Fantasy Lover
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
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Book Reviews of Fantasy Lover
Book Review: Ms. Kenyon Wrote This Story Back in High School in 1988
Summary: 2 Stars
Uh, I should have known just from the title that this book was going to be ridiculous. However, first off, l will tell you what was good about this book. The hero is a Spartan Warrior. Awesome! Remember Brad Pitt as Achilles in "Troy"? I have not come across a book in this genre before that has as its hero and as part of its plot Greek mythology. I'm sure they're there, I just have not come across any.
Back to the point, Ms. Kenyon did not do the winning hero or the winning plot justice. I don't know if she plainly just isn't a good writer, or perhaps this was a bad item among her other and well written books. (I will do more research & read further from her, starting w/book 2 of this series.) When I was in high school, I thought myself a budding novelist and wrote these ridiculous, overly wordy (kind of like this review, eh?), fantastical and predictable stories. Fantasy Lover could have been one of mine from HIGH SCHOOL. The whole idea of Julian being this gigantic beefcake (he was totally described like Fabio & Fabio is so disgusting!) was just so over the top and ridiculous. Also, this book was printed in 2002 but there is barely any evidence within its pages of this fact. The only item dating it near the new millenium is the mention of "The Matrix". I believe this is a sign that Ms. Kenyon is out of touch with current/popular culture. Grace is 29, she a sex therapist, she owns her own house. But she is dowdy and sounds completely stuck in the early 90's. I appreciate authors like Sophie Kinsella who totally hit pop culture and relatively current fashion (but not TRENDY fashion) on the nose. Ms. Kenyon needs to do some research to get into the minds of conscientious young women. She could start by regularly reading young women periodicals, ie Glamour, In Style. I find it annoying when authors write about women my age who do not sound like any women I know. Any self-respecting 29 year old would drop dead before wearing their scrunchy in any other place other than the privacy of their own bathroom. And what was with the psycho patient? That whole part came completely out of nowhere and made no sense. The way it was thrown in the story completely stilted the flow.
Ms. Kenyon does not accurately portray women of a certain age. Her plot lines are only superficially developed, leaving gaping holes and questions in the minds of attentive readers.
Book Review: In a Word....Ridiculous
Summary: 2 Stars
I am an avid reader and this book MAY have fared a bit better had I not read it immediately following Kresley Cole's series (which was amazing, by the way).
This had a great story...that is, the plot was a cool idea. The actual writing and the dialogue? Stooooopid. The main heroine is a 29 year-old PhD (incredibly rare for someone to finish grad school so early, but okay) who still gets weepy because her first love nailed and bailed on her. Are you kidding me? Get OVER it. Instead she has spent years feeling crushed to the point of crying at the drop of a hat because of some guy in college who hurt her eons ago. I'm sorry, but isn't that a right of passage for most of us? The best part is: she's a sex therapist. How many times are we going to do the frigid sex therapist thing?
I could have overlooked these ridiculous characterizations were it not for the dialogue. At one point, the 29 year old heroine admonishes the hero with this crushing setdown: "Whoa, Buster!" Or how about this gem? "Holy Guacamole!" I know one woman who says things like that--my 84 year old grandmother. No sexy, current, PhD speaks like this. I know, because I am a sexy, current PhD.
I bought several books in this series from Amazon due to the Buy-3-Get-4 promo going on...and due to the good reviews. I can only assume this book is being reviewed by women much older than myself who have no earthly idea how younger women actually speak.
I am going to hang in there, finish it, and start the next book in the series and pray the author makes some adjustments. Like I said, the plot is such a cool idea and could have been explored in such interesting ways, sigh....
UPDATE: I was about half-way through the book when I wrote the first part of this review. I ended up finishing it because I hate leaving books half baked. I actually liked the ending--it gave the characters a little more depth that wasn't obvious in the beginning. The hero, Julian, makes a sweet gesture to Grace that seemed really sincere and quite touching. The dialogue is still cheeseball as all get out, though. Sorry. And the love scenes were pretty blah and really lacking in heat. That being said, I'm going to go ahead and read the second book in this series--it's tough to find paranormal romances so I guess I just need to take what I can get.
Book Review: I could not get past the poor writing
Summary: 2 Stars
I am a newcomer to the romance world. But it doesn't matter what is the "genre" that readers or publisher designate a book; if it is well written, I'll enjoy it. When I read the synopsis, I thought the blend of "fish out of water" and a smart heroine who rescues him was an interesting premise. Julian, the "fish out of water", son of Aphrodite, should have been the ideal hero. He was in FACT a hero, a general, a warrior. He had been cursed for centuries to be trapped in a scroll alive, listening, waiting, starving until someone conjures him out to sexually satisfy a woman for 1 month and then be trapped back into the scroll until the next woman calls on his services. He started off well. When conjured up by "sex" therapist Grace and her dippy pal Selena, Julian reacts coherently to the strangeness of the modern world. As he is being tutored by Grace to live in the present day, Julian, under the influence of Grace, becomes a mishmash of sensitive listener of the children's book Peter Pan (??), a Dr. Phil follower, animalistic PROTECTOR of his "woman", chick magnet, phallic man who is able to rip men's heads off and at the same time, tenderly clean house.
It is when we deal with Grace that the book gets ridiculous. There is nothing realistic or coherent about her character. A woman who had bad sex once is able to support herself as a therapist to help people with sexual problems??? A woman who is being threatened by a deranged stalker and despite warnings and protection from her super hero lover Julian gets into an elevator that is old and unreliable and doesn't SEE the wierdo in the elevator before she steps in????
The introduction of the other Greek Gods and Goddesses and the mystery of why Julian was cursed was the worst part of the book. Nothing made sense. Nothing held up. The dialog was terrible between the Gods and the main characters of the book, Julian and Grace.
I can almost forgive the dumbness of the characters, but I can't forgive the terrible writing. It's not funny enough to be a comic novel, not good enough to be an adult novel and as for romance, it is too jumpy, undeveloped, unbelievable to enrapture the reader, which is what romance is supposed to be about. Other favorable reviewers say that the author's writing improves, I don't know if I want to waster my time waiting for the improvement.
Book Review: FANTASY LOVER fascinates, sizzles and strums with laughter!
Summary: 5 Stars
Few paranormal romances can surpass the exuberance and vivid imagination conjured up by Sherrilyn Kenyon in her irreverent and zany take on a Greek general Julian of Macedon in 149 B.C cursed by his own mother Aphrodite to languish as a love-slave and one bound to be envious of by man with his stamina and passion. Grace Alexander on her twenty-ninth birthday receives a present from her Gypsy sorceress of a friend, Selena. It's a book that locks Julian up and her pleas and chants for him roused him from his imprisonment to set him alive. Never in her years as a sex-therapist has prepared her for such a heavenly temptation - Julian is a woman's dream come true with the brawns, brains and the look factor. A hilarious adventure begins when Julian tries to seduce her into bed while Grace is determined to fight off the attraction and treat him with humanity. Julian is unprepared for the emotions this woman has roused in his abused frame and poisoned soul - and soon learns that love is just a heartbeat away. His bleak and nightmarish past stems from a doomed love that killed his children. His honor and dignity is plundered away by the evil scheme of a jealous brother and misunderstandings towards his hurt mother. Grace's compassion transforms into a healing power that magnifies into love, and when the god of lust Eros informs her that the way to dispel the curse is to resist temptation and come together as one in the next-full moon, she is tenacious to save him but could he be willing to salvage himself?
FANTASY LOVER is a buoyant read fuelled by a relentless imagination that captures beautifully the fascinating myths and legends of Greek warriors and gods like the mighty Zeus, love-god Aphrodite, cupid and Psyche. The dramatic revenge, human foibles of envy and pride spun in Julian's tale gives the story substance. It gentles into a romance that brings hope and redemption with Grace as the healer who is intelligent and dignified enough to resist lust and teaches love. Sherrilyn Kenyon is definitely a stellar talent with her celestial tale and sensual powers to mesmerize and provoke imagination. No doubt it is a fantasy that serves as aphrodisiac and candy to the brain, but this sweet charming read is a riot enough to send romance fanatics into a delirious frenzy with their prayers answered.
Thank god for a talent like Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Book Review: Dirty Joke Anyone??
Summary: 3 Stars
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Thoughts:
"Dirty Joke." Is the first thoughts that pop into my head after reading Fantasy Lover. Personally I love a dirty joke, especially a good one. Fantasy Lover is one good dirty joke.
I'm not saying that it didn't have some intense moments. Jillian is our man trapped in the book to be a "love slave," and Kenyon brings the harsh reality of that into light. Grace has been wounded before and no longer trusts men. She's a sex therapist who doesn't have sex, but when you've lost you're virginity to a bet sex starts to sour. They're both damaged and Kenyons straight forward writing amplifies the healing the two do to each other.
I will admit for all the raving out there this was a little disappointing. The plot was very formalistic. Good characters, that dirty humor, and a fun pace makes it seem pretty original. Even though I found myself annoyed at the same old miscommunication ploy (you know the one where neither character can confess their feelings, and they both feel they don't deserve each other because of low self esteem issues) I was still cheering them on.
The Greek mythology was a surprise. Vampires always popped into mind when thinking about the Dark Hunter series. For this Xena and Hercules fan it was a real treat to have Greek myths and tragedies gracing the pages. Gods and Goddess pop up and it's so fun. I love getting takes on other peoples versions of Greek gods. Jillian's life was like a Greek tragedy and I loved it!!
Bottom Line: If you love a dirty joke, with one heck of a punch line, this is the book for you. Greek myth and tragedy mix well together to give the reader a fun paranormal romance. If you've been thinking about reading the series I would say don't miss out on this book 0. I don't know much about this series, but some of the characters that show up in other books are mentioned and met in this book breifly so I think it will add to the series as you read it.
Sexual content:
Full sex scenes, naughty words, and talk about sex. (What part of dirty joke didn't you understand!?)
Rating: 3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.