Customer Reviews

In Your Arms

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Did the people that put this book together even read it? Or were they, like I, so bored, confused and apathetic that they didn't care? First, the image inside the cover has NOTHING to do with the book. Even if I could reasonably believe that the background was New Orleans or London, rather than the American Southwest, the man is dressed in jeans (which weren't introduced until maybe 40 years after the book takes place) and the woman is dressed in some sort of Mexican outfit. The back cover has a description which speaks of a different storyline - her brother never has a plot to destroy the lead male's (I hesitate to call him the "hero") holdings. The lead male character is deplorable. The lead female is an idiot. After one encounter with him, in which he is extraordinarily mean to her, she gets a schoolgirl crush? After this, they have a number of sexual encounters which leave me indifferent. This suave and experienced man never even does more than unzip his pants - oh yeah, I want one like him! The woman decides every time that, yes, he MUST love me, or we wouldn't be doing it on the parlor floor, despite his constantly being mean to her and making sure she understands that he doesn't really like her. They never seem to have a conversation consisting of more than him insulting her, which makes me wonder how either of them thinks they are possibly in love. A final note, the story was ridiculous. Quite often all the action happens somewhere between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next, and suddenly time has passed and suddenly the characters have moved and started a whole new life or fought an entire war. It makes no sense. This was the first and last time I'll read this author. What a waste of seven bucks.

I thought that the story line was good in the beginning but then it became to historical and not enough romance. I felt that the way the main characters were always so cruel and mean to each other to be very tiresome. The references to history were too long and too many, I found myself skipping through them after a while. The book kept me interested only because I kept hoping that the cruelity would soon end and they would pronounce their love for one another. The ending was the biggest dissapointment however, it too many unanswered questions about everything and I like to read books that tie up loose ends. This book could use a sequel to help with all the unanswered questions. This is not like any of her other books that I have read.

I believe that the entire Avon Publishing Company 'was out to lunch' when preparing this book. First, the inside cover was 'mistakenly' placed in 'In Your Arms'. The inside cover definitely looks like the book takes place in the American Southwest or West, however, the regoin of the book takes place in Regency England and early Americana New Orleans. (I have yet to find a cactus in New Orleans except in a garden store)! I found it very difficult to enjoy, or even like the Holt, the supposedly hero. He was sarcastic, mean, vindictive and didn't know the first thing about romance. As for Amalie, her parents history I found to be more interesting than her 'spinsterhood' season in England. I thought her shallow, and very naive to say the least. Plus I felt that I was left to guess the end of the story. Like the books my kids read by R.L. Stine, where you determine the conclusion. The animosity between Holt and Amalie's brother Kit Silver, aka Christian Courtland was left unresolved; Amalie and her brother's differences of opinions were left unresolved - if he loved his sister so much, why couldn't he accept the fact that she considered herself in love with Holt, and that is why she placed herself in a precarious position of being his mistress; and what of Christian? Did he return to piracy, or did he become a merchantman and eventually purchase a farm in Virginia? Did he eventually marry and have a family of his own, and maintain contact with his sister. And did he even return to New Orleans for his sister? There were so many unanswered questions that I felt at a loss when finishing this book. But true to Rosemary Rogers the book contained the betrayal, intrique and espionage that has always fascinated me. But not enough for me to give this book no more than two hard earned stars!

This book was decent. But then again, I have not read a romance novel in three months and I was starving for one. Though her books are typically rough and rather tawdry, they are always good. I have been a fan of hers for a long time. However, this book seems rushed and the characters are not completely developed. Frankly I enjoyed the fact that Amalie was not the prettiest woman in the world, as most of RR's women are- and I also liked the fact that she wasnt as hard and jaded as most of RR's heroines. Yet there was something missing in the story- and it wasn't the sensuous dancing of the heroine, which was there as usual. I liked Amalie and Holt, but Rosemary Rogers did not do them justice because she did not go to any lengths to make this story a good one.

Reading Rosemary Rogers is like ordering your favorite pizza--you know what to expect and are rarely disappointed. Maybe some of the other readers are new to Rogers, or maybe they expected her to change her entire formula. But if she did, would she be Rosemary Rogers? This book has it all, from larger-than-life hero to strong heroine. While it's not as good as most of the other Rogers books, I found it better than most of the other romance novels out these days. At least there was a plot, strong historical flavor, and believable characters. I think the only way Ms Rogers has changed is to tone down the sexual promiscuity so prevalent in her earlier books. Maybe that's a sign of the times, but she certainly retains the tone she set in her first books, altering it only slightly to fit into today's expectations of romance novels. As I said, this isn't my favorite book by her, but it certainly doesn't deserve to be blasted because she gives us what we expect when we buy her books. Any of these other readers read Johnson or Henley lately? Talk about porn! And very little plot to go with the ample helping of sexual situations. Yes, I'll stick with Rogers, and hope that I love her next book as much as I love Wildest Heart and Sweet Savage Love....

I must say, the author has gone to lunch on this one. The hero (Holt) is a rake, libertine and a vile personality. He hasn't a kind word to say the Amalie. Amalie on the other hand is a dimwit.
The story does not go well throughout. There are too many unanwsered questions at the end. Do not waste your time on this trash.

Ms Rogers the "Queen of Romance" definitely fell off the throne with this story. I was so disappointed by the lack of passionate, intrigue, and interesting characters that usually populate Ms. Rogers stories that I want my money back. Unlike previous heroes and heroines Amalie and Holt are dull and flat. The only semi-interesting character Kit Silver is left hanging. Plot development lacked imagination and the characters are cardboard. If you want to read a good romance book try some of Ms. Rogers earlier stories like Sweet Savage Love, at least you won't be wasting your money.

Although I have always tremendously enjoyed her books and jumped in excitement upon seeing her newest installment I find myself saddened to say -skip it. I kept hoping for redemption for this one expecting that at some point Amalie's character would wake up and become likeable or that the hero would start softening up and become likeable. As I quickly approached the last pages of the book I was convinced that the last page would say "To be continued" because I could not fathom how all the loose ends could be wrapped up so quickly. I was stunned by the way it was all wrapped up. Yes those of us who read these expect the hero to start off callous and heartless and the heroine to be in most cases clueless but please not up until the end where seemingly by magic everyone forgets what is STILL going on unresolved and decide oh, I don't hate I love you THE END. Please don't read this one first because she is a fabulous author who must have had a publisher breathing down her neck in order for her to churn out this one.

Rogers often has male heroes that kind of border on cruel and abusive - I guess if one likes that more dark, brooding male then Rogers books are for you. And yes, I often like that sort of male - Deverelle is sometime almost abusive in his treatment of Aimelle - but he is very confused about so many things in his life and has this real concern of people taking advantage of himself and his grandmother. There is an attraction between these two from the very beginning - Rogers makes you feel it - there is just so much to get settled before they can be together. Actually I thought this was the problem with the book the historical parts were way to confusing and kind of bogged down the romance. And the end was a bit hurried - there was so much time spent in some parts and when they finally get together it was just rushed. I have always loved Rosemary Rogers books - the Steve and Ginny books were my first reads in historical romance and while this in no way compares - it is better than many books that are written today and any Rogers book is better than most!

This is a horrible, horrible book. It does not deliver what readers have come to expect from a good romance novel. First, this novel is full of interesting history that the author does not describe in greater detail. She is a very poor historian and should concentrate more on the romantic part of the plot. All she does is confuse the reader with her vaguely described historical events. Second, the male protagonist is mostly unpleasant and often cruel. Very rarely do we see a soft spot in his heart for the heroine. I was really hoping that there would be a major confession of the "hero's" love for the heroine at the end of the story, especially after the way he treats her throughout the book. But no. He never even says the 3 little words we have come to expect at the end (at least) of a good romance novel. We are just supposed to assume he loves her. Very unfulfilling! Third, there are numerous loose ends at the end of the novel. Definitely a book to avoid at all costs.