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34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Barry continues to SHINE!, October 13, 2003
This review is from: Unraveled (Mass Market Paperback)
The question, naturally, with such a strong first book: Can they do it again? And I am delighted, in the case of C.J. Barry, the answer is a resounding, YES!! Her second book Unraveled is just as solid Sci-Fi, just as sizzling, sexy romance, with another set of heartwarming characters. So Barry boldly makes the statement she is here to stay. CJ Barry zipped into the romance field earlier this year, a brilliant meteor shower across the SCI-FI Romance genre, with her first book Unearthed, joining Robin D. Owens as the wonderful new voices in this category. Unearthed was perfection on many levels. The characters were sharply drawn so they leaped off the pages. Her writing was very polished - way beyond a first time author - knowing the small techniques that bring a story together and keep the pace moving briskly. The sexy romance sizzled, but it is in her characters' repartee she sparkles brightest. Unearthed was one of the best books Sci-Fi or Romance - I read this year. Barry is able to visualise her outer space worlds, so she pulls the reader along on the grand adventure. Rayce Coburn we met briefly in Unearthed, a sexy hunk that was another space Indiana Jones. But he is tired of the struggle, adventure and danger, and wants to build something solid. His dream is a new spaceport, nothing like it in the area, and he has gone to the limit to see the vision a reality. But he needs a lot of credits to bring it to completion on time. And that is where Tru Van Dye comes in. She is a Majj scientist, and she is on a quest to find a lost fortune in alien relics, but to do this she must have Rayce's help. While he welcomes her credits at a point when he really needs them, that it should come from one of the Majj sours his soul. Rayce hates the Majj, blames them for the needless death of his sister, Miranda. And since Rayce hates them, blames the insular planet for all the woes brought on poor people of the universe, and specifically, the loss of his sister, he vents these emotions on the immediate target: Tru. The Majj sell their inventions and medical breakthroughs to the highest bidders, no matter if innocent people die. Only the desperate need for credits drives Rayce to make a bargain with the female devil. However, Rayce finds the beautiful Tru a contradiction. She has a near crippling lack of her own worth as a person and displays a very tender compassion that is polar opposites of the Majj. Convinced she is frigid, by her only attempt at physical closeness, she is walking on needles around the sexy Rayce with his blue-green eyes. He rattles her in ways she never new a man could reach a woman. So she uses a virtual program built around Rayce - a preparation in teaching her how to approach him and win his aid in the quest. Not willing to put herself at risk in the real world, Tru uses the safe secure holo-program to try and find her own sense-of-self sexually. Only, Rayce catches her using the virtual set up, and scared the holo-Rayce might hurt her somehow, he enters the program. Tru never knew the Rayce she found so gentle and caring in the holo-program was the REAL Rayce not her projected image. As they race around the universe, even paying a visit to earth, trying to find the X marks the spot, they both learn about each other, who they are and who they should be. Barry delivers, once again, a book that is thoughtful, moving, with winning characters, humour and those little special touches that guarantee you will be hearing a lot more for her in the near future....thankfully! Eagerly awaiting her third book due in March 2004!
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ms Barry just gets better and better!, March 9, 2004
This review is from: Unraveled (Mass Market Paperback)
The sequel to UNEARTHED, Ms Barry just gets better and better! Tru is an intellect that was born and raised in the Majj community that strictly focuses on advancing the galaxy in technologies, medicines and being learned about whatever the genesis's in residence put their minds' to. The only problem is that in order to stay within the Majj, Tru has to complete a charter before she turns thirty. Since the age of ten she has worked on only her father's projects never on her own. With his death she discovers an artifact that she believes is her charter. One of her hang ups is she needs a guide to help her and who better than Rayce Coburne, a man who excels at acquiring objects - the very name of a man her father had in his records. Rayce didn't want to accept the job Tru proposed for multiple reasons. The woman was a Majj, she has no interest in him as a human or even a man, and oh yeah she's a Majj. However, he desperately needs the credits for the space station he is remodeling or it won't open in time. So what is supposed to be a quick three day trip to a planet and back to his half renovated station turns into just the beginning when Tru inadvertently blackmails him into helping her finish her charter. But unlike the Majj society he's heard of, she offers to split the finding 50/50 - after documenting his share of course! So now the pair travels though hyperspace in a two-person ship with only each other to fight with. Forced to depend on each other a tentative relationship is formed that blooms into something that could be so much more. ...Except both know that True will return to the Majj society and how can Rayce compete with her greatest desire? I really loved UNRAVELED. Tru is so clever and yet so innocent of the universe around her as she's never left the society. Even though she was emotionally repressed as a woman, I think her reactions were very realistic. Rayce is used to working alone, and not having problems with women. So Tru is an enigma for him. Most of what she does shocks him right to the "bitter" end. While I had an idea of what Tru might do, the reactions it caused where amazing! Rayce and Tru both have so many misconceptions about the Majj that when they discover they were wrong about events that have happened in each of their own individual lives, it is amazing the effects on both of them. But as they say, the truth can only set you free and Rayce is definitely carrying a burden only Tru can free him of! (Cryptic I know, but can't give too much away now can we?) I loved reading about Elvis, Rayce's dog from Earth, a present from a friend. I have to say I love reading about animals but mostly the hero or heroine will have cats as a constant companion and having a dog was a nice change. It brought a whole different set of visuals to mind while reading that were fun and humorous. Way to go Ms Barry, awesome story and I highly recommend having your senses UNRAVELED with Tru and Rayce!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stellar!, August 5, 2005
This review is from: Unraveled (Mass Market Paperback)
Tru Van Dye grew up on an insular colony of Majj scientists. To prove themselves worthy, each member must succeed in a project, invention, or some type of major scientific break through before age thirty. Tru is now twenty-nine. She has less than a year to earn her Charter or she would be disassociated from her home planet. Tru decides to locate the legendary lost Curzon Collection. She has only a small plate to help her. But the plate is a key. She needs to locate three unknown pyramids, built centuries ago, on three unknown planets. The plate must be set on top of each pyramid in order to complete the plate's map. Then she must use the plate to locate and retrieve the Collection. However, the Majj are not allowed to leave their planet. Their own administrators keep them grounded. With the help of her mentor and only real friend, Noa, Tru gets off world and goes to hire the man best suited for the retrieval job.
Rayce Coburne is building a deluxe spaceport, due for its grand opening in less than three months. Due to lack of funds, things are not going well. Then Tru shows up and offers him all the funds he would ever need, for a simple mission. Rayce would have refused instantly if his partner, Gil, had not forced him to be realistic. Rayce hates all Majj, for very personal reasons. He agrees to Tru's mission, but only if Tru agrees to also include a kiss each day.
***** A stellar romance with action that Indian Jones would envy. Author C.J. Barry is quickly becoming famous in the sci-fi/romance genre and for good reason. Few in today's market can match Barry's intense action and suspense while keeping the romance alive as well. C.J. Barry is an outstanding author. Do not believe me? Simply read this novel. You will. *****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
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