Much Ado About Love (Mass Market Paperback)

by Malia Martin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A fresh, innovative talent." -- -- Samantha Jones

"Frothy...the characters are endearing, and Her Majesty is just as feisty as ever." -- --Affaire de Coeur

"Her characters will steal your heart." -- -- Julia Quinn

"Lighthearted...delightful." -- -- Romantic Times

"You'll love [this] clever romance." -- --Detroit Free Press

Product Description

Shakespeare's In Love

At the royal command of Queen Elizabeth, Sir Ian Terrance has sought out a popular local playwright named William Shakespeare-only to discover that he is a she...and a most desirable and delectable she indeed! And now that the remarkable Olivia is his prisoner, Sir Ian is the one in chains-bewitched by the singular young woman's irrestible beauty, deliciously sharp wit, and innocent sensuality.

Olivia's secret life was well hidden, until Ian burst through her wall of pretense. There is much the devilishly handsome man can teach an imaginative, if inexperienced, maid, with his tender caresses and intoxicating kisses. But how long will the exquisite writer be able to remain aloof from the passionate attentions of her bold kidnapper? And can a breathtaking romance turn Ian form his duty-and ensure a happy ending?

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (September 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380815176
• ISBN-13: 978-0380815173
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,478,144 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simply Romantic, September 9, 2000

By	"trinitee" (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This book was a great read!! I loved the love-bewildered relationship between Ian and Olivia. I don't know about the rest of you, but I adore Shakespeare. To think that it could have been a girl as the legendary playwrite tickled me pink! When I read the bio for the book, I thought this would be a typical capture-captive story...but it's not! It's such a sweet story because Ian struggles so hard against loving Olivia, but ends up falling deeper in love than he'd ever dreamed of. The word play between the two was excellent: Olivia is one witty character. That's a key to what made this book so fun to read. Final word: If you enjoyed Shakespeare in Love, this is the book for you!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Turn of Events, November 19, 2002

By	"--madcrazyscientist--" (Flagstaff, AZ) - See all my reviews

I saw this book in the book store and was intrigued by its premise that Shakespeare was really a woman. I bought it and came home, got onto amazon.com and scoped out the reviews of other readers, just to see what was good or bad about the book. Despite what some said, I decided to read it. I am glad I did!

Here is the low-down on the story:
After something in Shakespeare's latest play upsets the Queen, her best agent, Sir Ian Terrance, is sent to take the playwrite to the Tower. When, upon apprehending the man, Sir Ian discovers that not only is HE a SHE, but also the bastard daughter of the Queen, all hell breaks loose in Sir Ian's well ordered existance. Now Sir Ian is in a quandry for, as a young man of 19, he had been sent to do away with Olivia Tudor because she posed a threat to the Virgin Queen's throne, but he had allowed the 10-year-old Olivia to escape. Fearing retribution from his monarch for failing to do his job so long ago, Sir Ian must find a way to hide Olivia until he can decide what to do. However, Olivia has other ideas. She has speant her life knowing that she was a threat to the Queen, the mother she had never met, and had known that the day would come when she would be found and executed. Now that she was in the hands of the Queen's agent, she just wanted her first meeting with her mother and subsequent death to happen quickly. Thus begins a battle of wills, and words!

What made this book such a delight was the brilliant dialog. Ms. Martin really captured some of the wit of Shakespeare and it was so much fun to follow along! Add to that the little, and sometimes not so little, parallels between the plays of the bard and the plot of the book and you have a book that is not only fun to read but romantic as well!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elizabethan fans are going to love this romance, September 6, 2000

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In 1597 England, Queen Elizabeth demands that her agent Sir Ian Terrance bring in author William Shakespeare. Ian quickly learns that the growing popular playwright is actually a female, Olivia Tudor, the queen's bastard daughter, who he was supposed to kill years ago. What should have been "much ado about nothing" may prove deadly for the now too famous William and Ian.

He makes Olivia his prisoner, but Ian soon falls in love with her. As Ian struggles to tame the shrew, Olivia, feeling like an idiot filled with sound and fury, returns his love. However, someone else seems to know that Olivia is William and has Lady MacBeth plans to disrupt the court even if they kill Olivia in the process. With growing court intrigue and a deep love, the witches would foretell that this relationship would prove that all's well do not end well for everyone especially these two lovers.

This Elizabethan romantic romp places a gender twist on "Shakespeare in Love." The story line is fun and often amusing as the lead couple dual with lips (words and kisses) even as danger threatens to engulf them. Perhaps intrepid author Malia Martin should have chosen Marlowe in love so as to avoid comparison to the works of the greatest writer of all times and the recent award winning movie. Still, though requiring leaps of faith that a daughter of Elizabeth is the Bard, Ms. Martin provides a refreshing look at Elizabethan romance that will elate sub-genre readers.

Harriet Klausner