Customer Reviews

To the Ends of the Earth

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the best contemporary I have read in a very long time. (For the last few years, I've been reading about three to four novels a week. 70% are historicals and 30% contemps.)

From the moment I opened the book, I was hooked. I actually forgot to eat my supper! For someone who lives to eat (as opposed to most folks who eat to live) this is a good indicator of the books captivating pull. When I went outside to tell my man that I forgot to fix dinner, he asked why I had to bring my novel with me. I didn't even realize I was holding it! It was as if I didn't want to leave the euphoric cloud that my head was in. The wonderful world that Elizabeth Lowell created in her book To the ends of the earth. From the minute Cat(Cathy) and Travis meet, they are instantly attracted to each other. How refreshing! I didn't have to wait until the middle of the book for them to admit to themselves that they liked the other. When I meet someone, I know within five minutes whether I'm attracted to them or not. No wonder then that I was instantly drawn to this book.

By the time I got to work the next day, I was bad off. Since I had stayed up late reading, I had gotten very little sleep. I actually thought about calling in sick so I could finish reading this book. I don't smoke but took cigarette breaks during work just so I could read another few pages! Same thing during bathroom breaks and lunch breaks. So don't say I didn't warn you. Do not pick this book up to read until after you have done your chores. Preferably, read it over the weekend. There are no boring parts in this book. No wonder I couldn't put the book down. And the sensual heat that these two were able to generate... hoo-boy! Nothing too graphic but just enough sexual tension to keep me turning those pages.

I went through all my emotional ranges. I was intrigued, excited, heated, and yes, my eyes got a little watery at one point. I even felt anger at Travis and if the book was written any other way, I might have given this book 4 and a half stars because he can be such a jerk sometimes. Thank goodness Cat knows how to handle him, where the door is and how to use it. Thank goodness she's no doormat. Far, far from it. In most books, I always feel that the guys never suffers enough for their misdeeds but in this book, I truly felt that Travis learned his lesson. I thought the Author handled that part very well. Most of all, I really identified with Cat. In most romances, I usually remember the hero & rarely the heroine. Cat is the exception. I can't think of any heroine that was more strong, determined and plucky than Cat.

Travis learns that money can't buy hapiness but I did buy a little happiness when I bought this book. This is why I read romance.

First of all, I would just like to say that Elizabeth Lowell is an exceptional writer. Her storys never lack depth or substance, and this book is certainly no exception.

This story involves the beautiful Cat Cochran, a photographer who lives and breathes her work. She is a woman who works day and night so that she can support her mother and two siblings. She is a woman who has been hurt by an unforgiving past.

Travis Danvers is a self made rich man. His past has also left him unwary and cautious of all women. He cannot trust that any women would love anything more than money. Even himself.

With that state of mind, Travis meets Cat, the lovely photographer for his book on sailboats. He is drawn to her quiet beauty, but of course assumes that she is like most of the other women he has known. Women who are only interested in him for his vast fortune. He desperately wants to believe otherwise, but he has been hurt before.

Even though Cat has been deeply hurt by "rich" men, she cannot help but fall for the striking Travis Danvers. Because of her immense responsibilities, Cat cannot stop overworking herself. Travis tries to buy her time with him, but she cannot accept. She will not accept his money, she will be no man's mistress. Cat Cochran takes care of her own self.

Cat and Travis' pasts hurts come in the way of their blossiming love. Past betrayals make Travis hurt Cat in an unforgivable manner. Alone and afraid, Cat loses something deeply cherished, something which means the world to her. Only the love from Travis can make the wronged, right.

This is an excellent novel, which will take you and sweep you off your feet. I recommend it wholeheartedly. You won't regret it.

I cannot get over how intensely this book grips you from beginning to end!
What a fabulous deep romance!
They do not write romances like these anymore where the story is all about the passions, emotions, and past traumas that the hero and heroine struggle constantly with, which creates such a sensual atmosphere of tension and suspense, you will not want to put the book down until you finish it!

The hero is a ship designing genius with an ugly past marriage that has blinded him to view women as money-hungry harlots. She is a talented photographer who escaped a more traumatizing marriage and is struggling financially to put her sibling twins into Medical School. She is assigned to take photos of one of his designer ships, but they meet unexpectedly before they know each other's identities and the chemistry between them is instant and genuinely open.

The writing is unbelievably intense; it creates an exotically detailed, moody, and stormy atmosphere that is congruous with the characters' personalities. The reader physically feels the electrical emotions passing through them when they are fighting, making love, crying or admiring each other's artistic genius.

Furthermore, the novel hardly incorporates any side characters, but when they are introduced their development is kept to a minimal-they onle serve to heighten the suspense for the main character's romance-or aid it.

The ending is especially gut-wrenching and I actually wept.

Judith Mcnaught fans, you will be moved by this book. As for everyone else, the same thing goes! Read it and you will not regret the sensual, sexy, tumultuous dive of a romance that you will surely experience!

This was the first Elizabeth Lowell I read and I was absorbed by it. I did enjoy her writing style and thought that some of her images were almost poetic; for example, sailing a boat across the incandescent eye of God. However, I wonder whether Cat has any self-respect at all. How could she go back to someone who attempted repeatedly to buy her affection and her time, called her a whore, attempted to buy their child, abandoned her and left her flat on her back in bed, and thinks that money can buy anything? She should have told him to take a hike--or rather, a sail. Being called a whore by someone you love is the equivalent of physical violence and is absolutely not acceptable under any circumstances. This problem marred what otherwise would have been a fine book. And why the heck was she supporting her ditsy mother? Couldn't her "green angel" have put some pressure on the rich friend who was going to marry her in a few months?

I only give this book two stars because it has a really long, protracted grovel scene at the end that could have only been improved upon by the heroine dumping the bum anyway. Oh well. The rest of the book was so bad it was painful to read....the whole Cathy, Cat, Kitten, claws, scratching references...ugh!

And the TSTL heroine is overworked, underfed and sleep deprived in part to pay for her mother's wedding? I had no sympathy for her at all.

Dialog between the main characters was so unrealisitic, one of the worst I have ever read.

One of the best romance books by one of the 'greats' (ranked at the top with Susan Johnson, Sandra Brown, Linda Howard etc.). The best book from Elizabeth Lowell by far. An independent and strong woman 'Cat' falls in love with a weary, successful, wealthy 'Travis'. Mistrust in women surfaces as Travis struggles to accept that Cat loves him for himself, and not his money. Dialogue is great. I've re-read it a dozen times. More of this sort of stories, with many heart-wrenching moments, please!

Romance novels never used to make me cry. I love reading them but I usually end up dismissing the plot and characters as fluff. I know that there will be a happy ending and therefore, read the book unemotionally. Well. I can honestly say that this book, To the Ends of the Earth, made me shed more than a tear. Actually, when my sister walked in and saw me sitting on the couch surrounded by discarded tissues. She was alarmed and thought there was actually something wrong with me.

But really, this book captures the beauty and emotion of love so well that it just pulls at your heart, demanding your emotions. I simply could not detach myself from the plot. The fresh happiness of the newly-discovered love between Cat and Travis and finally the heart-wrenching climax...OH! This book was just brimming with passion and raw human emotion, stripped to the core. The diction is so fluid and appropriate that I found myself mesmerized. A truly wonderful book. Notice I didnt say romance. This book sheds the boring predictability often associated with romance and emerges out as a novel brimming with passion, dreams and most of all...LOVE

This is an unusually emotionally intense romance novel. Considering that emotional intensity is pretty much the hallmark of romance novels, that is saying a lot. It is the story of Cat Cochran, a very talented but struggling professional photographer, and Travis Danvers, a wealthy designer of superior sailboats. Both are emotionally damaged - she by a wealthy but brutal ex-husband and he by a money-grubbing woman who manipulated a pregnancy in hopes of financial gain. The two accidentally meet and are immediately attracted to one another even though each has similarities to the person that traumatized the other in the past. Cat has not been paid by her some of her most important customers and is valiantly struggling to bring in enough money to support herself and her glomming family. Travis wants to make her his mistress and put a price on their relationship. He can't relax unless they've agreed upon a financial settlement. Also, Cat is working so hard that she is physically exhausted and doesn't have much time for him. Cat, of course, is wary of any financial dependence and isn't about to sell herself. Despite their inability to come to understanding, they begin a fervent relationship that surprises both of them. Naturally, all is not smooth sailing, and they both are placed in positions where they must confront and overcome their emotional demons.

Both characters are very appealing. Travis comes off as a very realistic modern-day pirate type, and I was particularly able to relate to the way Cat balanced her physical exhaustion with her need to be with Travis. Lowell does an amazing job of conveying that state where you are overwhelmed with responsibilities but are still giddily excited about a new relationship. There isn't a lot of plot to this story - no mystery to solve or evil third party trying to drive the two apart. The sole focus of the book is the relationship, and it packs a powerful punch. A great read for romance fans.

I picked up this book because of all the great reviews about it not being your typical romance. That review by someone is an understatement. It's not a typical romance because I actually didn't read any romance. To me, romance involves a state of mind and a commitment that was purely lacking for 99% of the book. Yes, there was some groveling towards the end that made it a two star instead of a one, but ultimately it was the story that I found seriously flawed and sometimes mind boggling for the holes that it contained.

Cat Cochran is an independant financially struggling woman who works herself to the bone as a photographer to put her twin siblings through medical school while financing her mother's rich lifestyle after her mother blew through all the family's money. Evidently, her mother is marrying a wealthy man in January so she won't have to worry about her any further and free up more of her time and cash flow. As Cat continues to work 20 hour days, she exhausts herself and her health deteriorates drastically, yet she holds on to the light at the end of the tunnel only months away with her mother's marriage. With that she takes on new assignments with the latest being photographs of a wealthy ship designer Travis Danvers

Cat, who grew up rich and was once married to a very wealthy man, has an aversion to rich men. Her ex treated her abominably and called her a whore when he realized she couldn't have children and she essentially believes that rich men are incapable of love. So when she meets Travis, at first not knowing who he is, but learning early on that he's a wealthy man, it's hard to digest that a woman who's so careful with her feelings (Her motto is fool me once, damn you, fool me twice, damn me)and who strives for independance, latches on to Travis the way that she does.

Travis, like Cat, also has some major baggage. His ex wife apparently got pregnant so he would marry her then aborted the baby after the wedding. He's terrified of money hungry "sluts" and believes all women who are not richer than he, is one of them. When he meets Cat, there is an instant attraction between them and Travis simply cannot get enough of her, but doesn't trust her a bit. He frequently gets angry with her because her work gets in the way of them spending the little time they have together since he'll never marry her and he's essentially waiting for her to ask him for money for them to be able to spend time together. Quite frankly, he's looking forward to it, because then he'll understand the relationship on his own financial terms.

Of course Cat is not looking for an easy way and although they have great sex, Travis manages to continuouly insult her integrity, she tells him to go to hell, he says sorry, and she takes him back... over and over and over again. Until finally, the sterile Cat finds herself pregnant with Travis' baby and all hell breaks loose. Travis immediately calls her a whore, tells her he won't marry her, and offers her a check to have the baby and hand over custody to him. WHAT?! Of course, Cat tells him to go to hell, again, and he leaves. Since Cat thought she could never have kids, she latches on to the pregnancy like a lifeline and of course more so since it's Travis' (her love's) baby, but her health is so poor with all her work that it's a forgone conclusion she'll miscarry.

I'll stop there because that summarizes 322 pages out of 358 in total. Sorry, not romantic. They have a meal or two at a restaurant, but no presents, no romantic surprises, not even steamy sex scenes to be honest. With that, also lies some fundamental flaws with the story. We never meet Cat's mother or siblings. Heck, I can't even tell you if they're male or female siblings. I think it's critical to know who they are since Cat is killing herself to support them. Do they even appreciate it? Even though all her loans and credit cards are maxed, she finds a way to pair their tuition and a trousseau for her mother? No offense, but if she's marrying a rich man, let him pay for it. It doesn't make any sense and there's no explanation as to why she's doing it in the first place. It's rather the cornerstone to the believability of the story and it's never mentioned. Anyway, Cat seems rather pathetic in my view with absolutely zero self respect. Travis is nothing short of a headcase. Perhaps they deserve each other, but with everything they've been through, I just don't see how they could have a happily ever after.

This book was an excellent example of Lowell at her best. The characters are intelligent and realistic. The only problem I have with re-writes... the language gets worse and frankly takes away from the plot and causes some confusion. I don't often cry while reading, but this one had me sobbing in the end, waiting for that happy ending but it did keep the pages turning. . I was happier with this book than I have been with works by Lowell. This was a good read!