Honest Illusions

( 126 )

Overview

Into the colorful world of a magician's daughter comes an escape artist who steals her heart-and hides a secret that could shatter all her illusions.

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.

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More About This Book

Overview

Into the colorful world of a magician's daughter comes an escape artist who steals her heart-and hides a secret that could shatter all her illusions.

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.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Roberts ( Hot Ice ; Sacred Sins ) combines conventional elements--sizzling sex, a cunning villain, a captivating story, some tugs at the heartstrings--then adds a twist (the good guys are criminals), and the result is spellbinding. Max Nouvelle is the patriarch of a family of magicians and jewel thieves made up of Lily, his partner in love; Roxanne, his headstrong, beautiful daughter; and Luke, the abused runaway Max had taken in years ago, now a charming young man. They join Max in elaborate performances onstage and in equally elaborate robberies. For years Roxanne and Luke battle constantly, but as young adults they finally realize they are deeply in love. Luke, haunted by the fear that his past will hurt his adopted family, is the target of coldblooded Sam Wyatt, driven by a vow of revenge on the Nouvelles. Luke returns from a forced five-year disappearance for the biggest performance of the Nouvelles' career--a simultaneously executed grand heist and act of vengeance. Although Roberts's deft narrative shows occasional excesses (mostly of description and stereotypical characterizations), none of these will deter the reader from taking this diverting journey into a world of magic, passion and mystery. BOMC featured alternate. (July)
Library Journal
Romance, magic, jewel thieves, and revenge combine in this pop novel to provide readers with pure escapism. From love to political intrigue, everything but the kitchen sink appears in a tale that spans three decades. Though a quick read, it features overblown and often flowery prose that may derail readers of Danielle Steel, Janet Dailey, and LaVyrle Spencer. On the other hand, Roberts's fans will be clamoring at library circulation desks; all the tried and true elements found in Sweet Revenge (Bantam, 1988) and her other paperback romances are also present in her first hardcover. Recommended where Roberts's works are in demand.-- Sue Mevis, Ludlow Memorial Lib., Monroe, Wis.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780594003922
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 7/27/2010
  • Pages: 432
  • Sales rank: 62052
  • Product dimensions: 6.10 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 1.10 (d)

Meet the Author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of more than 200 novels. She is also the author of the bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 400 million copies of her books in print.

Biography

Not only has Nora Roberts written more bestsellers than anyone else in the world (according to Publishers Weekly), she’s also created a hybrid genre of her own: the futuristic detective romance. And that’s on top of mastering every subgenre in the romance pie: the family saga, the historical, the suspense novel. But this most prolific and versatile of authors might never have tapped into her native talent if it hadn't been for one fateful snowstorm.

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."

Good To Know

Roberts still lives in the same Maryland house she occupied when she first started writing -- though her carpenter husband has built on some additions. She and her husband also own Turn the Page Bookstore Café in Boonsboro, Maryland. When Roberts isn't busy writing, she likes to drop by the store, which specializes in Civil War titles as well as autographed copies of her own books.

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.

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    1. Also Known As:
      J. D. Robb; Sarah Hardesty; Jill March; Eleanor Marie Robertson (birth name)
    2. Hometown:
      Keedysville, Maryland
    1. Date of Birth:
      1950
    2. Place of Birth:
      Silver Spring, Maryland
    1. Website:
      http://www.noraroberts.com/

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 126 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(91)

4 Star

(21)

3 Star

(7)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(5)
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 127 Customer Reviews

  • Posted Thu Sep 22 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    Great Read!

    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.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2008

    Hooked on Nora Roberts

    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. :)

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Oct 11 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    WOW!! Nora Roberts at her best!

    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!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Tue Jun 09 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Carnal Innocence
    High Noon
    Carolina Moon

    Hands down... It's by far, my favorite!

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Sep 13 00:00:00 EDT 2006

    My Favorite!

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Sep 12 00:00:00 EDT 2013

    Couldn't stop reading!!! Great book

    Couldn't stop reading!!! Great book

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  • Posted Mon Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2012

    A truly awesome book. Nora Roberts at her best. I just love Luk

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Jul 31 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    One of my all time favorites

    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.

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  • Posted Mon Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts A teen boy, Luke is out hustlin

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Unbeatable

    Nora Roberts is a legend.

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  • Posted Sat Feb 19 00:00:00 EST 2011

    My favorite Nora Roberts book!

    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 Wed Sep 08 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    My favorite story of all time!

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Aug 28 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    LOVED

    I LOVED this book! I read again right after I finished it.

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  • Posted Sat Jul 18 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    Honest Illusions

    Fab story - wonderful characters. Roberts never disapoints -- details are super

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    High Noon

    Honest Illusions

    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.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed May 21 00:00:00 EDT 2008

    Hopeless Romantic

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Jan 25 00:00:00 EST 2008

    A reviewer

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2008

    Simply astonishing!!!

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Dec 24 00:00:00 EST 2007

    Best Romance Novel

    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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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Mar 16 00:00:00 EDT 2007

    not her best but...

    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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