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Crystal Gardens

(Ladies of Lantern Street #1)

Amanda Quick (Goodreads Author),

Jayne Ann Krentz (Goodreads Author)

3.86 · Rating details · 7,133 ratings · 599 reviews

Lucas Sebastian has never been one to ignore a lady in danger, even if she is trespassing on his property. Quickly disposing of her would-be assassin, he insists they keep the matter private. There are rumours enough already, about treasure buried under his garden, and occult botanical experiments performed by his late uncle.

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Paperback, 320 pages

Published May 3rd 2012 by Piatkus Books (first published April 1st 2012)

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May 07, 2012 Hillari Delgado rated it did not like it

I won't be the first long-time Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) fan to voice her disappointment that one of my favorite authors is just 'going through the motions' in her latest release. 'Crystal Gardens' is a mash-up of themes, events and even character names from her backlist. She's done all this before, and better.

Of deeper concern is that Quick/Krentz appears to be dredging up some unappealing and long-discredited notions of 'romance' in her effort to prop up this weak offering. Quick/Krentz I won't be the first long-time Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) fan to voice her disappointment that one of my favorite authors is just 'going through the motions' in her latest release. 'Crystal Gardens' is a mash-up of themes, events and even character names from her backlist. She's done all this before, and better.

Of deeper concern is that Quick/Krentz appears to be dredging up some unappealing and long-discredited notions of 'romance' in her effort to prop up this weak offering. Quick/Krentz has crossed the line with Lucas Sebastian, from alpha male to borderline abuser, a la the bad ol' days of Rosemary Rogers and 'Sweet Savage Love' et al. It's not that I want my protagonist to be a wimp, but a romantic hero, no matter how dark and brooding at the opening of our story, must have a core of basic decency and the desire to protect his beloved, and by extension, others less powerful than himself.

Here we have a hero who Quick/Krantz describes as: 'dark and terrifying,' ‘with an aura of menace,’ and ‘flat, cold eyes.’ Of more concern is how she describes Lucas’s treatment of the women in his life: with his elderly aunt he reacts with ‘rage slashing through him.’ She sensibly responds, ‘Lucas, please, you are frightening me,' yet it feels as if Quick/Krentz is sympathizing with Lucas here rather than his aunt’s observation. In another encounter Lucas ‘picked up the sterling silver letter opener and balanced it on two fingers' while he talks to her. At different points he tells the heroine, ‘It is not your affair,’ and 'never doubt that I have innumerable uses for you.’ Even during a putative reconciliation scene he tells his stepmother, ‘Enough' and, 'are you finished?’

Most telling is the other characters’ treatment of Lucas at the end. Even at the HEA wrap-up, everyone walks on eggshells around him: townspeople are 'too polite--and too intimidated by Lucas--to inquire;’ 'No one wanted to risk bringing the wrath of the new master of Crystal Gardens down on his or her head.' That’s not sexy, that’s psychopathic.

Romance writers have worked too hard to bring recognition to our genre as something more than 'housewife porn.' I don't want to go back to the days of saying, 'yes it's a romance novel but..." 'Crystal Gardens' is a step in the wrong direction. For Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz, and for romance readers.
...more

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Jun 07, 2015 Phrynne rated it it was ok

I wonder if I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it rather than listened to it on audiobook. The reader was really not my cup of tea at all. I can't begin to describe how she sounded but for me anyway it was not good. Still I persevered and the story was reasonable. I could not develop any attachment to the characters because of the way their voices were read. A bit of a disappointment really:( ...more

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May 09, 2013 Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Amanda Quick readers

Shelves: audiobook, gothic-romance, victorian, career-woman, library-checkout, psychic, knight-in-tarnished-armor, paranormal-romance, scary-sexy-cool-dangerous-hero, yearly-reading-challenge-2013

Crystal Gardens is for readers who enjoy their historical romance with strong paranormal elements. In this case, a huge part of the story is the concept of 'psychical energies.' Both Evangeline and Lucas have paranormal abilities, and they are drawn to Crystal Gardens, Lucas' deceased uncle's estate by no accident. In the case of Lucas, he comes to investigate his uncle's murder. Evangeline comes to soak up the atmosphere and work on her series of serial novels, and also to investigate the place Crystal Gardens is for readers who enjoy their historical romance with strong paranormal elements. In this case, a huge part of the story is the concept of 'psychical energies.' Both Evangeline and Lucas have paranormal abilities, and they are drawn to Crystal Gardens, Lucas' deceased uncle's estate by no accident. In the case of Lucas, he comes to investigate his uncle's murder. Evangeline comes to soak up the atmosphere and work on her series of serial novels, and also to investigate the place that her father (a man who studied psychical energies and invented machines that ran on these energies) was obsessed with. Evangeline is also fleeing a murderer and ends up running right into Lucas' arms, which is a very good thing! Lucas is just the knight in tarnished armor to keep her safe.

I enjoyed listening to this book on audio but it did fall short overall. The narrator has a very dramatic way of reading it. Sometimes, her voice sounded a little odd (especially when she narrated the male characters), but I loved her British accent, and that each character sounded distinctive. I think that Quick's books lend themselves very well to audiobooks. Her style is very focused on the mystery components, and the romance seems to take a bit of a back seat at times. This would probably bother me more if I was reading than when I listen to books. That is not to say that the romance wasn't good. It was. I just could have used more than I got. I do feel that she emphasized the paranormal elements too much. She used the term 'psychical' excessively. I think that the reader gets the point about the paranormal energies and she could have spent time on building up the story in other ways. I do think Quick excelled in her descriptions of the Gardens and its otherworldly atmosphere. I felt like I was there in the Gardens, which might be a very strange experience indeed.

Unfortunately, the characters didn't feel as well-developed as I would have liked. I found Evangeline and Lucas likable and intriguing, but I don't feel that I knew them as well as I wanted. I feel that Quick did more telling about them than showing. Maybe she could have caused their characterization come to light more organically if she had spent more time on revealing who they were than explaining about the paranormal elements of the Crystal Gardens. At the end of the story, I could feel their attraction and feelings for each other, but I didn't get to explore this powerful love that supposedly had developed between them. Since this is a romance, that is crucial. I found the love scenes well written and passionate, and I really liked this about the book. I did feel the attraction between Evangeline and Lucas, although Quick sort of stole its impact by implying it was related to the psychical energies. Lucas is the kind of hero I love, strong, intelligent, compelling, and dangerous in an appealing way, but something was missing from his portrayal. Evangeline was a good person, a sweet woman who is independent and intelligent, and I wanted things to work out for her, but she wasn't distinctive as a character. The secondary character were barely fleshed out. I did like Evangeline's friends Clarissa and Beatrice, as well as Lucas' siblings, Beth and Tony. I also like Molly, Evangeline's maid, and Stone, Lucas' manservant, but they weren't as vivid as I would have liked. Judith, Lucas' stepmother seemed more lively in her characterization, especially with her feelings of antipathy towards Lucas and the reasons for them. The way Lucas treated Judith endeared me to him. He was respectful and he took his responsibilities for her very seriously even though she had never treated him well. The villain was quite cardboard, and his motivations were shallow. He shows up just in time for a thrilling climax, but he spends very little time in this book overall.

I guess it's clear I wanted to like this book more than I did. I liked it, but I think that this author is capable of writing a better book than this. I say that with all respect for her. I hope that the next books in the Ladies of Mystery have the spark that this book was lacking, because I think this series really has potential. And I am a sucker for the Victorian Gothic romance!
...more

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Feb 11, 2012 TJ rated it liked it

Shelves: adc-reviews

2.5/5.0
3 stars is really a stretch but others might like everything "psychical" more than I.

For a complete review, visit Affaire de Coeur magazine, hard copy or online, April/May 2012 issue. ...more

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Jul 05, 2015 Daniella rated it liked it · review of another edition

I was very reluctant to start Crystal Gardens because I've never really liked paranormal stories. The few ones that I have read usually had convoluted plot lines that bordered on ridiculousness. The last one, Elizabeth Boyle's Tempted by the Night was so bad that I cringe every time I remember it. Indeed, it takes a great amount of skill on the part of the writer to weave a tale like this without it being trippy.

And Ms. Amanda Quick did just that.

Despite a lot of skepticism and low expectation I was very reluctant to start Crystal Gardens because I've never really liked paranormal stories. The few ones that I have read usually had convoluted plot lines that bordered on ridiculousness. The last one, Elizabeth Boyle's Tempted by the Night was so bad that I cringe every time I remember it. Indeed, it takes a great amount of skill on the part of the writer to weave a tale like this without it being trippy.

And Ms. Amanda Quick did just that.

Despite a lot of skepticism and low expectations on my part, I actually found myself getting into the story. I even accepted all that talk about psychical talents and whatnot, and I have to credit that to Ms. Quick's amazing storytelling skills.

Most of my problems were actually on the characterisation and not the plot, really. The main reason why I only gave this 3 stars is because I found Lucas to be an extremely problematic lead. I've read too many Amanda Quick novels to know that she likes her heroes to be stoic, dangerous and controlling. And to be perfectly honest, I like that type. In fact, that's one of the reasons why I find myself drawn to her books in the first place. But Lucas just takes stoic, dangerous and controlling--especially controlling--to a whole new level. He was just too manipulative--far more manipulative than the average AQ hero. He didn't even give Evie options; he just went there, claimed her, and assumed control of her life. For example, after they had sex, he just went on and announced that they're engaged without even proposing to her.
description

Look, I love it when the guy gets possessive. I would even go far as to say that I have an unusually high tolerance of male possessiveness. But I do draw the line at blatant subjugation. That implies that the hero doesn't even respect the heroine enough to give her options. And that is what Lucas did. Even in the end, he never gave Evie the power. There was no equal sharing that occurred, only conquest. In the end, I felt like Lucas controlled their relationship--that he had the upper hand. And that is not my definition of true love. I guess that's also why I'm not convinced that what they shared was everlasting. It may have been lust. It may have just been the need to dominate. But whatever Lucas felt for Evie, I'm pretty sure that it was definitely not love. At least not the way I would have defined it.

There was also the lack of depth in the secondary characters. They all felt flat, which was a shame really, because I felt that Stone, Molly, Tony and Beth had the potential to be far more endearing than they actually appeared in the novel. I would have been more invested in Stone and Molly's relationship had they been properly developed. Again, such a shame.

Overall, this was an okay read. Likeable, even. It's just sad that there were a lot of missed opportunities. This could easily have been a very compelling story. ...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Donna rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I never thought that I would be giving such a low rating to a book written by an author who used to be one of my favorites, but here you have it. This book was a failure, a malfunction, if you will. Okay, enough of that. This is what irks me about this book.

This story is supposed to be taking place sometime in the late 1800's, from what I gather, during the latter part of the Victorian Era, though there is no time stamp at the beginning of the story unlike with most of Amanda Quick's books. But I never thought that I would be giving such a low rating to a book written by an author who used to be one of my favorites, but here you have it. This book was a failure, a malfunction, if you will. Okay, enough of that. This is what irks me about this book.

This story is supposed to be taking place sometime in the late 1800's, from what I gather, during the latter part of the Victorian Era, though there is no time stamp at the beginning of the story unlike with most of Amanda Quick's books. But what makes this the Victorian Era? A few gaslights and candlelight? A few chemises and carriage rides? The language is utterly modern, very non-British, I might add, filled with idioms not used during this time period. I half expected the main characters to start texting one another on their iphones.

And speaking of the main characters, I don't know about you, but I believe that a good comfort read romance should have characters that the reader can admire, or at the very least, not detest. Not so with Crystal Gardens and Lucas Sebastian. I get that he is supposed to be the mistaken villain of the piece turned hero as Evie believes the villain/hero of her sensational writings to be. But what makes Lucas a good guy? He is a freakin murderer, no matter that he murders bad guys. Case in point, the knife wielding Sharpy Hobson is no saint, but the way in which Lucas disposes of him is rather disturbing. And Lucas does it again later on with the actor trying to hurt Evie and the man who hurt his stepmother. Vengeance, anyone?

As for Evie, she is merely boring, same as the nonexistent romance. Telling the reader that Lucas and Evie are made for each other does not convince me. I need evidence beyond a heated look or two. Not that I cared one way or another if the two of them lived happily ever after or not. I just wanted the story to end. The multiple mysteries dragged on and on. And with the addition of each new character, the existing characters felt the need to restate what the reader already knew to bring all the new characters up to speed, sparing no details. Repetition, anyone?

I guess I am somewhat upset (can you tell?) because when I think back to all the wonderful books this author has written, I can see that she has either lost her touch, run out of stories to tell, or is so immersed in the paranormal aspects of her stories that the characters and any uniqueness they might have possessed have ceased to matter. Still, I keep reading her books, hoping she will recapture that earlier magic in her writing, which was before the Arcane novels and all their offshoots choked the life out of her novels. Enough is enough, already. Yes, I know that no one is forcing me to read them. But let me just finish my rant by saying this: Bring back the magic, Ms. Quick/Krentz/Castle, and I don't mean the kind generated by crystals. ...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Dianne rated it liked it

Shelves: galleys-arcs, 2020

2.5 Stars

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

If I had seen the words ‘extraordinary’ or psychical’ one more time I may have plucked out my own eyeballs. Nevertheless, I suppose that complaint is unimportant, as the rest of the story did not live up to Ms Quick’s usual efforts.
With several different story lines the author could investigate and take further, this book still fell flat for me. The romance (as thin as that is) progressed too quickly, the sex seemed contrived, and more elaborate than usua ...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Sandra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: krentz, pnr-uf, library-books, historical

Re-read 18/2/13

My opinion of this new series JAK book hasn't changed, it is still well written, good characters, Victorian England at its paranormal romance best.

That said, JAK has repeated some plot points from previous books, the people eating plant maze, the Sensation Writer heroine, the murky crystals and the most obvious one, the psychical nature of our H/h. It so obviously draws on the Arcane books without ever mentioning them.

The paranormal, creepy gardens surrounding the almost abandon ...more

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Jul 17, 2013 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, paranormal-romance, 2013-read, steam-level-steamy, serial-killer, psychic, class-barrier

Not my favorite from Amanda Quick, but still entertaining. As with all of Ms. Quick/Krentz/Castle's books, it was very... light. I've read all but a few books from this author (which is saying something -- I know there's over 80 of them, probably more), and one thing I've always been able to count on would be that they're easy reading. There's excitement, danger, and a touch of steam, and makes a great pool-side read.

3.5/5 Stars ...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Mollie *scoutrmom* rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Mollie *scoutrmom* by: Cherise Everhard

Shelves: romance, read-in-2012

First, the disclaimers. I received this advanced copy from a fellow reader, not from any organization trying to promote buzz or generate great reviews or anything of that nature. I acknowledge that I was reading an uncorrected proof and the errors I saw will probably not be seen by the general reader. I don't let the fact that I did not buy the product influence the review.

I adored this story! It contains a mystery full of red herrings. We are viewing varying motives of greed, revenge, jealousy, First, the disclaimers. I received this advanced copy from a fellow reader, not from any organization trying to promote buzz or generate great reviews or anything of that nature. I acknowledge that I was reading an uncorrected proof and the errors I saw will probably not be seen by the general reader. I don't let the fact that I did not buy the product influence the review.

I adored this story! It contains a mystery full of red herrings. We are viewing varying motives of greed, revenge, jealousy, in multiple incidents that seem related but unravel upon closer investigation. The denouement came as a surprise to me. I usually can guess an outcome but this spaghetti tangle of clues made wonderful reading. It seemed more realistic and true-to-life to me than something like one of Tony Hillerman's straightforward plot lines.

The romance part of the plot was not quite as good. Amanda Quick has done better in her earlier works. The relationship doesn't really build, it kind of unfolds with little in the way of obstacles unrelated to the mystery part of the story. It's as if they met and each thought, "Oh, there you are," and went on as if it was supposed to have happened. We are not given much insight into the protagonists' views or introspection regarding the developing relationship outside of the dialogue.

The paranormal part of the plot was OK. Those unfamiliar with her Arcane Society series might feel there was not enough world-building. No characters from the Arcane Society appear in the story, but the author created an identical paranormal environment. I like that the paranormal aspects of the story are germane to the setting, the plot, and the characters' identities; and there was no "woo woo factor" for the sake of cheap reader thrills.

Now, the best part...the hero and heroine. This was not the kind of romance where the two protagonists seem to exist in a vacuum independent of subplots or secondary characters. Their friends, family, employers, and employees affect the character growth they must each go through in order to be able to accept that they are deserving of their good fortune in stumbling across a soul mate. They have baggage from their pasts that are stumbling blocks obstructing the chance of a positive outcome. I wish the author had strengthened this aspect of the story. The characters themselves are admirable, attractive, and ahead of their Victorian time in their chosen career paths. (view spoiler)

Not only will I probably read this again, but I may even end up purchasing (secondhand, as is my wont) a copy of the final product for comparison. Very enjoyable. ...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Cherise rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, paranormal-fantasy-romance, historical-romance, mystery

Evangeline is a paid companion and a budding authoress. She is renting a cottage from the elusive Lucas Sebastian on an estate that is buzzing with paranormal vibes and rumors of things that go bump in the night. Most townsfolk are scared of the estate and the owner, but Evangeline finds herself attracted to both. When Lucas rescues her, Evangeline finds herself teaming up with her mysterious landlord.

The plot to this story sounded wonderful to me. I am not a huge fan of Ms. Quick and all her p Evangeline is a paid companion and a budding authoress. She is renting a cottage from the elusive Lucas Sebastian on an estate that is buzzing with paranormal vibes and rumors of things that go bump in the night. Most townsfolk are scared of the estate and the owner, but Evangeline finds herself attracted to both. When Lucas rescues her, Evangeline finds herself teaming up with her mysterious landlord.

The plot to this story sounded wonderful to me. I am not a huge fan of Ms. Quick and all her pseudonyms, that is to say I haven’t' read all of her books, but I have genuinely enjoyed the ones that I have read. I usually like all things romance and all things paranormal. This one also promised to have plenty of mystery. So when I was offered this book I jumped at the chance. Unfortunately this book didn't live up to any of my expectations.

This book really fell flat to me on many levels. The characters were very one dimensional. I never got the feeling that they were ever fully developed or created. I never felt attached or any sort of connection to any of the characters. Usually in a book, especially in a series, I feel some sort of camaraderie to at least one character. The characters in this story were all interchangeable. No one stood out, no one made an impression on me. The main characters, especially, lacked personality and their romance lacked heat.

The storyline seemed to have all the necessary components of a bestselling paranormal romance/mystery, yet it never kept me on the edge of my seat. It really read like a rough draft. It had all the right ideas included, but it was missing the details. I didn't feel like we had a proper flow to the story, no real build up or climax. The tempo was just a lazy stroll through an underdeveloped story.

Honestly if this was my first book by this author, I wouldn't feel compelled to pick up another. I think hardcore fans will be a little more tolerant of this book, but I can't. Even if I have lukewarm feelings for a series my curious nature will have me wanting to read the next books. I can walk away from this series without a backward glance and without feeling like I am missing out on anything.

Cherise Everhard, April 2012

...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Antonia rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was horribly disappointing. It will only appeal to people who overlook the recurring flaws in the Arcane series.

The psychic abilities are so ill defined I know she can find things because she says she can. She does everything else but. She manipulates auras and para energy. She can kill (can't all these women). As for the guy (I admit I just finished the book and forgot the names) he is a typical arcane male. Misunderstood, powerful, can kill, good with money, and as interesting as watchin ...more

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Aug 18, 2019 Evelyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I am beginning to find these Amanda Quick novels set in Victorian England a bit formulaic, but I still enjoy them. There are always two people, man and woman, each with their own "psychical" talents, who happen to be thrown together by danger. They are immediately drawn to each other with a monumental passion and have to solve a dangerous mystery together. Someone, usually the heroine, will say "Mmm" or "Hmm" more than once in each book, and there will be 2 or 3 scenes of a sexual nature. In thi ...more

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Jun 13, 2012 BiblioJen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

3.5 stars

I am a long-time Amanda Quick fan, and I particularly enjoy listening to her stories via audiobook. This was not my favorite offering from her, but I thought the core story was quite good. The overall book suffered a bit from Quick's obvious efforts to set up for a full series. The story started with some good action, and then I thought she was going to talk me to death as we entered a long section of backstory, exposition, dialogue and miscellaneous secondary characters who were clearl ...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Amber rated it really liked it

Okay, well I haven't read it yet, as it's not yet available. But I KNOW I'll love it. Who doesn't love some Arcane thrills? ...more

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Nov 20, 2020 Lauren rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: victorian, small-town, private-investigator-security, historical-romance

Crystal Gardens
2 Stars

In one word "disappointing".

While Amanda Quick's writing is often formulaic, it usually contains at least one or two original ideas. Unfortunately, Crystal Gardens is nothing more than a regurgitation of elements from previous books including themes, plot lines, and even character names.

Lucius and Evangeline are carbon copies of other Quick heroes and heroines; his characterization is that of the Arcane style hunter, and she is both a female private investigator similar t ...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Cindy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Evangeline has taken a sabbatical from her day job and retired to the country to write her first novel. Of course, that's not the only reason - there was that little matter of a violent altercation involving her last case. And then there is the inspiration to be found for a supernatural novel in the local Roman ruins and the country house known as Crystal Gardens which locals prefer to avoid. Sadly, after completing four chapters of the novel she is extremely uninspired, suffering both boredom a Evangeline has taken a sabbatical from her day job and retired to the country to write her first novel. Of course, that's not the only reason - there was that little matter of a violent altercation involving her last case. And then there is the inspiration to be found for a supernatural novel in the local Roman ruins and the country house known as Crystal Gardens which locals prefer to avoid. Sadly, after completing four chapters of the novel she is extremely uninspired, suffering both boredom and writer's block.

Additional inspiration strikes when our heroine flees her cottage for Crystal Gardens pursued by a murderer with a knife and falls almost literally into the arms of Lucas, the new owner of Crystal Gardens. The carnivorous plants in the Night Garden get the attempted murderer, so Lucas attempts to get to the bottom of the attack by interviewing Evangeline. Not much is resolved so he returns her to her cottage before anyone sees them together. [The setting is Victorian so seeing the heroine, dressed only in her wrapper, in the company of the hero would be far more shocking than a contemporary heroine who moonlights as Miss Kitty Galore at the local strip club.] Evangeline now has the cure for her writer's block and her boredom, she will make the villain of her piece into the hero and model him after the fascinating Lucas!

Lucas sends for an aunt to provide propriety to the situation and has Evangeline move into Crystal Gardens so he can protect her while trying to solve the crime. To Lucas dismay, more and more family members appear throughout the story adding further complexities to the story line. Besides solving murders, attempted murders, thefts, and the mystery of the out-of-control gardens; Evangeline deals with Lucas' stepmother who has dark secrets and a taste for melodrama, the matchmaking aunt and the much-younger and scientifically, but not psychically, inclined siblings.

This is a paranormal romance. The hero, the heroine, the heroine's friends, the plants, AND the pool in the garden all possess some sort of psychic power. Despite the psychic stuff, this is NOT an Arcane Society novel - so don't spend your time looking around virtual corners expecting them to show up. They don't.

This is romantic suspense - it has sexual tension but not a whole lot of sex - and what occurs is not detailed. Krentz is great writer - whether she is in her Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, or Jayne Castle mode. Her characters are fascinating, the dialogue is witty, and the plots are page turning. Probably because it is a Victorian setting, this book is 'cooler' in tone than some of her others. If you are new to the author you might want to start with one of her earlier novels - Scandal perhaps, or Ravished. Of course that might be because the Victorian era was never a personal interest of mine but she does make it breathe...

Good read? Yes. Will there be more in this series? Undoubtedly. Will I buy them? Definitely. And the ultimate accolade? My husband liked it too...
...more

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Jul 28, 2013 Tin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013

Crystal Gardens is the first book in Amanda Quick's The Ladies of Lantern Street series and is a sub-series of her Arcane Society series, which I have been religiously following since 2006. Quick's commitment to the Victorian/Steampunk/Paranormal Romance world that she has created shows in each installment, as she continues to build this evocative, fascinating England full of "talented" individuals: she truly understands the abilities of her characters and has explored the limits of the genre th Crystal Gardens is the first book in Amanda Quick's The Ladies of Lantern Street series and is a sub-series of her Arcane Society series, which I have been religiously following since 2006. Quick's commitment to the Victorian/Steampunk/Paranormal Romance world that she has created shows in each installment, as she continues to build this evocative, fascinating England full of "talented" individuals: she truly understands the abilities of her characters and has explored the limits of the genre that, I believe, she is at the forefront of.

Crystal Gardens is no exception. It begins with an attempt on Evangeline Ames' life, which she believes is intentional. It is fortunate that Evangeline Ames is renting a small cottage in Crystal Gardens, an estate owned by the Sebastian family -- and the current owner, Lucas Sebastian is in residence, investigating the mysterious death of his uncle, Chester, the former owner of the estate.

As a mystery, I love how Amanda Quick lays out the puzzle pieces in a clear and organized manner. Who is responsible for the attempt on Evangeline's life? Who killed Uncle Chester? What secrets are hidden in the Crystal Gardens? I love the procedural aspect of the novel -- how Lucas, Evangeline, and Lucas's step-siblings, Beth and Tony try to figure out all the questions that swirl around them. Amanda Quick ups the ante by introducing us to paranormal talents and a garden that emanates power ... and danger. The magical mixed in with the mysterious makes for classic Amanda Quick and fans will definitely not be disappointed.

My favorite part was the secondary story between Mr. Stone and Molly -- I loved seeing how two people with no psychical abilities cope with the adventures of their employers -- and, instead of feeling inferior, they manage to provide assistance using their own set of skills.

"Must be a bit strange to have some psychical talent."

"Mr. Sebastian says most people have a little," Stone said. "They just don't recognize it. He says they call it intuition."

"My ma says I have good intuition. Sometimes I just know things."

"So do I," Stone said. "I knew the first time I met Mr. Sebastian that I wanted to work for him."

"That's how I felt when I took the post with Miss Ames. I told myself it might lead to something much better."
- p. 289

I also love seeing how Amanda Quick develops the romances between her characters -- there is no grand declaration of love and no drama -- she works out the relationship in a very sensible way. At the end, what you will have are lovers who are also companions/partners. (Read Lucas and Evangeline's conversation in pages 371 - 372)

I did wish that Quick focused more on the Flint and Marsh agency and Evangeline's work with them. She teases her readers with glimpses of the agency does and the special people they hire. Let's see with the next book. ;-) ...more

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Apr 11, 2016 Mo rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: Not Recommended

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, series-1st-book, 0-dl, bodice-ripper, brit-lit, series, 2014

Crystal Gardens review

1 1/2 stars

I think I finished reading this book out of a sense of nostalgia. I had so enjoyed some of Amanda Quick’s earlier novels, that I felt a bit sad to realize that this would be the last book I would ever read by this author… because she is now churning out complete CRAP!

This isn’t a well thought out story at all. Everything is now “metaphysical”, “supernatural”, “paranormal”, etc. The hero or heroine just has to “heighten his senses” or “unleash her energy” and POOF ...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Kezermezer rated it it was ok

When Evangeline Ames is attacked in her bed in the middle of the night, she climbs out the window and runs to safety - in the dubious form of the walled estate next door, its strangely luminous gardens, and its mysterious new owner, Lucas Sebastian.

Given the current downturn in quality of Quick/Krentz/Castle books, I was disappointed but not surprised to find that Crystal Gardens continued the trend. Newcomers or insanely die-hard fans will probably appreciate this effort, but I (generally a di ...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Sandra rated it really liked it

Shelves: krentz, pnr-uf, library-books, historical

I really enjoyed this story, the first of the trilogy of Ladies of Lantern Street, yet whilst reading it I noticed several plot points that have been used by JAK in previous offerings. The people eating plant maze, the killer after the h so she moves into the H house, along with the chaperone aunt, the paranormal lantern, the crystals including the murky ones, etc.

Still JAK gave us an entertaining story as she always does and I'm looking forward to the next offering under whichever name she cho ...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Kirsten rated it liked it · review of another edition

Not the best Amanda Quick novel I have ever read, yet still a strong entry. Apparently, she is starting a new trilogy but remaining with her theme of paranormal talents existing within an existing world.

The main characters were strong and fun, with a good romance. Supporting cast members were also nice. But it did not seem that there was a much fleshing out as in her previous books. I could see some of the plot endings before they got there. It's just too bad that the romance didn't move me as m ...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Lady Lioness rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-historical-romance, subgenre-psychic-powers, saw-in-rt-book-reviews-mag, read-april-2012, 2012-rt-reviewers-choice-nominees

I don't mind paranormal mixed with historical, but I kinda wish Krentz/Quick would go back to writing straight-up historicals. Don't get me wrong, I do like Krentz/Castle's paranormal books, but her Krentz/Quick mash-ups aren't as strong, with the paranormal elements often superfluous to the plot. ...more

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Jul 04, 2013 CatBookMom rated it liked it

Shelves: ebook-borrowed, finished-2014, fiction-romance, finished-2018, ebook-owned, finished-2016, finished-2015, purch2018-all

I wish there were more of this series. There's some hot romance, some interesting paranormal bits, and a bit of a mystery. Not great literature, but worth the re-read. ...more

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Jul 29, 2015 Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) rated it liked it

This one was kinda slow in the beginning but it got pretty interesting about halfway through. The Night Garden created a great atmosphere for the book that was very memorable.

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Mar 25, 2015 MrsJoseph *grouchy* rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-reading-challenges, 2015, library

2.5 stars, rounded down to 2.

http://bookslifewine.com/r-crystal-ga... ...more

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Oct 05, 2018 Sandy rated it liked it

Shelves: pnr

Evangeline is being stalked, so it is no surprise when someone breaks into her cottage in a attempt to kill her. She manages to get out a window too small for the intruder to come through giving her a headstart to find help.

Help comes in the form of Lucas and his mysterious gardens. Because Evangeline is one of his tenants, he decides to find out who and why someone is after her. Will he be able to protect her?

I really liked the plot of the book and the characters. I actually listened to the b ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 Maria Mejia rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 01, 2019 Laura rated it it was ok

Shelves: a-little-bit-of-romance, adult-fiction, historical-fiction, freaky-powers, paranormal-romance

Keep in mind, I'm saying this as a fan, but wow, she really phoned it in on this one. Her books have started to be formulaic to the point of plagiarizing herself. I have read this book at least three times with different characters. ...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it it was amazing

Evangeline Ames has come to the quiet, rural town of Little Digby to get over an attempted murder and to write the next chapters of her sensational novel. She has been there a couple of weeks suffering from both boredom and writer's block, when she is awakened one evening by someone breaking in. She flees to the nearest home, that of her landlord Lucas Sebastian. She attempts to hide from her assailant in the very scary gardens that surround the house. She had been warned by the locals that stra Evangeline Ames has come to the quiet, rural town of Little Digby to get over an attempted murder and to write the next chapters of her sensational novel. She has been there a couple of weeks suffering from both boredom and writer's block, when she is awakened one evening by someone breaking in. She flees to the nearest home, that of her landlord Lucas Sebastian. She attempts to hide from her assailant in the very scary gardens that surround the house. She had been warned by the locals that strange things happened in that garden and her own paranormal senses tell her that the locals are correct. Lucas comes to her rescue and exhibits some paranormal senses of his own doing so.

The two had met in a local bookshop when Lucas arrived in town to stay at Crystal Gardens. Lucas was fascinated by her but his main concern was learning who had murdered his uncle. After Evie's attack, he took advantage of the situation to get closer to her by providing protection. Someone was clearly trying to kill her. But Evangeline was no helpless victim. She might outwardly seem like an unobtrusive lady's companion but she was employed by an agency to do discreet private inquiries. The agency looked for young women with paranormal skills.

Lucas and Evie get closer as they work to find out who killed his uncle, who is trying to kill her, why the paranormal energies are increasing at Crystal Gardens making the gardens more and more dangerous, and who is hunting for the hidden Roman treasure that is rumored to be buried in the Night Garden. Of course they also have to deal with the ramifications of their relationship in a time when a woman's reputation was worth more than gold.

Evie had no intention of ever marrying because she believed herself too old, too poor, and of too low a social status but that doesn't mean that she isn't willing to explore her sensual side if the right man and the right situation comes along. And Lucas looks like the right man. Her justification is that it will help her bee a better writer of her sensational novels if she has some experience. Lucas, having determined to have her in his life, is more than willing to accommodate her. When the two are compromised by spending the night together in the garden, Lucas seizes the opportunity and announces their engagement. It takes a while to reconcile Evie and it takes some serious but unconventional courting before he can win her hand.

I love the relationship between Evie and Lucas. Neither one of them fits into the normal mode of society and wouldn't even if they didn't have paranormal powers. I like the banter between them. I like that Evie knows Lucas better than his own family and accepts him as he is. The rest of the world is pretty much afraid of him. He is a man of responsibility and honor who has a paranormal gift that makes him very valuable in solving the most difficult of murder cases. I also like the relationship that Lucas has with his much younger twin brother and sister.

This was a very good romance that I recommend to lovers of historical romance, paranormal romance, and Jayne Ann Krentz in all her many names and genres. ...more

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About Amanda Quick

Amanda Quick

4,323 followers

Pseudonym of Jayne Ann Krentz

The author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.

She earned a B.A. in History from the Uni ...more

Other books in the series

Ladies of Lantern Street (2 books)

Books by Amanda Quick

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A Life in Books: Amanda Quick

A matchmaking business in Victorian London—where do we sign up? Amanda Quick's suspenseful historical romance is a can't-miss treat. She shares the...

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Quotes from Crystal Gardens

“In my experience there are only a handful of reasons for murder....Jealousy, vengeance, greed, fear and pleasure....Some killers enjoy the kill....For them it is a great game, and for the most part they are the ones I hunt.” — 6 likes

“Some people find that reading novels is very therapeutic precisely because it does allow one to view reality from an entirely different perspective.” — 6 likes

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