Customer Reviews

Beyond Eden (Chivers Sound Library American Collections)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I believe this book was one of Catherine's first attempts at Contemporary.

First of all I must state that I had taken a hiatus from reading Ms. Coulters work since 1994. I'd been meaning to read this book for some time since it has been in my TBR (to be read)pile for sometime and I had heard from many different sources that this was a worth while read. I recommend that if you read the reviews on here still take a chance and read the book, I read the reviews and thought to myself it was going to be awful, but was pleasently suprised. I did not give this one a high rating because the end [was diasappointing], the plausibility of the whole Family [thing stunk]and the relationship did progress incredibly quick for someone who had been sheltered from men since she was 18 years old and then suddenly after 2 weeks of knowing someone feels so comfortable with them, to accept a proposal?????

The end had so many ludicrous twist and turns it was like OH COME ON NOW!!!!! (NO SPOILERS HERE) but when you read the book you'll understand EXACTLY what I am referring to. It was a fast read and one that I didn't actually won't to put down because of the mystery that was going on but still I really just HATED the last 3 or so chapters. Didn't make any sense.

Respectfully Reviewed

I read this book many years ago and I was happy to read it again. Coulter has a way of getting you close to her characters. Lindsey was raised by a horrible father. Always treating her like an outcast and constantly putting her down and abusing her verbally. The biggest deception and hurt happened when she was 18 years old and raped and beaten by her sister's husband. Lindsey's father blamed Lindsey and claimed to the press that she was a slut and a Lolita. Finally several years later Lindsey discovers herself. She becomes Eden a famous model and meets the man of her dreams. And now someone is out to kill her. Is it her Father, who was disinherited by his mother and gave Lindsey/Eden all the fortune, is it her old professor from college who is a crazy, is it her sister, or her sister's husband, or is it someone else who wants her dead. Good surpise at the end. This book keeps you guessing.

This is my second Coulter book and I only read it because I had hoped, no, actually I had prayed that my first book(Devil's Embrace) was a bad example of her work, but this only intensified my opinion of her and I am a little surprised she is a New York Times Best Selling Author. I am not going to get critical of all the flaws in this book, but I will say this, romance it was, but a suspense it was not.

The story is a long and drawn out portrayal of a woman who is gone from ugly duckling to supermodel. The blurb on the back of the book states it is about a woman who becomes a model and is being terrified and stalked by some maniac, but who is it? Someone from her past? What is she hiding? I will tell you, nothing...she is hiding nothing,. She is brutally attacked by her sister's husband when she is 18 in France. Her family treats her badly and her father especially hates her. They all blame her for her loser brother-in-law's brutal rape. Lindsey(the heroine) years later becomes a supermodel named Eden. She is popular and is beginning to get on with her life until her sister comes back into it to stir the pot. Somewhere in here (I assume) Coulter was trying to bring some tension and suspense into the story by adding the hero of S.C Taylor, Lindsey's bodyguard. For what, I'm not sure, Coulter never makes that clear either. After some unnecessary chapters where nothing happens but Taylor falling for her, the story gets off-track and you're not sure where the stalker is or if there IS one at all.
Taylor must sort through her messy past and try and win her trust, while keeping her meddling family at bay. He succeeds and then by the last 10 pages or so, the stalker is revealed and I was left wondering,....why?

This story was lacking in true suspense and it was choppy to the point of not understanding what the plot was. If you like a good romance, this was ok, but I would steer clear if you're looking for a good romantic suspense story, it is poorly written in that department...

I often see Catherine Coulter's work on bestseller lists, but never had occasion to read one of her books. This reprint was enough to convince me that I wasn't missing anything. The good news is, it's a beach read. It's quick, and you can easily put it down while you go for a swim. The bad news is, the characters are more like caricatures than real people, so a mildly interesting plot goes to waste for lack of a hero or heroine who can handle it. The unbelievable venom in every sentence spoken by Eden's father and half-sister made me laugh rather than sympathize with the heroine, because it was so theatrical. It was also poorly edited. All the people in the book tended to speak with the same mannerisms and cut-off or run-on sentences, with only two or three exceptions. The best I can say for this book is that I think it had potential. If only it had lived up to it!

I have reached page 94 of this book and already two horrific rapes have occurred. I have a feeling that I will not have the stomach to finish the book. Beware those who cannot stomach rapes scenes.

I've read numerous Coulter books in the last several years. While I honestly enjoy Coulter's FBI thrillers, I found this a nice departure from those themes and characters. Lindsey "Eden" Foxe is a believable and interesting character. I could not put this one down. It was a very good read.

The title of this book threw me off. But when I read the synopsis, I was delightfully surprised to learn that it centered around a terribly isolated and victimized woman named Eden. If you want to sympathize and even emphathize with all the trials and tribulations of an oppressed female character, and yet simultaneously delve into the superficial world of modeling and the upper crust society in general, then I highly suggest this book. You'll find yourself becoming engrossed with all the unpredictable twists and turns. You'll definitely root for the underdog and find yourself abhoring the antagonists.Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

I picked up this book as a freebie. I have enjoyed Catherine Coulter's books in the past, the FBI series as well as some historical romances. This one certainly did not measure up. The story was totally implausible. Rape victim suffers for years from the trauma of her rape but in one week overcomes her fears and totally trusts the hero.

The story is trite and predictable. The characters are shallow and I found that I did not really care how any of them fared. I forced myself to finish it just on the off chance that it might improve along the way. Fortunately is is a fast read.

I was absolutely captivated at the start of this book and stayed up much too late reading. By just past the middle however, my interest started to wane.

A very well-written book, with believable characters, but IMHO it should have been wrapped up a couple of chapters sooner.

I've read many of Ms. Coulter's books and the first half of this is in my opinion one of her very best.

I read this book from the attractive title. Very shallow of me, I know, but I really, really enjoyed this book up until Taylor was introduced as a main character.

It's been a few weeks since I've read it and I still think of it often. Lindsey's character is not especially memorable, but the things done to her definitely are. Sydney's character struck a cord in me and I thought, with such little development, she was a pretty well-rounded character simply by the fact that she was indeed just a shallow person. She dug her own grave, she knew it, and it distressed her. Sydney shows no remorse, and I felt such anger with her character I often just wished Lindsey would punch her square in the face! I absolutely hated her. The only time we receive any remorse on Sydney's part is near the end, when she starts to play the kindly sister just to meet her own ends. Even then, this justice wasn't dealt by Lindsey's hand.

I wasn't overall very impressed with Taylor. A strong, good looking male suddenly looking out for poor Eden? In love with her within 2 days because his rape sense is tingling? Whatever. Before Taylor, Eden was the epitome of strength in women. She was MADE out of stainless steel. Only twice after Taylor's even brought into the picture do we see the backbone emerge from Lindsey/Eden, both times without Taylor around to pick up the pieces. She is a strong character and Taylor muted that in her, which is why I'm giving this review a three. I appreciate Taylor helping Eden stand up for herself, but didn't think he had to smother her so badly. Their relationship seemed just a little too perfect without many hitches, which was slightly annoying. I also HATED that Taylor got to know things about Lindsey that she didn't learn for herself, because he deemed her too weak to take the news. This woman is a survivor! She would eat that up for breakfast with a smile.

Overall, besides the stain of Taylor and his buttload of bad decisions, the bittersweet ending was perfect. The story I will never forget, and Sydney, the character I will never forgive.