Customer Reviews

The Heir (Reid Family Series)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(22)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

This book was a vast improvement upon Lindsey's last 2 books, but it was still missing something. I think she took the criticisms from her last book ("Joining") to heart and went off to the extreme in the opposite direction. We go from the constant tension, mistrust, and fighting of the hero and heroine in "Joining" to a perfectly sweet and utterly passionless relationship (until the end) between them in "The Heir". Give us some middle ground Johanna!

"The Heir", a sweet story about two friends who fall in love, but find themselves unable to be together due to the hero being engaged to another, lacked the fire and passion that is typical of Lindsey's characters.

This is an author capable of putting out 5 star material, so I find myself more critical of her than I would be had someone else written this. Still, Lindsey not at her best is better than most at their top par performance. "The Heir" is an okay one time read, but not the Lindsey book you will pull off the shelf and read over and over again.

I love Johanna Lindseys writing style and find her very easy to read and "The Heir" is no exception. I found that this book, like Johanna's other books to be a page turner with no dull moments and I would still buy any Johanna Lindsey book published. Having said that I do agree with many of the previous reviewers that the characters did not have any zing. Both were sweet characters in a sweet story, the problem is that Johanna's past books have some of the best romantic characters ever created where the sparks fly and you compulsively read without thought to anything else. Buying this book in hardcover and expecting that kind of chemistry between the characters you will be dissapointed. I love Johanna's previous Mallory novels where the heros are flawed and yet loveable and the heroines are feisty with hearts of gold. While reading this book I found myself interested in the outcome and yet detached from the characters, the hero in particular seemed one dimensional and the supporting characters appear to have been better thought out than the main characters. In the end I enjoyed the read but was left feeling slightly cheated.

Admittedly JL's last couple of efforts have been ok, but not the fire of earlier works. The Heir, gives us a sweet story of a young women finding the man of her dreams, but not able to believe that he could love her. Duncan is a wonderful hero. I thought the "steam" threshold was a little low. But the auxillary characters were chariming and funny. I think many fans are more critical than we should be because, Ms. Lindsey failed to give us another set of heroes as delightful as the Malory's. Maybe if Ms. Lindsey, would revisit a great character like Billy Ewing, she'd find a passionate hero and give him a voice. JL is still the best!

I've read all of JL's books, several times over. Each time she releases a new one I'm so excited I rush right out and get a copy, I have to say that I should have waited for the paperback. This book was, by far in my opinion, JL's absolute worst! There is no depth to the characters, their insecurities drag on throughout the entire book and their relationship is so passionless! The book in whole just irritated me. What is going on here? Normally JL produces such a wonderful story that I want to reread it immediately after I have finished the book. I didn't want to finish reading this book the first time! I've noticed JL's last few books have also been below par for her, but none like this one. I would much rather wait a longer peroid between book releases if it would mean the quality of her work would increase, rather than having to read something of this caliber again. If you normally love JL books, you will be vastly dissapointed with this one, it is not worth spending the money on the hardcover, wait for the paperback!

As an avid fan of JL I have every book she's written. Unfortunately I have bought the last couple in hardback (simply couldn't wait for the paperback) and regretted it. This book lacks the fire of her earlier work, I didn't connect with any of the characters and felt that there was no depth to them. I actually started liking Ophelia the most by the end of the book. I will buy any JL books that come out, but I'll make myself wait for the paperback now.

I have been a great fan of Ms. Lindsey's work for many years, and have read each and every book she has written. So, when I heard she released another book I was elated, and bought it w/o benifit of storyline. I enjoyed it . She has sensuallity and romance downpact, however, for the fist time, I was neither in love with the hero or the heroine, and thats why I gave it 4 stars instesd of 5. They were likable, but They lacked the unstoppable passion of the characters in Warriors Woman, and the unriveled turbulence of Silver Angel. I liked it but it was missing something. but I have enjoyed endless hours of reading due to johanna, so I'll make allowances.

This was a great book. I have been reading JL for about 15 years and love almost all her books. There are only a few that I don't re-read a dozen times. Most people seem disappointed in her last two books, but I thought they were still up to par. The Heir is a completely different novel than any I have read of JL's. In this novel, the two become friends first, but soon realize that there is more between them than friendship. There is less passon in this novel, but I think that it makes for a nice change. The heroine is not a breathtakingly beautiful woman, whom the hero cannot live without. Instead, the hero learns he cannot live without her beacause he values her friendship and loves her for who she is, not the person she looks to be. He is not blinded by beauty, which is shown through his dislike of Olivia. In the end, there is still a good amount of passion, since Duncan really enjoys bedding Sabrina. They may not show fire and ice, like so many of JL's characters, but these two have a love that will last a lifetime, friends first! But I still love a passionate JL novel any day of the week.

I recommend any JL novel with a Mallory clan member in it. Gentle Rogue was my first JL novel and I can't wait for a new one to come out. Jeremy Mallory, or even one of the Anderson brothers, Drew or Boyd, they are just as entertaining as the Mallory clan!

For some reason I really enjoyed this book, but after reading it at least twice, I'm still not sure why. I have to agree with some of the other reviews on a couple of things: definitely wanted more of the Rafe Locke character - he was fun!; the whole "scandal" thing was a bit lame; and the two aunts I could have done without completely.

I guess what I liked was that Sabrina wasn't considered a beauty but she got the guy anyway. Refreshing for these types of stories. Usually the women are drop-dead gorgeous. I also really liked Duncan's character. Very sweet, sort of clueless, funny, just a nice guy. Not the seductive charmer or domineering or vengeful "master"-type usually seen in these books.

What surprised me the most was the enjoyment I got from the interactions of the grandfathers competing for the love and loyalty of their grandson. Archie, who raised Duncan and thinks he knows him so well, but Neville, just getting to know his grandson may ultimately understand him better. Duncan stuck between them feeling his first loyalty to Archie but also a grudging respect for Neville. It was kinda sweet.

Since I've read it more than once, I must enjoy it - you might too.

Having not a read a Lindsey in awhile I was totally enchanted with this book set in 19th century England. Although it may appear to be a Regency period, the only reference to a monarchy was the Queen so one could surmise this was more a Victorian period piece. But that didn't matter. What I found so enjoyable about the book was that even though it was predictable in its conclusion the journey to get there was a delightful escape in the romance reading experience. Maybe not with the angst/intrique of some of her Mallory books, yet the heroine in this book was one of the most delightfully portrayed heroines in a long time for this sub genre'. Sabrina is whitty, knows her place in the great scheme of things with society but is able to help not only the hero-Duncan MacTavish, but interacts wonderfully with some of the other characters who hopefully we will see in future books: Mavis and Lord Locke, to name but a few. The hero, although wonderfully noble, takes a backseat to this heroine. Yet, it is thru his friendship with her he is able to see his way toward a future much more hopeful than he finds when he first arrives admist betrayals by those who claim to love him. Sabrina's silly banter with both Duncan and Locke is delivered as a unique counterpoint to the friendly and not so friendly banter of both Duncan's Scottish and English Grandfather's. Add to this the lesser developed banter of arguements by Sabrina's aunts and it makes for a delightfully fun romp.

To counter the goodness of Sabrina Ms. Lindsey has created a wonderfull selfcentered nasty creature in Ophelia Reid who finally gets her due but not without hurting innocents along the way. I for one was thrilled when both Mavis and Sabrina had at her,this kind of retribution is not often perpetuated by the heroine but it made me like her and Mavis all the more. These were characters who to my mind acted in true fashion by not being so unbelelivably forgiving. There were few low points to this story as the readers is whisked along with things not settled between Sabrina and Duncan until the very end. I especially liked that the sensuality of the couple did become the story, as seems to be the trend in today's romance ficiton but that the story was about Duncan and Sabrina's journey to find a lasting love. I found this to be a wonderful return to the type of story Ms. Lindsey is loved for. Certainly a keeper in my book. Having read many harcover of late this is one of the few worth the added cost.

I have all of Ms. Lindsay's books ,I only read a handful of authors. I always looked foward to a new release. I felt like the past few books have lacked any kind of passion or conflict. Is it because hard covers have to be more politically correct? That is not why I read fiction. I agree with one of the other reviews about liking Ophelia's character better in the end. She had real emotion. I thought fixing her up with Rafe who hated her would have had more to offer. The kidnapping made no sense and I forgot about it until I read it in these reviews. I gave it 2 stars because I finished it. It is a readable book that has no real surprises. I feel this has happened with Jude Devereaux and Judith McNaught also. Their books have seemed to get tamer since they have come out in hardcover.