Customer Reviews

Chain Lightning

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

 

 

Elizabeth Lowell's Chain Lightning is one of her better series titles.
While the prose is definitely purple at times, she writes the
"steadfast heroine" better than most other romance authors.
By that, I mean those heroines who are quietly strong although they
initially come off as weak to their heroes. When her books work, one
of the reasons they do is when that "ahah" moment happens to
her heroes, when they realize that the heroine has actually been
incredibly brave in facing her demons.

That's exactly what happens
in Chain Lightning, a romance about Amanda Blythe and Damon Sutter.
Amanda's boss is also Damon's aunt, and she decides to throw the two
together on a three-week vacation on an island in Australia's Great
Barrier Reef. Great idea, if Amanda hadn't nearly drowned in the
plane crash that killed her bum of a husband and their unborn child.
Great idea, if Damon could handle a woman not as strong as
himself.

But thrown together these two are, and as the sexual
tension increases, so does Damon eventually learn the truth about the
seemingly waifish Amanda. His "ahah" moment is both
effective and affecting, and the relationship these two forge as a
result is very touching. As author Lowell tends to do, there's always
one more hurdle to jump before an HEA ending, and this one is one of
her most poignant endings - up there with the endings in Too Hot to
Handle and Love Song for a Raven.

Elizabeth Lowell is one of the few
authors I read who writes seemingly endless love scenes - her series
titles always seem to include one that goes on forever - but they
often work for her, conveying in actions what the characters are
unable to convey with words. Chain Lightning is no exception, and if
the reader can get past some of the corny dialogue (her heroes often
seem to have horrible nicknames for their heroines), there's a good
time to be had...

I've read this book twice, and though I lend most of my books to friends this is a keeper. Sent by a meddeling boss on a suprise vacation to Austrial our heroine finds herself facing her three biggest fears, Water, Planes, and Boats. Mandy is a woman most of us can relate too. She won't hide from her fears. Sutter is a man that has a hard time understanding her at first. But being a diplomate he has learned to study people, and by studing Mandy he learns that there is more to her than her sharp whit, and amber eyes. What he finds, he doesn't want to amit. Beside a few big goofs on the scuba diving sequences, this was a great fast read. Want to get away for a day, pick-up this book and go to Australia with Mandy and Sutter.

Mandy Blythe is afraid of water, boats, and airplanes. The worst possible candidate for an Australian Barrier Reef vacation with Damon Sutter. Scared to death the entire way, Mandy somehow makes it to Lady Elliot Island in one piece. Once there she sets out to conquer her fear anyway she can. At first, Sutter is no help, and even goads her about being a frightened little bunny hiding in her burrow. Sooner or later, he comes around, though. As will you. Elizabeth Lowell continually writes excellent novels with believable characters and scenarios. So believable, in fact, even you might become afraid of water! Well done, Lowell!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm actually an avid fan of Elizabeth Lowell and I find her books to be actually really good. This book took me off guard. For such a short book, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as I found it to be. The passion is intense and the plot is nicely developed. The snappy dialouge that begins right from the start, entraps you in for a great time of laughs. The auction scene was great. With the plot being so intense, it was hard to keep up. The heroine of the story is overtaken by gripping fear as past come back to her with bitter memories. Then the hero (Damon Sutter) of the story, a hard headed, stubborn male who just wants to go scuba diving comes in to help her through. As the story progresses, they become closer and more intense. The ending was surprising because I didn't expect the heroine (Mandy) to do what she did... well read the book and you'll find out! I really enjoyed it and I know this is one book I would read again and again.

The plot is excellent, the main character must overcome several fears that would leave most women in therapy for the rest of their life. The setting (Great Barrier reef Ausie land) is also depicted in the most gorgeous detail. So why didnt I like this book more? Because Lowell can do so much better. Dialogue is perhaps the worst she has ever written. The romance is contrived (real death knell) This is a somewhat sad "could have been a contender"

I have never been disapointed by an Elizabeth Lowell book and Chain Lightning is certainly no exception. I was gripped from the first page, and caught myself grinning in pleasure many times during the book. If you love to cuddled up with a good book, read Chain Lightning. I highly recommend it! Thank you, Elizabeth Lowell.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It packs a very fascinating story into a small amount of pages. The romance that blooms between the two main characters is RED HOT! You don't want to miss reading this one!

I am a fan of Elizabeth Lowell and enjoyed the plot, the romance and most of the content of this book. However, when was the author last in Australia? Good grief, aussie men haven't called girls "shielas" for about thirty years and it's an extremely rare aussie girl who calls another girl "mate" - a term usually only used from one "bloke" to another. Also some of the diving terms were a bit out. (divers breathe air not oxygen) Ms Lowell's research is usually quite good so that was a bit disappointing.

I love Elizabeth Lowell and this book came highly recommended to me by a lady I met in the library.

Pros: Hot love scenes, serious fears with a traumatic cause, good chemistry between characters, great location.

Cons: Meddling aunt I could have done without, lots of lies and secrets, for at least the first half of the book Damon (male love interest) was a first class jerk.

This book was reissued in 2011, but was written in 1987. I think over time Lowell has become a much better writer, and so I was expecting much more. This book needed some serious editing.

Found this book quite by accident. Read it in one sitting. Did not want it to end! Elizabeth Lowell is great!