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Beau Lantry #2
Blue Velvet
Part gypsy, part untouched golden child of the sea, Kate Gilbert was the most bewitching woman Beau Lantry had ever seen. Rashly he agreed to help rescue her friends, risking his ship, his crew, even his life. But Kate was no damsel in distress, he discovered, and showed him it was all he could do to match her bravado. But under the sultry moonlight, Beau took the lead, teaching his untutored Kate the exquisite joys of loving, vowing to make her happy, yet fearing that meant letting her go...
183 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1985
50 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
Iris Johansen
229 books7,356 followersIris Johansen is a New York Times bestselling author. She began her writing after her children left home for college. She first achieved success in the early 1980s writing category romances. In 1991, Johansen began writing suspense historical romance novels, starting with the publication of The Wind Dancer. In 1996 Johansen switched genres, turning to crime fiction, with which she has had great success.
She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.
IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.
http://www.irisjohansen.com
She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.
IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.
http://www.irisjohansen.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 6, 2021
“Blue Velvet” is the story of Kate and Beau.
When the philanthropist martyr Kate goes into rescue her protector Justin from bandits, she never expects to meet the elusive playboy Beau.. or know that he would be taken by her.
They then embark on a journey of adventures, love, self discovery and passion.
I really loved this story. The simplicity and giving nature of Kate met the thundering savage nature of Beau, and the cynic was melted by the purity of love.
I loved the Ancient geeky humor and the craziness.
Safe
5/5
When the philanthropist martyr Kate goes into rescue her protector Justin from bandits, she never expects to meet the elusive playboy Beau.. or know that he would be taken by her.
They then embark on a journey of adventures, love, self discovery and passion.
I really loved this story. The simplicity and giving nature of Kate met the thundering savage nature of Beau, and the cynic was melted by the purity of love.
I loved the Ancient geeky humor and the craziness.
Safe
5/5
Read
March 25, 2022Review also available at The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: Blazing sunshine on a tropical island paradise. Bring sunscreen!
Character Chemistry: Eh
Plot: They keep saying they are facing a lot of danger but the stakes never feel really high.
Overall: Holy Purple Prose, Batman!
Even though there are no bodices to be seen in this novel set in the contemporary Caribbean, I feel fully justified in classifying this as a bodice ripper. Why? It’s time for Bodice Ripper Bingo!
- Heroine who is naive and childlike? Check!
- Hero who is a rake / playboy, but suddenly becomes protective? Check!
- Virgin mistaken for a prostitute? Check!
- Hero who makes a deal with heroine which involves her selling him her body the first time they meet? Check!
- Heroine who shows her love through complete and utter devotion? Check!
- Ridiculous swashbuckling adventures that make no sense? Check!
- Severe lack of communication between Hero and Heroine about their true feelings for one another? Check!
- Magical orgasmic virgin sex? Check!
Look at all those tropes we’ve got covered! I think we’ve got BINGO!
In her intro to the book, Iris Johansen states that she set out to write a modern-day swashbuckler, and she completely succeeds – the way she uses the tropes of a bodice ripper works precisely because of the contrast with the modern day setting. So the things that feel squicky in a standard bodice ripper feel a bit more deliberate and silly in this case. For example: the trope of the heroine going along with selling her body to the hero feels WAY less rapey than it generally does, because even though this heroine is naive and virginal, she’s grown up around Latin American drug lords and gun runners, so she’s seen some shit and knows exactly what she’s getting into. Our hero also repeatedly tells the heroine that he’s not going to rape her, and in fact waits to consummate their relationship until she very clearly signals her desire for him, rather than her passive acceptance of his boner.
So, for someone like me who is fascinated by Old School Bodice Rippers, this was a really fun read.
Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t some ridiculous components of this book. Neither the hero nor the heroine felt like real people, their emotional connection was questionable, and the prose is completely over the top.
Let’s start with the heroine, because she annoyed me the most. Kate was a ludicrous and completely unbelievable heroine who epitomized every component of the perfect Madonna of male fantasy. She has this magical honesty that shines out of her eyeballs like a beacon. A description of her from page 4: “Warm and loving with a clear bell-like honesty.” In addition, she is constantly being described as “childlike.” Her magical honesty is childlike, but so are her eyes and her smooth, satiny skin. The hero literally talks about her skin and how it’s soft like that of a child, which is a turn on for him. Gross.
Mixed in with all this elfin otherworldly nonsense is a ridiculous protective maternal instinct. From page 3: “Kate was a protective as a lioness with her cub about anyone she cared about.” This means that she constantly takes responsibility for grown-ass men who can take care of themselves because “it’s her fault” that they’re in danger. Note: she never takes responsibility for a woman.
All of this together combines into the perfect Madonna – a motherly virgin. Conveniently, she is also an insatiable sex kitten when the right man finally comes along, which gives us the perfect trifecta of fantasy.
Ugh.
Beau, the hero, is also a ridiculous stereotype rather than a real person. He’s the standard playboy (or, in classic Bodice Ripper terms, a rake or rogue) who suddenly finds himself feeling protective and jealous of a woman he just met for mysterious reasons. He sets himself up as her protector, going so far as to write his own wedding vows where he gives her: his strength, his knowledge, and his experience.
Also, he says things like: “I’m going to sit and watch the sun pour down on you like golden rain, caressing you and making you glow…. And then I’m going to come to you and make you glow for me. I want to feel you open and flower and tremble…. I want to know hat everything I do to you will make you shine and melt and flow.” WHO TALKS LIKE THAT?
Ugh.
Now, all this griping about the main characters probably makes you think that you should skip this one, but let me just say: the prose is so over the top that it might just be worth it.
To offer just one example, here is how Kate’s first-ever orgasm (at least, with a man) is described:
Amazing.
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Heat Factor: Blazing sunshine on a tropical island paradise. Bring sunscreen!
Character Chemistry: Eh
Plot: They keep saying they are facing a lot of danger but the stakes never feel really high.
Overall: Holy Purple Prose, Batman!
Even though there are no bodices to be seen in this novel set in the contemporary Caribbean, I feel fully justified in classifying this as a bodice ripper. Why? It’s time for Bodice Ripper Bingo!
- Heroine who is naive and childlike? Check!
- Hero who is a rake / playboy, but suddenly becomes protective? Check!
- Virgin mistaken for a prostitute? Check!
- Hero who makes a deal with heroine which involves her selling him her body the first time they meet? Check!
- Heroine who shows her love through complete and utter devotion? Check!
- Ridiculous swashbuckling adventures that make no sense? Check!
- Severe lack of communication between Hero and Heroine about their true feelings for one another? Check!
- Magical orgasmic virgin sex? Check!
Look at all those tropes we’ve got covered! I think we’ve got BINGO!
In her intro to the book, Iris Johansen states that she set out to write a modern-day swashbuckler, and she completely succeeds – the way she uses the tropes of a bodice ripper works precisely because of the contrast with the modern day setting. So the things that feel squicky in a standard bodice ripper feel a bit more deliberate and silly in this case. For example: the trope of the heroine going along with selling her body to the hero feels WAY less rapey than it generally does, because even though this heroine is naive and virginal, she’s grown up around Latin American drug lords and gun runners, so she’s seen some shit and knows exactly what she’s getting into. Our hero also repeatedly tells the heroine that he’s not going to rape her, and in fact waits to consummate their relationship until she very clearly signals her desire for him, rather than her passive acceptance of his boner.
So, for someone like me who is fascinated by Old School Bodice Rippers, this was a really fun read.
Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t some ridiculous components of this book. Neither the hero nor the heroine felt like real people, their emotional connection was questionable, and the prose is completely over the top.
Let’s start with the heroine, because she annoyed me the most. Kate was a ludicrous and completely unbelievable heroine who epitomized every component of the perfect Madonna of male fantasy. She has this magical honesty that shines out of her eyeballs like a beacon. A description of her from page 4: “Warm and loving with a clear bell-like honesty.” In addition, she is constantly being described as “childlike.” Her magical honesty is childlike, but so are her eyes and her smooth, satiny skin. The hero literally talks about her skin and how it’s soft like that of a child, which is a turn on for him. Gross.
Mixed in with all this elfin otherworldly nonsense is a ridiculous protective maternal instinct. From page 3: “Kate was a protective as a lioness with her cub about anyone she cared about.” This means that she constantly takes responsibility for grown-ass men who can take care of themselves because “it’s her fault” that they’re in danger. Note: she never takes responsibility for a woman.
All of this together combines into the perfect Madonna – a motherly virgin. Conveniently, she is also an insatiable sex kitten when the right man finally comes along, which gives us the perfect trifecta of fantasy.
Ugh.
Beau, the hero, is also a ridiculous stereotype rather than a real person. He’s the standard playboy (or, in classic Bodice Ripper terms, a rake or rogue) who suddenly finds himself feeling protective and jealous of a woman he just met for mysterious reasons. He sets himself up as her protector, going so far as to write his own wedding vows where he gives her: his strength, his knowledge, and his experience.
Also, he says things like: “I’m going to sit and watch the sun pour down on you like golden rain, caressing you and making you glow…. And then I’m going to come to you and make you glow for me. I want to feel you open and flower and tremble…. I want to know hat everything I do to you will make you shine and melt and flow.” WHO TALKS LIKE THAT?
Ugh.
Now, all this griping about the main characters probably makes you think that you should skip this one, but let me just say: the prose is so over the top that it might just be worth it.
To offer just one example, here is how Kate’s first-ever orgasm (at least, with a man) is described:
Treasure. A carousel playing a haunting melody, Beau’s golden eyes, his hand in hers walking through the rain forest, a mocking Southern drawl with a note of underlying tenderness, courage, honesty, passion, this beautiful, throbbing rhythm. So many treasures. He was giving them all to her and when he gave the final radiant gift that made rapture seem commonplace, it was no more precious than the other treasures he’d heaped upon her.
Amazing.
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August 22, 2011
Narrated by Renee Rausman - Narration 5*s
Reviewed for AAR's Speaking of Audiobooks 8/22/11 http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=6890
How does an Iris Johansen series romance from 1985 make it as a 2011 audiobook release? Well if Linda Howard’s Midnight Rainbow, Diamond Bay, Duncan’s Bride, etc. are still considered keepers by you then Blue Velvet holds up as well. Add in the enjoyment of Renee Raudman’s narrating skills and it was a hit for me. Raudman brought what I love most about her narration abilities; flawless timing, the correct amount of feeling and an excellent portrayal of characters.
Being a Raudman fan does have its drawbacks though – a narrator only has so many voices. I was mentally bounced around as the story got off the ground between hero Beau Lantry’s southern accent and a heroine named Kate. My mind kept imposing Ilona Andrews’ characters from her Magic series into the listen. It was hard to tune out the mental pictures that kept flashing by but I was eventually successful. It helped that the genre was completely different.
Beau, a wealthy, jaded man, is island hopping in the Caribbean with his sailboat crew when he encounters Kate Gilbert; a very resourceful young woman who wins his admiration with her determination to help others no matter the cost, then paying her debts without question. Each of our protagonists have a loyal friend at their side which is good because there is plenty of action as they dodge a foiled drug dealer that wants revenge. The heat level is surprising considering the age of this book and we get a great “Tough Miss Innocent knocks Mr. Seen It All for a loop” romance to wrap it up. All the elements needed for a quick enjoyable listen.
Reviewed for AAR's Speaking of Audiobooks 8/22/11 http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=6890
How does an Iris Johansen series romance from 1985 make it as a 2011 audiobook release? Well if Linda Howard’s Midnight Rainbow, Diamond Bay, Duncan’s Bride, etc. are still considered keepers by you then Blue Velvet holds up as well. Add in the enjoyment of Renee Raudman’s narrating skills and it was a hit for me. Raudman brought what I love most about her narration abilities; flawless timing, the correct amount of feeling and an excellent portrayal of characters.
Being a Raudman fan does have its drawbacks though – a narrator only has so many voices. I was mentally bounced around as the story got off the ground between hero Beau Lantry’s southern accent and a heroine named Kate. My mind kept imposing Ilona Andrews’ characters from her Magic series into the listen. It was hard to tune out the mental pictures that kept flashing by but I was eventually successful. It helped that the genre was completely different.
Beau, a wealthy, jaded man, is island hopping in the Caribbean with his sailboat crew when he encounters Kate Gilbert; a very resourceful young woman who wins his admiration with her determination to help others no matter the cost, then paying her debts without question. Each of our protagonists have a loyal friend at their side which is good because there is plenty of action as they dodge a foiled drug dealer that wants revenge. The heat level is surprising considering the age of this book and we get a great “Tough Miss Innocent knocks Mr. Seen It All for a loop” romance to wrap it up. All the elements needed for a quick enjoyable listen.
August 24, 2012
Need something to read on a two-hour car ride? Here ya go! Do not expect anything above cliches ("Her smile was like a ray of sun on a winter morning") and the most basic, elementary level of chemistry and boy meets girl that could ever be written about.
Predictable, and a tiny little bit of fun, because Beau is a modern-day "pirate"/smuggler, whatever he is, who owns a big fancy boat and employs a captain to take it all up and down the coast of South America (I think). He gets tied up in what he thinks is a prostitution deal (it isn't) and meets beautiful stunning Kate (who for some reason, tells this guy she first meets that she likes to sunbathe in the nude and he cliches the story up by saying "Oh I'd like to see that some time." *headdesk*). Beau thinks Kate is a prostitute, and in order to help her and her drunken passed-out friend out of the drug lord's clutches, strikes a deal with her (that she's okay with!?) that he can do whatever he wants to her, whenever he wants, for however long he wants, and he'll help them. She says "Oh what a low price to pay for my friendship." and agrees.
What's good about the story, and it's not much: the author (I do like her. I trust her. Just her "romance" is pathetic), the boat's captain (this huge redhaired guy with a red beard and scars all over himself from sewing up his own wounds. I was way more intrigued by him than Beau)and the action. Setting fire to 60K pounds of cocaine with torches is cool.
What's bad about this story: everything else.
I realized too late that this wasn't a comedy. I thought it was, with horrible dialogue like "I ache for the need of you." WHAT? Who says that?
Okay, enough fluff in a row. Time to nail down some serious reading.
Predictable, and a tiny little bit of fun, because Beau is a modern-day "pirate"/smuggler, whatever he is, who owns a big fancy boat and employs a captain to take it all up and down the coast of South America (I think). He gets tied up in what he thinks is a prostitution deal (it isn't) and meets beautiful stunning Kate (who for some reason, tells this guy she first meets that she likes to sunbathe in the nude and he cliches the story up by saying "Oh I'd like to see that some time." *headdesk*). Beau thinks Kate is a prostitute, and in order to help her and her drunken passed-out friend out of the drug lord's clutches, strikes a deal with her (that she's okay with!?) that he can do whatever he wants to her, whenever he wants, for however long he wants, and he'll help them. She says "Oh what a low price to pay for my friendship." and agrees.
What's good about the story, and it's not much: the author (I do like her. I trust her. Just her "romance" is pathetic), the boat's captain (this huge redhaired guy with a red beard and scars all over himself from sewing up his own wounds. I was way more intrigued by him than Beau)and the action. Setting fire to 60K pounds of cocaine with torches is cool.
What's bad about this story: everything else.
I realized too late that this wasn't a comedy. I thought it was, with horrible dialogue like "I ache for the need of you." WHAT? Who says that?
Okay, enough fluff in a row. Time to nail down some serious reading.
July 31, 2012
Very trite and unrealistic. Also way too graphic on the intimacy passages for my taste. Wanted to stop reading after chapter three, but it gave me something to read on vacation. Would not recommend this to anyone.
April 12, 2024
Nancy
Wow, what an adventure. I characters were great. I enjoyed all the escapades. The storyline was intriguing with a big touch of romance. I enjoyed meeting all the characters that I’m sure to meet in other books. Thanks for the great read.
Wow, what an adventure. I characters were great. I enjoyed all the escapades. The storyline was intriguing with a big touch of romance. I enjoyed meeting all the characters that I’m sure to meet in other books. Thanks for the great read.
August 18, 2017
Not her best work, but a fun, quick read.
June 16, 2018
A quick read just for the hell of it.
December 28, 2018
Predictable
March 13, 2022
Nice little romance that had a lot of action :)
May 3, 2012
While I wasn't totally crazy about this book, it was a big improvement on White Satin. Kate was abandoned by her mother as a young girl and has been living with smugglers ever since. She has had no formal education, yet she is pretty smart when it comes to the ways of the world. I liked Kate. Even though her choices weren't always the smartest and were often done out of a sense of misplaced loyalty, I still thought she was a great character. She stood up for what she believed in and wasn't afraid to risk herself for it.
Beau on the other hand was a little annoying. While understood why he was so protective of Kate, I got tired of waiting for him to see that she really could take care of herself. She really didn't need to be made better because she was pretty great already. As for the over all story, it was just OK for me. Nothing really happens as she is never is any real danger. I guess I was hoping for more action with this one, given the setting.
Beau on the other hand was a little annoying. While understood why he was so protective of Kate, I got tired of waiting for him to see that she really could take care of herself. She really didn't need to be made better because she was pretty great already. As for the over all story, it was just OK for me. Nothing really happens as she is never is any real danger. I guess I was hoping for more action with this one, given the setting.
November 27, 2013
This was a great read. I kept turning pages and thinking I'll stop here. Then I would go on and read some more. Two people who you would least likely figure could end up together weave their way through their stubborn independence, creating havoc with their impulsiveness and almost getting killed, and in the end -- well you know how all romances end. It is the ride to the end result that is fun. Johnasen makes you feel like you are right there with the characters. A very good book!
February 1, 2012
Blue Velvet by Iris Johansen
She has to make a deal to do whatever he wants. He will help get her
passed out friend onto his boat and out of there. She had to torch the
cocaine and he helped her with that also. Then onto the boat and sailed away
to Santa Isabella. Now she wants to go back to get the plane.
She has to make a deal to do whatever he wants. He will help get her
passed out friend onto his boat and out of there. She had to torch the
cocaine and he helped her with that also. Then onto the boat and sailed away
to Santa Isabella. Now she wants to go back to get the plane.
September 11, 2015
Kate Gilbert was r a I se on the sea by smugglers, when she goes into a bar 1 night t o resuce a friend she happens to m et playboy millionaire Beau Lantry. He decides he has to help Kate even if it's against her wishes. He shows her what love can be like but in order to Do that he must first lose his heart
March 21, 2012
In the style of Johansen, Kate is a giver. Honest, true, giving of herself because it is the 'way' things are done. Everyone she meets takes and takes some more. One man one man in particular takes but only wants to give everything but himself. Not one of her best, but it is still worth the read.
August 30, 2011
Too 1980ish for me. Renee Raudman was the highlight.
September 27, 2011
An older series romance that stands the passing of 25 years very well in the way Linda Howard's older series romances like Midnight Rainbow do.
The audiobook version is excellent!
The audiobook version is excellent!
November 13, 2011
Read it on my nook - so I didn't see the cover. Didn't realize she wrote romances - it was OK. At least I finished it!
December 1, 2011
In this book's defense, I rented it from the library via my Nook, thinking it was one of her mysteries. I was mistaken. Still, it was a painful read. (And yet I finished it. There you go.)
January 19, 2012
I think she is losing her touch.
April 9, 2012
I have liked some of Iris Johansen's mysteries; this was the first romance of hers that I read. The best way to describe it is that it was plain.
Read
September 19, 2012Blahhhhh! This may be the worst book I have ever read!
September 26, 2012
It is a ty[ical holday bus trip book..Not a lot of susbtance to it...But it passes the time ona bus trip
Read
November 25, 2013too sexy
November 17, 2013
Just wanted something light and easy to read, this was just too light on everything...to bad because Ms Johansen can write some very good books
Read
May 8, 2014The
March 4, 2015
Pretty straight forward romance
February 26, 2015
couldn't get into this at all! Not my cup of tea
January 24, 2017
Female lead an innocent as is typical for the genre at the time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews