Customer Reviews

Beyond Compare

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

 

 

This was a book that I felt had a lot of potential, but didn't live up to it. I had a hard time finishing it, but I did. I hate to give up on a book, so I slogged through it. The characters were okay. The hero, Rafe, had a lot of potential, and I actually thought he was quite good. The heroine, Kyria, struck me as sort of strident and snippy. I really didn't like her. I realize she was the "Goddess", but I felt she was just rather unlikable. I found myself skipping through the mystery parts to get to the romance. The mystery, while well written, was just not interesting to me. I usually like Candace Camp's work. In this instance, I felt she slipped into the later(and not necessarily better) Amanda Quick mold and gave up the romance for the madcap adventure bit. For me, it didn't work.

Although I enjoy a little mystery with my romance sometimes, I just didn't get into this story. I could almost write 'ditto' on the review (glad to be finished). I had to force myself to continue reading and I also skimmed through with a blah, blah, blah on many sections of the book. I found it easy to put aside to do other things which is a clear sign that it didn't keep my interest. I thoroughly enjoyed Candace Camp's Mesmerized, with mystery and all. I found this book just came up short with the characters and unless you read Mesmerized before you read this book you will not get the full effect of how the Moreland family is such an oddity which was a big part of the first story, Mesmerized. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, but most definetly pick up Mesmerized. It is a fantastic story.

I enjoy losing myself to a really good historical romance novel every once in awhile. I think this writer also does a good job with this genre. The characters are a lot of fun and the story line was most entertaining.

To the aristocrats of Victorian England, wealthy Kyria "The Goddess" Moreland refuses the catch of the decade, but she refuses to marry unless love is part of the equation. She has rejected many of London's finest because none of these hunks moves her soul.

Kyria receives a package that places her in danger from a killer who murdered the delivery person proving a willingness to commit homicide to retrieve the black diamond that she now possesses. American Rafe McIntyre realizes the extent of peril confronting Kyria. He tries to keep her safe, but she refuses to hide in fear. Instead, the intrepid Goddess begins investigating the diamond, placing herself at even greater risk as she unravels the enigma of a priceless antiquity. However, the biggest fear comes from falling in love with Rafe, whose acrimonious past makes him a poor candidate as the God to the Goddess.

This is a fun romantic suspense starring two wonderful protagonists thrown into a danger patch that gives love the opportunity to blossom. The kill the messenger villain pales next to the heroic Rafe and the intrepid Kyria. Historical romantic thriller fans will enjoy this quick-paced delightful tale mindful of DON'T LOOK BACK and SLIGHTLY SHADY.

Harriet Klausner

I picked this up immediately after Mesmerized and was hooked. Camp is so good at creating characters that are not only relatable, but likeable. I've seen too many reviews that are negative about this book and I can't see why. I started reading Camp in high school and I never get sick of her. The Morelands are a fascinating family and I loved their four part series. I can only hope that Camp continues to write about them.

I read the first book, Mesmerized, and loved it. I had high hopes for this one, as the hero seemed really yummy. He didn't disappoint, but I would have liked to get to know him a little better in the book. The wedding at the beginning and the mishap scenes were fun, but after a while, I became very sick of the twins, Alex and Con. At times, I started to feel that the book was more about them than Rafe and Kyra. Are those two troublesome kids really necessary in this series, as they seem to intrude too much in every book? She has Alex and Con in the third book, Winterset, too. I have kids, I read romances to escape the neighborhood squabbles and worries about kidnappings and such. I don't like to have those things inserted in my fantasies. I felt that Kyra was a little too cold. I never felt like I understood her or her conflicts. Oh, that's right, there weren't really any internal conflicts---it was all about that dratted artifact and who would steal it, and so forth. So much time was devoted to the artifact that I felt the romance was a side story, not the main story. I agree with the other reviewers. Too much mystery and suspense. And enough already about the twin brats. No, it's not funny that they disrespect the school masters and nannies and get them fired or send them running for the hills. Shouldn't someone in this nutty, humanitarian family explain to these two chuckle heads that the servants who work for them are dependent upon the family for their livlihood and shouldn't be made sport of or driven away? I'm sorry, but the constant loss of servants due to Alex and Con in this series is rather contradictory to the family being so all about the working man and human rights. I like Candace Camp's works, and she's an instant buy for me. This one was okay, not her best.

When I see a book by Candace Camp I know it will be great.

This book starts where the last one, Mesmerized, left off. I liked this book because it provides everything that I was looking for. I love romance, and this one was excellent. The characters were likeable but they also had a few flaws. They fell in love, but it was in a way that made me laugh and sigh at the same time. The women in the book are all strong and independent and I like that type much better than the ones that are weak and needing a man to feel complete. The mystery was fun. It did not capture my interest like the romance but that is because my interests do not lie in history or relics. In any case, I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series of this family.