18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
That's a pass..., March 2, 2005
This review is from: Further Than Passion (Mass Market Paperback)
It takes a lot for me to think a book is really bad, much less write a negative review. When I'm reading, I always give the author the benefit of the doubt and usually can find something good in it. And I have read Cheryl Holt books that I have really enjoyed so I know she can do better. But when I start to think that the heroine would be better off sent to the country to live the life of a spinster rather than end up with the hero I know that something's wrong. Worse, at the conclusion of the story I am firmly convinced that the magic love potion was the only reason that the hero was `in love' with the girl. And I'm not so sure it's not the reason the girl thinks she loves the guy.
This is the story of Marcus Pelham, Lord Stamford, his stepmother/lover Lady Pamela, and their house guests Countess Regina Lewis, her son Christopher Lewis, daughter Melaine Lewis, their cousin Kate Duncan and her half sister Selena Bella. I mention all these names because we are told `everyone's' story from all their points of view. Obviously, the book is supposed to be Marcus and Kate's story, but after a while you're not sure just what or who the story is really about. There are so many stories going on that no one gets the attention they need to let the reader know them in anything but the most superficial way. Unfortunately, I think that might be a blessing.
The more one knows about the purported hero of the story the more one wishes he weren't. I have never met a more disagreeable man. He is cold, vindictive, vain, arrogant, and unfeeling, not to mention a little stupid. In other words, he has no redeeming qualities until the very end and it's not enough to make me like him. Even the second string hero, the young, innocent and praiseworthy male virgin who falls deeply and passionately in love with a young girl who loves him back ends up cheating on her right up until the end. And he was never a believable virgin to begin with. Kate, our heroine, is a beautiful, but downtrodden little doormat. Oh, she has occasional outbursts of spirit and independence-which are immediately beaten back by her bullying and abusive...(lover, guardian, cousin. Take your pick.) And doggone if she doesn't change her mind quick!
I really did want to like at least one person in this story. When cheating Christopher is the best I can do that's pretty bad. With the exception of 16 yr old Selena and Kate, the women are all nasty, vain, arrogant, self-centered, thieving, harlots.
As usual there is plenty of graphic sex and this is probably the books only selling point. If you don't mind formulaic and stilted writing and awful characters, but do want lots of detailed lovemaking then this book is for you. Otherwise...not.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Wish I could give this zero stars - worse than bad, March 19, 2005
This review is from: Further Than Passion (Mass Market Paperback)
There are books that are badly plotted, but are saved by interesting characters. There are books that have boring characters, but are well written. This piece of dreck masquarading as a novel has neither. The characters, male and female, are mean, stupid, inconsistent and just plain boring.
Then there is the lack of basic research - the author has an Italian character saying "mia cara." Oh, come on now - even if she never say a single episode of the Aadams Family, the author should have checked that her Italian grammar was correct (but that may be the fault of the editor, too).
A total waste of my time and my money. Please don't make the same mistake.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ho-hum..., April 29, 2005
This review is from: Further Than Passion (Mass Market Paperback)
I was actually excited about this book. I enjoyed 'Love Lessons' and once I saw this one in the bookstore, I grabbed it and started reading.
The lead characters were badly written. They had no depth whatsoever. Selena Bella and her beau saved the book, but STILL they were, what, 16 and 18? I don't think that's right in those times. The villain was positively evil, and I found myself thinking how Ms. Holt could have thought of placing all the possible bad qualities in just ONE villain. I guess that's all. It's not a very good review, but I just wanted to suggest that DO NOT buy it, just borrow it from the library.
*^* Marcus was stupid*^*
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