Customer Reviews

Almost Heaven

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book will appeal to all ladies who love a wonderful exciting love story. The details and action and humor only add to the greatstory. Unfortuneately I have read all of Judith McNaught's stories more than once soI now have to wait till she writes anew one

This book was my introduction to Judith McNaught. After reading it, I had my little sister (who works for a major bookstore) track down all the books Judith had written before it. I started reading Almost Heaven late one evening and finished it the following afternoon. I pretty much read it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. I was even reading while stopped at traffic lights! I had rarely bothered with romance novels before this book because the ones I had read seemed too unbelievable to me.

I loved all the characters (not just the hero and heroine), and the attention to detail - it felt as if I was really there. Parts of the book were hilarious and others were unbelievably sad. This book broke my heart and then healed it again. The only down side was that it wasn't long enough. I could have read about Ian and Elizabeth forever. Judith McNaught just can't write her books fast enough for me.

I really enjoyed this book. So many romance novels are badly written, badly researched and badly plotted. This one did a pretty good job with the details; it's largely accurate in terms of the history and research (though not perfect). My only complaint was the final 'crisis' of the book and of the couple's relationship. It was just too over the top, and I think it was impossible to believably resurrect their relationship after that. But the first 400 pages were excellent. Very enjoyable and well done.

I hope nobody will condemn me for what I have to say. I already gave it a four-star-review for I know giving it less than that will gain me dozens of "unhelpful-votes". Maybe, I'll start with the good stuff. This novel have excellent humorous dialogues. McNaught has delivered every witty remarks with style. I CONGRATULATE her on that part! I thought I had read all the books that can make me laugh out loud. I was wrong! Here is another book that can make a person laugh without him/her doubting the author's abilities. I also like how she created Elizabeth's and Ian's characters. There are no denials of their love for each other. I applaud Ian's honest confession of his feelings for Elizabeth. It always pleases me to witness a man admits his feelings FIRST before the woman does. In romance novels, that's surely a rare possibility, and that's one of the parts I like about this novel. The bad parts are not really that bad. You see, the humor and anticipation filled the beginning. The emotions and the excitement were at the end. I enjoyed both segments extremely well. BUT...uh-oh...I hate to do this to a 5-star-book especially to a McNaught one, but I have to be honest...The middle is a little bit dry and slow. I had multiple urges to put down the book and do something else. Still, I was touched by the sweetness and sincerity of the affection blossoming between Ian and Elizabeth. I was also impressed that McNaught had succeeded to blend the title, Almost Heaven, at the remaining lines of the novel quite properly(unlike "Until You" which ALMOST turned the whole thing sour for me) which gave the novel a whole new definition. After these musings, and may I mention that I didn't really say a lot of dreadful things concerning the story line, I have to say that it was almost good or heaven as my title implies. That's just because I can name another McNaught novel that'll beat this one, but still, it's worth ur time and Im sure ull enjoy the book like most people did.

i've got dozens of romance novels at home and nothing has ever come close to ALMOST HEAVEN. i've read it twice already and im planning to read it again soon for the 3rd time. the characters' situations were so complicated and very original which, i think, made the book so good. it is such a page-turner that i found myself reading til 2 or 3 in the morning. no contest, ALMOST HEAVEN is still the most romantic novel i've ever read...ever!

I enjoyed this story immensely. The strong passion between the characters and the words of love spoken between them is enough to make the heart flutter.

This book would have received 5 stars from me, however there are a few things I had a beef about...

The first one being it was too wordy. I felt the same story could have been told without having to go into description over every little thing. I actually skipped some of the descriptions because they weren't needed in my opinion.

Second, the main characters didn't make love until very late in the book. There were *many* passionate scenes (stress the many), but it felt unfulfilling in a way that they never made it to the bed in all those times of passion.

Third, the heroine is just dense to believe her brother that he was tortured under Ian's care. She'd been around Ian long enough and made love to him many many times to know that he wasn't the kind of man to do such a thing. Sure, her brother convinced her of this, but she should have been suspicious of his story, since she knew he cheated at the duel with Ian and even had proof of his many attempts at Ian's life. I felt that the brother plot was contrived and the book could have ended before the whole courtroom drama unfolded.

I believe that the brother/courtroom plot might have played out better *before* she married Ian, before she came to know the man that he truly was. I wanted to slap her silly when she ran away and broke his heart.

However, (and that's a BIG however), the author makes up for the heroine's lack of wisdom at the end of the book with a splendid homecoming and epilogue.

Even with it's faults, this book is worth reading.

This is such a great novel. Kind of hard to put down and the Thornton character was a really nice change from the polite socialite in Englist society. Most of the actions are true to character up until the end.

I delayed reading the epilogue for a full day because I just didn't want this story to end. It took me as long to read 2 chapters as it did 30. It is one of those stories, so perfect, that one is left with a sense of loss, of melancholy, when finished. Sheer perfection.

Almost Heaven is my first Judith McNaught book. Having been a Julie Garwood fan, I had run out of her books, so decided to try Ms. McNaught instead and I can't say I was disappointed. Now I have to get Whitney, My Love and already have Something Wonderful and A Kingdom Of Dreams, which I can't wait to read.

Elizabeth Cameron had once been the most sought-after debutante in London history, blessed with indescribable beauty. Needing to make a successful union in order to save her beloved country home from creditors, she has agreed to marry whoever her brother chooses. One night, however, she meets the intriguing and handsome Ian Thorton at a party of more "experienced" ladies and gentlemen. The innocent deb comes to Ian's defense time and again when other gentlemen called him a cheat and challenged him to duels just because he wasn't a noble like them. This causes Ian and Elizabeth to become closer as he opens his heart to this brave young woman...and they fall in love, with Ian offering marriage. Except everyone finds out due to a trick and now Elizabeth's reputation has been torn to shreds by gossip and Ian has disappeared after finding out that she was already betrothed. There is no longer any chance of marrying well in order to save her beloved Havenhurst. On top of that, her brother has also disappeared after having tried to Ian twice.

Two years later, with Elizabeth's uncle as her guardian, she is shamelessly offered to all suitors who had once sought her. Ian Thorton was one of them! Elizabeth hurt and betrayed, no longer wants to marry and tries to dissuade each and every suitor. Ian, finding her in his Scotland cottage, begins to soften toward her once again. He remains remote until Elizabeth is summoned home to marry a disgustingly perverted old man...realizing from his uncle, Duncan, the trials and tribulations that Elizabeth endured the past two years because of their scandal, Ian races to marry her...in order for her uncle to accept his offer for her hand, he must be titled. And so, after two decades of avoiding his grandfather, Ian reunites with the Duke of Stanhope, becoming his new heir.

Ian then rushes to London to find Elizabeth and save her from the gossipers who will surely tear her apart if she tries to enter society again. Elizabeth has no other choice but to show herself in society in order to avoid marriage to a lecher...and though she's championed by one of the most powerful women in London society, everyone either laughs at her or ignores her...that is, until the new Marquess of Kensington and his grandfather the Duke of Stanhope step in and make things right. Ian then goes through the traditional courting methods to win Elizabeth's hand in marriage, even though the contract had been signed long before. After the marriage, all is happy as the characters confess their love...until one night, her brother Robert returns...and opens Elizabeth's ears to a horrifying story. She runs away leaving Ian to believe she has taken a lover, and also leaving him on trial for her and her brother's murder since Robert has disappeared for two years. Elizabeth comes back...but will she be able to earn back his love?

This book is a treasure. I especially liked the ending because I believe that the ending ties everything together and no matter how well the story is woven, if the ending is lacking, then you will still be disappointed. However, this ending is so tender and sweet and the words spoken by the characters are so full of love, that I couldn't help but smile and wish I was ELizabeth. This book has made me laugh and cry, love and hate (esp. her uncle Julius and her brother Robert)...and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I have. It's a definite keeper! You will want to read it time and again.

While I really do think that most of McNaught's books disserve 5 stars, this one is amongst her best. I don't like it quite as much as "Whitney my Love" or "kingdom of Dreams" for the simple fact that there are certain parts of it that I skip when I re-read it.

Elizabeth Cameron was ruined by the advances made by Ian Thornton. A few years later, orphaned and alone, and by an accident of fate, Elizabeth is thrust into his hands again, this time by the design of an uncle who wants to pawn her off to whoever will take her. Elizabeth swallows her pride and goes to meet Ian, only to learn that her invitation was an oversight.

Ian and Elizabeth immediatly feel the attraction that pulled them together so many years before but pride and misunderstanding keep them apart. Only when Ian learns the truth about what Elizabeth has been through as a result of his advances does he dare to overcome his own pride and do what he needs to do to heal old wounds and marry the woman of his dreams!

But the story isn't over here. More miscommunications (a trend with ms. McNaught) drives them desperately apart and it takes Elizabeth discovering the desperate results of her actions to come back to him in time to save the day...and maybe just in time to bring them back together again...forever.

The characters were great, as usual. The only thing about this book I don't like is that I always skip the parts where she goes to meet the other prospective husbands when I re-read the novel. Still a great read!!