Jade Island (Nova Audio Books)

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!! One Of Elizabeth Lowell's Best!
Review: "Jade Island" is book two in Elizabeth Lowell's Donovan series. I think it is her best novel of the four. As always, Ms. Lowell's writing style is tight, her characters so alive, (the Donovans are a terrific bunch that I cannot read enough about), and her plot and subplots are riveting - filled with adventure and suspense; not to mention her love/sex scenes, which are always hot! I especially like Lianne Blakely, a smart, independent lady who knows what she is about...and how to stand up for herself.

Kyle Donovan, a gemologist, has decided to go into business for himself, leaving the family corporation, Donovan International. On his own, Kyle can travel the globe at will, searching for gems, antiquities...and adventure. Archer Donovan, Kyle's brother and CEO of the family business, hires Kyle as a consultant to investigate the authenticity of "The Jade Emperor," purported to be recently acquired by a billionaire collector. The piece should be in the vaults of Hong Kong's Tang Family. If it is not there, then the priceless jade has been stolen and the theft could provoke an international incident. The US and Chinese governments are investigating also.

Lianne Blakely, a noted gemologist, is the illegitimate daughter of Johnny Tang. The Tang family does not accept her as one of their own, but trusts her and works with her because of her professional experience and her unacknowledged family connection. Her father asks her to seduce Kyle Donovan in order to have an inside track to Donovan International. The Tangs need the Donovan's for their continued success in the gem market.

Kyle, unaware of Lianne's motives, is out to seduce her himself. He wants to have an inside line to her family, and find out as much information as he can about the stolen jade. Archer, Kyle and the Tangs suspect that Lianne is involved in the theft.

The attraction between Kyle and Lianne is dynamite. The plot's tension increases when someone attempts to murder her. The research on jade is meticulous and the information fascinating. The history of Chinese family traditions is richly told, and more valuable to this reader than precious jade. What a fabulous book! I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointed!!!
Review: I must say that I felt Jade Island was the worst book I have ever read by Elizabeth Lowell. I have always loved her books!!! They were safe!!! When everyone else was going to what was "popular" she stayed with passion, intrigue, and lots of chemistry. That is no longer so. I felt Jade Island didn't have characters I liked. Kyle seemed weak and depended on his older brother way too much. I felt that Lianne was a sorry imitation of all the heroines of Elizabeth Lowell's past. I really didn't like any thing about her. And what is with today's authors making sex into some "it's no big deal thing"??? Isn't the genre of Romance supposed to be making a story about something amazing happening between two people? Kyle and Lianne were so commonplace about having sex it made my stomach turn. I have always loved the sparks that fly in an Lowell/Maxwell novel, but I must say that as much as I have loved her novels in the past, if the next one isn't better Elizabeth Lowell I will no longer be a novel I pick sight unseen.

Rating:
Summary: One of my all-time favorite romances!
Review: Loved this book. Loved the jade and the Chinese cultural issues and the Donovan family! Maybe the romance got less play then in your average romance novel, but the crime caper was great and Kyle and Lianne were wonderful! Both smart, funny, sexy people. Much rounder characters than typical and great banter. The romance scenes were also quite hot.