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No Ordinary Love
Alex Thompson believes that she has finally found the peace she’s been searching for. Having left the US Special Forces and settled in San Francisco, she has a job she teaching. Surrounded by children, she planned to start anew. However, when she meets Chinese businessman Xian Liu, she quickly finds herself drawn into a web of murder and industrial espionage that threatens to destroy her fragile new life before it’s even begun.
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 19, 2007
Definitely, No Ordinary Love
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I thought the suspense and romance blended quite nicely. Alex was an amazing woman and incredibly strong both physically and mentally. I loved the fact that she could take care of herself. I also thought the author really captured the human side of her by making her vulnerable to emotion this kept her from being Superwoman. Xian seemed to be such a powerful, yet sensitive person. Xian has a calm and patient role in this story. His growing fondness for Alex pulls him toward her. He wants to be the one to calm her and reassure her that it's okay to let him in. I was pleasantly surprised to find an interracial romance that was just a bit different from the usual. I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us in the future. An Excellent Read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I thought the suspense and romance blended quite nicely. Alex was an amazing woman and incredibly strong both physically and mentally. I loved the fact that she could take care of herself. I also thought the author really captured the human side of her by making her vulnerable to emotion this kept her from being Superwoman. Xian seemed to be such a powerful, yet sensitive person. Xian has a calm and patient role in this story. His growing fondness for Alex pulls him toward her. He wants to be the one to calm her and reassure her that it's okay to let him in. I was pleasantly surprised to find an interracial romance that was just a bit different from the usual. I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us in the future. An Excellent Read!
January 23, 2009
GOOD BOOK :)
January 11, 2011
ETA:
Okay, couldn't stand losing any more braincells. The romance is more of the chemistry-less insta-lust that romance characters indulge in, and it is cringe-worthy. Characters are sort of thrown in one after another with little development, so I while I might know their role, they are throw-away characters not worth remembering. The writing style of the author is fluffy romance, which doesn't at all convince me when she writes her heroine getting angsty about her harsh, tough, covert-ops, death-dealing past that couldn't possibly happen because, ahem, NO WOMEN in Special Forces. The writing wasn't good enough to get me to suspend my disbelief of that fact. And did I mention the cringe-worthy romance? Yeah. Crying shame, since there are next to no BWAM romances that aren't XXX.
Will not finish.
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What I previously wrote:
--------------------
Blasian romance!
So far the writing holds up okay. But there is one initial issue that stretches my incredulity. The heroine is touted as retired from Special Forces, having participated in many covert operations and being friends with all sorts of morally ambiguous military folks who don't mind resorting to murder to solve problems, even when it's stateside.
However, I'm pretty sure women aren't allowed in combat roles in Special Forces. If women were in Special Forces, it'd be in rear-support, far far away from any sort of violent, dangerous, covert mission that the author purports her heroine to have experienced. So strike one for the lean, mean killing machine heroine who teaches elementary school.
Second quibble-- The author does a pretty good job introducing the Chinese businessman to the heroine. However, when the author switches point of view to the Chinese business man when he's with his son, she makes him awfully mooshy. He hugs the kid, gathers him in his arms and strokes his hair, saying sappy nice things such as
"Your mother's life was short but she gave me a gift so that no matter what happens I'll never be without her. That gift is you. I love you more than my own life and your mother loved you even more..."
MUSHY. And you know what? Chinese people don't say 'love'. They also don't hug, or show overt physical signs of affection, unless they've been acclimated out of it by an excess of huggy, American friends, or are young, trendy, and westernized.
Third (minor) quibble: The heroine gets turned on by his faint "sandalwood" scent. That made me laugh, because if I smelled that, I think GRANDMA, not animal attractions. Oh well, the author is trying...
Will update as I read further...
Okay, couldn't stand losing any more braincells. The romance is more of the chemistry-less insta-lust that romance characters indulge in, and it is cringe-worthy. Characters are sort of thrown in one after another with little development, so I while I might know their role, they are throw-away characters not worth remembering. The writing style of the author is fluffy romance, which doesn't at all convince me when she writes her heroine getting angsty about her harsh, tough, covert-ops, death-dealing past that couldn't possibly happen because, ahem, NO WOMEN in Special Forces. The writing wasn't good enough to get me to suspend my disbelief of that fact. And did I mention the cringe-worthy romance? Yeah. Crying shame, since there are next to no BWAM romances that aren't XXX.
Will not finish.
--------------------
What I previously wrote:
--------------------
Blasian romance!
So far the writing holds up okay. But there is one initial issue that stretches my incredulity. The heroine is touted as retired from Special Forces, having participated in many covert operations and being friends with all sorts of morally ambiguous military folks who don't mind resorting to murder to solve problems, even when it's stateside.
However, I'm pretty sure women aren't allowed in combat roles in Special Forces. If women were in Special Forces, it'd be in rear-support, far far away from any sort of violent, dangerous, covert mission that the author purports her heroine to have experienced. So strike one for the lean, mean killing machine heroine who teaches elementary school.
Second quibble-- The author does a pretty good job introducing the Chinese businessman to the heroine. However, when the author switches point of view to the Chinese business man when he's with his son, she makes him awfully mooshy. He hugs the kid, gathers him in his arms and strokes his hair, saying sappy nice things such as
"Your mother's life was short but she gave me a gift so that no matter what happens I'll never be without her. That gift is you. I love you more than my own life and your mother loved you even more..."
MUSHY. And you know what? Chinese people don't say 'love'. They also don't hug, or show overt physical signs of affection, unless they've been acclimated out of it by an excess of huggy, American friends, or are young, trendy, and westernized.
Third (minor) quibble: The heroine gets turned on by his faint "sandalwood" scent. That made me laugh, because if I smelled that, I think GRANDMA, not animal attractions. Oh well, the author is trying...
Will update as I read further...
January 21, 2011
Book Description:
Alex Thompson believes that she has finally found the peace she’s been searching for. Having left the US Special Forces and settled in San Francisco, she has a job she loves: teaching. Surrounded by children, she planned to start anew. However, when she meets Chinese businessman Xian Liu, she quickly finds herself drawn into a web of murder and industrial espionage that threatens to destroy her fragile new life before it’s even begun.
This was the first book I read were the main characters were a BW/AM. Based on the back cover I was expecting Alex to be caught up in some dangerous situations because of her getting involved with Xian Liu, when in actuality it was the other way around. But that difference didn’t change my opinion of the story.
I enjoyed reading No Ordinary Love because it was different. I had never read a story where the main female character was involved in the Army Special Forces. That alone was intriguing to me. I don’t know what is involved in that area of the Army, but based on the authors description, I was able to visualize some of the aspects of the job of Special Forces. Ms, Weaver, gave enough of a description for it to be believable, and exciting without going overboard. In other words, it had just the right amount of action.
I also liked the fact that both main characters were strong minded, but had some areas of vulnerability. Alex’s came from what she experienced in her job as well as having people she love die. Xian’s vulnerability came from having his wife die and having to raise his son on his own.
I would have loved for the ending to include a little bit more information on what happened next with the main characters relationship. I enjoyed the secondary characters; they helped to make the action believable and exciting.
In the end of the story Alex finds out that her roommate Karen and Rafe (her “godfather) are engaged. I wish that Ms. Weaver would develop a story around these two. The relationship came as a surprise to Alex and to the reader and I would like to see how the relationship started.
In my opinion this book is a keeper.
Alex Thompson believes that she has finally found the peace she’s been searching for. Having left the US Special Forces and settled in San Francisco, she has a job she loves: teaching. Surrounded by children, she planned to start anew. However, when she meets Chinese businessman Xian Liu, she quickly finds herself drawn into a web of murder and industrial espionage that threatens to destroy her fragile new life before it’s even begun.
This was the first book I read were the main characters were a BW/AM. Based on the back cover I was expecting Alex to be caught up in some dangerous situations because of her getting involved with Xian Liu, when in actuality it was the other way around. But that difference didn’t change my opinion of the story.
I enjoyed reading No Ordinary Love because it was different. I had never read a story where the main female character was involved in the Army Special Forces. That alone was intriguing to me. I don’t know what is involved in that area of the Army, but based on the authors description, I was able to visualize some of the aspects of the job of Special Forces. Ms, Weaver, gave enough of a description for it to be believable, and exciting without going overboard. In other words, it had just the right amount of action.
I also liked the fact that both main characters were strong minded, but had some areas of vulnerability. Alex’s came from what she experienced in her job as well as having people she love die. Xian’s vulnerability came from having his wife die and having to raise his son on his own.
I would have loved for the ending to include a little bit more information on what happened next with the main characters relationship. I enjoyed the secondary characters; they helped to make the action believable and exciting.
In the end of the story Alex finds out that her roommate Karen and Rafe (her “godfather) are engaged. I wish that Ms. Weaver would develop a story around these two. The relationship came as a surprise to Alex and to the reader and I would like to see how the relationship started.
In my opinion this book is a keeper.
January 4, 2010
Many of my Gfriends advised me that I would prefer this novel over another of the author's novels, "Frost on my Window." While I like the that Ms. Weaver melded a love story with action/adventure in "No Ordinary Love," I feel the writing in this book is "choppy" in the way scenes do not seem to connect and the way the characters relate to one another. The story does not unfold in a way that makes me feel for the characters or understand them particularly. They all just seem to be "there" popping in and out of the story as is convenient.
While "Frost" is not a perfect novel, the story was told so that I understood why the characters were emotionally tied to one another, what each saw that attracted them to the other and I actually felt close to Leah, Sean and Rena.
Not so for the hero and heroine of this novel. Alex and Xian are inexpicably attracted to one another. And she fights the attraction to him for the lamest of reasons: "everyone whom I love dies...," or some such nonsense. Her former partner, Khan, is not described beyond this single name and the revelation of his feelings for her just tumble out of nowhere. It's intimated that Xian and Khan come to blows over Alex and it might have developed the novel's emotional bank account if that scene had been included in the book. All of the characters are supposed to keep a tight control on their feelings...not the type of people that work well in a novel. Afterall, I read fiction to experience emotion and reading line after line about how the characters school their faces against the emotions warring within is not at all interesting.
I dunno, I think "Frost on My Window" is a better love story and a better novel than "No Ordinary Love."
While "Frost" is not a perfect novel, the story was told so that I understood why the characters were emotionally tied to one another, what each saw that attracted them to the other and I actually felt close to Leah, Sean and Rena.
Not so for the hero and heroine of this novel. Alex and Xian are inexpicably attracted to one another. And she fights the attraction to him for the lamest of reasons: "everyone whom I love dies...," or some such nonsense. Her former partner, Khan, is not described beyond this single name and the revelation of his feelings for her just tumble out of nowhere. It's intimated that Xian and Khan come to blows over Alex and it might have developed the novel's emotional bank account if that scene had been included in the book. All of the characters are supposed to keep a tight control on their feelings...not the type of people that work well in a novel. Afterall, I read fiction to experience emotion and reading line after line about how the characters school their faces against the emotions warring within is not at all interesting.
I dunno, I think "Frost on My Window" is a better love story and a better novel than "No Ordinary Love."
Read
August 30, 2012This is an exciting and fast-paced book that combines romance and suspense fairly harmoniously. However, as a BW/AM book I'm afraid it's not nearly as good as my favorite, Gold Mountain. There's just too much stuff that beggars belief. Alex's past in the Special Forces is just so over the top that I kept rolling my eyes. The part that had me almost throwing my Kobo was that she takes down a drug dealing opium growing warlord in Columbia. Yes, Columbia with a U. Most of the Chinese people in this book had extremely dodgy names, too. A kid named Chou? A wife named Shay-Lin? Alex is just too unbelievable a character—she's like a cross between Sergeant Slaughter and Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. If this book had paranormal elements and was MORE over the top I'd probably like it better.
Bad stuff out of the way, once I worked (hard) to suspend my disbelief, the story was fun, snappy, and the dynamic between the lead characters was interesting. And aside from the mistakes I mentioned, the text was pretty clean. Cautiously recommended.
Bad stuff out of the way, once I worked (hard) to suspend my disbelief, the story was fun, snappy, and the dynamic between the lead characters was interesting. And aside from the mistakes I mentioned, the text was pretty clean. Cautiously recommended.
November 7, 2012
I loved the suspense of the story. I also enjoyed the relationship between the heroine, hero and child.
April 19, 2020
One of my favourite books that doesn't directly state it's AMBW. I love the description and progress of the book. Love the author's writing!
May 3, 2016
I liked Alex, the heroine, as a character. She is a fantastic concept. An ex-Special forces soldier who has all sorts of awesome Military training, has done ops and wet work. She has a lot of bad-ass male friends from her days in Black Ops. So she is a total bad ass.
But she has retired to be an elementary school teacher. She has taken special interest in a young Asian student, Chou, who seems to be a little shy and a little bit of an outsider. She also has taken an interest in his handsome widower father, Xian. There is mutual attraction between the two. But Xian is a rather reserved person and Alex is his son's teacher.
Somehow they all become entangled in a rather violent plot involving Alex's ex-fiance, a high tech computer security systems heft, mobsters and the FBI.
Although I read the story and was somewhat entertained, I can't say I wholly enjoyed it.
For one thing I wasn't sure what the story wanted to be? It starts out as a rather nice contemporary romance and then becomes this rather chaotic action thriller. Now, there is nothing that says these two things can't co-exist in one book, but they aren't well integrated into one rom-suspense. It feels like two stories are trying to co-exist on separate planes.
The romance doesn't 100% work because I don't necessarily feel a great connection between Alex and Xian. But their romance proceeds almost like a generic Harlequin romance.
The thriller plot is way more interesting and I loved all the tough shady characters Alex calls family. The problem with this element is that it suffers from an almost expedited introduction of everyone and kinda feels tacked on. Honestly I wouldn't have minded if the whole book was the computer theft plot. It was more exciting.
So thumbs up on the action/thriller story kinda meh on the romance.
But she has retired to be an elementary school teacher. She has taken special interest in a young Asian student, Chou, who seems to be a little shy and a little bit of an outsider. She also has taken an interest in his handsome widower father, Xian. There is mutual attraction between the two. But Xian is a rather reserved person and Alex is his son's teacher.
Somehow they all become entangled in a rather violent plot involving Alex's ex-fiance, a high tech computer security systems heft, mobsters and the FBI.
Although I read the story and was somewhat entertained, I can't say I wholly enjoyed it.
For one thing I wasn't sure what the story wanted to be? It starts out as a rather nice contemporary romance and then becomes this rather chaotic action thriller. Now, there is nothing that says these two things can't co-exist in one book, but they aren't well integrated into one rom-suspense. It feels like two stories are trying to co-exist on separate planes.
The romance doesn't 100% work because I don't necessarily feel a great connection between Alex and Xian. But their romance proceeds almost like a generic Harlequin romance.
The thriller plot is way more interesting and I loved all the tough shady characters Alex calls family. The problem with this element is that it suffers from an almost expedited introduction of everyone and kinda feels tacked on. Honestly I wouldn't have minded if the whole book was the computer theft plot. It was more exciting.
So thumbs up on the action/thriller story kinda meh on the romance.
October 8, 2011
I am going to start this book in a little while. I am going to keep an open mind because I have gotten good and bad reviews of this book. I am not sure how I feel about some of the bad reviews from some of my associates though. They're a little too...stereotypical (is that a word? it is today lol). So I'm not sure how if I can really take their reviews into account. BUT like I said I will keep an open mind about the book. :)
*********************
So I read this in a day or so. Not long after I finished the book I let my associates know that "despised" the book that we must have read different books. I'm not sure why they had certain hang ups. One of my associates said that "the Asian guy" was "too romantic". Seriously? Out of all the complaints in the world that is what's pulled out of thin air? Comparing this book with other romance novels it has the same amount of 'i will win your heart no matter what'. SOOO I am pretty sure that their dislike of the book had nothing to do with the content they're just narrow minded. SO...what did I think of the book?
To put it simply, I enjoyed it. It had a little action. Made me laugh when she kept putting the guy on the ground in the dojo. I liked her little makeshift family. I thought it was great that Xian realized just how much his son needed him. But this is my opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own :)
*********************
So I read this in a day or so. Not long after I finished the book I let my associates know that "despised" the book that we must have read different books. I'm not sure why they had certain hang ups. One of my associates said that "the Asian guy" was "too romantic". Seriously? Out of all the complaints in the world that is what's pulled out of thin air? Comparing this book with other romance novels it has the same amount of 'i will win your heart no matter what'. SOOO I am pretty sure that their dislike of the book had nothing to do with the content they're just narrow minded. SO...what did I think of the book?
To put it simply, I enjoyed it. It had a little action. Made me laugh when she kept putting the guy on the ground in the dojo. I liked her little makeshift family. I thought it was great that Xian realized just how much his son needed him. But this is my opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own :)
December 28, 2014
Too many daisy petals plucked.
3.25 stars. Alex, a kindergarden teacher, ex-special ops agent, teaches Chou, the son of Xian, a widower, business executive and reformed gangster. The trio survive a dangerous situation, Alex and Xian fall in love, each knows and acknowledges their feelings to the other; but Instead of the hugs and kisses and the happy ending, we get another chapter of how Alex can not let go of her feelings of guilt regarding her ex and people she could not save- she plucks the daisy, "yes Xian, no Xian", until she runs out of petals and says yes to love with Xian and Chou.
3.25 stars. Alex, a kindergarden teacher, ex-special ops agent, teaches Chou, the son of Xian, a widower, business executive and reformed gangster. The trio survive a dangerous situation, Alex and Xian fall in love, each knows and acknowledges their feelings to the other; but Instead of the hugs and kisses and the happy ending, we get another chapter of how Alex can not let go of her feelings of guilt regarding her ex and people she could not save- she plucks the daisy, "yes Xian, no Xian", until she runs out of petals and says yes to love with Xian and Chou.
September 4, 2015
If cheesy were a book, it would be this one. The characters are one dimensional and predictable. The plot is less than mediocre. A quick read meant to be the glue that helps you hold it together until you can pick up a REAL book. Wouldn't recommend if you're into well written plotlines. I love a good romance like the next woman, but this was less than satisfying. If you can tolerate Lifetime movies, imagine this book as being the inspiration for a future flick for the channel.. only, the plot would be subpar to the storylines the channel already provides.
Not worthy the price on the back cover.
Not worthy the price on the back cover.
June 10, 2010
No Ordinary Love was a good, fast read. Alex's chemistry with Xian was perfect. And I felt that she really cared about his son, Chou. Some of my favorite scenes were those featuring Alex and her students. Despite portions of it being cliche (Xian also knows some karate...), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I hope to see more IR romances featuring BWAM pairings. This is only one of a handful.
December 8, 2011
I wanted to really like this book, it had strong characters. The problem for me was the inconsistency in the storyline and secondly the implausability of some of the plot points. I also got tired of the heroines flip flopping, and how could she up and leave that Chou knowing how fragile he was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2012
Like this one. The action in it was great and I thought of how well the plot and characters work. However I felt like the romance was just not working. There was too much talk about the attraction and no real action to go with it.
May 11, 2010
I did not like the way the players in the story were, it started out like it was going to be a good book but it fell short.
May 1, 2017
Good story. I enjoyed it unfolding right before my eyes.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews