Customer Reviews

Aphrodite's Kiss (Time of Your Life)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

A heroine whose senses are so ultra-sensitive, she's almost orgasmic just eating a chocolate bar........she's also got x-ray vision and can see thru things, including men's pants! A heroine who has a very important decision to make before her 25th birthday.....you see, Zoe Smith is a halfling.......her mother is a mortal, her dad a Protector (from Greek and Roman mythology) and that makes Zoe a "goddess"....If she decides to become a complete mortal, she'll lose all memory and association with her dad and half-brother, Hale..... If she decides to become a Protector (rescuing mortals from various perils, such as fires, car crashes and the likes) she must pass various tests without any advanced notice...AND she must tell her mortal mom, who, years ago, left her husband when she found out he was a Protector! As if Zoe didn't have enough problems, enter George Bailey Taylor, ex-cop, now turned PI...........as soon as Zoe saw him, her insides were turned all around.....she knew she wanted him, but how could she possibly make love to a man, especially a mortal, when she practically burns at the slightest touch! Imagine the heat emanating when making love! Besides having to make these difficult decisions, Zoe had another job...........unbeknownst to her, the fate of the entire human population was in her hands! Could she save the world?? Could she get her man?? Could she learn how to levitate objects properly?? This book had everything...zaniness, romance, tenderness, unique plot, laughter on every page, best group of characters (including Deena and Hoop from The Cat's Fancy) who could play off each other, thrills,plenty of action, and villains!! ........It reminds me of the great screwball comedies of the 30's....only better (and funnier!) It's the work of a genius (or, at least, of an author who must have been a great stand-up comedienne in another life) This author hasn't disappointed me yet....for some reason, even though she writes romantic comedies, her characters not only keep me having to cross my legs from laughing so hard, but they also warm the cockles of my heart......I find them unforgettable, likeable and certainly not the run-of-the-mill type of heroes/heroines!! I do believe that the author, herself, is not an ordinary author...she, too, is exceptional! Julie Kenner is one extremely talented woman, whose books I just can't get enough of....I truly and highly recommend this book to one and all! If we had a 10-star rating, I'd want to give it at least a 15!!

Fans of THE CAT'S FANCY will love the return of Julie Kenner's zany characters in her latest release, APHRODITE'S KISS. Irrepressible as ever, Ms Kenner has outdone herself in this outrageous, sexy, savvy love story of superhero proportions.

Controlling superhero powers is like living an episode of The Twilight Zone for Zoë Smith. The taste of chocolate bring about uncontrollable responses. X-ray vision can be controlled by glasses, but other senses register with fearsome clarity. Yet Zoë has yet to levitate or steer a propulsion cloak with any degree of control. Considered a halfing, because she's half mortal and half Protector, Zoë has to pass her twenty-fifth birthday tests to become a member of the Counsel. In her case, the test includes saving the world.

George Bailey Taylor isn't the typical hero. His endearing qualities make George remarkably human, such as when he meets assistant librarian Zoë, and he finds himself turning into a "tongue-tied idiot." Undeniably sexy, George also has money trouble, seeking lost change in his car to buy a soda and hotdog for supper. So when a man promises $10,000 for the recovery a family heirloom, with a worthwhile deposit, George leaps at the opportunity. Little does he realize how his quest for the family heirloom will dovetail with his new romantic interest.

With her characteristic flair, Kenner will have the reader laughing till tears come at the marvelous antics and sparkling dialogue. Richly created characters, an outrageous plot, and a loveable ferret make APHRODITE'S KISS is a keeper. Do I see another promise of a story line from Zoë's overly protective brother? Very highly recommended.

George Bailey Taylor, " was having a rotten day. The police department wanted to put him behind a desk just because he had a bullet in his leg; his private investigator job was going nowhere, and his love life sucked.. His foster sister, Lane, kept trying to play matchmaker with all her weirdo friends, but when he finally met "The One," he managed to anger her with his questions about her co-worker The first time Zoe Smith saw Taylor her highly tuned senses went into overdrive. He was gorgeous, exuded masculinity and had that protective air about him that made her feel all safe and loved when around him. He also made her want to look over her glasses and see what he looked like under his clothes. But until she had her super powers under control, the Council would not let her use them. She was a halfling, descendent of the goddess Aphrodite, and a mortal. This rollicking tale of supernatural powers, saving the world and falling in love all at the same time is nothing short of hilarious. And when the two of them finally start concentrating on each other, the fireworks literally explode! A wonderful tale of true love conquering all, in both worlds!

I enjoy books that don't take themselves too seriously - something fun and witty. I can definitely see where that was the intention, but it just didn't make it. I honestly had a hard time finishing this book, which is a pretty big deal for me. Everything about it was so cliche' and overly dramatic. The characters had no depth, and the writing didn't do anything to draw the reader in. I like the idea behind the book, but the writing just didn't come through. I was looking for a new series to get into. Guess I'll keep looking.

This is the second book by this author that I've read and I loved it. Its not a direct sequel but two of the supporting characters from the first book "The Cat's Fancy" Deena and Hoop are just as wonderful in this book.

The heorine is a Superheroine, or at least a would be Superheroine. Zoe Smith is from a race of people that in ancient Greece were know as the Gods. She half human and half superhero. Her mother was human and her father a Protector(superhero).She has super powers like x-ray vision and telekinesis(she's still working on this). She has very heightened senses so that even eating is a challenge. Her mother doesn't know her secret and in oder to become a full fedged superhero she must tell her.

She has to do this before her 25th birthday which is approaching fast. If this wasn't enough pressure she soon meets up with a mortal man who drives her crazy. George Taylor P.I. is on a case that he despises. He is broke and needs the money so he accepts the job and meets Zoe. He is knocked for a loop. He is longing for a a normal woman who wants to settle down, he thinks he has met that in Zoe but soon finds himself choved into a world that he can barely comprehend. He has always been the protector and now has to let Zoe protect him and this causes some conflicts.

There is also a element of danger thrown into all of this by Zoe's cousin Mordi, who is also a halfing and approaching his 25th birthday. He needs something Zoe has but doesn't know she has and he will do just about anything to get it. The struggle over good vs. evil is wonderfully written and kept me at the edge of my seat.

I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, touching and action packed. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I hope there are several more.

The story line was charming and fresh, the charectors likeable and believable. Unfortunatly the writing was not as engaging as the story. However, this was a fantastic mix of fantasty, and romance and I look forward to reading more from this fresh new author.

As someone who's writing superhero romance, I was curious to see this book and how the situation was handled. Excellent world-building! I really liked how the superheroes fit (or rather, didn't fit) into society. I also enjoyed all the characters except for the villain, who wasn't given any redeeming characteristics. The heroine was someone I could root for, as well as her boyfriend and her two nutty friends and the talking ferret.

But... There was too much exposition in dialogue scenes, where someone would say something and then you'd get two paragraphs of the responder trying to figure out what had been said and what to say, and then they'd say something and you'd get two paragraphs... I'd rather read straight dialogue. Also, there were a lot of plot shortcuts taken during the last half of the book where people did things that weren't logical, just so the plot could proceed. The guy assigned to protect our heroine completely disappeared. Where was he? And the scene where our hero met the heroine's mother... what was that? Wrong scene, wrong PoV, went off on a strange tangent and left me scratching my head. Speaking of PoV, there were too many.

But the sparks between hero and heroine were quite tasty and the humor of the book was consistent and very good, sometimes laugh-out-loud, which is VERY hard to do! Again I have to issue commendations for world-building.

I'll be keeping an eye on Julie Kenner's future books.

A wonderful read full of great comedy, great romance, great ferrets, and great bad guys! I loved Zoe, George, Elmer, and yes, especially Mordi, the bad guy. Can't wait to read more from the Superhero romances! Highly recommended.

The idea is so good, if only the author could have made it interesting. It is about a world inhabited by people with superpowers. The heroine has to take some tests in order to become a full blown superheroine, while trying not to fall in love with a mere mortal. It reminded me of the old Supergirl comics, except that the heroine was a very silly woman, the hero was uninspiring, and the only interesting person was the villainous cousin. The ending was a cop-out.... Now if this concept had been expanded upon by Nora Roberts or Jayne Ann Krentz, they'd have done a much better job.

I'm not usually a fan of romance novels but I decided to give Aphrodite's Kiss a try since it presented an interesting idea: a race of superhumans who are descended from Greek gods and goddesses (called Protectors). Zoe Smith, who is half Protector and half human, is faced with an important decision on her 25th birthday--she can either become an Outcast (a full blown mortal with no superpowers whatsoever) or a Protector. To become a Protector she must face several challenges, including saving the world from her evil uncle and cousin. In addition to having the fate of the world rest in her hands, she faces love problems: she meets the man of her dreams, George Taylor (an ex-cop who just wants to find a girl who is normal).

Although the romance started off a bit unrealistically, it got much better as the book progressed. The chemistry between the main characters was good, and the relationship seemed plausible (after the first meeting, of course). In addition, the other aspects of the story were very entertaining. A lot of comedy was thrown in. Also, the idea of the descendants of the superhuman Protectors was terrific--after all, who doesn't want to be a superhero?

Overall, Julie Kenner blends a perfect amount of fantasy, romance, and comedy into a delightful story. I can't wait to read more of her books, specifically the next one in this series, Aphrodite's Passion!