East of Forever (Mass Market Paperback)

My main problem with the book was the glaring number of inconsistencies within the plot line. Maybe it was just poorly edited, but it left me with a very hurried impression, as though Ms. Skye did not read over what she had written before submitting it, and neither, apparently, did anyone else!!

In the beginning of the book Chessy, the main character, is supposed to be looking for a Chinese pillow book so that she can give it to the people who are holding her father for ransom. She supposedly has trained extensively and is gifted in the arts of deception and self-protection, even being able to easily spar with her master and trainer. However, I found out later that she trained for ONE year when she was FIFTEEN, and yet we were supposed to believe she was some kind of Jedi Knight, if you will?!? Whaaaat? I am certain that you can hone your skills to a certain extent in a year, but I believe to have the kind of expertise Chessy was purported to have, YEARS of training would be necessary, not just ONE year.

Also, in every physical confrontation with Tony, the male love interest of the novel, she REFUSED to use any of her so-called skills. EH??? Did I miss something? This was the hardest part of the novel for me to believe. The only time any explanation was offered, it was that "she couldn't bring herself to hurt him". Tony even goes so far as to abduct Chessy, and Chessy tries twice to throw herself from a fast-moving carriage rather than simply disarm him and painlessly knocking him out using one of his pressure points, which she has studied. But apparently she would rather risk her own death than put her lover (who she supposedly hates, anyway) to sleep. Then, later, she is accosted on a rooftop after she goes out the window to try and escape from him, and turns into a freezing, helpless female. She was unable to defeat her assailant (the GUY had to do it for her) and quivered like a bowl of jelly. I was enraged by this part--I wanted to scream "Show some spirit! Kick some behind, girl!!" but nooooo, that's not going to happen in this book.

As though that wasn't enough, throughout the book, the hero and heroine of the novel never had one conversation. Sure, Chessy remembered good times with Tony from one summer when she was 15 years old. But for the author to expect me to believe that they were suddenly in love, that was just too much! Also, speaking of conversations, all Chessy was able to do was STAMMER. She did this on EVERY PAGE. Pick up the book and look through it a bit, you will see it's true. Whenever she seemed in danger of being able to string more than three words together, she broke off in the middle of her sentence, or was cut off by Tony. This left me with the impression of Chessy as nitwit incapable of coherent thought.

Another glaring plot hole was that Chessy had fallen in love with Tony when she was 15, but when he shows up TEN YEARS later, she realizes she's been in love with him all this time. Now, I was in love at 15 too, but if he suddenly showed up again, I honestly don't think I would suddenly realize that I had been in love with him all this time. It would take more than vague memories of my first love ages ago for me to fall in love with him a second time. (Esp. after the way Tony suddenly abandoned Chessy all those years ago). The author expects us to believe there are no other men in a span of ten years. After Chessy meets Tony years later, he has done nothing to MAKE her fall in love with him; he doeesn't woo her in any way. He just wants to have wild sex with her, which is just about all they do, which does not constitute love to me.

Chessy was, of course, described as "ravishingly beautiful", yet she thought she was "ugly". Come on!! Modesty is good, but let's be realistic. Most people have a fairly good idea of their own attractiveness.

We all go into fiction novels knowing that we must have a suspension of disbelief over the unrealities of the novel. I'm sure we all realize there aren't that many men who are so beautiful and virile we are overcome with lust or stricken dumb when we look at them. Likewise, I'm sure there aren't that many women out there who are as fabulously enticing as they are described in books. But that's part of a romance novel, and we realize this. However, I believe Christina Skye asked too much of her readers when she expects us to believe all the problems which suffocated any pleasure I might have derived from reading this particular book. Way too many plot holes!!!

If you are a huge Christina Skye fan, I advise you strongly to keep away from this book. Try another of her books such as Bride of the Mist, Come the Night, or Come the Dawn.

This book is a must-read and one that I couldn't put down until I read the very last word on the very last page. She makes the reader want more and more she has given. Since I myself do martial arts, it was very entertaining and interesting to read about the heroine's exploits and knowledge in that field. There should be more heroines who know that kind of info in these romance novels. It puts a great twist to the story and adds more to the drama. Very good.

I applaud Skye and her ability to weave magic within the hearts and minds of her readers. Makes me want to jump into the books and join the fun. Happy readings.