Customer Reviews

Summer Pleasures: Second Nature\One Summer

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a two-story anthology, both written by Nora Roberts. I will note below an individual rating of each.

SECOND NATURE- It would be a professional coup to be granted an exclusive interview with horror fiction novelist, Hunter Brown. Los Angeles based reporter, Lee Radcliffe, intended on accomplishing just that. Flying to Arizona to attend a writer's conference he would be speaking at, she met the reclusive, enigmatic Hunter at the airport. Except she thought he was a taxi driver, and he didn't bother to correct her. He grants her the interview, but only if she will go on a camping trip with him in Oak Creek Canyon. Alone with Hunter for two weeks, Lee just may find out more about him than she anticipated.

This was my favorite of the two stories. I enjoyed the characters of Lee, and especially the cool and complicated Hunter. I would rate this five stars.

ONE SUMMER- Celebrity photographer and junk food junkie, Bryan Mitchell, would be spending her summer traveling across the country with a difficult man. Cynical photojournalist, Shade Colby, accustomed to photographing images of war, and the grit of life, had reluctantly agreed to share the assignment. Recording bits of American life on film was an opportunity neither could pass up. But despite their continual conflict, they may discover a depth of mutual feeling neither anticipated.

While I felt the first story was much better, this was still an enjoyable read. Three and one half stars would be my rating for this novella.

These stories were originally published separately in 1986 as Silhouette Special Editions. Even though they're eighteen years old, they have each stood the test of time. The only blatant thing I found that dates them is the hero of each story is a smoker, and that is rarely seen now in romance novels. Ms. Roberts is a master storyteller, and I've yet to read something of hers I didn't like. As the title suggests, this would make a good summer read.

I enjoyed reading the two books in this volume (this book has reprints of Second Nature and One Summer), but I don't think I'm going to keep this book around. Second Nature featured Lee Radcliffe, a reporter for Celebrity magazine, and Hunter Brown, a reclusive writer of popular horror novels. Lee is determined to get the interview of a lifetime, but the time she spends getting to know Hunter makes her think about more than just her article. One Summer featured a friend of Lee's, Bryan Mitchell, and Shade Colby. Shade and Bryan have to work together on a photography assignment. They see the world in entirely different ways - Shade sees the gritty sides of life, while Bryan enjoys the fun she finds - but that doesn't stop them from becoming attracted to one another. Although I did have fun reading the books, I didn't think any of the characters were really all that wonderful. They were okay, but they didn't grab me, and they aren't enough to entice me to reread this book. I liked the fact that both stories were basically about the characters finding out a lot about each other because of the closeness their circumstances demanded. Still, the characters weren't really up to par, and there were occaisionally little things that bugged me (we never find out what the genre of the book Lee is writing is, for instance). A lot of the first book felt like "Nora Roberts' Advice to Writers" (Hunter gave a lot of writing advice and opinions), and the second book seemed to end rather abruptly. I think there are better Nora Roberts books out there, although, if you can find a cheap copy, this still isn't a bad read.

Lest we not forget...this was an early effort of Ms. Roberts, therefore....not her best character profiles. Nontheless...i enjoyed all the characters, especially Sarah, Hunter's daughter. Nora has come very far since she wrote these 2 books. True...some of her newer efforts, including 3 Sisters Trilogy have been greatly improved. I recommend these 2 books. I will next be diving into Time and Again.

An enthusiast reader of all Nora Roberts books including
her J.D Robb series, this one pulled heart strings. Granted that this is one of her earlier works, it still reflects her talent for character development and the little details that makes her books so smart.

I am a devoted Nora Roberts fan, and upon discovering this book, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to read it. I read the back of the book and was convinced that it would be great.
However, when I came home and began reading, I realized something was wrong. The plots wereweak and I did not get into the stories easily. There was no chemistry between the four couples, and hardly any romance that I have come to expect from Mrs. Roberts. I could not relate to the characters, as I usually can.
The last story ended so quickly, it was as if she had just scribbled those last few paragraphs on the way to the mailbox to mail it to her publisher.
I hope that Mrs. Roberts writes a more substantial book.

Like many other reviewers, I was really excited to see so much of Nora Roberts' backlist being re-released. Though I prefer romantic suspense, I don't mind straight romance for a change of pace. I have many of her other books like the Night Tales, the Stanislaski series and the Stars of Mithra trilogy. I also recently purchased Going Home. All those are much better choices for her books than this. These books didn't seem to have much going for them. They weren't even good romances; they were just average. Neither of the couples had any chemistry (an element which Nora is usually so adept at creating), and more importantly, I just didn't care what happened to the characters. If you are a Nora fan, you might want to check it out of the library. Compulsive collectors might want to buy it to fill out their collection, but otherwise, pick one of her many other and better books.

This book was a nice book to take to the pool or somewhere else where you didn't have to concentrate. The characters never really developed. I got the feeling that the writing of this book was rather hurried.

Lee and Hunter were a mismatched couple and I don't think in the long run they could have made things work. I believe that deep inside each one, the flames of their old lives still burned. Lee transformed herself from a glitzy business woman to earth mom so quickly that I don't think that she knew what hit her.

Personally, I didn't care for Hunter. There was the potential for a dark and cynical side to him that in anger would have reared up. And his ten year old daughter was too sophisticated for her age to be real.

There was the smoking issue with both male characters which is something that we are not looking for in role models these days. When Lee told Hunter that he smoked too much, he did not offer to stop.

The story of Bryan and Shade moved so slowly. This was certainly not a book that I couldn't stop reading. The second story was something that I almost had to force myself to finish.

These two characters were both somewhat hardened and jaded in their attitudes of life. There is not really enought background on either of them to fully grasp the issues that they have. All of that was rather glossed over.

It was just so, so and was for sure not magical as some of Nora Robert's other books have been.

I have been so excited that Nora Roberts is re-publishing her old (and hard to find) books. I was especially excited because this was a 2-in-1 deal. However, after reading both stories I was VERY disappointed. Both plots were weak and the characters were even weaker. It was like Roberts just didn't care what she is writing about. Definately not her usual style. I suggest that you do not buy this novel and instead look into her other series.

Thoroughly enjoyed this two-for-one book, but I was amazed at the number of eroneous typing errors!

Both stories were enjoyable and easy to read on a lazy afternoon.

I have loved every book of Nora's that I've read but this was the worst!! The first story was so boring, she is a snob and he is too brainy. I could only read a couple chapters! I read the second one through, but they were such opposites that the romance was unbelievable.