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Night Diver
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell plunges into the adventurous and deadly world of underwater treasure hunters in a heart-stopping tale that superbly combines atmosphere, action, romance, and suspense.
After a family tragedy, Kate Donnelly left the Caribbean behind forever. But a series of bad management decisions has left her family's diving and marine recovery business drowning in red ink. Now her brother pleads with her to come back to the island nation of St Vincent. Without Kate's financial expertise, the iconic treasure-hunting enterprise started by her grandfather will go under. Unable to say no to the little family she has left, Kate heads back to the beautiful and terrifying ocean that still haunts her nightmares.
Holden Cameron was addicted to the adrenaline rush of active duty--including narrowly surviving an underwater explosives accident. The last thing the former British military diver wants is to babysit a family of thieves on a tropical island--even if they are the world-famous Diving Donnellys. But in his new civilian job, Holden must investigate the suspicious activity surrounding a Donnelly dive to recover treasure from the ancient wreck of a pirate ship.
When equipment, treasure, and even divers begin to disappear, Kate and Holden form an uneasy alliance to uncover the truth. But the deeper they plummet into the mystery, the closer they come to each other. Soon they are sharing their deepest fears and darkest secrets--and a combustible chemistry too hot to ignore.
After a family tragedy, Kate Donnelly left the Caribbean behind forever. But a series of bad management decisions has left her family's diving and marine recovery business drowning in red ink. Now her brother pleads with her to come back to the island nation of St Vincent. Without Kate's financial expertise, the iconic treasure-hunting enterprise started by her grandfather will go under. Unable to say no to the little family she has left, Kate heads back to the beautiful and terrifying ocean that still haunts her nightmares.
Holden Cameron was addicted to the adrenaline rush of active duty--including narrowly surviving an underwater explosives accident. The last thing the former British military diver wants is to babysit a family of thieves on a tropical island--even if they are the world-famous Diving Donnellys. But in his new civilian job, Holden must investigate the suspicious activity surrounding a Donnelly dive to recover treasure from the ancient wreck of a pirate ship.
When equipment, treasure, and even divers begin to disappear, Kate and Holden form an uneasy alliance to uncover the truth. But the deeper they plummet into the mystery, the closer they come to each other. Soon they are sharing their deepest fears and darkest secrets--and a combustible chemistry too hot to ignore.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2014
228 people are currently reading
2060 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Lowell
208 books1,921 followersIndividually and with co-author/husband Evan, Ann Maxwell has written over 60 novels and one work of non-fiction. There are 30 million copies of these books in print, as well as reprints in 30 foreign languages. Her novels range from science fiction to historical fiction, from romance to mystery. After working in contemporary and historical romance, she became an innovator in the genre of romantic suspense.
In 1982, Ann began publishing as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994).
Since July of 1992, she has had over 30 novels on the New York Times bestseller list. In 1998 she began writing suspense with a passionate twist, capturing a new audience and generation of readers. Her new romance novel Perfect Touch will be available in July of 2015.
To get a full list of titles as well as read excerpts from her novels, visit www.elizabethlowell.com.
In 1982, Ann began publishing as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994).
Since July of 1992, she has had over 30 novels on the New York Times bestseller list. In 1998 she began writing suspense with a passionate twist, capturing a new audience and generation of readers. Her new romance novel Perfect Touch will be available in July of 2015.
To get a full list of titles as well as read excerpts from her novels, visit www.elizabethlowell.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 312 reviews
June 14, 2025
Night Diver by Elizabeth Lowell
Contemporary romantic suspense.
Kate Donnelly lost her parents to the sea and their love of treasure hunting. To this day, she refuses to dive and avoids the family marine recovery business. But it’s in trouble and her brother begs for her financial help on their next project. Kate doesn’t think the contract should have been signed. There is no way they can make any profit on the dive. She agrees to travel to the Caribbean and try to help her brother and grandfather because they are family. Holden Cameron is an unexpected complication. He’s on the ship to make sure no one is stealing. The numbers don’t add up and he’s suspicious why divers are leaving, and refusing to come back.
The ocean holds secrets. And danger. It won’t give up it’s treasures easily.
I don’t blame Kate for not wanting to get back in the water. It’s heartbreaking.
Holden is a bit of an ass and he doesn’t trust easily. I liked their interaction and attraction but it seemed to be proximity based for the most part. I didn’t expect the ending.
Intense action and drama.
Contemporary romantic suspense.
Kate Donnelly lost her parents to the sea and their love of treasure hunting. To this day, she refuses to dive and avoids the family marine recovery business. But it’s in trouble and her brother begs for her financial help on their next project. Kate doesn’t think the contract should have been signed. There is no way they can make any profit on the dive. She agrees to travel to the Caribbean and try to help her brother and grandfather because they are family. Holden Cameron is an unexpected complication. He’s on the ship to make sure no one is stealing. The numbers don’t add up and he’s suspicious why divers are leaving, and refusing to come back.
The ocean holds secrets. And danger. It won’t give up it’s treasures easily.
I don’t blame Kate for not wanting to get back in the water. It’s heartbreaking.
Holden is a bit of an ass and he doesn’t trust easily. I liked their interaction and attraction but it seemed to be proximity based for the most part. I didn’t expect the ending.
Intense action and drama.
April 15, 2018
2.5🌟 He leído esta historia para el Reto rita 2, tirándome al agua, sin saber nada de la autora ni de la novela. Se trata de una historia bien escrita y que incluye tanto el punto de vista de Kate como de Holden, algo que siempre se agradece. No obstante, el peso del relato está muy basado en el buceo y lo que sucede en el barco (no digo más para no dar spoilers a nadie); la relación entre Kate y Holden se explica muy por encima, no se explica casi nada de sus sentimientos ni de como se van conociendo; de repente se sueltan que se quieren, sin más... Además, tampoco se exploran cosas que podrían haber dado más de si, como los traumas que arrastran los protagonistas del pasado, que además resulta que se solucionan por arte de magia...
Ha habido cosas puntuales que me han gustado e incluso hecho reir, como el constante paralelismo de los protagonistas con los dragones, pero en general me ha parecido una novela bastante flojita.
Me tendré que pensar si leo algo más de Elizabeth Lowell en el futuro...
Ha habido cosas puntuales que me han gustado e incluso hecho reir, como el constante paralelismo de los protagonistas con los dragones, pero en general me ha parecido una novela bastante flojita.
Me tendré que pensar si leo algo más de Elizabeth Lowell en el futuro...
August 24, 2014
I saw a review that described this book as similar to her older romances. This is true and that is a good thing. Kate and Holden were solid characters, the sparks they set off each other felt real, the sex was hot, and the end was quite good. Almost enough to bring the book to three stars. Unfortunately, the rest of the book was dull. Kate lost her parents when she was 17. They were treasure hunters of the deep sea. She hasn't gone back into the water since then. It had been a stormy night but they were on the trail of a tremendous find. It cost them their lives. Now she's afraid the sea is going to take what's left of her family because her brother and grandfather are trying to salvage the same wreck. Holden Cameron comes in as the salvage diver there to check the books for the company paying for the salvage. Nothing much has been brought up and the company is getting antsy. He doesn't expect Kate and vice versa. But I didn't find the treasure concept particularly interesting. Kate wasn't doing the diving. She was mostly dealing with her panic. So while that was well written, it didn't keep me turning pages. Lowell tried to get the action going by having rumors that the dive was cursed but there was no evidence of that so it was a bizarre red herring. I really liked the greater romance aspect but the story needed work.
March 18, 2015
I won a copy of this book thru the Goodreads First Reads Giveaways.
I really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters and the storyline. If I had the time I would have probably read it in one sitting.
I really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters and the storyline. If I had the time I would have probably read it in one sitting.
July 18, 2022
Read this review on Got Fiction? Book Blog
This book is a slow burn Romantic Suspense. I’m not sure I expected that when I saw the cover (yeah yeah judging books by their covers, I know). It is also on sale for $1.99 for the ebook now, so grab this one!
This book opens with the readers knowing that something bad happened when the heroine Kate Donnelly was a teenager. She grew up on a ship, her parents and grandfather were treasure hunters/salvage divers. After this terrible event (I’ll spoil it since I think it comes to light in the first few chapters: her parents died hunting for treasure and teenage Kate was the one who pulled them up and had to watch her father lose her mother’s body, and then die in front of her. She then had to drive the boat with her father’s body on it to shore in a bad storm), Kate left the island and their dive business behind. Her younger brother stayed and helped their grandfather with the family business. When her brother calls her, asking her, begging her to come back and help bail out the family business, Kate instantly says no. But when she realizes that if she doesn’t go, their business will go under, she goes with the understanding she will not have to get on a boat, nor will she dive.
And once she gets there, she realizes she’ll be on the boat daily. The only thing keeping her from leaving, is that she’s come to the realization that running didn’t help, so maybe it’s time to face the sea once more.
Holden Cameron is a former Navy Diver for the British Navy. He used to take care of old mines left under water. He’s also been injured and his leg is permanently affected. He can still dive, but it’s painful, and he will never be able to go back into the Navy. So he still works for the Crown, and he’s being sent out to the dive site to keep an eye on the investment. Kate’s family is being funded by the Brits, and they want the treasures that should be there with that ship. The problem is that either the Donnellys are incompetent, or stealing. There has been very little treasure brought up, and the Crown wants more or it will shutter the dive, causing the company to go under.
Holden and Kate are both instantly in lust, but both recognize that it’s not a good idea to act upon it. Can Kate stay with the man who shut down her family’s business? The tension between the two is amazing, and the banter is fantastic. I loved how Holden handled Kate’s panic attacks, and how he noticed her inner strength before she did. But all isn’t what it seems on the ship. Something is fishy, and something isn’t adding up. When a crew member goes missing, Kate and Holden know they need to figure out what’s going on and fast. These two were partners, not just the heroine running off into danger without the hero, or the hero trying to leave her for her own good. These two main characters were absolutely partners and complemented each other very well.
I was unimpressed with the beginning of the book. I felt it dragged a bit, however, once the action picked up, so did the story. I don’t think I’ve read a Lowell book in a long time, and this one reminds me that she writes excellent sexual tension. I don’t love the head hopping, it’s annoying and confusing, dragging down the plot. But I love how she uses language. I loved some of the sentences she used as well. The villain was not who I thought it was, and for a character-driven Romantic Suspense, that surprised me.
I originally gave this book 3 stars, but as I’ve written this review, I think it’s closer to 3.5.
***Review copy courtesy of William Morrow/Harper Collins Publisher
This book is a slow burn Romantic Suspense. I’m not sure I expected that when I saw the cover (yeah yeah judging books by their covers, I know). It is also on sale for $1.99 for the ebook now, so grab this one!
This book opens with the readers knowing that something bad happened when the heroine Kate Donnelly was a teenager. She grew up on a ship, her parents and grandfather were treasure hunters/salvage divers. After this terrible event (I’ll spoil it since I think it comes to light in the first few chapters: her parents died hunting for treasure and teenage Kate was the one who pulled them up and had to watch her father lose her mother’s body, and then die in front of her. She then had to drive the boat with her father’s body on it to shore in a bad storm), Kate left the island and their dive business behind. Her younger brother stayed and helped their grandfather with the family business. When her brother calls her, asking her, begging her to come back and help bail out the family business, Kate instantly says no. But when she realizes that if she doesn’t go, their business will go under, she goes with the understanding she will not have to get on a boat, nor will she dive.
And once she gets there, she realizes she’ll be on the boat daily. The only thing keeping her from leaving, is that she’s come to the realization that running didn’t help, so maybe it’s time to face the sea once more.
Holden Cameron is a former Navy Diver for the British Navy. He used to take care of old mines left under water. He’s also been injured and his leg is permanently affected. He can still dive, but it’s painful, and he will never be able to go back into the Navy. So he still works for the Crown, and he’s being sent out to the dive site to keep an eye on the investment. Kate’s family is being funded by the Brits, and they want the treasures that should be there with that ship. The problem is that either the Donnellys are incompetent, or stealing. There has been very little treasure brought up, and the Crown wants more or it will shutter the dive, causing the company to go under.
Holden and Kate are both instantly in lust, but both recognize that it’s not a good idea to act upon it. Can Kate stay with the man who shut down her family’s business? The tension between the two is amazing, and the banter is fantastic. I loved how Holden handled Kate’s panic attacks, and how he noticed her inner strength before she did. But all isn’t what it seems on the ship. Something is fishy, and something isn’t adding up. When a crew member goes missing, Kate and Holden know they need to figure out what’s going on and fast. These two were partners, not just the heroine running off into danger without the hero, or the hero trying to leave her for her own good. These two main characters were absolutely partners and complemented each other very well.
I was unimpressed with the beginning of the book. I felt it dragged a bit, however, once the action picked up, so did the story. I don’t think I’ve read a Lowell book in a long time, and this one reminds me that she writes excellent sexual tension. I don’t love the head hopping, it’s annoying and confusing, dragging down the plot. But I love how she uses language. I loved some of the sentences she used as well. The villain was not who I thought it was, and for a character-driven Romantic Suspense, that surprised me.
I originally gave this book 3 stars, but as I’ve written this review, I think it’s closer to 3.5.
***Review copy courtesy of William Morrow/Harper Collins Publisher
November 26, 2017
This was a pleasant romantic fiction with a theme that I really loved: The setting was the island of St Vincent in the Caribbean where our leading lady, Kate, grew up. She left the island but her remaining family, her brother and grandfather had stayed to continue on the family business of diving and marine recovery. And Bingo! the theme that got me hooked: The descriptions of the boats and the equipment, the routines and practices of salvage diving kept me more than happy with this book, they were so very nicely done. The descriptions of the ocean and it's weather, in all it's moods and colours, behavious and warnings was also lovely. The descriptions of diving were so vivid that I felt I was there under water myself.
Why only three stars, you are asking yourselves? Well, this book was also a romance and the romance part of it was rather large and, really, less exciting than the marine part: Leading lady Kate the accountant is returning to the island despite great personal trauma to resurrect the family business from a terrible contract it has signed. Leading man Holder has been sent by the clients who think they are being robbed. Sparks fly. ect.
I found the sexual tension between our to leads pretty believable, well written and readable but their dialogue was insipid and their character interaction ridiculous. The whole will we/wont we theme just juvenile and unnecessarily annoying. Example of how the early romance played in my head as I listlessly read it waiting for the ocean to come back:
Male Lead; I want her
Female Lead; I want him
ML + FL; I know (s)he wants me as much as I want him/her but it would be unprofessional to get together.
Me: WTF? You are both adults, go for it already!
Ml + Fl; I can't submit to my attraction to him/her! I will just take every opportunity to appear before them wearing as little as possible, run up against them, stare at their crotch. But no, NO! I mustn't...!
Me: My head hurts from this teenage behaviour, can we get back to the diving yet?
That said, the dialogue and their behaviour improved somewhat around page 160, when Kate and Holder finally remembered they were adults and actually allowed to have sex like grown ups. This allowed me to enjoy the diving sections once more with their interesting themes of wrecks in the Caribbean and so on.
While trying to read through the romance to the good bits however, my mind was off the plot, so a few things that might not otherwise have bothered me, jostled for attention; the use of the world doldrums, for example. The doldrums are an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds, but the author seems to use it any time there is no wind on st Vincent island. It did make me wonder.
The use of 'crystal' as an adjective could use a bit of editing I feel; 'crystal eyes' and 'crystal emeralds' and 'crystal intensity' abound. Almost on a paragraph basis at time or at least one per page.
However, still enjoyed it, would recommend to anyone who enjoys modern romances and the sea.
Why only three stars, you are asking yourselves? Well, this book was also a romance and the romance part of it was rather large and, really, less exciting than the marine part: Leading lady Kate the accountant is returning to the island despite great personal trauma to resurrect the family business from a terrible contract it has signed. Leading man Holder has been sent by the clients who think they are being robbed. Sparks fly. ect.
I found the sexual tension between our to leads pretty believable, well written and readable but their dialogue was insipid and their character interaction ridiculous. The whole will we/wont we theme just juvenile and unnecessarily annoying. Example of how the early romance played in my head as I listlessly read it waiting for the ocean to come back:
Male Lead; I want her
Female Lead; I want him
ML + FL; I know (s)he wants me as much as I want him/her but it would be unprofessional to get together.
Me: WTF? You are both adults, go for it already!
Ml + Fl; I can't submit to my attraction to him/her! I will just take every opportunity to appear before them wearing as little as possible, run up against them, stare at their crotch. But no, NO! I mustn't...!
Me: My head hurts from this teenage behaviour, can we get back to the diving yet?
That said, the dialogue and their behaviour improved somewhat around page 160, when Kate and Holder finally remembered they were adults and actually allowed to have sex like grown ups. This allowed me to enjoy the diving sections once more with their interesting themes of wrecks in the Caribbean and so on.
While trying to read through the romance to the good bits however, my mind was off the plot, so a few things that might not otherwise have bothered me, jostled for attention; the use of the world doldrums, for example. The doldrums are an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds, but the author seems to use it any time there is no wind on st Vincent island. It did make me wonder.
The use of 'crystal' as an adjective could use a bit of editing I feel; 'crystal eyes' and 'crystal emeralds' and 'crystal intensity' abound. Almost on a paragraph basis at time or at least one per page.
However, still enjoyed it, would recommend to anyone who enjoys modern romances and the sea.
July 11, 2017
I'm not sure what I found less agreeable: the characters and their frustrating actions and personalities; or the dragging story line that took fifty percent of the book to finally pick up a little bit.
On the one hand, the book does boast a rather interesting premise, and Elizabeth Lowell's serviceable writing with some of the humor I'm used to from previous books. On the other hand, the characters spent more time pissing me off, the plot dragged on, and Kate's doormat personality didn't do much to help. And neither were the men in this book much to write home about either.
Holden is the standard, broody male, who starts off his character as a jackass, but then does a one-eighty about 20% into the book and turns into a different person. Kate's grandfather and brother start off as jerks, continue to be jerks, and I kind of wrote them off pretty quickly after that.
It got on my nerves that the men would get into this male posturing, drag Kate into it, have their own problems, and then somehow Kate would feel obligated to both, be the peacekeeper, and apologize for whatever it is she feels she needs to apologize for, even though she wasn't even part of the problem in the first place.
Her relationship with her brother and her grandfather was exactly like she'd described about a childhood incident: About how her brother used to pull her pigtails all the time, and not lightly. She would ignore it until he pulled too hard and hurt her, then she'd turn around and get angry at him, demanding consolation. But somehow, he managed to manipulate the situation wherein he turned into the wronged party, and she would apologize... just because.
Scenes like the above happen more than once, even as Kate and Larry are now adults. He manipulates and then pisses her off, then when she calls him out on it, he turns the situation around, acts like the wounded party, and Kate feels the need to apologize and comfort his crybaby ass instead.
It got frustrating.
Kate had a rather tragic memory of the family's diving days, having been the only one on board the diving ship, at the age of eighteen, when her parents died. According to back story, her parents went night diving, something happened to her mother's diving gear, and trying to save her mother her father had sped towards the surface without proper decompression with his ascent. In the end, her mother ended up lost to the sea while her father surfaced into the diving ship with the bends, convulsing into death right in Kate's arms.
At the time, she was the only one on board since her grandfather and her brother were ashore. She watched her mother disappear into the sea, watched her father die in her arms, tried to find her mother without success, then had to navigate the ship back to land, with no one there for support.
She ended up running away from the family business until her brother manages to manipulate her into returning years later, with no regard to her feelings. He tells her that she need only show up and try to fix the financials, that she wouldn't have to get in the water--then when she arrives, he leaves her a note to pick up the British consultant and bring him out to the diving ship. He tells her that she wouldn't have to set foot on the diving ship, that she can just do her part from the little house on shore--but when she reaches the diving ship with the consultant, her brother all but drags her on board.
The only thing that she stands strong about was that she refused to put on a diving suit and get in the water.
Instead of acknowledging the ordeal Kate had gone through during her parents' tragic deaths, both her grandfather and brother would throw into her face: "Did it never occur to you that I lost someone I love that night as well?" whenever she refused to take part in diving, or got tense by being on the ship that held tragic memories for her.
And while I'm not one to belittle or diminish one's grief over another's... well, I'd say that Kate's haunting memories of watching her father die and her mother lost at sea without being able to do a thing to help them deserves more sympathy than, "I'm grieving too, but I'm still in the game, so you need to get yourself together."
Anyway...
This conflict, as well as the "Who's stealing from the treasure hunt?" conflict, and the "This dive expedition is cursed" conflict, and how everything just keeps going wrong... all of these conflicts just kept circling each other for most of the book, with no forward progress. In fact, when Kate and Holden finally hunker down and do some investigating after most of the divers quit, and one disappears under mysterious circumstances, I was wondering why none of that investigation had been done in the first place.
Instead, Kate and Holden spend most of the book lusting after each other, going from insta-lust to insta-love at breakneck speed, spend some time playing house, spend more time arguing with Kate's brother and grandfather... and then finally decide to do some solid investigating mere hours before a Category One is about to hit. This entire time, I was wondering if, in the middle of an impending tropical storm was the best time to decide to finally look at the dive logs, and search the crew's quarters... while in the middle of the sea in the diving ship.
Night Diver was not an enjoyable book, and the only reason it gets stars at all is because the last half got exciting (finally), and Elizabeth Lowell's writing is easy to read. I just couldn't stand the characters, the dragging plot... And then the romance itself was unspectacular. In fact, somehow, without actually being a dated romance, it still felt like a dated romance. I'm not even sure how that's possible.
***
Booklikes-opoly
Fourth of July Optional BL Challenge:
The author of this book was born pre-1955.
Page Count: 388
Cash Award: +$6.00
Updated Bank Balance: $165.00
On the one hand, the book does boast a rather interesting premise, and Elizabeth Lowell's serviceable writing with some of the humor I'm used to from previous books. On the other hand, the characters spent more time pissing me off, the plot dragged on, and Kate's doormat personality didn't do much to help. And neither were the men in this book much to write home about either.
Holden is the standard, broody male, who starts off his character as a jackass, but then does a one-eighty about 20% into the book and turns into a different person. Kate's grandfather and brother start off as jerks, continue to be jerks, and I kind of wrote them off pretty quickly after that.
It got on my nerves that the men would get into this male posturing, drag Kate into it, have their own problems, and then somehow Kate would feel obligated to both, be the peacekeeper, and apologize for whatever it is she feels she needs to apologize for, even though she wasn't even part of the problem in the first place.
Her relationship with her brother and her grandfather was exactly like she'd described about a childhood incident: About how her brother used to pull her pigtails all the time, and not lightly. She would ignore it until he pulled too hard and hurt her, then she'd turn around and get angry at him, demanding consolation. But somehow, he managed to manipulate the situation wherein he turned into the wronged party, and she would apologize... just because.
Scenes like the above happen more than once, even as Kate and Larry are now adults. He manipulates and then pisses her off, then when she calls him out on it, he turns the situation around, acts like the wounded party, and Kate feels the need to apologize and comfort his crybaby ass instead.
It got frustrating.
Kate had a rather tragic memory of the family's diving days, having been the only one on board the diving ship, at the age of eighteen, when her parents died. According to back story, her parents went night diving, something happened to her mother's diving gear, and trying to save her mother her father had sped towards the surface without proper decompression with his ascent. In the end, her mother ended up lost to the sea while her father surfaced into the diving ship with the bends, convulsing into death right in Kate's arms.
At the time, she was the only one on board since her grandfather and her brother were ashore. She watched her mother disappear into the sea, watched her father die in her arms, tried to find her mother without success, then had to navigate the ship back to land, with no one there for support.
She ended up running away from the family business until her brother manages to manipulate her into returning years later, with no regard to her feelings. He tells her that she need only show up and try to fix the financials, that she wouldn't have to get in the water--then when she arrives, he leaves her a note to pick up the British consultant and bring him out to the diving ship. He tells her that she wouldn't have to set foot on the diving ship, that she can just do her part from the little house on shore--but when she reaches the diving ship with the consultant, her brother all but drags her on board.
The only thing that she stands strong about was that she refused to put on a diving suit and get in the water.
Instead of acknowledging the ordeal Kate had gone through during her parents' tragic deaths, both her grandfather and brother would throw into her face: "Did it never occur to you that I lost someone I love that night as well?" whenever she refused to take part in diving, or got tense by being on the ship that held tragic memories for her.
And while I'm not one to belittle or diminish one's grief over another's... well, I'd say that Kate's haunting memories of watching her father die and her mother lost at sea without being able to do a thing to help them deserves more sympathy than, "I'm grieving too, but I'm still in the game, so you need to get yourself together."
Anyway...
This conflict, as well as the "Who's stealing from the treasure hunt?" conflict, and the "This dive expedition is cursed" conflict, and how everything just keeps going wrong... all of these conflicts just kept circling each other for most of the book, with no forward progress. In fact, when Kate and Holden finally hunker down and do some investigating after most of the divers quit, and one disappears under mysterious circumstances, I was wondering why none of that investigation had been done in the first place.
Instead, Kate and Holden spend most of the book lusting after each other, going from insta-lust to insta-love at breakneck speed, spend some time playing house, spend more time arguing with Kate's brother and grandfather... and then finally decide to do some solid investigating mere hours before a Category One is about to hit. This entire time, I was wondering if, in the middle of an impending tropical storm was the best time to decide to finally look at the dive logs, and search the crew's quarters... while in the middle of the sea in the diving ship.
Night Diver was not an enjoyable book, and the only reason it gets stars at all is because the last half got exciting (finally), and Elizabeth Lowell's writing is easy to read. I just couldn't stand the characters, the dragging plot... And then the romance itself was unspectacular. In fact, somehow, without actually being a dated romance, it still felt like a dated romance. I'm not even sure how that's possible.
***
Booklikes-opoly
Fourth of July Optional BL Challenge:
The author of this book was born pre-1955.
Page Count: 388
Cash Award: +$6.00
Updated Bank Balance: $165.00
May 25, 2022
If it was anyone else it would’ve been three stars read but Elizabeth Lowell have done so much better in the past; this book is nowhere near the standard of her older romances. Brought up in line with modern day sensibilities and political correctness, stripped of everything that made E.L. books so memorable (misguided jerk of a hero who is emotionally distant, borderline cruel and puts heroine and himself though all sorts of trials, delicious angst and of course, lots of grovelling at the end) this book is just plain boring…..
June 18, 2019
Night diving was dangerous.
And now she was headed back to her greatest failure, her greatest fear.
March 31, 2014
Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
There is just something special about an Elizabeth Lowell Book. The depth and feel to her characters create instant classics. Night Diver does not disappoint. Set on the Caribbean Isle of St. Vincent, Lowell takes us on an adventure of Love, Greed, Avarice and Betrayal.
Kate Donnelly watched her parents die. At the age of seventeen a night dive in stormy waters destroyed her world. Devastated she walked away from what was left of her family and the family business. Refusing to ever face the ocean again. It's been more than a decade and the family is in need. Now Kate's only choice is to return to St. Vincent and face her fears. And even then she doubts she can save anything.
Holden Cameron has spent his navy career as on the underwater mine squad but a near death explosion changed everything. Left with a leg injury he is now the to go man in civilian life. Now he's off to St Vincent to babysit a family of con artists. Holden must investigate the suspicious activity surrounding a Donnelly dive to recover treasure from the ancient wreck of a pirate ship. Life is complicated enough the last thing he needs is to be attracted to the only Donnelly daughter.
Night Diver plunges into emotional depths.. Kate is forced to face her darkest fears over and over again. With no one to lean on but the one man who is supposed to be the "enemy". But the connection between Holden and Kate grows with each passing day and somehow it comes down to the only person either of them can trust is each other.
I will be honest, I got this book because it was an Elizabeth Lowell book.. I left it on my kindle for months.. I somehow thought that Ms Lowell had made a mistake.. Then I opened the book and fell in love. Kate and Holden have risen to the top of my favorite Lowell couples. And any Lowell fan knows, there are many to choose from.
Night Diver offers you a magic ride under the sea.. fabulous!
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of The Night Diver provided by edelweiss and scheduled for release on April 8, 2014
There is just something special about an Elizabeth Lowell Book. The depth and feel to her characters create instant classics. Night Diver does not disappoint. Set on the Caribbean Isle of St. Vincent, Lowell takes us on an adventure of Love, Greed, Avarice and Betrayal.
Kate Donnelly watched her parents die. At the age of seventeen a night dive in stormy waters destroyed her world. Devastated she walked away from what was left of her family and the family business. Refusing to ever face the ocean again. It's been more than a decade and the family is in need. Now Kate's only choice is to return to St. Vincent and face her fears. And even then she doubts she can save anything.
Holden Cameron has spent his navy career as on the underwater mine squad but a near death explosion changed everything. Left with a leg injury he is now the to go man in civilian life. Now he's off to St Vincent to babysit a family of con artists. Holden must investigate the suspicious activity surrounding a Donnelly dive to recover treasure from the ancient wreck of a pirate ship. Life is complicated enough the last thing he needs is to be attracted to the only Donnelly daughter.
Night Diver plunges into emotional depths.. Kate is forced to face her darkest fears over and over again. With no one to lean on but the one man who is supposed to be the "enemy". But the connection between Holden and Kate grows with each passing day and somehow it comes down to the only person either of them can trust is each other.
I will be honest, I got this book because it was an Elizabeth Lowell book.. I left it on my kindle for months.. I somehow thought that Ms Lowell had made a mistake.. Then I opened the book and fell in love. Kate and Holden have risen to the top of my favorite Lowell couples. And any Lowell fan knows, there are many to choose from.
Night Diver offers you a magic ride under the sea.. fabulous!
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of The Night Diver provided by edelweiss and scheduled for release on April 8, 2014
July 17, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads first reads giveaway.
Kate Donnelly was once an integral part of her family’s underwater treasure hunting business, but when the sea tragically claimed the lives of both her parents she fled to the states to start a new life. When Kate finds out that the family business is on the verge of bankruptcy, she returns to the Caribbean to try and keep the business afloat. She returns only to find out that her brother has unwisely signed a contract to retrieve and return ancient English treasures that were lost at sea. The crown sends one of their own agents, Holden Cameron, to supervise the dive and ensure that the treasure is returned to England. Holden suspects foul play aboard the ship, so he and Kate team up to uncover the truth. Their relationship heats up as they work together to save the Donnelly name.
This is a fast, light read that is perfect for reading poolside or while digging your toes into the sand this summer. I did enjoy this novel, but at times I was quite bored. My eyes glazed over when I read all the long-winded passages explaining the ins and outs of deep sea diving. There were too many pages devoted to proper diving technique, equipment, weather, etc. I began skimming these pages to get back to the actual story. The chemistry between Holden and Kate was palpable and they were a likable couple. Other than the occasional bouts of boredom this was a welcome escape from reality.
Kate Donnelly was once an integral part of her family’s underwater treasure hunting business, but when the sea tragically claimed the lives of both her parents she fled to the states to start a new life. When Kate finds out that the family business is on the verge of bankruptcy, she returns to the Caribbean to try and keep the business afloat. She returns only to find out that her brother has unwisely signed a contract to retrieve and return ancient English treasures that were lost at sea. The crown sends one of their own agents, Holden Cameron, to supervise the dive and ensure that the treasure is returned to England. Holden suspects foul play aboard the ship, so he and Kate team up to uncover the truth. Their relationship heats up as they work together to save the Donnelly name.
This is a fast, light read that is perfect for reading poolside or while digging your toes into the sand this summer. I did enjoy this novel, but at times I was quite bored. My eyes glazed over when I read all the long-winded passages explaining the ins and outs of deep sea diving. There were too many pages devoted to proper diving technique, equipment, weather, etc. I began skimming these pages to get back to the actual story. The chemistry between Holden and Kate was palpable and they were a likable couple. Other than the occasional bouts of boredom this was a welcome escape from reality.
June 6, 2014
This novel about an underwater treasure hunt sounded interesting. Unfortunately, this particular title was less of a mystery/suspense novel and more of an ultra-cheesy bodice ripper with a sub-par mystery thrown in for good measure and a ridiculous ending that I just couldn’t buy into. I won’t be reading any more books by this author.
January 13, 2024
High key cringe content
March 12, 2014
Free from Goodreads Giveaway
This book is more in the style of her older Romantic Suspense novels, with equal parts romance and suspense, which I prefer to her more recent suspense-heavy works. Unlike the older ones, however, there is very little conflict about/within the romance; hero and heroine are attracted from the beginning, both behave like intelligent adults, and don't let misinformation or illogical feelings stand in their way. A nice change, actually, from the usual "I love you against my better judgement" and "You've betrayed me! How can I still love you?" angst.
As for the suspense, it was more a puzzled "Everything looks right, so why isn't it working?" sort of plot...until a few chapters from the end. THEN it got interesting and fast-paced. Not that the rest of the book was boring; far from it. I found myself reading as fast as I could, wondering if my guess was correct.
The writing wasn't as smooth as I've come to expect from Elizabeth Lowell, though it only jarred me a few times. The biggest problem I had was following which character's thoughts and observations were being provided. Perspectives changed frequently and without warning, often going back and forth between two or three characters in a single page. There were a few spelling errors ("Silentyly," "It" instead of "At," and "himm"), but they were all single instances, not repeated. And there was one scene where the hero did the same thing twice, clearly just an oversight in the writing/editing process.
All in all, it was a satisfying and entertaining read, but not as polished as I expected.
This book is more in the style of her older Romantic Suspense novels, with equal parts romance and suspense, which I prefer to her more recent suspense-heavy works. Unlike the older ones, however, there is very little conflict about/within the romance; hero and heroine are attracted from the beginning, both behave like intelligent adults, and don't let misinformation or illogical feelings stand in their way. A nice change, actually, from the usual "I love you against my better judgement" and "You've betrayed me! How can I still love you?" angst.
As for the suspense, it was more a puzzled "Everything looks right, so why isn't it working?" sort of plot...until a few chapters from the end. THEN it got interesting and fast-paced. Not that the rest of the book was boring; far from it. I found myself reading as fast as I could, wondering if my guess was correct.
The writing wasn't as smooth as I've come to expect from Elizabeth Lowell, though it only jarred me a few times. The biggest problem I had was following which character's thoughts and observations were being provided. Perspectives changed frequently and without warning, often going back and forth between two or three characters in a single page. There were a few spelling errors ("Silentyly," "It" instead of "At," and "himm"), but they were all single instances, not repeated. And there was one scene where the hero did the same thing twice, clearly just an oversight in the writing/editing process.
All in all, it was a satisfying and entertaining read, but not as polished as I expected.
March 14, 2014
This book is a perfect beach read. I didn't read this on the beach, but I imagined myself on one. I liked how they would switch 3rd person persecutive kept me paying attention. I liked the characters and the relationships between them. Mystery, Romance and the sea so a lot of fun to read. They're no spoilers in the review because the less you know the better.
Kate returns to her families dive because her brother begs her for help she returns reluctantly. She moved away far from the sea because she is haunted by nightmares of her parents death. Hot Brit Holder is sent to investigate her families business that is suspected of stealing when items go missing. Kate and Holder dig deeper into the mystery while also their relationship.
I enjoyed the relationship that Holder and Kate develop throughout the book. It was not forced it was a mutual attraction the grew into love for them. They really end up becoming anchors for each other which made them stronger, not weaker or incompetent. I enjoyed the writing style it was unique and different that I kept me interested. The story was a little predicable but still enjoyable. The end really picked up speed and was definitely trying to read it fast so I knew what was going to happen. Overall I like the book a nice fun beach read.
Thank you Goodreads First Giveaways for this free ARC!
Kate returns to her families dive because her brother begs her for help she returns reluctantly. She moved away far from the sea because she is haunted by nightmares of her parents death. Hot Brit Holder is sent to investigate her families business that is suspected of stealing when items go missing. Kate and Holder dig deeper into the mystery while also their relationship.
I enjoyed the relationship that Holder and Kate develop throughout the book. It was not forced it was a mutual attraction the grew into love for them. They really end up becoming anchors for each other which made them stronger, not weaker or incompetent. I enjoyed the writing style it was unique and different that I kept me interested. The story was a little predicable but still enjoyable. The end really picked up speed and was definitely trying to read it fast so I knew what was going to happen. Overall I like the book a nice fun beach read.
Thank you Goodreads First Giveaways for this free ARC!
August 7, 2014
It's a good, solid mystery with interesting characters and a great steamy romance.
Kate Donnelly is called home to try to save her family's business. The biggest problem for her is that she hasn't been on the water in years since she witnessed her parents death in a tragic diving accident years before. Major sparks fly when she meets Holden, the man who has been sent to help shut them down. I loved these two together. I also loved that it wasn't an insta-love since they pretty much hated each other and didn't trust each other from the beginning.
As I said before, the mystery was pretty solid. I felt like it was well laid out and planned. I also loved the aspect of not knowing who to really trust among the characters. What I also thought was well handled was the panic attacks that Kate felt every time she was on the boat and in the water. Her ease back into the life style was realistically gradual. After reading this book, I might be tempted to learn how to dive. It sounds absolutely beautiful under the water!
Kate Donnelly is called home to try to save her family's business. The biggest problem for her is that she hasn't been on the water in years since she witnessed her parents death in a tragic diving accident years before. Major sparks fly when she meets Holden, the man who has been sent to help shut them down. I loved these two together. I also loved that it wasn't an insta-love since they pretty much hated each other and didn't trust each other from the beginning.
As I said before, the mystery was pretty solid. I felt like it was well laid out and planned. I also loved the aspect of not knowing who to really trust among the characters. What I also thought was well handled was the panic attacks that Kate felt every time she was on the boat and in the water. Her ease back into the life style was realistically gradual. After reading this book, I might be tempted to learn how to dive. It sounds absolutely beautiful under the water!
August 31, 2014
One of the things I really love about Elizabeth Lowell is the in depth research she does on the background subject. In Night Diver I think she went a little overboard. The details started getting in the way of the plot and the book suffered for it.
Holden is a representative of the British government who is sent to determine why a salvage operation is not producing what was expected. Kate is the not quite estranged daughter/sister of the salvers, who at 18 lost her parents in a dive on the same wreck and walked away from it all. Her brother, Larry, and grandfather have gotten themselves into a tight spot with a nasty contract and need her to work her magic with the accounting. She works magic alright, on Holden. Holden is drawn to her, but thinks someone on the dive team is a thief and his primary suspect is Larry. The ending is all action and just what you expect from Elizabeth Lowell.
Holden is a representative of the British government who is sent to determine why a salvage operation is not producing what was expected. Kate is the not quite estranged daughter/sister of the salvers, who at 18 lost her parents in a dive on the same wreck and walked away from it all. Her brother, Larry, and grandfather have gotten themselves into a tight spot with a nasty contract and need her to work her magic with the accounting. She works magic alright, on Holden. Holden is drawn to her, but thinks someone on the dive team is a thief and his primary suspect is Larry. The ending is all action and just what you expect from Elizabeth Lowell.
April 29, 2014
Let the lover be. - Rumi
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Lowell and I love treasure hunt books. How could I go wrong with NIGHT DIVER, right?
Well, this is not Lowell's best. I think back to some of my favorites, which are some of my favorite romances of all time - "Amber Beach / Jade Island / Pearl Cove : Three Books In One" or "Beautiful Dreamer" or "The Diamond Tiger"(written under Ann Maxwell) - and this book doesn't come close to being as good.
It is readable. I would probably give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. But it is repetitive, light on character development (which is a must, in my opinion, for a good romance) and the chemistry between the two lovers just seems rushed and rather unbelievable. It is also an adventure tale and details are light for that portion of the book too.
Not the worst but just okay...
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Lowell and I love treasure hunt books. How could I go wrong with NIGHT DIVER, right?
Well, this is not Lowell's best. I think back to some of my favorites, which are some of my favorite romances of all time - "Amber Beach / Jade Island / Pearl Cove : Three Books In One" or "Beautiful Dreamer" or "The Diamond Tiger"(written under Ann Maxwell) - and this book doesn't come close to being as good.
It is readable. I would probably give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. But it is repetitive, light on character development (which is a must, in my opinion, for a good romance) and the chemistry between the two lovers just seems rushed and rather unbelievable. It is also an adventure tale and details are light for that portion of the book too.
Not the worst but just okay...
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 5, 2015
This is an example of how much I enjoy the texture and prose of her writing. Wish it would have been longer.
July 17, 2014
Meh.
I figured out who the thief was really early on.
The romance was love at first site and that was it.
Also, her describing him as a "dragon" over and over was really freakin' weird.
I figured out who the thief was really early on.
The romance was love at first site and that was it.
Also, her describing him as a "dragon" over and over was really freakin' weird.
January 27, 2016
Typical book by Lowell - Little mystery, little romance. This time the mystery is diving for treasure from Ship wrecks. Fun romp.
August 7, 2018
Romance and suspense plots intertwined together make up the basic premise of the novel. If you want a course in underwater diving and the basic jargons used as a diver, then this novel will provide you that in a jiffy. The characters have a proper back story and are well-developed making it a decent read from that aspect.
February 23, 2021
Libro entretenido para la gente que le guste bucear como a mi. Si no te gusta, relata muchas acciones y muchos términos que te costar entender, pero la historia está muy entretenida.
Capítulos no demasiado largos hacen que sea una novela de fácil lectura que te mantiene atrapado en todo momento.
Capítulos no demasiado largos hacen que sea una novela de fácil lectura que te mantiene atrapado en todo momento.
January 14, 2018
This was a great story full of questions and revealings and emotional upheavals including sexual ones that were fulfilled with all the right ingredients. I was a very satisfied reader.
January 7, 2023
"One of the first thing combat teaches is that laughter keeps you sane💖😇"
Good one time read. Great work on the deep sea diving research.
Good one time read. Great work on the deep sea diving research.
August 26, 2014
This book hoodwinked me!
I've been bamboozled in the worst way!
After reading the premise of this book I was expecting,
Deep sea adventures,
Treasure hunting,
A forbidden modern romance on a Caribbean island,
With the added bonus of a legendary pirate dubbed "Bloody Green" and the beautiful women he rescued while on the high seas,
But alas, what I actually got was a huge dose of insta-lust with a mild sprinkling of plot.
Kate Donnelly led an exciting life aboard her patents diving boat The Golden Bow, looking for burried treasure off the Caribbean shore, but tragedy strikes when, at the age of seventeen she loses both of her parents to a tragic accident. Now, some years later, Kate is plagued by nightmares, and landlocked with an intense fear of all things aquatic.
The book opens after Kate receives a desperate call from her brother Larry, pleading with her to come back to the island of St. Vincent and help with a dive that appears to be cursed with bad luck, and about to be shut down by the British Government.
Despite all of her aforementioned fears, she agrees to go, with very little hesitation and fanfare
Once she's island-side she meets former navy diver Holden Cameron, who after being decommissioned after a wound from a deep sea bomb explosion, has been sent to investigate and shut down the dive.
You would think that Kate would be leery of him. He is trying to destroy her families livelihood. But no, right away she's like you+me=SEX NOW
And so the rest of thee book progresses. Holden's in a near constant state of arousal, while Kate is obsessed with the way his eyes look and comparing him to...a dragonshuttttteeerrrrrssssss and moping about how hard her nipples are, like. all. the. time.
Normally I wouldn't have a problem with a romantic relationship, but everything was so "instant" I felt like I didn't even know the characters, let alone buy into any automatic all consuming love-lust fest.
I felt cheated by how the premise of the book failed to deliver anything more, and the culprit behind all the mayhem...
Sure, if your looking for one or two sexy beach love-making sessions this is the book for you, but sadly there's not much else here.
I've been bamboozled in the worst way!
After reading the premise of this book I was expecting,
Deep sea adventures,
Treasure hunting,
A forbidden modern romance on a Caribbean island,
With the added bonus of a legendary pirate dubbed "Bloody Green" and the beautiful women he rescued while on the high seas,
But alas, what I actually got was a huge dose of insta-lust with a mild sprinkling of plot.
Kate Donnelly led an exciting life aboard her patents diving boat The Golden Bow, looking for burried treasure off the Caribbean shore, but tragedy strikes when, at the age of seventeen she loses both of her parents to a tragic accident. Now, some years later, Kate is plagued by nightmares, and landlocked with an intense fear of all things aquatic.
The book opens after Kate receives a desperate call from her brother Larry, pleading with her to come back to the island of St. Vincent and help with a dive that appears to be cursed with bad luck, and about to be shut down by the British Government.
Despite all of her aforementioned fears, she agrees to go, with very little hesitation and fanfare
Once she's island-side she meets former navy diver Holden Cameron, who after being decommissioned after a wound from a deep sea bomb explosion, has been sent to investigate and shut down the dive.
You would think that Kate would be leery of him. He is trying to destroy her families livelihood. But no, right away she's like you+me=SEX NOW
And so the rest of thee book progresses. Holden's in a near constant state of arousal, while Kate is obsessed with the way his eyes look and comparing him to...a dragon
Normally I wouldn't have a problem with a romantic relationship, but everything was so "instant" I felt like I didn't even know the characters, let alone buy into any automatic all consuming love-lust fest.
I felt cheated by how the premise of the book failed to deliver anything more, and the culprit behind all the mayhem...
Sure, if your looking for one or two sexy beach love-making sessions this is the book for you, but sadly there's not much else here.
May 13, 2014
When I was younger, Elizabeth Lowell was a go-to, must-buy author for me. Her romances were mixed with thriller, adventure, historical, even science/technology elements as she meticulously conveyed everything you ever wanted to know about dating ancient jade or collecting rain water in the Four Corners region of the US, as examples, with a romantic hero and heroine set in those worlds. She has written about 70 books over the years in science fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, and suspense. There is nothing light and fluffy intellectually about EL’s romances because this writer does her research, and weaves her findings into the fabric of the story to lend realism. (Actually, EL’s books are more sexual than romantic, but definitely too smart to be porn or erotica…I think EL may have been a trendsetter leading the charge for emphasizing condom use in every trashy sex scene, lol.)
However, I could barely get through the last EL I read due to the silly tough-guy tone she writes with…and I’m not sure if the problem is not that I have CHANGED over the years, not EL. My taste has become more subtle perhaps, and she tends to bash and batter with a dramatic tone a 14-year-old girl would relish. It makes me cringe.
In Night Diver, she has ratcheted down the irritating tone and dialed up the technical details that she has always done so well. I enjoyed reading about the diving technologies used to salvage sunken treasure from the ocean floor and the colorful history of the pieces found. The story is made even more exciting because of the scientific research making it feel more real. Set in a floating world, with constantly shifting bad and good guys, this is solid entertainment delivered by a pro. Not as great as some of her past work, but not as bad, either. Solid is the right word.
It seriously makes me want to head to a beach and play in the water.
However, I could barely get through the last EL I read due to the silly tough-guy tone she writes with…and I’m not sure if the problem is not that I have CHANGED over the years, not EL. My taste has become more subtle perhaps, and she tends to bash and batter with a dramatic tone a 14-year-old girl would relish. It makes me cringe.
In Night Diver, she has ratcheted down the irritating tone and dialed up the technical details that she has always done so well. I enjoyed reading about the diving technologies used to salvage sunken treasure from the ocean floor and the colorful history of the pieces found. The story is made even more exciting because of the scientific research making it feel more real. Set in a floating world, with constantly shifting bad and good guys, this is solid entertainment delivered by a pro. Not as great as some of her past work, but not as bad, either. Solid is the right word.
It seriously makes me want to head to a beach and play in the water.
May 23, 2014
OK story, but I like a little more suspense in my romantic suspense. The story dragged a bit in the middle; however, the information about deep sea diving was interesting.
Opening Lines
Prologue
The moment Kate Donnelly heard her brother's too-cheerful greeting on the phone, she wished she had let the call go to voice mail.
On human nature...
"It is how we humans are wired," Holden said. "Bad experiences go all the way to the bone, nature's way of making sure that lessons stay learned."
Like vs. love...
My parents have made choices I don't like, and I've made plenty they don't like. It has little to do with loving them or their loving me. Liking and loving are different emotions. One doesn't require the other.
I was always fascinated by my father's large, square, Irish hands; and I was particularly struck and a little sad the first time I noticed they looked old. So this passage meant something to me:
Age had compacted him, making his work-scarred hands and thick knuckles look too large for his wiry frame. When she was young, she used to believe he could hold up the sky with those hands.
Opening Lines
Prologue
The moment Kate Donnelly heard her brother's too-cheerful greeting on the phone, she wished she had let the call go to voice mail.
On human nature...
"It is how we humans are wired," Holden said. "Bad experiences go all the way to the bone, nature's way of making sure that lessons stay learned."
Like vs. love...
My parents have made choices I don't like, and I've made plenty they don't like. It has little to do with loving them or their loving me. Liking and loving are different emotions. One doesn't require the other.
I was always fascinated by my father's large, square, Irish hands; and I was particularly struck and a little sad the first time I noticed they looked old. So this passage meant something to me:
Age had compacted him, making his work-scarred hands and thick knuckles look too large for his wiry frame. When she was young, she used to believe he could hold up the sky with those hands.
September 3, 2016
Received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway
Overall I felt this was an enjoyable book, although it is not one of my favorite's from this author. If you are familiar with Elizabeth Lowell, this book is similar in style to her Donovan series rather than her more recent romantic suspense novels. The POV is limited to the hero and heroine rather than a broad cast. I enjoyed that a lot, since I think it makes the romance the larger focus of the story rather than the mystery plot.
The writing didn't seem as tight or focused as I would have liked. It jumped around some, and there were sections that didn't feel necessary. There was a long stretch where it felt like no forward progress was being made in the story or the romance, and that brought down my opinion of the book.
The characters were enjoyable, and the suspense/actions picks up toward the end. If you enjoy Elizabeth Lowell you will like this book, but it is not one of her best.
Overall I felt this was an enjoyable book, although it is not one of my favorite's from this author. If you are familiar with Elizabeth Lowell, this book is similar in style to her Donovan series rather than her more recent romantic suspense novels. The POV is limited to the hero and heroine rather than a broad cast. I enjoyed that a lot, since I think it makes the romance the larger focus of the story rather than the mystery plot.
The writing didn't seem as tight or focused as I would have liked. It jumped around some, and there were sections that didn't feel necessary. There was a long stretch where it felt like no forward progress was being made in the story or the romance, and that brought down my opinion of the book.
The characters were enjoyable, and the suspense/actions picks up toward the end. If you enjoy Elizabeth Lowell you will like this book, but it is not one of her best.
July 5, 2014
I got my Elizabeths mixed up when I picked this book up off the new books shelf at the library--I was thinking Elizabeth Berg, not Elizabeth Lowell. This book was interesting and thorough in its background and world-building--the life of contracted boat owners and treasure hunters diving the Caribbean for gold and gems from long-sunk privateers--but the background was a foil for the love story, which was entered into abruptly, occurred at breathtaking speed, and resolved too neatly for my taste. Likewise the main character's journey from traumatized and in denial to competent and fearless was a bit much to believe. I also figured out who the bad guy was early on, simply by paying attention to a character the author was elaborately neglecting to develop. It wasn't bad--but it won't make me pursue other books of Lowell's either. I actually think I read one of her early books and liked it better--Midnight at Ruby Bayou.
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