I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Lowell. So far I have enjoyed most of her books. I think Lover in the Rough might be the exception. You can definitely tell that this is an early work. If I had to chose a word to describe it, that word would be cheesy. I couldn't help but giggle through this entire book. The subject matter, gems, serves as a metaphor for just about everything in the book. From the beauty of both Reba and Chance's eyes to the sunsets and desert. It is loaded with them! Chance Walker, with his mustache and slight Australian accent comes in and sweeps Reba off her feet, of course! Even though she has been hurt and is untrusting, she falls for him immediately because he is just so handsome and rugged. She just met the man and she agrees to go camping with him, alone in the mountains. Wouldn't you wonder why the sudden interest in a "dead" mine that you own? Yet it takes her forever to figure it all out; long after the reader. Of course in the end, the hero redeems himself and the heroine takes him back with open arms. This probably wouldn't be the one of her throwbacks that I would recommend.
I know it's an older book. I was prepared for that. I was not, however, prepared for the storyline and the way the characters developed. I just didn't like it. The dialogue was waaaay over the top and gave me the shudders.It's obvious Ms. Lowell did her research, and I think all of it's within the pages of this book! Every gem-related metaphor one could imagine is inside. I don't like giving bad reviews, because...hey, they're published, and I'm not, but this is just not my cuppa, you know?I think I'll skip her earlier works (I did not care for the one where she's a photographer and he makes boats nor did I care for Winter Fire--overdone metaphors abound there, too) and move on to her later stuff.If you're new to romance, give it a try. It's your standard 80s romance with a strong alpha male and a feisty female. If you are into mining (I realized twenty or so pages into the book that liking diamonds and liking mining are two ENTIRELY different things), then you'll like this one.
What do You think about Lover In The Rough (2013)?
I think this must be my first romance novel, by accident. I bought the audiobook on sale for only $6. The metaphors in the book are fantastic. The author clearly knows gemstones and uses them to describe people, emotions, puns, etc. After awhile, though, it was over the top so that any imagery or analogy using diamonds or emeralds or turmaline (?) would cause my eyes to roll in the back of my head. It's like when a lady wears so much gold that it is gaudy and loses its value. ha! The meant-to-be-love theme makes me gag with incredulity, but the sexual encounters were quite juicy while leaving some for the imagination, especially for those readers like myself practicing abstinence. :o)
—Queen
