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Absolutely, Positively
Unconventional Molly Abberwick, trustee of her late father's scientific foundation and owner of Seattle's Abberwick Tea & Spice Company, was mad enough to fire her new consultant, Dr. Harry Stratton Trevelyan. She'd hired him when the foundation had needed the advice of the best expert in America on new inventions. Brilliant, tall, and unexpectedly handsome Harry was the best--at getting under her skin. She had bubbled over about a device for lunar power. He shot it down. She went wild for a bright-eyed young inventor. Harry called him a con. They were getting nowhere fast when he suddenly invited her to his condominium for tea. There she was thinking of giving him his pink slip. There he was serving her Darjeeling, a sexy smile, a smoldering gaze, and an outrageous proposal--that thy have an affair!
Harry had been burned before by love. He wanted no pulls on his heart, no intrusions on his time, no dizzying of his logical mind. But he couldn't get Molly Abberwick out from under his skin. His brilliant deduction: have a simple fling, "just one of those bedroom things." It was a fail-safe formula for a no-commitment/no-demands affair. After all, the chemistry was right. What could go wrong?
Everything, of course. Molly was ready to go to battle with Harry, not to bed with him. Worse, she believed only an absolutely, positively impossible man would think that a relationship could be planned, predicted, and run like a science project. But just when Molly was ready to let him have a piece of her mind--not her heart--she discovered that the eminent Dr. Trevelyan was not what he seemed.
Harry turned out to be fascinating. First, there was his family, the Trevelyans, a long line of carnival owners, illusionists, and daredevils who ran the Smoke & Mirrors Amusement Company. Then there were the paranormal premonitions Harry denied having--on scientific grounds--but which brought him to Molly's side when a sinister prank exploded at her family mansion. And when the pranks escalated into violence and a mysterious the stalker threatened her life, Molly needed Harry's sixth sense, and his extraordinary family, to help. Sh needed Harry, not for just a week, not for just an hour, but forever in love.
Harry had been burned before by love. He wanted no pulls on his heart, no intrusions on his time, no dizzying of his logical mind. But he couldn't get Molly Abberwick out from under his skin. His brilliant deduction: have a simple fling, "just one of those bedroom things." It was a fail-safe formula for a no-commitment/no-demands affair. After all, the chemistry was right. What could go wrong?
Everything, of course. Molly was ready to go to battle with Harry, not to bed with him. Worse, she believed only an absolutely, positively impossible man would think that a relationship could be planned, predicted, and run like a science project. But just when Molly was ready to let him have a piece of her mind--not her heart--she discovered that the eminent Dr. Trevelyan was not what he seemed.
Harry turned out to be fascinating. First, there was his family, the Trevelyans, a long line of carnival owners, illusionists, and daredevils who ran the Smoke & Mirrors Amusement Company. Then there were the paranormal premonitions Harry denied having--on scientific grounds--but which brought him to Molly's side when a sinister prank exploded at her family mansion. And when the pranks escalated into violence and a mysterious the stalker threatened her life, Molly needed Harry's sixth sense, and his extraordinary family, to help. Sh needed Harry, not for just a week, not for just an hour, but forever in love.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
499 people are currently reading
1657 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Ann Krentz
401 books7,169 followersThe author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
September 5, 2019
Note to self: this is the one with inventors and carnies
Heroine has hired hero to help her distribute grant money to inventors from her family’s foundation. Heroine has not had money during her life, however. Her father was an inventor and just before his death one of his patents finally paid off. Heroine had to care for her younger sister so she never went to university. She ended up working at, and then owning, a tea and spice shop.
The author has a lot of fun with the heroine’s family home – a rundown mansion that could be Pee Wee’s Playhouse with all the crazy inventions. While not a scientist, heroine has her family’s “curiosity.”
Hero is an emotionally buttoned-down academic who has “rejected” both sides of his family. After the murder of his parents (while they were scuba diving – yikes), the hero tried to negotiate between the two family forces in his life, but he has found it difficult.
He has the sharp reflexes of his carnival/con artist/second sight father’s family, but he has not followed the carnival circuit. He has the ruthlessness, negotiating skills and logic of his mother’s business tycoon family, but he has not become a businessman.
He’s tried to chart a course for himself and isn’t really happy when the story opens. He’s been taking care of his young cousin. His ex- fiancé married his other cousin. He worries about his mental health because of his weird paranormal abilities. One thing he does know is that he’s wildly attracted to the heroine.
The romance is zero conflict after the opening argument the H/h resolve then and there. From that moment on they are a couple and act like it. They are adorable together.
There is a mystery – someone is trying to scare and then kill the heroine. H/h have to figure out motive etc. . . Since so many characters mention the heroine having access to foundation money – it’s pretty obvious why and who.
At its heart this story is about the hero trying to reconcile the great love story of his opposites-attract parents into a livable existence for himself. Heroine first helps by accepting him for the way he is and then opening herself up to his paranormal energy. It’s that dark side which scares him so much. In the second half of the story she tackles both sides of his family in a great scene. I loved the way she stood up for him time and time again.
The hero has a do-over from his parent’s murder scene – this time he’s in time to save the heroine for a nice bit of symmetry.
There is a sweet epilogue with the paranormal gene being passed on. A fun, quirky story.
Heroine has hired hero to help her distribute grant money to inventors from her family’s foundation. Heroine has not had money during her life, however. Her father was an inventor and just before his death one of his patents finally paid off. Heroine had to care for her younger sister so she never went to university. She ended up working at, and then owning, a tea and spice shop.
The author has a lot of fun with the heroine’s family home – a rundown mansion that could be Pee Wee’s Playhouse with all the crazy inventions. While not a scientist, heroine has her family’s “curiosity.”
Hero is an emotionally buttoned-down academic who has “rejected” both sides of his family. After the murder of his parents (while they were scuba diving – yikes), the hero tried to negotiate between the two family forces in his life, but he has found it difficult.
He has the sharp reflexes of his carnival/con artist/second sight father’s family, but he has not followed the carnival circuit. He has the ruthlessness, negotiating skills and logic of his mother’s business tycoon family, but he has not become a businessman.
He’s tried to chart a course for himself and isn’t really happy when the story opens. He’s been taking care of his young cousin. His ex- fiancé married his other cousin. He worries about his mental health because of his weird paranormal abilities. One thing he does know is that he’s wildly attracted to the heroine.
The romance is zero conflict after the opening argument the H/h resolve then and there. From that moment on they are a couple and act like it. They are adorable together.
There is a mystery – someone is trying to scare and then kill the heroine. H/h have to figure out motive etc. . . Since so many characters mention the heroine having access to foundation money – it’s pretty obvious why and who.
At its heart this story is about the hero trying to reconcile the great love story of his opposites-attract parents into a livable existence for himself. Heroine first helps by accepting him for the way he is and then opening herself up to his paranormal energy. It’s that dark side which scares him so much. In the second half of the story she tackles both sides of his family in a great scene. I loved the way she stood up for him time and time again.
The hero has a do-over from his parent’s murder scene – this time he’s in time to save the heroine for a nice bit of symmetry.
There is a sweet epilogue with the paranormal gene being passed on. A fun, quirky story.
January 7, 2014
Molly's probably my favorite heroine of my recent Krentz binge. She's tough and insightful and courageous and able to strike that balance between helping somebody and trying to take over their life.
I'm not as sanguine about Harry. Oh, I liked his personality a lot. He's single minded and determined and obsessively rational, but also kind and deeply committed to helping other people, even when he gets nothing in return. Indeed, it's only through Molly's intervention that the people around him realize how much they have come to rely on his steadying influence in their families and fortunes. He is that greatest of all treats: the humble alpha.
So what's the problem? Well, Krentz stuffs this novel full of paranormal mumbo-jumbo centered around Harry. I really didn't care for all the woowoo larded onto the story. Yeah, the story rather depends on it and she wove it deeply into his character, but that's exactly the problem--mainly because I didn't find it interesting. Something that central to both the plot and the main characters should be more interesting or innovative or ... something. I liked Molly's handling of his idiosyncrasies, but that was the only real upside to that aspect of the novel.
So I wavered on the four stars because of the woowoo. In the end, I decided to keep it if only because all the rest of the novel was so fantastic.
A note about Steamy: One reason I came to dislike the woowoo is that it intruded most in the sex scenes--making them both shorter and less satisfying than they should have been. The result is a lower steam level, and not in a good way...
I'm not as sanguine about Harry. Oh, I liked his personality a lot. He's single minded and determined and obsessively rational, but also kind and deeply committed to helping other people, even when he gets nothing in return. Indeed, it's only through Molly's intervention that the people around him realize how much they have come to rely on his steadying influence in their families and fortunes. He is that greatest of all treats: the humble alpha.
So what's the problem? Well, Krentz stuffs this novel full of paranormal mumbo-jumbo centered around Harry. I really didn't care for all the woowoo larded onto the story. Yeah, the story rather depends on it and she wove it deeply into his character, but that's exactly the problem--mainly because I didn't find it interesting. Something that central to both the plot and the main characters should be more interesting or innovative or ... something. I liked Molly's handling of his idiosyncrasies, but that was the only real upside to that aspect of the novel.
So I wavered on the four stars because of the woowoo. In the end, I decided to keep it if only because all the rest of the novel was so fantastic.
A note about Steamy: One reason I came to dislike the woowoo is that it intruded most in the sex scenes--making them both shorter and less satisfying than they should have been. The result is a lower steam level, and not in a good way...
June 25, 2020
Jayne Ann Krentz delves into science, invention,mystery and magic in "Absolutely, Positively", a paranormal suspense romantic novel that has every feeling touched to it. The book opens with Molly Aberwick misunderstanding the case of meeting with our hero,the dark and mysterious scientist Harry Stratton Trevelyan,to be about pure business.When in fact Harry at that time was ready to confess his attraction to her and propose a affair. But soon enough he will realise he wants more than that from her...
Both Harry and Molly hit nail and tooth in their relationship during the story.The trust,respect,tension and the all-consuming love between them flowed in every scene with them together, and it`s so clear to the reader that it would be Molly who would chase away the dark demons inside Harry.
One scene that is very memorable is when Molly planned a bachelor party for Harry to have with his both fighting families (Stratton and Trevelyan`s who hate each other). A fight inside that restaurant made them connect later on,which was hilarious. By the way, is there anyone else that JUST KNEW that Harry`s nephew Josh and Molly`s younger sister Kelsey would fall for each other in the end?(They don`t even meet until the ending!)That was damn more predictable to me than who the culprit was!
Both Harry and Molly hit nail and tooth in their relationship during the story.The trust,respect,tension and the all-consuming love between them flowed in every scene with them together, and it`s so clear to the reader that it would be Molly who would chase away the dark demons inside Harry.
One scene that is very memorable is when Molly planned a bachelor party for Harry to have with his both fighting families (Stratton and Trevelyan`s who hate each other). A fight inside that restaurant made them connect later on,which was hilarious. By the way, is there anyone else that JUST KNEW that Harry`s nephew Josh and Molly`s younger sister Kelsey would fall for each other in the end?(They don`t even meet until the ending!)That was damn more predictable to me than who the culprit was!
September 15, 2020
Wonderful Story
Jayne Ann Krentz weaved a deep and unique story. I began the book thinking it was going to be a superficial romance story with some fantasy. It was possible to stay surface level, but the delicious symbolism and subtlety began to draw me in.
I was so enthralled with these characters, Molly and Harry. At first, Molly aggravated me, but I began to realize her character, idiosyncrasies, personality served a real purpose. Same with Harry. This book was written in such that, Molly and Harry were truly soul mates on a deep connected level.
There are parts of the book that may come across as anticlimactic or might make you think “is that it”, but there’s more to it. Krentz is not an author that spells it all out for you. Her writing required some analyzing and you can’t take stuff at face value. An example of this is Harry’s dark sexual needs. This is so much more than the bedroom and the beauty of it unfolds as the book goes along. Not everybody will get it and I don’t want to say it because the enjoyment of this book is following Krentz down her allegorical rabbit hole.
This story is not for everybody. Honestly, I’m not sure who I would rec it to. However, I’m so glad that I stumbled upon this because the cover and the extremely long blurb don’t exactly scream “READ ME.”
I’m hoping this isn’t a fluke and Krentz’s other stories are told with the same type of flare.
Jayne Ann Krentz weaved a deep and unique story. I began the book thinking it was going to be a superficial romance story with some fantasy. It was possible to stay surface level, but the delicious symbolism and subtlety began to draw me in.
I was so enthralled with these characters, Molly and Harry. At first, Molly aggravated me, but I began to realize her character, idiosyncrasies, personality served a real purpose. Same with Harry. This book was written in such that, Molly and Harry were truly soul mates on a deep connected level.
There are parts of the book that may come across as anticlimactic or might make you think “is that it”, but there’s more to it. Krentz is not an author that spells it all out for you. Her writing required some analyzing and you can’t take stuff at face value. An example of this is Harry’s dark sexual needs. This is so much more than the bedroom and the beauty of it unfolds as the book goes along. Not everybody will get it and I don’t want to say it because the enjoyment of this book is following Krentz down her allegorical rabbit hole.
This story is not for everybody. Honestly, I’m not sure who I would rec it to. However, I’m so glad that I stumbled upon this because the cover and the extremely long blurb don’t exactly scream “READ ME.”
I’m hoping this isn’t a fluke and Krentz’s other stories are told with the same type of flare.
July 22, 2025
I flew through this book because it was just that fun. The insta-love was definitely there, but the characters were so charming it barely mattered, and I loved seeing the hero feel like the odd one out for once. The pacing was smooth, though the steam felt awkwardly stuck between open-door and closed-door. Still, it was light, easy, and satisfying; I just wish we got a longer epilogue.
January 28, 2022
I ran across this older story recently while I was looking for an RS to read. I enjoyed Ms. Krentz's Trust Me which she published the year before (1995).
Well, what can I say? The story was different.
Harry Stratton Trevelyan, PhD, was working for Molly Abberwick for about a month and he had the hots for her in a big way. I wouldn't have minded his attraction and the instalust feelings toward Molly if the suspense was fast paced, but it wasn't. There were too many repetitive moments concerning the competition between the Strattons and the Trevelyans. I found them annoying at times. Then into the mix was that whole psychic bone of contention which I wasn't expecting. And, lastly, there was the 'fated to be mated' sex.
All in all, I thought Ms. Krentz could have written a more believable romance with a good jolt of anxious uncertainty. Instead, except for the discovery of the villain, it was so-so.
Well, what can I say? The story was different.
Harry Stratton Trevelyan, PhD, was working for Molly Abberwick for about a month and he had the hots for her in a big way. I wouldn't have minded his attraction and the instalust feelings toward Molly if the suspense was fast paced, but it wasn't. There were too many repetitive moments concerning the competition between the Strattons and the Trevelyans. I found them annoying at times. Then into the mix was that whole psychic bone of contention which I wasn't expecting. And, lastly, there was the 'fated to be mated' sex.
All in all, I thought Ms. Krentz could have written a more believable romance with a good jolt of anxious uncertainty. Instead, except for the discovery of the villain, it was so-so.
December 5, 2014
Story was ok but had some weak parts. The audiobook narrator was awful.
It’s been a while since I read a Krentz book, but this book reminded me that she frequently writes similar things. I’m not complaining, just noticing.
1. The importance of family. And using family names as character descriptions, as if all family members have the same abilities. You hear a lot of he’s a Trevelyan, or The Trevelyans this, The Trevelyans that.
2. Paranormal/psychic ability. Harry has this, but he refuses to admit it and tries not to use it. But that ability solves the mystery and saves the day.
TWO LITTLE THINGS BUGGED ME:
1. Heroine does not admit logical things. Someone leaves threats for Molly. Instead of being worried she says Oh I’m sure it’s just a prank from one of my sister’s friends. When her sister offers to ask her friend about it, Molly says Oh you don’t need to ask, lets just forget about it. A car tries to run her off the road. She says Oh it was probably a drunk driver, nothing directed at me. Several things happen like this, and Molly makes glib comments and does not believe she’s being threatened. It didn’t sit well with me. Is this stupidity? I’m not sure what it is. Instead of using the word “probably” I’d feel better if she used the word “possibly.”
2. When Harry is meditating to get a psychic answer, Molly walks in and interrupts him, and then keeps talking. This happened twice. I was all set for a psychic answer, but it’s interrupted. I don’t mind delaying the mystery, but don’t do it with Molly being insensitive and interrupting. Just say the vision didn’t come or something.
This is like many romantic suspense stories. Neat hero and heroine. They quickly fall for each other and that was fun to watch. A bad guy is after her which is the main mystery. Hero does some neat things to save the day.
My favorite part was what Molly did to the two feuding families toward the end. That had me smiling.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR - Richard Ferrone.
All his female voices were awful. And sometimes his emotional interpretation of Molly sounded like a little girl instead of a smart successful business woman. But his male voices and general narration were good.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 12 hrs and 19 mins. Swearing language: none that I recall. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 7. Most are brief and vaguely done. Setting: 1990s Seattle and Icy Crest, Washington. Book copyright: 1996. Genre: romantic suspense.
It’s been a while since I read a Krentz book, but this book reminded me that she frequently writes similar things. I’m not complaining, just noticing.
1. The importance of family. And using family names as character descriptions, as if all family members have the same abilities. You hear a lot of he’s a Trevelyan, or The Trevelyans this, The Trevelyans that.
2. Paranormal/psychic ability. Harry has this, but he refuses to admit it and tries not to use it. But that ability solves the mystery and saves the day.
TWO LITTLE THINGS BUGGED ME:
1. Heroine does not admit logical things. Someone leaves threats for Molly. Instead of being worried she says Oh I’m sure it’s just a prank from one of my sister’s friends. When her sister offers to ask her friend about it, Molly says Oh you don’t need to ask, lets just forget about it. A car tries to run her off the road. She says Oh it was probably a drunk driver, nothing directed at me. Several things happen like this, and Molly makes glib comments and does not believe she’s being threatened. It didn’t sit well with me. Is this stupidity? I’m not sure what it is. Instead of using the word “probably” I’d feel better if she used the word “possibly.”
2. When Harry is meditating to get a psychic answer, Molly walks in and interrupts him, and then keeps talking. This happened twice. I was all set for a psychic answer, but it’s interrupted. I don’t mind delaying the mystery, but don’t do it with Molly being insensitive and interrupting. Just say the vision didn’t come or something.
This is like many romantic suspense stories. Neat hero and heroine. They quickly fall for each other and that was fun to watch. A bad guy is after her which is the main mystery. Hero does some neat things to save the day.
My favorite part was what Molly did to the two feuding families toward the end. That had me smiling.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR - Richard Ferrone.
All his female voices were awful. And sometimes his emotional interpretation of Molly sounded like a little girl instead of a smart successful business woman. But his male voices and general narration were good.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 12 hrs and 19 mins. Swearing language: none that I recall. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 7. Most are brief and vaguely done. Setting: 1990s Seattle and Icy Crest, Washington. Book copyright: 1996. Genre: romantic suspense.
March 9, 2018
Charming. Fantastic. Not what I expected at all. If you've never read Krentz, this isn't a bad place to start.
October 1, 2017
This has to be the most straight-forward "romance" I've ever read. A no-nonsense writing style combined with two very down-to-earth characters - even if one was kind of psychic...
Matter-of-fact Harry consults with people about how to spend philanthropically. Fiery Molly has dollars to burn. Molly wants to fire Harry because he's too by-the-book. Harry wants to date Molly because she meets his odd qualifications - except she really doesn't. What Harry denies is that Molly appeals to the wild inside him. Then there's some attempts on Molly's life and strange family members and robots.
"'We seem to have established that we were not meant for each other. That didn't take long. Now, then, what was your point, Dr. Trevelyan?'"
I'm going to read another book by this author - I'm curious to see if her formal writing style carries over and, if so, how it applies to other characters. Plus, this was easy to read and interesting. Odd but attractive - sort of like Harry.
"'Have I ever told you that I don't like to be called Dr. Trevelyan?' Harry asked conversationally. 'No.' Molly grinned. 'I figured out weeks ago that it irritates the heck out of you.'"
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
Matter-of-fact Harry consults with people about how to spend philanthropically. Fiery Molly has dollars to burn. Molly wants to fire Harry because he's too by-the-book. Harry wants to date Molly because she meets his odd qualifications - except she really doesn't. What Harry denies is that Molly appeals to the wild inside him. Then there's some attempts on Molly's life and strange family members and robots.
"'We seem to have established that we were not meant for each other. That didn't take long. Now, then, what was your point, Dr. Trevelyan?'"
I'm going to read another book by this author - I'm curious to see if her formal writing style carries over and, if so, how it applies to other characters. Plus, this was easy to read and interesting. Odd but attractive - sort of like Harry.
"'Have I ever told you that I don't like to be called Dr. Trevelyan?' Harry asked conversationally. 'No.' Molly grinned. 'I figured out weeks ago that it irritates the heck out of you.'"
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
January 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. Its one of her earlier works and she starts to get into the psychic paranormal topic. The storyline is quite good.
December 9, 2018
Book challenge made me do it. This is NOT my genre but it fit a task perfectly and I was too busy to find another one. I wish I would have because the hours it took to read this are hours I'll never get back.
The genre wasn't the worst part. So much of the writing had me rolling my eyes. It made no sense to me. An example was a sentence that had me wondering, "How do you lay sprawled in someone's embrace?" There were so many of these attempts at descriptive strokes that had me asking, "WHAT???" Oh, and there was a scene early on, where the male MC is sick, burning up (whatever) and so the female MC is putting him to bed and he says something to the effect of "Sleep with me." And literally, the next second her clothes fall off. Again, "WHAT????" Um.....NO. Anyways....this was not a good fit for me.
The genre wasn't the worst part. So much of the writing had me rolling my eyes. It made no sense to me. An example was a sentence that had me wondering, "How do you lay sprawled in someone's embrace?" There were so many of these attempts at descriptive strokes that had me asking, "WHAT???" Oh, and there was a scene early on, where the male MC is sick, burning up (whatever) and so the female MC is putting him to bed and he says something to the effect of "Sleep with me." And literally, the next second her clothes fall off. Again, "WHAT????" Um.....NO. Anyways....this was not a good fit for me.
June 5, 2015
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
First published: 1996
Length: 358 pages, 6756 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary, Seattle.
Sex: Explicit. Reasonably frequent.
Hero: Tech consultant.
Heroine: Owner of Tea&Spice company.
Very similar to later, historical, Krentz/Castle/Quick books:
- wind up toys (which have evil connotations in her Looking Glass trilogy.
- light paranormal (Arcane Series and various contemporaries (Hidden Talents, Dark Legacy series).
- with heroine feels the Hero feels more than he claims, has intuition/paranormal despite others beliefs as well as the supervision/guardianship of others (Lake and March).
And then similarities to the enabler/money-maker in her individual contemporaries from the 1990's (Trust Me, Sweet Fortune, Absolutely, Positively).
So, lots of thoughts and ideas from other, later books. It's interesting to see where her writing came from.
And it's an enjoyable book in it's own right.
Even with the appearance by the author "Ann" buying tea for no reason whatsoever from out heroine. A little cameo from Krentz/Castle/Quick?
References:
Author's website: http://jayneannkrentz.com/absolutely-...
(ISBN ...)
-CR-
First published: 1996
Length: 358 pages, 6756 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary, Seattle.
Sex: Explicit. Reasonably frequent.
Hero: Tech consultant.
Heroine: Owner of Tea&Spice company.
Very similar to later, historical, Krentz/Castle/Quick books:
- wind up toys (which have evil connotations in her Looking Glass trilogy.
- light paranormal (Arcane Series and various contemporaries (Hidden Talents, Dark Legacy series).
- with heroine feels the Hero feels more than he claims, has intuition/paranormal despite others beliefs as well as the supervision/guardianship of others (Lake and March).
And then similarities to the enabler/money-maker in her individual contemporaries from the 1990's (Trust Me, Sweet Fortune, Absolutely, Positively).
So, lots of thoughts and ideas from other, later books. It's interesting to see where her writing came from.
And it's an enjoyable book in it's own right.
Even with the appearance by the author "Ann" buying tea for no reason whatsoever from out heroine. A little cameo from Krentz/Castle/Quick?
References:
Author's website: http://jayneannkrentz.com/absolutely-...
(ISBN ...)
-CR-
April 17, 2015
Absolutely a Great Book!
I loved Harry and Molly! Hope the author has a sequel in store, because I want to meet their daughter! Loved the way both sides of Harry's family were so opposite but really the same. What a great book!
I loved Harry and Molly! Hope the author has a sequel in store, because I want to meet their daughter! Loved the way both sides of Harry's family were so opposite but really the same. What a great book!
January 13, 2024
this was so fun and the ending was sweet.
the heroine was written so well, perfect balance of being wise and silly in a way that makes perfect sense for her character but also single-minded in a way that isn’t annoying is actually productive. this how you write a take-charge heroine in a romcom
I also love how the heroine just lets everyone’s meddling roll right off her. As does the hero. the characterization and plotting were well done. I can’t believe JAK (aka Amanda Quick) has written so many books, she’s clearly talented.
The couple get together early on in the book and their romance blossoms (it’s cute) alongside the unraveling mystery and general discord with their crazy families.
a note about the audiobook: there’s a lot of abridged versions of her books, you’ll notice it’s only 3hrs long. I accidentally checked out that one first, the full length is 12hrs and 30min. I don’t know why the 3hrs version even exists, like how would you understand everything going on?
the heroine was written so well, perfect balance of being wise and silly in a way that makes perfect sense for her character but also single-minded in a way that isn’t annoying is actually productive. this how you write a take-charge heroine in a romcom
I also love how the heroine just lets everyone’s meddling roll right off her. As does the hero. the characterization and plotting were well done. I can’t believe JAK (aka Amanda Quick) has written so many books, she’s clearly talented.
The couple get together early on in the book and their romance blossoms (it’s cute) alongside the unraveling mystery and general discord with their crazy families.
a note about the audiobook: there’s a lot of abridged versions of her books, you’ll notice it’s only 3hrs long. I accidentally checked out that one first, the full length is 12hrs and 30min. I don’t know why the 3hrs version even exists, like how would you understand everything going on?
August 13, 2016
I was skeptical about it when I started .. the inventions .. the theories .. the business talk .. it sounded a little boring at the beginning but then I got to know the characters and before I knew it I found myself enjoying everything about them.
Molly was E.P.I.C , I laughed out loud at her quirky ways .. like really really laughed .. the way she handled Harry's family was hilarius .. and I especially loved the faith she had in herself and in Harry , awesome heroine. Harry was a very strange character .. he's uptight and really weird sometimes but I loved that about him .. he was really complex and intriguing , it was nice seeing him lose control sometimes .. I really liked Harry. The relationship between Molly and Harry was very interesting and the connection between them had subtle depth .. weird couple but that's why I love em.
I liked Josh a lot but other than that I wanted to strangle every single member of Harry's family though their scenes at the end of the book were really funny ... but I still want to strangle them.
I really enjoyed this book , it was entertaining .. quite hilarious and a little strange ... liked it a lot !!
Molly was E.P.I.C , I laughed out loud at her quirky ways .. like really really laughed .. the way she handled Harry's family was hilarius .. and I especially loved the faith she had in herself and in Harry , awesome heroine. Harry was a very strange character .. he's uptight and really weird sometimes but I loved that about him .. he was really complex and intriguing , it was nice seeing him lose control sometimes .. I really liked Harry. The relationship between Molly and Harry was very interesting and the connection between them had subtle depth .. weird couple but that's why I love em.
I liked Josh a lot but other than that I wanted to strangle every single member of Harry's family though their scenes at the end of the book were really funny ... but I still want to strangle them.
I really enjoyed this book , it was entertaining .. quite hilarious and a little strange ... liked it a lot !!
January 13, 2011
3.5* but I'm rounding up this time for Goodreads. I sometimes round down, it just depends on how the book felt overall. Sometimes it doesn't do to over-analyze why I enjoy some books more than the writing and plot dictates I should, but there you go. I enjoyed this book, really loved the main characters even though Harry was a bit too uptight. ;-) I generally hate obnoxious, manipulative relatives, but I have to say, Krentz pulled it off here because of the great way Molly and Harry handled them. I also felt Krentz added some depth and details to this book that are sadly missing in her newer ones.
so...no over-analyzing this one for me. I really enjoyed reading it.
so...no over-analyzing this one for me. I really enjoyed reading it.
September 28, 2015
"Weird."
That's the first thing that came to mind when I started reading 'Absolutely, Positively'.
It's a contemporary romance that borders on the paranormal level. There's a Sherlock type hero with a dysfunctional family and a heroine from a line of inventors. There's
weird products and gadgets.
I found it delightfully weird, but it's weirdness isn't enough to warrant a 5 star review from me.
March 2, 2017
Aranyos, pont nekem való pihentető történet, és nincs benne túl-túl a para. Végre ismét valami igazi JAK-ceset olvashattam. Kár, hogy még egy olyan kiváló fordító, mint PÁ sem tudja, hogy a French toast továbbra sem francia pirítós, és T-t tegezzük, de dr. T-t már magázzuk. Szomorú, hogy kikopik a magyar nyelv eme finom árnyalata, és lassan (de biztosan) hozzásilányulunk az angolhoz. :(
July 8, 2016
O carte care imbina paranormalul, romantismul, suspansul, tenta politista, carte plina de aventuri
O recomand
O recomand
May 11, 2020
powtórzyłam po latach i dalej mnie urzeka. Krent wyważyła tutaj dokładnie każdy element. Bohaterka nie jest przerysowana w żadnym kierunku - nie jest ani naiwna, ani lekkomyślna, ani zbyt sztywna. Każdej tej cechy ma dokładnie tyle ile trzeba żeby wyważyć bohatera.Harry jest takim Krentzowskim mężczyzną. Ma swój uporządkowany świat, w który jak bomba wpada Molly. I wszystko wywraca, ale właśnie tak naturalnie, powoli. Akceptuje jego dziwactwa, bo pochodzi z rodziny naukowców i odkrywców. Nie chce go zmieniać, bardziej dopasować świat do niego. Jak to u Pani Krentz dialogi na wysokim poziomie, dużo humoru i błyskotliwych ripost. Jest też wątek trudnych relacji rodzinnych, w sumie napisany bardzo realnie, momentami nawet smutno-ironicznie. Oczywiście jest też i wątek kryminalny - jeszcze raz powtórzę bardzo pasujący do romansu. nie za dużo, nie za mało.
Generalnie jedna z tych powtórek, które nie zawiodły po latach.
Generalnie jedna z tych powtórek, które nie zawiodły po latach.
June 23, 2012
I hated this book.
Okay, "hated" is a very strong word, and I did finish the book, so obviously I didn't hate it that much, but I haaaaaated this book. And then I felt bad because I'm sure the author is a lovely person and I know she's quite popular.
It was actually pretty funny that this is the book that I randomly decided to read as my break from history of science stuff because the male love interest is an historian/philosopher of history. (I laughed and laughed and laughed when I got to that part, and it's in the first chapter. Seriously, only *I* could pick up a book to take a break from reading history of science and have it be about an historian of science.)
Harry comes from a long line of carnival folks on one side of the family and wealthy investors on the other. Both sides are very bitter that their beloved child lowered the gene pool by marrying someone from the other family, and yet both families are keen on using Harry's amazing cleverness and somehow intense money-making abilities as an academic (....?) to their advantage.
Molly, the female love interest, comes from a long line of inventors, and although she didn't inherit the inventiveness she did inherit her father's fortune and is managing the trust he set up to support newbie inventors who need funds for their start up. She & Harry meet because she needs an expert to look over grant proposals for her. They allegedly have nothing in common except for the foundation and their inexplicable lust for each other, so Harry proposes they have an affair and Molly is firmly in support of this idea. Eventually they fall in love and seem to form a genuine partnership.
It's been a long time since I've been able to just relax and read a romance novel, and the last one I read was a paranormal, so I'm not sure if the stuff in this book is typical of the genre right now. There is no real impediment to the lovers hooking up, save for the disapproval of their extended families. They have very few misunderstandings and actually talk to each other whenever there's a problem. Also, there's no dubious consent, no "I'm new to all this, please teach me how to please you" wide-eyed innocence, and no "I love you, but we can't be together" nonsense. These parts I really really enjoyed.
But.
Whyyyyyyyyyyyy is there a totally random subplot about whether or not Harry has inherited psychic powers from his carnival family? If you took that entire part out I would still have disliked this book but I wouldn't have spent nearly so much time complaining about it to my poor ever-suffering friends. (Who, yes, kept asking me why I was reading it. I told them I would throw a history of ecology book at them if they didn't stop asking.)
There's also this bit where Harry is really concerned about the "dark turn" his sexuality apparently takes when he tries to let go of control and show his true self to a woman. With some hints early on I was actually expecting this to be something vaguely kinky. No, no it is not. Basically, he gets really intense. I can understand how this might be off-putting to some women, but to me it was like "Seriously? Seriously? You don't paint yourself with mustard and call yourself a hot dog? That's it?" *sigh*
There's also this bit about how Molly is being stalked/threatened by someone. I was very irritated that I figured out who this person was at their first mention. I hate when that happens because I like my super-genius characters who may or may not have psychic powers to be at least as smart/observant as I am. (See also: Why I didn't like the first episode of Sherlock.)
Also, the sex bored me. :(
ANYWAY. This is all a long way of saying: I hated this book, and a big chunk of why I hated it was that it had things I really wanted to like (a grown-up relationship!!) and things I could have liked (the history of science stuff pained me, as you can imagine) and then ruined it all with tepid sex, a ridiculous subplot, and cardboard cut-out villains. I'll probably try something else by the same author, but I wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out.
Okay, "hated" is a very strong word, and I did finish the book, so obviously I didn't hate it that much, but I haaaaaated this book. And then I felt bad because I'm sure the author is a lovely person and I know she's quite popular.
It was actually pretty funny that this is the book that I randomly decided to read as my break from history of science stuff because the male love interest is an historian/philosopher of history. (I laughed and laughed and laughed when I got to that part, and it's in the first chapter. Seriously, only *I* could pick up a book to take a break from reading history of science and have it be about an historian of science.)
Harry comes from a long line of carnival folks on one side of the family and wealthy investors on the other. Both sides are very bitter that their beloved child lowered the gene pool by marrying someone from the other family, and yet both families are keen on using Harry's amazing cleverness and somehow intense money-making abilities as an academic (....?) to their advantage.
Molly, the female love interest, comes from a long line of inventors, and although she didn't inherit the inventiveness she did inherit her father's fortune and is managing the trust he set up to support newbie inventors who need funds for their start up. She & Harry meet because she needs an expert to look over grant proposals for her. They allegedly have nothing in common except for the foundation and their inexplicable lust for each other, so Harry proposes they have an affair and Molly is firmly in support of this idea. Eventually they fall in love and seem to form a genuine partnership.
It's been a long time since I've been able to just relax and read a romance novel, and the last one I read was a paranormal, so I'm not sure if the stuff in this book is typical of the genre right now. There is no real impediment to the lovers hooking up, save for the disapproval of their extended families. They have very few misunderstandings and actually talk to each other whenever there's a problem. Also, there's no dubious consent, no "I'm new to all this, please teach me how to please you" wide-eyed innocence, and no "I love you, but we can't be together" nonsense. These parts I really really enjoyed.
But.
Whyyyyyyyyyyyy is there a totally random subplot about whether or not Harry has inherited psychic powers from his carnival family? If you took that entire part out I would still have disliked this book but I wouldn't have spent nearly so much time complaining about it to my poor ever-suffering friends. (Who, yes, kept asking me why I was reading it. I told them I would throw a history of ecology book at them if they didn't stop asking.)
There's also this bit where Harry is really concerned about the "dark turn" his sexuality apparently takes when he tries to let go of control and show his true self to a woman. With some hints early on I was actually expecting this to be something vaguely kinky. No, no it is not. Basically, he gets really intense. I can understand how this might be off-putting to some women, but to me it was like "Seriously? Seriously? You don't paint yourself with mustard and call yourself a hot dog? That's it?" *sigh*
There's also this bit about how Molly is being stalked/threatened by someone. I was very irritated that I figured out who this person was at their first mention. I hate when that happens because I like my super-genius characters who may or may not have psychic powers to be at least as smart/observant as I am. (See also: Why I didn't like the first episode of Sherlock.)
Also, the sex bored me. :(
ANYWAY. This is all a long way of saying: I hated this book, and a big chunk of why I hated it was that it had things I really wanted to like (a grown-up relationship!!) and things I could have liked (the history of science stuff pained me, as you can imagine) and then ruined it all with tepid sex, a ridiculous subplot, and cardboard cut-out villains. I'll probably try something else by the same author, but I wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out.
April 22, 2016
There was so much I loved about this book. Molly and Harry were amazing characters. They both had eccentric families and had worked to overcome that part of their history.
Molly's father was an inventor and the robots and gadgets were so well described that I wanted to have some of them in my home. Molly's father had left her in charge of the foundation that granted funds to up and coming inventors. She wanted to make the best decisions possible so she hired Harry as the investment consultant.
Harry Trevelyan was a child from an affluent family that knew how to make and manage money. He was an expert on everything to do with investments. His mother's side of the family were carnival people. They were constantly fighting and he was working to find a way top make peace between them all. The family relationships were one of the most appealing aspects of this story.
Needless to say they were both a bit unique. I loved them. They were good together and they were very attracted to each other. This book was my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz book, and one of my favorite books in general.
It was also one of my first books by Jayne Ann Krentz and I had to grab as many from the library as they had. After I read all those I moved on to her Amanda Quick books.
I have not quite started the Jayne Castle books, but I am sure I will eventually. They are futuristic. Not quite my genre.
But back to this book. I loved it so much. Totally deserved the 5 stars I gave.
Molly's father was an inventor and the robots and gadgets were so well described that I wanted to have some of them in my home. Molly's father had left her in charge of the foundation that granted funds to up and coming inventors. She wanted to make the best decisions possible so she hired Harry as the investment consultant.
Harry Trevelyan was a child from an affluent family that knew how to make and manage money. He was an expert on everything to do with investments. His mother's side of the family were carnival people. They were constantly fighting and he was working to find a way top make peace between them all. The family relationships were one of the most appealing aspects of this story.
Needless to say they were both a bit unique. I loved them. They were good together and they were very attracted to each other. This book was my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz book, and one of my favorite books in general.
It was also one of my first books by Jayne Ann Krentz and I had to grab as many from the library as they had. After I read all those I moved on to her Amanda Quick books.
I have not quite started the Jayne Castle books, but I am sure I will eventually. They are futuristic. Not quite my genre.
But back to this book. I loved it so much. Totally deserved the 5 stars I gave.
October 4, 2023
Another of my top five favorites by Ms. Krentz, this book is entertaining while showplacing her ability to create great characters and smooth dialogue. The suspense isn't bad either, although since I re-read all her books annually, plot has begun to take second place to meeting old friends. I already know what is going to happen, after all. My only complaint - Ms. Krentz doesn't publish fast enough to keep up with my ability to read her books.
December 26, 2014
3,5 stars
February 28, 2022
I am Shocked that I have not read this book already. The hero is the child of a Romeo-Juliet romance, and wants to be a bridge between the families, but they are determined to hate each other. And yet, they lean on him for all kinds of things. The heroine is also the pillar of her family, one with a large number of inventors and tinkerers. Her father wanted to establish a foundation offering grants for inventors and after his death in an invention test flight, the heroine is in charge of running it and giving out the money. She has hired the hero as a consultant to review the proposals, but he's turned every one of them down and the day he is trying to ask her on a date, she is coming to yell at him for doing it. This is classic Krentz, fitting nicely into her pattern. I enjoyed it tremendously. Good read.
June 23, 2023
What a surprise this book was, a 1996 adorable mystery/paranormal/romance. Harry Trevelyan is a rational scientist whose families, the Treveleyans come from a long line of Carnies and con men, while his mothers family is a staid, rich Seattle family.
Molly Abberwick, the daughter of an eccentric inventor who finally became successful, then died, runs a foundation to give grants to inventors.
She hires Harry to help her choose.
The witty banter, along with a mystery of who is trying to kill Molly makes this a very fun read.
Molly Abberwick, the daughter of an eccentric inventor who finally became successful, then died, runs a foundation to give grants to inventors.
She hires Harry to help her choose.
The witty banter, along with a mystery of who is trying to kill Molly makes this a very fun read.
April 2, 2023
UPDATE: I recently purchased and listened to the audiobook narrated by Richard Ferrone. This is an Oldie title of Krentz, originally published in 1996. I’ve read (and now listened) to this a number of times over the years. It’s a light, slightly psychic novel (but not in a paranormal, occult type manner). I enjoy many of Krentz’s novels when in the mood to decompress from life - simple, light, fun.
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY reminded me a bit of Krentz’s dual series GIFT OF GOLD/GIFT OF FIRE which has a similar psychic touch. Richard Ferrone performed okay - not the best nor the worst I’ve heard. Personally, I think he’d do better with Action Adventure Thriller type books or Nonfiction than Romance. But that’s JMO.
ORIGINAL POST:
This was a reread of the novel Absolutely Positively, for me, a story I enjoy reading as a lite “pick me up” every now and then. It’s an upbeat contemporary novel - a lightly suspenseful romance, with a very slight psychic feel to it. I recommend Absolutely Positively to readers who enjoy such novels. It’s an easy read that always leaves me smiling.
The FMC/Molly, 30yrs, comes from a long family of inventors, and successfully owns and operates a tea and spice shop along Seattle’s waterfront. When Molly’s parents died recently, her father left her in control of a vast charitable foundation whose purpose was to find and grant money to struggling prospective inventors, like her father once had been. Molly has hired Harry/MMC, a 36 yr old learned expert in the fields of science, mathematics, and inventions as a consultant to sift out the scammers and con-artists from the worthwhile prospects. While Molly and Harry disagree regarding which ideas truly desire consideration, it’s the sudden occurrence of threatening accidents directed at Molly that increase the tension. Are these merely accidents, or is someone seeking revenge? Can Harry discover the culprit before it’s too late?
Sexual scenes do occur between the 2 main characters who have a developing committed relationship together. The scenes seem natural as their relationship grows. It falls somewhere between sweet and steamy, 3 on scale of 0-5; yet these scenes are a minor part of the story. Profanity is used occasionally. Based on the afore mentioned, I would not recommend this book to young adults.
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY reminded me a bit of Krentz’s dual series GIFT OF GOLD/GIFT OF FIRE which has a similar psychic touch. Richard Ferrone performed okay - not the best nor the worst I’ve heard. Personally, I think he’d do better with Action Adventure Thriller type books or Nonfiction than Romance. But that’s JMO.
ORIGINAL POST:
This was a reread of the novel Absolutely Positively, for me, a story I enjoy reading as a lite “pick me up” every now and then. It’s an upbeat contemporary novel - a lightly suspenseful romance, with a very slight psychic feel to it. I recommend Absolutely Positively to readers who enjoy such novels. It’s an easy read that always leaves me smiling.
The FMC/Molly, 30yrs, comes from a long family of inventors, and successfully owns and operates a tea and spice shop along Seattle’s waterfront. When Molly’s parents died recently, her father left her in control of a vast charitable foundation whose purpose was to find and grant money to struggling prospective inventors, like her father once had been. Molly has hired Harry/MMC, a 36 yr old learned expert in the fields of science, mathematics, and inventions as a consultant to sift out the scammers and con-artists from the worthwhile prospects. While Molly and Harry disagree regarding which ideas truly desire consideration, it’s the sudden occurrence of threatening accidents directed at Molly that increase the tension. Are these merely accidents, or is someone seeking revenge? Can Harry discover the culprit before it’s too late?
Sexual scenes do occur between the 2 main characters who have a developing committed relationship together. The scenes seem natural as their relationship grows. It falls somewhere between sweet and steamy, 3 on scale of 0-5; yet these scenes are a minor part of the story. Profanity is used occasionally. Based on the afore mentioned, I would not recommend this book to young adults.
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