I just finished reading Gift of Fire and Gift of Gold. Jayne Ann Krentz is amazing. Not only do I love her sex scenes but her imagination re: paranormal phenomenon is amazing. What a woman!!

An excellent book. I read Gift of Gold first and hoped there would be more about the characters. Thankfully there was. All of her books I reread often and this is one of my favorites. I really enjoy the paranormal aspects of this book. I do not loan any of her books (under any of her pseudonyms)out.

Verity and Jonas are wonderful characters. This sequel continues with more interesting dialogue and suspense. The historical facts intertwined with the romance make this book a spell-binding read every time. Jayne Ann Krentz has the ability to weave a story that transports you into the book to watch the scene. I highly recommend both Gift of Fire and Gift of Gold

JAYNE KRENTZ did an excellent job with this mystery/romance thriller. I loved how she weaved the love story around the surprise death of a resident in Witt's End. How about the name of that town? Right away we should have known that some strange things were going to happen in a town with the name Witt's End. Basically, everyone in that small town were at their wits' end. The town was dying unless someone gave it a "shot in the arm": and, a shot it got, opening of a mail-order company for the products they offered.

They say, opposites attrack. It sure was true in this book. Who would have expected the big-time businessman to fall for a strange lady of unconventional qualities from Witt's End. His doing so demonstrated that he too was at his wits' end for relationships. He gambled away his rich family inheritance for this free-spirited lady. In the process, he relives his childhood years and discovers he never was treated like a real member of the family and that his lost was really not a lost at all but it was a enlightment and a gain.

The mysterious Witt's End held secrets of its own but when discovered one-at-a-time those secrets constructed a bond with that town that could not be ignored.

Krentz, kept me interested right up to the end and I am sure you will be too.

I truly enjoy Ms. Krentz's books, and Hidden Talents is one of my favorites. The character development is great, the chemistry between Serenity and Caleb is wonderful, and who can resist the quirky, off-beat inhabitants of Witt's End? Pick this one up and see if you can find a bottle of "Ole Hogwash" (a Witt's End product) to drink while you read. Enjoy!ps - If you enjoyed this one, be sure to try Absolutely Positively, Trust Me and Deep Waters. You won't be disappointed!

Yes, I have read this book several times. It is just as good the fourth time as the first. If you like your books with strong male and female characters, you will like Jayne Krentz. Serenity is not like many female characters I have read, she is gentle but strong, caring and loyal. I love her uniqueness and her 'alternative' lifestyle. Caleb is a man who never really knew if he was loved and does not really believe it exists. The two meet amidst a murder mystery which they try to solve as well as putting their own lives back together. What a great couple. And I loved the secondary characters! I think you will too.

This is another one of those that I wish I could rate between a 3 and 4 star. I enjoyed the story. I appreciated Stark being a brainy (nerdy)person with a "great bod", wanting more out of life but not knowing how to go about it. He was great- he just needed someone to care and show him how to love and stop being so analytical about everything. The opening sign was great. Stark was left standing at the alter for the 2nd time. Desdemona is the caterier and is having to console him while she tries to get him to pay the bill. Cute scene. Desdemona was a sweetie. I did get awfully tired of her comparing everything to the Wainwright family. That got pretty "corny" after a while. I enjoyed reading it, though I won't want to read it again. But it was fun.

Krentz is excellent at producing wonderful characters.....Sam Stark seems to be a computer genuis, the nephews eat a lot of cereal, relationships begin and end, values are important, and most important is that Desdemona has an entire family named after Shakespeare's characters. I think this book shifted romance into the computer age. A thoroughly modern spin on romance, and one worth reading.

Like so many other readers, I started reading Jayne Ann Krentz under her other name, Amanda Quick. I quickly devoured everything she had written and was extremly sad when I got to the end of her books. I love historicals, but I also wanted more of Krentz/Quick's writting so I ventured once again into the world of contemporary romance. _Trust Me_ was the first book I read by Jayne Ann Krentz; I picked it out from my library on a whim, but I don't think I could have picked a better book to start with.

Sam Stark was just abandoned at the alter... for the second time. Alone in his office, he is trying to fugure out what went wrong when in comes Desdemona Wainwright, the caterer for his canceled wedding reception. She demands to be payed for her work, even though she feels awful about interupting Stark at such a horrible time in his life. Feeling guilty, she invites him to dinner with her and the rest of the Wainwright clan. At first, Stark is reluctant to except, but he is intriuged by Desdemona, so he agrees. The Wainwright family is a huge clan of mostly out of work actors. They don't like Stark at first... "he's not a theater person". But, as he and Desdemona strike a deal, a passionate love envelopes them, and Desdemona defies her family. But, when a murderer and a blackmailer enter the scene, will Dedemona and Stark be able to find true happiness with each other? Can a precious trust be kept alive or will it be lost forever?

_Trust Me_ is a wonderful book by Jayne Ann Krentz. Desdemona was a heroine I really got to care for. She had a strong sense of family, and although it was sometimes a blind sense, Desdemona was loyal and loving. Stark was a very interesting hero. He is basically a nerd with a body that is too die for. I got the feeling he was supposed to be a handsom Bill Gates. One moment you want to jump into the book and give him a hug, and the next you want to throw the book against the wall in hope of bashing some sense into his head. At times he was very loveable and then thoroughly exasperating. The Wainwright family was delightful! They are definitly odd balls, but you love all of them. At times, they are very protective of Desdemona, and at other times they let her run wild. I loved reading about their side plots, and I think Jayne should wright about their plights sometime in the future. I could really conect with the sense of family, and I appreciated it.

Being a Seattle-ite, I loved the setting of this book. It was great to hear of a familiar place and to have an actual picture in my mind of what that place really looks like. My only problem with _Trust Me_ was that the mystery was a little weak. In all of Amanda Quick's books, the mystery keeps you guessing until the end, but with this book, I had it figured out befor Desdemona and Stark did. But, it is a wonderful romance, and I recomend it to Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz fans alike. Belive me (I would usually say "trust me", but that would be a little too corny), you have to read this wonderful book. It is full of snappy dialogue, quirky characters, and other distinct trademarks that make up a Krentz origional.

I always enjoy Jayne Ann Krentz's books, and this one was no different. She has such a great sense of humor. And because I bought the book for Ms.Krentz's story,I also got to discover Lori Foster! Wow! I loved this book, and I can't wait to read Wanton, the book that follows with the irresistible Alec. If it's even half as good as Beguiled, I wont' be disappointed. Sexy, intense, romantic, suspenseful...did I say sexy? I will definitely hunt up Ms. Foster's backlist. Don't miss this great duo of books!

As an avid reader of Jayne Ann Krentz' backlist, I looked forward to this re-issue. It's wonderful to finally get a chance to read this book. I was not disappointed by the trademark sizzling romance and good-natured humor.

The Lori Foster novel was an enjoyable read as well, although I did have some complaints about the wimpiness and naivete of the heroine. I probably would not have tried this author had she not been paired with Ms. Krentz, but I will keep an eye out for her books in the future.

If you like your romance steamy, your men hot and your women feisty then these two stories are a must-have for your collection. Jayne Ann Krentz gives us a vintage tale of love, lust and confusion between detective Josh January and innkeeper Maggie Gladstone. This is wonderful Krentz stuff, the affair is believable, the characters charming and the story holds us to the last kiss! Lori Foster gives us a harder-edged tale of brotherly love taken to a new dimension when Dane Carter replaces identical (and dead) twin Derek at the helm of their company and in the bed of former girlfriend Angel Morris. A tale that could have become sloppy and unpleasant remains taut and enthralling, the steamy sensuality will melt your heart and leave you cheering for the eventually triumphant couple. Cetainly the plots are predictable, and there is little mystery in whodunnit, but do we buy romances for mystery? You'll find plenty of what we do buy romances for between the covers of this book!!!

Katy Wade has a brother finishing high school. To support him, she has been the personal secretary to the Gilchrist family for almost a decade. At last she is ready to start her own business.

First she must lure Luke Gilchrist home to take over the Gilchrist empire. Not an easy task, since Luke holds a life long grudge against them. The Gilchrist empire will fall without him. Luke has the magic touch of how to make money. Once Katy lures Luke home to do his "family duty" she can get on with her own life.

Katy's attempts to bring Luke back succeeds more than anyone would have suspected. But Luke has plans of his own for this stubborn and loyal lady.

This is the BEST Modern Day Romance I have EVER read. A match of wits, love, and family loyalies. A wickedly wonderful tale.

Katy Wade has a brother finishing high school. To support him, she has been the personal secretary to the Gilchrist family for almost a decade. At last she is ready to start her own business. First she must lure Luke Gilchrist home to take over the Gilchrist empire. Not an easy task, since Luke holds a life long grudge against them. The Gilchrist empire will fall without him. Luke has the magic touch of how to make money. Once Katy lures Luke home to do his "family duty" she can get on with her own life.

Katy's attempts to bring Luke back succeeds more than anyone would have suspected. But Luke has plans of his own for this stubborn and loyal lady.

This is the BEST Modern Day Romance I have EVER read. A match of wits, love, and family loyalies. A wickedly wonderful tale.

by Detra Fitc

Katy Wade has a brother finishing high school. To support him, she has been the personal secretary to the Gilchrist family for almost a decade. At last she is ready to start her own business.

First she must lure Luke Gilchrist home to take over the Gilchrist empire. Not an easy task, since Luke holds a life long grudge against them. The Gilchrist empire will fall without him. Luke has the magic touch of how to make money. Once Katy lures Luke home to do his "family duty" she can get on with her own life.

Katy's attempts to bring Luke back succeeds more than anyone would have suspected. But Luke has plans of his own for this stubborn and loyal lady.

This is the BEST Modern Day Romance I have EVER read. A match of wits, love, and family loyalies. A wickedly wonderful tale.

Award winning authoress Jayne Ann Krentz, who also is known by Amanda Quick for her historical romance novels, gives us exactly what this title indicates--grand passion. Flavoring her settings with descriptive tones of wealth and art add to Cleopatra Robbins (the central character)sensual and suspenseful predicament with handsome yet snobbish Max Fortune.

I especially enjoyed scenes involving "The Mirror"--a book which Cleo is writing that unmasks her hidden desires of erotica. And, you just know Max will buy into that, along with attempting to discover hidden art treasures.

A fun, well written book which even authoress Sandra Brown commented, "Grand Passion is Krentz at her best...with the snappy dialouge that has become her trademark and a cast of characters you want to know personally."

Thanks for your interest & comment votes--CDS

Jayne Ann Krentz has done it again with this delightful, charming book. As always, the characters in this book are stunning! They are very dynamic and true-to-life and they are people you'd want to know. Cleo is a down-to-Earth woman with an underlying sensuality that she is desperate to bring forth. Max is successful in everything he tries, everything that is, except relationships. He is searching for a place he fits in. He finds that place in a remote inn known as the Robbins' Nest Inn. Robbins' Nest is peopled with a group of characters who call themselves 'the family' and are funny, warm and complex. These delightful denizens are headed up by the Inn owner, Cleo Robbins. Here, among these people, Max finds the love and acceptance he has been searching for all his life. Cleo and 'the family' take him in and add him to the bunch almost instantly. With their help he learns that being part of a family isn't about when you mess up, it's about being there. Watching Max break out of his shell and flourish under Cleo's love and the love of 'the family' is heartwarming. There is a mystery that plays throughout the book and unlike usual, I had half of it figured out almost instantly. The other part of the mystery, nevertheless, kept me guessing until the end. However, the mystery is not the driving force of this book as is most times the case. The tone of this story is definitely self-discovery. Watching Cleo and Max discover each other and learn things about themselves is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The humor, the passion, and the love were touching and kept me interested right from the first. One of the best by Ms. Krentz in any of her many incarnations. I am always pleasantly surprised by the high quality and wonderful characters in Ms. Krentz's books. Buy this book now -- you won't be disappointed!

I have read several Krentz books, and I love how she makes me smile through the whole book. Even though I figured out the mystery of the paintings, I loved the relationship between Cleo and Max. This was one of her best in my opinion.

I love Jayne Ann Krentz's books, own virtually all of them (under all her names), and reread them regularly, like visiting favorite old friends. That said, I found this one just a tad disappointing. Her characters are always likeable, but I found Ethan somewhat less compelling than some of her other male protagonists, his character not so clearly written. Don't get me wrong, I want to think he's wonderful, it just didn't come across to me as clearly as some of her other characters. I wanted him to leap off the page. I was also disappointed that the relationship between Ethan and Zoe was left hanging, as it was with Lavinia and Tobias in the two Lake-March Amanda Quick books. I assume Ethan and Zoe will be back for further adventures (since this is called a Whispering Springs story, implying there will be others), so perhaps Krentz doesn't want to remove dramatic tension by solidifying their relationship too quickly, but if J.D. Robb can do it with Eve Dallas and Rourke, why can't Krentz do it with her main characters? After all, one of the elements of fantasy in the romance genre is the satisfying feeling you get when two characters you like figure out that they are essential to one another and no one else will do. When the commitment is lukewarm (even though that happens in real life), some of the air goes out of the balloon. There are plenty of contemporary novels out there with imperfect and uncertain relationships; that's not what I read romance for.

I also thought the solution(s) to the murders came out of nowhere. I would have liked there to be a few more hints so that I could really go along for the ride.

Even a disappointing work by Krentz is better than most of the other romances or romantic suspense out there, so don't hesitate to read this one. But I will continue to look for a little more in the next book.

"Light in Shadow" is one of the better Krentz/Quick romantic suspense books in years. The characters are well-developed, the romance seems believable, and there's enough suspense to hold it all together.

Zoe and Ethan are great characters, and complex enough to hold on to our interest. Their romance is well-developed and believable, and Krentz manages to achieve a great deal of wonderful sexual tension between them. In addition, the book doesn't have an aloof attitude towards its own characters, a weakness that has characterized a few of this author's books the past few years.

The suspenseful plot line is gripping and, for the most part, well-developed. As with "Smoke and Mirrors," I was a bit disappointed with the final solution(s), because there seemed little to no build-up to the eventual true villains. In addition, there were almost too many small villains and not enough of a big one. But the initial hook of "Zoe as wrongly-imprisoned escapee from corrupt asylum" is a great one and brings a lot of tension to the book.

All in all, a good, gripping read with all that we've come to expect from a Krentz book.

Jayne Ann Krentz is back with another winning combination of suspenceful plot, humor, and delightful primary AND secondary characters. Somehow Krentz manages to weave mythic relational issues (love, trust, commitment, risk, honor, responsibility, family) into a magical blend that leaves you wanting to read more about Whispering Springs and Zoe, Ethan, et al. This one will be a keeper --- go ahead, buy it in hardcover!! --- because she manages to juggle plot elements and keep even seasoned "Jayne" fans (and I've been reading her since the 70s!) guessing about what REALLY happened, and what will happen next!

This title represents my introduction to Jayne Ann Krentz, and I hope for her sake it is not indicative of her typical production. This read is the epitome of hackneyed romantic literature--weak writing that inhibits a potentially inventive romantic premise. This title amounts to dull, lifeless storytelling--NOT COMPELLING. In fact, I couldn't find a single correlation between the story and its title. Bolt's character turned out to be the only redeeming element of the entire story, the only reason (beyond the fact that I'd already paid for the book) to keep reading this drivel until the last page had been turned.

I bought this title on a whim because I wanted to give other authors the time I've been reserving for Linda Howard, Christene Feehan and Susan Donovan, who have never failed to inspire me. Jayne Ann Krentz (and her alter-ego Amanda Quick) have no less than 30 titles in the catalogue of the garden-variety book retailer--I thought, why not? Now I have to wonder how she made it this far.

Do yourself a favor--KEEP YOUR MONEY.

In this book you will see that your reputation means everything to the people, Annie asked Oliver to marry her for her convenience, and everybody thought that the wedding was for Oliver's convenience.
The story of Annie and Oliver is quite different but when they meet each other they know that each one was made for the other, is a very nice and easy reading, but I have to say that the story of Daniel is not so good.

Witty, well-written romance/suspense novel. The plot revolves around a mystery that while a little far fetched, is still enjoyable. The story is suspenseful (for a romance novel), and I have to admit that I was completely surprised at the end when the true villain was revealed. The main characters in the book are well developed and surprisingly human, and like real people they possess both good traits and bad. The dialog is snappy and flows smoothly, and there are none of those long descriptive passages that make you want to start skimming.

Annie Lyncroft becomes the sole owner of a high-tech electronics company after her brother's plane disappears off the Alaskan coast. It isn't long before the vultures start to circle and the company's creditors are pressuring Annie to sell. Annie needs to stalls for time, she is sure that her brother is still alive and she intends on keeping the company safe until he returns. She approaches Oliver Rain (her brother's former employer) and proposes an outlandish scheme. A marriage of convenience. If they were to marry, Oliver would legally be entitled to half of her share of the company, and he could run it until her brother is rescued. Surprisingly Oliver agrees, but he agrees on his own terms.

Gift of Gold blends your independent female heroine and tough male hero with a dash of the supernatural in the form of hero Jonas Quarrel's trips into a type of time tunnel. He has the ability to actually experience the history of objects of violence, but can then become overcome by the emotions connected to them. Verity Ames becomes his perfect match, able to control the powers in the psychic time tunnel and match Jonas passionately on the physical plane. The perfect matchup on more than one level makes their romance a binding one that is able to overcome outside threats. This novel should be read in conjunction with its sequel, Gift of Fire. Fans of Krentz will note that her later books, such as Deep Waters and Absolutely, Positively have strayed away from the psychic format of the two Gift novels and Midnight Jewels and into the realm of the business world. If they miss that added twist, take a look at her new series under the name Jayne Castle -- Amaryllis and Zinnia. Jayne has taken the concept started in the Gift novels of a woman being the controlling force for a man's psychic power making her the perfect mate into a new realm. She moved them to another planet where psychic ability is the norm and runs from there. If you liked Gift of Gold/Fire, take a looke at the new novels written as Jayne Castle

I have read almost every JAK book that she has written. I can say that I have enjoyed every contemporary romance she has written (I'm not too into the otherworld, futuristic ones). Her heroes are always believable but heroic. Her heroines are down-to-earth women. And of all the books I've read, this one is my absolute favorite. Those professional advertising reviews always state "you won't be able to put it down", but in this case, its true! I totally fell in love with Jonas and could easily imagine myself as Verity (I have red hair too!). And by the way... Make sure you read Gift of Fire after this one; it takes you through Verity and Jonas' next phase of their romance and keeps you "begging for more".

Verity and Jonas are very memorable characters, which is why the sequel to this book "Gift of Fire" was written, if it had not been, we would have demanded it! Jayne Krentz writes well researched books with humor, passion, and believable plots even when the 'paranormal' elements can make for a wild ride. The best part of the book is the relationship between Jonas and Verity, full of passion, doubt, trust, exasperation, and full of life. I like that Krentz uses other characters' foibles and machinations as 'tests' for the two characters, which make for an exciting read. Do not pass up this book or the sequel. You will be missing some great reads.

I am a big fan of Krentz in all of her psuedonyms and this book was no exception. I especially appreciated that throughout the book Mattie sticks up for herself. Even though she loves Hugh he must prove himself worhy of that love. Also Mattie wont let him intimidate her into forgiving him or doing whatever he wants her to do. I love a character with a mind of her own.

I would start this review by saying this is one of the top three of my favourite JAKs...but then I stopped and realised I have 12 to 15 top three JAKS! Yes, she is a formula writer. If you don't care for the formula, then don't buy her. Simply enough. For those that appreciate her deft wit, her sharp repartee, there is no one like her. I adore her writings and think this is a one of her better ones.

Mattie Sharp stared down at the man dressed all in white, watching him die, and when he uttered to tell him "reign in hell", she knew she had stepped off in the middle of something very bad. The "him" was Hugh Abbott, a man she has been trying to avoid for a year, a man she once offered to follow to the ends of the earth - or in this case to St. Gabriel's Island.

Hugh Abbott was her aunt's 'pet wolf'. He was a security expert and troubleshooter for the large multinational business her aunt inherited. Since her aunt adores Hugh's genes, she fixed him up with her niece, Ariel. Maddie watched the miss-match romance go down in flames, knowing from the first time she saw him her sister was all wrong for Hugh. Maddie had stood by and waited, knowing she was falling in love with him. When the breakup came, Maddie made her pitch. A candlelight dinner, a good bottle of wine and a night of lovemaking were the formula to Hugh's heart - she thought. Only when the morning came for Hugh to leave for St. Gabriel's Isle, he refused to take Maddie. He tried to tell her it was bad timing. He was angry over the break up his engagement, but it came out all wrong, with him saying Maddie was 'just not his type'.

So hurt by the rejection, Maddie made sure she stayed away from Hugh. This was not easy, since her Aunt is determined to get Hugh in to the family and is most willing to help play matchmaker. Hugh, once he got over the breakup, saw he wanted Maddie, but she would not accept any letters or calls from him. Worse, four times during the year, he conspired with her aunt to bring Maddie and him together. All four times, Maddie left town rather than see him.

So her Aunt sent her to pick up a medieval sword from the Island of Purgatory from the man who was at her feet dying, an excuse to get Hugh and Maddie together. Hugh Abbott is there, and she is very glad for the comfort of his arms. But it begins an adventure with them running for their lives through the jungles. Despite their predicament, Hugh sees this as a chance to win Maddie back. But Maddie is feed up with being second place to her sister and is determined not to be hurt by Hugh again.

Maddie is charming, funny and warm; Hugh is a wonderfully droll 'throw-back'. They will win your heart.

A delightful story that is among her best. If you're a fan, don't miss this book. If you're not, start with this one, you'll soon understand the reason Krentz is one of the more popular romance/adventure writers.