16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Splendid - Stand-Alone Sequel to Trilogy, July 25, 2005
This review is from: The Devil's Necklace (Mass Market Paperback)
Setting - London 1805 --- Ethan Sharpe, is a British privateer whose innermost goal in life was to see Harmon Jeffries, the traitor responsible for his brutal years in prison and the vicious deaths of his crew punished. To that end, when he discovered the person who aided Jeffries, was a woman by the name of Grace Chastain, and believing her to be Jeffries' mistress, he raided a ship she was on, captured and brought her back to his own ship where he planned to humiliate his enemy by seducing his woman.
Grace had to aid the man that all thought was a traitor; she couldn't let him hang even knowing that her life would be forfeit should she be caught. When she was captured by the brooding sea captain with murder in his eyes, Grace thought the priceless heirloom necklace, given to her by her best friend, promising either great happiness or great tragedy to the wearer was certainly living up to the latter part of the legend as she was forced to resist the coarse advances of the boorish and crude sea captain.
During the voyage, as Ethan finally came to believe that the woman was not who he imagined her to be and was beginning to admire her spunk and courage, the seduction he planned became his hearts desire. After one totally blissful and sensually exciting encounter, and Ethan realized she was an innocent, Grace explained away her connection to Jeffries. Totally dismayed by this revelation, Ethan would have to decide if he could lay aside his vengeance long enough to come to terms with and follow his heart's desire or let hatred rule his life.
*** This was a smashing sequel to Martin's newest trilogy that started with THE BRIDE'S NECKLACE. The main protagonists torment was vividly written and forcefully brought home in this tremendously emotional and exciting adventure. Martin does an amazing job with insinuating all the nuances of betrayal, longing and sensual delight in her writing. The dialogs are smart, witty, and fresh and invites the reader in to become a part of the drama in this latest, totally stand-alone, entry to the trilogy. While I could understand Ethan's torment of loving Grace, knowing who she was, I truly would have liked to kick his (...) for his obstinacy, and wept tears of joy when the author brought him along to accept and charish the gift he'd actually been given. This is another absolutely marvelous romantic adventure by one very talented author I highly recommend.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I cannot praise this book enough!!, September 6, 2005
This review is from: The Devil's Necklace (Mass Market Paperback)
I had a feeling when I read about Ethan in the Bride book he was going to be a very compelling character. He did not disappoint. And even though he should have been just racked with dispair and revenge he still managed to have so much heart and so many feelings. I mean this man's crew, almost all of them lost their lives due to a traitor - a traitor Ethan believes is his beloved Grace's father. How unbelievalby challenging that would be for a man, and a captain. Ethan truly falls in love with Grace and she him - it is really intense. Grace understands how Ethan must set her aside because of who she is - however their mutual friends intervene and they thus become wed. Usually when the hero tries to keep his feelings in check and not fall in love with the wife you want to bash him. In this case, it was so understandable why Ethan kept fighting his feelings. When Grace overhears the former crew member calling Ethan a traitor for marrying Grace she really does understand how impossible their marriage is. There are so many heartwrenching scenes in this book. The characters from the Bride book return and are even more endearing in this second of the trilogy. The mystery of the traitor is a good one and the way it wraps around the love story of Ethan and Grace is powerful. This is one book I highly recommend - I think it would be good to read the Brides Necklace first as I found myself rereading it while I read this one, just to get a true understanding of all the players. This is one that deserves more than 5 stars!
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10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Title & Cover Looked Good...Content Not So Good..., December 16, 2005
This review is from: The Devil's Necklace (Mass Market Paperback)
This is the 2nd novel by Kat Martin I read. I also read "Innocence Undone" by this author (so-so). I thought this author had promise as her story lines have some depth and her characters very animated. I was hopeful that this next book would be more developed and have deeper character interests than the first book I read. Unfortunately...I liked it even less.
Some of the reviews noted that the book had wit, the story line was gripping, the love between the two emotional etc......I did not find any of that to be the case.
The book actually started out much better than the middle and ending. Reason...at least in the beginning Ethan was a dashing pirateer who sailed the high seas, taking his rightful bounty and protecting his men. In turn, Grace was a strong, independent and thinking woman who was feisty and bold upon her capture from the pirate captain Ethan. Their early meetings had fire works, interesting dialogue and thoughtful insights as to what each was thinking about the other. They got together very early in the book physically and once they both went back to land and took up their original wealthy lives well...the story got dull.
Grace suddenly turned into this boring and un-spirited miss once she got pregnant and married Ethan. Instead of taking control of her life and destiny, she seems to allow him to control everything which is at odds with the girl we first meet in the book who will do anything to save her father's life, will bribe pirates to let her go, swim across the cold channel waters to save herself etc. Where did that girl with fire and zest go? It's a mystery.
In turn, Ethan turns into this dull land locked fella who constantly denies how he feels about Grace and runs from her at every opportunity once he is forced into marrying her over the child. Even after his child is born he remains cold, aloof and distant through most of the book.
I don't enjoy novels that dwell only on the physical sides of relationships - sex, sex, sex. That's all this book was about - how much he wanted her physically (rarely about liking her, enjoying her, loving her, etc.). In turn, she loves him early on but, doesn't seem to fight for what she wants they way she should have. The two of them have plenty of intimate scenes but, without deep and abiding and respectful love for the other...the lust feels a bit empty.
The ending of the story was neat and tidy - too perfect to really be of interest.
Many fans who like her books will probably be used to this style of writing and might enjoy this read. It just wasn't for me. I wanted to root Grace and Ethan on as characters but, there just wasn't enough interest or depth to them to do that.
This author is two for two so far - and that means two I didn't care for. Wish I could give higher stars but, I'll look elsewhere for writers who appeal to me more emotionally.
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