Envy

Romance has never been my cup of tea, although there are some popular ones that I have enjoyed-hello Emily Henry. This one was an attempt at a romance mystery. Unfortunately the plot was very predictable. After re-reading a portion before I put the book to rest, I realized the better title would have been Vengeance. Perhaps the reason it didn't work for me was the unrelenting anger and pursuit of something beyond justice. How far do we go to exact our pound of flesh? I read to the end but won’t be following along with this author.

I wanted to slap some sense into the heroine and punch the "hero" in the face. What kept me reading this book was the mystery - I wanted to find out if my guesses were right. And they were! But the resolution at the end was so full of holes and implausibilities that I wanted to send the author a flaming bag of dog poo in payment for my misspent weekend reading this book. Although maybe I should send it to myself, since I knew better even as I kept reading.

My review from October 4, 2002:

Fascinating "book within a book"! Masterfully suspenseful!

In High School English class, I remember learning how William Shakespeare often utilized the "play within the play" technique in his writing. Hamlet even said that "The play's the thing wherein I'll get the conscience of the King". Well, Ms. Brown puts her own spin on this technique by creating a "book within a book", thus "catching the conscience" of the villain.
Metafiction is defined as "a mode of writing that comments on its own activities, thus being self-reflective". ENVY is a perfect example of that! I found it fascinating how both the psyches of a writer (Parker Evans) and an editor/publisher (Maris Matherly-Reed) were explored so thoroughly. show more Ms. Brown's ability to incorporate social commentary about her own industry (the world of the published novelist) into the plot was also intriguing.

The characters were wonderfully larger-than life and the suspense was masterful. After reading some disappointing suspense thrillers recently, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this page-turner, filled with all the twists and turns necessary for a great story! I just can't believe that I've never read any other Sandra Brown books - I guess I have a lot of exciting reading ahead of me! show less

Maris Matherly-Reed tracks an elusive author down on a small island off the coast of Georgia, intrigued by the prologue to a book he submitted. Parker Evans isn't what she expected. Meanwhile, back in New York, her husband Noah is not what she thought.
I don't want to give away too much of the mystery here, but I loved the way the author uses Parker's book to track the main plot's thread. The revenge plot is complex but perfectly tracked as each new fact is revealed. I stayed up very late reading this, unable to put it down.
I admit I wasn't as crazy about the romance aspect of the book. It seemed a little forced to me though it makes more sense by the end of the story. Maris is smart and kind while Parker is profane but a great writer. show more They're actually a good match though it took me a while to see it. The secondary characters are written well, very believable in their motives and interesting in their own rights.
I also liked the way Ms. Brown describes the settings and the historical background she adds to the story. It melds well into the main plot without being intrusive. This is the first book I've read of hers but it won't be the last. show less

This book really should have been called Vengeance. Regardless, it was fabulous. This is my first Sandra Brown book, and what a way to start! There's so many twists and turns that I was afraid of getting whiplash. Brown's characterizations paint vivid pictures of her characters in your mind, right down to the smallest mannerisms. By the end, I liked everyone in the book except Noah, even Nadia, and I didn't suspect Mike's involvement until right before it was revealed. Parker's book is easily woven into the story. He drops a clue as to the true nature of his story fairly early on, and I'm not sure why Maris didn't catch it, but the final draft ends up being much worse, and much more, than you expect. And if all of Brown's sex scenes are show more so well done, I'm going to keep reading. My one complaint has to do with the audio version of the book I listened to -- the southern accents are a bit overdone. I've heard some pretty thick accents, and I don't know anyone who talks like Parker, Mike, Roarke, and Todd. show less

Sandra Brown never disappoints. Father/daughter book publishers are being minipulated by the daughter's husband while she is courting a writer who has sent her an anonymous manuscript. Maris has made it her mission to find the author and edit the book with him leaving her elderly father vulnerable to her husband's maniupulations. The manuscript is told slowly within the story telling what happened to Parker.

Gripping, compelling delve into how far a man will go to seek revenge -- mixed with some descriptive sex. Brown has once again hit on a perfect mix of hate, lust, greed, love, envy, and suspense. The girl gets her love, the bad guy gets it in the end, and the future turns much sweeter for the hero/heroine. Though fiction, this story will make you wonder what lurks in the darkest corners of your best friend's heart.