Running Scared

Rating:
Summary: Just OK - More Anne Maxwell than Elizabeth Lowell
Review: Being a long time fan of Ms. Lowell's I have been slightly disappointed with the Rarities series. While the ultimate plot of this book is okay, I feel that classic Lowell characterization is lacking. Ms. Lowell is generally very good at drawing readers into a story but, once drawn in, there is nothing to hold your attention to this story. I greatly missed her usual in-depth approach to writing about characters. I felt that in this story she was merely telling a story. Using the characters as simple vessels instead of attempting to bring them to life. For example, I would have liked to learn more about what made Shane and Risa unique as individuals. That more indepth characterization combined with the over all plot would have made a much better novel.

Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: This book is one of the worst books I have ever read in my life. It started off ok but it dragged on and the suspence was missing to keep me reading. I tried very hard to read this book but it was so boring I kept on falling asleep.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting peek into the world of gold
Review: This was a good book with several significant flaws, but it is still a great read. I recommend it if you want to escape to a world of money and wealth and power and handsome, smart, lucky people; vs not handsome, not smart, unlucky people. These characters are pretty much formula, but the story of the gold is very interesting. Tracing the history of the Celtic gold was facinating. I also liked the fact that the thieves were ignorant to the value of what they had and what they could do with it. This was the strength of the story, how the gold changed hands and how it effected the lives of those who touched it before it finally ended up in the collection.

The Risa and Shane romance never grabbed me. First of all, neither of them were developed as real characters. And the way they consumated their relationship was not credible, it was cheap. It was not an appropriate moment for lust. The fact that they rushed into marriage made it even less credible. But, that aside, I loved the story about the gold and the greed and the obsession. I recommend this book as a good read for a rainy weekend. It will have your eyes glowing for the gold.