Customer Reviews

No Choice but Seduction (Malory Family)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

I've enjoyed the Malory series and the off-shoot Anderson books, but this one just irritated me.

The interaction between the hero and heroine was rushed at first when the vital foundation of their attraction needed to occur and they spent the rest of the time alternating in treating each other badly. Both had moments where they were 'too-stupid-to-live' and, although the reader knows from his inner thoughts and motivations that Boyd is not a villain, some of his actions were beyond smarmy and inexcusable.

The Malorys appeared which is usually a bonus, but at one point Anthony and James (whose glib back-and-forth is becoming tiresome IMO) took over the entire story with a reveal that wasn't even hinted at until halfway through the book. Considering how much the characters involved appeared in the first half, that whole plot point (even with its importance) seemed like an afterthought. Boyd eventually dropped out entirely due to this story line and we didn't even check back in with him until three pages before the end when he showed up for the HEA.

During the Big Moment (similar to Danny's experience in 'A Loving Scoundrel') Boyd wasn't even there. It was Katey with the two Malory brothers and all of the chapters dealing with that business were long and detailed (in some cases taking pages to retell other Malory novels which is annoying to say the least when they weren't crucial to this story).

I'm very open to new things in novels. I don't need the traditional template. But this was unorganized and had a 'dashed off' feel to it. It felt as if the author had grabbed a few romance novel staples, strung them together and plugged a couple of decent characters into the creation. As a result, I didn't like either of their actions leading to the HEA and felt they needed more moments that were unsullied by manipulation.

I give it two stars because somehow I really did want them to end up together. And I could see why Katey came around and I was glad it finally happened. Otherwise I would have given it only one star.

I like Johanna Lindsay and I think she created two good characters here, which is very important, but then she did them a disservice by weighing them down with a top-heavy, disorganized story line.

And one last note. While I do enjoy seeing the Malorys I don't think it's necessary to retell each of their novels with so much detail. It takes away from the current story. They're just support characters at this point, so it's not necessary to refer to so many details that don't have an impact on the story at hand.

EDIT TO ADD: It's been brought to my attention and now I remember that the twist was indeed foreshadowed, however I never felt the connection itself had been set up. Possibly the feeling that it had dropped into my lap was the unnecessary nature of the twist along with the incredible coincidence involved in having it come about. But fair is fair, the hints did occur. I stand corrected. :)

I don't expect complicated stories from this author but she has created a wonderful family in the Malorys. However, this book was an incredible disappointment. Katey and Boyd's story was at best a nouvella plunked down in what appears to be a book of boring backstory telling the reader all about the family members and their stories at the expense of Katey and Boyd's. First off her loyal readers know those stories and it would only have been important to tell the uninformed reader if it was relevant to this couples' story but it wasn't. The problem then was she spent so much time in the backstory of the Malory clan and the absolutely incredible cliched story of Sir Anthony and Katey that she forgot about Boyd and his need to court his lady.

At best all the reader saw was Boyd's lust for Katey and her need to be part of a family, this isn't the stuff of good romance fiction and Lyndsey knows that as should her editor. As this was a romance, where was the sexual tension and the "ah" factor? No black moment, no sexual tension. Don't expect it in this book, it isn't there. Sadly she finally spent the last three pages of the book bringing Katey and Boyd together which was the biggest sellout to her loyal readers and after thought at best. This couple deserve their own book and this one clearly isn't it. Makes one wonder if she actually wrote this book or was it the last book on a publisher's contract.

I would say buy the book used later on, but Loyal readers know the Malory stories already and Katey and Boyd just don't have enough of a story to bother to purchase this one new or used.. So my suggestion is to read her back list if you aren't familair with the Malorys and hope her next offering is more judiciously edited by her editor.

Johanna Lindsey has written some really good romance novels a la "Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Carribean". You know the story is far fetched, the characters are cartoon like in the fact that her hero can take on a half dozen men without a scratch and the heroine is always the most stunning beauty, but she is the last to know that. Nevertheless, I have loved most of her books as the characters were likeable and the rogues always fell head over heels in love and became model husbands. With regards to the Anderson family, my favorite story of course is that of Georgina and James in Gentle Rogue (coming on audiobooks this month). I also thought she found an excellent match for Drew in Gabi in Captive of My Desires and that Amy was what Warren needed to cure his broken heart in The Magic of You. This book however is a huge disappointment. Boyd, sweet gentle Boyd deserved better than a whiny, vindictive, lying woman such as Katie. I listened to the audio and turned it off 2.5 hrs before the story was over as I could no longer stomach this idiot woman. One moment she is having sex with Boyd and the next, she is furious with him. How many times is a person supposed to apologize before you give him a break. Her constant humiliation to him in public made her rude, lacking class and tact in my opinion. She was just very unsympathetic for me to root for her. If you want to read a good Lindsey book, grab "A Loving Scoundrel". "Captive of My Desires", "The Magic of You", "A Gentle Rogue" or "Marriage Most Scandalous". Stay away from "A man to call my own", "the Devil who Tamed Her" "Home For the Holidays" and "No Choice But Seduction". They are not Lindsey's best work.

No Choice But Seduction is the next installment of Lindsey's beloved Malory family. This storyline is about Boyd Anderson the youngest brother of the Anderson family and Katey Tyler an American woman who meets Boyd on his ship after leaving her town to travel the world. This latest book in my opinion is another great addition to the Malory series. Lindsey brings back many of the characters from her previous novels that we all know and love by incorporating them into the story through the strong family bonds and humor that the Malory's are all too well known for. James and Tony come back with a vengence with their rowdy behavior and witty humor, leaving me laughing on more than one occasion as I turned the pages.

There is a plot twist that caught me completely off guard but kept me riveted to the book till the very last page. I also believe that she did give Boyd and Katey a good romance tale. Like all her other romance novels it was a cat and mouse game to see who would be the first to admit their love for the other and convince themselves of how right they are for each other. Boyd never once gave up on his love for Katey and Katey felt a passion for Boyd that was evident from the beginning. So though many other reviews say so this novel does not lack in the romance department. For those Malory fans out there I do think you will highly enjoy this next installment. I began reading the Malory's late and was introduced to them only two years ago through Captive of my Desires which also recieved many bad reviews. This upsets me for the simple fact that Johanna Lindsey has not lost her touch and is still a great novelist. Her books especially the Malorys give you everything that you could ask for from a romance: family, love, friendships, passion and humor. After reading this book I remembered exactly why I fell in love with this family and why Johanna Lindsey continues to be my favorite author.

I highly recommend No Choice But Seduction to any romance, Lindsey, or Malory fan and be prepared to be taken back into time with a fun read that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. I am already eagerly awaiting her next Malory novel and hope that Johanna doesn't listen to the bad reviews and keeps rockin as she has continued to do over the years.

Johanna Lindsey is a wonderful author, and is responsible for my love of the genre. Unfortunately, this book was missing the Lindsey magic. The thing I love most about a Lindsey novel is the interactions between the leads. Even if they fight and have a love/hate relationship the interactions always feed the attraction until they fall in love without realizing it. Sadly that was not the case with this book. The hero and heroine did not actually spend very much time together in this book, and their interaction with each other just did not seem to lead to love.

This book picks up after Captive of My Desires. It was introduced in that book that the hero of this work, Boyd Anderson, had already met and lusted after the heroine, Katey Tyler. This book did not go back and really explore their relatinship on board ship eluded to in Captive and merely passingly reaffirmed it happened in this piece, which would have been interesting had that time together been more deeply explored.

Already deciding he was ready to settle down and marry, Boyd was more than happy to marry Katey when she re-enters his life after his bad case of lust. The previous relationship not being more thourghly explored left you wondering why Boyd would be so eager to marry this particular heroine.

I also found very little likable about the heroine, and to be honest wondered why Boyd would even continue to bother with her. He mistakenly believes that she kidnapped Anthony Mallory's daughter when he finds them together after receiving a ransom note (which is constantly referred to as a blackmail note although their is no blackmail involved). Even though this would be a natural assumption on anyone's part at first. And despite Katey's explaining she had really rescued Judith, anyone would need some investigation in that situation to be satisfied. Still she becomes angry with the hero for believing her guilty. The heroine is not understanding about his mistake, even though, he allows her to escape believing she is the kidnapper. She feels he should know her better after the time they spent together, but we the reader don't get to see any of the bonds developed in their previous time together. In fact both character's think about how he spends most of that initial meeting trip avoiding her because she told him she was married. How exactly was the hero supposed to know her character so well that she would be uncapable of such a crime? This makes it hard to feel Katey's pain that Boyd did not initially believe her. Their whole back history is given as memoris from the h/h that are not detailed enough to give the reader a sense of any bond between them. Then she won't forgive his mistake, and claims he owes her so he should let her rent his ship to finish her tour of the world. Obviously this is an opportunity for the two leads to be able to spend time together right? And yet....

The two leads still spend little interaction time with each other aboard ship, and their is no "good" romantic tension build up between the two leads.

Final problem with the heroine. She has decided to go on this tour of the world to fill the boredom in her life after the loss of her parents, and rejection of her family. Although she has fallen in love with the hero she dosen't want to give up her tour of the world to start a family with him. Instead she wants him to wait for her until she's finished. He even offers to let her continue her tour of the world, and bring any children they have with them and share the world with them. But Katey dosen't think that is a good way to raise children. Then with a twist ending when she does find some biological family she is only to ready to give up her plans for a tour of the world, and decides to go ahead and marry Boyd instead of losing time and waiting. The hero again offers to share a tour of the world with her and any children, and now it is a great idea and grand gesture.

This is the only Mallory book that I have found disappointing.

Let me start off by saying I love the Malorys.

*******MAY BE SPOILERS BELOW. READ AT YOUR WILL******

When the book started, I thought I was going to hate Katey. She appeared to be an air headed twit that didn't have the sense God gave an ant. Later in the book, I loved how she could have a complete argument and stay angry. She didn't let Boyd say something sweet and immediately forgive him.

I, also, liked how Boyd was clearly in the wrong and felt guilty and had a desire to make amends. I just wish he'd have been more passionate and maybe dominant.

It was nice seeing old characters again. Villains and hero/heroines alike.

However, the plot was rather boring. There was very little to the romance. Stating you desire someone and doing nothing about it is not romance. They didn't even kiss until page 200. The ending was rushed. I wouldn't have minded another 50 pages or so. Also, what Boyd did on the Island was quite mean.
*******
Just a little gripe, her Malory family has now become so large she should add a family tree to the foreward. How many children does Amy have?
I recommend this author and this series.

How best to describe this book... Yawn! I've always liked Johanna Lindsey's books but this one misses the mark. The main characters, Katey and Boyd weren't really likeable; in fact I found them irritating. And the bickering between James and Anthony was carried too far. Add to that Judith, a seven year old child that carried on a conversation like a twenty year old.

I kept reading the book hoping it would get better but the story line was poorly created. I gave the book two stars just because I was able to finish it although I was skimming the pages towards the end.

If you want to keep current on what's happening with the Malory family then I would recommend reading this book but I would wait until it comes out in paperback.

Zzzzzzzz. 170 pages into the story and I was still bored. The story keeps circling around it self never going anywhere. The characters are boring. Lindsey goes on and on about the "Mallory's". Who cares. There is no meat to this story.

I finally gave up. I couldn't imagine struggling through another 100 pages. Thank goodness I didn't waste money on this, thanks to the public library.

After inheriting a fortune from her mother's death, American Katey Tyler decides to leave Connecticut and sail around the world. Her first stop, however, will be England, where she hopes to reconnect with her mother's estranged family who disinherited her for marrying an American. Katey sails aboard The Oceanus, a ship owned by Boyd Anderson, and finds herself attracted to the man in question. However, for some reason, she tells him that she's married rather than succumb to his attractions. Katey has always been a beauty, and the three marriageable men in her small Connecticut town all proposed to her--but she wants more for her life. She wants to see the world and meet her family. The rest can wait. Though she feels bad about lying to Boyd, she contents herself with the knowledge that she did so for a good reason.

Boyd Anderson, however, is not so sure. Born to the Anderson shipping family, Boyd is used to getting his way. He commands a fleet of ships that provide him with substantial wealth. That, and seeing how happy the rest of his extended family have become, make Boyd eager to settle down and make England his home. He's sailing to London when he meets Katey, and curses the fact that she's married. Still, even after he's arrived at his destination he has a hard time forgetting her. But when his niece Judith is kidnapped, Katey moves to the back of his mind while he concentrates on joining his in-laws, the Malorys, to bring Judy back home. Imagine his surprise when he sneaks up on the kidnappers, only to find Katey Tyler...

Johanna Lindsey has always been hit or miss for me. This book was a definite miss. There are those out there who love the Malorys. I've always been more a fan of her medievals and the stand-alone historicals, and this book is exactly why. So much focus is placed on knowing the Malory history that you're done a disservice if you haven't read ALL of the rest of the books in the series--and in order. I've read a goodly portion of them, and even I was lost sometimes in the constant references to things that happened in the previous books. And it also seemed like Lindsey was resting on the success of the series. People love the Malorys so I don't really have to try that hard because the books will sell themselves. Wrong! Good books will sell themselves, this one wasn't. It was formulaic, uninspired, and if I'm being honest, boring.

Boyd sees Katey Tyler and knows that he wants her. Fine. It's happened a thousand times in romances and I've been able to move on. But that's just it. He sees her, wants her, and doesn't get past it. He doesn't need to know anything else about her. Forget her likes, dislikes, family, upbringing, hopes, dreams: none of it matters. He wants her, so he'll continue to want her. And Katey was about as uninteresting a heroine as I've ever read. She wants to sail the world, which is a lovely idea in theory. But there's no real thought behind it. The girl knows nothing of geography, where she should travel, how she should get there, or any of the other thousand things you should figure out before embarking as a woman alone on a trip around the world. But then, when has logic ever gotten in the way of a dream? This book was exasperating, and it makes me angry because when Lindsey is good, she's great. Sadly, those seem to be distant memories.

If you want to read a great Lindsey story, pick up Prisoner of My Desire or Love Me Forever (Sherring Cross). If you want a historical series that is consistently good and entertaining, check out Gaelen Foley's Knight series beginning with The Duke or Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series beginning with Secrets of a Summer Night (The Wallflowers, Book 1). But I urge you to steer clear of this book if you're looking for either of those. You'll just be disappointed.

I am a avid lindsey fan. I have read, and saved every book she has ever writen, half of them hard cover, so when I spend 20 bucks on a book. I at least expect a story. I have to say when I got to the last three pages of the book and she still hadn't bothered to get to anything about her chariters WHO THE BOOK WAS SUPOSE TO BE ABOUT! I was mad! Normally I hate listening to reviews and usually don't put much stock into what is said but I'm so mad that I couldn't sleep. Thought I would just tell you this has got to be the worst book she has ever done. listen to the reviews because they are not pulling your leg.