This is one of my all-time favorite books. Probably tied as my most favorite with Catherine Anderson's Phantom Waltz. There's just something about this story that completely captures me. I've read it like four or five times now and it never gets dull. Honest Illusions is another of Roberts' "time progression" stories in that it moves through different periods of the characters' lives instead of only being set in the present. The book starts off in the now with a short prologue where the hero, Luke Callahan, returns to the heroine, Roxanne Nouvelle, after disappearing for five years. Then it shifts to the past.At 12 years old, Luke was an abused runaway who was picking pockets at a traveling carnival when he meets up with magician Max Nouvelle and his 8 year old daughter Roxy (along with others of Max and Roxy's "family"). Max sees a lot of himself in Luke and convinces the wary boy to stick with them, earning money for work. After a while, Max begins to teach Luke, an apt pupil, the art of illusion and magic.Over the years, Luke becomes one of the family. The book progresses through various periods, going through important events that build the characters to what they are - one of the most important being Luke discovering that Max is more than a magician. He's a master thief who steals from those who can afford to lose it. It isn't long before Luke (and later Roxy) learn the art of burglary as well. Through it all, there was a connection between Luke and Roxy that became more as they grew older. But Luke never acted on his feelings. Roxy was like a sister to him...at least he tried to tell himself that. At 21, though, Roxy decides to push the issue and seduces Luke, who finally gives in. The love between them quickly blossoms and Luke is poised to propose when a ghost from his past rears its head. Circumstances force Luke to leave Roxy without a word, until five years later when he's ready to take back his life, and Roxy, and get vengeance on the man determined to destroy him and the Nouvelles.Whenever I reread this book, it never fails to make me smile and sigh. It's a wonderful romance. There's something very sensual and sexy about it with the magic, the cat burglary. And Luke is just yummy.I love the time progression aspect of the story. It gives you a real solid sense of the characters - who they are, how they got that way, what they want, etc. And it establishes a really great connection between Luke and Roxy. You get to see every shift and change in their relationship - from "sibling" rivalry, to grudging acceptance, to protectiveness, to growing love. It just makes the relationship between them so full-bodied and real and you really connect with them as characters and lovers.But a word of warning, though - a large majority of this book is the time progression. Other than the prologue, the "present" part of the story doesn't start until like page 350. So there's a lot of the past and them growing up. Which might not appeal to everyone.I loved the storyline as well. A family of magicians who moonlight as world class burglars. It's just very sexy and Roberts wrote it wonderfully. I love how she resolved the part with the antagonist in the end. That was fantastic. Nothing like a bad guy getting exactly what's coming to him!The bottomline for me on this book is that I loved every single aspect and don't have a single criticism or "wish the author had done this or that" complaint. The story just worked in every way for me. I like to go back and read it once in a while, especially when I'm feeling the need to read something I know I'll enjoy greatly.
I'm sure that it's becoming apparent from my reviews that I am a Nora Roberts fan. English Lit degree to the contrary, I like light summer reading just as much as the next person; I just don't like feeling that I'm killing millions of brain cells while I read. Roberts bridges the gap nicely; writing romance novels with enough detail and research to keep the reader entertained as well as conscious. One of her finest books, in my opinion, is Honest Illusions, originally published in 1992.::: Family of the Heart :::Honest Illusions begins in the present, then flashes back to the past to give history before jumping back. Luke Callahan is a runaway; escaped from a life that makes Oliver Twist's look like Pollyanna by comparison. As he is picking pockets at a carnival, he is lured into the show of Max Nouveau, a magician. Max spots Luke in the audience plying his craft, and asks him backstage. He recognizes in Luke a kindred spirit, and offers to bring him along with the carnival, hiring him as a behind-the-scenes person, but treating him like a son.Luke is soon drawn into Max's "family" including his daughter Roxanne, girlfriend/assistant Lily, mechanic Mouse, and, back home in New Orleans, a seeming cook and butler, LeClerc. It isn't long before Luke realizes that Max has more than one career: by day he owns the carnival and has his magic act, but by night, Max and company are accomplished jewel thieves. Luke learns to trust, as well as learns both of Max's crafts, and as he grows up, Max becomes more and more famous for his act while Luke beings to think of Roxy as less and less of a sister and more and more as a woman.Still, Luke has a past that haunts him, and makes a few enemies along the way. When the book opens, he has returned to Roxanne after a five-year unexplained absence. But Luke has plans to seek revenge on his enemies, as well as get Roxanne back. Of course, Roxanne has a few surprises of her own.::: I'll Admit It; I've Read It Several Times :::Honest Illusions is probably my favorite Roberts book of all times, and I've read it more times than I care to admit. Roberts is at her finest with character development in this book, involving the reader in all their lives. Even seemingly minor characters aren't given short shrift, and Roberts' handle on both the carnival life as well as planning and executing jewel theft is absolutely incredible.I'll confess that I usually read most romance novels with a jaded eye, treating them almost as if they were potato chips, indistinct from one another. I'd challenge any person to read this book and not cry at points, not root for Luke upon his return, and not gasp with shock and horror when Roberts reveals the reason for Luke's desertion.The Nouveau troupe isn't the first time Roberts has made a major character or characters thieves, but she imbues them with such a sense of decency that you can't help but root for them and against those they steal from. Max even goes so far as to tithe profit from the sale of the items that he steals, and seeing him give Luke the love and care that he should have had all along will break any parent's heart.If there is one single Roberts book that anyone curious should read, it should be Honest Illusions. Others are excellent as well, but this one is definitely one of her best, if not the best.This review previously published at Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/review/Honest...
What do You think about Honest Illusions (2002)?
I don’t like blackmail plots where the victim gives in and just pays and pays.Two different blackmails were used to get characters to do things that did not fit their motivations. Not a good story for me.(view spoiler)[In one blackmail, the victim A is supposed to leave the person he loves (B) and not tell B. It was a stupid device to make them both suffer. I think A could have told B and asked B to keep it secret, and B would have kept the secret. But the author did not do that. Then later A violates part of the blackmail order by coming back to town, but still doesn’t tell B that he was blackmailed -- stupid. Made me mad. (hide spoiler)]
—Jane Stewart
I can't describe the way this book made me feel, because somewhere between page 1 and 492 I lost myself. I became a wandering Nouvelle, making larger than life illusions, and falling in love with that good for nothing Callahan. I stole from the rich and gave to the poor; watched my closest friend become my worst enemy; made love on a cruise ship and then watched my lover walk out of my life, only to have the lying baster return five years too late to bring me crashing back to my knees.I suppose none of that makes a whole lot of sense to any of you, but pick up this book and all your questions will disappear. That's the Novuelle way, magic's runs in the family, and if you give them a chance they pass a little along to you and take you on one hell of a ride while their at it. To sum it all up, it's heartbreak, truelove, grand larceny, sprinkled with a lot of hot sex. Need i say more?
—Angelique Anderson
I have tried audio books a few times now and always have this persistent hope of capturing the joy I felt as a child listening to stories on the radio (yes I am that old) however I have realised that there are two main factors that always determines my enjoyment:1)tThe storyline2)tThe narratorIn this book both of these factors fell way off the mark and I could only stick it out to the halfway mark. I have outgrown Nora Roberts books a long time ago and should never have started this audio book but I got it as a gift and you should never look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak. The narration was robotic to say the least and I just could not finish it.But hope springs eternal and I will try other audio books until I hit jackpot.
—Sonja Arlow
