Customer Reviews

My False Heart

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've had Liz Carlyle's books in my TBR pile for some time and have just finished My False Heart. I found the plot to be well developed (if perhaps leisurely) and the characters rounded and believeable - people about whom I could care. The peripheral members of the cast, most especially the children and young people, were memorable and added great value to the overall story. Rannoch's gay valet, Kemble, was a real delight and an excellent foil to his master and his dissolute, overtly masculine circle of friends.

If every woman loves a rake, then Elliot Armstrong, the Marquis of Ranoch, is truly delicious. His reformation and redemption make for a read full of angst and tension. Perhaps Evie is not quite as well drawn for sometimes I wanted to shake her and remind her that for such an intelligent woman she easily allowed herself to head down the wrong track where Rannoch was concerned.

I particularly appreciated the evocative descriptions of every day life (for example the family meals and lively discussions) and the healing effects of a happy domesticity on the Marquis. It was a demonstration of true healing through the little things of life. Sometimes the author's word pictures reminded me a bit of the tranquility of a Vermeer painting.

I now look forward to reading the rest of her books. I'm going on holiday soon and two of them will be in the luggage!

Ms. Carlyle has successfully captured the magical peace true love brings to the redeemed. The heroine in MY FALSE HEART, embodies the strength of the truly beautiful woman: not only in outward appearance, but as a person with so much love to give her family and friends, she is their safe harbor; one hunky rogue of a hero [must read the pond scene!] who is almost so lost in debauchery, he carries faint hope of ever becoming clean again.

It seems fate has brought Elliot Armstrong to the door of Evangeline van Artevalde and her loving, extended family. As head of her household, the home Evangeline has made for all under her roof is filled with the warmth of love, laughter and intellectual pursuits--all that has been missing from Armstrong's privileged, though wasted life.

Although the hero's reputation has been unfairly maligned by foul gossip, he fully accepts, and flaunts, the parts of his bad name he has brought upon himself. Hurt by the betrayal of a past love, Elliot Armstrong has devoted ten years of his life to living as a wastrel, little caring how it will all turn out--until Evangeline becomes his friend. He then alternates between fantasies that she will love him and shame that he could corrupt her.

Though dire obstacles threaten Evangeline and Elliot's chance at happiness, Liz Carlyle has written a lovely story about the power of love and forgiveness.

Once in while when you're reading a book, you feel along the way that the book you're reading is truly special. My False Heart, a debut from Liz Carlyle, is one of those special books.

The story, as describe in the book description, is wonderfully written and filled with powerful characters that will surely steal your heart. Believable in every aspect because the story build up, the emotions of the lead characters and the motivation of Elliot to reform are all well told.

I enjoyed this book because it was told from the viewpoint of Elliot. I laughed and suffered with him. Also, the way the writer described everything so splendidly I could really it feel it, touch it and see it.

As for the characters Elliot and Evie, they were perfectly matched for each other! Elliot is a "to die for" hero. He shows his vulnerability to the readers but never loses his masculinity. Evie is a temperamental painter and on the outside she's so confident but deep inside a woman with doubts and insecurity.

The secondary characters are delightful, giving the story something extra and let the readers long for a story of their own.

My False Heart is also a book filled with favourite scenes. Like the pond scene and the balcony "vase throwing" scene. I love to re-read those scenes. Not everyone will agree with me, but I thought they were wonderful, touching and funny. Especially the pond scene!

Anyway, My False Heart is a truly special book, a keeper! It will leave behind a feeling of longing, a feeling of romance and hope that soon Liz Carlyle will write a sequel.

Enjoy and savour My False Heart, for this is what romance is about!

I have just discovered Liz Carlyle and I feel fortunate indeed. I am halway through her second book, "A Woman Scorned" and I can barely tear myself away from it. This is a very gifted author and all her books should be read (I think in the order she has written them). Unfortunately there are only four books right now, but we can only hope that she is as prolific as she is gifted. Her characters are so well drawn out you can actually remember them. Her secondary characters are also rich and vibrant. Her dialogue is wonderful and her prose is unique and highly-charged emotionally whether she is describing a thought or a sensuous love scene. Buy her. Read her. Treasure her. I can't wait to read all of her books.

Solely on the basis of readers' reviews here at Amazon I bought all of Liz Carlyle's books and couldn't wait to read them. Well, My False Heart is the first of Liz Carlyle's books I've read and it took me about a month to push through it. I wanted to like this book, but other than being disappointed by the review ratings versus the story, I was left feeling indifferent. I've read that My False Heart is Liz Carlyle's debut novel & I'll say right now: I hope she gets better. I have four more books of hers to read.

My False Heart was just...average, bland, and boring. I didn't see enough about this story that was remarkable or compelling to warrant the reviews that it has received. In fact, this story was marked by an absense of momentum, much like Jacquie d'Alessandro's "Red Roses Mean Love" and Linda Francis Lee's "Swan's Grace" that were also highly rated and also, you guessed it, dullsville. This story just did not come to life for me.

I liked that Evie was half-Flemish, but her family doesn't retain any Flemish customs or ever live there during the story. I bought that Marquis of Rannoch was a formidable character, but his sudden interest in his daughter seemed convenient and, yes, false. The conflict over Evie's youngest brother & heir being taken away was streeeeetched out over most of the novel and it felt like a manufactured contrivance. Most of Evie's family didn't have quite enough characterization to be interesting, except for her teenage brother who fought with Elliot. I was also looking for some real fireworks when Evie found out that she had been deceived by someone she had been intimate with. Well, she ranted and raged and I yawned.

My False Heart reminded me quite a bit of Loretta Chase's Captives of the Night, but that just highlighted this book's inadequacies. Leila Beaumont is a much better drawn "foreign tempermental artist" than the heroine in My False Heart and "secretive heroes with double identities" don't get much better than the Comte d'Esmond. Read it and see if you don't agree. If you like My False Heart, please try Loretta Chase's Captives of the Night and Lord of Scoundrels and Judith Ivory's Beast and Dance and see if you don't appreciate the differences.

I look forward to Liz Carlyle's writing improving with her next books.

My False Heart is simply the best romance I have read in a very long time -- a strong and intelligent heroine, a handsome and world-weary hero (this is one gorgeous hunk!), a great story line that includes a credible murder mystery for good measure, and a delightful cast of secondary characters. This book is so good that it is hard to believe that it is a debut.

Ms. Carlyle, thank you for reminding me why I started reading romances in the first place and may you have a long and prolific career!

Perhaps for the first 75 to 100 pages I thought I was not going to really like this book. There is so much to take in. You begin with Elliot such a sweet, vulnerable and naive young man - it is so obvious that Cecily is out to trap him. Then it jumps 10 years and the Elliot that you are now reading about dealing with mistresses in such an unfeeling way?? Then comes all the debauchary and rumors and he has an 8 year old daughter from a casual affair. My goodness what could have happened to completely change Elliot from that sweet, lovestruck young lad to a complete and total rake? My heart slowly was just breaking for him - and I had absolutely no idea what happened. But he ends up - it had to be the Gods of fate - at Chatham Lodge and by chance meeting the artist Evangeline - Evie and her family are like heaven to Elliot. He is mistaken for another man who is to have his portrait painted by Evie. He pretends he is just a man Elliot Roberts (not the evil Lord Rannoch.) And the thing is you see him being the man he started out to be at the beginning of the book the sweet, loving considerate man that he would have been if so many events that he had no understanding of had not dictated his life.Evie falls for this simple man Elliot Roberts and when the truth comes out your anquish over whether she will be able to still love the dreaded Lord Rannoch will make you tear up and truly keep on reading! Oh this just becomes the most beautiful of love stories. There is much mystery and danger too but then Lord Rannoch's life had been filled with unsavory characters. He will almost loose his life because of all of the old deceptions. How interesting it was that Evie finds out truths before Elliot. I found myself just captivated by another of Liz Carlyle's intense romances. Again, I have to say if you are a Carlyle fan you will not be disappointed.

Over 400 pages, this was an ambitious endeavor for a first time writer. I kept expecting it to drop off or drag somewhere, but was pleasantly surprised. You won't be disappointed. I've only given five stars to a handful of books out of hundreds read.

Oh, my! An original plot! Hard to believe but it's true. I agree with one of the other reviewers who couldn't believe this was LC's debut novel. However, this review is a little late. I've read all of LC's books and I'm here to tell you. . .she gets better with each one. A true story teller, wordsmith, etc. Great characters in all her books. No cookie cutter characters here! Every one of them are different and you will fall in love with all of them. Even though this is probably my least favorite book by LC, it is still wonderful and worth the read.

This was my first thought when I finished this book. Liz Carlyle creates a wonderful story filled with love, family, and passion. Evangiline is a strong woman supporting her family using her talents as an artist. Elliot is a man who thinks he is beyond redemption. My False Heart was easily my favorite historical romance of 1999. Take a chance on a new author, you will not regret taking the time to get to know Evie, Elliot, and the rest of the characters.