Customer Reviews

As You Desire

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's 1890 in the Egyptian desert and a perfect setting for a touching romance. Harry Braxton and Desdemona (Dizzy)Carlisle, both from England, have been close friends for five years and neither will admit they are desperately in love with the other.

As You Desire is truly the most enjoyable book I have read from page one. The first pages of the book grab you quickly and by page ten, you are swept up in Harry and Dizzy's relationship and laughing and sighing over the fantastic hero, Harry. The first half of the book had me laughing again and again.

The synopsis on the back of the book refers to Harry as a notorious rake. I did not see him in this manner. He has a real heart and his character is written well as a very desirable but concientious man. He adores Dizzy but hides from her a problem that he fears would repulse her. Reading the book, I did not understand the seriousness of his problem, but once I finished the book, I read the author's notes at the end of the book and realized that his problem was considered to be very significant in 1890. I suggest that you read the author's notes before beginning the book to understand many of Harry's feelings.

Dizzy has thrown herself at Harry three years earlier and he had refused her advances due to her young age and his hidden problem. She was a child genius and is now a talented translator of ancient manuscripts. She is a very likable heroine and is embarassed by her earlier overtures that Harry declined. She longs to return to England someday.

Harry and Dizzy enjoy their close friendship. When Harry's handsome cousin comes to visit him from England, he fears Dizzy is slipping away from him and sees her welcoming his cousin's attentions. The romance between Harry and Dizzy develops quickly at this point and it is one of the sweetest I have read. Connie Brockway is a fantastic author and does no formula romance writing. Everything about this book is fresh and unusual. Although I feared some misunderstandings arising towards the middle of the book, this author simply does not write silly misunderstanding between her love leads as we so often see in historical romance novels. Harry and Dizzy are each very hesistant to reach beyond the confines of their friendship. They communicate well and don't get lost in lies. There is a beautiful sensual scene between the two that I would rate about a three (see more about me for these guidelines) but this is a story that does not need additional sensual writing.

The action of this book is quick for the first half, then falters for another fourth of the book and then picks back up to deliver a very satisfying ending. This is a book you will probably want to save to read again someday. I read many books each week and find I remember few storylines. This is one story that has stayed with me for months now. It is simply outstanding.

I was saving As You Desire for a rainy day, and I knew it would be a good read. I love that it takes place in Egypt in 1890 (great setting and time period!) - very exotic and adventurous! Desdemona (Dizzy) and Harry have known each other for 5 years, but 3 years ago she threw herself at him and he refused her advances b/c of her young age and his hidden "problem"....well now their friendship is starting to blossom into love - just when Harry's "tall, dark and handsome" cousin Blake visits and begins courting Dizzy.....

WARNING!!: Some of my review is spoilerish about certain scenes, but it doesn't spoil the twist in the plot...however if you haven't read it yet and you are interested in reading it - please just read the book b/c I wouldn't want to ruin any of the small surprise for you. (sorry!)

Characters: Harry can speak 12 different languages and Desdemona can translate them all written. They are both prodigies and they've both experienced difficult childhoods.

I love Harry b/c he is everything that many other romance heroes aren't, and Connie Brockway does a great job of juxtaposing this by showing the clash and the differences between Harry and Blake. Harry knows that Blake won't make Dizzy happy, but he's to afraid to say anything to Dizzy without revealing too much of his past about his "problem".

Magi, the maid and guardian for Dizzy, is GREAT! I love when she gives Harry the warning that he needs to snap out of it and profess his love to Dizzy - so satisfying!!!

Plot: The 2nd plot line involves a wealthy Texan who lays out a 10,000 dollar cash prize to anyone who can find him a golden Apis bull to put on his mantle back at his ranch. and the action begins. everyone wants the prize - and it ends up fitting perfectly in the Happily-Ever-After. :)

ONE small minor detail I would change if I could:

There is a reference to hashish being smoked from a hookah, and the heroine gets stoned off her ass (which is a pretty funny scene I must admit). My older sister owns a hookah and her Greek next door neighbors own hookahs as well. You're only supposed to smoke shisha tobacco with them - it won't get you stoned. Yes, technically you CAN smoke hashish or pot with a hookah but the resin WILL ruin the pipes and tubes - any die-hard hookah owner (or native middle-eastern who owns a hookah) knows this and will NOT do this. However, I can easily give Connie Brockway the benefit of the doubt and say - ok, so what - this happened by accident - the hookahs weren't cleaned properly or taken care of and the owner will buy a new hookah - no big deal....

The love scene is such a passionate relief after all the mounting tension and confusion and drama, I had to remind myself how to breathe and exhale. And the anguish that Harry goes through to convince Dizzy that he really does love her just squeezed my heart into a pulp - I know I've mentioned "physically painful" moments in romances before (Lord of Fire by Galen Foley or Lover Eternal by JR Ward) but once I got to the turn in the plot where Harry confesses everything to Dizzy - I had to finish the novel in one night - there's not putting it down.....

Final note: "A" for the imagery, Harry's profession of love, Harry's anguish and "unique-ness" of the story and setting, and the fantastic satisfying love scene, and all around good direction and flow of the drama.

Connie Brockway has written a sensitive, moving, wonderfully intense historical romance ever!

Harry Braxton, an archeologist, opportunist, (Prince of Jackals), is in love with Desmonda Carlisle or Dizzy as he so lovingly calls her. Problem is, he can't tell her and she has no idea. Harry hides a painful secret from his past that he is unwillinging to share with Dizzy, so he gives her up instead of revealing his secret.

Dizzy, our heroine, extroadinary child prodigy, and romantic, has loved Harry for five long years. She offered herself to him once and he scorned her so she swears never to make the same mistake again. She is used to making due with little, and somehow she will gather enough money so that her grandpa can have a triumphant return to england, and she will have the thatched roof cottage and Bertie Cecil.

Enter the brooding cousin from England and things get a couple of degrees more complicated from then on. But Ms. Brockway has written a gem of a story with several of the most moving self revelations and confessions that ever was. The story gets tied together delightfully and the last chapter, though not an epilogue, won't leave you banging your head trying to figure out what happened to the pair. You will fall in love with both Harry and Dizzy, along with the rest of the supporting cast. You can't help but root for them, and you can't help but fall in love with an author who has her hero say--I love you-- first. Unique! Buy this book, you won't be dissapointed.

I bought this book (for Kindle) because Julia Quinn recommended it as one of her favorites on Facebook. As You Desire has a good story, but the Kindle version has quite a few random punctuation mistakes that are very distracting. It also has some words that are similar to a word that would make sense in context but are just plain wrong. Disappointing, especially when the Kindle version cost almost the same as the paperback.

even now, months after i read this book, the beauty of it resonants within me. harry is exactly the kind of vulnerable hero i love to read about and desdemona is his equal in both intelligence and wit. the story of how these two come together is wonderful!

desdemona is a beautiful orphaned child prodigy living with her grandfather in victorian age egypt. she's very smart, but despite the fact she can read twelve languages, the only one she can speak is english! her humanity is depicted beautifully here, as she's a young woman who reads romance novels and envisions her knight in shining armor will steal her away and take her back to england, a country she hasn't seen since her parents died.

harry is a handsome rogue who hides a painful secret that forced him to escape to egypt. he and desdemona have known each other for years as both of them have a gifted knowledge of ancient artifacts. of course there is a competitive relationship between the two, but there is also an endearing friendship, too.

when desdemona was seventeen, she tried to seduce harry because she thought she was in love with him. however, he rejected her and since then, she has held some resentment towards him. even though they are friendly towards each other, the rejection always lurks in the back of her mind. despite this, she does lean on harry for friendship and support, moreso than she realizes.

meanwhile, harry has been secretly in love with desdemona for years, but has felt himself unworthy of her and has been content to remain friends. that is, until his cousin arrives.

when harry's tall, dark, and handsome cousin from england comes to visit, desdemona imagines she has finally met the knight in shining armor she expects to take her back to england. initially harry is reluctant but willing to encourage the relationship between desdemona and his cousin. however, eventually he realizes he can't allow it to happen.

desdemona has no idea how harry feels about her and that's what makes this story so enchanting. harry shows his love through his actions, rescuing her in the beginning of the book and then later on when he's competing with his cousin to describe her beauty, gives one of the most romantic and heart-felt descriptions i think i've ever read in a romance novel. there are other moments like that in the book that really set this one apart from others.

harry and desdemona have genuine chemistry and brockway is gifted in writing both witty dialogue and poetic descriptions (which at no time turns into the overflowery purple prose you see from other authors). while desdemona tends to find herself in danger at times, she's no idiot, just strong-willed. even though she's a romantic at heart, she's not one of those heroines who waits helplessly for someone to save her. she's very resourceful.

there is really only one sexual interaction in this book, although there are plenty of steamy kisses. however, the love scene was both sensual and sweet.

brockway is also gifted in her imagery, as she describes egypt in such a way as to make the reader wish she was there to experience it.

this book is full of funny moments and the ending will bring a couple of tears to your eyes as it did mine.

I was really enjoying this book for a while. I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud! I love CB's writing style! She write's with intelligence and humor and I will definitely try another book of hers.

The reason why I did not enjoy this book all the way through was probably due to my personal taste. I absolutely saw great qualities in this book. One of them was the ex- mistress really wanting Harry for the type of man he really was and not just for his money or title. She saw the good in him that Desdemona the heroine saw and that bought a special charm to the story.

The romance between the hero and heroine lost some of it's appeal for me though because the reader knows that they are already in love with each other. It was just the matter of each finding out how the other really felt. I tend to lose interest in a book if I know the hero and heroine's feelings too quickly, and I don't get to see them fall in love from the beginning. That's my favorite part of the romance! I can definitely understand the great reviews for this book though because it was written very well!

This was a beautifully written book. Brockway has a gem in this book. Her writing style is different than any in this genre. Harry was a smart, sexy hero who had such longing for Dizzy that just loved him for it. Dizzy and Harry's interaction together was "Romantic" there's just no other word for it. The story flowed and there was no fighting or misunderstanding's. It was a wonderfully written book.And the inscription on the mirror at the end was beautifully done.If you have not read this one go out and find it it's a Keeper.

Ever read a book or watched a movie that made you shove your knuckles in your mouth so you don't gasp out loud? Yes, this book is that good. It's got all the ingredients that make a great romance novel: danger, sizzling sexual tension, unrequited love, archetypical femme rival, handsome (and titled) love interest, etc., yet Ms. Brockway manages to make this book seem non-formulaic.

And who doesn't like a beta hero with alpha tendencies? Harry writes poetry and kicks butt for the woman he loves! He is so lovably rendered, with his rumpled clothing and disheveled hair, that I was completely captivated. Underneath his slightly mussed exterior, you could still sense his rugged, masculine - yet sensitive - interior. His handicap,rather than make him seem less masculine provoked a strong protective instinct and made him even more endearing.

I liked the heroine Desdemona as well, even though she did display a few too-stupid-to-live tendencies. I did like that her gift for deciphering Egyptian antiquities was realistically renedered and that it didn't seem out of character for the times. Unfortunately for her, Harry's personality was so much larger than life that it totally overwhelmed hers.

[...]
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read and I should know; I read it twice.

This is a fantastic love story about a dyslexic man who couldn't make it in England, but is able to overcome his fears in Egypt. He meets this sweet innocent girl. The story gets a little boring towards the end as the heroine continues to deny his love... but things wrap up nicely.

The story is placed in Egypt. The first few pages use terms that are not very politically correct (e.g. "native"). I thought this was going to be a racist story about how bad Arabs and Egyptians are. But, before I can throw the book away the changes my mind and the Egyptian characters are portrayed as people (some good, some bad).

This book took me completely by surprise. It grabbed me right from the beginning and I could tell a quarter of the way in that it would be one I would read again. Yum!