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A review by rootytootyrissa
Now You See Her by Linda Howard
4.0
I read this one (and another hundred or so others) by good ol' Miz Howard way back in my high school romance phase, a time when I gobbled stories like hers and Nora Roberts' RIGHT UP. Anyway some things never change, and for some reason I got to reminiscing and decided to dive back into 'Now You See Her' for old time's sake... Results: I enjoyed it immensely, yet again!
Linda Howard totally hooked me back then and still does now mainly through her characters. Sweeney in this story is an artist who is immersed in her work. Sometimes the careers and hobbies of characters in romance novels or particularly in YA these days just seem to serve as fodder for conversation and little else: however, with L.H. you actually see and feel how it plays out to them. Sweeney, though raised by two artistic parents who couldn't have cared less about their daughter, still lives and breathes her work, mixing shades in her head, studying people in the streets, and actively selling her paintings at a studio which is where the action and plot of this story start to simmer. We also have Richard, the very alpha-male and of course filthy stinkin' rich (oh my god *eye roll* JUST KIDDIN I'M INTERESTED) love interest who's protective and confident, but also sincerely sweet towards Sweeney in all the ways that matter. Throw in a couple of side characters (who may or may not have our Sweeney's best interests at heart) and you've got an interesting start.
However, if characters with depth wasn't enough for ya, good ol' L.H. has decided to pull out all the stops by tossing in, you guessed it, the para-fucking-normal. It's no wonder this one in particular stuck out in high-school me's noggin (and still today) as that particular genre totally tickles my fancy. But wait, there's more... THERE'S A FUCKIN' MURDER GUYS, stick that in your craw and read it already!
What can I say man? I'm a total sucker for all of these elements, but I gotta say, if you're gonna do it, do it right. All in all this one has stood the test of time for me. Bravo Miz Howard, you've kept me hooked!
Linda Howard totally hooked me back then and still does now mainly through her characters. Sweeney in this story is an artist who is immersed in her work. Sometimes the careers and hobbies of characters in romance novels or particularly in YA these days just seem to serve as fodder for conversation and little else: however, with L.H. you actually see and feel how it plays out to them. Sweeney, though raised by two artistic parents who couldn't have cared less about their daughter, still lives and breathes her work, mixing shades in her head, studying people in the streets, and actively selling her paintings at a studio which is where the action and plot of this story start to simmer. We also have Richard, the very alpha-male and of course filthy stinkin' rich (oh my god *eye roll* JUST KIDDIN I'M INTERESTED) love interest who's protective and confident, but also sincerely sweet towards Sweeney in all the ways that matter. Throw in a couple of side characters (who may or may not have our Sweeney's best interests at heart) and you've got an interesting start.
However, if characters with depth wasn't enough for ya, good ol' L.H. has decided to pull out all the stops by tossing in, you guessed it, the para-fucking-normal. It's no wonder this one in particular stuck out in high-school me's noggin (and still today) as that particular genre totally tickles my fancy. But wait, there's more... THERE'S A FUCKIN' MURDER GUYS, stick that in your craw and read it already!
What can I say man? I'm a total sucker for all of these elements, but I gotta say, if you're gonna do it, do it right. All in all this one has stood the test of time for me. Bravo Miz Howard, you've kept me hooked!