The Enchanted Land by Jude Deveraux Review

Last Summer I stumbled across a box of old Jude Deveraux books at a yardsale. I ended up paying a few bucks for the whole box and I’ve been slowly working my way through them. I love old historical romance novels, especially Julie Garwood and Johanna Lindsey (but you already know this). Deveraux is another favorite, but sometimes Deveraux can take extreme directions with the storyline, which I do not appreciate.

One of the ones I read this was The Enchanted Land, which I thought had a great premise. Morgan must marry and live in New Mexico for one year or she will never receive her inheritance. She meets the rugged Seth Colter at a local dance and proposes a business arrangement: one year of marriage for $25,000. Seth accepts, but not because of the money – he can’t help be fascinated with the tiny woman.

The story starts out wonderfully. Seth and Morgan are full of chemistry as their friendship and love grows. There is humor in their banter and I couldn’t wait for their marriage to start working. If you haven’t read The Enchanted Land then I suggest you stop reading because I’m about to reveal some major spoilers.

As Morgan and Seth head to New Mexico they encounter a lot of misfortunes – mainly Morgan getting kidnapped. Add in Seth’s raging jealousy and you have the works of a classic old school romance. As Morgan and Seth finally reach their New Mexico home (about 30% through the book) I realize that Deveraux is probably going to start throwing curveballs into the story. Boy, was I right. Add in another kidnapping and when Morgan is sold into white slavery by a devious and dastardly neighbor I give up…seriously. I put the book down and decided to move on. Why? At the point the Morgan is sold into white slavery, the story is 50% done. That leaves 200 or so pages for Deveraux to throw any random kink into the story. Who knows…maybe a sharknado!

I know it sounds like I’m complaining, but I started out falling madly in love with Morgan and Seth. Their friendship flowed easily and they seemed to be really developing genuine feelings for each other. This is how I like my romances. I’m not a big fan of “every single thing that goes wrong does “ storylines. So I gave up….for an hour.

I wanted to see how Deveraux wrapped it all up. The separation of Morgan and Seth lasts for 3 years with one meeting that results in their son Adam. When Seth finally realized that Morgan never betrayed him and that she wasn’t willing working as a prostitute (he was mistaken about that as well), he is determined to seek her forgiveness. But first he must conceal his identity and get a job on her ranch. Sigh.

I’m glad I finished this novel because I wanted to see how Deveraux wrapped up the story. If you are determined to read The Enchanted Land I suggest you read the first hundred pages and then the last hundred pages…trust me and skip everything in the middle. I think you will find yourself just as aggravated at all the crap that is thrown into this story.

Most romantic book...

Day 5 – most romantic books you’ve ever read

I have read tons and tons of romance. You know this. Out of all of them, the truly most romantic book I think I have ever read is Annie’s Song by Catherine Anderson. Anderson creates a masterful love story that rises out of tragedy. It is sweet, pure, and heartbreaking. This is a true romance story. Anderson takes her time with the characters and how they get to know each other and then fall deeply in love.



 

Annie Trimble lives in a solitary world that no one enters or understands. As delicate and beautiful as the tender blossoms of the Oregon spring, she is shunned by a town that misinterprets her affliction. But cruelty cannot destroy the love Annie holds in her heart. Alex Montgomery is horrified to learn his wild younger brother forced himself on a helpless "idiot girl." Tormented by guilt, Alex agrees to marry her and raise the babe she carries as his own. But he never dreams he will grow to cherish his lovely, mute, misjudged Annie...her childlike innocence, her womanly charms and the wondrous way she views her world. And he becomes determined to break through the wall of silence surrounding her; to heal...and to healed by Annie's sweet song of love.

My Love Affair with Johanna Lindsey

         

      We all have our guilty pleasure authors. Authors, no matter how terrible their material may have gotten over the years, we are still loyal to. I have always loved reading but my love of romance novels can be pretty much summed up with one author: Johanna Lindsey. The first book I ever read by Lindsey was Gentle Rogue (Malory Family #3). I picked this up at the grocery store when I was in junior high. I had just started reading romance novels, but nothing prepared me for Johanna Lindsey. Gentle Rogue hooked me in forever. Georgina’s and James adventures, family,  and love story captured my inner romantic. I became addicted to her novels. This was right when the Internet was really taking off for the masses so I began scouring whatever I could find on her works. Since I was in middle school when all this started, I was too embarrassed to check out her novels at my local library (this was waaaay before the days of the privacy of self-check out). I had to get my mom to get them at the grocery store or dig through boxes at my local used bookstore. When I discovered Ebay, I was in Johanna Lindsey heaven! 

           So what makes Johanna Lindsey’s writing so wonderful in my opinion? Her characters. All are filled with their own unique characteristics and the way she compliments each couple with pinches of humor, steaminess, and chemistry is utterly awesome. 

       Over the years, I have eagerly awaited every new novel. I always manage to be the first on the hold list at my library or will abuse my librarian power to have cataloging give me the book before anyone else.

       About a year ago, my book club read One Summer by David Baldacci. This was my first Baldacci book so I was very intrigued to see what all the fuss was about. I read it and  I loathed this book. By page 10 I wanted to gouge my eyes out at the predicable and terrible storyline. I ended up discussing my disgust with the person who recommended this book to the club. He said that everyone has that one author who they will read everything they put out because you remember that feeling of how amazing their work can be. This really struck a cord with me because I had been pretty disappointed in the last 3 Johanna Lindsey novels: Let Love Find You (Reid Family #4)  (2012), When Passion Rules  (2011), and That Perfect Someone (2010). All earned 3 stars according to my Goodreads. Each deserved a 2 but my love and dedication to Ms. Lindsey’s previous work guilted my conscience into giving each that last additional star.

     So when I read that her 50^th novel would be coming out this year (6/11/13), I was excited. I prayed that she stepped it up and would return with a comeback novel that would make me fall in love with her writing all over again.

      Once I discovered One Heart To Win on the processing cart yesterday in the cataloger’s office I begged for her to immediately process it. I went straight home and dived right in. To my joy, I discovered that the Johanna Lindsey I remember was coming back! Though it wasn’t up to par with my favorites, One Heart To Win did a great job of stomping over Ms. Lindsey’s recently novels. The characters had chemistry, humor, and a wonderful sparkling repartee.

     Though it was a well improved step above her recent works, Ms. Lindsey did forget one teeny tiny part in One Heart To Win: the sex.  No I’m not saying that Ms. Lindsey went all conservative on me and left out the sex. The characters do have sex…well I’m pretty sure they did…it was super short (about one paragraph) and so vague I had to reread that one scene a few times to make sure I comprehended what was going on. I’m not saying that Lindsey’s work is up there with the descriptiveness of some of today’s erotica, but it definitely wasn’t flatlining either. I was quite surprised that Lindsey just copped out on this. I felt that by skipping a love scene(s) Lindsey was shortchanging her fans. Don’t get me wrong, I still stand by my statement that this novel is a definite improvement over her recent ones. Cake is still good without the icing, but icing always makes it so much better.

      Every summer, I completely forget everything on my to-be read list and indulge in nothing but smutty romances. My summer, I do what I want! That being said, I have included a list of my favorite Johanna Lindsey novels. If you never have read anything by Ms. Lindsey I encourage you to dive on in. Though she has had her ups and downs, most of her novels are truly wonderful and I cannot recommend them enough.

  

     Enjoy!

Top Favorite Johanna Lindsey Novels

1. Gentle Rogue(Malory #3) – Though this is the 3^rd in the series, you can easily figure out the family structure without reading in order.
2. Once  A Princess (Cardinia’s Royal Family #1)
3. Man of My Dreams
4. Paradise Wild
5. Tender Rebel(Malory #2)
6. Secret Fire
7. Fires of Winter
8. You Belong To Me(Cardinia’s Royal Family #2)
9. Angel (Wyoming #3)
10. Prisoner of My Desire
11. A Gentle Feuding
12. Glorious Angel(Southern #1)
13. Captive Bride