Rating: 
Summary: Well written, but not what I wanted or expected...
Review: "Lions and Lace" was a very well written book...However, it wasnt one that I particularly loved. Trevor and Alana were both frustrating to me. First of all, Alana was frustrating in her refusal to communicate openly. I will say that she broke down and was honest before Trevor, but it was just tiring reading about her supressing her emotions day in and day out. As for Trevor, well, he was mean for 95% of the story. I actually enjoy a mean, brooding hero. But, the man has to show growth and redeem himself...Trevor, even though he would on occassion show a bit of softness, refused to break down and profess his love to Alana until almost the last page. This annoyed me because even though he was undeniably attractive, I just could not understand what Alana saw in him to make her love him so.
All in all, this was a good read, but it missed being a keeper for me because I couldnt fully trust Trevor.
Rating:
Summary: Well written, but not what I wanted or expected...
Review: "Lions and Lace" was a very well written book...However, it wasnt one that I particularly loved. Trevor and Alana were both frustrating to me. First of all, Alana was frustrating in her refusal to communicate openly. I will say that she broke down and was honest before Trevor, but it was just tiring reading about her supressing her emotions day in and day out. As for Trevor, well, he was mean for 95% of the story. I actually enjoy a mean, brooding hero. But, the man has to show growth and redeem himself...Trevor, even though he would on occassion show a bit of softness, refused to break down and profess his love to Alana until almost the last page. This annoyed me because even though he was undeniably attractive, I just could not understand what Alana saw in him to make her love him so.
All in all, this was a good read, but it missed being a keeper for me because I couldnt fully trust Trevor.
Rating: 
Summary: A book that will take your breath away!
Review: Back when pedigree & exclusivity was 'in', & scandal was 'out' in New York high society. Back when all Irish were looked upon as ignorant laborers. Back when brains & money meant nothing even if you'd made something of yourself. Trevor Sheridan & Alana Van Alen challenged the norm & dared to take the biggest gamble of their lives. Once in a while, there comes a book touches us so deeply & satisfies our innermost dreams & desires. Read this! You won't be sorry! Don't miss the sequel: Christal's own story in "Rifles & Roses" which was retitled "Fair is the Rose."
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!!
Review: First, to all of the other reviews, I have no idea what they were thinking. this book had it all. In all the years that I have been reading books, I never felt my hear tflutter as it did with this one. Trevor is a true romantic, his speech in the end of this book proved that. He loved his sister, yes, and because he didn't want her to be hurt he went to great lengths. Alana loved him and he clearly loved her but he had to get over the awful things that he had done ot her and really open up so that he could love.
Rating: 
Summary: good brother, bad partner
Review: i agree with saki. it was a good book but i dont understand why the hero loved his sister more than the heroine. his kindness to his family does not make up for what he did to alana. he never even said sorry. even after chapter 27, when he found out that alana was good he still continued to treat her the same way, he was still taunting her knickerbocker background. this book was well written but it's true that when it comes to romance it was disappointing. i was also wondering, in the end when alana was about to pack her things and leave, she was feeling sad when she was thinking of "the tender times she and trevor laughed together". what was she thinking about??? there were NO tender moments before the third to the last page of the book! even in the last page, the hero never smiled at the heroine. if you want to read about a great brother, then trevor is your man. but if you want to read about a good partner, stay FAR away from him.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the love in this love story?
Review: I must have read a different version of this book than the other reviewers. I have to admit, the style of reading kept me interested and hoping that things would work out for this couple. I just kept waiting and waiting for Trevor to do something nice, show a little compasion for Alana but it never came. She'd have to be a masocist to stay with him, he may have had a kind thought for her, but he never let on to her. FINALLY, at the second to last page, he WRITES her a note and says he cares for her, but even then doesn't fight for her. As a final disappointment, the subplots are never resolved. This could have been great, I was looking forward to watching them work things out, but they never really did. She was a blind fool not to take off with the brother.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the love in this love story?
Review: I must have read a different version of this book than the other reviewers. I have to admit, the style of reading kept me interested and hoping that things would work out for this couple. I just kept waiting and waiting for Trevor to do something nice, show a little compasion for Alana but it never came. She'd have to be a masocist to stay with him, he may have had a kind thought for her, but he never let on to her. FINALLY, at the second to last page, he WRITES her a note and says he cares for her, but even then doesn't fight for her. As a final disappointment, the subplots are never resolved. This could have been great, I was looking forward to watching them work things out, but they never really did. She was a blind fool not to take off with the brother.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Written Story
Review: I read A Man to Slay Dragons and was looking for another book by this author. A clerk at a used bookshop recommended and then located this book for me. I was pretty tired of this genre with some exceptions; this book changed that. I wish there were more well-written historical romances like it. First, what makes it different is that it is a historical romance that is set in New York at the dawn of the Gilded Age--not the usual romance novel setting of England, Scotland, or the wild west. I learned some history about New York that I was unaware of while reading an enjoyable love story. Secondly, the cast of characters are interesting and developed, not the usual one-dimensional sidekicks, hero, and goody-two-shoes heroine. The story is centered around Trevor Sheridan, a self-made American millionare with roots in Ireland and a chip on his shoulder about his Irish birth, and Alana Sheridan, a New York knickerbocker, who moves in the first circles and hides a tragic family history. Trevor marries Alana as an act of revenge against the knickerbocker society that shuns him and his self-made wealth. Outside of their marrage, it appears that Alana broke tradition by marrying "outside" her class in a love match. The reality is that Trevor will never let her forget the reason for their marriage--revenge against her and all of high-society. How she convinces him that her love is real and that they belong together makes for a wonderful story. The main story is nicely assisted by two subplots involving Trevor's brother, Eagan, and sister, Mara, who also find love in this story. And, Alana's sister's story is continued in Fair as the Rose. A sequel that is just as good as the original. Since reading Lions and Lace, I've made a point to read all her books, including McKinney's latest book, Lady Moonlight, which revisits this era and involves Trevor Sheridan as a possibly distant relative of the heroine. Unfortunately, although it wasn't a bad read, it wasn't up to this standard. These books by McKinney are as magical as Lions and Lace: A Man to Slay Dragons, When Angels Fall, The Ground She Walks Upon, and Fair is the Rose. Her other books have been readable but not as smooth and developed as these.
Rating: 
Summary: A second look at Lions and Lace
Review: I've reread this novel several times since my last review and unfortunately, my opinions haven't changed. To be fair though, I admit that Lions and Lace is very well written, but poor when it comes to the romantic scheme of things. The way McKinney describes the time period is impressive because you really feel as if you are a part of it, and she has a way of being detailed without going overboard. Even her side characters are vivid. They all come alive and have their own side stories to tell; and all this is done without overshadowing the main couple.
But for all her research and creativity, I'm going to have to give L&L a bad word, but I'm going to make a distinction and be very specific about this. As a book, Lions and Lace is exceptional, but as a romance it is a flop (in my humble opinion). I have nothing against cruel heroes (I even love some of them), but I was disappointed with how Trevor Sheridan treated Alana throughout the love story...throughout their* 'love' story.
I think one of the most important things in a romance novel with a cruel hero is that he must be redeemed at some point in the novel. I don't want him to change and become a 'good boy' - part of his appeal is his darkness, and I acknowledge that, but I feel that if a hero treats his heroine unkindly, he owes it to her to make up for his bad behavior. He must* show that he is sorry and it becomes a must for me, to see him behaving in ways that convince me that he does love the heroine. My problem with Trevor is that he spends 99% of the novel fighting his love for Alana and he admits it only in the third to the last page (literally). I DO realize and understand why he does and says those awful things to her but my question is, how am I to be convinced that he loves her when not once do I see the transformation of his feelings from love to hate?
His hatred for Alana was apparent throughout, then all of a sudden when she is about to leave he writes her a note (which is another disappointment because he could not even go to her himself and beg her forgiveness- she had to come to him instead despite all she endured), and says that he loves her. I've noticed that a lot of people admire Trevor Sheridan because of his love for his family. I myself, have no doubt that he would kill to protect that little sister of his- Alana was right when she thought that "as a brother, he was a saint". But would he do the same for Alana? I think not. The most important thing is...in order to be able to tell that a man loves another, that a man would fight for that loved one, that he would do anything to protect and make that loved one happy- you have to be able to SEE his love in the things he does for her. Trevor may not be a 'cuddly', expressive man but there was never a doubt that he loved Mara and Eagan to the death.
Trevor Sheridan DOES have a great capacity to love. It is a pity though, that his great capacity for loving, fighting for and protecting does not extend to Alana Van Alen. And that is the reason why I cannot appreciate this story for there is no love in it. I would've forgiven Sheridan for all his cruelty towards Alana had I seen his love for her- but that eloquent note of his in the end was hardly proof for me. He never even apologized. Whenever I reread Lions and Lace and take note of Trevor saying such
sweet, wonderful things to his sister ("I want you to never doubt that I'd do anything for you Mara...I want tonight to be as glorious as your dreams"), I compare it to the things he says to Alana. When I first read Lions and Lace I was so excited- I couldn't wait for Trevor to realize his mistake and treat Alana the way he treated Mara (if not even BETTER). I was convinced by that example above, that this hard man could be loving- that once he got over what ailed him he would take back all the unkind words he said and worship the ground his wife walked on. I did not see that.
He never said that he wanted Alana to be happy (whereas he says "I want Mara to be happy" or "I won't let them hurt Mara", a dozen times in the book).
I can give so many examples but I think I've already made my point, and in doing so I feel rather sad. Trevor Sheridan had so much potential to be a great romance novel hero but it just never happened.
A great brother, yes. But a husband? No.
Rating:
Summary: Favorite book of all time!
Review: In the 15 years as an avid reader, I have read over a thousand romance books, and will without hesitation say that this is definitely the best book I have ever read. This book never fails to lift me up when I'm down and out. So, after reading some of the poor reviews, I felt compelled to defend it. Some of the reviews complain of the hero's cruelty. I would say said readers may have misunderstood the character of Sheridan. One should keep in mind that this story is set in 1880s, where Irish are still an outcast despite their wealth. So Sheridan, being an Irish and considering the limp in his leg, would naturally feel unworthy to have a woman like Alana. He tried pushing Alana away because he feels that Alana should have somebody better than him. That in itself is quite endearing and romantic. Also, feeling unworthy, he usually holds back, and is suspicious of Alana's declarations of love. But, never in the book did I feel any hatred from Sheridan towards Alana. In the middle of the book, we can see that Sheridan already love Alana, but only declared his love for her at the end of the book, after coming to terms with himself. In the sequel, Fair is the Rose, you can witness the kind of love that Sheridan is capable of -- he just has to conquer his insecurities in the first book. This will be the book that I will read and re-read over and over again. Thank you Ms. McKinney for writing this book!
|
