Just A Kiss Away

Devils and Dames #3

by Jill Barnett

Arriving on a lush Pacific island, Eulalie Grace LaRue was soon to be reunited with the father she hadn't seen since childhood. Yet before Lollie's dreamed-of meeting could take place, the lovely Southern belle was caught in the crossfire of a violent revolution -- and thrown into the rugged arms of Sam Forester. On the run in the jungle, the battle-scarred soldier of fortune didn't know what to do with the pampered blonde placed in his care. Survival was his top priority, but he could not resist Lollie's seductive charm...or deny the growing attraction between them. Though Sam thrived on chance and risk, falling in love was the one chance he wasn't willing to take. Powerless against the desire that consumed them both, Lollie surrendered to his passionate embrace. But when he dismissed her affections, she was determined to fight for him...to prove that in the steamy heat of paradise, two hearts would find the love of a lifetime....

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Contemporary Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

New York Times Bestselling Author Jill Barnett is master storyteller known for her beautifully-written love stories rich with humor, emotion, and poignancy. She is the winner of Lifetime Achievement Awards for Love and Laughter and Historical Romance and is a six-time Romance Writers of America RITA nominee and winner of both a Persie Award for Literature and a Waldenbooks Award. Her books have been named Best of the Year by Dallas Morning News, Detroit Free Press, and Kirkus Review and she was the first historical romance author to ever receive a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She stands alongside Judith McNaught as one of only two authors to ever receive a six-star review from Affaire de Coeur Magazine and her work has been published in 23 languages and appeared on numerous bestseller lists. She lives in the PNW with her family.

Reviews

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many many years ago and loved it so very much. I am usually not much for southern belles, Yankees and America in the 18th/19th/early 20th centuries. But some of my absolute favorites are about the New World and its people. Just a Kiss Away is one of them.

Reread 24.Dec.2016

I just wanted a good old love story to distract me from something unpleasant. So I picked up this book again. Oh I wish Jill Barnett would edit this book and make Lollie just a bit less annoying and a bit smarter. Poor Sam. I don't know what I would have done if I were Sam. And Sam was such a hero. lol A swearing son of a bxtch, but he could not not protect Lollie. Now if I acted as stupid as Lollie, could I get a Sam too?

I read that some reviewers were mad at Sam for calling Lollie "the stupid bitch". I just want to say, have you never been so scared that you needed the strength of your anger? Or have you never seen someone who acted angry when they are just scared or hurt? Sam called Lollie 'the stupid bitch" twice. Both times he feared because Lollie was fighting for her life. He was a mercenary, a seasoned soldier, a bastard from Chicago slums. How else would he express fears? By being angry, which is a much more acceptable emotion, of course. You cannot take him at face value. Coming to terms with emotions is hard for anyone, and even harder for people who have fought to keep their emotions under control. I did not enjoy reading any woman being called a stupid bitch. But seriously, Sam had proven to be hero material over and over again. And Lollie was kind of.......stupid. Give the poor guy a little credit for all he had to put up with from Lollie!

I don't think I would have given this book 5 stars if I was reading this for the first time. But I still love it today. For me this book is all about Sam. Lollie would have been ok if she wasn't so hopelessly clueless. But she was 19, come on. Wasn't any of us kind of clueless at 19? And you put me in a jungle, I'd be stupid too.

Reread 14.Feb.2016
I just re-read it tonight and this book ages well. I don't know what made this book so special. I only know that it is special to me.

Eulalie (what a name), aka Lollie was a delicate southern flower who grew up without her parents. Her mother died, her father a successful diplomat, practically abandoning Lollie to her 5 brothers. When Lollie was 19 years old, finally came the summon that she had been waiting for 17 years: she was to meet her father in the Phillipines.

Sam Forester, 33, was a hired gun who has lost an eye on a mission. Born in the Chicago slum (therefore, a Yankee), he fought all his life for survival. While on the job training the Filipinos in combats to fight for their freedom and independence from Spain, he ran into Lollie. And hell came loose.

Lollie was just one disaster after another. It is really kind of sad and at times inconceivable how one woman could be so pathetically clumsy. Poor Sam was naturally the one who had to save her again and again from all the disasters. There was practically no romance in the first 50% of the book. Because it was all about setting up Sam and Lollie as lead characters. Things start to pick up once Sam and Lollie finally made through the jungle and arrived at the camp where Sam trained the soldiers. But even then, the romance bit weaved in and out of the story. There is not a whole lot of romance or passion in this book, but somehow it was enough. Sam came through as a shining star for a hero. Hey, I don't care whether the guy acted like a gentleman or said the most outrageous thing. Sam was always there when it mattered. I would trade a gentleman who does and says the right things all the time for someone like Sam in a blink of an eye.

I honestly cannot explain why I love this book. It is not extremely heart-wrenching, nor is it very romantic. Lollie's accidents were tiring to read about. But I just love it. I think it is because of Sam. This book made me feel warm inside, like curling up with my winter blanket on a cold night. Incidentally, this is not the only Jill Barnett book that makes me feel this way. I can only conclude that I just like Jill Barnett's stories.

[Teresa Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like one of those wonderful slapstick comedies from the 30's and 40's starring Carole Lombard and Clark Gable. Think BRINGING UP BABY set in the Pacific jungle. The lovely thing about Jill's comedy is that she could put her characters in the most ridiculous situations imaginable without making them ridiculous. And just when you think she can only make you giggle, she leaves you with a lump in your throat. Her historicals, even the funniest ones, had tremendous heart and that's what makes them timeless. (Alternate: BEWITCHING, SURRENDER THE DREAM)

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content:Explicit sex, violence, cussing, profanity, 20+ typos in kindle version

No plot spoilers

Setting: July, 1896, Luzon Island, the Philippines. Manilla. Two years before the Spanish-American War and the Battle of Manilla Bay. (Barnett takes a broad brush when painting the setting. Unless you know the history, the remarkable events that occurred won't stand out.)

Just a Kiss Away. That's how close Sam needed to be, to see the freckles dotting Lolly's lovely cheeks. Awwww! ♥ Sweet, hmm?

No. Sam Forrester is not sweet. At first, he was likeable enough, but as soon as Lolly started getting under his skin, he became a first class jerk. I have never liked humor that comes at another's expense, and the way Sam belittled Lolly turned me off. But yet, there is a hard honesty in Sam. He's got some baggage from his slum-bred past to sort out.

There's lots of accident-and-ignorance-prone stupidity with a slapstick flavor (grrr) on her part and -- again -- too much cruelty on his part. But the chemistry simmers till the relationship feels ready to stir up some amazing sex. Plus, sometimes I found myself laughing aloud, especially in the first chapters. This is a jungle romp, so there's adventure: raging waterfalls, rickety bamboo bridges, bolo knives, guns, and machetes, poisonous snakes, humongous spiders, torrential floods, etc.

Then, too, this is a coming of age story, where a pampered Southern blond learns her true worth.

Eulalie Grace LaRue is 22 years old, of the Belvedere, South Carolina LaRues (loved the scene where she introduced herself to Sam, detailing her ancestry till his eyes glazed over). Anyway, our Lollypop (as Sam fondly calls her), goes by the family nickname of Lolly. Lolly LaRue. No relation to the hootchy-kootchy dancer (don't believe her father, Ambassador LaRue, would name her that, but Barnett used it for comedy relief -- too many times). Lolly suffers from insecurity, since her father virtually abandoned her at age 5 to the care of her kindhearted older brothers, and her mother died when she was two. With so much insecurity, she screams long and loud, like an unholy banshee, whenever she's frightened. And she's frightened a lot. Sam would count the seconds till the next scream came (cute, but only the first three times). And with no deep assurance of her own worth, she's accident prone. Everything she touches is trashed, from chicken dinner to the soldier's uniforms.

In Lolly's hands, a pink parasol is a stiletto.

Sam Forrester is a fairly flush soldier of fortune who rose from the Chicago slums to sell his services to the highest bidder --  the rebels in Manilla. He lives for the thrill, fearless, a daredevil. Nothing frightens him -- except the thought of Lolly in danger. Loved the scene where he searches for Lolly. Oh the despair!! ♥ Served him right, too. Lolly's revenge is sweet -- she finally grew a spine!

Yeah, Sam constantly hurt Lolly. Then he'd apologize. Maybe. He'd haul her into his arms, holding her while she cried, in his arms!!? I wanted to shout, "Kick the bastard bloody!" (Lots of crying scenes.)

So what did Lolly see in Sam? Hard to say. He is built like a stevedore and hot as a blast furnace. He did save her life repeatedly. And did get all alpha when his comrade put the move on her. And he believed -- eventually -- that there was far more to her than Southern snobbery. In his decidedly unchivalrous company, it was sink or swim. She learned to swim.

The epilogue was sweet, but it felt like a posed Christmas photo of Sam, Lolly, and their children. Plus, how likely is it that Sam would get that particular job??

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry, but whenever a hero or anti-hero, in this case, continually calls his potential lover a stupid bitch (pardon my french) … that's when the book gets an automatic 1-star rating. The beginning few chapters were kind of boring too, and it was full of action.
Also, when the hero in a romance novel says "I'm not a hero in a romance novel." that screams cheesy, to me. Brings me back to the real world and out of the book's world, which no book ought to do.

[Sanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a comedy. I laughed like crazy from the beginning to the end! ;)

[Waranya Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

สนุก ตลกดี
พระเอกนางเอกนี่ซวยมากที่มาเจอกัน แต่พระเอกซวยมากกว่าที่มาเจอคนอย่างนางเอก 5555 ความฮาจึงบังเกิด
นางเอกนี่ทำอะไรไม่เป็นเลยจริงๆ แต่ก็มีความพยายาม ถึงแม้จะพยายามแล้วยิ่งวายป่วงกว่าเดิม จนสงสารพระเอก
ถึงนางจะน่ารำคาญ แต่ก็ตลก น่าสงสาร น่ารักดี

[Kindaslick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Everyones going on about how horrible Sam is. I gotta back him up. After 17 chapters.. I'd kill that bitch myself if I could. I'm not getting it here. So.. what's the attraction? Because all I'm seeing is a blob of ignorance, insecurities and stupidity. Not one redeeming quality.

I'm not happy and no one likes me but if I keep doing the same thing over and over again maybe I'll suddenly be happy and everyone will like me?

sighs

You annoy me.

Shoo.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I was stuck in a nightmare. I agree with another reviewer. It is an Amelia Bedelia for adults. Lottie was too dumb for too long. It kept me reading until I finished it but I am not sure if I would attempt another book by this author. It is different from anything I have read.

[NatalyaVqs · Rating 2 out of 5]

54/325 It was recommended as an adventure romance in a non regency setting. However, the silly heroine feels dated, acts her 19 years of age, requiring too much patience both on reader's and 33 year old hero's behalf. Poor Sam

[Nessa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm an absolute fan of Jill Barnett, although this one wasn't for me. The hero seemed much too mean whilst the heroine just annoyed the hell out of me with her constant screaming and everything. I understand that the heroine is supposed to be an innocent miss, but I feel like she lacks the strength that normally shines within Barnett's heroines, even though they are not physically tough but mentally I think they are brilliantly strong.

Although I do like the setting of the story, because it's rare to find stories with such exotic settings in the 1800s-1900s based romantic stories. However, I just couldn't get past the first 40 pages of the novel, even after holding out to see if something would change in the nature of their relationship but, apparently it just wasn't up to liking.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was highly entertained with this jungle adventure. Lots of laugh out loud moments. That dang bird cracked me up!! Lollie was a true southern bell...adorable, proper, and so darn naive. Sam reminded me of a VERY sarcastic hardened Indiana Jones that thrives on danger. What kind of mischief could these two get into?

[Susan Gabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when all the ladies at the bookstore read this book and how much we loved it. It is so funny. Lollie is a hoot and what she puts Sam through is worth reading the book just for this. I still have my copy and all my daughters have read it. If you can still find a copy I would recommend it for a good fun read.

[Misfit]

Not my cuppa, but this is free today on Kindle. Love seeing these older romances get a new life as an e-book.

[Nathalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating: 2.5

[Darbella · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Heiress. Old School. Yankee vs the southern belle.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea of an anthology, yet with rare exception I find myself disappointed. These collections should represent the best a writer can offer because it is frequently the only introduction a writer will have to new readers. The first and last entries in a collection should be the best; the first makes a reader want to read more and the last keeps the anthology in mind for longer than it takes to close an electronic reader. That is not the case here. This is a continuation of books arranged alphabetically in a series of anthologies that began with From Rakes to Riches.

I rated this anthology 2 stars overall. I got this rating by adding the individual ratings of all books and dividing by 8 (the number of books in the collection). The sum, 20.5, divided by 8, equals 2.56. I rounded down to for a rating of 2-stars. One of the books received zero stars for strong reasons. Others received 1.5 stars and three received 4-stars. It is a disparate set of books.

Dreaming by Jill Barnett published 08/12/2020
Regency Magic, Book 2 of 2 Rated 1.5 stars
This is a silly book that attempts to mix magic, slapstick comedy, and true love; it falls short of its mark. Miss Leticia Olive Hornsby (“Letty”) is our childish heroine who never grew up. She is naïve, silly, immature and lives in her own world of dreams where everything is wonderful. She is also clumsy, taken to a new level of ineptitude.

I felt horribly embarrassed for Letty in the Prologue which was painful to read. She was the epitome of “Poor Petunia in the potato patch.” The premise was unbelievable, and that set the wrong tone from the beginning. Letty was a seventeen-year-old left on her own, unchaperoned—abandoned by an aunt who wanted to catch up on gossip with friends—at the first ball of the Season. (It’s 1813 and this would not have happened in Society.) People avoid her and we soon find out why: she is a walking disaster. Odd things happen in her presence. Whether she’s stumbling over her hem, or smacking people over the head, or starting fires (and holy cow, does she ever start fires!), or firing weapons accidentally (hmmm), disaster strikes.

Initially this is amusing, and then it becomes slapstick, and then cruel. What it isn’t is funny. Enter the hero, Richard Lennox, the Earl of Downe. He is an anti-hero, a drunkard, wastrel, and profligate philanderer of the first order. He’s frankly terrible. And that’s the story: the adventures of the child and the wastrel. I found little amusing in this tale. But there is a great deal of cruel behavior and hatred that spills over into the lives of all involved. At the end of the story, there is some sort of magic introduced with no lead-in, no hint of expectation…it suddenly appears…and disappears without notice. It is out of place and without context. IMHO, Voltaire did the optimistic naïveté much better in Candide. This barely earned its 1.5-star rating.


The Devil’s Due by Rita Boucher Published 08/23/2021
Desire in Disguise, Book 4 of 6 Rated 4 stars
This story has a strong plot that involves equally strong characters. Kate and her silent daughter are on the run from her deceased husband’s family who want her and her daughter for their inherited wealth. She stays a few steps ahead of them and ends up encamped in Eilean Kirk Castle, home to the clan MacLean, all of whom are dead. She poses as the laird’s widow and lives in the ruins, barely subsisting, but alive and free. Duncan, the MacLean, is not dead after all and returns from war to find her usurping his home. They clash and remain adversaries through much of the tale, their antagonistic relationship eventually becoming friendship and ultimately, love. The villain, Lord Vesey is an evil man with powerful friends. He appears only in flashbacks, but his existence causes Kate to panic.

Welcome humor permeates the story. For instance, when Kate is talking to her companion and maid, Daisy, about Kate’s blue blood, Kate observes, “Yes, I come of good blood, and so, for that matter, does black pudding.”

There are errors. Punctuation is problematic, particularly periods and commas. Typos pause a reader and there are scenes that were probably edited incompletely; for example, Duncan is pulling the cork out of a bottle and draining it but on a previous page, the bottle had already been emptied.

I liked the relationship that grew between Kate and Duncan, and that between Duncan and Kate’s daughter. They were all touching and felt sincere. I rated this story 4.0 stars


Mistress Mischief by Susan Carroll Published 03/14/2023
Once Upon a Time in Regency England, Book 3 of 6 Rated 4 stars
Leon August Barry, the Viscount Raincliffe, is a villain. He tosses his father’s second wife and our heroine, Lady Frederica (“Freddie”) Eleanor Barry, out of her home and into the cold without a scintilla of remorse. Nor does he offer a carriage ride for her trip to the village. She is joined by two servants who accompany her to London where she lives on the edge of debt, existing on credit attached to her dowager title.

The book is about her life in London where she meets the Honorable Mr. Maxmillian Warfield, our hero. He is a man of exacting standards and routines. Freddie is a woman whose life is in shambles. Max finds Freddie stealing from the hostess at a Society ball and is outraged until he becomes astonished that she is not pilfering silver, but rather food. It’s how the dowager feeds her household. They are joined by Freddie’s grandson (St. John Bartholomy Barry), who has made his escape from a boarding school where he was sent to be out of the way by his father, the villainous Viscount Raincliffe.

The story is a good one and the characters are interesting and appealing, uniquely themselves. They do not blend together, but each takes on their own persona. It is an enjoyable read.


Three Times a Lady by Eileen Dreyer Published 05/09/2023
Drake’s Damsels, Book 4 of 5 Rated 1.5 stars
Phillipa (“Pip”) Ellen Alexandra Trentham Knight is our heroine who has a major crush on Beau Drummond, our hero. She is overly dramatic and in love with a man who cannot stand her. Naturally, they marry. This theme of unrequited love is similar to the first book in this anthology, Dreaming.

The plot is unnecessarily complicated. Complexity is fine, even encouraged, in a well plotted story, but complications are full of writer-created obstacles that are themselves excessive to a good plot. Both the hero and heroine are less than heroic. Pip is dogged in her pursuit of Drummond, and he exhibits cowardice in the face of Pip’s infatuation.

There is intrigue in a plot against the Crown and no one seems to be who they say they are. Both main characters get bogged down in their twisted feelings of guilt, unworthiness, and shame—which seem misplaced. Beau’s brother—we are told—has died in battle and Beau blames Pip for his brother’s joining the army and himself for buying his brother’s commission. He cannot get over this. His attitude plays against his belief that Pip would be better off without him, and his perspective is not noble, just wearying. The writer often tells us that Beau does not have the courage to look Pip in the eye and he is afraid of her. He runs away over and over again.

I was disappointed in the story. The writer kept Beau under a cloud of cravenness. He was foolish and did not change until the very end when it was too late, at least for this reader. Pip was bright but should have kicked Beau to the side rather than keep on taking his relentless, insulting behavior in stride. I rated this story 1.5 stars.


To Sin with a Scoundrel by Cara Elliott Published 11/10/2022
The Circle of Sin, Book 1 of 3 Rated 3 stars
This is a well plotted tale of sin, selfishness, and redemption. Lady Ciara Sheffield is a scientist who has been accused of killing her husband with poison, a charge brought against her by her husband’s family who want what she has inherited. Lucas Bingham, the Earl of Hadley, is the profligate rake who lives to do whatever catches his fancy. She is studious and serious; he is ruled by his wants and desires. Somehow, the two of them become friends, then lovers. They are an interesting couple.

This is the first of three books in the Circle of Sin series. Since the men in the books are all outrageous rakes, it would be logical to presume that the circle refers to these rogues. However…it refers to Ciara and her friends who are all ladies with a scientific bent. They are the Circle of Scientific Sibyls, abbreviated to the Circle of Sin. In Greek mythology, the Sibyls were prophetesses, or witches, who foretold the future. It’s a fitting sobriquet.

There is a huge, huge problem with the story and that’s the overwhelming number of errors in the book. Here are a few examples:
 A pleural noun form is used incorrectly: “the five females members were serious scholars…” This should read “…five female members…”
 A word is repeated unnecessarily: “…you simply must tell us about all about that magnificent beast…” I think the first “about” is superfluous and this should read, “…tell us all about that magnificent beast…”
 An incorrect word is used (or perhaps it’s a typo): “…I’ve suffered not lasting ill-effects.” This should read, “…I’ve suffered no lasting ill-effects.”
 An incorrect word is used (or, another typo): “…then turned to put in back in its place.” This should read, “…to put it back in its place.”
 A word is repeated unnecessarily: “…he suddenly he excused himself…” This could be corrected in more than one way, for instance, “…he suddenly excused himself…” However, I’d also get rid of the adverb.
 A preposition is missing: “I shall hand you off my friend Woodbridge” and a comma is missing. This should read, “I shall hand you off to my friend, Woodbridge.”
 The definite article is missing: “…how he hated feeling of being constricted…” This should be “…how he hated the feeling…”
 An indefinite article is missing: “…his wheedling request for loan.” That should read, “…request for a loan.”
 Another indefinite article is missing: “…with polite bow.” This should be “…with a polite bow.”
This is a small (!) sampling of myriad problems that interrupt the flow of the story. One or two errors are expected these days but here, errors are so numerous that they bring the reader out of the story and distract from the well-conceived plot. I rated this story 3.5 stars. It could easily have been 4.5 stars, even 5 stars, but for all the errors. There is scarcely an error-free page, and many pages have multiple errors on them.


Wicked at Heart by Danelle Harmon Published 03/10/2020
Officers and Gentlemen, Book 3 of 6 Rated 0 stars
This book ranges from the ridiculous to the horrible. Character arcs are desirable; it does a reader good to watch a character grow and change for the better…however…this book takes it too, too far. The depravity of the “hero” is insurmountable. Of course, he changes, and there is an HEA (two requirements of a good romantic novel), but the change is unbelievable and the HEA unearned outside of the melodrama the writer foists on her characters.

The one who seems the most wicked at heart is the writer who goes too deep into the heart of darkness (Joseph Conrad did it better) and the heavy-handed hero cannot escape. The turnaround in the final chapters does not make sense, given the intense hatred, calculated animosity, depraved indifference the “hero” is filled with. He never takes responsibility for his own culpability in those actions that have caused him so much pain. He is not at fault for an insane mother nor disinterested father, nor the abuse he suffered at their hands. However, he was a willing participant in sex with an Oxford dean’s niece (for which he was expelled). And he allowed his temper to get the best of him when he forced a duel with an admiral’s son—and killed him. This was an event for which he held some responsibility, but our intrepid hero blames everything and everyone else for his misfortunes.

But…what infuriates me most is Ms. Harmon using sexual assault bordering on rape to further her idea of romance. There is nothing romantic about rape. When a rough, controlling, weaponized kiss is forced on the heroine, Ms. Harmon visualizes this heroine focusing on that powerful kiss. No. And ‘No’ again. During a sexual assault, the victim is not swooning at a kiss; they are fighting back in fear. This is not rough foreplay, or sex, between consenting adults. It’s a powerful male exerting pain and fear onto a female victim. What on earth is the writer thinking?

I rated this book 0 stars because of the unnecessary depravity that permeates the story. The plight of prisoners of war at the hands of the British is something worth considering and using as an example of what must never happen again. However, it takes a back seat to the “prince of darkness’” degeneracy and wickedness. I am at a loss to understand first how this book can be considered a romance and second how it ever received 5-star ratings given the subject matter.


Delighting the Duke by Amanda McCabe Published 12/30/2021 [originally published 2002]
Regency Rebels, Book 4 of 4 Rated 2.5 stars
Alexander Kenton comes home from the Peninsula Wars to become the new Duke of Wayland after his brother died and left the estate destitute and riddled with debt from his gambling and debauchery. His younger sister has been left to run the estate, learning from the tenants. Mrs. Georgina (“Georgie”) Beaumont, a three-time widow, is a famous artist and fabulously wealthy. The problem is evident within the first three chapters. Alex is prideful and determined to bring the properties back to life. Georgie is cautious of men who want her for her wealth. It’s obvious that they will run aground, and they surely do…over money and the fact that she has it and he does not.

There is an undeveloped subplot. Two of Alex’s friends from school are (I guess) meant to be comic relief but aren’t funny. They make a bet about when Alex will ask La Beaumont to marry him. It was a bet the duke didn’t want Georgie to know about and he chastises his friends. Eventually, she does hear about it from the very men who made the bet. They all have a fine laugh. It left me wondering what that was all about; it served no purpose, did not move the plot forward, did not delve into characters.

There is no money left in the duke’s coffers. At his estate, fields lay fallow for lack of seed, the ducal home is in disrepair with a leaky roof and rooms emptied of furniture. One wonders, then, where does Alex get the money to buy “a very large mass of very expensive orchids” for Georgie?

There are a lot of errors, too many to list here. They include periods that pop into the middle of sentences, dashes and dots that appear mid-sentence, tons of typos that force the reader out of the story, the number one being used as a lowercase “l” (ell), subject-verb disagreement, and so on.

This book is almost too sweet. It reads like marzipan tastes. The ending is tepid, and the money issue feels unresolved because the characters do not appear to have changed. There’s little chemistry between the main characters, just a desire to wed. It feels as if the characters are following a “To Do” list that results in marriage. I rated it 2.5 stars because of the lack of a real conflict that would allow the hero and heroine to work together, and because of myriad errors that get in the way of the story.


The Heart’s Companion by Holly Newman Published 04/11/2021
Flowers & Thorns, Book 4 of 4 Rated 4 stars
This book started slow; it crawled. So many characters were introduced in the first chapter by name and little else, that a reader needed a scorecard to keep track of them all. But…it got better as the story progressed. I got that this was a treatise on gossip, on allowing on-dits to overwhelm logic and common sense, and about telling the difference between innuendo and information. But it wasn’t until I read the John Donne quotation in chapter 15 that I realized it was also about the connection we have with one another, so that what happens to—or is gossiped about—one person affects us all.

The heroine is Miss Jane Grantley, a wealthy heiress who is both the subject and purveyor of gossip. She believes every piece of gossip she hears; the worse it is, the more she believes it to be true. The hero is Vernon Morecaster, the fifth Earl of Royce who was the center of a scandal a decade earlier and is still gossiped about and referred to as “the Devil’s Disciple.” Both are strong individuals who protect themselves with a façade to guard their hearts. Royce has just returned from the Continent to his estate which borders that of Jane’s uncle, Sir Jasper Grantley, who has left England to travel with his wife.

There is a wealth of characters, all of which play roles that move the plot along; no one is superfluous. For instance, Lady Elsbeth Ainstree is Jane’s aunt and companion, and her life was interrupted by gossip that condemned the man she loved. She rejected him, believing gossip rather than him. It haunts her.

This is a thickly woven plot, far too deep to retell here. It requires attentive reading, and it’s worth the time. A theme of the book is summed up nicely: “Gossip is mischievous, light and easy to raise, but grievous to bear and hard to get rid of. No gossip ever dies away entirely, if many people voice it: it too is a kind of divinity.” From “Works and Days” by Hesiod, c. 700 BCE.

A second theme of the book deals with how all people are connected, as John Donne tells us in “No Man is an Island,” which is where the often quoted “…ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee” comes from. What happens to one affects all.

Both themes run through the book and the end is a well-earned HEA for more than one couple. Lessons are learned and the importance of listening to what people have to say, but not repeating it as gossip, is finally understood. It’s a well written book that is driven by both the characters and the plot.

I rated this book 4 stars. It was my favorite in this eight-book anthology. It’s a well spent afternoon of thoughtful and entertaining reflections. Plus…it is an excellent book with which to end the anthology. It leaves a good final impression on the reader.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't normally have read this book and had never heard of this author before, but a good friend of mine recommended this book to me so I gave it a try. It was slow to start but soon got my attention. Sweet southern belle Lollie has lived a sheltered protected life. She has always wanted to meet her father who often travels from place to place and has basically abandoned his only daughter. Her older brothers have raised her, as her mother died when she was a baby. Lollie is comically clumsy and can't walk into a room without tripping over something or breaking something. She also loves to talk a lot. She finally gets her wish a goes to the Philippines to meet her father. A chance encounter while at the local market changes everything. Sam is a mercenary on the run. While hiding out he has his first encounter with Lollie or rather the heel of her shoe, and later the tip of her parasol. Unfortunately for Sam this chance encounter will wind up being the bane of his existence. He manages to ditch Lollie at her father's home and hopes that's the last he'll ever see of her. Lollie prepares for her father's arrival trying to look identical to her mother, when she is snatched from her home and held hostage along with Sam and proceeds to drive him crazy with her constant chatter and stupid fears like bugs that are everywhere. When the rebels discover who Lollie is they decide to hold her for ransom. When she is taken to her father Sam escapes and all hell breaks loose. Soon Lollie and Sam are on the run through the jungles and Sam eager to ditch Lollie and get some money for her. Of course more chaos ensues. From a stalker tarantula, to a smart ass myna bird, to a scene in a cook house that was something right out of I Love Lucy. While some people hated either Sam or Lollie I hated them both at times. Lollie was an idiot and a pain at times, and Sam was an asshole to her. But they had their endearing qualities too and were products of their time and upbringing. You can't expect a southern belle from a rich family to know how to survive in the wild jungles. And Sam was out of his element with Lollie having no idea of what to do with her and thinking she was just another bubble headed snob. But in the end they were both flawed but likeable characters and it was a hilarious and enjoyable read.

[Sasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ye gods.

I'm torn between thinking this is a giant rip-off of "Romancing the Stone", and torn between wishing it was more of a giant rip-off of "Romancing the Stone".

I loved "Bewitching", but I was definitely not bewitched by this.

An insecure, bird-brain heroine who messes up EVERYTHING? Check.
An alpha-male hero with an eye patch that really doesn't get its due until the bitter end? Check.
An awful, hands-off father who hasn't seen her in 17 years and couldn't care less about her? Check.
Plot holes? Semi-racist asides? That-totally-wouldn't-happen moments? Checkity check mc'checkster.
A bunch of weird jungle intrigue involving vampire snakes, mercenaries, Spanish vs. Filipino guerrillas, cockfighting, and waterfalls that should be unsurvivable? Checkmate.

The only reason I kept reading is because it is still a better love story than "Twilight", and honestly, we all need distraction from 2020.

[Bea Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, light-hearted jungle adventure romance between a super rough mercenary and a pampered Southern lady. I'm a huge sucker for Romancing the Stone style jungle romances, so of course I was going to enjoy this.

My only grumble, and it's a minor one, is I think Barnett could have reeled in her main character back just a teeny bit. The hero was a little bit too much of a bully and the heroine was a bit to much of a screaming frou-frou. Despite that I still loved them both and had a wonderful time.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Completely different from anything I’ve read. I’m back and forth on 3-4 stars. The story had great potential. However Lollie was TSTL and some of the events that took place were absolutely ridiculous. I get it, it’s fiction but c’mon. Sam I could have loved Sam but I was so sick of this thoughts, thinking Lollie was a twit, a “stupid bitch”, empty headed etc, it goes on and on. I mean she really was an idiot of a character and he is a complete ass but I ready it and I guess it worked. I’m so confused!

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not get very far. About 10% into it. Detail overload. Silly female. Uber male. Left me a bit nauseous. Most women in this world are strong and smart, because they have had to be. This is not difficult to write about. Many wonderful men have not had military training. Maybe something incredible happens later, just couldn't get there.

[Sally Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mercenary and Southern Belle

In the Philippines during the revolution a harden mercenary comes up against a accident prone, shy, sheltered southern belle. Sam and his nemesis clash, spar and fall in love.

[Elaina Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good

Sam and Eulalie what a fun story to read. Her father missed all those years plus more his own fault. I love the humour in her books keeps me wondering what's going to happen next.

[Dusty_Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book drove me crazy.. ending was sweet but what it took to get there Yikes

[wordDreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars!! I am surprised the hero managed to live for 10+ years after marrying that TSTL heroine 😂

[Basbouseolz]

Dnf

[Zoe]

DNF

[Kathy Brickert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such fun!

What a great story! Lots of hysterical parts with some sad and serious bits to keep you reading! Jill Barnett does not disappoint! Great read!

[Salma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Over-the-top comedy that got annoying.