Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment from Katherine Kingsley
Review: I have read all of Kingsley's previous books and enjoyed them, but this one was just dreadful. Both of the characters were unpleasant and unattractive. There was too much back story between when they were presented as children in a previous book and their subsequent meeting in Egypt. Moreover, the circumstances behind their second meeting in Upper Egypt were absolutely preposterous. Kingsley's presentation of Egypt was incorrect in many aspects. Instead of researching the country, she appears to have simply read a number of the (very good) Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody books.
It's a shame that when an author becomes successful, her editors don't feel the need to continue doing their work and pointing out flaws.
Rating:
Summary: What happened?
Review: I was extremely saddened by the complete lack of anything appealing in this book. I truly enjoyed Kingsley's earlier books, especially "The Sound of Snow", "Call Down the Moon", and "In the Wake of the Wind". I was disappointed by "In the Presence of Angels" but I was more than willing to give Kingsley another chances as I had enjoyed her earlier books so much. This book (Lilies on the Lake) almost seems like it was written by a different person, it's truly awful. The main character, Pip, is a selfish, spoiled, arrogant, and manipulative liar. And those are her good points. Other than that she's basically a complete bore. She doesn't get much better by the end of the book, and even though she was supposed to have gone through this "change" to realize her love for John Henry, I must admit that by then I neither cared nor believed that such a truly loathsome person (I had no empathy for her at all) had changed. Mentioning John Henry; I love romance novels, and I must say I usually like men with dashing names and interesting personalities. John Henry has neither. He's cold, chauvinistic, and he seems to constantly want to control Pip. He thinks it's her fault that she's not in love with him and he's spent his entire life trying to change her mind to the point of an almost unhealthy obsession. I don't find him attractive in any way. This is no Mr. Knightly of Jane Austen's "Emma", I wish that John Henry had even an ounce of Mr. Knightly's charm and compassion. Also, dangit, I wish he would pick "John" or "Henry" or even "Jack" for goodness sakes! When I think I John Henry I keep imagining some anal editor or a puritan. Bad form, Ms. Kingsley. Please come up with something more enjoyable and believable next time, your fans miss your talent.
Rating: 
Summary: Rarely do I so actively dislike a hero....
Review: I've liked all of Katherine Kingsley's other books, so I was pleased to find Lilies on the Lake the other day. When I finished reading it, I found myself wondering why on earth these people were supposed to be likeable. I grant you that Kingsley may be presenting gender roles more accurately for the time period that other Regency authors, but I cannot like a story that supports a man simply ordering his wife around, as John Henry does when he ships Pip from Egypt to England against her wishes -- and never an apology or explanation for this to her anywhere in the book. And why should these people have fallen in love, other than their long-lost affection as children? Neither of them ever seems to show their more loveable qualities to the other, so their relationship seems mostly based on poorly understood lust rather than any appreciation of the other person's self. I do like Kingsley's writing, and I liked these characters as they were presented as children in one of her other books, but I cannot like this The Lilies on the Lake. I'll be getting rid of this as soon as possible lest it make me mad again.
Rating: 
Summary: An entertaining historical romance
Review: In 1835 Alexandria, Egypt, Portia "Pip" Merriem fulfills her life long dream of an Egyptian adventure until her chaperon Isabel admits that she fled England pregnant. Four months later in Luxor, Egypt, Isabel goes into labor. The locals get John Henry Lovell to help with the birthing. John Henry is stunned to see Pip; she is the woman he loves who once rejected his overtures because she felt he wanted to use her to gain social status. Her rejection led to his fleeing England. Isabel dies, but the baby is saved. Pip plans to raise the infant as her own. So Pip can avoid scandal back home in Norfolk, England, John Henry proposes marriage. Pip accepts in order for the baby boy not to become disgraced in the eyes of the Ton. She believes John Henry is using her and the child to gain social prominence. Unbeknownst to Pip, he already has attained that status, but now wants what he always desired from her, her love. LILIES ON THE LAKE is an entertaining historical romance that centers on relationships. The story line is well written but neither John Henry nor Pip hooks the audience until late in the novel. He is desperately manipulative and she is spoiled in spite of adopting the infant. That ultimately changes as love flourishes between the trio, but readers must remain patient and sail with the plot. Fans of historical romances will find enjoy Katherine Kingsley's second chance at love tale. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining historical romance
Review: In 1835 Alexandria, Egypt, Portia "Pip" Merriem fulfills her life long dream of an Egyptian adventure until her chaperon Isabel admits that she fled England pregnant. Four months later in Luxor, Egypt, Isabel goes into labor. The locals get John Henry Lovell to help with the birthing. John Henry is stunned to see Pip; she is the woman he loves who once rejected his overtures because she felt he wanted to use her to gain social status. Her rejection led to his fleeing England. Isabel dies, but the baby is saved. Pip plans to raise the infant as her own. So Pip can avoid scandal back home in Norfolk, England, John Henry proposes marriage. Pip accepts in order for the baby boy not to become disgraced in the eyes of the Ton. She believes John Henry is using her and the child to gain social prominence. Unbeknownst to Pip, he already has attained that status, but now wants what he always desired from her, her love. LILIES ON THE LAKE is an entertaining historical romance that centers on relationships. The story line is well written but neither John Henry nor Pip hooks the audience until late in the novel. He is desperately manipulative and she is spoiled in spite of adopting the infant. That ultimately changes as love flourishes between the trio, but readers must remain patient and sail with the plot. Fans of historical romances will find enjoy Katherine Kingsley's second chance at love tale. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Well
Review: In this book, not only is it a recycled plot, the writing is somewhat uneven and I felt no connection with the characters. The hero, being of the opinion that of course he knew what was best for both the heroine and her adopted son, grated. There is little to no insight as to why he is this way. The heroine wasn't developed at all. That is to say, all you saw throughout the book was her reactions to the hero telling her what to do and rebelling. Then apologizing. She spent too much time apologizing to the hero for the way she reacted to him manipulating her. I found that somewhat distasteful to be honest. I enjoyed some of her other works, this I didn't enjoy at all. At the climax of the book, when you're supposed to connect with the characters the most, there is no insight into the emotional state of the heroine. And then she apologizes AGAIN to him for the way she reacted to him. ARGHH! It could have been so much more. The spiritual revelation was simply a tacked on plot device so the author could get on with her life. I don't blame her...
Rating:
Summary: What a chauvinistic book
Review: Much of the excitement of a romance novel is based on the tension and conflict between the characters, right? Well, John Henry deceives, manipulates, and self-protectively shuts out Pip. For her part, Pip treats John Henry badly once when she's a foolish 18, and then, 9 years later, shuts him out, sometimes rudely. All this-and the tortured feelings of the two as they can't come together-makes for a powerful emotional chemistry, which kept this book interesting most of the time. However, what bothered me was the unusual resolution of conflict: that Pip should discover how flawed her character is, obey John Henry, and apologize. Once or twice, John Henry briefly apologizes, but only after Pip confesses and apologizes repentantly first. Never mind that John Henry's deception caused many of their problems. Worse still, in the book's final happily-ever-after scenes, John Henry admonishes Pip to "behave" for the sake of their future. What an uneven and unfair resolution! I've never read so chauvinistic a book.
Rating:
Summary: A disappointment from Katherine Kingsley
Review: Pip Merriem lands herself in a pile of trouble when she finds she is stuck up the Nile River with a friend in the throes of a difficult labor. When she sends for help, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is her childhood friend John Henry Lovell. He is equally stunned to find himself summoned to help the woman he has loved since childhood and whom he fled to India to escape. Determining to wed to protect the now orphaned child and Pip's reputation, the couple is put in close proximity and must face their emotions, past and present.
Katherine Kingsley has taken the much clichéd forced marriage scenario and breathed new life in to it. The glory of ancient Egypt comes alive through Pip's love of the civilization. Suppressed passion flares between the couple, manifesting itself as temper. It is this volatile history shared by Pip and John Henry that makes this story such a commanding read.
Rating: 
Summary: Great twist on a tried and true.
Review: Pip Merriem lands herself in a pile of trouble when she finds she is stuck up the Nile River with a friend in the throes of a difficult labor. When she sends for help, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is her childhood friend John Henry Lovell. He is equally stunned to find himself summoned to help the woman he has loved since childhood and whom he fled to India to escape. Determining to wed to protect the now orphaned child and Pip's reputation, the couple is put in close proximity and must face their emotions, past and present.
Katherine Kingsley has taken the much clichéd forced marriage scenario and breathed new life in to it. The glory of ancient Egypt comes alive through Pip's love of the civilization. Suppressed passion flares between the couple, manifesting itself as temper. It is this volatile history shared by Pip and John Henry that makes this story such a commanding read.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasant Romantic Adventure
Review: This is a very pleasant romantic adventure--easy to read, full of sexual tension and moving. The hero John Henry and heroine Pip rediscover a deep passion and love for one another through becoming surrogate parents for an unfortunate newborn. This situation becomes increasingly complex, sensual and involving. Pip has a satisfying spiritual enlightenment at the end. Enthusiastically recommended.
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