Customer Reviews

TOUCH THE HORIZON (Loveswept)

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

 

 

An incredibly touching tale of two very special people who deserve a happy ending. It shows the best there is in being human. While in college, David Bradford experimented with some mind-expansion drugs that left him in a state of mental retardation--a child in a man's body. Years later, despite his regained mental prowess, he retains a childlike honesty, simplicity and gentleness that arouses a fierce protectiveness in the people around him. Beloved by everyone in the Casbah of Zalandan, Lisan's every wish is fulfilled. When he rescues Bille Calllahan from a desert sandstorm, he knows he's found his own true love. There's just one problem: orphan- brat Billie doesn't believe in forever. The beautiful sequel to "Capture the Rainbow" and "The Trustworthy Redhead."

"Touch the Horizon" was originally published 24 years ago and it certainly shows its age. Set in a desert kingdom with sandstorms, bazaars and sheikhs, this is a short and formulaic romance with little to recommend it.

When Billie Callahan is saved from a ferocious sandstorm by David Bradford, she is taken to his Casbah which he shares with the former ruler of Sedikhan. Billie is the sort of girl who is always wandering, looking for something different to do, and although enjoying her time in Sedikhan she has no doubt she will want to move on. But David might just have other plans for her.

I found this book stupendously unrealistic - the dialogue, the situations, the danger, the romance. David was a strange, childlike character who spouted poetic-sounding compliments at the drop of a hat. Billie was an impolite, naïve and pushy woman who blundered about without apparently caring for anyone's feelings or ideas of hospitality/politeness. The one good thing about this book was that it was short.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Billie Callahan is an actress that is taking a little time to see the sights around Zalandan. Unfortunately she is caught up in a sandstorm but before that could become a total tragedy she is protected by a very poetic and rather handsome man. When the storm is over she finds herself in a palace as the guest of David Bradford. She is charmed by him and drawn to him but there is one problem. David believes in happy endings and forever kind of love. Billie doesn't believe in either. And yet she is finding herself falling for David and all of his mysterious romantic ways.

David manages to arrange it so Billie can't leave the country, wanting a chance to woo and win the heart of the woman that has spoken to his heart. He may have a childlike naïveté with the way he looks at the world due to his past experiences, but this doesn't lessen the true and amazing feelings he has for Billie. Will he be able to show Billie that love is a gift and not something to flee?

This is a re-issue of one of Ms. Johansen's classic romances. This is a perfect example of how opposites can and do attract. David and Billie are charming characters and their love story will make the reader sigh with pleasure. This is one title you will want to add to your "must read list."

I am a fan of Johansen's old Loveswepts, especially the Sedikhan stories, from their original 1980's publication.

It is a Category, so it's a very quick read. But you will smile, maybe tear up, and spend a little time with characters that capture your interest. The occasional social references that are more than 30 years old are obviously dated, but you can ignore them as easily as the technological ones: the "oooh" Selectric typewriter for an author made me laugh.

Enjoy.

IRIS JOHANSEN IS ALWAYS ON TOP OF HER GAME AND SHE IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS THAT ANYONE WHO ENJOYS READING WOULD APPRECIATE! EVERY BOOK SHE WRITES I BUY IT AND I CANNOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN UNTIL IVE READ EVERY BIT OF IT, EVEN STAYING UP ALL NIGHT AND YET READING IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU SLEEPY BUT HER BOOKS SURE DON'T!!!!I ONCE PLACED ABOUT 7 OF HER BOOKS AFTER READING THEM BY THE POOL WHERE WE ALL PLACE BOOKS FOR OTHERS IN THE HAWAII CONDOS CAN READ, THE NEXT DAY EVERY ONE OF HER BOOKS HAD BEEN TAKEN BUT EVERY OTHER BOOK PLACED THERE BY OTHERS WERE STILL SITTING THERE....THAT SAYS IT ALL!!! DIANNA FROM CALIF.
AS FOR AMAZON, I THINK THEY ARE THE BEST TO SHOP AT AND I PURCHASE EVERYTHING I CAN FROM THEM. THEY STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS AND SHIPPING OFTEN SAYS STANDARD SHOWS UP AT OUR HOUSE THE NEXT DAY. AMAZON CAN BE TRUSTED BY ANYONE AND YOU CANT GO WRONG BY PURCHASING FROM SELLERS THEY ALLOW TO LIST THINGS ON THEIR SITE BECAUSE AMAZON DOES CHECK ON THEM AND IF THEY ARENT DOING WHAT IS EXPECTED THEY DO NOT GET TO SELL FROM THEIR SITE!I HAD A PROBLEM ONLY ONE TIME FROM A SELLER OF PRODUCTS ON AMAZON AND THAT SELLER WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ME WHEN THE PRODUCT WAS DEFECTIVE BUT AMAZON DID CHECK ON THE SELLER, I TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS IMMEDIATELY REPLACED WITHOUT QUESTION BY AMAZON SO I AM A BELIEVER WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING FROM AMAZON! SURFNKONA@SBCGLOBAL.NET

A heart-warming and beautiful story of love, goodness, kindness and strength--all the best in what it means to be 'human'. This one's a keeper!

Book was in excellent shape. Received on time. Would order from this seller which I believe I have.

She was spotted on a sand dune by her "Lisan". For him it was love at first sight. She wasn't ready to come to terms with the same feelings and fought them until there was no turning back and decided to give in to her heart. I enjoyed the book. I love happy endings and love the steamy love scences this book has as well as all the books I've read by Iris. One faught this book has that kept me from rating it higher was, the main character, Billie, was the fact that David the other main character feel in love the minute he saw her and followed and pursued relelntlessly after her from the start. No story building up to their love just "magic" I guess. Alittle too unbelievable for me. Need something to lead up to the such intense passion they later had. Oherwise good book. I enjoy the desert romance stories. I enjoyed the passion these two have for each other and the risk they went through with both their lives in danger. Worth reading but not the best from this author. Enjoyed Stalemate alot more.