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164th out of 558 books
—
1,357 voters
Amber Beach (Donovan #1)
by
Elizabeth Lowell (Goodreads Author)
Deadly secrets are buried on Amber Beach ...
Donovan International is a power to be reckoned with in the dazzling and cutthroat worldwide gem trade -- and is therefore a target for the murderous greed of unscrupulous competitors. Though a shrewd businesswoman, Honor Donovan has been effectively shut out of the dangerous family enterprise by the Donovan males -- until her fa...more
Donovan International is a power to be reckoned with in the dazzling and cutthroat worldwide gem trade -- and is therefore a target for the murderous greed of unscrupulous competitors. Though a shrewd businesswoman, Honor Donovan has been effectively shut out of the dangerous family enterprise by the Donovan males -- until her fa...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
May 1st 2001
by Avon
(first published 1997)
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This book is your typical Romance/Suspence/Thriller. Its major selling point is that this series revolves around a gem hunting family and thus gems play a big part (as if you didn't know that from the title). I thought the inclusion of the fabled Amber Room was great. Not many people know about it. Other than that (and the repartee between the two main characters), the book is kind of bland. The main female character, Honor, is learning how to drive her brother's boat so she can find him. While...more
I fell in love with the Donovan series many years ago and have just replaced my original almost falling-apart paperbacks with hardcover versions from some Amazon resources. It's a worthwhile endeavor, IMHO, because this series is outstanding!! There are four books (Amber Beach, Jade Island, Pearl Cove and Midnight on Ruby Bayou) and each is a sparkling gem! (No pun intended) Elizabeth Lowell has created a family anyone would adore to belong to, and heroes that are studly, gorgeous, talented, hum...more
I read Jade Island first before I read this book. Naturally, I had to read up on Honor Donovan and Jake Mallory after Jade Island. Amber Beach is the first book from four-parts of The Donovans series.
Honor is in a desperate search for his brother, Kyle Donovan, who went missing after a shipment of amber went wrong and a death of a man is pinned on his beloved brother. She then hires Jake Mallory as a fishing guide without knowing that Jake is actually looking for Kyle himself. While Honor is wor...more
Honor is in a desperate search for his brother, Kyle Donovan, who went missing after a shipment of amber went wrong and a death of a man is pinned on his beloved brother. She then hires Jake Mallory as a fishing guide without knowing that Jake is actually looking for Kyle himself. While Honor is wor...more
Re-read. Used to reread this series often but haven't in years.
An old favorite. I felt Honor might have been a little too insistent on staying, in the face of danger, but I still love the chemistry between her and Jake.
An old favorite. I felt Honor might have been a little too insistent on staying, in the face of danger, but I still love the chemistry between her and Jake.
2 likes · like · see review
อ่านเรื่อยๆ เหนื่อยก็พัก โดยรวมแล้วก็ดีแหละ มั้ง (เอ๊ะยังไง)
เนื้อเรื่องเอื่อยๆไปบ้าง บางอย่างก็น่าเบื่อจนต้องอ่านข้ามๆไป
เรื่องของอำพันโน้น นี่ นั่น ก็งงไปนะ ฮ่าๆๆ
แต่ชอบตรงบทสนทนาของพระเอก-นางเอกนี่แหละ
กวนดี
ตัวร้ายก็แบบว่า แค่นี้เองเหรอ ง่ายๆงี้เนื้ยนะ เอ่อ...^^
เนื้อเรื่องเอื่อยๆไปบ้าง บางอย่างก็น่าเบื่อจนต้องอ่านข้ามๆไป
เรื่องของอำพันโน้น นี่ นั่น ก็งงไปนะ ฮ่าๆๆ
แต่ชอบตรงบทสนทนาของพระเอก-นางเอกนี่แหละ
กวนดี
ตัวร้ายก็แบบว่า แค่นี้เองเหรอ ง่ายๆงี้เนื้ยนะ เอ่อ...^^
This was a wonderful read. Unfortunately, I set it down and then couldn't locate the book.
This book is bacically about a family called " The Donovans". The family deals in mtlti countries for raw gems and amber. The story started out a little slow, but after getting halfway through I just couldn't put it down. There is a Amber Room, in Russia that is supposedly very pure and exact. When a panel of the room comes up missing and so does one of the Donovan brothers, the youngest Kyle; Honor Donovan...more
This book is bacically about a family called " The Donovans". The family deals in mtlti countries for raw gems and amber. The story started out a little slow, but after getting halfway through I just couldn't put it down. There is a Amber Room, in Russia that is supposedly very pure and exact. When a panel of the room comes up missing and so does one of the Donovan brothers, the youngest Kyle; Honor Donovan...more
TBR Challenge 2011- General: this book has been on my TBR list since July 2010.
2.5* Rounding up to be nice.
Stubborn characters and a weak plot characterize this romantic suspense. The most interesting parts of the book had to do with (somewhat outdated) information on the Russian economy as it switched to free market, or amber. I was surprised to find I enjoyed the author's tangents on amber, and I even enjoyed some of the boating information. the plot was silly and any semi-smart reader is goin...more
2.5* Rounding up to be nice.
Stubborn characters and a weak plot characterize this romantic suspense. The most interesting parts of the book had to do with (somewhat outdated) information on the Russian economy as it switched to free market, or amber. I was surprised to find I enjoyed the author's tangents on amber, and I even enjoyed some of the boating information. the plot was silly and any semi-smart reader is goin...more
Amber Beach is going back a while in my re-read queue, back to earlier days of Elizabeth Lowell's romantic suspense novels. It's the first of her Donovans series, which to this day remain among my favorites of hers. Not because they're particularly better written or less formulaic than her later work, but more because I'm partial to the family of characters she depicts. Plus, while the cast travels all over the globe, they're headquartered in Seattle. And I'm a sucker for books that reference Pi...more
Honor Donovan's brother has gone missing with a fortune in amber, and the ship captain she's hired to help her find him has his own agenda.
Yes, I continue to binge read romantic-suspense by Lowell. This leans more toward romance than than her more recent St. Kilda books, by which I mean the interactions between the leads have more echoes of traditional romance tropes. I think I preferred what Lowell did with this particular milieu (boating, Pacific NW) in the more recent Death Echo.
Yes, I continue to binge read romantic-suspense by Lowell. This leans more toward romance than than her more recent St. Kilda books, by which I mean the interactions between the leads have more echoes of traditional romance tropes. I think I preferred what Lowell did with this particular milieu (boating, Pacific NW) in the more recent Death Echo.
Overall this was a great quick read.
The relationship/chemistry between Jake and Honor was fantastic. Not enough action (talking about plot action -not sex) in the book for me and that is just a personal preference. There were a couple times where I felt that too much description slowed the flow of reading down. I was drawn in by the Donovan family and continued on to read the rest of the series.
The relationship/chemistry between Jake and Honor was fantastic. Not enough action (talking about plot action -not sex) in the book for me and that is just a personal preference. There were a couple times where I felt that too much description slowed the flow of reading down. I was drawn in by the Donovan family and continued on to read the rest of the series.
There wasn't enough substance to the book, I was disappointed. It sounded so good... I thought for sure I'd get the rest of the series (so Crystal, let me know what you think when you read the rest). I, too, liked the way they kept dodging each other, and the banter was slick, but other than that, it was lacking... hugely. And the ending... What the hell was that? Sure, they find Kyle, but the suspense and the climax left me saying: "What? That's it?!" The last few pages where the characters are...more
Completely and totally loved this book. The writing was flawless and Jake and Honor stole my heart on the first page. There were a few times I felt Honor should have been a little more suspicious and there were some boring parts during which there wasn't a lot of action but other than that the plot was good. Great read and I look forward to reading more books by Lowell.
I am a little embarrassed about mentioning that I read this book. It's like a sex book with a side of mystery and adventure. I thought I was getting mystery and adventure with a side of ... well, you get what I mean. Nevertheless, I finished it. OCD, or something else entirely? Don't really want to explore that.
Very good Author!! She tends to tie in characters from other books and they all keep you moving!! This was the first of the Donovan Series. The first one I read was Pearl Cove then went back to read the other 4 or 5 she tied them to! Excellent must read books!!
This is an author that I have read a lot of and have added her books to my 'keeper' book shelf. Most I have read at least twice and some even more than that. Always in depth characters that anyone can identify with on some level.
This is a hot romantic series from Elizabeth Howell. We're introduced to Honor Donovan who's looking for her missing brother and some missing amber. With help from Jake Mallory as her fishing guide, they team up to find him. But Mallory has a different agenda of his own. But dangers follows them on and off the ocean for the hunt, while it kicked off a leg to this four book series. This has tons of humor, lots of sparkling sexual chemistry, and a great suspense that kept us on a great ride. This...more
I really wanted to like this book, what with the great ratings - but I have to admit. It's so terribly DRY! A hundred pages in and I was groaning with the need for SOMETHING to start happening. The interactions between the main couple were pretty great, witty and fun to read, but there was just far too much extraneous information about sailing, fishing, etc.
It was just so unnecessary.
Not to mention the whole book feeling kind of like a made-for-tv movie you watch because it's raining outside.
Sin...more
It was just so unnecessary.
Not to mention the whole book feeling kind of like a made-for-tv movie you watch because it's raining outside.
Sin...more
I really enjoyed this book. I just wish that the author had not spent so much time talking about the mechanics of sailing and fishing. I could have done without that. Instead it would be have been nice to have a bit more explanation about the folks behind the theft.
I reread this book this summer. This is about Honor Donovan and Jake. Brother Kyle Donovan goes missing and Honor hires Jake to help find him and a panel of Russian amber. Story is well written and action, sex is hot.
It wasn't terrible, but I didn't really like the story or feel the chemistry between the two characters. I got lost in the description of some of the jewelry too. I won't be reading the other books in the series.
Excellent series! Lowell goes into great detail on whatever subject she writes, which goes to show how much research she must do! Well paced book, full of intrigue, jewels and romance.
A good rainy afternoon read. I did like the characters, and the author knows her way around witty banter. Obviously the book was written as a foundation for future series, so expect a lot of strings left untied at the end.
I picked this book up at one of my book exchanges. Not really my taste but it was a quick beach read-which is where I read it...on the beach and soaking up the sand and surf!
I finished this book with a sigh of happiness and thus it receives my highest rating. I enjoyed the mystery; the plot twists and the romance. I am looking forward to more in this series.
Slow start and pacing dragged during info dump dialogue scenes, but since it was Book One in a series, I read it through to the end. I'll give Book Two a shot, but if it's slow too, I won't be finishing it.
I love Lowell's donovan series, love the setting of the jewelry industry, I enjoy the characters and mystery
I enjoy all of Lowell's books. There is adventure, romance and laughter. What is not to like!
I love all the Donovan series heros.Ms. Lowell writes wonderful books about art and jewelry.
I'll give this 3.5 stars. It was a good story and I liked the characters and their banter.
Enjoyed the book, but I didn't fully comprehend the Russia Mafia stuff.
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Individually and with co-author/husband Evan, Ann Maxwell has written over 60 novels and one non-fiction book. There are 30 million copies of these books in print, as well as reprints in 30 foreign languages. The novels range from science fiction to historical fiction, from romance to mystery to suspense.
In 1982, Ann began publishing as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous p...more
More about Elizabeth Lowell...
In 1982, Ann began publishing as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous p...more
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Aug 11, 2012 07:09pm