Hidden Obsession

Perfect Timing #1

by Joanne Rock

LAPD weapons expert Graham Lawson is in the midst of investigating a case when he's abruptly swept into some kind of elaborate hoax. Because there's no way he's in the Middle Ages...even though the setting is pretty authentic. Fortunately, he's landed in the closet of a delectable gentlewoman named Linnet Welbourne. An excellent vantage point indeed...


Fearing a potentially brutal future, Linnet is desperate to escape. Sure, Graham's sudden appearance in her wardrobe isn't exactly part of the plan -- yet Linnet instinctively trusts the peculiarly attired man. As they flee, Graham inadvertently finds himself opening up a whole new world for Linnet -- one free of sexual inhibitions. But even as Linnet's erotic education begins, Graham's eye is returning to his own time...and this could be one lesson he can't finish!

Genres: Romance, Harlequin Blaze, Harlequin, Time Travel, Historical, Historical Romance, Medieval

Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Joanne Rock is a USA Today bestselling author of over one hundred works of popular fiction, including domestic suspense and romantic suspense. A frequent speaker at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has an MA in Literature from the University of Louisville and has taught fiction, film, and writing at the college level. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel to gather new ideas.

Reviews

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graham Lawson is a police detective and weapons expert (also a consultant to a Hollywood movie) and he's looking into a case involving a sex cult and medieval weaponry. His investigation leads him to a medieval painting of a woman changing, one push and he's in medieval England in this woman's bathing room. She is Linnet of Welbourne and she is betrothed to a monster. Graham, still a bit confused about where he is, plays along and agrees to help her escape. The attraction simmers between them, and Graham fights it for about a minute - at first he figures he's going to be leaving this lovely, virginal woman and doesn't want to hurt her. Then he caves right quick as soon as he removes the chastity belt her betrothed forced her into. Linnet is ready to throw away her chastity with Graham, but she also worries that he won't stay with her. When Kendrick returns to claim Linnet, he's furious that she's gone (and been bedded). But Graham and Linnet discover that it's not for the reasons they might think...

I agree with other reviewers that, for some reason, this one was a bit difficult to get into. I'm not sure if I just wasn't connecting with the characters or what it was. Hard to articulate but it was a bit of a struggle. I mean, first you start with an implausible case involving sex cults and medieval weaponry, but okay. It leads Graham to be pushed into a painting and travel back in time. His resistance to the idea, although it seems ridiculous, is actually believable. He thinks he's dreaming, that it's a devious plot to fool him with actors and actresses...I have a feeling, I'd actually be just as distrustful of my environment as well. This unfortunately backfires for him because he finds evidence that makes him suspect Linnet of lying to him. Now this is where his behavior gets a bit not believable...instead of suspecting the villain of nefarious deeds as would be obvious, he insists that it's Linnet who is lying. Graham isn't established as distrustful enough of women in general to pull this off believably. Ironically, it was a man who betrayed him and abused his mother, so, why call Linnet a liar? Their romance was believable enough. Linnet had basically been a locked up in a chastity belt for years on end and as soon as it was off, wanted some sex immediately. She was still shy and modest about her body, but Graham did it for her, so she was willing to push her boundaries. They have sex in water a lot... I don't think they do it once in a bed. But the love was believable enough and I did like the switch with Linnet going to the twenty-first century and rocking the women's lib stuff. Usually they end up staying in the past, but I think the author did a pretty good job of demonstrating that the past isn't exactly idyllic either...especially for women .

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out reading tons of historical romances when I was a teenager and yes, they began with books from Harlequin. Not that I didn't like this book, but for some reason, I had a hard time getting into it at times. I think part of it was because it took so long for Graham to get back on the case and to even get close to what was going on. I also wasn't happy with how things went with Kendrick and understanding how the time travel was possible. It is one thing to say someone was traveling through time, but difficult to enjoy the book if at the end you don't know how it was possible...I needed more closure.

The other thing was some of the back and forth between them was hard to follow. His modern day lingo and her medieval speak. I also think Linnet could have questioned him more. I mean jeans? How do you not ask more questions about things that make no sense or you have not seen before? Yes, he evaded those questions, but still.

So, at the end I did love the concept and the book was pretty well written, but there were areas I would have loved more information.

[Belinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Complete and utter hilarious rubbish.

I have nothing more to say on the matter.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had a hard time with this one, although it had a lot of humor, it was just silly and unbelievable. Thank goodness for my ability to speed read