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Bedazzled
Joy - Jayne Ann Krentz
Sharing a Caribbean holiday seemed a perfectly sane way for solid, dependable Virginia Middlebrook and A.C. Ryerson to get better acquainted.
But in a high-stakes poker game, they won a bracelet of uncommon beauty, and from that moment on they barreled recklessly into love - and adventure.
Never before had they abandoned themselves to such joy. Or exposed themselves to such danger.
Impulse - Vicki Lewis Thompson
April Foster had almost married Dan Butler once, but his cautious nature had gotten in the way.
Eight years later, he was still attractive but unimaginative, and yet ... something had changed.
He now possessed an heirloom ring, a talisman of his parents' love, and it seemed to inspire Dan to act on impulse ... satisfying all April's fantasies.
Trust - Rita Clay Estrada
Growing up in a truck stop didn't put a damper on Katherine O'Malley's aspirations. She was going to be top-notch secretary ... and convince millionaire Clay Reynolds that she was perfect for him.
But Clay didn't trust his emotions, so Katherine was forced to use her most precious possession as a weapon.
She gave him her priceless talisman earrings ... along with her heart.
And he didn't stand a chance.
Sharing a Caribbean holiday seemed a perfectly sane way for solid, dependable Virginia Middlebrook and A.C. Ryerson to get better acquainted.
But in a high-stakes poker game, they won a bracelet of uncommon beauty, and from that moment on they barreled recklessly into love - and adventure.
Never before had they abandoned themselves to such joy. Or exposed themselves to such danger.
Impulse - Vicki Lewis Thompson
April Foster had almost married Dan Butler once, but his cautious nature had gotten in the way.
Eight years later, he was still attractive but unimaginative, and yet ... something had changed.
He now possessed an heirloom ring, a talisman of his parents' love, and it seemed to inspire Dan to act on impulse ... satisfying all April's fantasies.
Trust - Rita Clay Estrada
Growing up in a truck stop didn't put a damper on Katherine O'Malley's aspirations. She was going to be top-notch secretary ... and convince millionaire Clay Reynolds that she was perfect for him.
But Clay didn't trust his emotions, so Katherine was forced to use her most precious possession as a weapon.
She gave him her priceless talisman earrings ... along with her heart.
And he didn't stand a chance.
600 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2002
144 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Ann Krentz
399 books7,202 followersThe 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 22, 2018
1) Joy / Jayne Ann Krentz – 2) Impulse / Vicki Lewis Thompson – 3) Trust / Rita Clay Estrada.
Bedazzled is a collection of three romance novellas linked by jewels given as a gift in France generations ago. In Joy, a gold and emerald bracelet. In Impulse, an emerald and diamond ring. In Trust, a pair of emerald earrings. The original gift was given by one lover to another, and even now the pieces have an almost magical power to strengthen love.
In Joy, Ryerson finds that he is almost engaged to the wrong sister. He has purchased a company owned by Debbie and Virginia’s parents and has been seeing Debbie for months. They had planned a getaway weekend, when Debbie backs out and disappears. Her parents plead with Ryerson to go to her sister’s house in the San Juan Islands to make sure she is OK. As his last act in this relationship which he had realized is not for him, he agrees in spite of a heavy rainstorm. When he arrives, exhausted and soaking wet, Virginia is there, not Debbie. The bracelet appears later in the story.
In Impulse, April Foster, chicken and egg farmer, has just lost her dear friend Irene. Her grandson, Dan Butler, returns for the funeral. The entire town of Booneville is stunned to learn that Irene was very wealthy and left the town the income from her estate: $250,000/year. There are conditions: Irene named six people to administer her bequest and they must agree to any spending decision or the money will go to the state and be lost to the town. Both Dan, who has always loved April, and April who abandoned Dan when he was too practical and staid and married another, are on the board. An heirloom ring worn by Dan’s mother is the key in this story.
Trust is what real estate magnate Clay Reynolds does not have in romance and relationships. Katherine O’Malley crashes an annual party Clay hosts for customers and business colleagues. His fiancé Magda is acting as hostess, she is perfect for the role, but as Clay has been realizing not someone he wants to spend his life with. Katherine is completely inappropriate. She was raised in the family truck stop business, has only a dream of secretarial school, and is too frank for certain social occasions. Still her vibrant red hair and emerald earrings that set off her green eyes attract Clay’s attention. When he challenges her and she faints from hunger, he feels compelled to care for and help her.
All three novellas end with the necessary HEA. The characters in the first two are strong and well defined. The plots are believable, and the conflicts/challenges are well integrated into the stories. Trust, for me, was the weakest of the three. It started well, but the conflict was less convincing and integrated and went on too long. The reasons for Clay’s mistrust were more of the told me than the show me variety and came too late in the story to be convincing. All in all, though, Bedazzled is a satisfying read. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Elizabeth Lowell’s Rarities Unlimited and Donovan Family series; Debbie Macomber – If Not For You; Nora Roberts novels; Robyn Carr – The Family Gathering and Virgin River and Thunder Point novels; Susan Elizabeth Phillips – First Star I See Tonight and Chicago Stars series; Susan Mallery – Daughters of the Bride; Jude Deveraux – The Girl from Summer Hill; Bella Andre – The Look of Love.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Likeable; quirky; relatable
Story: Plot-driven
Writing style: Engaging, banter filled
Tone: Upbeat; Steamy
Frame: Contemporary; 1) Pacific Northwest – Seattle and Toralina, Mexico; 2) Booneville IL; 3) San Antonio TX
Bedazzled is a collection of three romance novellas linked by jewels given as a gift in France generations ago. In Joy, a gold and emerald bracelet. In Impulse, an emerald and diamond ring. In Trust, a pair of emerald earrings. The original gift was given by one lover to another, and even now the pieces have an almost magical power to strengthen love.
In Joy, Ryerson finds that he is almost engaged to the wrong sister. He has purchased a company owned by Debbie and Virginia’s parents and has been seeing Debbie for months. They had planned a getaway weekend, when Debbie backs out and disappears. Her parents plead with Ryerson to go to her sister’s house in the San Juan Islands to make sure she is OK. As his last act in this relationship which he had realized is not for him, he agrees in spite of a heavy rainstorm. When he arrives, exhausted and soaking wet, Virginia is there, not Debbie. The bracelet appears later in the story.
In Impulse, April Foster, chicken and egg farmer, has just lost her dear friend Irene. Her grandson, Dan Butler, returns for the funeral. The entire town of Booneville is stunned to learn that Irene was very wealthy and left the town the income from her estate: $250,000/year. There are conditions: Irene named six people to administer her bequest and they must agree to any spending decision or the money will go to the state and be lost to the town. Both Dan, who has always loved April, and April who abandoned Dan when he was too practical and staid and married another, are on the board. An heirloom ring worn by Dan’s mother is the key in this story.
Trust is what real estate magnate Clay Reynolds does not have in romance and relationships. Katherine O’Malley crashes an annual party Clay hosts for customers and business colleagues. His fiancé Magda is acting as hostess, she is perfect for the role, but as Clay has been realizing not someone he wants to spend his life with. Katherine is completely inappropriate. She was raised in the family truck stop business, has only a dream of secretarial school, and is too frank for certain social occasions. Still her vibrant red hair and emerald earrings that set off her green eyes attract Clay’s attention. When he challenges her and she faints from hunger, he feels compelled to care for and help her.
All three novellas end with the necessary HEA. The characters in the first two are strong and well defined. The plots are believable, and the conflicts/challenges are well integrated into the stories. Trust, for me, was the weakest of the three. It started well, but the conflict was less convincing and integrated and went on too long. The reasons for Clay’s mistrust were more of the told me than the show me variety and came too late in the story to be convincing. All in all, though, Bedazzled is a satisfying read. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Elizabeth Lowell’s Rarities Unlimited and Donovan Family series; Debbie Macomber – If Not For You; Nora Roberts novels; Robyn Carr – The Family Gathering and Virgin River and Thunder Point novels; Susan Elizabeth Phillips – First Star I See Tonight and Chicago Stars series; Susan Mallery – Daughters of the Bride; Jude Deveraux – The Girl from Summer Hill; Bella Andre – The Look of Love.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Likeable; quirky; relatable
Story: Plot-driven
Writing style: Engaging, banter filled
Tone: Upbeat; Steamy
Frame: Contemporary; 1) Pacific Northwest – Seattle and Toralina, Mexico; 2) Booneville IL; 3) San Antonio TX
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June 26, 2019Read "Joy" bu Jayne Ann Krentz
August 2, 2012
We start off and he mentions Deborah Middlebrooke. I immediately turn to the back cover and what do you know? The woman he gets with is not called Deborah Middlebrooke. Her name is Virginia Middlebrooke. And then I realize they have the same last name. Deborah is either her sister or cousin, and she's probably the prettier one.
Ryerson decided that there was only 1 major drawback to being stood up by Deborah Middlebrooke: he was not getting the chance to indulge the enormous sense of relief he was feeling.
I had 2 stop & ponder that 4 a moment. So the bad thing about being stood up was that he didn't have a chance to feel relief...about being stood up? What? I took that to mean he was relieved 2 not be going out with her.
&then she turned around and sed he was in misery&shud have had a scotch 2 drink &that a man who got stood up on the eve of a weekend with a desirable woman deserved a little consideration while he mourned his loss.
I was like what? I thought he was just relieved a second ago.
When I found out he had been involved with "Debby" and they had a relationship and that he'd considered marriage with her. &I said hell no.
The 2nd book sounded so sweet because they'd almost married once&had a history together...yet I find out she married "wild Jimmy Foster" &had 3 kids. Ew. &once again, I sed hell no. That is unforgivable 2 me &horrible that she'd marry sum1 else after him&have kids with them. That isn't how it's supposed 2 go.
So I moved on to #3, all my hopes for this book on this last story. The only thing I can say 4 this one is that it didn't take me long 2 realize it sucked. His date called and she uses this low-pitched voie that's phony but effective. Wth? &he makes this comment about no 1 touching her but him "to keep his date happy." Wtf? When I read that she was his bride to be I slammed it down. Wth kind of story is that where he starts off with another woman, esp 1 that he's going 2 marry? Um, disgusting. That started off like a Nora Roberts' book and I'll be damned if I read this trash.
I can see why each of these stories were thrown together because they all shared the same crapiness. In the first one he was going to get married 2 her younger sister; in the 2nd they were going 2 get married but it didn't work out so she married sum1 else & had 3 kids; in the 3rd one he was about to marry some sleezy bimbo. That isn't romantic 2 me. It's disgusting.
Ryerson decided that there was only 1 major drawback to being stood up by Deborah Middlebrooke: he was not getting the chance to indulge the enormous sense of relief he was feeling.
I had 2 stop & ponder that 4 a moment. So the bad thing about being stood up was that he didn't have a chance to feel relief...about being stood up? What? I took that to mean he was relieved 2 not be going out with her.
&then she turned around and sed he was in misery&shud have had a scotch 2 drink &that a man who got stood up on the eve of a weekend with a desirable woman deserved a little consideration while he mourned his loss.
I was like what? I thought he was just relieved a second ago.
When I found out he had been involved with "Debby" and they had a relationship and that he'd considered marriage with her. &I said hell no.
The 2nd book sounded so sweet because they'd almost married once&had a history together...yet I find out she married "wild Jimmy Foster" &had 3 kids. Ew. &once again, I sed hell no. That is unforgivable 2 me &horrible that she'd marry sum1 else after him&have kids with them. That isn't how it's supposed 2 go.
So I moved on to #3, all my hopes for this book on this last story. The only thing I can say 4 this one is that it didn't take me long 2 realize it sucked. His date called and she uses this low-pitched voie that's phony but effective. Wth? &he makes this comment about no 1 touching her but him "to keep his date happy." Wtf? When I read that she was his bride to be I slammed it down. Wth kind of story is that where he starts off with another woman, esp 1 that he's going 2 marry? Um, disgusting. That started off like a Nora Roberts' book and I'll be damned if I read this trash.
I can see why each of these stories were thrown together because they all shared the same crapiness. In the first one he was going to get married 2 her younger sister; in the 2nd they were going 2 get married but it didn't work out so she married sum1 else & had 3 kids; in the 3rd one he was about to marry some sleezy bimbo. That isn't romantic 2 me. It's disgusting.
July 25, 2011
This was a cute anthology about 'magical' pieces of jewelry. The stories were unique and sweet. Each story was a separate tale about one piece of jewelry from a collection and how it affected people's love lives. Thoroughly enjoyable.
July 21, 2008
Sappy love stories with predictable plot lines. Quick reading trilogy.
October 10, 2012
These authors are great and these stories are even better ;-}
June 14, 2014
This was a real good book ! I would like read another book like this ! All three story where great ! If anyone has any good books or authors let me know !
June 12, 2017
Nice introduction to these three authors. Typical of the genre.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews