Every Breath You Take by Judith McNaught

Hero: Mitchell Wyatt
Heroine: Kate Donovan
Category: Contemporary
Page Count: 485 pages
Grade: A

Unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and riveting suspense: These are the trademarks of beloved author Judith McNaught. With millions of devoted fans and ten New York Times bestsellers to date, McNaught is a writer whose work just gets better with each new novel--and Every Breath You Take is the book readers have been waiting for. Returning to the lavish Chicago setting of her popular novel Paradise, and revisiting some of that book's characters as well, this story will captivate in inimitable Judith McNaught style.

High atop a snow-covered hill, the stately old Wyatt mansion is perched like a crown, its stone spires pointing upward, its stained glass windows glowing like colorful jewels. Such opulence means success and, surely, happiness. But on the eve of wealthy philanthropist Cecil Wyatt's eightieth birthday, all the money in the world won't bring back his missing grandson, William Wyatt. The only thing for certain: Foul play was involved.

The family, the police, the media--all have tried in vain to discover the young man's fate. Now suspicion has turned shockingly toward William's own half-brother, the rather distant and enigmatic Mitchell Wyatt.

Kate Donovan never dreamed that a chance romantic encounter on a tropical island paradise would tag her as a suspect in a high-society murder case. But after Kate tangles with the darkly charismatic Mitchell Wyatt, she finds herself cast in a shadow of guilt and mistrust. As the Chicago police tighten their net, it will take all of Kate's ingenuity to clear her name. With her calm, cool wit, and the help of a man who may or may not be a dangerous catch, Kate vows to claim the life and love she desires.

Holy wow I loved this book. I don't care about the unprotected sex, I don't even care about Mitchell's preference in music anymore, I just effing love this book. What I loved most about this book? Seeing old characters that I absolutely LOVE come back and actually have a role in the book. To see all of my old favorites back in action, with Matt and Meredith Farrell, Zack and Julie Benedict, holy goodness Zack Benedict is one of MY favorite JM men, holy goodness it was just fanfreakin'tastic to see them all again. I loved loved LOVED IT!

But it was more than that, I started off annoyed that JM's heroes were so lofty, reserved and cultured...just once I want to read about a JM hero who is normal, someone I can see falling in love with and actually having a chance with, but the further I got into the book, the less I cared about all of that stuff. JM just took all of those thoughts away with the rest of the story.

Kate and Mitchell meet on the small island of Anguilla and they have a memorable few days together and then JM busts a reminiscent storyline of Perfect by making Mitchell a suspect in the murder of his brother but then later on, he busts a Paradise and there's a long ass gap between the last time Kate and Mitchell saw each other and the time they see each other again...talk about DRAMA!

I loved it.

My most favorite part was the end...his answer to the priest at their wedding (ya'll knew they were going to get married, hello??? It IS a romance) and the phrase that he has engraved in her wedding band, gosh I loved me some Mitchell Wyatt. He was so friggin' awesome. I loved that though he was pissed to high heaven with Kate after all that time and then the events that led up to him seeing her again after all those years, to see his hatred for her melt away filled me with such tenderness for him that I just wanted to gobble him up!

And with Kate, there were times that I wanted to Daniel son karate kick her in the face but more than anything, I understood her reaction, I didn't agree with it but given the circumstances that surrounded her decisions (the first batch of decisions) I didn't really blame her. But that second batch of decisions, I was disappointed in her but when Mitchell forgave her, I did too...because of her reasons.

Oh I just loved this book to pieces...Gracie girl, if you haven't read this book, I implore you to read it because it was the hot diggity bizomb and I just KNOW that you won't be disappointed, but dude did you read this already? If you did, why didn't I know about it? Gosh this book was the bomb, LOVED IT!

Perfect by Judith McNaught

Hero: Zack Benedict
Heroine: Julie Mathison
Grade: A

A rootless foster child, Julie Mathison had blossomed under the love showered upon her by her adoptive family. Now a lovely and vivacious young woman, she was a respected teacher in her small Texas town, and she passionately lived her ideals. Julie was determined to give back all the kindness she'd received; nothing and no one would ever shatter the perfect life she had fashioned.

Zachary Benedict was an actor/director whose Academy Award-winning career had been shattered when he was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. After the tall, ruggedly handsome Zack escaped from a Texas prison, he abducted Julie and forced her to drive him to his Colorado mountain hideout. She was outraged, cautious, and unable to ignore the instincts that whispered of his innocence. He was cynical, wary, and increasingly attracted to her. Passion was about to capture them both in its fierce embrace...but the journey to trust, true commitment, and proving Zack's innocence was just beginning....

This is most definitely one of my favorite Judith McNaught's.

If you think about it, there's so many things to love about this book.

The Hero: Zack Benedict.

He came from a rich background, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and the world at his feet and then his parents died before he was legal and left him in the care of his grandmother who immediately disowned him, taking whatever money was his in the meantime, leaving him all on his own without a dime to his name and making sure he knew just how much she loathed him.

He heads west and gets picked up as a grip on a movie in Hollywood. His pretty face and sexy body lands him a movie deal and suddenly he's thrown into the Hollywood scene with everyone wanting a piece of Zack Benedict. Little boys want to be him when they grow up and little girls want to lose their virginity to him and have his babies...yeah he's THAT hot.

You see, he makes it really big and gets to be an uber millionaire without the help of his stuffy old money Grandma. In fact, because he was booted from the family tree, it drove him to make something of himself and shove it to his family, because when his parents died, he not only lost his parents, but he lost his entire family. He had a sister and a brother who were younger than he was and were not kicked out, they were not to contact nor have any contact with Zack if they wanted to continue to live in the big money life they were used to and because they were selfish and spoiled, they did as their Grandmother instructed them.

So Zack was completely and utterly alone. Did he cry like a baby at the injustice of it all? Oh no, he moved on. He became a cold and unfeeling bastard, but hey he was still hot. He married another fellow beautiful actress who cheated on him with one of her co stars and she ends up dead on the set of a movie that Zack is directing.

Of course, Zack is blamed for the entire thing because the story of how she was unfaithful to him comes out and he goes to prison for a murder he didn't commit. He becomes even more unattached from the world and his cynical nature is taken up a notch, he becomes an even BIGGER bastard.

...and then he met Julie Mathison.

And she turns his world around, gives him hope of a better life and makes him into the man we fall in love with at the end of the book.

You have to read the book to really get a feel of just what an awesome hero Zack is, but trust me...he's one of the best.

The "Drowning" Scene.

Because he takes Julie hostage, it's only obvious that she would try to escape from him and when Zack realizes that Julie is gone and that she might have drowned in the lake, when he goes in to save her?

*sigh*

The bomb. Read it, you'll love it.

The Letter.

Never in my life have I read a letter that made me cry as much as this letter did. Zack is seriously one hella great hero and the love he writes about in this book totally melts my heart every time. I'm telling you, read the book, you'll love it.

The Setting.

Most of the book is set in the Colorado Mountains where the air is crisp and clean, the weather a bit chilled but perfect for a snow day. Perfect for hot chocolate and getting to "know" your partner. It's the perfect setting for a romance novel, because the atmosphere is just so beautiful and JM does a fantastic job of taking us on a journey all the way to beautiful Colorado, you can totally feel like you're there.

Okay, I can go on and on about how much I love this book and what I loved about it, but you guys are seriously going to have to read it for yourself. This book is just all out FABULOUS. Zack and Julie's story, the way it's told and the things they both go through to get to the end is just one of the best stories you'll read about in a very long time.

This book is swoonworthy good, for real.

Paradise by Judith McNaught

Hero: Matt Farrell
Heroine: Meredith Bancroft
Grade: A

Corporate raider Matthew Farrell had come a long way from the poor, scruffy kid of Indiana's steel mills. A long way from the country club where, feeling like an outsider, he had dared to fall in love with a beautiful blonde named Meredith Bancroft, and known a once-in-a-lifetime passion and betrayal that still haunted his memory...Now world leaders courted him, the media watched his every move, and he was ready to move in on the Bancroft empire.

A cool, poised executive in her family's legendary department store chain, Meredith had once defied her father for the sexually magnetic, intense Matt Farrell -- and their brief, ill-fated marriage was the disastrous outcome. Now, as the Bancroft firm is threatened by a hostile takeover, Meredith is forced to confront Matt. As tensions build between them, bittersweet memories rise to the surface, leaving them suspicious, restless, and uncertain. Will they be able to believe in each other -- and grasp the tender miracle that is before them?

Wow.

I haven't read a more emotional book since, the last time I read this book. This book always strikes a chord in me that has me bawling my eyes out right about the time I get to the scene where Meredith tracks Matt down at the old farm house in Indiana. When Meredith finally confesses all that happened when she thought Matt didn't want her anymore, it always squeezes my heart until I think I'm going to burst from the impact of it all. The raw emotion you read about coming from Matt Farrell in that particular scene will probably always stay with me.

This book is one of those books that has you cheering and rooting the couple on to the very end. It's one of those books that stays with you period, long after you have read the book. Matt Farrell is an exceptional hero, one of the very best, I think at grabbing you and holding your attention long after you have finished the book. He's one of those heroes that you think about, months, even years after reading his book. He's one smart cookie and hot as all hell. Flippin' gorgeous.

Meredith on the other hand is a gentle and caring young woman who fell in love with Matt, long before he got all richy rich on her. She loved him when he was a steel worker and had dreams of making it big and with all the drama that makes a romance novel, she had to fight tooth and nail to get her happy ending, even when she thought it wasn't with Matt.

Matt and Meredith's love story has the makings of a classic. It's one of those stories that you can't help but love, because of the emotion the book envokes in you. To have gone through everything they went through and still come out on top, with all of the odds working AGAINST you and to still find your way back to each other is something that everyone should read about and love, I promise that you will love this book, so you should totally go out and read it.

Judith McNaught did a wonderful job with this story and this was one of the reasons I continued to stalk Judith McNaught's work at every turn, I fell in love with Matt and Meredith and was mad as spit when all of the hardships these two endured because of the people in their lives happened.

We highlighed Matt Farrell as our Hero of the Week a few weeks back and I'm so glad we did because this weekend I fell in love with Matt Farrell all over again and I can't wait to reread the book again soon, so that I can fall in love again because I know I will.

Read it ya'll, you'll love it.

Once and Always by Judith McNaught

Across the vast ocean sailed Victoria Seaton, a free-spirited American beauty left suddenly orphaned and alone. Eager to claim her long-lost heritage, she was amazed at the formal elegance of Wakefield, the sumptuous English estate of her distant cousin...the notorious Lord Jason Fielding. Sought after at plays, operas, and balls by London's most fashionable ladies, Jason remained a mystery to Victoria. Bewildered by his arrogant demeanor, yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she came to sense the searingly painful memories that smoldered in the depths of his jade-green eyes.
Unable to resist her spitfire charm, Jason gathered her at last into his powerful arms, ravishing her lips with his kisses, arousing in her a sweet, insistent hunger. Wed in desire, they were enfolded in a fierce, consuming joy, free at last from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of blinding anguish, Victoria discovered the shocking treachery that lay at the heart of their love...a love she had dreamed would triumph...Once And Always.

I didn't really care for this one. I thought Jason was rather cold when he first married Tory. Yeah he has the tortured past, but it wasn't like other tortured heroe's I love. Every time he thought he upset Tory, he bought her jewerly. Thinking it would soothe her feelings, thinking that's what all women wanted. It's like he didn't know Tory was not like other women.

I did like Tory. She didn't annoy me and felt so bad for her on her wedding night. Poor thing. Also how Andrew's mother and Charles lied to her.

So yeah, I give this one a C+.

Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

ELIZABETH CAMERON
The Countess of Havenhurst possessed a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast.

IAN THORNTON
A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, his voyage to Elizabeth's heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge.

Destined for each other, yet wary of each other's motives, Elizabeth and Ian engage in a dance of suspicion and passion that tests the very soul of their star-crossed love. As a twisting path of secrets takes them from London's drawing rooms to the mysterious Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart?

Holly's Review

Our book club has recently been talking about Judith McNaught and it got me in the mood to do a re-read of one of my all time favorite books.

I love Ian and Elizabeth's story. Right from the very beginning all the way through the very end. I laughed. I cried. I got so pissed I wanted to chuck the book at the wall. And this was my 50th re-read (at least).

Ian is the perfect hero. A bit tortured, a lot alpha and just enough the jealous rake that my little heart soars and my tummy ties itself into knots.

Of course, as with all of her books, there's just a bit too much drama, but it doesn't change the fact that I love it.

If you're in the mood for an amazing historical, this is your book.

5 out of 5

Isabel's Review

So I finally finished Almost Heaven today. It only took me so long because I just couldn't find time to read. Very frustrating. Anyway~~~~

I loved seeing Alex and Jordan again. Usually books just mentions the characters or they have a short scene. Not this book. Very refreshing.

I liked how Elizabeth seemed real despite she was Countess. She wasn't naive as Alex was. I still felt bad for her when the scandal happened. Although, when the investigator told her news of her brother, my brain was yelling, "TALK TO THORNTON!" And when she ran off with Robert and sold her emeralds, I was about ready to throw the book. "TALK TO THORNTON!" my brain was screaming again. Although, Ian should've told her.

Once she saw the news of what was going on back home, she knew what she did was wrong and apologized. I don't blame Ian for wanting the divorce. But I loved how Elizabeth told him she was basically going to haunt him. Loved when he found her back at the cottage. Sigh...

Ian Thornton. I did love him. He did jump to conclusions about Elizabeth but I'm glad he realized his errors when he found out the truth about her. Loved the scene when they were walzting and she asked him if he ever wanted something so bad, he could almost touch it. Sigh...
But my favorite line was when Ian asked her to love him.

The only thing that got on my nerves were the misunderstandings. The notes, Robert missing, Ian finding out Elizabeth was betrothed, etc. One or two I can take, but after a while I'm like, stop messing with them!

I liked this book, but I liked Something Wonderful a little bit more. So I give it a B+.

Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught

The tempestuous marriage of Alexandra Lawrence, an innocent country girl, and Jordan Townsende, the rich and powerful Duke of Hawthorne, is about to face its ultimate test of tender loyalty. Swept into the endlessly fascinating world of London society, free-spirited Alexandra becomes ensnared in a tangled web of jealousy and revenge, stormy pride and overwhelming passion. But behind her husband's cold, arrogant mask, there lives a tender, vital, sensual man...the man Alexandra married. Now, she will fight for his very life...and the rapturous bond they alone can share.

Ok, I was a little cautious about reading this. I had read A Kingdom of Dreams and I hated that book. I mean, hated it with a passion.

I actually loved this book. Oh man, my heart broke for Alex when she found out the kind of man Jordan was. All her illusions shattered, but I was rooting for them to find their way back to each other. Sigh, I will have to buy this book. I bought my copy used and it's kind of battered. So I want a nice new copy.

Alex was sweet and innocent. She wasn't stupid or clingy. Yes, she was naive, but it added to her charm. She wasn't stupid naive. I just wanted to shake Jordan sometimes. He was so cold to her sometimes.

So yes, I loved this book.
Grade: A

Every Breath You Take by Judith McNaught

High atop a snow-covered hill, the stately old Wyatt mansion is perched like a crown, its stone spires pointing upward, its stained glass windows glowing like colorful jewels. Such opulence means success and, surely, happiness. But on the eve of wealthy philanthropist Cecil Wyatt’s eightieth birthday, all the money in the world won’t bring back his missing grandson, William Wyatt. The only thing for certain: Foul play was involved.

The family, the police, the media–all have tried in vain to discover the young man’s fate. Now suspicion has turned shockingly toward William’s own half-brother, the rather distant and enigmatic Mitchell Wyatt.

Kate Donovan never dreamed that a chance romantic encounter on a tropical island paradise would tag her as a suspect in a high-society murder case. But after Kate tangles with the darkly charismatic Mitchell Wyatt, she finds herself cast in a shadow of guilt and mistrust. As the Chicago police tighten their net, it will take all of Kate’s ingenuity to clear her name. With her calm, cool wit, and the help of a man who may or may not be a dangerous catch, Kate vows to claim the life and love she desires.

About two years ago, someone suggested I read Judith McNaught. I was told by said person that she was an amazing writer and I'd love every book she'd ever written. Being the resourceful person I am, I found an auction of her books on Ebay. It included all but Someone To Watch Over Me. I found that one in a used bookstore a week after I won the action on Ebay.

I caught the flu the day before my books arrived and ended up home sick from work for a week. Luckily, I had the JM's I'd ordered to keep me from going insane between boughts of vomitting.

I loved them. Every last book.

I loved them so much in fact, that I re-read every book as soon as I finished it and then numerous times over the last 2 years.

Unfortunately, the more I read them, and other romance novels, the more irritated I became with them. Partly because I found several flaws with the heroes and heroines and partly, I think, because she hadn't released another book in all that time.

She'd had this book, EBYT, scheduled to be released several times last year and it never had been. Every time it was pushed back, I got a little more angry. And it finally got to the point where I'd decided I wasn't going to buy it at all when (or if) it finally was released.

Let me just take a moment now to say: Judith, I'm so very sorry I doubted you!

Unlike Night Whispers and Someone To Watch Over Me, Every Breath You Take is a throw back to some of her earlier works. The storyline is a good one, the hero is sexy as hell and tortured enough that my heart went out to him. The heroine is smart, witty and lovely.

There were several times when I laughed out loud, cried, or gasped in dismay. I sighed dreamily. I cursed the characters. I was tempted to throw the book, and to hug it to my chest. All in all, it was an amazing read.

Some of my favorite quotes:

Walking up behind her, he slid his arms around her and drew her back against his chest. "Let's get complicated, Kate," he said with a smile in his voice.

"Put your arms around me and wrap us up in magic. I can't do it without you."

His hand curved around her nape, his thumb forcing her chin up, and he looked at her with tender solemnity. "We lay in bed and watched the sun come up though we could hardly hold our eyes open, because neither of us wanted to miss out on a minute of being together."
Lowering his head, he touched his mouth to the corner of hers. "I missed you so much, for so long," he whispered. "I missed our magic."
Kate was lost.

There are a ton more, but I'll let you buy it and read them for yourself.

Really, you should do yourself a favor and read this. You won't be disappointed!