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The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy has inherited her father's talents--and his penchant for jewel thievery. Escape artist Luke Callahan comes into Roxy's world and captures her heart, but he keeps secrets that could send her house of cards tumbling.
Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 400 million copies of her books in print.
As her fans well know, in 1979 a blizzard trapped Roberts at home for a week with two bored little kids and a dwindling supply of chocolate. To maintain her sanity, Roberts started scribbling a story -- a romance novel like the Harlequin paperbacks she'd recently begun reading. The resulting manuscript was rejected by Harlequin, but that didn't matter to Roberts. She was hooked on writing. Several rejected manuscripts later, her first book was accepted for publication by Silhouette.
For several years, Roberts wrote category romances for Silhouette -- short books written to the publisher's specifications for length, subject matter and style, and marketed as part of a series of similar books. Roberts has said she never found the form restrictive. "If you write in category, you write knowing there's a framework, there are reader expectations," she explained. "If this doesn't suit you, you shouldn't write it. I don't believe for one moment you can write well what you wouldn't read for pleasure."
Roberts never violated the reader's expectations, but she did show a gift for bringing something fresh to the romance formula. Her first book, Irish Thoroughbred (1981), had as its heroine a strong-willed horse groom, in contrast to the fluttering young nurses and secretaries who populated most romances at the time. But Roberts's books didn't make significant waves until 1985, when she published Playing the Odds, which introduced the MacGregor clan. It was the first bestseller of many.
Roberts soon made a name for herself as a writer of spellbinding multigenerational sagas, creating families like the Scottish MacGregors, the Irish Donovans and the Ukrainian Stanislaskis. She also began working on romantic suspense novels, in which the love story unfolds beneath a looming threat of violence or disaster. She grew so prolific that she outstripped her publishers' ability to print and market Nora Roberts books, so she created an alter ego, J.D. Robb. Under the pseudonym, she began writing romantic detective novels set in the future. By then, millions of readers had discovered what Publishers Weekly called her "immeasurable diversity and talent."
Although the style and substance of her books has grown, Roberts remains loyal to the genre that launched her career. As she says, "The romance novel at its core celebrates that rush of emotions you have when you are falling in love, and it's a lovely thing to relive those feelings through a book."
Roberts sued fellow writer Janet Dailey in 1997, accusing her of plagiarizing numerous passages of her work over a period of years. Dailey paid a settlement and publicly apologized, blaming stress and a psychological disorder for her misconduct.
EMT-B
Posted September 22, 2011
I have been reading Nora Roberts for years and this is one of my favorites. I take a book to work and try to read between medic calls. Just when I'm getting to a good part...... I loved the characters. Would jump Luke's bones in a heart beat. Roxy sometimes came across as a little spoiled, but considering her life style and being an only child..... The family came across as too trusting at times, especially with Sam but that developed the characters even more. I'm glad she reflected the kindness that can be shown to Dementia patients. All to often their last years are not kind to them or family. Good read. Highly recommend.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 11, 2009
I have read many Nora Roberts books. This is by a long shot my very favorite!! I love how the story follows the characters from childhood into adulthood. I also love how the love looks and feels real. I get tired of the story lines where the characters meet and two laters they are madly in love and getting married. The main character Luke -- WOW -- AMAZING!!! He is my favorite male character of all the NR books I have read. He is daring, SEXY, romantic, caring, manly, just WOW!! I love Roxanne too. I read this book over the summer and I have already read it again. Prepare yourself because the love scenes are very STEAMY! I would recommand this book a thousands times over!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Had my attention from the very first chapter.
it's truly a favorite!!!! Luke Callahan is let me just say... HAWT AS ANYTHING!!!!!! and Roxy is THAT girl. stunning and gorgeous but not afraid to go speak up and even tackle all or any who stand in her way. Roxy's parents Max and Lily really steal the spotlight and never lose their youthful persona. Besides the characters the story itself has your attention for the whole book. between the bickering the love and the action there's a great amount of suspense that really keeps you wondering and on the ride until it's over. It was a book that i hated to see end but i was excited to start over and enjoy again and again! in fact this one book is what managed to make me the number one spokeswoman in my area for Nora Roberts. LOL i got so many friends hooked on her writing just by introducing them to this one novel! Completely worth your time and imagination!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 6, 2008
For being someone who doesn't like to read too much, I can't stop reading now thanks to Nora. This book was so hard to put down. All the characters were awsome. I would definatly read this again...and again. :)
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 13, 2006
This is one of my two favorite Nora Roberts books. I fell in love with the characters! I felt as though I were a member of the Nouvelle family going through each performance, each romance, each heist, each victory, and each heartbreak right along with them. This is one of the few books that made me cry outloud - when Luke left and with Max toward the end. I was so sad to come to the end of this book, but I guarantee I will be reading it again and passing it along to my friends! Great job, Ms. Roberts! Wonderful!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 31, 2012
A truly awesome book. Nora Roberts at her best. I just love Luke and Rox's relationship. Definitely one of my favorites.
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Posted July 31, 2012
I have read just about every Nora Roberts book out there over the last 20 years, along with lots of other authors. This book has stayed in my top 10 favorite books of all time. Nora Roberts is a writing genius.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts
A teen boy, Luke is out hustling and getting away with picking others pockets for money while they are at the carnival. The magic show interests him and he enters while also continuing to pick pockets. He's called upon to go on stage and be part of the trick.
After he is asked to return to the magicians (Max) room. He's been watching the child and tells him how much he took from others and where he hides it. The family has discovered some of his past and have sworn he will never be ill treated again.
Luke travels with the family onto other towns and when Lily is sick he gets to perform and make money at it. His dream of going to Miami is still in his mind. He is so fascinated by the craft of illusion and learning it.
They take another into their household but find out he's stolen from their friends shops so they oust him, while he's telling them he's had sex with the younger daughter.
They travel all over the world as a family to show others their shows of illusions while they steal things that are insured.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 21, 2012
Nora Roberts is a legend.
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Posted February 19, 2011
I checked out this book from the library years ago and was very upset that I had to return it but, I lucked out and found it at a book swap! I love going back and reading the begining when the characters were only kids. This is a must have book for me; it has everything death, hurt, betrayal, jelousy, puppy love, and so much more.
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Posted September 8, 2010
I read Nora Roberts all the time, and this has been my favorite book! EVER! Its an amazing story, unforgettable. I fell in love with Luke and Roxy, you get so caught in the story you wish they were real!
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Posted August 28, 2010
I LOVED this book! I read again right after I finished it.
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Posted July 18, 2009
Fab story - wonderful characters. Roberts never disapoints -- details are super
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Posted April 20, 2009
I Also Recommend:
This novel was a little too graphic for me at times. After getting used to this, I really enjoyed how Nora Roberts showed Roxanne and Luke's relationship. It was obvious they were in love, even when they were fighting.
Loved it.
Anonymous
Posted May 21, 2008
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I think that's the only way to sum it up. I would read anything by Nora Roberts and love her characters but Luke....He was amazing! I finished the book WISHING he was real. The love between him and Roxanne was so realistic and the chemistry was OUTSTANDING! There were times when I felt all the same emotions Roxanne felt when dealing with Luke. I am DEFINATELY going to read this one again! Nora Roberts DOES IT AGAIN! I HIGHLY recommend this book to EVERYONE!
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Posted January 25, 2008
I am a big Nora Roberts fan but I have to say this is my favorite book. You could actually feel the love and attraction between Luke and Roxanne. It brought me to tears at some parts and I held my breath during others.
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Posted January 17, 2008
WOW!! that is one word that can really describe this book. nora roberts did such an amazing job in this novel, that i fell i love with so many of the characters. i love the ways that you are able to feel the emotions of all the characters!! im a freshmen in HS so i could really connect to roxanne as she becomes a women, and then all her new experiences were so exciting to read. luke also has such an intricate personality and he is so HOTTT!! i love the way he cares for roxanne...its so sweet! there are so many twists and turns and it is so exhilerating to follow each character....i have read over 50 of her books, and i gotta say that this one is her best.
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Posted December 24, 2007
I have read a few of Mrs. Roberts' books and I have read many romance novel and I have to say that this book is one of the best or probably the best romance novel I have ever read. This book has everything a romance novel book should have. I lended it to some of my friends and they say the same it GREAT! So enough already read the book.
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Posted March 16, 2007
i had a hard time reading the past becasue the prologue gave mostly everyhting away. also i had a really hard time that were raised together...
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Posted December 17, 2006
This is one of my all time favorite Nora Roberts books. The story line is awesome, and I liked the fact that for once the 'good guys' were criminals. It gave it a bit of a twist. This book made me laugh and cry.
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Overview
The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy has inherited her father's talents--and his penchant for jewel thievery. Escape artist Luke Callahan comes into Roxy's world and captures her heart, but he keeps secrets that could send her house of cards tumbling.