Customer Reviews

Orchid Hunter

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

OMG......I loved this book.
I was sitting there in the doctors office laughing so hard I was getting strange looks. Then I would be crying. The story of separated twin is a must read.

One twin, Janelle was raised in London and the other, Joya had
been kidnapped by a woman right after birth and lived on an island off Africa with her father who is an orchid hunter. I loved how the hero, Trevor didn't know if he was coming or going when he was around Joya.

If you like time travel books when a hero or heroine is clueless
when coming to the future, you would like this book. Joya has problems with the rules, layers of clothes, balls, etc., after running free in the rain forest half naked.

I rated this one an A+.

When I chose to read this book! So very disappointed in Jill Marie Landis!

Trevor Mandeville has gone to the deepest jungles of Africa to seek out renowned Orchid hunter and recluse, Dustin Penn. What Trevor gets is a shock! Dustin's adopted daughter, beautiful and uninhibited Joya Penn is a dead ringer for Trevor's adopted sister, Janelle Mandeville. Discovering they were twins separated at birth, Trevor is persuaded by both Janelle and Joya to bring Joya back with them to England, but is polite society ready for the free spirited Joya? The mutual attraction that is growing between Trevor and Joya is a very big complication in this already mixed up and twisted family. To act upon it would only add to an already crazy situation, which of course these two do!

To say the least I was not a happy camper reading this book. A huge fan of Jill Marie Landis, I went on that leap of faith alone, and had a huge let down. Plus the weird family relations were kind of getting to me. It turned my stomach, that Trevor would be so attracted to his sister's identical twin???? Don't waste your time on this one.

I could barely put this book down! It's most definitely one of my most favorite stories! Jill Marie Landis is my favorite historical romance writer and she did not disappoint me at all with "The Orchid Hunter", which as she wrote in the back of the book, is "a story that will make you laugh and cry", which it did. Not many books can make me cry but parts of this one did! Ms. Landis made me feel everything that the main characters (Janelle, Joya and Trevor) were feeling. This book had everything---adventure, mystery and romance. And unlike some of the romance novels I've read, this one truly showed the love that grew between Joya and Trevor. The characters had life, nothing was terribly unrealistic, and this very well-written story was never boring for me. I loved everything about this book. High up on my recommended list!

I've read and loved every one of Landis's books, but this one is the worst. It's slow-moving, downright boring in parts, and sometimes unbelievable. I don't like weak heroines, and this one is a gullible twit. I couldn't even finish this book.... the last seven chapters were only skimmed. The only thing that kept me from abandoning it altogether was the fact that I can't stand leaving a book unfinished.

I can not believe that reviewers liked this book. It is contrived and unbelievable. Even in her far off island, Joya would not be so uninformed about English cutoms. She may not have been "up to snuff" om everything, but she would have known considerably more than she does.

It certainly doesn't make me desire to read other books that she has written. It doesn't deserve even one star!

Raised in the jungles of Africa, Joya Penn had always felt like she was missing a part of herself. Her whole life she dreams of another woman in another place in the world but can get no answers from her family. When she wasn't searching for orchids with her father, Dustin Penn, the famous orchid hunter, she drew pictures of her dreams and the woman she saw in them although everyone who saw them thought she was drawing pictures of herself. Only Joya knew the woman in the pictures and in her dreams was someone different.

Traveling to Matarenga Island, Africa from London, England, Trevor Mandeville is hoping to establish a business deal with Dustin Penn and the orchids he finds. What he finds upon stumbling into Dustin's camp is Joya--the twin of his adopted sister Janelle.

Finding out that her dreams were true, Joya wants to learn everything she can about her twin and Janelle feels the same way. After her father explains how she came into their lives, he gives her his blessing to travel to London with Janelle and Trevor.

Growing up on the island Joya wasn't as proper as Janelle and she had no problems telling Janelle of her feelings for Trevor. Trevor, on the other hand, was very business-minded and even though he had feelings for Joya, it was strange because she looked exactly like his sister, Janelle.

Trying to learn all the rules and social etiquette of London, Joya feels like a fish out of water but will do it for her love of Janelle and Trevor. But for Joya it's hard not to be able to give in to her feelings and when she embarrasses Trevor and Janelle for what she thinks is the last straw, she decides to head back to the island and what she knows is familiar to her, not realizing the gift she gave Trevor was one that will reveal more family secrets than any of them ever dreamed of.

With this separated at birth twin book, Jill Marie Landis was able to make you laugh at the things Joya said and did plus shed some tears for the heartache she was going through. This was a beautifully told story of one woman who loved with all that she had in her and the man that was finally able to love her in return without changing a thing about her.

Ms. Landis always writes a wonderful book, but this one was really special, and a little different for this writer. For one thing, it was funny, which reminded me of an early Julie Garwood. The part about the rules was a riot, in the marriage night scene was one of the best I've read. I also enjoyed the other characters in the story. The book was written in a simple style and was easy to read. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a beautiful story with charm and humor. It's a definite keeper.

Ms. Landis has written a wonderfully refreshing romp that has proven her versatility as a talented writer. This novel has something for everyone. The exotic jungle setting will capture the interest of the adventurous reader. And the compelling characters and storyline will satisfy fans of her earlier works, such as WILDFLOWER and JUST ONCE, which also had fun and fiesty heroines like the free-spirited Joya of THE ORCHID HUNTER. This book has now become my #1 all-time favorite by Jill Marie Landis.

Throughout the last many years, Landis has continued to provide her fans with the highest quality romance in the market today. Her stories remain classic, and classy. Her talent for touching the emotions and providing us with hours of finely woven plots and larger than life characters grows with every book. The Orchid Hunter is no exception. If a reader longs for quality, a treat that one can savor for a long time to come, this book is a MUST read. I highly recommend it!

I loved this book. The idea is so intriguing and the characters so endearing that I devoured it in two sittings (interrupted only by my own call of the wild, my garden). The interplay of the unschooled Joya and very proper Trevor made for perfect chemistry. Part "African Queen," part Cinderella, and wholly entertaining. Give yourself a treat and read this book.