Test of Time

by Jayne Ann Krentz

Test Of Time by Jayne Ann Krentz released on Dec 24, 1999 is available now for purchase.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, Category Romance, Harlequin

250 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

The author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense 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 University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.

Reviews

[Jacqueline J · Rating 4 out of 5]

3-1/2 stars I liked this story of a honeymoon. They both started out with unreal but opposite expectations and learned to live with each other. The horse stuff was okay. We made it almost all the way through the book before there was a silly horse mistake that would have taken the author less than a minute's research with a dictionary to avoid. Oh well. I liked how the heroine grew to understand her husband and how she learned to respond to and accept how he really was instead of how she wanted him to be. I like how the hero who thought he was so emotionless and driven by intellect learned that he really did love his wife and learned to let her be who she really was too.

A nice little story of growing into a marriage.

[Shani · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[ANGELIA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good story, and I'm so glad it didn't go the usual route, where a hurt and angry h takes off for parts unknown, and refuses to contact the H, despite being pregnant, etc. While this h was hurt and upset, she stuck it out, and decided to make lemonade from lemons, so to speak, though her situation wasn't all that bad, more a case of adjusting her attitude and being a bit less romantic/idealistic, while the H had to go the opposite route, and realize that being pragmatic and sensible isn't always the way to go.

There was no going overboard with arguments and misunderstandings, though they did have their moments, and aside from a bad relationship in his past (only talked about), and a divorced neighbor who came on to her a bit, there was no OM/OW in the picture.

There's also an interesting background of rodeos, ranches and horse breeding, as well as a mystery to be solved, and a villain who sure was a mental case! There are some scary moments toward the end, but considering a phobia the h had, the way things are resolved was too melodramatic to be believed.

Still, despite some faults, it's worth reading.

[Sammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes it's nice to go back and read these oldie harlequin-type romances as the feel and mood of them are dreamy without even trying. The day after their wedding, Katy comes to the shocking truth that her husband does not love her. Her initial reaction is to leave and cut her losses but Garrett wants otherwise. Should she stay and give their marriage a chance despite the firm resolution that Garrett would never love her back? Or should she just give up altogether?

This one was a very fluffy and heartwarming one. Most of the story was a constant push and pull between husband and wife. Sparks flew, hearts were rattled and at the end of it, I think they really did manage to grow closer and learn to understand each other and what it truly meant to be married.

[Heather_Readsalot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Amanda]

This book just felt so 80s from the very beginning

[LittleHellcatReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Rita · Rating 1 out of 5]

These books are really not aging well. Hated the gothic feel of this book and also Garrett’s complete inability to listen to Katy.

[Monasterio Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenido

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Star Rating: ★½☆☆☆

Well, this is one book that did not stand the Test of Time. I usually enjoy alpha heroes and sometimes like alphahole heroes. But this one, oooh boy! Talk about constantly condescending, infantilizing. Seriously, even at the end, he was still all "treat her like a horse; she just needs to be reasonable again; I know what's best for her". Forget that!

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally, I would give a book that I stopped reading after chapter 4 a one-star review, but I didn't feel comfortable doing that because I'm not sure I should have picked this one up in the first place, despite it being by one of my favorite authors. This may have been the earliest book of hers I've ever read (or tried to read), and several times I found myself flipping to the cover to make sure I was right about the identity of the author.

The reason I put it down:

Chapter 1 -- painful info dump from the points of view of each of two characters who have clearly just married one another for the wrong reasons and without even knowing the first thing about one another.

Chapter 2 -- kind of boring and unrealistic consumation scene

Chapter 3 -- more proof they never should have gotten maried, and the setting up of what I expect to be a long, boring, painful quest for the three magic words.

I can't even say I like either one of the characters, largely because I don't have a lot of sympathy for anyone who agrees to marry someone else without covering such topics as children, expectations for the future, sex, religion, their past, or love. I'm not entirely sure what they did talk about. It strikes me that it must have been a painfully boring courtship.

I don't mind the story of two people getting to know one another after the wedding, but that tends to work better in historical romance, rather than contemporary. Modern men and women with choices: Pry open those lips and talk about a few key things before you get married, okay? :)

www.christineamsden.com

[Fedora · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of Krentz's older titles and it does show. Katy's the daughter of wealthy California horse breeders, and Garrett's from the wrong side of the tracks but has pulled himself up by the bootstraps to run a successful consultancy company. He used to work in the stables for her father, and she used to have a tremendous crush on him. When they meet again years later, he recognizes what a good fit they would be--they have much in common and he likes her practical, intelligent style--and proposes.

What follows after their fast but spectacular wedding is a tumultuous time as the two of them clearly have different expectations for marriage and what the other is to bring to it.

I didn't much enjoy how witless Katy initially appeared, throwing them both into uproar because she suddenly realizes after they've said their vows that she isn't at all sure whether Garrett loves her.

Part of this is a semantics issue, which I detest, and also both of them seeming quite emotionally immature.

They do both settle down, but the path isn't always easy or necessarily fun to read.

[Diana Hockley · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published in 1988, this novel is definitely better than many of those which were on the market around the same time. The premise that a young woman can go into marriage without discussing anything of an intimate nature with her future husband, is perhaps a step up from the "teen child minders falling in crush with dark, silent mogul" prevalent until the early 1980s.

I found the characters to be a little stereotyped and felt the reasons behind the mysterious "happenings" (horse being let out of the stables) to be unconvincing. I would have thought Alzheimers Disease would have been more likely.

However, this novel is a product of it's time and not bad for all that. The characters were not perfect, which was a bonus!

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorite by JAK, but still a good read. Katy marries Garrett for love but on her wedding night realizes he doesn't believe in love (I know, huge surprise in a JAK book). She wants to get a divorce right away but he talks her into giving it 3 months for her expertise on horse breeding for his consulting business. There's the mandatory element of danger and them adjusting to each other.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that great, a little sexist and I am really not a fan of Garrett. Frankly he seems like a dick and she seems to just roll over with every situation because she "loves him". He hasn't even been really traumatised to explain his douchness, he got burned once by love and not that badly and that's the only explanation. Normally I love JAK but I think her earlier stuff has definite sexism which annoys me and I can't enjoy the story

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reasonably good afternoon read with a light mystery and good characters and dialogue, except for the old stand-by "You just don't understand", which I've always felt is a waste of time to write and read. The book has horses though, always a plus.

[Cem73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titre vf : Trois mois pour séduire (2001) / Follement romantique (1989)

[Carlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

not her usual style, more Harlequin style romance

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second read - I really enjoyed this book. I like the way the characters slowly opened up and understood each other better. It really spelled out the importance of communication.