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The MacGregors #1-2
The MacGregors: New Beginnings: Serena & Caine
The MacGregors: New Beginnings
collects the first two novels introducing #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts' beloved MacGregor family in one volume.
Playing the Odds
Serena MacGregor wanted something money couldn't buy, an independent experience she can get only by living it. Working as a blackjack dealer on a cruise ship, she keeps her elite privilege a secret. Then gambler Justin Blade appears and drops big bucks on her table. He's a mystery who keeps his cards close to his chest--but finds himself desiring to prove to Serena that together they've hit the jackpot.
Tempting Fate
Caine MacGregor has never lost a case. His combative persona serves his clients well in the courtroom, and his persuasive arguments have won him many conquests in the bedroom. But in counselor Diana Blade, Caine has met his match. Her legal expertise would make her an excellent partner, and discovering her personal passions would make an enticing challenge. And as Caine deliberates with Diana about business and pleasure interests, he realizes he's truly mediating for a chance at love.
Playing the Odds
Serena MacGregor wanted something money couldn't buy, an independent experience she can get only by living it. Working as a blackjack dealer on a cruise ship, she keeps her elite privilege a secret. Then gambler Justin Blade appears and drops big bucks on her table. He's a mystery who keeps his cards close to his chest--but finds himself desiring to prove to Serena that together they've hit the jackpot.
Tempting Fate
Caine MacGregor has never lost a case. His combative persona serves his clients well in the courtroom, and his persuasive arguments have won him many conquests in the bedroom. But in counselor Diana Blade, Caine has met his match. Her legal expertise would make her an excellent partner, and discovering her personal passions would make an enticing challenge. And as Caine deliberates with Diana about business and pleasure interests, he realizes he's truly mediating for a chance at love.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
69 people are currently reading
4335 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,194 books59.4k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
July 9, 2009
Both of these books start out with the strong-willed heroine being "unwilling" to fall in love with the main dude. The main dude basically stalks the girl- sending her gifts after repeatedly being asked not to, showing up around them, arranging things so that they'll be bound by business, "forcefully kissing" her even after she's said no, and so on- wearing her down until, apparently, sheer animal lust or something takes over, and then she realizes that not only is this dude hot, he's perfect for her. So, basically- the guy acts like a creepy asshole stalker/rapist/circa 1950s male until she realizes that her own dreams and ideas and reasons for not being with him are nothing compared to his ultimate hotness. Normally I think pretty highly of Nora Roberts- one of my faves for the genre- but I can't stand yet another of these "stalker wins" books. MacGregors = fail.
March 23, 2011
Flannery and I were talking about my latest status update and what to do to possibly fix this. Our interchange went as thus:
F: Well, what have you been reading?
A: I dunno, I read halfway through the first MacGregor book but I had to stop because it was so bad.
F: What do you mean? I remember kind of liking it. And plus, Nora Roberts! Can't be that bad, right?
A: It was so bad that I looked up when it was published to see if it was written earlier in her career.
(Some discussion about the formatting of the ebook being the possible culprit, which I'll omit for boringness' sake.)
F: What was so bad about it?
Well, first off, the guy's name is Justin Blade and he's a gambler on a boat. Granted, it's not a steamboat and we're not in the 1800s, but all I could visualize from that point forward was:
Not really that appealing
Secondly, Justin's seduction of Serena went a lot like this:
J: You want me (kisses Serena forcibly).
S: No, I don't! (shoves him away ineffectually)
J: ...or dooo youuuuu??? (kisses Serena forcibly)
S: Nooo. (Leans into him while thinking about how much she wants to do him.)
I have a few problems with this scenario: (1) I read this during the reading and emotional stress of our Rape Cases in Criminal Law. I read multiple cases about women who were afraid to come forward to talk about their experience because they were afraid no one would believe them. I got really mad at Serena because she's a consenting adult and had the capacity to say yes, but kept saying no for what, to prove a point? Say no when you mean no, chica, and stop devaluing the term with your trite protestations. (2) Justin's a jerk. No amount of "But (dramatic pause) I LOVE YOU" that eventually comes later on in the book overrides the fact that he's an overbearing jerk. (3) There's a lot of "Oh you lovable scamp you, Serena" with metaphorical sighs and proud smiles whenever Serena does something annoying. She's not cute, she's annoying. I know you're fictional characters, but that's shoddy parenting skills, MacGregors.
I gave this two stars because I didn't finish the second story in the book. I could eventually finish the book, but not in the near future.
F: Well, what have you been reading?
A: I dunno, I read halfway through the first MacGregor book but I had to stop because it was so bad.
F: What do you mean? I remember kind of liking it. And plus, Nora Roberts! Can't be that bad, right?
A: It was so bad that I looked up when it was published to see if it was written earlier in her career.
(Some discussion about the formatting of the ebook being the possible culprit, which I'll omit for boringness' sake.)
F: What was so bad about it?
Well, first off, the guy's name is Justin Blade and he's a gambler on a boat. Granted, it's not a steamboat and we're not in the 1800s, but all I could visualize from that point forward was:
Not really that appealing
Secondly, Justin's seduction of Serena went a lot like this:
J: You want me (kisses Serena forcibly).
S: No, I don't! (shoves him away ineffectually)
J: ...or dooo youuuuu??? (kisses Serena forcibly)
S: Nooo. (Leans into him while thinking about how much she wants to do him.)
I have a few problems with this scenario: (1) I read this during the reading and emotional stress of our Rape Cases in Criminal Law. I read multiple cases about women who were afraid to come forward to talk about their experience because they were afraid no one would believe them. I got really mad at Serena because she's a consenting adult and had the capacity to say yes, but kept saying no for what, to prove a point? Say no when you mean no, chica, and stop devaluing the term with your trite protestations. (2) Justin's a jerk. No amount of "But (dramatic pause) I LOVE YOU" that eventually comes later on in the book overrides the fact that he's an overbearing jerk. (3) There's a lot of "Oh you lovable scamp you, Serena" with metaphorical sighs and proud smiles whenever Serena does something annoying. She's not cute, she's annoying. I know you're fictional characters, but that's shoddy parenting skills, MacGregors.
I gave this two stars because I didn't finish the second story in the book. I could eventually finish the book, but not in the near future.
June 2, 2016
Caine si Diana m-au emotionat!
February 27, 2020
Playing The Odds (Serena & Justin): 4 STARS!
Tempting Fate (Caine & Diana): 5 STARS!
I enjoyed these two books so much. I became completely immersed in this family. Their bond, their love for one another. It was wonderful and refreshing. My first read by Nora Roberts and it sure won't be my last! I'm ready for Alan's story.
Tempting Fate (Caine & Diana): 5 STARS!
I enjoyed these two books so much. I became completely immersed in this family. Their bond, their love for one another. It was wonderful and refreshing. My first read by Nora Roberts and it sure won't be my last! I'm ready for Alan's story.
May 14, 2021
I rated this a 3 because I love Nora's writing. But I really would have given it a 2 based on my interests. Even though I typically read quickly, and these books certainly are without a doubt quick reads, I'm just not a romance reader.
So nothing against Nora, I should have just returned this to the library rather than offer a negative rating. I'm sure there are those out there who would enjoy it as long as they aren't distracted by the fact that mentions of typewriters and desk phones vs up t date technology.
So nothing against Nora, I should have just returned this to the library rather than offer a negative rating. I'm sure there are those out there who would enjoy it as long as they aren't distracted by the fact that mentions of typewriters and desk phones vs up t date technology.
February 19, 2011
I am not going to review every Nora Roberts book that I have read in the past because she is quite prolific and it would get redundant and I honestly cannot remember all the plots. I think someone finds someone else attractive but at least one cannot admit it so there is sexual tension, then lots of sex, and then they live happily ever after? Sometimes there is some magic , a family legacy, or a mystery. Certainly not great works of literature (however still 100% better than “the grapes of wrath”). I think I have read every one of her books to date because despite the cheesy nature, the ending is always happy and the read is easy. Frankly, I like these books and will continue to read each one that comes out. I am going to post this same review for each of her books that I have read in the past.
September 14, 2014
I like both of these books so much. And it's interesting reading books so firmly grounded in the 1980s, because minus some dated language, in a lot of ways they read as far more progressive than a lot of contemporary romance is now.
Side benefit of rereading these: I finally get where my expectations of city-set contemporary romance came from. The MacGregor series as a whole has books set in Boston, Atlantic City, D.C., New York, and Las Vegas, as well as another featuring New Orleans. Most of her books are the same. There are rural ones, sure, but by and large her older books all take places in cities.
I miss that.
Side benefit of rereading these: I finally get where my expectations of city-set contemporary romance came from. The MacGregor series as a whole has books set in Boston, Atlantic City, D.C., New York, and Las Vegas, as well as another featuring New Orleans. Most of her books are the same. There are rural ones, sure, but by and large her older books all take places in cities.
I miss that.
June 5, 2017
Ok, so I used to really enjoy reading romance novels when I was a teenager. I found this book in the teacher's lounge and figured, "What the heck?". So I started reading it, and quickly realized how absurdly ridiculous these books are and especially the gender roles of the 80's (which seem to be very similar to those of the 1950's). No means yes, she really doesn't know what she wants, etc. Did I put the book down? No. I finished it, so I guess it wasn't entirely horrible. Don't judge me. I hate leaving a book unfinished. No more romance novels from 1985 for me. Perhaps the modern ones are better?
October 25, 2018
Serena's story I liked. Not spectacular but I enjoyed the story.
Caine's story was the most cringe worthy story I've read in a while. I liked the characters and the plot wasn't bad but there were events and descriptions that just... I cant even find the words.
Non-spoiler example. When Caine first sees Diana he thinks of her eyes as "camel eyes" but that's supposed to be a good thing? and then soon after actually tells her she has "camel eyes".... I can not imagine this in anyway being a compliment....
granted these books were written back in the 80's and I still plan to probably read the other books in the series but its definitely no where near the top of my NR list.
Caine's story was the most cringe worthy story I've read in a while. I liked the characters and the plot wasn't bad but there were events and descriptions that just... I cant even find the words.
Non-spoiler example. When Caine first sees Diana he thinks of her eyes as "camel eyes" but that's supposed to be a good thing? and then soon after actually tells her she has "camel eyes".... I can not imagine this in anyway being a compliment....
granted these books were written back in the 80's and I still plan to probably read the other books in the series but its definitely no where near the top of my NR list.
April 16, 2021
Great read after wading through a few heavy ones. No matter what, Nora Roberts had great way with words.
June 7, 2022
The heroes are 80s heroes when it comes to consent (eyeroll) but otherwise these are fun reads!
January 18, 2023
Wonderful to finally read books 1&2 of this series. Classic romance!
January 20, 2012
This book is a re-release of two of Nora Roberts books featuring the MacGregor family from 1985. Whoa, it's been a long time since I read anything written this long ago. I forgot how corny some of the romantic scenes could be. Between that and societal changes...lots of sexual harassment, smoking indoors, mentions of typewriters and telegrams. It was kind of fun to revisit this older style of romance. And quite honestly, beyond the corniness and the cliche conflicts, I did enjoy reading both of these stories.
Playing the Odds
Serena & Justin
Story Overview:
Serena MacGregor had been looking for a little independence and some much-needed adventure, but Justin Blade was not what she had in mind. The stakes were high, and Justin was betting on changing Serena's mind about him. But when this fiery heiress upped the ante on the cool Comanche gambler, steamy didn't begin to describe the results.…
My Rating: B-
My Review:
Daniel MacGregor is the patriarch of the MacGregor clan. He has mentored Justin for 10 years, but in that time, Justin has never met Rena, Daniel's daughter. When Daniel convinces Justin to take a vacation cruise, Justin doesn't think anything of it. As a professional gambler, he is immediately enchanted with a female dealer who works on the ship, Serena. Unbeknownst to either of them, they have been set up by Daniel to meet.
In this book, the cruise ship made the book. I am not a huge fan of books based around gambling, but I loved the ambience provided by the ship and the exotic ports of call. I enjoyed the MacGregor family clan and the story line of Justin's past. These books are based around family and the family dynamics were defined and highlighted very early so that you realize how important the family ties are to the overall story. I liked that. Justin had a HORRIBLE childhood, so that makes it so that he appreciates the MacGregors all that much more.
Overall, this was entertaining. I was just sad at how dated it did feel. The cheeseball lines during the sex scenes did provide some fun giggles though....
Tempting Fate
Caine & Diana
Story Overview:
Attorney Caine MacGregor had a reputation for being a demon in and out of the courtroom. The dashing young attorney rarely met a case—or a woman—he couldn't win. But Diana Blade was no ordinary lady. Caine yearned to break down her icy wall of control and release the passionate woman within. He might be able to convince Diana to form a business partnership, but could he entice her to risk everything for the love of a MacGregor?
My Rating: B
My Review:
For me, this book seemed to have a bit more depth than the first. Diana is Hunter's (hero from the first book) younger sister. When their parents died, he abandoned her to a harsh, strict aunt and Diana basically grew up without knowing any love in her life. That has left her with HUGE scars when it comes to relationships. She has been ruled with an iron fist by her aunt her entire life. Now that she is out on her own and able to make her own decisions, she NEVER plans to open herself up to someone else. She never wants to give anyone else ANY power over her life OR the ability to leave and hurt her like her entire family did when she was little.
The flip side of that is Caine who has always had a very easy time with women, so when Diana turns him down, he is hurt and devastated. There is a lot of emotion in this book. And again, this is a book that shows its era because there is a LOT of sexual harassment in it too. One minute Caine will be attacking Diana and telling her that he is going to bed her...it's a guarantee. Then the next minute, he's trying to forge a work relationship. It was almost funny how unacceptable that would be now. No woman in her right mind would give a guy like that ANY leeway in her life....personal or professional. We have definitely changed in the last 27 years.
Playing the Odds
Serena & Justin
Story Overview:
Serena MacGregor had been looking for a little independence and some much-needed adventure, but Justin Blade was not what she had in mind. The stakes were high, and Justin was betting on changing Serena's mind about him. But when this fiery heiress upped the ante on the cool Comanche gambler, steamy didn't begin to describe the results.…
My Rating: B-
My Review:
Daniel MacGregor is the patriarch of the MacGregor clan. He has mentored Justin for 10 years, but in that time, Justin has never met Rena, Daniel's daughter. When Daniel convinces Justin to take a vacation cruise, Justin doesn't think anything of it. As a professional gambler, he is immediately enchanted with a female dealer who works on the ship, Serena. Unbeknownst to either of them, they have been set up by Daniel to meet.
In this book, the cruise ship made the book. I am not a huge fan of books based around gambling, but I loved the ambience provided by the ship and the exotic ports of call. I enjoyed the MacGregor family clan and the story line of Justin's past. These books are based around family and the family dynamics were defined and highlighted very early so that you realize how important the family ties are to the overall story. I liked that. Justin had a HORRIBLE childhood, so that makes it so that he appreciates the MacGregors all that much more.
Overall, this was entertaining. I was just sad at how dated it did feel. The cheeseball lines during the sex scenes did provide some fun giggles though....
Tempting Fate
Caine & Diana
Story Overview:
Attorney Caine MacGregor had a reputation for being a demon in and out of the courtroom. The dashing young attorney rarely met a case—or a woman—he couldn't win. But Diana Blade was no ordinary lady. Caine yearned to break down her icy wall of control and release the passionate woman within. He might be able to convince Diana to form a business partnership, but could he entice her to risk everything for the love of a MacGregor?
My Rating: B
My Review:
For me, this book seemed to have a bit more depth than the first. Diana is Hunter's (hero from the first book) younger sister. When their parents died, he abandoned her to a harsh, strict aunt and Diana basically grew up without knowing any love in her life. That has left her with HUGE scars when it comes to relationships. She has been ruled with an iron fist by her aunt her entire life. Now that she is out on her own and able to make her own decisions, she NEVER plans to open herself up to someone else. She never wants to give anyone else ANY power over her life OR the ability to leave and hurt her like her entire family did when she was little.
The flip side of that is Caine who has always had a very easy time with women, so when Diana turns him down, he is hurt and devastated. There is a lot of emotion in this book. And again, this is a book that shows its era because there is a LOT of sexual harassment in it too. One minute Caine will be attacking Diana and telling her that he is going to bed her...it's a guarantee. Then the next minute, he's trying to forge a work relationship. It was almost funny how unacceptable that would be now. No woman in her right mind would give a guy like that ANY leeway in her life....personal or professional. We have definitely changed in the last 27 years.
September 18, 2016
Wow! I'm so very glad the first Nora Roberts book I ever picked up was *not* written in her early days. On the flip side, it's kind of cool to get to read a longer series with the stories of multiple generations of family members, even if none of them are completely realistic.
This book starts the MacGregor family series with the youngest two children of (gazillionaire?) mogul Daniel MacGregor. Serena, the youngest daughter is paired up, through Daniel's first of many fix-up shenanigans, with tons-of-casinos-owner Justin Blade. (Side note: Where did that last name come from?) Following that, middle child and lawyer Caine meets Justin's sister, Diana Blade, also a lawyer! What are the odds? No pun intended. Somehow, this is possibly the first (and only?) time Daniel isn't directly meddling to bring the two together, even though he not so discreetly does so later on.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Let's start with Serena and Justin. First of all, what's up with this dude? It seems like all he does is follow Serena around everywhere, takes off all her hairpins and litters the ocean with them (super wtf character thing here), and never takes no for an answer. Every time Serena rejects him, he just kisses her more deeply. And then she's all like, oh yeah, maybe I did want that anyway. All because Justin is determined to make her "love" him back. Stalker much? It's not fun to read forced romance, no matter what decade it's supposed to be taking place. The ending also feels random and contrived. It's all over the place until someone says I love you.
Then there's Caine and Diana. Their story seems to follow more of the standard Nora Roberts conflict and resolution plot we typically see, but again, Caine practically forces himself onto Diana in every way until she literally can't picture life without him. It's unrealistic for this seemingly strong female character to break down and expose her every vulnerability in front of the Caine just so that she will eventually come to the conclusion that she "needs" him in her life. Their love story is a bit more believable but still tough to swallow given how it was written. Also, I kept hoping to see more of Diana's professional journey, like how was she in the courtroom rather than just reading that she managed to win her crazy tough first major case. Roberts fails to provide this portion of character development even though she has strenuously established how driven Diana seems to be on shaping her career path while getting to know herself more. It's weird to get lazy here with that but I guess we're just supposed to assume she's a perfect lawyer anyway, and her only flaw is not admitting she needs a man fast enough?
This book starts the MacGregor family series with the youngest two children of (gazillionaire?) mogul Daniel MacGregor. Serena, the youngest daughter is paired up, through Daniel's first of many fix-up shenanigans, with tons-of-casinos-owner Justin Blade. (Side note: Where did that last name come from?) Following that, middle child and lawyer Caine meets Justin's sister, Diana Blade, also a lawyer! What are the odds? No pun intended. Somehow, this is possibly the first (and only?) time Daniel isn't directly meddling to bring the two together, even though he not so discreetly does so later on.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Let's start with Serena and Justin. First of all, what's up with this dude? It seems like all he does is follow Serena around everywhere, takes off all her hairpins and litters the ocean with them (super wtf character thing here), and never takes no for an answer. Every time Serena rejects him, he just kisses her more deeply. And then she's all like, oh yeah, maybe I did want that anyway. All because Justin is determined to make her "love" him back. Stalker much? It's not fun to read forced romance, no matter what decade it's supposed to be taking place. The ending also feels random and contrived. It's all over the place until someone says I love you.
Then there's Caine and Diana. Their story seems to follow more of the standard Nora Roberts conflict and resolution plot we typically see, but again, Caine practically forces himself onto Diana in every way until she literally can't picture life without him. It's unrealistic for this seemingly strong female character to break down and expose her every vulnerability in front of the Caine just so that she will eventually come to the conclusion that she "needs" him in her life. Their love story is a bit more believable but still tough to swallow given how it was written. Also, I kept hoping to see more of Diana's professional journey, like how was she in the courtroom rather than just reading that she managed to win her crazy tough first major case. Roberts fails to provide this portion of character development even though she has strenuously established how driven Diana seems to be on shaping her career path while getting to know herself more. It's weird to get lazy here with that but I guess we're just supposed to assume she's a perfect lawyer anyway, and her only flaw is not admitting she needs a man fast enough?
October 11, 2011
okay,so there's two seperate books in this book-typical nora fashion-so i'll start with Playing the Odds.it was funny in places, which i love in books.
when i first started reading romance book i found the attitude like Justin Blade's charming-likeable,even,but now i find myself not having any warm feelings-i am most certainly not charmed and i don't find it likeable.
&if im being perfectly honest,i find it highly unbelievable that people walk around acting like that-kissing people u just met,telling them ur gunna be lovers,tagging along afer the person tells u to leave.it wasn't charming at all.it was pretty annoying,actually.
&one minute serena's mad at him and telling him to go away and the next she's laughing and holding his hand.talk about bipolar or just some serious mood swings.take your pick,there!
these female characters in these books just blindly follow the guy,and become inacapable of forming words or having the ability to walk away.
&i couldn't understand the card games in here.it was wayy over my head.
okay,now let's talk about Tempting Fate(2nd story).i might as well copy everything i said up there and paste it down here,except just take away some things and add a few new ones-like some legal jargon that we as readers have no hope of understanding-and no real care to understand,anyway.
her characters are bold and abrasive.
one word for them-fast.they move incredibly fast.like the 1st time they meet they're kissing &everything.i realized that i don't like that.at all.
justin and caine are a couple of annoying tag-a-longs who can't accept or just don't understand the word no,and who goes around making a general nusance of themselves.
i just wished that the girls in here would have said no and stuck with it,or picked one emotion and stuck with it,instead of being all over the place with their feelings.
the books are really similar and repetitive.in both books,the guy is constantly grabbing the girls hand and kissing it,or reaching for her hand and holding it,is always in some way touching her hand. it gets VERY annoying.i already had to hear about it from the 1st book and soon realized it was the exact same in the next book.
also,some things in nora's books are a lil hard to understand.she starts talkin about passion and goes on this whole tangent that kind of swoops right on over my head.
when i first started reading romance book i found the attitude like Justin Blade's charming-likeable,even,but now i find myself not having any warm feelings-i am most certainly not charmed and i don't find it likeable.
&if im being perfectly honest,i find it highly unbelievable that people walk around acting like that-kissing people u just met,telling them ur gunna be lovers,tagging along afer the person tells u to leave.it wasn't charming at all.it was pretty annoying,actually.
&one minute serena's mad at him and telling him to go away and the next she's laughing and holding his hand.talk about bipolar or just some serious mood swings.take your pick,there!
these female characters in these books just blindly follow the guy,and become inacapable of forming words or having the ability to walk away.
&i couldn't understand the card games in here.it was wayy over my head.
okay,now let's talk about Tempting Fate(2nd story).i might as well copy everything i said up there and paste it down here,except just take away some things and add a few new ones-like some legal jargon that we as readers have no hope of understanding-and no real care to understand,anyway.
her characters are bold and abrasive.
one word for them-fast.they move incredibly fast.like the 1st time they meet they're kissing &everything.i realized that i don't like that.at all.
justin and caine are a couple of annoying tag-a-longs who can't accept or just don't understand the word no,and who goes around making a general nusance of themselves.
i just wished that the girls in here would have said no and stuck with it,or picked one emotion and stuck with it,instead of being all over the place with their feelings.
the books are really similar and repetitive.in both books,the guy is constantly grabbing the girls hand and kissing it,or reaching for her hand and holding it,is always in some way touching her hand. it gets VERY annoying.i already had to hear about it from the 1st book and soon realized it was the exact same in the next book.
also,some things in nora's books are a lil hard to understand.she starts talkin about passion and goes on this whole tangent that kind of swoops right on over my head.
September 30, 2012
I am quickly learning that the early romance version of my favorite author is a mere silhouette of the best-selling powerhouse she has become.
Serena and Caine MacGregor are the youngest children of the great Daniel MacGregor - a modern-day Scottish lord that rules over his family with never-ending love and a hope that they all find the love he has known with his wife and children...even if that involves a bit of heavy-handed meddling! In the case of Serena and Caine, their potential true loves come in the duo of Justin and Diana Blade - estranged siblings of Comanche descent who always fight for what they want and prefer to gamble when the odds are in their favor.
This book lives up the expectations incurred from the Silhoutte reputation: love at first sight, flash-point passion, and happily-ever-after....and some truly yummy leading men! ;) I am far from conservative and greatly enjoy books that have a couple tumbles in the sheets, but I also like a semblance of a plot and development of relationships that are external to the primary love interest - both of which are lacking in this book even though there was lots of potential for both. Because the two stories are contained in one double volume, it is even more painfully obvious that they were written from a "mad-lib" romance format and many of the same phrases were used in each!
I actually don't place too much of the blame on NR, I have a feeling that Silhouette doesn't branch too far from the formulaic romance plot with lots of steamy overtones. It does make me have a lot more appreciation for NR's newer works, which demonstrate that great romance novels can actually be much more complex than simple bodice-ripping and can actually be enhanced by well-written secondary characters. I will forever recommend Nora Roberts books to others but, unless you are a true fan of the old-school romance style of writing, I would steer clear of the Silhouette editions.
Serena and Caine MacGregor are the youngest children of the great Daniel MacGregor - a modern-day Scottish lord that rules over his family with never-ending love and a hope that they all find the love he has known with his wife and children...even if that involves a bit of heavy-handed meddling! In the case of Serena and Caine, their potential true loves come in the duo of Justin and Diana Blade - estranged siblings of Comanche descent who always fight for what they want and prefer to gamble when the odds are in their favor.
This book lives up the expectations incurred from the Silhoutte reputation: love at first sight, flash-point passion, and happily-ever-after....and some truly yummy leading men! ;) I am far from conservative and greatly enjoy books that have a couple tumbles in the sheets, but I also like a semblance of a plot and development of relationships that are external to the primary love interest - both of which are lacking in this book even though there was lots of potential for both. Because the two stories are contained in one double volume, it is even more painfully obvious that they were written from a "mad-lib" romance format and many of the same phrases were used in each!
I actually don't place too much of the blame on NR, I have a feeling that Silhouette doesn't branch too far from the formulaic romance plot with lots of steamy overtones. It does make me have a lot more appreciation for NR's newer works, which demonstrate that great romance novels can actually be much more complex than simple bodice-ripping and can actually be enhanced by well-written secondary characters. I will forever recommend Nora Roberts books to others but, unless you are a true fan of the old-school romance style of writing, I would steer clear of the Silhouette editions.
March 9, 2020
This book contains Playing the Odds and Tempting Fate.
This book is pretty typical of the 80's romance novel which may not be as enjoyable to current readers as they were back then. But with Daniel MacGregor in it they turn into such an enjoyable read.
The ladies are sassy, the men are attractive and a bit different than the typical man of the times. I enjoy them, but do have to remember that they were written in a different time before I start.
I have always enjoyed Daniel MacGregor's hobby of matching his children and grandchildren so enjoyed rereading this story.
This book is pretty typical of the 80's romance novel which may not be as enjoyable to current readers as they were back then. But with Daniel MacGregor in it they turn into such an enjoyable read.
The ladies are sassy, the men are attractive and a bit different than the typical man of the times. I enjoy them, but do have to remember that they were written in a different time before I start.
I have always enjoyed Daniel MacGregor's hobby of matching his children and grandchildren so enjoyed rereading this story.
January 19, 2018
"Playing the odds" The story of how Serena MacGregor meets her husband Justin Blade. Justin, of Native American heritage has become a successful casino owner with some financial help from Daniel MacGregor. 10 years later, he sends Daniel on a cruise - on the same ship Serena works on as a dealer. Sparks fly, they become partners and marry after she's kidnapped.
Caine's story is "Tempting Fate". He's an ex-attorney general. When he meets Justin's estranged sister Diana - also a lawyer. The sparks also fly here, but Diana feels badly abandoned - first by her parents when they died and then Justin when he sends her to live with an aunt in MA. The aunt does her "duty" but there's no love. More of Diana's coming out than Caine's. He's always a rock who knows what to do.
Caine's story is "Tempting Fate". He's an ex-attorney general. When he meets Justin's estranged sister Diana - also a lawyer. The sparks also fly here, but Diana feels badly abandoned - first by her parents when they died and then Justin when he sends her to live with an aunt in MA. The aunt does her "duty" but there's no love. More of Diana's coming out than Caine's. He's always a rock who knows what to do.
August 30, 2013
This one, was actually the first book I ever read of Nora Roberts! Of course, every time I go to the bookstore there are tons of books from her so I finally decided to take the leap,aha.
So this one, we have two book in one : Playing the odds and Tempting Fate .
Both are enjoyable reads and were perfect for a read in the beach. :D
December 21, 2020
Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors. This book contains the stories of Serena and Cain, 2 siblings of the MacGregor clan. The characters are strong and independent, but also loving and caring.
There are lots of details as they explore their new relationships and businesses. It is also fun to explore the machinations of the family patriarch, quite a unique personality, who tries to matchmake, among other things. It is easy to become immersed in the book as we get to know each of the siblings and their relationships. Though there are emotional ups and downs this is a relaxing read.
There are lots of details as they explore their new relationships and businesses. It is also fun to explore the machinations of the family patriarch, quite a unique personality, who tries to matchmake, among other things. It is easy to become immersed in the book as we get to know each of the siblings and their relationships. Though there are emotional ups and downs this is a relaxing read.
August 9, 2009
Sadly, another romance that starts off with a hero who acts like a stalker, and a heroine who says "no" but isn't listened to, yet clearly will fall for him anyway.
Women shouldn't write this crap (well, neither should men) and women shouldn't read it. I didn't. I put it down around page 25. Which is sad, because it's very possible that the characters and the storyline and the writing are wonderful.
But no means no. Even in books.
Women shouldn't write this crap (well, neither should men) and women shouldn't read it. I didn't. I put it down around page 25. Which is sad, because it's very possible that the characters and the storyline and the writing are wonderful.
But no means no. Even in books.
September 9, 2015
It turns out, that while I like Nora Roberts, I greatly prefer her later works. I cannot remember the last time I held back so much eye rolling. The plots weren't well developed and I didn't always like the characters. Oh, and the passion with barely suppressed violence thing - yuck. I know it was around before 50 Shades but the uber aggressive male just doesn't do it for me.
That said, I do like series and following characters through a series.
That said, I do like series and following characters through a series.
October 9, 2018
Justin Blade and Serena Macgregor are set up to meet by her father without either of them knowing about it. Romance ensues on a cruise ship and then continues at Justin’s casino hotel on land. Nice love story. Caine Macgregor and Diana Blade are the second story in this book. Not as interesting a story.
January 4, 2011
I just re-read this book - I hadn't read it since maybe high school or early college, and I loved it just as much!
January 31, 2017
Serena's story - 4 stars
Caine's story - 3 stars
Caine's story - 3 stars
January 1, 2017
I'm going to love this series.....
May 5, 2017
I really enjoy reading the men's thoughts-the insight into why they may be reluctant to make a commitment or what attracts them in addition to the physical
July 28, 2019
The beginning of the MacGregor saga and always a favorite to re-read. I'll always love revisiting these love stories that haven't aged terribly (other than the technology, perhaps!).
April 27, 2020
Used to love this author, and this series, for her character development. Rereading...seems cheesy, like a traditional romance novel, but still good characters.
December 31, 2020
Have to love the MacGregor family ...
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