Customer Reviews

His Every Kiss (Avon Romantic Treasure)

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

 

 

Dylan Moore was a brilliant pianist, composer, and conductor whose music was his first and only love and now, reckless as always, his escapades could, to the casual observer, signal something more - like perhaps a death wish? For Dylan, since falling from his horse, the noise in his head was a fate worse than death for he could no longer hear the music. One fateful night he was ready to end it all until a mysterious beautiful violinist came to his rescue and for a moment - he heard the music swirl around her in a lovely melody. Though he tried to find her it would be five long years before he located the woman who had stopped his suicide and stirred his soul.

Grace Cheval, knew when Dylan found her again that she wanted nothing to do with him - he was so much like the artist she had wed and left - the type of man who didn't know how to love anything but their art. Unfortunately, she was destitute as well as disgraced and had very little options left in order to survive, so she accepted Dylan's offer of a position of governess to his newfound daughter. Grace, a passionate woman who had spent so many lonely years alone now denied herself and the growing feelings Dylan inspired. She fought every kiss that was slowly and surely melting the ice around her heart, but before she surrendered to the increasing passion could she melt the ice around his?

I thought this was an absolutely dynamic character study of a brilliantly gifted man and woman. He who was so tormented by an accident that diminished his ability to compose and play the music that he loved. While Grace, who had fiercely loved and saw that love wasted on a husband who had no room in his soul to love anything other than his art, knew that Dylan was cut from the same cloth. When her dire circumstances led her to accept the position he offered she was sure she would not make the same mistake of allowing herself to fall in love with him. The secondary and beautifully crafted 8-year-old illegitimate daughter Isabella, was both the catalyst that began Dylan's initiation into a caring human being and gave a superb strength to the overall plot as Dylan began to see himself in his small daughter. Isabella, the very precocious daughter was a total delight even as she exhibited some of the same spoiled selfish brat traits of the father that he found weren't quite nice. While there were not a lot of actual passionate encounters, the underlying sensuality of the story was extremely well done and I totally enjoyed the beautifully contrived character studies of both the protagonists and the deeply sensual romance.
*** I get thoroughly upset when readers slap a book because they might not 'get it' - My advice - read and decide for yourself! -
--- Marilyn Rondeau, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---

There are those who bemoan the loss of quality historical romance and sometimes after a particularly bad read, I am inclined to agree with them. But every once in a while an author comes along with a book so incredibly engrossing that I am one again hopeful that the genre will survive the glut of unimaginative, lackluster crap that's put out there.

Composer Dylan Moore is as famous for his brilliant music as he is for his wild lifestyle and his reckless antics. During one wild escapade, Dylan takes a fall from his horse and hits his head on a rock. He survives the fall but the injury caused by the impact creates an incessant buzzing sound in his head that drowns out the music. Tormented by his inability to compose Dylan is driven to near madness and in his typical dramatic fashion tries to take his own life at a concert hall where he had conducted his most brilliant works.

His savior turns out to be the hall's hauntingly beautiful charwoman who manages to convince him in a no-nonsense way that he has something to live for even if it doesn't seem like it at
the time.Dylan concedes, not because of her speech but because for the first time since the accident he is able to hear music. So,the good news is that Dylan might be able to compose again.The bad news is that his muse has disappeared without a trace.

Five years later, Grace Cheval is nearly destitute when she runs into Dylan Moore again. This time he will stop at nothing to possess this sensual woman who has the ability to bring back the music his life revolves around. Grace, on the other hand, already played muse to an artist with disastrous results so she fights Dylan tooth and nail every step of the way. Then one day Dylan's life is changed forever when a daughter he never knew he had is dropped off at his doorstep giving him the perfect excuse to bring Grace into his life. The ever practical Grace, being almost homeless at this point, decides that taking a post as governess to Dylan's daughter is the lesser of two evils.
So,she agrees as long as he understands that she will not now nor will she ever accept to become his lover or his muse.

It is no secret that I'm a sucker for tortured heroes.Dylan Moore is magnificent in his torment and the author does not try to sugarcoat him at any time. He is a gloriously moody,selfish, self-absorbed, devil-may-care bad boy.But, at the same time she gives the reader teasing glimpses of the tender, thoughtful, loving man that lies beneath and it makes for a very potent combination. She also suceeded in creating a perfect heroine for him. Grace is a practical, strong, smart woman who is completely unafraid of her sexuality. She has made some terrible mistakes in the past but she will not crucify herself for them.In short, she is a breath of fresh air in a time period that is polluted with self sacrificing virgins. I also loved Isabel, Dylan's daughter. Other reviewers have pointed out that she was too articulate for an eight year old ,however, the author did describe her as a musical genius like her father. So, the character seemed true to life for me. As for the plot, it's certainly nothing too original, however, the author makes it work. To me this is proof that a good author can breathe life into any old tired plot. In the end though, I just couldn't award the book five stars because I felt Grace held out for much too long and then when she finally gave in to her desires, her about face just seemed too sudden for me. I also thought the end cried out for an epilogue but that's just a small quibble on my part.

After putting out two great books in a row Ms. Guhrke has become an auto buy author for me and so I urge any serious romance reader to run out and buy this book. You will not be disappointed :)

Dylan is a refreshingly original incarnation of the ol' Tormented Hero in Need of Redemption.

Grace, aptly named, is just the woman to give it to him.

She retains her dignity even when tragic circumstances find her pushing a broom. Which makes her an excellent foil for a man whose own tragedy hasn't been handled nearly so well.

The familiar themes of seduction, betrayal and redemption are given new life here, thanks to finely drawn characters, sensual love scenes, and the unusual nature of Dylan's private torment. I was mad as hell at his about-face when he found a flaw in Grace's perfection. But I was eager to forgive him. He was worth it.

All too often, we're given bad-boy heros whose cruel behavior toward the heroin is relentlessly unfair. Desperate to see some sign that he has a conscience, and that I didn't make a mistake when I bought the book, I've let myself be led through chapter after of chapter emotional abuse presented as romance. When the abuse is spiced with sexual tension, the heroines - and the authors, presumably - seem to interpret the man's rampant libido as evidence that he's in love, but is just too vulnerable to express his feelings any other way. Right.

As a first-time reader of this author, I'm delighted to announce that Dylan is different. His darkness is credible, considering what he's lost. More importantly, it's offset by genuine tenderness and charm, making Grace's love for him believable and not proof that she's a masochist.

I enjoy an emotional rollercoaster, provided there are as many high points as low ones. This was a great ride.

I am really pleased that I took a chance and bought "His Every Kiss" by Laura Lee Guhrke. I had never heard of this author before but, I won't soon forget her.

It has been years since I read a good novel that truly got my emotions involved and made me feel a part of the plot line. I could almost touch these characters they became so real. If you enjoy a romance novel that is not so steep in history it boggles the mind or so intense into sex scenes that you think you are involved in a soft porn movie than this book could be for you. I can truly say this is one of the top books I have ever read. And...I have read honestly thousands of romances since I was 18 years old.

You will connect with the main characters Grace Cheval and Dylan Moore. This was a beautiful story not of dukes, duchess, princes or princesses...or even high society. Instead...it was about human emotions and how you deal with love won and lost, sexual attraction, uncomfortable emotions and how to be a decent human being.

The back drop of Dylan's musical brilliance as a pianist and composer, and Grace's "fall from grace" due to running away with her first love and the repercussions from such actions will keep you engrossed from the beginning. Dylan is drawn to Grace from the first time he met her not just due to her beauty and talent as a violinist but, something deeper that draws him to her as no other woman. She allows him to hear music again after he lost it for years. Thus...she becomes critical to his world. Grace in turn is deeply attracted to him as his passion and drive is white hot but, she got burned before in this haze of intensity and doesn't want to again but, Dylan's kisses and drugging passion are hard to resist.

Lots of twists occur such as the unexpected arrival of Dylan's unknown daughter "Isabel" and how they deal with her, Dylan's medical condition of ringing ears from an accident years before and his lost musical touch, Dylan's fascination and need for Grace to be his muse and Grace's past disgrace of living in sin with a famous painter and what he did with all those nude paintings he made of her over the years. Truly, the twists and developments never end and you don't want them to.

The love scenes are happily second in this book to the great characters and story line. In romances, often the love scenes need to be hot to keep the action going but, not here.

The ending of the book is marvelously written and actually made me tear up a few times (I didn't cry...just felt the threat of tears - that's alot for me in a love story) - the writing made the emotions that real and raw you couldn't help but, be moved and pray for a happy ending.

I'm sad that their tale is now over....I say buy this, keep it, never lend it out and expect to read it again and again. Enjoy!

HIS EVERY KISS is first rate! Ms. Guhrke detailed her characters with feeling and told their stories well. Dylan finds the woman and child that tames his soul and wild ways as much as is possible for a typical tortured genius. Grace Cheval is a composed and gentle woman burned by her late husband's own tormented artistic brilliance. Dylan's and Grace's paths cross at a time when they are both at life's lowest and desperate points. Both are survivors in their own ways and they find the endurance to continue on together, yet at a distance.

Unbeknownst to Dylan he fathered a daughter with a French courtesan and now that the mother died, eight-year-old Isabel is thrust upon her father. Dylan finds his new-found fatherhood agreeable and hires the destitute Grace as a governess. Isabel is an unruly genius in her own right, so much so that I found her to be somewhat unbelievable and farfetched for one so young, although it fit the storyline. Can everyone find lasting love and happiness together?

Follow the comprehensive lives of Dylan, Grace and Isabel, but be sure to first read the prequel GUILTY PLEASURES where Dylan is first introduced. Although HIS EVERY KISS is a pleasant read, I enjoyed GUILTY PLEASURES much more.

I liked that the heroine was shown to have suffered because of her shocking behavior and that her family had experienced repercussions. So often this threat is mentioned in books but rarely really shown. I also liked that the hero was a bad boy and not just a wannabe. But I also enjoyed the fact that Guhrke made him mischievous enough for me to still like instead of whinny and petulant and cold.

I didn't have a problem with Isabel. She was obviously intelligent and had lived
a very unsheltered life so her cynicism and worldliness seemed OK to me.
I enjoyed the way Grace dealt with her and the fact that Dylan didn't
immediately "take" to being a father. I thought his growth of feelings for
Isabel was well done.

I also like that Dylan finally does realize just how much he hurt not only
Grace but also Isabel and every other woman he ever treated badly. And
that even in the end, he's still a little incorrigable and Grace sees and knows
this.

The secondary characters are good and it's nice
that they just served this book and didn't rehash their own or jockey
for position to set up a future one.

What I don't really understand is why she suddenly gives into a physical
relationship with him. She holds out and won't give in then does an about
face so quickly.

But this is a minor quibble and overall I enjoyed His Every Kiss very much.

Dylan is probably the most tortured hero I have read about in a long time. And because of this afliction (the ringing in his ears) he really is tortured. Can anyone imagine how horrible that would be and especially for a gifted composer. Grace early on saves Dylan's life by keeping him from killing himself. and that moment Dylan never forgets. When he meets her finally a couple of years later he has to have her in his life. She is so fearful of giving her heart again, especially to another artist. Her husband was a tortured painter and he became almost insane with his extremes before he died. So when Dylan asks Grace to become his newly found daughter's governess, only desperation on her part allows her to agree. The torture this man goes through, fighting his demons, not being able to compose is excrutianting to read. And truly many writers can write joy, pain and bliss and all the other emotions but when you read the part when Dylan truly lets his daughter down by exposing the worst parts of his nightly activities well it is one of the most compelling parts of any book I have read recently. You just are racked with the pain Dylan feels at what a horrible person and father he is. I absolutely could not put this book down. It is such an emotional read and Dylan and Grace are just beautiful together. I did feel the ending was a little hurried. I think this is one book that badly needed an epilogue. Perhaps if there is a book about Ian maybe we will learn how Grace and Dylan are living on. there is no known cure I do not think even now for the ringing in ears- but I would hope in the contentment of Dylan's love for Grace he will find some peace. Wonderful book!!!

I had never heard of Laura Lee Gurhke before I read His Every Kiss. Nothing I've read by her since has impressed me very much. However, His Every Kiss is a keeper. I read it years ago, and then a few years later, but I keep it in my room at all times. I could walk into my bedroom and walk straight to it even if I were blindfolded.

Dylan is a wonderfully broody hero. Grace is a little too gracious. But their good-girl/bad-boy thing works. She has not always been a good girl, and he was once something more than a bad boy. Their initial meeting will rock you. Their subsequent meetings will leave you turning pages until the end of the book no matter how early you have to be to work the next day.

You will learn some things about musical notation you may never have known before and you will hope that someday the author will write about their daughter. Hers is definitely a story that will need to be told.

This is the first book I have read from this author, but it certainly won't be the last. I throughly enjoyed this novel, to the point of losing sleep because I simply could not put it down.

The characters are fascinating, well drawn and tri-dimensional. They are portrayed with all their faults and virtues, which makes them more human and real to the reader. I loved the fact that the main character was a musician, and not another of the war heroes and spies that are numerous in romance novels. Frankly, I don't find war romantic at all, therefore, I don't find soldiers very appealing either. A musician, however, specially a pianist, I find extremely sensual (just imangine those big, skilled hands and you'll know why) I don't know why they are not featured more in romance novels.

Dylan is the epitome of the tortured hero; intense, passionate, extremely talented, and totally disreputable but at the same time he had a tender side and good heart that he is just now beginning to discover.

Grace is a sensible practical, intelligent and passionate woman, just the perfect mate for Dylan. And Isabel, well she is a little precocious for an 8 year old, but that is understandable considering the enviroment in which she grew up and her own natural brilliance. She is the 8 year old little girl who throws tantrums and cries if she doesnt' get her way, and the child who has suffered much neglect and is in desperate need of parental attention and love.

The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars in that the end seemed kind of abrupt. I think this book needed at least another chapter or an epilogue as there were issues still unresolved. For example, what happened with Dylan's affliction? Did he ever get cured or would he have to live the rest of his life with the constant noise in his head? This matter is mentined so much in the book that I think it needed a satisfactory resolution. Sure, he was able to compose again, in spite of his condition, but he still was unable to sleep well and frankly, to have a constant screech in one's head must be sheer torture, specially for a musician. I would have liked for him to get cured.

But that is only my personal preference. It's just that I so love happy endings, and I always want everything to be pefect at the end. I know is not the way reality works, but that is why I read romance novels, if I wanted cold hard reality I would read a biography or a history book.

I really hope the author continues this series, she certainly has material for at least two other books in Dylan's brother Ian and his friend Hammond (maybe he will reconcile with his wife?)In any case I will be eagerly awaiting the next book by this author.

If you enjoy historical romance then you know how much garbage you have to sift through before you come upon a gem. This book is a gem. I loved that it involved something other than balls, high society, and carriage rides in the park. Its musical theme was fresh and interesting. I loved all three main characters: the bad boy, the good girl (but with a rich past), and the illegitimate daughter. A very interesting mix. I would love to read about the daughter all grown up and wreaking havoc with a man just like her father.

The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars was she wrapped it all up very abruptly. (spoiler) It took too long for Grace to succumb, we are barely into the love making when Dylan cruelly, very, very cruelly spoils things. In fact, it was so cruel it nearly ruined the end of the book for me. She might have forgiven him but I'm not sure I did. The book ended so abruptly at that point that I didn't have time to fall under his spell again. It definitely needed another chapter or at the very least an epilogue.