Customer Reviews

Love's Illusion

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In my opinion, this opinion id for those people who likes long tradgedy plot. I've read Katherine Sutcliffe's first book and it was magnanimous and unbelievably written. This book is filled sadness. Emotions such as grief is necessary in a drama, but it doesnt have to take 3/4 of the whole book. Yes, you can buy this book to uplift you once in a while and trample you most to the ground.

This is the first book that I have read of Katherine Sutcliffe. It is a very unique book that will make readers want to name their children after the heroine or the hero.

A reader can tell that this book is like no other from the beginning, because the heroine looses her virginity to someone else and not the hero.To tell u the truth, that was a turn off for me, but as the story goes on it gets better and better.But no one can blame the heroine for making the wrong choices, because she was after all living in the slumbs of Victorian London.The hero is the person who will be the savior of the heroine.I must say this is the most captiviting, romantic, and sensual love story I have read from any romantic author.In my opinion, the most romantic and the climax is this:"Human" he repeated."God help me, how can I do that". I can materialize money, flowers, and birds with a snap of my fingers.I can turn water to wine and wine to water before your eyes, and I can levitate beautiful women in midair.I'll convice you that I can walk through walls, for God's sake, or dissapear into thin air,but how do I convince you that I'm human?".

After this, the hero went on to cut his palm to prove to his love that he is human and not a murderer.This part I also find very romantic:Staring down at her, his face bleak and still, he said sardonically, " Am I so vile? So terrifying that you cannot even pretend to tolerate my touch, Mercy?.Many women have before, for a price.For Abby it was rubies.For others it was diamonds or a chateau on the Riviera. What would you like, Mercy?.Obviously its not pearl and diamond brooches. Certainly there is something you want.Pwrhaps the tuition to nursing school?At her soft gasp , he smiled.Ah. I thought so. Everyone has a price, it seems. For you it shall be the opportunity to become the next Florence Nightingale."

This book will make you want to fall in love with the hero.Katherine Sutcliffe certainly done a great job with giving the main characters depth(especially the hero), not like many other romantic books I have read with characters so shallow and undeveloped u'll want to go asleep with boredom.Any reader who loves a sensual and romantic book with in depth characters u'll want to read this book.I have to say that Katherine Sutcliffe done so good of a job with developing the hero that I am in love with him.A 5 star plus for this book!

Recently reprinted and well worth the honor. This is a highly orginal story about a Victorian magician and the impoverished young woman who captures his heart. Great sexual tension and a fascinating milieu.

The hero is a brooding, temperamental artiste who is so pig-headed he refuses to take any sort of action to defend himself against accusations of a serious crime. The heroine is a well-meaning, would-be Florence Nightingale with a sordid past and an evil half-brother who brutalizes her. There are several supporting characters, some bland, some vivid, and a plot that is so tiresome in its attempts to be "mysterious" that I honestly can't tell you why I actually finished the story.

I never did see why the heroine was so hot to bed the hero. He gave her very little other than saving her from a wretched life. I suppose for some readers that would be enough, but it wasn't for me.

The book's big climax (which I won't reveal) just made me roll my eyes and say "Oh, puh-lease!" Yes, it was pretty unexpected, especially for a romance novel, but it was also absurdly unlikely and melodramatic.

On the positive side, I will say that Ms. Sutcliffe's actual writing ability (i.e., her descriptive passages, ability to set a mood and a scene, character development and consistancy, and other technical aspects of writing) is excellent. I found it a bit like admiring a painting for the exquisite colors and brushstrokes, but hating the overall picture.

All I can really say is that I'm glad I got this book from a "bargain" table sale. If I'd paid full price, I would have been sorely disappointed.

Ah, I just love Katherine Sutcliffe. I am very saddened by the fact that she is no longer writing. Her books are all so unique in the setting, plot and characters. Unlike other authors who have the same type of cookie cutter characters with the same story and location, Ms. Sutcliffe's stories are all different.

This book was definitely one of her best. It was very emotional as are all her novels, but there was something distinctly different about it. The main characters were not of the ton, or had anything to do with the aristocracy. The hero Dominick actually ended up being the son of a maid! It was very refreshing, and he was a self made man- a magician and philanthropist. He saw Mercy Dansing helping out at a local hospital and ended up being smitten with her.

He decides to hire her as his assistant, and she moves into his house, but there are murders happening all over London by one called "Jack the Ripper." The police think that it is Dominick because one of the women killed was one of his former mistresses, and he seems to have some sort of connection with each woman killed. As a result, he keeps being hounded by the police, and Mercy confronts her feelings about him. She has some doubts about him being the murderer. She is very attracted to him but is still afraid of her sexuality. Some of the scenes in the book were just so wonderfully written and unique that they just spoke to you.


I felt that the book was very much gothic and a mystery also moreso than a romance. I loved the book, and the only thing that I did not like was that the ending was too short. After all that Dominick and Mercy went through, I would have preferred a longer ending and to know what happened to the other characters, especially Miriam. Otherwise, superb story and no one can write like Katherine Sutcliffe!

I love Katherine Sutcliffe. Her writing is mesmerizing and wonderfully moving. This book is no exception to that...however, the story did leave a bit to be desired.

I'm glad that I own this book, because I think I will need to reread it at some point. The plot is incredibly unique and unlike any book that I've ever read. It is about a magician...and then it's about a killer...and then it's about a conspiracy. I would've much preferred if it would've stayed along the magician plot line and skipped the "Jack the Ripper" storyline, although it did prove for some suspense filled chapters.

It was not quite as character driven as I would've liked. Dominic was a sexy, complicated, mysterious man that I would've liked to get to know better earlier in the book. Mercy was a likeable heroine, but the whole murder and mayhem plot bogged down the romance that I so deperately wanted to see develop.

This is a primarily a mystery/dark goth novel opposed to a romance novel. I don't mind if there's some mystery as long as the romance isn't impacted. This one is weighted to heavy in the former category for my tastes. However, this is Sutcliffe novel, and for that alone I can recommend this without "much" hesitation.

I am also a first time reader of Katherine Sutcliffe and this won't be my last book. The storyline was interesting and intriguing. Imagine thinking the man you love is Jack the Ripper!

This is the first book that I have read of Katherine Sutcliffe. It is a very unique book that will make readers want to name their children after the heroine or the hero.

A reader can tell that this book is like no other from the beginning, because the heroine looses her virginity to someone else and not the hero.To tell u the truth, that was a turn off for me, but as the story goes on it gets better and better.But no one can blame the heroine for making the wrong choices, because she was after all living in the slumbs of Victorian London.The hero is the person who will be the savior of the heroine.I must say this is the most captiviting, romantic, and sensual love story I have read from any romantic author.In my opinion, the most romantic and the climax is this:"Human" he repeated."God help me, how can I do that". I can materialize money, flowers, and birds with a snap of my fingers.I can turn water to wine and wine to water before your eyes, and I can levitate beautiful women in midair.I'll convice you that I can walk through walls, for God's sake, or dissapear into thin air,but how do I convince you that I'm human?".

After this, the hero went on to cut his palm to prove to his love that he is human and not a murderer.This part I also find very romantic:Staring down at her, his face bleak and still, he said sardonically, " Am I so vile? So terrifying that you cannot even pretend to tolerate my touch, Mercy?.Many women have before, for a price.For Abby it was rubies.For others it was diamonds or a chateau on the Riviera. What would you like, Mercy?.Obviously its not pearl and diamond brooches. Certainly there is something you want.Pwrhaps the tuition to nursing school?At her soft gasp , he smiled.Ah. I thought so. Everyone has a price, it seems. For you it shall be the opportunity to become the next Florence Nightingale."

This book will make you want to fall in love with the hero.Katherine Sutcliffe certainly done a great job with giving the main characters depth(especially the hero), not like many other romantic books I have read with characters so shallow and undeveloped u'll want to go asleep with boredom.Any reader who loves a sensual and romantic book with in depth characters u'll want to read this book.I have to say that Katherine Sutcliffe done so good of a job with developing the hero that I am in love with him.A 5 star plus for this book!

This is the first book I have read by this author. It has all the sensuality of a romance novel, but the story is unique. I read this book in one afternoon because I had to read to find out all the secrets. I am sorry it had to end.

This is the first book that I have read of Katherine Sutcliffe. It is a very unique book that will make readers want to name their children after the heroine or the hero.

A reader can tell that this book is like no other from the beginning, because the heroine looses her virginity to someone else and not the hero.To tell u the truth, that was a turn off for me, but as the story goes on it gets better and better.But no one can blame the heroine for making the wrong choices, because she was after all living in the slumbs of Victorian London.The hero is the person who will be the savior of the heroine.I must say this is the most captiviting, romantic, and sensual love story I have read from any romantic author.In my opinion, the most romantic and the climax is this:"Human" he repeated."God help me, how can I do that". I can materialize money, flowers, and birds with a snap of my fingers.I can turn water to wine and wine to water before your eyes, and I can levitate beautiful women in midair.I'll convice you that I can walk through walls, for God's sake, or dissapear into thin air,but how do I convince you that I'm human?".

After this, the hero went on to cut his palm to prove to his love that he is human and not a murderer.This part I also find very romantic:Staring down at her, his face bleak and still, he said sardonically, " Am I so vile? So terrifying that you cannot even pretend to tolerate my touch, Mercy?.Many women have before, for a price.For Abby it was rubies.For others it was diamonds or a chateau on the Riviera. What would you like, Mercy?.Obviously its not pearl and diamond brooches. Certainly there is something you want.Pwrhaps the tuition to nursing school?At her soft gasp , he smiled.Ah. I thought so. Everyone has a price, it seems. For you it shall be the opportunity to become the next Florence Nightingale."

This book will make you want to fall in love with the hero.Katherine Sutcliffe certainly done a great job with giving the main characters depth(especially the hero), not like many other romantic books I have read with characters so shallow and undeveloped u'll want to go asleep with boredom.Any reader who loves a sensual and romantic book with in depth characters u'll want to read this book.I have to say that Katherine Sutcliffe done so good of a job with developing the hero that I am in love with him.A 5 star plus for this book!