Grand Design: The Hope Chest (Ballad Romances) [Paperback]

Karen Fox (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ballad Romances | Publication Date: August 1, 2001

THE PERFECT PRINCE CHARMING Restoring old paintings for Hope Springs' Historical Society isn't exactly what frustrated artist Cynda Madison wants from her career. And yet, she has no idea just how challenging her job will become when she begins work on the damaged portrait of handsome Prince Dimitri Karakov. Moved when she learns that he was tragically killed at The Chesterfield, Cynda decides to investigate his death. Then she finds the painting's tarnished nameplate in an old hope chest, and is instantly swept back in time to 1887, where she meets the prince himself--very much alive and disturbingly attractive. Cynda knows she must prevent Dimitri's death to return to her own life...but can she prevent herself from falling in love?

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

This book is one of five in the Hope Chest Series written by the Wyrd Sisters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821769030
• ISBN-13: 978-0821769034
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,154,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't care what the 3 star reviewer this is a great read, October 1, 2001

By 

Jenna P. (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grand Design: The Hope Chest (Ballad Romances) (Paperback)

Maybe I really fell in love with this book because I have read the first 2 books in the hope chest series. But I really liked this a lot. I think how Dimitri acted when he was told that Cynda was from the future. He didn't believe her and he didn't want to hear stories about the future. That is realistic. If somebody came up to me and said they were from the future I wouldn't believe them either. This is a good book and is worth reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A whimsical escape -- Recommended, September 7, 2001

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grand Design: The Hope Chest (Ballad Romances) (Paperback)

There's something winningly whimsical and marvelously magical about the premise of the power of a hope chest and equinoxes winging characters across time to find healing and love. A hope chest found in the historic Chesterfield, now undergoing renovation provides the focal point for this series. In Karen Fox's GRAND DESIGN, the third book of the Hope Chest miniseries, it's the nameplate from a portrait that carries frustrated artist Cynda Madison back in time to find her love.

Cynda Madison finds a strikingly handsome face beneath the years of filth in a portrait she's been commissioned to restore. Her own artwork lacks the sweeping passion apparent in every brush stroke, leaving her wishing for such bold zeal. When she's swept back in time, Cynda immediately recognizes Prince Dimitri Karakov from the portrait, finding the living man even sexier than the portrait. Her warnings of danger, however, fall on deaf ears when she tries to warn him that he's to die on December 12th.

Duty comes before pleasure for Prince Dimitri Karakov, even when it comes to Cynda. He wearies of the husband hunting vixens at the Chesterfield, where he's accompanying his grandmother while she takes in the healing waters. Cynda brings a welcome respite with her forthright, direct speech and lack of flirtatiousness. While she's much too forward for a servant, her intelligence and quick-wittedness makes her irresistible. When his younger brother shows interest in Cynda, Dimitri's unprepared for his overwhelming jealousy. Too bad he's been pledged since birth to a proper woman for a Prince.

Readers who enjoyed the previous two installments of this miniseries as well as fans of author Karen Fox's PRINCE OF CHARMING will thrill to this newest offering, GRAND DESIGN. As in PRINCE OF CHARMING, Fox brings her love of painting to GRAND DESIGN, when a portrait wings this heroine back in time. With her characteristic ingenuity, Fox paints a blend of the fantastic and the mundane, bringing enormous passion to her canvas in this portrait of love. Favorite secondary characters of this miniseries seamlessly connect the novel to the other parts of the miniseries, in addition to introducing two willful, strong-minded main characters. A playful, lighthearted read, GRAND DESIGN is perfect reading for an afternoon. Recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not too bad, but..., September 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Grand Design: The Hope Chest (Ballad Romances) (Paperback)

Overall the book was a good read. However, there were two major faults in the story that really stuck out like a sore thumb. Number one - when Cynda finally tells Dimitri she is from the future, not only does he not believe her at all, he doesn't even ask any questions about it even if just to test her. Even when they become lovers and all the way up until she gets shot with the bullet meant for him, he never believes her and it is not talked about. Give me a break. Even after she gets shot and he finally admits he believes her, the future is not talked about. This shows that the author has left out one huge factor of a human personality - curiosity, especially about something as out of this world as time travel. The second fault was that the main characters made love in detail so many times it was beginning to get boring. In most romances, the first time or two are detailed, which they need to be, and then after that, unless it is being used as main event part of the story, an author can summarize over it and not go into the whole thing again and again. However, the storyline kept you reading which saves this book from being 2 stars.