMERALD. Kendra Chase is a smart, willful, compassionate woman, and I just knew from the start that I'd like her! Trick is a honorable man, he has his reasons for robbing men, but he can't tell Kendra and this is a point of conflict for them. The characters are sexy, funny and believable. The love scenes are teasing and sensual. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

I couldn't wait to read this book, the final book in the Chase family trilogy, and I was not disappointed. I have never known much about Restoration England and Royal has made me a fan for life. Her historic descriptions against vivid romances - in this book a spicy marriage between Trick the faux highwayman/Duke of Amberley and the spirited Kendra Chase - will keep you enthralled until the last delightful page. It's great entertainment but packed with wonderful historical detail. I've heard rumors more books are coming. Let's hope so.

Kendra Chase knows that her brothers want only the best for her. So why are they marrying her off to highwayman Patrick "Trick" Caldwell? Trick, she soon learns, is actually a duke. A promise to King Charles II forced him into the highwayman charade. As much as he would like to explain his mission to his bride, Trick has promised his sovereign that he will tell no one. Hurt by what she perceives as a lack of trust in her, Kendra is determined to learn her husband's secrets. Their opposing views of love present yet another challenge to the newlyweds. Having been betrayed in the past, Trick does not believe in love. Unprepared for her wedding night, Kendra decides that the act of love brings only pain, and she refuses to try it again. This stubborn, well-matched pair will not give up on each other. He schemes to seduce her body, while she attempts to seduce his heart. Occasionally the dialogue of characters from 1668 clashes with the more modern style of the narrative, but that is a minor quibble in this lively tale. Interesting snippets of history are incorporated seamlessly, always contributing to the plot. Fans of the Chase family will enjoy catching up with Kendra's brothers, and fans of strong-willed heroines will love Kendra.

In 1668 Sussex, England, her older sibling Jason and her twin brother Ford inform twenty-three year old Kendra Chase that she must marry. However, Kendra rejects all the suitors paraded by her siblings, so the exasperated Jason tells her that she will wed by the summer. Kendra takes a ride into the country to ponder the "suits" chasing after her, but all seem lacking. Losing track of time and distance, Kendra runs into the Black Highwayman Patrick "Trick" Caldwell as rain begins to fall. Her brothers find the unchaperoned pair in a cottage and insist Trick do the honorable thing by marrying Kendra.

Though shocked that her siblings demand the highwayman become her spouse, Kendra knows he stirs her heart. She soon realizes that Trick is a complex person with dark secrets. As love blossoms between them, she confronts her spouse by asking him why he sends her such mixed signals.

AMBER, the final novel in Lauren Royal's "Chase sibling" trilogy (see AMETHYST and EMERALD) is a tremendous Restoration romance. The story line runs quite deep due to the lead couple. Trick is a captivating protagonist with major problems, but it is the likable and honest Kendra who makes the story line flow. Her simply asking Trick what bothers him rather than the usual leap to a false conclusion is incredibly refreshing and yet never slows down the pace of the plot. The return of the stars from the previous tales add depth and warmth to a strong conclusion to a powerful tale that is clearly part of a royal flush straight.

Harriet Klausner

Amber is the last book of the jewel trilogy, i would give this book a great review but in all honesty i only read it because i was not going to leave the trilogy unread but this book was not up to scratch in my opinion.

Storyline was decent but this will not be one of the good friends that i put back in the shelf to revisit later.

This story follows the last sibling Kendra Chase, determined not to marry a duke, but that is exactley what happens. He is handsomebut he has secrets that he keeps from her. Can Kendra learn to love a duke?

I'm not saying it was not good but it was not great however I did give it four stars because it kept my attention. The hero and heroine have a lot to do trust and loyalty. My only real probelm was when the hero had to return home and we have yet another mystery to sovle when I'm not even sure about the first mystery of why he was a highwaymen. Any way I liked the other characters and so I plan to read the other books.

I enjoyed the other Lauren Royal novels Amethyst and Emerald, they had well defined plots and I enjoyed how the protagonists fell in love. The problem with this third book is that it has too many plots, first the highwayman stuff and then the plot with Kits mother which kind of drags in the middle and makes it boring, I think the book would have been better without it.
And another thing that I didn't like is the lack of individuality in Kendra, while in Amethyst and Emerald the females had very interesting personalities which made them unique, Kendra, the protagonist in Amber, just struck me as very plain and very shallow, she didn't have a passion, or something that set her apart from other girls. I could not understand what Kit liked about her, maybe just her good looks, and for that it could have been her or anybody! I know, you want to finish the trilogy but if you do, don't expect to like the female protagonist, she is not as endearing as Cait and Amy. If I have known I would have skipped it.

I am not a big romance fiction reader because I find the books often lack any sort of depth, but Lauren Royal continually changes my mind! This finale to the "gem" trilogy was as interesting as the other two books, and I found myself loving the characters as much as with the first two books! I also think that as a writer, Royal is extremely "approachable" -- her website is full of neat information that fleshes out the historical period (including recipes!) and she emails fans as if she were an old friend. I love it!

Lauren Royal's, AMETHYST had me dying to reach the end because personally I found it lacking in spirit. Amethyst was a silly twit of a girl with far too many romantic notions, however Colin and his family made the story worth my time...that and the fact that once started, I cannot leave a book unfinished. I was intrigued enough about the other Chases to read AMBER...which I found to be entertaining and full of spirit where AMETHYST was not. Kendra was strong-willed and possessed more backbone than Amethyst had shown in Royal's debut. Trick was interesting and realistic, yet still maintaining the fantastic image, fiction readers crave. A lot more impressive this time Ms.Royal! Cannot wait to read Violet and Emerald!