Madeleine Ker

This is part of the books I inherited from my grandmother after she died. As a teen she would lend me volumes of Harlequin novels--from the 70's/80's/90's--because they interested me. I'll admit something off the top, I loved this book. I mean I loved it with a pretty fierce passion. I must have read it at least a dozen times between the ages of 13 and 16. And that's even with the almost not quite forced consent love scene that nearly happens.

I think what grabbed me as a young teen was the fact that Sophie remade herself (or rather unmade what she had become for a role in a TV show) and hey it grabbed the attention of the guy she was pining for. At the time I read this originally that was my dream--to suddenly flourish and the guy I had been nursing a crush on to notice me and be like 'Where have you been?' and I'd laugh and say 'right under your nose' with a dramatic kiss. So yeah I may have projected just a little.

On a re-read as an adult (I haven't touched this book in gosh about 7 years? maybe more) I realized that they both need a LOT of serious therapy. I mean it. Sophie needs help because she let something get to her so badly that a year later she decides to get revenge on the man by getting him sexually frustrated. Kyle needs help because he then wants revenge for her revenge and all buts tells Sophie he's seducing her (younger) cousin. Meanwhile they're both so hung up on each other that they can't eat or sleep or even hold a conversation properly.

Still I admire Ker in her ability to still make me want to let them get together. They deserve each other, though I find it...unrealistic that Sophie would give up everything she worked for just because she suddenly has Kyle. I mean really? But that seems to be really popular in Harlequin novels of this era.… (more)

"Hero"is a jerk-off who justifies treating the lady badly because he just wants her so much but you know, women just can't be trusted. The heroine is super competent and super classy and doesn't take his bs sitting down, so rating up a bit.

I must say though, a white lady wearing a geisha costume (at least it was not a costume in a package but a real kimono and stuff) to a fancy dress party in actual Japan strikes me as incredibly tasteless and if it had occurred in a more recently written book I would be much less forgiving.… (more)

This story involves Igor Stravinsky, Nazi submarines, the Kennedy family, Jewish girls and I don't know what all else. Everyone (except the submarine) on the same ocean liner headed to America from France. Possibly the last ship to be able to leave France with freedom. At first I wondered where the author was going with all that. The story went nowhere slowly. The characters were not appealing, the "history" far-fetched. I didn't finish reading it because I began to be nauseated by all the characters, except maybe Stravinsky and the boy. Your mileage may vary, so don't take my word for it.… (more)

Forced to abandon her dreams of completing medical school in order to support her profligate parents, Katya reluctantly accepts a position as a governess in Vienna. Though she quickly grows fond of both her peculiar young charge and the child's father, their safety is very soon threatened by the the onset of World War II, Hitler's sudden annexation of Austria and unrest in the streets.

There has been a whole string of recent books I have had complaints about, and I feel kind of bad because often the negative aspects make up a greater portion of my review due to the extent to which they irritated me. I consider Gabriel to be one of my favorite authors, going all the way back to his epic The Original Sin which swept me away during formative teenage years, but unfortunately this is another of those instances in which most of the notes I took while reading were about things that were driving me nuts. Most of the characters were like caricatures, especially the villainous — no subtlety. Katya and Thor's relationship felt weirdly abrupt with few to no supporting scenes suggesting a progression of intimacy. It was also almost gag-inducingly saccharine ("You are everything I've always wanted in a man"). Katya herself comes across as naively lacking in common sense. Minutes after she has been beaten by a mob in the street she is heard to utter, "I don't think things are that bad." ??? Over and over throughout the story she has opportunities to avoid conflict/detection by blending in or going through the motions, whether it be remaining silent, saluting or wearing a Nazi badge, but nearly every single time she chooses the worst action, thereby continually risking her and others' safety. Also disappointing was Thor's false choice as he justified to Katya his reasons for remaining in Austria. They could absolutely have fled together.

Having said all that, I thought the beginnings of WWII from a more unfamiliar Austrian perspective was new and interesting, and (assuming this is based on a mostly accurate timeline) I was both surprised and disappointed at how quickly Austrians ate up the propaganda. There were numerous moments and dialogue that I felt were pointed, though fitting, warnings for today's United States and increasingly conservative Europe. I really wanted to like this book more than I did — there were just too many things that made me want to pull my hair out.… (more)