Opinião - Love, Come to Me

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Lisa Kleypas

Páginas: 400

Editor: Signet

ISBN: 0451236335

Sinopse:

When strong and handsome Heath Rayne pulled Lucinda Caldwell from a winter river, he rescued her from an icy death. But soon he was plunging her into a torrid torrent of passion that this New England beauty had never suspected could claim her. Heath was unlike any other man Lucy had ever known: a dashing, mocking, sensuous Southerner who came as a stranger to Lucy's town-and stayed as he stripped away her last shreds of resistance to the demands of desire and the flaming fulfillment of love...

Opinião:

Esta é uma autora que não considero propriamente extraordinária, mas que serve para me entreter quando pretendo ler um romance histórico simples e que me vá entreter. E mais uma vez funcionou na perfeição e foi de encontro às minhas expectativas.

Quanto aos personagens, é fácil gostar da personalidade de ambos. O Heath é uma pessoa bastante à vontade, sem preconceitos e sem uma postura na rígida na sociedade. É alguém que pretende mudar o mundo através da palavra e que acredita que as coisas devem ser abordadas de uma maneira crua, sem embelezamentos. A Lucinda tem uma personalidade determinada. Sabe o que quer e não deixa que outra pessoa dite o seu comportamento. Ao mesmo tempo é uma pessoa bastante inteligente que sabe que o mundo não é preto e branco, e que tem a capacidade para ver para além daquilo que rotula as pessoas. O romance de ambos vai evoluindo ao longo do tempo, não é apressado, a autora cria momentos de conexão entre os personagens que fazem o leitor acreditar na sua relação. Isto apesar de todos os contratempos. Apesar de serem vários, não me senti frustrada nem fiquei com a sensação que a autora estava só a arranjar problemas porque sim. Achei que os problemas que foram surgindo foram naturais e bem introduzidos.

Outro aspecto do livro que gostei foi os temas, o modo como se vivia a escravatura, o modo como a guerra fez uma nação ficar dividida e cada facção considerar-se superior à outra. Como o sítio onde uma pessoa nasceu a define mesmo que na realidade esta não tenha os mesmos valores que os seus conterrâneos praticam. A guerra é uma coisa feia que muda as pessoas e traz muitas vezes ao de cima o pior que cada um tem em si. Ao mesmo tempo mostra-nos novamente como as mulheres eram consideradas umas tontinhas e no geral eram os homens que as governavam e que lhes diziam como se comportar. Claro que tal não iria acontecer com os personagens principais, mas continuam a existir bastantes exemplos que deixam uma pessoa triste pelo simples facto de se ver como as mulheres eram tratadas.

Assim sendo foi um romance que alcança os seus objectivos, entreter o leitor e deixá-lo com uma sensação de fofura devido à história amorosa do casal principal.

Opiniao - Wallflowers 4 and 5

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Lisa Kleypas

Title: Scandal in Spring and A Wallflower Christmas

Páginas: 384 and 290 (Ebook)

Editor: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9780061197147 and 9780060795443

Sinopse:

Scandal in Spring
After spending three London seasons searching for a husband, Daisy Bowman's father has told her in no uncertain terms that she must find a husband. "Now." And if Daisy can't snare an appropriate suitor, she will marry the man he chooses--the ruthless and aloof Matthew Swift.

Daisy is horrified. A Bowman never admits defeat, and she decides to do whatever it takes to marry someone . . . "anyone" . . . other than Matthew. But she doesn't count on Matthew's unexpected charm . . . or the blazing sensuality that soon flares beyond both their control. And Daisy discovers that the man she has always hated just might turn out to be the man of her dreams.

But right at the moment of sweet surrender, a scandalous secret is uncovered . . . one that could destroy both Matthew and a love more passionate and irresistible than Daisy's wildest fantasies.

A Wallflower Christmas
The Wallflowers are four young ladies in London who banded together in their wild and wickedly wonderful searches for true love. Now happily married, they join together once again to help one of the world’s most notorious rogues realize that happiness might be right under the mistletoe.

It’s Christmastime in London and Rafe Bowman has arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie Blandford, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady in waiting and, if it weren’t for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed. Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen. And winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts.

A Wallflower Christmas takes a trip to Victorian London, under the mistletoe, and on a journey of the heart. With her trademark charm, sensuality, and unforgettable characters, there’s no one like Lisa Kleypas to make you believe in the magic of Christmas.

Opinião:

Scandal in Spring is basically the last book in the Wallflowers series, given that A Wallflower Christmas a sort of short story that shows us glimpses of the near future of all the characters we've come to know and presents us the eldest son of the Bowmans.

In Scandal in Spring we finally get to see Daisy, the last Wallflower, in love. I liked her romance with Swift. The fact that he had always loved her, and lived for the brief moments he would spent with her, and that she always hated him and the influence he had over her father, made everything more enjoyable. Swift try at all costs to push back Daisy for her own protection, and Daisy starts to know, bit by bit, what kind of man Swift really is, and falls in love with him. So their roles changed, in a certain way, and that brought something a little bit different to the story. It amused me the glimpses of the other couples I was able to see. I was only a bit disappointed with the big mystery surrounding Mr. Swift and the fast resolution that was presented to readers. I would prefer that Daisy, and us, would have suffered a little bit more until everything was all right.

As I said before, A Wallflower Christmas is sort of a short story. In it we have the chance to meet another Bowman, the older brother. The story revolves around Rafe and Hannah. It's a story with a different kind of magic, since it occurs during Christmas time. Along the book the author makes a lot of references to Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, which without a doubt bring us the Christmas's atmosphere. Another thing that I liked a lot was the opportunity of, yet again, getting to see littler moments of the formers Wallflowers. But this time was different, since the moments were more private than in the previous books, and we were able to see how the relationships between every couple have grown. The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that once more the author used a strategy used before, and in more than one book, that it's the fact that the main characters don't like each other. It's getting very boring.

To summarise, it's a nice series to pass time, but not something amazing.

Opinião - Devil in Winter (Wallflower 3)

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Lisa Kleypas

Páginas: 384 (Ebook)

Editor: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9780061793516

Sinopse:

A devil's bargain.

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!

Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.

But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts -- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.

Opinião:

Since I really loved St. Vincent in the previous book, and counting the fact that the author gave us a little snippet of what was going to happen in this book, I was positively excited to start reading it. I wanted to feel that my faith in the author wasn't misplaced. So I started to read the book with a little suspicion, because I was scared I was going to be disappointed. I had very high expectations for this book and its characters. Now that I finished the book I can breathe more easily and I can say I really liked the book and everything in it.

The way that Evie finally takes a stand, and takes care of her fate in her own hands is admirable! Even nowadays there are a lot of women that are scared to take the steps that will give them a better life. And for that, I praise the heroine of this story. I loved to see that shyness wasn't the only characteristic of her personality as we thought. She is a remarkable character with a will to survive and carry on, and not easily broken. I admire her strength. St. Vincent was the perfect match for her. He brought out her temper and made her more comfortable with herself, more confident. At the same time, he started to see her strength and in spite of everything he understands that maybe he could rely on her. And bit by bit we see him change from someone amoral to someone who cares and able to discern right from wrong.

The way they get to know each other, and change their personalities so they can be a perfect match was touching. They were the characters that evolved the most since we first saw them. The story was interesting. The fact that we got a different scenario for the romance helped to see the book as different. There were parts when I felt a bit disappointed that everything was solved so fast. But the author gets us right in the gut a few steps ahead.

I really liked the book, more than I could imagine, since my past experiences weren't very good. Now I feel ready to go to the next one, but I feel a little bit scared too. Since in four books, I just really liked one, the odds are not in my favour. I really hope that Daisy can live up to my standards.

Opinião - Wallflowers 0.5, 1 and 2

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Lisa Kleypas

Title: Again the Magic, Secrets of a Summer Night and It Happened One Autumn

Páginas: 400, 384 and 290 (Ebook)

Editor: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9780060752736, 9780061793080 and 9780060795443

Sinopse:

Again the Magic
She gave him her innocence . . .Lady Aline Marsden was brought up for one reason: to make an advantageous marriage to a member of her own class. Instead, she willingly gave her innocence to John McKenna, a servant on her father's estate. Their passionate transgression was unforgivable -- John was sent away, and Aline was left to live in the countryside . . . an exile from London society . . .and he took her love.

Now McKenna has made his fortune, and he has returned -- more boldly handsome and more mesmerizing than before. His ruthless plan is to take revenge on the woman who shattered his dreams of love. But the magic between them burns as bright as ever. And now he must decide whether to let vengeance take its toll . . . or risk everything for his first, and only, love.

Secrets of a Summer Night
Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband.So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.

Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle's most intriguing—and persistent—admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition . . . but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.

Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon—and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon's passionate embrace and tempting kisses . . . and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.

It Happened One Autumn
It happened at the ball . . .
Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing." And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London's most eligible aristocrat.

It happened in the garden . . .
When Marcus shockingly--and dangerously-swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn't even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed . . . thank goodness they weren't caught very nearly in the act.

It happened one autumn . . .
Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable . . . as his bride?

Opinião:

Since I read the three books in a row, it didn't make much sense for me to talk about them separately. In my mind I picture them as one big book. And although I know which characters are from each book, certain scenes that are very general (most of them related to sex) get tangled in my head and I can't remember precisely in which book I read them.

Talking about Again the Magic, I initially thought it was a short story that we could read to be acquainted with the characters that were going to appear in the next books. In a certain way, I was wrong. It isn't a short story, most definitely, and although we are presented with some characters who will appear in the next books, most of them have a very second place in the action. The story was about two romances and sadly it was very plain. I didn't fall in love with neither of the characters and felt a bit disappointed. Everybody talked so fondly of the author...

So I decided to move on to Secrets of a Summer Night, where we meet for the first time the real Wallflowers. I liked them very much, with their different personalities that complement each other. I liked Annabelle and Simon, but throughout the book I felt that something was missing. Beside, the book goes on and on without any need for it. From the moment that they give up and surrender to love I hoped that the book would end. I was wrong, and I got bored with every page I turned since that point.

And then again I thought "Just one more try". This time I got to see Lilian and Marcus quarrel over everything and finally fall in love. In some ways I felt close to Lilian, because both of us can't keep our mouths shut and we say everything we see fit. I also got to meet a character that was dark and amoral, but in spite of everything I started to like him, and couldn't bring myself to hate him, even after the cruel thing he does to his friend. With this book I started to understand why everybody talks so much about this author.

I have to say that now I am curious to read the next book, because it features St. Vincent, one of the evil characters from It Happened One Autumn. Before I end this review I have to say that in spite of the fact that I started to understand the pull that many readers feel to this author, I can think at least about one other author that makes me completely obsessed with her books as long as they last, since book one. In the end, these books turned out to be a satisfying reading, if one has the will to pass the first two books.