Gift-Wrapped

by Victoria Gordon

From their very first meeting, Steele Murdoch had thrown Anne off balance. How could this man make her feel so alive inside and yet so utterly confused - just by his sheer masculine presence? Anne wouldn't succumb to his seductive charms - at any cost. After all, she couldn't fall for a man who seemed more interested in her glamorous stepmother. Anne's feelings were still raw from the first time when Steele had rejected her.

Genres: Romance, Harlequin Romance, Harlequin

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Gordon Aalborg was born on February 5, 1942 in Alberta, Canada. He began his writing career as a reporter, columnist and bureau chief at The Edmonton Journal in his native Alberta. He wandered off to Australia in the '70s as a freelance journalist and radio/tv broadcaster.

The best-selling romance author, Victoria Gordon born in response to the publisher's claim that "no man" could write Harlequin category romance (Gordon is widely believed to be the first man to seriously meet the challenge) , and she survives after more than twenty novels published throughout the world.

Gordon Aalborg is married to mystery writer Denise Dietz, who helped him in his book Finding Bess.

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay: I have been gypped! I went through the final chapters twice to make sure that I didn’t just speedread through the proposal but it was well and truly missing.

Perhaps it was meant to be understood that the hero loved the girl. After all, that was the reason he sent her back home to Edmonton, Canada two years ago even after declaring that he loved her. He had said that he was giving her time to decide whether she really liked to uproot herself and live with him in Tasmania, Australia. Perhaps it was meant to be understood after they have unwrapped their “bodily gifts” on Christmas Eve; their night together was their reciprocal presents. After that, the word “present” seemed to become a code word between them for making love.

But ultimately in the end, he never once stated what he wanted or expected of her at the end of their trip. As if everything about their future relationship was simply matter-of-fact understood between the two of them. It was even the stepmom who broke the news to the girl that he loved her and intended to marry her. But he never broached the topic himself . He never proclaimed his love for her at the end; how he missed her when she was gone; how he contrived this trip to win her back. Zilch. The book just ending with more gift-unwrapping.

I sometimes wonder if the author forgot about this significant detail with all the fuss about the setting of the story: West Edmonton Mall. This book read like a travel promotional ad for the many attractions offered by the mall. Seriously. Like, every feature was mentioned: Fantasy Dining Room, Waterpark, skatepark, numerous food restaurants, 19 movie theaters, hotel with themed rooms, parking lot….

So... Attention, shoppers: Clean up needed on Aisle 4 Readers: Re-write needed on last pages.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wonder, if I had paid better attention while I was reading could I have figured out what the story was about.?
For me the big mystery was what kind of a person was the H. Did his motivations ever make any sense? Did his behavior with the heroine and the stepmother seem cohesive. The answer is no.
Without divulging what there was I was left with one question What?

[Elgyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

s. 73 „Myslíš jsi, že
s. 102 „Šťastné vánoce,“
s. 111 věštinou
s. 137 koncekonců
s. 143 „Jenomže někteří z nás jsou tak hloupí, že o tom přečtou moc článků v časopisech a potom se snažit být si sami doktory...“
s. 148 když to řekl, ty hloupá holka,

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star Rating: ★★½☆☆