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Dragostea nu are reguli
Grace Elland găsește o sticlă de votcă lângă cadavrul șefului său, Sprague Witherspoon, iar asta nu este o întâmplare. Sticla este menită să-i readucă în memorie evenimente înspăimântătoare din trecut.
Grace se retrage în casa copilăriei sale pentru a-și reorganiza viața și încearcă să pună în practică tot ceea ce a învățat despre gândirea pozitivă. Toate intențiile ei bune sunt subminate de cea mai nefericită întâlnire aranjată din lume, căci seara ei împreună cu celebrul investitor Julius Arkwright a fost mai mult decât ciudată. Nu are nimic în comun cu un bărbat care trăiește doar pentru a face bani, dar acesta, un fost pușcaș marin, posedă anumite calități care îi pot fi de folos lui Grace… și este bărbatul perfect pentru a o ajuta atunci când devine evident că un hărțuitor este pe urmele ei.
În vreme ce imperiul financiar al lui Witherspoon continuă să se prăbușească în jurul lor, iar numărul victimelor începe să crească, Julius o va ajuta pe Grace să se întoarcă în trecut pentru a deturna un plan care are drept scop nu numai distrugerea lui Grace, dar și a tuturor celor din jurul ei…
Amanda Quick are în palmares numeroase premii literare, cărțile sale vânzându-se până în prezent în peste 35 de milioane de exemplare!
Grace se retrage în casa copilăriei sale pentru a-și reorganiza viața și încearcă să pună în practică tot ceea ce a învățat despre gândirea pozitivă. Toate intențiile ei bune sunt subminate de cea mai nefericită întâlnire aranjată din lume, căci seara ei împreună cu celebrul investitor Julius Arkwright a fost mai mult decât ciudată. Nu are nimic în comun cu un bărbat care trăiește doar pentru a face bani, dar acesta, un fost pușcaș marin, posedă anumite calități care îi pot fi de folos lui Grace… și este bărbatul perfect pentru a o ajuta atunci când devine evident că un hărțuitor este pe urmele ei.
În vreme ce imperiul financiar al lui Witherspoon continuă să se prăbușească în jurul lor, iar numărul victimelor începe să crească, Julius o va ajuta pe Grace să se întoarcă în trecut pentru a deturna un plan care are drept scop nu numai distrugerea lui Grace, dar și a tuturor celor din jurul ei…
Amanda Quick are în palmares numeroase premii literare, cărțile sale vânzându-se până în prezent în peste 35 de milioane de exemplare!
287 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
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About the author
Jayne Ann Krentz
401 books7,171 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 673 reviews
June 10, 2024
This is a well-written, entertaining, steamy, romantic suspense novel. It has a likable and engaging female protagonist, a caring, wealthy and intelligent male protagonist, murder, suspense, mystery, twists and turns and a happily ever after ending. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Ms. Amanda Cobb, has a lovely voice and does a wonderful job depicting the characters and their personalities.
August 18, 2015
A new stand-alone novel from Seattle's most prolific story-spinner, JAK. Like many of her books (including one of my favorites, Wildest Hearts), it's set in the Pacific Northwest, in January. Krentz knows this region and always creates an authentic setting:
TRUST NO ONE is a new release, but it almost feels like vintage Krentz. Nothing paranormal here. Romantic suspense featuring Grace Elland and Julius Arkwright. I liked it, with only a few quibbles, listed last. Content includes a few sex scenes, explicit but brief, yet sizzling. I felt the emotion. The language is fine: minimal or no cursing or profanity and no pejorative terms for female sexual anatomy. No typos noticed.
Julius Arkwright is a venture capitalist, just like Jasper in Flash and Caleb in Hidden Talents (a fave). He's one of the good guys, but off his game and feeling a little bored, with no Grand Passion to fuel his fire. So, having found his Grace -- and having quickly assessed her as a Gift of Gold -- he'll do anything to protect her. Being a former Marine ( like Luke in All Night Long) he's got the skills to keep her safe. Plus, he's strategically placed for sentry duty, given that he lives in a lakeside cabin not far from hers (reminiscent again of Luke and Irene). And Grace needs a badass Bodyguard like him, for someone is after her -- a stalker, a killer, playing The Waiting Game (great book). It's Clue from page one, with the Vodka bottle in the bedroom. Someone's playing Dangerous Games indeed.
(And happily, this plot is not perfectly predictable, so read Between the Lines and, as the title states, Trust No One.)
Grace Elland pens and publishes affirmations for a living -- pithy motivational messages like "The Golden Chance is Just Around the Corner" and "Expect to see Silver Linings in Every Raincloud" (hokey, I thought, and overdone, but sometimes funny). In contrast, Julius is a pragmatist, living by two credos. His first rule of thumb is Trust No One. (That rule of thumb ends up carrying the case, so pay attention to the possible suspects.) His second rule of thumb is "Everyone has a hidden agenda" (which also proves true in this murder investigation).
Bottom line, Grace is Absolutely, Positively trusting (but not stupid), while Julius thinks in terms of White Lies and Deception (a favorite HR).
But one thing they do have in common is death. Bloody murder in their past. His bloodshed comes from his military days, and from working as a "fixer" in real-estate deals, like Max in Grand Passion (another fave). Grace dealt with bloody murder as a teenager (reminiscent of All Night Long (yet another keeper). As an adult, she suffers from recurring bad Dreams, but Julius is there with a Burning Lamp and a Velvet Touch. Yup, in several scenes when she's Falling Awake he's showing off his Midnight Jewels (haha). So for the first time in forever, she's not alone with her nightmares (sweet). A common JAK-ism, the dreams offer clues to the murder investigation -- not just Smoke in Mirrors -- and the recurring dream changes for the better when everything is resolved (these are all dream/sleep tropes we can bank on in JAK's world).
The whole story takes place in about two weeks, so it's another Whirlwind Courtship, but despite an awkward blind date and an initially Uneasy Alliance, they truly are a match made in heaven. Perfect Partners, in business and in love. I can accept their HEA, and picture them making a home. I sensed his quiet Joy.
Quibbles: A good read! However, this doesn't get 5 stars for a few reasons. First, it needed a little more relationship development. I wish JAK had spent slightly less time on the suspense and had completely deleted the scenes with the former business partner, Edward Hastings (or at least shorten that chapter, because I see why Krentz wrote it, to show a glimpse of the new business Julius is forging). Also, I felt the motivation behind the stalking and attempted murder was quite far-fetched. Also, see a few very minor quibbles with the writing in my reading status updates.
Bottom line? An enjoyable mystery, with a good romance going on, too. This new novel transported me back to the good old days of Krentz. Except --- surprise, surprise -- there is no gay character. In the last two decades, this author has always (with maybe a few exceptions) included a benevolent gay character -- often two of them, in a relationship. So, this struck me as a departure from the norm, and a welcome change, if only for the sake of variation.
Cheers followed them outside into the glittering, rain-polished afternoon. The sidewalks were crowded, as they always were in Seattle when the sun came out to play. Sunglasses were everywhere, appearing as if by magic. “Got an affirmation for this moment?” Julius asked.
“The one you came up with works for me,” Grace said. “Love changes everything.”
“That’s not an affirmation,” Julius said. “That’s a promise.”
TRUST NO ONE is a new release, but it almost feels like vintage Krentz. Nothing paranormal here. Romantic suspense featuring Grace Elland and Julius Arkwright. I liked it, with only a few quibbles, listed last. Content includes a few sex scenes, explicit but brief, yet sizzling. I felt the emotion. The language is fine: minimal or no cursing or profanity and no pejorative terms for female sexual anatomy. No typos noticed.
Julius Arkwright is a venture capitalist, just like Jasper in Flash and Caleb in Hidden Talents (a fave). He's one of the good guys, but off his game and feeling a little bored, with no Grand Passion to fuel his fire. So, having found his Grace -- and having quickly assessed her as a Gift of Gold -- he'll do anything to protect her. Being a former Marine ( like Luke in All Night Long) he's got the skills to keep her safe. Plus, he's strategically placed for sentry duty, given that he lives in a lakeside cabin not far from hers (reminiscent again of Luke and Irene). And Grace needs a badass Bodyguard like him, for someone is after her -- a stalker, a killer, playing The Waiting Game (great book). It's Clue from page one, with the Vodka bottle in the bedroom. Someone's playing Dangerous Games indeed.
(And happily, this plot is not perfectly predictable, so read Between the Lines and, as the title states, Trust No One.)
Grace Elland pens and publishes affirmations for a living -- pithy motivational messages like "The Golden Chance is Just Around the Corner" and "Expect to see Silver Linings in Every Raincloud" (hokey, I thought, and overdone, but sometimes funny). In contrast, Julius is a pragmatist, living by two credos. His first rule of thumb is Trust No One. (That rule of thumb ends up carrying the case, so pay attention to the possible suspects.) His second rule of thumb is "Everyone has a hidden agenda" (which also proves true in this murder investigation).
Bottom line, Grace is Absolutely, Positively trusting (but not stupid), while Julius thinks in terms of White Lies and Deception (a favorite HR).
But one thing they do have in common is death. Bloody murder in their past. His bloodshed comes from his military days, and from working as a "fixer" in real-estate deals, like Max in Grand Passion (another fave). Grace dealt with bloody murder as a teenager (reminiscent of All Night Long (yet another keeper). As an adult, she suffers from recurring bad Dreams, but Julius is there with a Burning Lamp and a Velvet Touch. Yup, in several scenes when she's Falling Awake he's showing off his Midnight Jewels (haha). So for the first time in forever, she's not alone with her nightmares (sweet). A common JAK-ism, the dreams offer clues to the murder investigation -- not just Smoke in Mirrors -- and the recurring dream changes for the better when everything is resolved (these are all dream/sleep tropes we can bank on in JAK's world).
The whole story takes place in about two weeks, so it's another Whirlwind Courtship, but despite an awkward blind date and an initially Uneasy Alliance, they truly are a match made in heaven. Perfect Partners, in business and in love. I can accept their HEA, and picture them making a home. I sensed his quiet Joy.
In the glare of the front porch light his gold- brown eyes were heavily shadowed. She could see that he was drinking in every detail of the living room behind her. She searched for a word to describe what she thought she detected in his expression and came up with hungry.
Don’t go there, she told herself. If you feed him he might hang around. This was not a good time for her to be taking in strays. She was not here to fix Julius Arkwright. If she did, he would probably walk away like all the others. And this man just might be the one she would regret setting free.
Quibbles: A good read! However, this doesn't get 5 stars for a few reasons. First, it needed a little more relationship development. I wish JAK had spent slightly less time on the suspense and had completely deleted the scenes with the former business partner, Edward Hastings (or at least shorten that chapter, because I see why Krentz wrote it, to show a glimpse of the new business Julius is forging). Also, I felt the motivation behind the stalking and attempted murder was quite far-fetched. Also, see a few very minor quibbles with the writing in my reading status updates.
Bottom line? An enjoyable mystery, with a good romance going on, too. This new novel transported me back to the good old days of Krentz. Except --- surprise, surprise -- there is no gay character. In the last two decades, this author has always (with maybe a few exceptions) included a benevolent gay character -- often two of them, in a relationship. So, this struck me as a departure from the norm, and a welcome change, if only for the sake of variation.
February 22, 2015
This was another disappointing read. I have enjoyed a few of this author's books but this was not one of them.
It wasn't exactly a horrible story...just a bit boring.
Boring plot, boring characters.
What a struggle it was to get to the END.
It wasn't exactly a horrible story...just a bit boring.
Boring plot, boring characters.
What a struggle it was to get to the END.
January 25, 2015
Jayne Ann Krentz wrote over fifty New York Times bestsellers in a variety of genres under three different names. That kind of experience can’t be bought or faked, and we as readers are lucky to reap the benefits.
Trust No one is another in a long string of successes for this author. I love her paranormal stuff, but this type of romantic suspense is what I go for when I want to relax and stop thinking about everything else. Murder and romance are what Krentz does best, and she did it even better than usual in this latest novel.
Our heroine is Grace, a young, intelligent woman famous for saving a child from a vicious killer in her teens. Grace is strong, but she is still traumatized and somewhat reluctant to allow people to get too close. Paradoxically, she is a bit too trusting in her professional life and she tends to focus only on the good in people. When she finds her boss’s dead body in his mansion, her life gets turned upside down. Her past and present suddenly collide and it seems that someone, probably the killer, is completely focused on her.
With so many walls around her personal life and her heart, Grace has never had a man she could trust. That all changes when her best friend sets her up on a blind date with Julius Arkwright, a successful yet utterly bored businessman. Sparks fly between the two, and despite being extremely careful, they manage to find common ground.
Once again, Krentz took us on an insanely exciting ride. The danger felt completely real, and Grace’s stalker seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once. Add to that one dead rat, two thugs and a knife and you’ll get 320 pages of well-built suspense.
This is an author whose work I’ll never get tired of reading. Her books don’t necessarily stand out, but they are reliably good with clever plots and delightful romances. Highly recommended.
Trust No one is another in a long string of successes for this author. I love her paranormal stuff, but this type of romantic suspense is what I go for when I want to relax and stop thinking about everything else. Murder and romance are what Krentz does best, and she did it even better than usual in this latest novel.
Our heroine is Grace, a young, intelligent woman famous for saving a child from a vicious killer in her teens. Grace is strong, but she is still traumatized and somewhat reluctant to allow people to get too close. Paradoxically, she is a bit too trusting in her professional life and she tends to focus only on the good in people. When she finds her boss’s dead body in his mansion, her life gets turned upside down. Her past and present suddenly collide and it seems that someone, probably the killer, is completely focused on her.
With so many walls around her personal life and her heart, Grace has never had a man she could trust. That all changes when her best friend sets her up on a blind date with Julius Arkwright, a successful yet utterly bored businessman. Sparks fly between the two, and despite being extremely careful, they manage to find common ground.
Once again, Krentz took us on an insanely exciting ride. The danger felt completely real, and Grace’s stalker seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once. Add to that one dead rat, two thugs and a knife and you’ll get 320 pages of well-built suspense.
This is an author whose work I’ll never get tired of reading. Her books don’t necessarily stand out, but they are reliably good with clever plots and delightful romances. Highly recommended.
January 3, 2016
3.5 Stars
June 20, 2022
Typical story from Jayne Ann Krentz, but that's what I expected. It's not something I will remember for long or a story that I will distinguish from the rest of Jayne Ann Krentz's books, but it's a nice read.
The main characters are fine, even if they are quite typical for this author. Plus for Julius, who is a tad less possessive alpha than some of the other heroes in her books. Grace is cute and cheerful while Julius is firm and seemingly devoid of affection. Like many of the female characters of this author, Grace is a vegetarian and optimist; this time professionally - Grace is into positive thinking business. There is nothing special about them, but they didn't annoy me.
They also go together pretty well. They are interested in each other the first time they meet on a blind date, and most of the time they don't hide it. I liked that Grace was able to be quite rational about her safety and not insist unnecessarily or arguing pointlessly when Julius was right. She is able to take advantage of his knowledge and experience. Their relationship promises to be rather successful, and I do not always get such an impression in the books of this author. Their love may develop a little too quickly, but it is quite believable.
The crime part is interesting, but also typical for this author - Grace finds the body of her employer, the crime scene seems to allude to violent moments from Grace's past. In the background, we have lost money and a whole group of suspects. It was okay. Although I find the final explanation of who the perpetrator is a bit exaggerated. But I like how the missing money thread has been resolved.
Overall, the book is fine. It didn't surprise me with anything, but that was exactly what I needed at this point, an easy read.
The main characters are fine, even if they are quite typical for this author. Plus for Julius, who is a tad less possessive alpha than some of the other heroes in her books. Grace is cute and cheerful while Julius is firm and seemingly devoid of affection. Like many of the female characters of this author, Grace is a vegetarian and optimist; this time professionally - Grace is into positive thinking business. There is nothing special about them, but they didn't annoy me.
They also go together pretty well. They are interested in each other the first time they meet on a blind date, and most of the time they don't hide it. I liked that Grace was able to be quite rational about her safety and not insist unnecessarily or arguing pointlessly when Julius was right. She is able to take advantage of his knowledge and experience. Their relationship promises to be rather successful, and I do not always get such an impression in the books of this author. Their love may develop a little too quickly, but it is quite believable.
The crime part is interesting, but also typical for this author - Grace finds the body of her employer, the crime scene seems to allude to violent moments from Grace's past. In the background, we have lost money and a whole group of suspects. It was okay. Although I find the final explanation of who the perpetrator is a bit exaggerated. But I like how the missing money thread has been resolved.
Overall, the book is fine. It didn't surprise me with anything, but that was exactly what I needed at this point, an easy read.
December 16, 2025
JAK contemporary thriller hits again~
↬ Is this winning prizes for the best mystery? No.
↬ Is it winning prizes for mind-blowing romance? No.
However,
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
↬ Is this winning prizes for the best mystery? No.
↬ Is it winning prizes for mind-blowing romance? No.
However,
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
January 20, 2015
Really good Jayne Ann Krentz.
February 15, 2015
Krentz is one of my favorite writers. In the last few years, there was a drop in the quality of her writing—and she invariably publishes at least one book a year, usually more than one under her various nom de plums—but this book was as good as her best ones.
Some reviewers accuse all her books of being written on the same formula. I agree, but that’s what I like about her writing: I always know what to expect. It’s like traveling with a guidebook. You know you’re going to visit a castle with a moat and a drawbridge and a tower, but you only see the particulars when you arrive on site, and every castle is different. The same with Krentz’s novels. I know the basic outline, but the details are veiled until I open the first page.
Speaking of the first page, Krentz’s beginnings are fantastic, maybe the best I ever read. This one starts with the heroine, Grace, discovering her boss dead in silk pajamas. From that point on, the story gallops. The action is so fast it doesn’t allow the reader or the characters many breaks. A few breaks that do occur are filled with the gradually building romance and an occasional sex interlude.
While the villains are on the prowl, striking again and again, the protagonists Grace and Julius explore their mutual feelings, simultaneously trying to solve the sinister mystery.
The hero and heroine are both staples of this writer, nothing unique (for her). She is spunky but compassionate, a firm believer in the power of good, if a bit naive. He is an alpha male, ruthless, rich, and athletic, but her goodness gradually softens his attitude. I enjoy reading about them (under different names) in every Krentz’s book, even though neither of them is real. They are both the ideal gender models, as beautiful inside and out as stars in a classical ballet. Nobody is a drunkard or a drug user or a miser. I admit it might not be for those who expect realism in fiction but I like it.
The setting is usual for this writer too: a small town on a shore of some body of water in the Pacific Northwest.
One of the best features of this book is its dialog. It’s quick and sharp and drives the plot forward. Actually, most of the text of this novel, probably about 60% if not more, consists of dialog. It’s as terse as the rest of the narrative. Krentz doesn’t waste her page space on verbal frivolities or flowery explanations. Her every word is designed to up the tension and deepen the conflict, until the resolution explodes in the last chapter.
A comfort read of the best kind, this novel had a bit of everything: romance, sex, mystery, suspense, charming protagonists, and great writing. Overall, delightful.
Some reviewers accuse all her books of being written on the same formula. I agree, but that’s what I like about her writing: I always know what to expect. It’s like traveling with a guidebook. You know you’re going to visit a castle with a moat and a drawbridge and a tower, but you only see the particulars when you arrive on site, and every castle is different. The same with Krentz’s novels. I know the basic outline, but the details are veiled until I open the first page.
Speaking of the first page, Krentz’s beginnings are fantastic, maybe the best I ever read. This one starts with the heroine, Grace, discovering her boss dead in silk pajamas. From that point on, the story gallops. The action is so fast it doesn’t allow the reader or the characters many breaks. A few breaks that do occur are filled with the gradually building romance and an occasional sex interlude.
While the villains are on the prowl, striking again and again, the protagonists Grace and Julius explore their mutual feelings, simultaneously trying to solve the sinister mystery.
The hero and heroine are both staples of this writer, nothing unique (for her). She is spunky but compassionate, a firm believer in the power of good, if a bit naive. He is an alpha male, ruthless, rich, and athletic, but her goodness gradually softens his attitude. I enjoy reading about them (under different names) in every Krentz’s book, even though neither of them is real. They are both the ideal gender models, as beautiful inside and out as stars in a classical ballet. Nobody is a drunkard or a drug user or a miser. I admit it might not be for those who expect realism in fiction but I like it.
The setting is usual for this writer too: a small town on a shore of some body of water in the Pacific Northwest.
One of the best features of this book is its dialog. It’s quick and sharp and drives the plot forward. Actually, most of the text of this novel, probably about 60% if not more, consists of dialog. It’s as terse as the rest of the narrative. Krentz doesn’t waste her page space on verbal frivolities or flowery explanations. Her every word is designed to up the tension and deepen the conflict, until the resolution explodes in the last chapter.
A comfort read of the best kind, this novel had a bit of everything: romance, sex, mystery, suspense, charming protagonists, and great writing. Overall, delightful.
June 12, 2016
Trust No One
3.5 Stars
Returning to her hometown after discovering the lifeless body of her boss, Grace Elland only wants to move on with her life. With that in mind, she agrees to a blind date with venture capitalist, Julian Arkwright, only to realize that they have absolutely nothing in common … that is until Grace becomes the target of a stalker and Julian’s skills as a former marine are put to good use.
One can always rely on JAK for a fast and fun read even if the characters are standard, the story formulaic and the ending predictable.
Grace and Julius are likable as individuals, but have no emotional attachment or physical chemistry. Although Grace is quirky and flighty, her idiosyncrasies are not as “in your face” as some of JAK’s more ‘artistic’ heroines. Julius starts out as a typical alpha jerk who is completely clueless about women. That said, he is open and honest about his intentions and feelings, which means that most of the angst is external to their relationship and reserved for the suspense plot.
The mystery is better than the romance with one or two solid twists related to a traumatic experience from Grace’s past. Nevertheless, the ultimate revelation of the villain and the motive are unsurprising.
The true highlight of the book is the secondary cast. From Agnes, Grace’s busy-body neighbor to Harley, Julius’s no nonsense mentor, to Irene and Devlin Nakamura, the matchmaking duo for hell, all are charming, witty and amusing.
All in all, this book is for those who have read and loved JAK’s writing, but not recommended for first time readers of her work.
3.5 Stars
Returning to her hometown after discovering the lifeless body of her boss, Grace Elland only wants to move on with her life. With that in mind, she agrees to a blind date with venture capitalist, Julian Arkwright, only to realize that they have absolutely nothing in common … that is until Grace becomes the target of a stalker and Julian’s skills as a former marine are put to good use.
One can always rely on JAK for a fast and fun read even if the characters are standard, the story formulaic and the ending predictable.
Grace and Julius are likable as individuals, but have no emotional attachment or physical chemistry. Although Grace is quirky and flighty, her idiosyncrasies are not as “in your face” as some of JAK’s more ‘artistic’ heroines. Julius starts out as a typical alpha jerk who is completely clueless about women. That said, he is open and honest about his intentions and feelings, which means that most of the angst is external to their relationship and reserved for the suspense plot.
The mystery is better than the romance with one or two solid twists related to a traumatic experience from Grace’s past. Nevertheless, the ultimate revelation of the villain and the motive are unsurprising.
The true highlight of the book is the secondary cast. From Agnes, Grace’s busy-body neighbor to Harley, Julius’s no nonsense mentor, to Irene and Devlin Nakamura, the matchmaking duo for hell, all are charming, witty and amusing.
All in all, this book is for those who have read and loved JAK’s writing, but not recommended for first time readers of her work.
January 31, 2015
I liked this for the mystery more than the romance, although I did like both Grace and Julius. I just think the romance was sort of an afterthought. It's worth a read though.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
October 14, 2019
As a first book read by this author, I can easily say that I was entertained enough to pursue more titles written by her. It was something new, as I never was too interested in the suspense romance, but I believe it was a great introduction. I want more. More excitement, more intrigue, more heroines like Grace and sexy heroes like Julius.
Now you could ask why only 4 stars so? This simply is just my personal taste if it comes to the romance part. It lacked the hotness that I find in contemporary, but it would not be an issue if someone hasn't told me that this author could also write something that would steam my blood. I thought I'd find it in this book, but I have to look further.
To be honest, I didn't check Goodreads before picking up Grace's story, and I am thankful for that, as I am not sure I would end up reading this book after checking up on some of the reviews. It seems that this book is one of the less liked ones by this author, which is why I am only interested in what else can I find in Jayne Ann Krentz's list of bestsellers.
Now you could ask why only 4 stars so? This simply is just my personal taste if it comes to the romance part. It lacked the hotness that I find in contemporary, but it would not be an issue if someone hasn't told me that this author could also write something that would steam my blood. I thought I'd find it in this book, but I have to look further.
To be honest, I didn't check Goodreads before picking up Grace's story, and I am thankful for that, as I am not sure I would end up reading this book after checking up on some of the reviews. It seems that this book is one of the less liked ones by this author, which is why I am only interested in what else can I find in Jayne Ann Krentz's list of bestsellers.
April 8, 2022
3,5/5*
Contemporary romantic suspense
Contemporary romantic suspense
January 7, 2015
The story begins with Grace Elland discovering the body of her employer. He was murdered and a bottle of vodka was left at his side. The vodka triggers memories of when Grace was sixteen and she killed a man who had murdered his wife and was about to murder a young boy and her. Grace still suffers from nightmares. After losing her job, she moves to her old family home in Cloud Lake. She meets Julius Arkwright when her best friend and her husband set them up on a blind date. Julius is a very successful venture capitalist.
Julius and Grace become close when they begin to investigate the stalker that Grace has attracted. I loved the Grace was a positive thinking sort of person. I also loved that she was a master marketer who was largely responsible for her boss's success as a motivational speaker. Julius is a much more cynical person. While Grace is constantly coming up with motivational slogans, Julius has only two rules: Trust No One and Everyone has a Hidden Agenda.
This story was filled with romance and danger. I enjoyed both the suspense and the growing relationship between Julius and Grace.
Julius and Grace become close when they begin to investigate the stalker that Grace has attracted. I loved the Grace was a positive thinking sort of person. I also loved that she was a master marketer who was largely responsible for her boss's success as a motivational speaker. Julius is a much more cynical person. While Grace is constantly coming up with motivational slogans, Julius has only two rules: Trust No One and Everyone has a Hidden Agenda.
This story was filled with romance and danger. I enjoyed both the suspense and the growing relationship between Julius and Grace.
March 3, 2015
When she was sixteen Grace saved a little boy (and herself) by killing a murdered with a broken bottle of vodka. Now, a bottle of vodka of the same brand is found near the body of her boss that she oh-so-conveniently found dead in his bed...When the vodka makes its entrance again, it's obvious someone is stalking her, trying to make her look like a suspect. Only she suspects the stalking has less to do with her dead boss and his missing money than with what happened in the past.
Though maybe not as gripping, intense, and page-turning as River Road this book still packed quite a punch. And the sometimes almost-eery atmosphere of the little town around the lake helped with the punch-packing.
Unfortunately, it was a tad predictable, I couldn't help but anticipate the involvement of the two friends in the larger scheme of things, but other than that it was a solid, well-written and well-plotted suspense novel with a wonderful cast of characters. When you pick up a book by Ms. Krentz (in any of her "forms"), you know you won't end up being disappointed.
Although it would've made a nice little twist in the end if the hero ended up being the bad guy. It would've hammered the trust no one rule solidly home.
Though maybe not as gripping, intense, and page-turning as River Road this book still packed quite a punch. And the sometimes almost-eery atmosphere of the little town around the lake helped with the punch-packing.
Unfortunately, it was a tad predictable, I couldn't help but anticipate the involvement of the two friends in the larger scheme of things, but other than that it was a solid, well-written and well-plotted suspense novel with a wonderful cast of characters. When you pick up a book by Ms. Krentz (in any of her "forms"), you know you won't end up being disappointed.
Although it would've made a nice little twist in the end if the hero ended up being the bad guy. It would've hammered the trust no one rule solidly home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
3.5 stars
Started out fun, but the heroine is a little dippy (her affirmational lifestyle is a little too close to prosperity preaching for me) and I was totally taken aback at the "I love you" -- would have been ok with a "I think I might love you" or a "I could grow love you" but it just seemed premature. JAK did try to show how they seemed like a longstanding couple even though they'd just met, but it still didn't really work for me here. (Yes, I know that's her thing. Yes, I'm usually on board with it. Not this time.)
The whodunit was a little tricky. I did figure it out well before the big reveal, but was expecting to be proved wrong in my guess.
Started out fun, but the heroine is a little dippy (her affirmational lifestyle is a little too close to prosperity preaching for me) and I was totally taken aback at the "I love you" -- would have been ok with a "I think I might love you" or a "I could grow love you" but it just seemed premature. JAK did try to show how they seemed like a longstanding couple even though they'd just met, but it still didn't really work for me here. (Yes, I know that's her thing. Yes, I'm usually on board with it. Not this time.)
The whodunit was a little tricky. I did figure it out well before the big reveal, but was expecting to be proved wrong in my guess.
May 5, 2024
2.5★
Слабичко... Но поне не беше мега зле!
Слабичко... Но поне не беше мега зле!
June 3, 2015
When I picked up this book from the library, I'll admit, my expectations were not particularly high. JAK's books for the last while have been a little too samey, and while I enjoy her formula, it doesn't exactly rock my world over and over.
This book, though, I have to say (while not hugely departing from the basic stuff you would expect from her books) seemed snappier, almost like she was energized. Some of the dialogue was really funny. There was a touch of an edge. I liked it. For example:
No woo-woo, for those who wonder about those things.
This book, though, I have to say (while not hugely departing from the basic stuff you would expect from her books) seemed snappier, almost like she was energized. Some of the dialogue was really funny. There was a touch of an edge. I liked it. For example:
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said softly.
She was focused on the stage. Her calm, serene expression made him suspicious.
"You're doing some kind of breathing thing, aren't you?" he said.
"I'm using one of the Witherspoon affirmations as a mantra, if that's what you mean, yes?"
"Which affirmation?"
"Let's just say that I am in my peaceful place where negative energy cannot touch me."
"How is that working for you?"
"Shut up and get ready to bid."
No woo-woo, for those who wonder about those things.
February 12, 2015
An interesting romantic, suspense story filled with intrigue, suspense, fear, desire, betrayal and love. Grace has witnessed two murders in her life. The most recent one was her boss. This new event has brought back shocking images from her past that she wishes she could forget. Grace returns back to her mothers home to reassess her life and to try and ascertain who the murderer was. A new friendship with a successful businessman provides Grace with much needed support at a worrying and terrifying time for her.
I enjoyed this book, to me it had it all and the author kept you intrigued and filled you with anticipation as to what will happen next. A great 4/5* read.
I enjoyed this book, to me it had it all and the author kept you intrigued and filled you with anticipation as to what will happen next. A great 4/5* read.
February 14, 2016
This is my first time to read Jayne Ann Krentz. I enjoyed Trust No One and I'm going to seek out more of her books. One thing that cracked me up was a lot of the characters names. In this novel she had Sprague, Nyla, Larson and Burke among many others.Sprague? Nyla? Well anyway...
I really enjoyed the banter between Julius and Grace and the way their relationship developed. Alison was a character who was just barely there but I liked her inclusion in the story. Trust No One is the first book I've ever read where people "sparkle".
If you enjoy romantic suspense I definitely recommend this novel.
I really enjoyed the banter between Julius and Grace and the way their relationship developed. Alison was a character who was just barely there but I liked her inclusion in the story. Trust No One is the first book I've ever read where people "sparkle".
If you enjoy romantic suspense I definitely recommend this novel.
August 30, 2015
Grace´s life takes a turn for worse when her boss is found murdered, not only does she need a new job, but somehow she´s in the middle of the murder mystery, not knowing why.
When a new acquaintance turns out to have great connections and a desire to protect Grace, she accepts. Julius can´t help but want to help Grace when trouble comes knocking, and soon he has to take an even closer approach to keep the threat away.
Contemporary romance, suspense, action and smutty fluff in a great combo.
Listened to the audioversion and the narrator was great as well.
When a new acquaintance turns out to have great connections and a desire to protect Grace, she accepts. Julius can´t help but want to help Grace when trouble comes knocking, and soon he has to take an even closer approach to keep the threat away.
Contemporary romance, suspense, action and smutty fluff in a great combo.
Listened to the audioversion and the narrator was great as well.
February 8, 2015
My star rating:
Plot: 3.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
World: N/A
Romance: 4/5
Enjoyment level: 4/5 stars
This was an enjoyable read. A typical JAK read - which is mostly a good thing. I do wish that her female characters were changed up a bit though. They are almost interchangeable in all her books. Her books are almost always a guaranteed enjoyable 4 stars for me though.
Plot: 3.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
World: N/A
Romance: 4/5
Enjoyment level: 4/5 stars
This was an enjoyable read. A typical JAK read - which is mostly a good thing. I do wish that her female characters were changed up a bit though. They are almost interchangeable in all her books. Her books are almost always a guaranteed enjoyable 4 stars for me though.
January 19, 2015
A very good, stand alone romantic mystery, not part of any series. A handsome hero and an intelligent and spunky heroine, mixed with enough mystery, intrigue and romance to capture my attention and keep me riveted. A few twists I did not see coming but they felt organic, not contrived. A very good read I would recommend to anyone.
April 3, 2015
Such a great comfort read. JAK writes a certain story that really works for me and I thought she really hit that story well here. Like cozying up with a cup of hot chocolate--just an utterly comforting read.
June 2, 2019
Trust No One is about revenge and jealousy — Grace Elland through that her life was finally going the right direction. However, Grace was mistaken. One morning Grace found her boss dead, and she became a suspect into his death and on top of that she losses the job that she loved. Grace decided to go back home until she finds a new job. The readers of Trust No One will continue to follow Grace to find out was she charged with murder.
Trust No One is the first book I read of Jayne Ann Krentz, and I love it. The way Jayne Ann Krentz incorporated the twists and the turns ensured that I would not be unable to put the book down. I like Jayne Ann Krentz portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout the book. Trust No One was well written and researched by Jayne Ann Krentz. The ending of Trust No One was lovely done by Jayne Ann Krentz.
The readers of Trust No One will understand that problems for people who suffer a childhood trauma. Also, the readers of Trust No One will learn about living in a small rural community near Seattle.
I recommend this book.
Trust No One is the first book I read of Jayne Ann Krentz, and I love it. The way Jayne Ann Krentz incorporated the twists and the turns ensured that I would not be unable to put the book down. I like Jayne Ann Krentz portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout the book. Trust No One was well written and researched by Jayne Ann Krentz. The ending of Trust No One was lovely done by Jayne Ann Krentz.
The readers of Trust No One will understand that problems for people who suffer a childhood trauma. Also, the readers of Trust No One will learn about living in a small rural community near Seattle.
I recommend this book.
March 13, 2015
I have to say first off that Romantic Suspense is not my thing. My sister loves it, though and raves about Jayne Ann Krentz. How could I not read this?
A short synopsis: Grace Elland finds her boss dead at his home one morning, and the scene takes her back to a horrific event when she was 16 years old. In fact, she still suffers from nightmares, mild claustrophobia, and panic attacks. Classic PTSD.
Also classic is the plot line. It's a tried and true formula, and works well in this genre. Wounded girl is rescued by the strong man, but in this tale he is also wounded and only she can heal him. What's not to like?
The story moved along at a nice pace, and the dialogue flowed well. I thought I had solved the mystery about 1/3 in, but oh was I wrong. There are enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, but it's not implausible. (Maybe real life implausible, but I'm judging this novel on the Romantic Suspense Plausibility Scale).
I was surprised to find only two very short sex scenes. I thought Romantic Suspense was heavier on the sex than this. I've seen more sex in Historical Fiction. It was a nice surprise.
While reading reviews of this book, I saw some complaints that Krentz writes so many books that they're becoming formulaic and repetitive. To be honest, I can't imagine any other plot fitting the Romantic Suspense genre. It's all about damsel in distress saved by knight in shining armor and happily ever after. If this has become boring, it's time for a genre change.
When I rated this book, I tried to imagine how my sister would feel about it, and I also considered the quality of the writing. My 4 star rating reflects that. I don't feel the book should be penalized because I was curious and read outside my comfort zone.
A short synopsis: Grace Elland finds her boss dead at his home one morning, and the scene takes her back to a horrific event when she was 16 years old. In fact, she still suffers from nightmares, mild claustrophobia, and panic attacks. Classic PTSD.
Also classic is the plot line. It's a tried and true formula, and works well in this genre. Wounded girl is rescued by the strong man, but in this tale he is also wounded and only she can heal him. What's not to like?
The story moved along at a nice pace, and the dialogue flowed well. I thought I had solved the mystery about 1/3 in, but oh was I wrong. There are enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, but it's not implausible. (Maybe real life implausible, but I'm judging this novel on the Romantic Suspense Plausibility Scale).
I was surprised to find only two very short sex scenes. I thought Romantic Suspense was heavier on the sex than this. I've seen more sex in Historical Fiction. It was a nice surprise.
While reading reviews of this book, I saw some complaints that Krentz writes so many books that they're becoming formulaic and repetitive. To be honest, I can't imagine any other plot fitting the Romantic Suspense genre. It's all about damsel in distress saved by knight in shining armor and happily ever after. If this has become boring, it's time for a genre change.
When I rated this book, I tried to imagine how my sister would feel about it, and I also considered the quality of the writing. My 4 star rating reflects that. I don't feel the book should be penalized because I was curious and read outside my comfort zone.
January 4, 2015
A great read by Ms. Krentz. The heroine, Grace, finds the dead body of her boss in his house and a bottle of vodka next to the bed. The bottle of vodka brings back memories of her at 16 when she helped a child escape from a murderer. After Grace gets back to her life, looking for a new job, etc, she starts getting messages from someone who seems to be threatening her.
While all of this is happening, her friend Irene sets her up on a blind date with Julius Arkwright, a hard nosed venture capitalist. Julius is initially a bit of a prick but he turns into a good sounding board for Grace and she for him. Together they work on the mystery of her boss's death and whether Grace herself is being stalked.
I loved the way that Grace and Julius gradually move into a relationship. Both distrustful of each other and with totally different outlooks on life, they fill an unknown need in each other.The chemistry is sparkling even when they are insulting each other. Bits of snark interspersed with sappy affirmations add comic relief to a very good suspense novel. There are some excellent twists at the end of the book that surprised me.
While all of this is happening, her friend Irene sets her up on a blind date with Julius Arkwright, a hard nosed venture capitalist. Julius is initially a bit of a prick but he turns into a good sounding board for Grace and she for him. Together they work on the mystery of her boss's death and whether Grace herself is being stalked.
I loved the way that Grace and Julius gradually move into a relationship. Both distrustful of each other and with totally different outlooks on life, they fill an unknown need in each other.The chemistry is sparkling even when they are insulting each other. Bits of snark interspersed with sappy affirmations add comic relief to a very good suspense novel. There are some excellent twists at the end of the book that surprised me.
January 12, 2015
Grace Elland has finally found a fulfilling career working for motivational speaker Sprague Witherspoon. That is until she finds him dead in his home. The vodka bottle left in the room brings back memories of a tragic past. To add to the horror, that night she starts receiving emails from her dead boss.
Now out of a job, she returns to her childhood home. She is not back long before her best friend sets her up on a disastrous blind date with Julius Arkwright. Julius is a former marine turned adventure capitalist with a cynical outlook. His number one rule is to trust no one, yet he finds himself trusting Grace. He understands her like few can. Grace tries to look toward her future, but the past won’t let her go. Julius may be the one person who can free her.
Krentz has created another successful romantic thriller. I had difficulty putting the book down, and I read it in one night at the cost of some sleep. It is a compelling storyline with its mixture of intrigue, mystery, romance, and self-discovery. The story had some surprising twist that kept me guessing until the end.
Now out of a job, she returns to her childhood home. She is not back long before her best friend sets her up on a disastrous blind date with Julius Arkwright. Julius is a former marine turned adventure capitalist with a cynical outlook. His number one rule is to trust no one, yet he finds himself trusting Grace. He understands her like few can. Grace tries to look toward her future, but the past won’t let her go. Julius may be the one person who can free her.
Krentz has created another successful romantic thriller. I had difficulty putting the book down, and I read it in one night at the cost of some sleep. It is a compelling storyline with its mixture of intrigue, mystery, romance, and self-discovery. The story had some surprising twist that kept me guessing until the end.
January 14, 2015
This was a very nice story from JAK. It's a stand alone romantic suspense with no paranormal elements. The relationship between the hero and heroine seemed realistic and charming although the hero's "boringness" could have been played up a bit more. As it was his reputation as a such a mover and shaker seemed as odds with his apparent poor women skills. I'm not saying he couldn't be both just that it wasn'd developed enough. That was pretty minor though. The thing that really kept it back from another star though is that the bad guy's motive seemed a bit of a stretch. On the whole though a nice comfortable well written read which is what I have come to expect from JAK. I will say though that I am glad that she has left the paranormal stuff behind for now as I was getting kind of tired of it.
August 12, 2015
This was a very good romantic suspense book. There was just the perfect touch of romance mixed with just the perfect touch of mystery and suspense. Grace and Julius, were both very likable characters and you could really see the chemistry between them. The Mistry had enough twists and turns, that it kept you interested and guessing until the very end. The setting was also very appealing, definitely made me want to go visit Cloud Lake.
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