French Twist [Kindle Edition]

Roxanne St. Claire (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

St. Claire's second swashbuckling romantic intrigue (after Tropical Getaway) mixes American grit with European glamour. After her dream wedding collapses, art historian Janine Coulter travels from her California home to the French royal palace at Versailles to oversee an exhibit featuring three priceless Sèvres vases. Her efforts to give these beloved artifacts the showing they deserve are complicated by Luc Tremont, the opinionated but undeniably sexy Frenchman hired to supervise exhibition security. When the vases are stolen at the opening gala, Luc and Janine give chase in a journey that brings them through lush French wine country into the mountains of Switzerland. Along the way, both a fiery attraction and a hesitant intimacy build. As their investigations reach a climax in a Swiss casino, Janine discovers that the theft is part of an international sting-and that Luc is actually Nick Jarrett, a former thief trying to win pardon by working with the FBI. St. Claire's characterization of Janine, though appealing, is unfocused; it's hard to imagine this elegant intellectual welcoming mayhem quite so coolly. But in Luc/Nick, St. Claire has created a truly compelling romantic hero, an enticing mix of sophisticated French seduction and solid, all-American male. With its clever plotting, evocative settings and vivid sensuality, this offering is sure to set tongues wagging.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

For art historian Janine, life has become one trial after another. Her friend and partner, Albert, has committed suicide. Her fiance, Sam, has just slept with an actress, and it's only five days before their wedding. And now Luc, Versailles' security specialist, refuses to let Janine display the rare Madame de Pompadour vases she and Albert worked so hard to discover. Luc insists that the museum is afraid the notorious thief "Scorpion" will steal the valuable artifacts and that someone will be killed in the process. Unwilling to let Luc substitute fake vases for the real things, Janine soon finds herself in the middle of international intrigue and, as predicted, a target for would-be murderers. Fast-paced action, lots of suspense, and unexpected betrayals fill the pages as Luc and Janine flee the opulent halls of Versailles to the picturesque, yet potentially deadly, vineyards of the French countryside. Reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief, St. Claire's book is a thrill. Shelley Mosley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 405 KB
• Print Length: 384 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0743498593
• Publisher: Pocket Books (February 9, 2004)
• Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FC1A66
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,864 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE is a New York Times Bestselling author of nearly thirty novels of romance and suspense. The author of two very popular suspense series, the Bullet Catchers and the Guardian Angelinos, her most recent release is a full-length stand-alone romantic suspense novel, Space In His Heart.

A five-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award for the best in romantic fiction, Roxanne's books have also been awarded the National Readers Choice Award for best romantic suspense for two consecutive years as well as the Daphne du Maurier award, the Booksellers Best Award, the Award of Excellence, the Maggie, the Holt Medallion and many more. Her novel, The Sins of His Past, was selected as the Borders Top Pick in Romance for 2007, and will be reissued this March as part of the "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" trilogy from Harlequin. Roxanne's books have been published in dozens of countries and are routinely featured as selections in the Doubleday and Rhapsody book clubs.

Space In His Heart is her first independently published novel, a never-before-released thriller about a Navy fighter pilot turned astronaut and the PR superstar who sends his heart to the moon. This spring, a brand new contemporary romance series set on a fictional island off the coast of Florida begins with the April 2012 release of Barefoot In The Sand. In addition, Roxanne has stories in multiple anthologies throughout 2012 and her entire backlist is available in electronic versions. This summer, her first Young Adult novel, Don't You Wish, will be released in hardcover.

Free reads, excerpts, character profiles, author news and contests can be found on her web site: www.roxannestclaire.com. You can follow her at www.facebook.com/roxannestclaire and www.twitter.com/@roxannestclaire,or email her via her web site. Roxanne lives in Florida with her husband, two children and loves to hear from readers all over the world!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It takes a thief for this absolutely grand adventure, September 8, 2005

By 

TheSchemer "Scheme" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French Twist (Mass Market Paperback)

Once there was a beautiful woman who symbolized the height of French art and politics in the 18th century. She was La Marquise de Pompadour, patron of the arts and mistress of King Louis XV. The recent discovery of three unusually colored Sèvres vases bearing her image has made headlines around the world and brought Dr. Janine Coulter to Versailles. Taking over as curator of the Pompadour Plums exhibit, Janine is determined to finish the lifelong dream of her mentor Albert Farrow, who recently died under mysterious circumstances. But in the days leading up to the exhibit's premiere, rumors abound that an infamous art thief known as The Scorpion is planning to steal the Plums, and Janine is forced to work closely with security expert Luc Tremont to stop the heist.

If all went as planned for "Luc Tremont," he would soon be getting a pardon and his old identity back. Once known as one of the most successful thieves of the modern era, Luc Tremont aka Nick Jarrett aka The Scorpion has spent the last five years atoning for his crimes by working undercover for the FBI throughout Europe. When his old nemesis Karim Benazir escapes from prison and assumes the Scorpion persona, Luc arranges to use the Pompadour Plums as the ultimate bait. Switching the Plums with a fake set, the trap should have been perfect. Unfortunately, when the theft is discovered, the real vases are also missing. Now, Luc and Janine -- the one person who can tell the difference between the fake and real sets -- must track and find the Plums before they disappear forever. And with them, Luc's last chance at redemption.

FRENCH TWIST is an absolutely grand adventure. The charming and chameleon-like Nick and the intrepid Janine are an attractive pair whose sizzling chemistry will have readers thinking of those romantic art/jewel heist movies of the 50's and 60's. Interesting and varied secondary characters provide depth and layers to the story, and in Ms. St. Claire's narrative, France has never been portrayed so vividly and lovingly. With her flair for romance and suspense in exotic locales, Roxanne St. Claire is well on her way to the bestseller lists.

TheSchemer

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Romance with a Twist, August 3, 2004

By 

Marilyn Puett (Huntsville, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: French Twist (Mass Market Paperback)

My first introduction to Roxanne St. Claire was through her debut earlier this year with Silhouette Desire. Last weekend I picked up a copy of her single title, FRENCH TWIST. I absolutely couldn't put the book down. I read it on an airline flight and literally turned the last page as the plane landed. The plot is exquisite, the setting brings back memories of strolling through the Palace of Versailles and the characters are ones you love to love. Ms. St. Claire is now on my "must read" list and I eagerly await her upcoming releases. Her first book, TROPICAL GETAWAY, is scheduled reading for this weekend.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced, thrilling ride, February 22, 2005

By 

Marley Gibson "Young Adult Author" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: French Twist (Mass Market Paperback)

FRENCH TWIST had me from the start, all the way through to the satisfying conclusion with good, strong, sympathetic characters, a interwoven and detailed plot and a setting that jumped off the page -- 3D -- for me. The writing was strong and interesting and kept me turning the pages and reading "just one more chapter" before going to sleep. St. Claire has fast become one of my favorite authors with all of her books...and I'll add her to the list of writers I'll always buy no matter what. A great read all around.