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Apr 01, 2011

This is one of my favorite storylines; unaffectionate husband leaves, presumably dies, shows up not dead and has miraculously become one hot, passionate and attentive lover. What more could a woman ask for? Perhaps it’s my love of this story theme that had my expectations too high, and while I liked Stranger In My Arms, I didn’t love it.

Even though Lara had accomplished so much good through her charity work after her husband’s death, I just didn’t feel like she was a strong her More...

38 comments like (14 people liked it)

Jan 19, 2011

AgentScully rated it:

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12 comments like (17 people liked it)

Nov 10, 2010

Keri rated it:

While this wasn't my favorite LK read it was still very good. Lara is a widow satisfied with how her life is arranged. She now lives simply with her good works and an orphanage that she supports, what more could a woman need. So when she finds out that her supposedly dead husband is back in town, she isn't happy at all.

He sailed away to India three years earlier and had died on the sea in a crash a year before. So color her surprised when she gets a look at her husband. He looks lik More...

14 comments like (4 people liked it)

Feb 17, 2011

FlibBityFLooB rated it:

4.5/5 stars. This was another winner for me by Lisa Kleypas. It was somewhat darker, and almost reminded me of a Sherry Thomas novel. It had a fun mystery that kept me guessing until nearly the end. There was some really steamy scenes. The characters were likeable.

So why 4.5 stars, and not 5? The ending of the book devolved into a Jerry Springer story 1800s-style. It was almost laughable how soap opera like the ending was. My husband was reading over my shoulder as I read More...

11 comments like (4 people liked it)

Nov 03, 2011

Lupdilup rated it:

Audiobook.
Lisa Kleypas is one of my much loved romance authors. She is the best historical romance author I have read or listen to. Her novels are lively, her stories are always original, and her characters jump off the page.

I thought this had an exciting beginning, and I was genuinely captivated and on my way to one of my favorite listens, but all of a sudden, Lara( heroine) became someone I didn’t like, her attitude was out of character with someone that cared so much for the More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 03, 2011

Tori rated it:

This was a bit more angsty than I'm used to from Lisa Kleypas, but still, a so-so Lisa Kleypas is way better than a great book by some other authors.

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Nov 10, 2011

Carrie rated it:

DNF in audio. I really, really hate the heroine. She's cold and self-righteous. The details of her charity work are sticky-sweet and boring. I may skim the library copy so I can satisfy my curiosity about Hunter, who is a great character, btw.

Rosalyn Landor is the narrator for the audiobook. I didn't care for her voice for Hunter. She is too gruff and he sounds old instead of sexy.

Edited to add: I skimmed the library copy of the book. It was okay, so I'm upgrading to 2 st More...

11 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 30, 2012

Lelyana rated it:

*spoiler alert*
Mengambil kehidupan orang lain,termasuk pembenaran mengambil harta dan istri seseorang meskipun orang yg tdk pantas, apakah bisa di benarkan?
Mengawali kehidupannya dengan kebohongan dan mengakhiri kebohongan, inilah hidaup yg di jalani Hunter.

Di beri tahu bahwa suami nya ternyata masih hidup setelah kecelakaan kapal tahun lalu,Larissa/Lara mengalami shock yang tidak menyenangkan. Hunter adalah suami yang tidak menyenangkan buat Lara, punya simpanan dan dingin. More...

9 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 17, 2011

Punya H. rated it:

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3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 18, 2009

Cynthia rated it:

Not incredibly original, but the mystery was more well done than I've read before. You want to say for sure it's not him, but there's no proof. It was a nice change from other books which try to be all clever and secretive, but gave it away from the beginning.

-Spoilers below-

Lara's blind sheep obedience to her "duty" was incredibly annoying. It was hard to have respect for her when she completely ignored Hunter's goodness and their love to betray him. She di More...

0 comments like

Feb 08, 2012

Dawn rated it:

Stranger is my Arms is a story of a women whose husband who she assumed was dead has returned. Their marriage was not a happy one and she has found a place for herself with the elderly and orphans, needless to say now that she learns her husband is alive was not cheery news. Everyone questions whether her husband is who he says he is including his wife.

This was a really interesting premise but in the end it really did not work for me. Lara the wife baffled me, here we have this indepen More...

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Jan 28, 2012

Judith rated it:

Sinopsis:

Cuando le dijeron a Lara que su esposo había muerto, su vida se convirtió en un caos. Hunter, conde de Hawksworth, había naufragado en alta mar. O al menos, eso le había dicho. Su desdichado matrimonio, carente de ternura y pasión, había terminado. Pero ahora Lara tenía frente a sí a un hombre recio y apuesto, que exponía secretos que sólo un esposo podía conocer y juraba que ella volvería a ser su esposa. Si bien la joven no podía negar que ese hombre, con sus fogosos ojos os More...

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Jan 24, 2012

Gina rated it:

Larissa's, Lady Hawksworth, husband, Hunter, died a year earlier in a shipwreck, and she is not sad about it. Considering he was living a life of debauchery in India for a few years before his death and still in touch with his mistress in England, she was finding life as a widow much happier than life as a wife. Then comes the news that he might still be alive. Her husband - or is he - comes back a changed man. He's kind, friendly, and the sort of man she can love. He loves her. She loves him. B More...

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Sep 11, 2011

Kristy rated it:

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0 comments like

Jun 08, 2011

Nimue rated it:

I found this book in my own library. I thought I read everything ever published by Lisa Kleypas but obviously I missed at least one book. I should really check if there are more unknown publications of her out there. Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite authors. Normally I just inhale her books. Therefore I was quite happy to discover this novel.
The story is about the young Lara, which discovered her independence as a widow. As her marriage was not a happy one she is quite distressed when he More...

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Mar 31, 2011

Alexis rated it:

I know, I know... I'm reviewing Lisa Kleypas once again. I can't help it. It's spring break and I know if I want something romantic, light-hearted, and good, she's pretty consistent and this one is no different. The idea that one is/isn't sure if a person is the person they claim to be is ludicrous but it works here. Lara had a hard time of it with her husband before he left for India and since the three years that he was thought to be dead, she had become very free and independent (especia More...

0 comments like

Nov 03, 2010

BarkLessWagMore rated it:

Using the premise of the famous "Sommersby" movie, but set in Regency England, STRANGER IN MY ARMS tells the tale of a woman married to a horror of a man who has been lost at sea and is presumed dead. When he returns she is shocked and upset. She's made a new life for herself and does not want him back. But the man who returns to her is a changed one, he's kinder, he's honorable, he acts like he genuinely cares for her, and he awakens feelings in her she never had for her husband. He's More...

6 comments like (14 people liked it)

Oct 11, 2010

Flourish rated it:

Kleypas is super interested in dealing with issues of abuse, but this is not her best attempt at sorting them out.

This book does an excellent job of dealing with issues of physical abuse (particularly debunking the myth of If You Just Love Him Enough, He'll Change). But it never addresses the issue of marital rape, even though that issue hangs over the entire storyline. The heroine's reactions to the hero all seem clearly motivated by the fact that she was raped early in her marriage - More...

0 comments like

Jul 14, 2010

Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it:

3.5 Stars

After three years of being without her husband, and one year in widowhood, Lara, the former Lady Hawksworth is shocked, but not pleasantly, when rumours reach her that her boorish late husband has made a miraculous return from the dead. When Hunter, Lords Hawksworth returns however, he is much changed from what she remembers, no longer does he seem to be the selfish, indifferent husband, but now he seeks to woo and seduce her and to take pleasure in her company. But is he r More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 02, 2009

Meagan rated it:

This is one of those books that is proving hard for me to rate. While I was reading it I was completely engrossed, and I enjoyed every minute of the book. Normally that kind of reading experience would be an automatic four stars, but I find myself strangely resistant to giving this book four stars and it's hard to explain why. I think it comes down to the book's conclusion and the feeling it left me with when I turned the final page.

I don't want to give away too much, but Stranger i More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 13, 2011

Stacy rated it:

I read this book when it was first released. Of course, with it's new packaging I didn't recognize it, however, I liked it then and I enjoyed it again.

The hero is not like the typical, arrogant Regency hero. He is not arrogant, full of himself and he doesn't use sex as a way to woo the heroine. He is a bit melancholy, as well as being attentive and kind. Although he doesn't come across as being arrogant, he doesn't seem wimpy either.

The heroine is likable too. Her experiences More...

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Jan 11, 2012

Kasey rated it:

This isn't one of my favorites of Kleypas and I have to admit to kinda being ready to get through it once I was close to the end. It was a good set up and I have read other set ups similar to this and enjoy the story line. But this one seemed to be lacking a little for me.

I really enjoyed Hunter. While what I know of the old Hunter was not anything worth keeping around I found the returned from the dead Hunter to be a great lead. Whether he is or isn't the real Hunter seems to ma More...

0 comments like

Oct 03, 2011

SATIN SUE rated it:

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1 comment like

May 24, 2011

Sarah rated it:

This was a historical romance about a woman named Lara, Lady Hawksworth, who is the unfortunate widow in a loveless marriage. She’s very content in her life as a widow, spending her time with the local orphanage children (she was unable to conceive while she was married). But her life soon takes a drastic turn when her husband, Hunter, Lord Hawksworth, returns from the dead. Lara, torn between her altered feelings for this “new” man and her appreciation of her former life and freedom as a wid More...

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Aug 21, 2008

AzuresHeart rated it:

Another Kleypas down! What a story... another theme I really don't like.. but so well done... and very emotional. I like her writing because it is a step down from Balogh. You don't want to drink yourself into oblivion after reading it LOL. The hero loved her so much and she took a long time to trust and love him but it felt right every step of the way. Definately one to pick up for those who haven't yet!

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 17, 2009

Rane rated it:

This was such an enjoyable read that I re-read twice already!

I adored Hunter and Lara, both were great with one hiding from the past and another hiding in plain sight.
Hunter was the type of male character I love, strong but not forceful, as he slowly drew Lara out of her hard shell she lived in before and after his disappearance. Although he acted like he didn’t give a damn, his actions prove otherwise time and time again. He did hide many things from Lara but, More...

15 comments like (11 people liked it)

Jul 23, 2011

Velvetp. rated it:

Lisa Kleypas won me over with this one, just like the rest of her books. But I really like this storyline, it's a bit different. So Lara's husband is supposedly dead at sea. I wouldn't say she's happy about his death but it was better than him coming home to her, considering their loveless marriage. And then one day, Hunter comes back. He looks the same, almost, but convincing enough. The only thing different is his hot burning passion for her that he never possessed. Which causes her to doubt t More...

0 comments like

Sep 02, 2009

Vilja rated it:

The first thing you should know about this novel is that the hero is utterly repulsive. Oh no, wait. The first thing you should know is to not pick this book up if you have rape/abuse triggers. The second is... you know what, it kind of follows from the first.

Or does it? I gather from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books that a lot of romance readers (not the illustrious, funny and very recommended Bitches themselves) like their heroes committing the occasional sexual assault.

I More...

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Jun 14, 2009

Hanah rated it:

I love this book too much! I don't really care much if he's really Hawksworth or a fake one... because I was too focused on his seduction to Lara.

I was really annoyed at the heroine in the near end, I was like wtf, after all he's done to you.. I just wanna slap the woman! but 'tis the heroine's character which makes me fall more for the hero! I really like how devoted he can be to her, though it was obsession that made him want her - which turned me off a little bit.

I w More...

0 comments like

Jan 29, 2010

Holly rated it:

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1 comment like (3 people liked it)

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