The Book of the Seven Delights (Jove Historical Romance) [Paperback]

Betina Krahn (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jove Historical Romance | Publication Date: June 28, 2005

Abigail Merchant travels to Casablanca to search for the remnants of the Great Library of Alexandria. There, her quest becomes entangled with the fate of a handsome ex-legionnaire. Arrogant, brash Apollo Smith hardly inspires trust...but he certainly inspires unladylike thoughts. Together they search for the remnants of the great library, but a host of vengeful legionnaires and greedy bandits is soon on their trail, threatening to put an end to the sensual delights they have just begun to discover.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From the Viking era to Industrial America, Krahn's novels have explored numerous periods and places, though her recent medieval-era romances (The Marriage Test; The Wife Test) are probably her best known. Her latest offers up another richly drawn locale—the sunburned landscape of 19th-century Morocco—but also a rather stale romance between Abigail Merchant, a naïve, book-smart librarian from Boston, and secretive Apollo Smith, a savvy adventurer with a habit of attracting danger. The two meet en route to Morocco when Apollo nurses a seasick Abigail back to health. Variations on this encounter recur throughout, with Apollo saving Abigail from thieves, depraved legionnaires, scorpions, suspicious nomads and, eventually, her own ignorance as they travel toward Timbuktu in search of the Great Library of Alexandria. Aside from the occasional lustful look, the two primarily exchange wimpy barbs. Though more than a few romances have evolved from less, their relationship is particularly unbelievable since Abigail never outgrows her role as priggish, self-righteous librarian. Bookended by an abrupt, unlikely intro and an extraneous epilogue, this romance is bland fare despite its exotic locale. (July)
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* American librarian Abigail Merchant intended to dazzle her misogynistic new employers at the British Museum with her skills in rare book and manuscript preservation. Instead, she is stuck in a dark, dreary basement cataloging a seemingly endless array of books sent to the museum for copyright acquisition. Then one day while navigating through the literary flotsam and jetsam, Abigail discovers an overlooked treasure: a collection of books and papers donated by eccentric scholar T. Thaddeus Chilton. Convinced that Chilton found the key to the location of the remains of the Library of Alexandria, Abigail "borrows" Chilton's papers and sets off for Africa. It is only after arriving in Morocco that Abigail comes to the conclusion that in spite of the extensive number of books she has read, she might just need infuriating and way too sexy for his own good ex-legionnaire Apollo Smith and his "unique" skills if she wants to succeed in finding the legendary library. Krahn's latest wonderfully creative historical is itself a treasure: an irresistible blend of impeccably crafted characters, an adventure-rich plot set in North Africa, and wickedly dry humor. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Jove; Regular Print/Single Titl edition (June 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515139726
• ISBN-13: 978-0515139723
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,274,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exotic Locales, Adventuresome and Romantic! 4-1/2*, June 28, 2005

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of the Seven Delights (Jove Historical Romance) (Paperback)

During a time, and in a field where women were not wanted but simply tolerated, Abigail Merchant was determined that she would succeed where others had failed. Having trained and been experienced as a fully qualified librarian and armed with her mother's eternal faith and support, Abigail knew she would persevere in the lowly position given to her of `cataloguing acquisitions' in the British Museum. Here she would stumble upon the journals of a noted scholar that would compel her to leave England and venture forth to the remote city of Timbuktu in order to complete said scholar's quest in locating the Great Library of Alexandria.

Along the way, her path crossed that of the arrogant and insufferable `Son of Satan' (SOS) Apollo Smith. Handsome in a swarthy pirate kind of way, complete with eye-patch, he was not her idea of hero material, although his somewhat tender care of her seasickness on the ocean crossing did garner him some points. Once she was well enough to notice - he certainly inspired and aroused some very annoying and unladylike feelings. As her un-appointed but necessary guide they battled the Sahara desert, nomad tribesmen, and some merciless French Foreign Legionnaires in their quest for the hidden treasures of the fabled Great Library of Alexandria, and discover an ancient scroll that would change their lives - The Book of Seven Delights.

*** This was an exciting romance filled with a suspenseful adventure as the protagonists battled one another as well as the dangers found in the Sahara desert. Initially bound to each other out of necessity, both Abigail and Apollo soon came to discover that some of the traits that infuriated them the most were those in the end they came to admire and embrace as they fell in love with each other. Krahn does an admirable job of inserting enough detail to keep the pace briskly moving from one harrowing escape to another as the two managed to keep one step ahead of the dangers that dogged their every move. In Abigail, the author has created a character with credible issues and feelings that the reader can relate to and Apollo was well drawn out as well, though I would have liked to discover what the inheritance was that his Uncle was willing to murder for. Otherwise, for those looking for a marvelous adventure set in the exotic locales of Casablanca and Timbuktu then this is the ticket. --- Marilyn, for www.historicromancewriters.com ---

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun romantic adventure, August 14, 2005

By 

D. K. Stokes - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of the Seven Delights (Jove Historical Romance) (Paperback)

Think The Mummy. Much fun ensues when a librarian goes after the lost library of Alexandria in the company of a man who's being hunted by the French Foreign Legion for desertion.

The good:
The banter. Abigail and Apollo's banter had me laughing out loud.
The adventure. It's fast-moving and exciting.
The book references. Abigail has learned everything she knows from books, and is constantly referring to them. It's funny and occasionally poignant.
All the twists and turns in the plot. There's one after the other.

The bad:
Not a thing, as long as you suspend your disbelief and just go along for the ride.

The surprising:
That in such a fun, romantic adventure, you also get character development and growth.

The verdict:
A wonderful read, particularly for fans of The Mummy, or Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epitome of its genre, January 26, 2006

By 

Amanda A. Evans "Book lover on the street" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of the Seven Delights (Jove Historical Romance) (Paperback)

I am not a professional reviewer like the other ladies who addressed this book, so my review will not contain a plot summary or be as long and polished as theirs were.

I'll simply say that this book is a great example of its genre. It's a fabulous, well-written, FUN historical adventure romance. You fall in love with the places they visit, and you root for the characters and boo the bad guys. It's a great couple of nights' read-yourself-to-sleep book -- if you can put it down!