Wild Orchids

Thought I'd write a comment because I was almost put off reading this book by some of the reviews. It's not a typical romance and if you don't go in expecting that then you won't run such a risk of being disappointed. I particularly enjoyed the first person narratives - the contemporary, slightly supernatural US story alternates between Jackie and Ford. The different point of views on the same situation were often amusing with a lot of subtle humour. Young Jackie didn't quite grab me, but Ford the mature author... Ford made the novel for me. He's a brilliant character - flawed, greedy, lazy, highly intelligent, talented, loving, very generous, self indulgent, obsessive, amusing, depressive, grumbly... I utterly adored him! To me, he is what made the book come alive, along with his relationship with his various relatives (esp Noble) and his writing. I liked the devil twist near the end too, albeit it was a great shame the book was hurried at the end and the last two pages should have been expanded so we really felt Ford and Jackie coming together - rather than just being told.

Ford Newcombe, a rich famous author, is moving from town to town across U.S.A. researching ghost stories. He hasn't been able to write a book since his wife died and people are starting to say she had been the writer. In a small town at a party he overhears Jackie telling a story to a friend and she makes him laugh something he hasn't done in a long time. Because he has just sacked yet another assistant he manages to talk her into working with him even though she is about to get married!!They move to another town (new to him but she had lived there as a child) because the story she had been telling came from this place. From the moment they move into an incredible house he buys things start to happen and these things make a wonderful story, funny, serious(the devil is involved) and romantic as despite age differences they fall in love. Need I say more the characters, as in all Jude Deverauxs books are really captivating this is one you won't want to put down, buy it and love it and read it again and again.

This is another lovely story which you won't want to put down until you've finished.Ford Newcombe is a rich and famous author who is unable to put a story together after becoming a widow. Then he employs an assistant to help with research into ghost stories, Jackie a lot younger than him but full of life and able to make him laugh. The time they have together in a town which is new to him (but she had lived there when very young) is funny, serious, (the devil comes to call), entertaining and just lovely. Jude Deveraux never disappoints and just when I think I have a favourite along comes another one.

Well, I disagree with all these two-starers! I thought this book was amazing! Quite different from a lot of her other titles, but the sense of "whodunit" and the captivating plot line secured a place in my heart to read again and again and again! I personally can't put this book down once I get started!Ford Newcombe, the established author, loved his wife more than anything. On her death his ability to write fell from beneath him, and only with the introduction of Jaquie and her captivating devil story is he able to begin returning to normality. They travel to the town that is the setting of Jaquie's devil story, also the town of her childhood, and a mysterious story of her earlier life unfolds.8/10Give it a try..

Very much in the tradition of Irving, but based on a completely different set of personalities, of course.It differs pretty much from the series of Montgomery slash Taggart stories, which are more feelgood.There is a lot of questioning oneself and one’s motivation to stay alive, to live like an orderly person.I liked it, even if I’m not a fan of anything paranormal, as it well served the plot.

Wie immer, wenn man sich aus der Realität schießen möchte, ist ein solches Buch super. Keine komplizierten Beziehungen, kein unübersichtlichen Dramen. Toll

Extremely good

恵まれない少年時代を送ったしたフォードは愛する妻とその両親という素晴らしい家族を得たが、義母は不幸な事故で、妻は病気で亡くしてしまう。それらの悲しい体験を元に小説を書きベストセラー作家になるが、妻を亡くした中年期から想像の泉は枯れてしまう。自分の魂よりももっと大事と思える人を亡くした経験があるだろうかと彼は語る。潜在意識の中で何かを求めるように作家は各地の魔女や悪魔の伝承に惹かれていくが、そんなときに悪魔に関わるショッキングな物語りを知っている若い女性、ジャッキーと出会う。彼女は思ったことをストレートに口にしまうアウトドアタイプの女性で、オジンでジャンクフード好きのフォードと衝突していくが、共にその悪魔伝説を追っていく。悪魔伝説は真実だったのか、ジャッキーとフォードの仲はどうなるのか、いろいろな伏線があり、語り口も面白く、本当に最後まで楽しめました。

と、失礼ながら思ってしまった(*^^*)彼女の作品は「The Conquest」しか読んだ事がなくて(ちょっと軽いタッチのヒストリカルロマンスだった)、本書は文章のタッチがガラリと変わっていたので驚いたんだけど、嬉しい驚きでした。昔に起こった事件の真相探し、ヒーローとヒロインの心の動き、ロマンスを抑え気味にした重厚な雰囲気の中に少しオカルト風味をプラスして、何とも言えない仕上がりになっている。本を読んでると、あまりに感動して、その感動をどう表現したらいいのか言葉にならない、そんな本に出会う事があるけれど、本書もその一つ。英語も、どちらかというと平坦で凄く読み易い。心にしみ入る感じ。Deverauxのファンになった。

i loved this book. its about love and redemption. murder and the devil. family and tge future. Ford , a writer who has lost the people he loves and Jackie a bride whos fiancee steals every penny she has. jackie becomes Fords assistant on the day after her wedding blows up. Ford is looking for stories about the devil and Jackie has one from a town she remembers living in when she was a kid. They go to the town and jackie remembers things long forgotten. when they discover the whole story and meet the devil .....

This was the first book by this author I did not like. I didn't enjoy the characters or the way they were laid out in the book with every chapter about a different character. I could not empathize with any of the characters and could hardly wait for the book to end. The end was very disappointing and just stopped with No clear idea of what was going to happen. She has written so many page turner books but inMy opinion only this book was just plain strange. I wish I could say one good thing and I guess that would be the cover art was pretty.....

I think this is the best book Deveraux has ever written and I have read almost all off them in the last 35+ years! I'm not giving a synopsis of it but as far as mysteries go, it's perfect. And character development is far superior than most novels of this genre. It was tough to put down and a lot of chores went undone for a day and a half!

Deveraux alternates between her two main characters telling the story in first person. Ford Newcombe is a writer who has lost his wife of 21 years, and both his beloved in-laws, as well as the will to write. Enter Jackie Maxwell, half his age, health conscious and feisty; a very unlikely couple.Ford and Jackie grope their way toward a working relationship at first, without any of the usual "falling in lust" of a typical romance novel. They find ways of making their differences mesh instead of working against each other.What brings them together in the beginning is Jackie's devil story, which Ford wants to research and write. They soon discover that there is something much more sinister behind the story, and that it may be more than just a tale told by her mother to scare her.The paranormal in this book is more chilling than horror and is very well done. I didn't like Deveraux's other attempt at paranormal, the Forever trilogy. This one is quite different and gave me goosebumps without giving me nightmares.To give you an indication of how much I liked this book, I read the paperback, and as soon as I finished reading, I bought the e-book for my Kindle.

Simply put...I enjoyed this read. I enjoyed seeing the same situation through both characters senses. I enjoyed seeing the Devil (ex-Heaven resident) be a character in this story. He is protrayed as he was made...something beautiful (ex-angel...as do you ever see an evil looking angel?)vs the red-horned devil we are used to seeing. I enjoyed the story premise. I try not to limit myself to an author ALWAYS writing each book the same way. When an author has a large library of characters I feel it is nice to see them stretch their imagination and not try and limit themselves. I wish more readers would simply allow all the walls built around an author fall down and enjoy the story. If a person was telling the story as a storyteller would I think we would all pull up a chair and listen to a good tale. Simply put. I have enjoyed this author's hardback's and feel she has grown. Go Jude !!!

I have read dozens of Jude Deveraux's books and loved them, but I would have to put this at the bottom of the heap. I started it, put it down and came back to it after reading a few other books. I wanted to know what was going on in the town but found the back and forth point of view annoying and started skimming pages at the beginning of next viewpoint change because it was repetitive. The romance was blah and the end was a letdown that didn't make much sense.

I am giving this book an 5 star because from the very first of this book I was spell bound. I didn't want to put it down. I pretty much have always loved Jude Deveraux books, but this one was right up there with The Knight and shining armor.I loved this book great job from a great writer.

It was intriguing and kept you in suspense enough to continue to reading wanting to know if it was myth, love story, or horror. I think it gave a little bit of all 3. There was never a doubt the minute I started reading that I would read it to the end. It capture in.

Have you ever started a book and not been able to get into it? I did just that several times. I love this author and have read most of what she has written. I wanted one of her books so I started this one again, and pushed through. Thank goodness I did. This book is one of her best. You must read this if you are a fan. It shows an entire different side of this talented writer.

I have been reading Jude Deveraux's books for about 12 years. I think that this book symbolizes a certain maturity in her writing. Yes her romances were phenomenal. But so is this book. Everything from the fact that the devil is in jeans and is just exactly what you'd expect the tempter that satan was to be in human form, down to the young girl's slow fall in love with the older man... turn this into an enjoyable read. I read books aloud for a small group of my friends once or twice a week. We had gotten burned out on romance and were ready for a change. This has been a good change. We are a diverse group and we have all enjoyed working our way through this book.