Intrigued

Rating:
Summary: Quality or Quantity
Review: Dear Mrs. Small- I started reading your books from a hospital bed and have loved all of the characters you've created. I even plan to name my own daughter Skye. But this last book was so white-washed. Characters that I looked forward to reading about, I suddenly found so boring and predictable. Have you ever considered writing one of the O'Malley stories from a man's point of view. How even a man can be objectified by a Queen. Think about it. All in all, I remain your loyal reader. Even your worst effort is better than some-others best work.

Rating:
Summary: Mixed Feelings
Review: Even a pedestrian effort by Bertrice Small is better than most other authors' best, but she's been resting on her laurels for about a decade now. It's probably time to face the truth-- she's written seven or eight extraordinary books, but everything since "Wild Jasmine" has failed to live up to "Skye O'Malley," "All the Sweet Tomorrrows," "Love Wild and Fair," "The Kadin," "Unconquered," "Beloved," "A Love for All Time," and perhaps "Lost Love Found" and "This Heart of Mine." It's hard to put one's finger on the real problem with "Intrigued." It isn't as silly as "Hellion" or as dull as "Betrayed," but there's something about the main characters that makes it impossible to maintain interest in them. Autumn Rose Leslie romps around Europe and has a lot of sex with royalty and the nobility. But we never care the way we were made to care when, say, James I forced Cat Leslie into an affair that destroyed her marriage in "Love Wild and Fair." Even Jasmine feels like a weak retread of Skye and is scarcely recognizable as the feisty heroine of "Wild Jasmine" (let's not talk about "Darling Jasmine," shall we?) The entire book feels like we're watching chess pieces being moved around on a board; that's how one-dimensional and uninteresting all the characters are. I'm sure I'll read Bertrice Small's upcoming books, because I can't forget that she once was the most extraordinary writer that romance writing has ever known. But her era of genius seems, unfortunately, to be over.

Rating:
Summary: Something is Missing
Review: Everytime I read one of Small's novels, I get so caught up in the rich, lush prose that I feel that I am an actual participant in the story, not just a reader. Not this time. With past novels I have plotted with Skye, struggled and wept with Catriona, shared captivity with Cyra, and fought Roman conquerors with Zenobia. But this book just did not sweep me off my feet as her other books have done. Perhaps I had too great expectations for this heroine. After all, she is the granddaughter of the brillant Cat Leslie and the great-granddaughter of the legendary Skye O'Malley. She was bound to be a magnificent addition to the story. However, I found her to be weak, cynical, and flighty. Usually she came off as whiny and spoiled as India with an occasional display of practicality like Fortune. Perhaps, it is that with Autumn the was no true villian to battle, no great cause to fight for (other than complaining about the English roundheads and the one assistance to King Louis.) Autumn had no goals, except when she decided to seduce King Charles II so she could get an English title. (Can anyone see Skye or Cat prostituting themselves over something so minor?) There was no strong, underlying plot. No Aidan trying to get home to her husband. No Valentina trying to find her father's identity. Autumn just merely existed as time passed. No life of adventure. Heck, not even a life! All she pretty much did was whine to her mother. The relationship between her and Gabriel was so empty. The potential was there for some amazing scenes, but his and Autumn's relationship was pretty much glossed over and focusing on the rest of the family. Perhaps if this were another author, I would not be so critical. This is Bertrice Small! The woman responsible for pulling her readers into the lives of her characters by the rich tapestry of her brillant writing. I say, "Take us across the Atlantic, Mrs. Small. Give us one of Fortune's children. Create for us the wild, brave, new world of the early colonies where only the very strong can survive. Give us adventure and a brave new heroine that will show us O'Malley spirit."

Rating:
Summary: Intigued with Intrigued
Review: I am a devout lover of all of the Betrice Small books. I especially enjoy the Skye O'Malley books. I bought this book because having read the other ones I noticed that Autumn was discussed in them. As I began to read it Betrice Small began to entwine me in this net where I am living in France and England with them and that I am part of the family. Autumn's story is different from the ones that I have read. She is very practical and does not love very easily as opposed to Skye and Jasmine. I would recommend this book because it is part of the series and you are with the whole family again.

Rating:
Summary: Intigued with Intrigued
Review: I am a devout lover of all of the Betrice Small books. I especially enjoy the Skye O'Malley books. I bought this book because having read the other ones I noticed that Autumn was discussed in them. As I began to read it Betrice Small began to entwine me in this net where I am living in France and England with them and that I am part of the family. Autumn's story is different from the ones that I have read. She is very practical and does not love very easily as opposed to Skye and Jasmine. I would recommend this book because it is part of the series and you are with the whole family again.

Rating:
Summary: Quality or Quantity
Review: I bought this book expecting a good and entertaining read as I got from most of Bertrice Small's previous books (and I've read them all). I was terribly dissapointed in the characters, no depth or real personality at all. Someone else mentioned they couldn't imagine Skye prostuting herself for an English title and I couldn't agree more. I've given this book two stars and those stars go to the character of Skye, whose ghost chased the English nobility who were living in her home out. It's pretty bad when a ghost is the most interesting character in a book like this.

I won't be rushing out to buy future Bertice Small books and paying $18-$20 (CDN), I'll just wait until they make it to the library where if the book was terrible, at least I got my money's worth.

Rating:
Summary: A complete and absolute waste of money
Review: I bought this book expecting a good and entertaining read as I got from most of Bertrice Small's previous books (and I've read them all). I was terribly dissapointed in the characters, no depth or real personality at all. Someone else mentioned they couldn't imagine Skye prostuting herself for an English title and I couldn't agree more. I've given this book two stars and those stars go to the character of Skye, whose ghost chased the English nobility who were living in her home out. It's pretty bad when a ghost is the most interesting character in a book like this.

I won't be rushing out to buy future Bertice Small books and paying $18-$20 (CDN), I'll just wait until they make it to the library where if the book was terrible, at least I got my money's worth.

Rating:
Summary: Great book, but not as good as the first in the series
Review: I enjoyed this book. While it was not as great as the Skye O'Malley, All the Sweet Tomorrows, or Kadin, this book is much better than the story about India (Bedazzled?). The plot may be a bit unreal, but hey, this is fiction after all. I am glad there were clips about what happened to some of Skye's family, but was saddened in the end when it was noted that all of Skye's children had died and that Jasmine was in her seventies. It makes me want to read All the Sweet Tomorrows again. While Jasmine is wonderful, she is not as magnificent as Skye. All in all, a great read a must for fans of Skye's saga.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant hints of past stories
Review: I just finished this book and overall I was pleased with the outcome. Harriet Klausner gives a good summary of the plot so I won't repeat. Longtime fans will see that the book has a hint of past plots. However, Autumn's personality does justice to her female ancestors. Bertrice Small does a good job of weaving historical events into the events of Autumn's life.

I still find that Bertrice Small is one of the best writers in the subgenre of historical romance. Her plots have substance in the sense that many historical figures make appearances into the story and by virtue of the main characters' stations in life, the appearances are somewhat feasible. Bertrice Small had a few books in the past few years that were missing her magic, but with "Besieged" and "Intrigued" she has returned.

Back to "Intrigued" .... What I enjoyed most about this book was watching the growth that Autumn experiences. She moves from sheltered teenager to a wise woman, learning from and accepting her mistakes along the way, making her seem much more human.

I would recommend this book both to long time fans and readers who have never read her before now. This book will whet the appetite for future books in the series as well as a revisitation of past books.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: I love historical romances that are not afraid to actually have historic facts in them. Intrigued is set during the Commonwealth Period of England. That is right after King Charles is executed by Cromwell and his ilk. This was a great book, and it shows that Bertrice loves history, and is not afraid to show it. From France to England, Vineyards, to Court, this is a great page turner, with lots of romance that Ms. Small is famous for. A must read for any Bertrice Small fan.