Customer Reviews

Souvenir of Love (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I couldn't wait till this book came out and wasn't disappointed! Joanna Novins only gets better with this new book about Lady Elizabeth Harcrest. She brings us back to the time of the French Revolution with a sassy and independent character. You never know what she will do next. Great writing, superb characters and lots of fun reading. I can't wait to see if we go to Colonial America next.

Souvenir of Love is the sequel to Novins' Souvenir Countess. Though I have to say that these are superb first books, this story lacks a bit in the love department and leaves many questions unanswered. In this aspect, the Souvenir Countess dealt better with these problems.

Elizabeth Harcrest is eligible, beautiful, rich, and reckless. And in love with James Dinsmore, the future Duke of Dinsmore. What she doesn't know is that he's agreed to help his sister plot her bitter revenge against the Harcrests by seducing then exposing Elizabeth to the elite of the ton, thereby ruining her reputation forever.

What James doesn't expect to feel is a crushing guilt that lays heavily on his conscience, resulting in him becoming a spy in order to escape from it. As he is conferring with Rafe (Elizabeth's brother and the hero of Souvenir Countess), Elizabeth's hears through a thin wall and demands that he bring her on this "adventure". With no way out, James reluctantly lets her tag along as his pretend bride.

The romantic aspect of the plot is very weak as there are barely any scenes in which the hero and heroine experience sexual tension. Bedroom scenes that have great potential are skipped over with haste and the scene where she loses her virginity to him is far too short considering how long the reader had to wait for it. I could hardly see the emotional growth between that led them to fall in love with each other. Several times, I felt Elizabeth too selfish and spoiled while James is too weak and subversive.

The ending of the story is a cliffhanger of sorts which I didn't appreciate...I feel that an epilogue would have made the book much better.

Since I enjoyed Ms. Novins first book (Souvenir Countess) I couldn't wait for the sequel. Well, it was worth the wait! If you like romance, adventure and fun, this is the book for you. The characters are so real that you can't wait to see what happens next. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of the cast of "gentlemen spies" in another book. I sure hope so! I'll be waiting for any sequels or prequels Ms. Novins writes.

I loved "The Souvenir Countess", and couldn't wait for this sequel. Well, I wasn't disappointed! If anything, this book is even better. The characters are well drawn, the dialogue intelligent and witty, and the setting enthralling. I read it in one sitting!

I'm definitely putting Joanna Novins on my "Auto buy" list.

If you liked Joanna Novins's "The Souvenir Countess", then you will LOVE "Souvenir of Love." The dialogue is fabulous, the hero dashing, and the love story will stay with you long after you've finished the book.

This is a real winner, and this is a writer to watch.

I enjoyed this book by Joanna Novins. I thought the characters were interesting and the story fun, but I thought it did not live up to her first book The Souvenir Countess. I read this book, which is a sequal to The Souvenir Countess, immediately following the first one and was a little disappointed in how the story played out and how the characters were developed.

I did not get as immersed in the characters of Elizabeth and James as I did with Alix and Rafe in the first book. My favorite part of this one was seeing how Alix and Rafe's relationship had developed.

I would still recommend this book though. It was well-written and amusing.

Elizabeth Harcrest has loved James Dinsmore since they met as children, but he prefers being a rake. However, James' sister Anne detests the Harcrests ever since Elizabeth's brother Rafe married someone else. Anne arranges for Elizabeth and James to be caught in a loving hug.

James refuses to marry Elizabeth. Rafe demands satisfaction as James dishonored his family. In the subsequent duel between two men Elizabeth loves, Rafe wounds James. While convalescing, James begins to ponder how he lives and how he scandalized innocent Elizabeth. He also realizes he misses her, which turns into a revelation that he now knows he loves Elizabeth. While working on a dangerous mission James wonders how he will convince his beloved to forgive his cavalier attitude, as he wants her forever.

Though the sequel to the delightful SOUVENIR COUNTESS (Rafe's story) has less of the French Revolution as a backdrop SOUVENIR OF LOVE is an enjoyable late eighteenth century romance that will bring plenty of pleasure to sub-genre readers. The story line focuses on the changing attitude of James who knows he done her wrong and is being punished not by the Ton, but his own heart. He makes the novel work though his sister is a classic rat. Elizabeth is a great character and fans will appreciate Joanna Novin's latest charmer due to the metamorphosis of the lead male.

Harriet Klausner

Joanna Novins has penned another gem. THE SOUVENIR COUNTESS was witty, imaginative, and sexy. SOUVENIR OF LOVE is even better!

Watch this writer. She's destined to become one of the most beloved writers in the genre.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, I couldn't wait to read this book after reading Souvenir Countess. Lady Elizabeth and James Dinsmore seemed such a "tempting" couple. And I wasn't disappointed. The characters are well portrayed, the love story moving and poignant and the setting of revolutionary France was really well brought out. It is so refreshing when an author has researched the background.I read this book twice over and I'm sure will do so again.

For those merely looking for sexual escapades, I woulnd't recommend this book. There is only one detailed sex scene (apart from the initial one in Chapter 2 where James knowingly ruins Elizabeth's reputation. HOwever, the depth of feeling between the two throughout the story is very moving.

I can't wait to meet them again in Ms Novin's next book.

Cannot give this writer enough praise, I actually have read them twice now over a period of time, hope there is a continuation of other characters introduced in Souvenir of Love, it has been a couple of years now since her last novel, hope she did not retire, I cannot put her books down once I start them.