Sweet Liar [Mass Market Paperback]

Jude Deveraux (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1993

It was her father's dying wish that Samantha Elliot search for her grandmother, who'd disappeared from Louisville when she was a baby. So here she was, in big, dirty New York City...her parents were dead, her divorce was final, and she was all alone....

Michael Taggert was Samantha's landlord, and he was easily the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He was charming, too -- his zest for life was so contagious that in his presence Sam bloomed like a flower after the rain. Yet Mike could only get so far with her -- when he tried to get closer, it was like running into a brick wall.

But Mike wouldn't give up. As they probed her grandmother's past, he was slowly uncovering the joy and affection Samantha had buried long ago -- and leading them closer to the dangerous truth about a bloody spring night in 1928, and a seductive blues singer named Maxie....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Perennial bestseller Deveraux ( The Duchess ) involves yet another spunky heroine in a formulaic romance. After her divorce and her father's death in early 1991, 28-year-old Sam Elliott arrives in New York City to search for clues to the riddle of her grandmother's mysterious 1964 disappearance. Her father's will directs her to spend a year on this quest while renting an apartment from his young friend Mike Taggert, who is writing a book about Prohibition-era gangster Doc Barrett. Mike needs Sam's assistance to land an interview with the still-living Barrett, and despite her fear of her dangerously attractive landlord she becomes increasingly involved with his work and attracted to both him and his large, loving family; she also comes closer to the truth about her grandmother's bizarre past. Deveraux knows Manhattan and provides entertaining descriptions of the speakeasy age in Harlem, but her cliche-laden dialogue makes it seem that her characters speak English as a second language. The highly improbable story line, overloaded with convoluted plots and subplots, will discourage even the most die-hard romance fan. Literary Guild and Doub le day Book Club main selections.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Huge-selling historical-romancer Deveraux (The Duchess, A Knight in Shining Armor, etc.) moves from 19th-century Scotland to present-day Manhattan for this valentine to conspicuous consumption--here, starring a self-righteous heroine with the inchoate inconstancy of a hormone-addled 12-year-old. Orphaned at 28 by her father's death, Samantha Elliott has ``seen more death than most people experience in a lifetime.'' First, she lost her grandparents; now both parents are dead. Fresh from New Mexico, Samantha is in New York to honor her father's will, which requires her to live there for a year while searching for the grandmother who disappeared when she was a toddler. But Samantha is soon paralyzed by depression and a morbid fear of the city; fortunately, though, Superman is close at hand in the muscle- bound person of Samantha's landlord, tall-dark-'n'-handsome Mike Taggert--who gives her the most passionate kiss of her life when they first meet and before they've exchanged even a word. Together, Samantha and Mike will reconstruct her grandmother's fate (much of which is strikingly similar to the 1985 movie Maxie). In the process, Samantha has an emotional reunion with her only surviving relative, gradually gets back in touch with her feelings, and discovers in herself a passion for shopping so pure that she sings paeans even to the ``very pretty lavatory'' in a Ralph Lauren shop. And, yes, she falls hard for Mike, who gets her pregnant and then marries her, a true hero for the '90s. Super-dumb and super-tedious. (Literary Guild Triple Selection for October) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (May 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671850954
• ISBN-13: 978-0671850951
• ASIN: 0671689746
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #175,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( D ) > Deveraux, Jude

More About the Author

Jude Deveraux was once a fifth-grade teacher who loved to read. When her imagination began to be filled with her own stories to tell, her career as a writer began. Jude's novels have been set in both contemporary and historical periods. Her strong, lyrical writing style and ability to write stories with memorable characters, rich detail, and believable dialogue has garnered her many devoted readers.

Jude has had over thirty books on the New York Times bestsellers list, has over 60 million copies in print, and has been translated into 18 languages. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading murder mysteries, working in her garden, and in boxing class she likes to show much younger males that she can throw a mean right cross.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing..., October 7, 2000

By 

Abbys (Moreno Valley, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweet Liar (Mass Market Paperback)

In my opinion, the whole story & plot of this book is simply intriguing. Makes me turn each page with suspense... I especially wanted to know the true account of the night of April,1928 that changed the lives of Samantha & her family. The search for her grandmother and the emotional roller coster made me cry. The love story of Sam & Mike are both sweet & heart warming. Sam's slow realization of herself & the transformation into her true identity is somewhat frustrating, sad, interesting then relief follow. Mike's love and patience to help her in any way he can is just as heart warming. I am a fan of the Montgomery Saga (as well as the Taggert) eversince I read the Velvet series, that is why the mention of the Montgomeries (& Taggert family) also made the book more interesting. If you are a J.D. fan & have enjoyed reading about the Montgomeries & Taggert in her previous books, then this is one you have to read. It contains many lovely characters. She even mentioned updates of previous couples from her other books stories. The family helping each other also made it more appealing to my taste. A keeper!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet novel!, February 22, 2006

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sweet Liar (Mass Market Paperback)

I have begun to think that Jude Deveraux isn't capable of writing a bad novel. Well, I've only read four of them so far, but they have all been winners and quite unique, not in the slightest bit repetitious. Sweet Liar is one of the best romances I've read. The heroine has a wounded soul and finds a sweet, hot, sexy hero to mend it. Samantha Elliot's father wants her to find out what happened to his mother. It is the condition in his will that says she will not have his money until she lives in New York City for one year and finds her wayward grandmother. A country bumpkin from Kentucky, she is terrified of New York, and decides she dislikes Michael Taggert, her gorgeous landlord, after her initial attraction to him. Samantha has years of pent-up sadness, frustration and anger inside her, and Michael does whatever possible to encourage her to find her grandmother and get to the bottom of her inner demons, all the while trying to get her into his bed... and into her heart. There are many twists throughout the novel.

This novel wowed me from beginning to end. I enjoyed this beautiful love story so much and I adored Michael, not only because he is gorgeous, but also because he is kind and loving. The back story centered on Samantha's grandmother -- the things that happened to her -- is compelling and enthralling, a definite page-turner. I love the romance, the backdrop of New York City seen through the eyes of a country woman, and this amazing story that has a subplot centered on mobsters and the roaring 1920s (Sam's grandmother's era). I couldn't keep this book down and couldn't wait to see the conclusion to this suspenseful subplot. The one disappointing thing is that the whole recreation act of what had transpired on that night in 1928 is too unrealistic and wraps up a little too neatly for my taste. But that didn't interfere with my overall enjoyment with this novel. The characters are awesome. I love the protagonists and the secondary characters, especially Kane, Michael's twin brother. I look forward to reading his story in The Invitation. The get-together between the Taggerts and the Montgomerys is such a fun scene. I noticed that there are characters and back stories taken from other novels that I haven't read. I only recognized Dougless and Reed from A Knight in Shining Armor. I so look forward to reading every book by these families. Sweet Liar is one memorable romance. It is almost as memorable and poignant as A Knight in Shining Armor, my favorite Deveraux novel so far. This author has filled up my TBR pile and I look forward to more hours reading her wonderful books. In the meantime, I cannot recommend this gem enough.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a great romance novel., November 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sweet Liar (Mass Market Paperback)

Samantha Elliot arrived in New York to search for her grandmother, alone, her parents dead, and her divorce final. Her father left her an apartment in the city and asked Michael Taggert to look after both Samantha and the apartment. Her father's dying wish was for Samantha to find out what had happened to her Grandmother. She had dissapeared from Sam and her father's life when Samantha was a baby. The relationship that has developed between these two people is very awkward because it changes very rapidly. At some points they will become very close to eachother and will then suddenly be distant. Michael agrees to help Samantha find her grandmother and she finds herself falling in love with him, but will it stay that way or will it change? Read this great romance novel to find out what happens. I thought this was a great book. I enjoyed reading it because the romance was so great, and I enjoyed the humor. I would often get to a point where I didn't want to set the book down. I would reckomend this book to people who like great romance adn humorous novels.