Jade Island [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Elizabeth Lowell (Author), Laural Merlington (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998

Wild, rugged, and restless, Kyle Donovan has freed himself from the constraints of his father's high-powered global gem-trading empire to become a treasure hunter for his own business, Donovan Minerals and Gems. Now his older brother Archer, President of Donovan International, has asked Kyle to get to the bottom of the disappearance of cultural treasures from the Tang vaults.

Lianne Blakely, the illegitimate daughter of a powerful Hong Kong trader and his American mistress, has been accused of the theft. At first suspicious of the bright, ambitious family outcast, Kyle finds himself reluctantly believing her fierce claim of innocence and irresistibly drawn to her exotic beauty. Soon they have joined forces to find the real thief - a venture that draws them into the perils of spiraling international power plays, and the discovery that their mutual love for an exquisite gem stone has linked them in an alliance as enduring as the beauty of the ancient jade.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Elizabeth Lowell's second book in her trilogy featuring the internationally renowned Donovan family pairs youngest brother Kyle, who featured prominently in the previous book Amber Beach, with the illegitimate daughter of a Chinese trading dynasty. Lianne Blakely accepts that she'll never be openly acknowledged as Johnny Tang's daughter, but her expertise in handling the family's extensive jade collection has earned their respect and leads to her realization that someone has substituted inferior replicas for several priceless pieces. Kyle, meanwhile, has been ordered by big brother Archer to investigate Lianne's possible involvement in the sale of jade treasures that may have been stolen from China. With international relations and leadership within the Tang family at stake, Lianne joins Kyle's effort to find the thief and elude some nasty characters, despite the equally dangerous, explosive passion the couple shares. Hot love scenes, relentless suspense, and appearances by the noisy and affectionate Donovan clan keep the reader entertained. --Ellen Edwards --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Jade Island is book two of Lowell's new Donovan series, focusing on jade's value to Chinese culture. Lianne Blakely is a jade expert and the illegitimate daughter of an influential Chinese family. Kyle Donovan, of Donovan International, owes the U.S. government a small favor. Lianne and Kyle are drawn together like moths to flames. Unfortunately, Laural Merlington lacks the vocal range required to create noticeably different voices for Lianne and Kyle. She attempts to compensate by using cadence to create marked speech patterns but is unable to effectively sustain this approach. As a result, the story requires very careful attention to keep track of the dialog. Despite the flaws, larger fiction collections should purchase as Lowell is on the best seller fast track. Smaller collections should purchase for demand.?Jodi L. Israel, Jamaica Plain, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio; Unabridged library edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567406033
• ISBN-13: 978-1567406030
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 4.8 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,337,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell has numerous historical and contemporary novels in print, including her four-book series of suspense novels featuring the unforgettable Donovan family--AMBER BEACH, JADE ISLAND, PEARL COVE and MIDNIGHT IN RUBY BAYOU. Ms. Lowell's current release, DEATH ECHO, is Book 5 in her St. Kilda Consulting series and features twin yachts, international gangsters, and plenty of romantic-suspense. There are more than thirty million Elizabeth Lowell books currently in print. Ms. Lowell lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not Amber Beach, October 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Jade Island (Donovan, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Though it lacks a bit of Amber Beach's quick repartee, Jade Island is definitely the better book. The characters are more developed, deeper and more complex.

Anyone who has ever been trapped between two worlds, never really belonging in either, will understand and love Lianne Blakney. She is beautiful, funny, and intelligent, but also deeply hurt by her family's disregard. Lianne is also full of useful information about jade and chinese culture. If you leave this book without having learned something, then you should probably read it again. I found it fascinating.

Kyle Donovan was burned pretty badly in the first book, and is wary of women. His self-depreciating humor is endearing, as is his wary concern for Lianne. The setting was also worth the cover price. I love Seattle, and the entire Pacific Northwest!

All in all, this is a much better book than the first. I look forward to watching the other Donovans.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully shaped, culturally precise--more than a romance., July 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jade Island (Hardcover)

Books called romances should have backgrounds and plots to make the story more than just a fairy-tale relationship--and 'Jade Island' has done it all. She knows more about jade history than half of the Chinese people I know! The character portrayal earns a merit. I could hardly recognize Kyle from the 'golden boy' we saw in Amber Beach but he's a man with the sort of liveliness and character (we won't talk about the body) that's irresistible to hormones. Lianne's touched my soul. That strength and independance and mature acceptance and analysis of life and its troubles: that's everything and nothing without a little love. Guys, want to know what a real woman wants? Read about Lianne Blakely.

I'm Singaporean Chinese, so how writers show the mix of culture between Chinese and other types of culture have always intrigued me--and trust me, E.L. fans, this book's one of the best. Male dominance, family hiearchy, the food (winks), the way Mandarin and Cantonese is rewritten in English--wow. And the fact that there's no softening of the vices and the people with the vices makes it all the more real for everyone.

If you haven't bought this book--where have you been?? Some might say the Donovans are bigger than life, and that romances are bizarre and nonsensical, but this one changes the image. It's basically a good story, one that can happen in circles that the characters move in, and if you let it, it can be that, and more, for you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Action, Romance and a Double Cross or Two, February 3, 2004

By 

Ruthie Ramirez (San Diego) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jade Island (Donovan, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Archer Donovan, head of the Donovan clan, asks brother Kyle to get close to Lianne Blakely, the illegitimate daughter of Johnny Tang and his American mistress, because he believes priceless Chinese jade artifacts have been stolen and he thinks the Tang family consortium, headed by Wen Zhi Tang, who has a lifelong obsession with jade, might have something to do with it.

Lianne is as passionate about jade as Wen and is a respected Jade expert, but much to her chagrin she's not accepted by the Tangs as a full fledged family member. However, when they need an expert to value the jade they want to buy, it's her they call.

In a nice twist her father, Johnny Tang, has asked her to get close to Kyle and while Kyle and Lianne are getting to know each other, they discover that priceless jade has been taken from the Tang vault and replaced with inferior pieces.

Lianne is a prime suspect because she is one of the few people who go into the vault on a regular basis. Then she's outright accused of stealing the jade and now she and Kyle, who now have a thing for each other, have to find the real thief or she may go to prison.

This is the second book in Ms. Lowell's series about the Donovan Clan and every bit as good as the first. There is lots of action, suspense, a double cross here and there and romance too. A very good book.