Customer Reviews

At Last (Indigo Love Spectrum)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

At Last by Lisa G. Riley is probably one of the best books I've read in a long time. Because I am male, I have always been under the impression that romance novels were like chick flicks -- not intended for men. But a friend of mine, knowing that I love a good story, urged me to read this book. I have to say that I was quite pleasantly surprised. The plot is well thought-out, the characters are believable and the book is written really well.

Caroline and Brian came alive for me and I totally believed their problems, their triumphs and everything about them. As a white man in a relationship with a black woman, I felt like the author was describing the problems my girlfriend and I have had. The mystery in the book is written just as well as the romance. In fact, I wouldn't classify this as a romance, I would just classify this as good fiction. I'm looking forward to more work from this author.

Caroline is an African American heiress making her way in the world when she literally bumps into Brian Keenan, a White senior partner in a technology firm where Caroline is interviewing. It is love at first contact in Lisa G. Riley's novel, At Last.

Caroline and Brian begin their relationship on the fast track. Within the first few pages we have a couple that are overwhelmed by each other. That intensity between strangers was a bit overwhelming for this reader. As the story progresses, they find themselves fighting their attraction trying to avoid a romance in the workplace defending their interracial relationship, and trying to protect Caroline from a psychopath she doesn't even know. Throw in a crazed ex-girlfriend and you have a lot going on in this book.

Ms. Riley literally has this book set in three parts. Although this allows her to pretty much develop each major dilemma they face, I would have rather had the romance and intrigue unfold together. However, she does an awesome job of noting the issues of race without ignoring them or bombarding her reader. This book is lusty enough to attract diehard romance fans, and has enough intrigue to keep the occasional romance chaser satisfied.

Kotanya
APOOO BookClub

At Last by Lisa Riley is one of the best romances I've ever read. The story of Caroline and Brian is perfect in all respects. There was perfect character development, perfect building of excitement, perfect story development, perfect love, perfect lust, PERFECT EVERYTHING. I enjoyed the book immensely.

Caroline is a successful African-American artist who unexpectedly and unwillingly finds herself attracted to Brian, an Irish-American technology whiz. Caroline doesn't believe a relationship with a white man would work for her and is resistant to the attraction and their unusual connection, while Brian is gung-ho and ready to take on the world. Giving more credence to Caroline's belief that they shouldn't get involved is the fact that Brian is her boss.

The story also offers the reader the added bonus of suspense. Caroline is being stalked by someone and she doesn't know who or why. The reader, on the other hand, is told almost immediately and it is exciting following the story as Caroline tries to figure out who the stalker is.

Caroline's and Brian's relationship (when she finally makes up her mind that she will give him a chance) is beautiful. It has everything a healthy relationship should have: romance, trust, love, tenderness and hot, steamy, STEAMY sex. I highly recommend this book and have already read it three times in the two weeks I've owned it!

The brief bio in the back of the book says that the author is currently working on her second and third books. I sincerely hope that one of those books is about Caroline and Brian. If not, I'm sure this promising author won't disappoint with her other offerings.

This book was sooo good! Caroline, an African-American artist, is on her way to an interview when she bumps into Brian, a white techno whiz, as she goes to get into the elevator. Things just get better from there. Caroline is amazed at, and scared of, the instant attraction she feels for Brian. Brian, being an alpha male, is thrilled by it and ready, willing and able to follow up on it.

However, the attraction is not the only thing that makes Caroline hesitate. She is also hesitant about getting involved with a white man, something she has never done before. To top all of that off, it turns out that Brian is 1/4 owner of the company where she accepts a job, meaning he is also her boss. Talk about your obstacles to love! Phew!

Besides the romance, there is also suspense. Caroline is privvy to some dangerous information that she doesn't even know she has and Brian has this crazy ex-girlfriend who he hasn't dated or seen in years, who suddenly decides she wants him back.Through a crazy quirk of fate, she works at the same office. The ex tries to make Caroline's work life miserable.

The book is one of the best I've ever read. It's well-written, descriptive, exciting and entertaining. The author does a great job of discussing the issue of interracial dating without beating you over the head with it. As a white woman, I learned quite a bit about why blacks may have problems with other blacks dating outside the black race.

Caroline is beautiful, intelligent and talented. Who wouldn't want to be her? But the real reason I would want to be her is because she has Brian. If there were more men like him, women would never get divorced! He's awesome!

I highly recommend this book. It's quite entertaining, though I could have done without the mistakes I found.

At Last by Lisa Riley is a great book. I love the characters and the storyline. Caroline Singleton is an African-American artist who meets and falls for Brian Keenan, an Irish-American technology wiz kid. Caroline doesn't want to act on their attraction for several reasons, including the facts that they work together and that she's never even considered dating a white man before. Brian is of a different mind and thinks that they should at least try to get to know one another. It's quite interesting to see how all of this gets worked out.

The secondary characters are developed really well and definitely add something to the book. Ida and Brickman are great as bad guys and even Caroline's and Brian's parents add something to the storyline. The book is surprisingly issue-oriented and is not just romantic suspense. For a first effort, I think Ms. Riley did a wonderful job. I have read it several times; each time, finding some small nuance that makes me smile with reader satisfaction. I'm waiting with bated breath for her next offering. PLEASE----bring it on, Ms. Riley!

I don't know what it was about this book but I found it very unsatisfying. For one thing, the pacing seemed all off. The writer has talent. She actually does know how to write. My problem with the story is it dragged in some (well many) places and then seemed sped up and disjointed in others.

First I thought the relationship between the two main characters started too quicky (they were ready to kiss each other from the moment they met) and then, weirdly, went nowhere. It didn't seem to progress. Yes, they talked about how much they meant to each other and how they really felt like they wanted to spend their lives together but all I could do was ask "well, why?" To me, there wasn't a great build up and therefore the pay-off is just 'meh'.

Since this is an IR romance, I know that the author needs to make a decision of either confroting the issue or ignoring it. In this book, the issue was confronted, but at times I felt as if I were being bludgeoned or lectured at. I don't mind making racial factors a roadblock to a relationship going forward, but I would like for the issues to be raised organically, more naturally. The author just seemed to throw incidents at the couple to create a plot point for discussion of some characters' uneasiness with IR dating.

Also, the editing of this book was horrid. There'd be whole passages in italics, like someone forgot to close a tag. Also, there'd be weird scene shifts. In one paragraph the couple was at a dinner party and in the very next paragraph they were somewhere completely different a couple of days later. There was no transitioning. Very disorienting.

I don't recommend.

My expectations were to high in reading this book. Caroline at times seemed to be a little spoiled and a bit of an airhead when it came to matters of safety and reality. Her and Brian seemed to be enamoured with each other but, to me, more so him than her. She was almost too needy and I think Brian could have personally been better off with the best friend. Caroline was suppose to have this stalker but halfway though the book, I was still waiting for the stalker to get his "stalk on"! Not very well developed with characters and secondary characters. Book should have been over a 100 pages before the ending. AT LAST, it was.

If you're looking for a book to pass the time on an airplane or to help you sleep, this is a good read.

Caroline Singleton, an African-American artist, is on her way to a second interview with a well-known marketing firm whose primary focal point is in the urban market. She is very excited about the possibility of becoming their new Art Director. While at the elevator, Caroline encounters a handsome white man that leaves her breathless with desire. Immediate attraction sparked between them; however, before he could kiss her common sense prevailed within Caroline and she quickly stopped him. Giving thanks to her lucky stars, Caroline was happy to escape the upsetting situation before things could get out of hand. Little does Caroline know, her life as she knows it is about to become even more complicated...

Brian Keenan momentary lost his breath after he laid eyes upon the most beautiful woman he's seen in a long time. Out of nowhere, strong desire instantly comes upon him and before he knew it, Brian had the alluring mahogany woman in his arms, about to kiss her luscious lips. Brian was disappointed when she pulled out from his embrace and swiftly ran away. However, a short time later, they run into each other once again because Brain is the Chief Technology Officer and one of the co-finders of the company that just hired Caroline.

Now, Brian and Caroline are caught between a rock and a hard place. They both are attracted to one another; however, Caroline refuses to have a relationship with Brian because, one, he is her boss and two, he is white. If that wasn't enough, Caroline is being stalked by psychopath and Brian has a crazed ex-girlfriend who refuses to let him go.

I am somewhat torn after reading Lisa G. Riley's debut novel, At Last. The chemistry between Brian and Caroline is mega-hot from the start and remains at a constant sizzle until the very end. There was one scene with Brian, Caroline and a serving platter that that had me going up in heated flames. As a couple I felt their genuine affection towards each other. However, there where times where I felt lost because there was not a very good transition from one scene to another. I must mention that there are a few moments of bad editing that I found to be a bothersome, but overall I thought At Last was an enjoyable read. Because the plot was very intriguing, I found myself overlooking the negative factors to see if the romance between Brain and Caroline could survive the obstacles that damned them as an interracial couple and to gain more insight on the mystery behind Caroline's stalking situation.


Nikita Steele
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

At Last by Lisa Riley is one of your better pieces of fiction. I can't say that I've ever read much better, actually. The characters, Caroline and Brian, are fully developed and quite likeable. Caroline is a black artist from a wealthy Chicago family. When she meets Brian, a white technological guru, she falls for him immediately, as he does her.

Being mature, reasonable adults, the two instantly try to fight the decidedly terrifying feelings that they have for each other. You see, not only are they attracted to each other, but they both feel an instant connection, as if they've known each other all along.

At Last is more than a romance. We follow these two as they deal with the issues of racism and classism and we feel their anger, fear and determination as they try to figure out who is stalking Caroline. Other characters in the book include Caroline's best friend, Tracy; Brian's mother, Fiona; spurned ex-lover, Ida; nefarious crime figure, Brickman, and Caroline's neice, Genevieve, a simply adorable creature. I mention these secondary characters because they were just as real to me as Caroline and Brian were.

I did not want to put this novel down, and as a consequence, was able to finish it (inhale it greedily, more like it) in a little less than two hours. The author, Ms. Riley, has done a splendid job and I am looking forward to her next adventure!

This book is HORRIBLE! The dialogue is sooooo unrealistic. Do people really speak in paragraphs to each other when they first meet? And the pace of the relationship? - kissing in the boardroom and borderline phone sex with her boss before she's even ordered her office supplies? Get real! I don't think so! I read to page 35 and decided I was not going to torture myself any longer. It's in the garbage because I refuse to allow it to sit on my bookshelf. It's THAT bad! I'm amazed the book got 5-star reviews although it does seem suspect since the 5-star reviews are all grouped by certain months and dates. One has to wonder if Ms. Riley's friends, relatives, colleagues and paid citizens wrote those reviews. Investigate it yourself! There is NO WAY this book should have gotten above 2 stars (And, I'm being very generous!). Plus, all the raving reviews give school-like book reports instead of regular 'This book was so awesome!, I especially like the part....'-type reviews....hmmmmm....so, so suspect. Is this how the book maintains 4-star review ratings? I hate to be this harsh but the book is abominable. I can't believe an adult wrote this book. It had to have been self-published.

If you want excellent IR books, read 'The Color of Love' and 'Close Encounters' both by Sandra Kitt. Now these books are very realistic (plot, dialogue, thoughts, etc). I am a black woman and have dated white men and Sandra Kitt totally gets it right, especially in 'The Color of Love' - my favorite! DO NOT waste your money on 'At Last'. Don't even read it if someone is trying to give it to you. Totally not worth it. VERY disappointed! At last...my misery is over.