TEST
The third book (follows Forever… and Forever and Always) in a series-within-a-series revolving around the supernaturally gifted Darci Montgomery, Always initially sets a fast pace with its rather suspenseful and multilayered plotline, only to repeatedly stall and, ultimately, become rather confusing.
Jack Hallbrooke grew up with everything that money could buy, but without the parental love that most children receive. As an adult, Jack has a rather large chip on his shoulder, with most of his angst directed toward his family. When he is involved in a horrifying car accident, Jack is able to become anonymous through reconstructive plastic surgery and escape the clutches of his money-hungry kin to start a new life. Only a few close friends (and no members of his family) know that Jack is alive and working for the FBI and that is just how he wants it to be. But then Jack’s father comes up missing and Jack must work with a woman he despises in order to find his father and keep his fortune safe.
Darci never had a very happy life, often feeling like a freak because of her supernatural powers. When Darci and her beloved Adam Montgomery marry and have a beautiful daughter, things could not be more perfect. Then her happy life spirals out of control when her husband and sister-in-law turn up missing. Darci will stop at nothing to find out what happened to her one true love, but, before she can find her husband, she must work with Jack to locate his father and help him get rid of a clinging female spirit – tasks that involve Jack and Darci time-traveling back to Victorian times.
I have to be honest: I’m rather confused as to what I think about Always. The book was all over the map, jumping from scene to scene and on top of that I was never really sure which characters were major players and which were not, leading me to wonder why some of them mattered at all. And this is part of the problem – there are almost too many storylines with too many characters and too many problems. The multiple scenes and characters are not the only problem, however, since the writing itself is rather wooden with too much information on mundane things and a writing style that just doesn’t flow. It’s almost as if the author had a multitude of ideas and was unable to organize them properly.
And, yet, there is something intriguing about the story itself. For one, it’s not the typical romance in that the romantic male lead is not really in the book. Additionally, with all the multiple events, the book is a rather fast read. And Jude Deveraux really does understand the idea of that perfect, across-time kind of love. When she gets it right, it’s perfect. But Always isn’t perfect, and certainly not one of her best efforts. I ultimately got that sense of soul-mate kind of love – the kind of love you would do anything for – but it’s buried underneath too much confusion.
Grade: C+
Book Type: Paranormal Romance|Time Travel Romance
Sensuality: Kisses
Review Date: 23/11/04
Publication Date: 2004
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.