Customer Reviews

What, No Roses?

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

 

 

I truly wanted to like this book; I looked forward to buying it. I love time travel romances, however, I found this one lacking in many areas. I found the plot to be ho-hum, not very interesting. The characters, except for one from 1929, weren't that endearing or likeable-I didn't care what happened to them! The book is littered with modern slang and cliches, so much so that it was annoying. The book's attempts at being funny and comedic seemed contrived to me as though the author tried too hard at being funny. The only good parts of the book took place when the female character from 1929 was involved in the action. Other than that, it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. The ending is a real letdown! Rent the book from the library is you must read it; don't buy it. Oh,well. Not a total waste of time but not a good read, either.

The previous reviewers were far too generous in my opinion. This book was TERRIBLE! The plot was plodding and highly unbelievable. The humor was slight to totally non-existent (and stupid as well). And the characters were as unsympathetic as you can imagine-I didn't care anything about any of them. I LOVE time travel romances in general but this one left me cold as well as $7.00 in the hole. What a waste of my time and money. I thought this book would be much better.

I'm a sucker for Jazz-Age music and styles, and when I first heard about this book, I was itching to find it. The tale is light and witty, and like a Damon Runyon story of Guys and Dolls, it never takes itself too seriously, which makes the twist involving VR at the end a little more credible. I think I knew all along something was up with the time-travel mechanics, but I rode with the story and while it's certainly not F. Scott Fitzgerald (though he does make a cameo appearance), it's a fun read if you like a good romance with enough historical color to put you in the mood.

Journalist Dora Duncan resolves to avoid dangerous assignments, drop her boyfriend Nick who apparently dropped her already without informing her as he no longer calls, e-mails etc., and especially no longer wait for her sweetheart on Valentine's Day. At work and at love, she is disenchanted.

The FBI recruits Dora on a dangerous assignment though they do not like using civilians. They want her to travel back in time to February 1929 to prevent Nick, already there, from changing history. She agrees and in a blink of an eye she and a rodent go back to 1929 Chicago. There she finds herself in a wild scenario as her new boyfriend is a mobster who adores her feet and another gangster wants her in his bed; she has not had as many sexual opportunities in her entire adult life mostly in the next century. Still the mission is simple keep Nick out of the St. Valentine's Day massacre.

This fine satirical time travel romantic suspense will please sub-genre readers due to the solid intelligent characterizations. Dora and her ratty companion behave like fish out of water and the people she meets are eccentric caring individuals who happen to be on the illegal side of Prohibition. As Marianne Mancusi did with the frivolous fun frolic, A CONNECTICUT FASHIONISTA IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT, WHAT, NO ROSES? is a delightfully amusing lighthearted romp.

Harriet Klausner