Amanda Quick's most engaging book! | Mischief

More fluff with a slightly deeper hero, but generally more of the same | Mischief | Amanda Quick

books:


	• Mischief Amanda Quick Bantam, 1997 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 27 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Amanda Quick's "Mischief"

I have read every thing that Jayne A. Krentz has written as Amanda Quick. I always am on Amazon's preorder for her books. I read for pleasure since I am 75 years young and work at home, therefore, have times when I must be at the computer but not busy so I read. This is a silly story, however since I read for pleasure, have enjoyed it every time that I have re-read it. Yes, re-read. I have read everyone of her books once, most twice. AND never fail to enjoy . Every time I read, I find some little quirky nuance that makes me laugh out loud. I loved both Imogen and Cold-hearted Colchester and could almost feel the sizzle between them as I read. I whole heartedly recommend for a fast, funny read

ShirleyMischief

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Amanda Quick's most engaging book!

I'm an avid Amanda Quick reader and usually can finish her books in two days while still functioning in life and doing the usual mundane day-to-day things. Such was not the case with _Mischief_, I absolutely *could not* put this book down -- I finished it in one day. Not only are the characters amazing, the plot moved along at such a wonderfully fast pace that I didn't even realize time was passing. I became absorbed in the story -- it was like I was watching a movie. The characters and scenery are so vivid that I felt like I was part of the story. It was as if I was peering over the shoulders of the main characters and experiencing the action right along with them.

As always, Ms. Quick created characters that are captivating and dazzling. Matthias is dangerous, dark and mysterious. There is an air about him that is fascinating. He is the very picture of a heart-stopping hero. Imogen is charmingly clumsy. She is headstrong and unconcerned what Society thinks. Watching these two together was not only enchanting but intoxicating. They have an outstanding chemistry that bursts into life whenever they're together. I loved the way that Imogen always insisted upon leading whenever they danced and how it amused and frustrated Matthias. Also, Imogen's insistence that Matthias has delicate sensibilities is extremely funny!

Unlike most readers, I had no problem with the talk of ancient Zamar. I saw it for what it was -- a plot device designed to move the story along and give the main characters something in common. I found lost Zamar quite interesting and bewitching and adored the added depth it gave to Matthias and Imogen's relationship. The very last scene will touch your heart and bring tears to your eyes!

_Mischief_ was an outstanding experience and I highly recommend this book for either the long-time Amanda Quick fan or the first-time reader. _Mischief_ is a choice example of what Amanda Quick does so well.

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More fluff with a slightly deeper hero, but generally more of the same

This is, again, one of those books that I don't quite understand how anyone can really be "disappointed" by. It is not represented as anything other than what it is: pure fluff. If you expect that, then you won't be disappointed.

As usual, Amanda Quick includes her signature plot devices. The heroine has a strange name (in this case Imogen, which is actually one of her more "normal" names). The hero is seen in a particular light by everyone else, but in a completely different fashion by the heroine (in this case she believes that "Cold-blooded Colchester" has frail nerves and a sensitive disposition), there is repetitive reference to a particular phrase (in other books it's been "of the world" and "metaphysical" -- which is also mentioned in this book -- but is primarily "ancient Zamar" here), and a heroine that is supposed to be unique, well educated and strong-willed (but generally comes off as being naive, if not downright ignorant, rather obnoxious, and not just a little annoying). These are notable techniques used in every one of this author's historical works that I have read. They're not bad in and of themselves, but they aren't exactly unique.

Matthias is probably one of the more "troubled" of this author's heroes in that he has "ghosts" that haunt him. Imogen is definitely annoying in the way that all of Quick's heroines are, but at least she does something that the others don't -- she figures out that she is mistaken and actually acknowledges that. Most of the heroines remain clueless throughout. The rest of the time the other characters seem to be laughing at her, while she assumes that they're all completely serious.

Really, this is just like all of Quick's other books. If you want a sometimes funny story to keep you relatively entertained then this book should suit fine. If I'm ever in need of mindless entertainment, a book like this is just what I'm looking for. And if you keep that in mind, you probably won't be disappointed.

Notable things from this book:

The housekeeper. She's the plucky comic relief and she fulfills that role quite well. Her stories of the antics of her previous tenants are a quick laugh.

Imogen's sense of style. I mean, really, her obsession with "Zamarian Green" and her use of turbans festooned with dolphins and shells is a rather amusing mental picture.

Theodosia Slott. The name alone sells that. Her antics were so overblown, yet taken SO seriously, that every scene she was in was automatically better.

Imogen's tendency to lead while dancing. I find the notion of her whisking her dance partners around forcibly to be a rather interesting visual image, as well.

Umm.... that's about it.

Things that were funny, but completely unintentional:

The sex scenes. Oh, how can ANYONE take them seriously? Really? I mean, c'mon, Imogen's claims that Matthias is using "ancient Zamarian lovemaking techniques" is both humorous and sad.

Matthia's "dark" past. It was... anticlimactic to say the least. He's known as "Cold-blooded Colchester" yet the only hints of that are some vague rumors and the claims of a woman named Theodosia. Who could ever take someone like that seriously?

Hugo Bagshaw. His single minded hatred of Matthias, combined with his complete lack of understanding of the nature of his father's death, combined with his determination to learn as many methods of dueling/fighting as possible, then the ultimate confrontation... Well, it was just impossible to credit him with any real menace.

Ultimately this book is a very average read with very average characters in a fluff book that is quick and easy. If I wanted something more in-depth, historically accurate and/or meaty, I would read Kasey Michaels or Mary Jo Putney. But if I want a 350+ page book that can be read in a single afternoon, you can't really miss with Amanda Quick.

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Mischief

This was the first Amanda Quick book I read and I knew I would be a fan immediately. I loved Imogen, I loved her character. Matthias was an interesting character himself. I thought they really matched each other well. The story unfolded perfectly, I never had to skip any pages or anything, there was never a time when I just wanted to end the story and get it over with, it was really intriguing and it played out so wonderfully in my head. 'Twas easy to imagine. Definitely one of my Favorites.

Amanda Quick -- Mischief

Back when I was working night shift and had not put a toe into the modern Regency novel world, I found this book on a rack in a quick mart and consumed it in a day. After that I was destined to serially consume as many Regency romances, and historical romances (primarily those in the regency period, but also Georgians and Victorians) as I could manage, which has been considerable. They are an Anglophile reader's crack.

Yes, I know Amanda Quick and her ilk can quite honestly be formulaic, but then any genre writer tends to be, after a while. But once a formula is developed, the skill is in making it palatable with different flavors, and Jayne Ann Krentz is good at that. Her heroines are strong, her heroes are Alphas who are ready to be tamed, and the sex is straightforward and steamy. Who wouldn't want to swallow that formula?

In going back to revisit some of the earlier books, I'm seeing the foreshadowing of her newer series, in particular her interest in the secret societies that is blooming in the cross-genre Arcane Society series, in which she writes historicals as Quick, contemporaries as Krentz, and future speculation as Jayne Castle. She's finally pulling all of her concoctions into one brewing pot, and I think that if anyone has been interested in her over the years but has developed ennui with the "formula", they should get out their spoon and try it again.

She's been reprinting a lot of what I call the "letter" novels, the ones that start with a common letter. They are all worth a read. In my opinion, having a heroine who chooses her destiny and bedmate, rather than having them foisted upon her, and a man who is intrigued and (sometimes reluctantly) respectful of that, are a great admixture.

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Imogen Waterstone has always prided herself on being a thoroughly independent young woman, but now she needs a man of implacable will and nerves of iron. That's why she invited Matthias Marshall, infamous Earl of Colchester, to her home in Upper Strickland. Who better than the legendary explorer to help her lay the perfect trap?

Her scheme is simple, really: She plans to let it be known that when she inherited her uncle's collection of antiquities, she also inherited a map to a fabulous ancient treasure. She's sure that her enemy would risk financial ruin in pursuit of the mythical artifact. And to make doubly sure the scoundrel took the bait, she wants Colchester to pretend that he's out to seduce Imogene so that he, too, could get his hands on her map.

Yet in all of her plotting, Imogene never anticipates Colchester's violent reaction to her request or her own electrifying reaction to him. Neither does she expect that a malevolent threat would emerge from the labyrinth of London--sinister enough to endanger her and Colchester's lives.

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