Elusive Passion

Rating:
Summary: Big disappointment
Review: After slogging through ELUSIVE PASSION by Kathryn Smith, I concluded that logic lost out to Avon Books' notion of romance novel basics. This debut really suffers for it. The lead characters lack spark, sizzle, or chemistry, and their conficts appear contrived and forced.

This author demonstrates a limited descriptive vocabulary (our hero's lips "curved" in a smile in passage after passage.). Our heroine, a professional pianist, rarely goes near a piano--exept on the concert stage--because she's so busy investigating the murder of a loose-living courtesan friend. The Marquess hero wants her for his mistress for no clear reason except, as far as I could tell, accessibility.

In place of Regency period detail, there are anachronisms. The hero often considers having "sex" with the mysterious Varya. She experiences "stress". He fails to "use protection." What century are we dealing with here?

Elusive Passion offers various...romance plot cliches all cooked together in one, undigestable lump.

Rating:
Summary: Unique, passionate and loads of fun
Review: Check out this wonderfully written novel if you're in the mood for something new and refreshing. Anyone who reads it is bound to put Kathryn Smith on the auto-buy list! The characters of Miles and Varya are well developed, the love scenes are scorching, and the action is non-stop!

Rating:
Summary: Unique, passionate and loads of fun
Review: Check out this wonderfully written novel if you're in the mood for something new and refreshing. Anyone who reads it is bound to put Kathryn Smith on the auto-buy list! The characters of Miles and Varya are well developed, the love scenes are scorching, and the action is non-stop!

Rating:
Summary: Elusive Passion-- a Fabulous Debut by Kathryn Smith
Review: Elusive Passion (Avon Historicals, 2001) by new author Kathryn Smith is a fabulous debut that will no doubt leave readers breathless for more! From it's uniquely intriguing opening scenes, to it's lushly satisfying ending, Elusive Passion takes readers and on an unforgettable journey through Regency-era London. Ms. Smith's uncanny knack for detail, coupled with her obvious penchant for creating both refreshingly interesting characters and plots results in a story that readers will thoroughly enjoy. Kathryn Smith is bound to become one of the romance's genre's finest authors. Her star is definitley on the rise, so be sure to catch it with Elusive Passion!

Rating:
Summary: A great debut. This Regency historical mystery is teriffic
Review: In 1814, in a nasty part of London, Marquess Miles Christian, working undercover for the Home Office, pretends intoxication to catch some vicious thieves. His ploy fails to net the thugs, but as he begins to leave, a masked woman holds a pistol on Miles. Varya Ulyanova accuses Miles of murdering her best friend Isabella Mancini, his former mistress. Christian has an iron clad alibi on the date that someone strangled Isabella, but Varya does not believe him and leaves him unconscious.

Miles begins his own inquiries into the identity of his female assailant and into Bella's killer. His investigation leads him to Bella's friend Varya. As they fall in love while working together, seeking a killer, the murderer turns his/her attention towards Varya.

ELUSIVE PASSION is an action packed Regency romantic mystery that centers on a who-done-it. The lead couple is a delightful duet who intermingle love and an investigation into a strong relationship that readers will adore even as they enjoy the clever story line. Fans of Regency romances and historical mysteries (in spite of a cover targeting readers of the former genre) will enjoy Katherine Smith's debut novel.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL...FUNNY....ROMANTIC
Review: Kathryn Smith does it again. I loved this book. There were parts that made me laugh so hard that I almost fell off my bed. I really liked the main characters....Great read!

Rating:
Summary: Exciting debut novel.
Review: Miles Christian, Marquess of Wynter, was abducted at gunpoint and accused of a terrible murder. He thought his abductor Varya Ulyanova part of one of the lowest classes of society, but he was terribly wrong. Together, Miles and the "Elusive Varya," as she had been called in London society, tried to solve the mystery of the murder of Isabella Mancini, Miles' latest mistress and a friend of Varya's. Their detective story turned into one of intrigue and deception, and finally, love. Kathryn Smith's debut is an exciting one. The mystery and romance are balanced beautifully with deception and passion at every turn.. If you like your stories intense and sensual, this is one you won't want to miss.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting debut novel.
Review: Miles Christian, Marquess of Wynter, was abducted at gunpoint and accused of a terrible murder. He thought his abductor Varya Ulyanova part of one of the lowest classes of society, but he was terribly wrong. Together, Miles and the "Elusive Varya," as she had been called in London society, tried to solve the mystery of the murder of Isabella Mancini, Miles' latest mistress and a friend of Varya's. Their detective story turned into one of intrigue and deception, and finally, love. Kathryn Smith's debut is an exciting one. The mystery and romance are balanced beautifully with deception and passion at every turn.. If you like your stories intense and sensual, this is one you won't want to miss.

Rating:
Summary: no trust is not romantic
Review: The only reason this book received two stars instead of one, is that I think that Kathryn Smith can actually right, and the rest of the story, when it was not focused on the complete lack of trust between Miles and Varya, was all right.

However, Miles and Varya's story was not romantic at all. Miles repeatedly did not trust her, despite the fact she never actually did anything, other than the first scene, to break his trust. Varya was far to forgiving and had no backbone. He insulted her readily, and she would get angry for all of five seconds. I found their relationship very frustrating. Especially towards the end when Miles claimed to "care about her deeply", and yet still put her in harms way by introducing her to someone she obviously had no interest in being seen by. And after her "secret" is discovered, he is angry with her because she did not tell him. IT WAS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS.

Other than hating the main characters, especially Miles, I also found it a little creepy that they had no qualms getting together despite the fact that Miles had broken Varya's friend's heart (a friend who was like a sister). Granted she was dead... but it was still odd.

Rating:
Summary: Great Debut
Review: Varya, gifted pianist and so very elusive and mysterious--- not a bit of scandal touches her which is why - although she 'works' for a living and lives extremely well she is accepted and sought after by members of the ton.

Miles Christian, the Marquess of Wynter, working undercover is abducted at gunpoint, accused of murder, then knocked out silly -- by a woman who he soon discovers is the elusive Varya. Although he feels furious towards her she is still the most magnificent creature he has ever seen and she arouses in him feelings he had long since buried after the death of his wife.

For Varya, she cannot believe the attraction for the man she believed killed her very best friend. His very presence is enough for her to throw caution to the wind but more than feelings of betrayal to her dead friend, the fear of discovery of her true identity keeps both of them playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse as they agree to team up to uncover the murderer. Caught in a compromising position, Varya reluctantly agrees to 'pose' as Miles's mistress in order to continue their investigations even though the ton's fickle delight over her changed dramatically. Later she would be determined not to relinquish her hard-won independence to a man's desire -- unless she can capture his hardened heart.
This novel took off from page one and kept the suspense and excitement right through to the end. --- The main characters were very well fleshed out and interesting and I loved the scene where Varya got Miles 'plastered' during a card game on vodka. Funny, sensual and with a nice little mystery --- excellent debut novel for an up and coming author.