Rating: 
Summary: Old Story reprinted
Review: This book is about the wounded betrayed soul of a woman. And a man who initally is about the worst of the worst. Very sexy, and compelling, but in this day and time slightly repelling as well. I read this book a long time ago. And it was pretty hot stuff. But the main charecter is such a pig for such a long time........oh well a lot of really hot books start off just like this one. Jennifer Sweet
Rating: 
Summary: A little gem
Review: This book, I understand, is a reprinted-reworked version of an older book. I never saw the original, but enjoyed this one very much. The ingredients are classic Lowell: the wounded hero and heroine, each thinking they have nothing to offer anyone after having been wounded earlier in life, she by an insensitive former husband and he by that stock romance figure, the bitchy, predatory, non-maternal ex-wife. The hero, Chase, makes a monumental error in judgment about Nicole and hurts her terribly, then has to figure out how to repair the damage, hoping against hope that he hasn't lost what he didn't realize he had until it was gone.This is not a novel of great sweep; it is just a simple story of misunderstanding, conflict and ultimate redemption and reconciliation, but it is a delightful read. Lowell uses her metaphors well; the volcano, the dance, the drums, the delicate wildlife all add to the atmosphere of the place and flesh out the characters. No surprises, but well worth an afternoon or evening with a cup of tea (especially when you'd rather be where it's always 80 degrees and teeming with life).
Rating:
Summary: Fiery but not lava-hot
Review: This was published before under another name "Fires of Eden". I thought that Chase was too cruel. And although he realized his mistake early, he never really redeemed himself. Also, I thought that Nicole was just a wee bit wimpy to take the kind of treatment she received both from Chase and from her former husband and from these men who have been making passes at her.
Rating: 
Summary: UNSYMPATHETIC CHARACTERS, WEAK PLOT INSULTS HAWAIIANS
Review: When is it going to dawn on writers/Mainlanders running from their mistakes that we in Hawaii don't want them to come here and bring their "baggage" with them? No matter how "at home" you feel, what kind of spiritual moments you think you have here, you will be an outsider until the day you die-preferably somewhere else. Lowell buys into every tourist cliche ever contrived when she misuses famous Hawaiian names and then names her heroine Pele:that alone should be enough to make Kilaeua erupt in indignation. Using the hula for sexual tension and having onstage clinches is another major no-no. Did she do ANY research with local Hawaiians? This is a formula book with the requisite cute meet, sexual tension, sloppy sex, the "bump" when there is a misunderstanding, and the reconciliation. Romance readers should skip it because it appears hurriedly written and poorly edited, not to mention the commodification of Hawaiian culture for a draw, and just plain bad research - I was a fan until read this one. Now it'll be a while before I buy Lowell again and I hope she rewrites this one with more sensitivity to the culture she pillages for material.
Rating: 
Summary: Tepid and embarrassingly dramatic
Review: When the descriptions of Mauna Loa and volcanic regions Kilauea breathes more sprite and fire than the romance, it becomes crystal clear that the classic love story is tepid and embarrassingly melodramatic with one-dimensional characters who are too brittle to hold against the majestic Hawaiian background of the story. Nicole Ballard haunted by the emotional scars and label as frigid by her ex, relives her humiliation when Chase Wilcox, a volcano expert and misoygnst thinks her brazen to break his brother's marriage attempts to seduce her and pour cold water. Nicole is too dishy and wimpish; and Ms. Lowell attempts to cover up the insubstantial plot. The emotional honesty and cool-headed heroines are sadly elusive in this lackadaisical romance that does injustice to the readers as well as the author.
Rating:
Summary: Very Dated Book
Review: You can tell this is a book written a number of years ago. Ms. Lowell may have "updated" some parts, but it is definitely a book from it's time. The dialog was so over the top that I skipped whole sections. Ms. Lowell has the unpleasant habit of having the so-called hero have a pet name for the heroine. This could be cute if handled well, but it gets to be so annoying. I wanted to tell him - she has a name and it's not Butterfly. Stick to Ms. Lowell's more recent attempts. They are quite good.
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