I have read books by Jayne Ann Krentz for many years now. I enjoy them and find them entertaining. Her newer books have more emphasis on mystery, but I do still enjoy her older books as well. Her books do have a few problems, but I enjoy them. I recently read Grand Passion again.

Max Fortune had many expensive things, but he was alone. He had no family. He worked for Jason Curzon and his company for many years. Max and Jason were close, but Max still felt like an outsider with the rest of the Curzon family. Max started to search for some paintings after Jason died. Jason said that he’d left the paintings with Cleopatra Robbins, a woman he’d known for about a year and a half. Jason didn’t explain his relationship with her, but made it clear that he cared for her. Max assumed that they had been having an affair.

Cleo ran an inn, Robbins’ Nest Inn. Things were a bit hectic when Max arrived and he ended up unclogging a toilet and carrying luggage. He learned that Jason had told Cleo he was a painter that hadn’t sold anything. He did odd jobs around the inn in exchange for a room. Cleo and her employees had no idea that Jason was really very rich and the owner of a chain of international hotels. Cleo was very upset when she found out what Max had thought about her relationship with Jason. Max managed to apologize and convince Cleo to let him stay. He stayed in the attic room where Jason had stayed and was doing odd jobs. He was drawn into the group that worked at the inn and considered themselves a family.

Cleo had a book published that was considered erotica. She hadn’t told anyone outside the family about it, but someone found out. She had been dating Nolan, a local man who had political hopes. Cleo didn’t consider the relationship serious. He received a copy of the book in the mail. He was furious about the book because he thought it would hurt his future political career. Later at the inn, Cleo discovered that someone had been in her room. Max had feelings for Cleo, and was worried about her safety, so he had a private detective friend start checking on some things. Cleo received a threatening note. There was the possibility that what was going on was tied to something that happened in Cleo’s past. Members of the Curzon family showed up at the inn looking for Max. Another man arrived, saying that the paintings belonged to him instead of Max.

Grand Passion was published in 1994. It was originally available as a hardback and is now available as a paperback and an audio book. I have the hardback book.

Grand Passion was a romantic suspense book. There was some mystery tied to who was threatening Cleo, but it wasn’t too complex. It was entertaining, but some people could be disappointed that the mystery was weak. People looking for a complex mystery should look for a different book. Most of the book took place at the inn, and things about the running of the inn were included. I didn’t think those things were boring.. In addition to running her inn, Cleo had published one book, and had a second that would be published a few months after the time frame of the book. I did wonder how she managed to write since the inn kept her busy and she was never described writing or even thinking about a third book.

Most of Grand Passion really focused in on the relationships of Cleo and the people who worked with her at the inn. They considered themselves a family. They were all close and looked to Cleo for guidance. Once Max arrived, he was added to their family. That was a new experience for him since he’d never really had a family. It took him a little while to adjust. The others did start to look to Max for leadership after he’d been there longer. Trisha and Ben were both young, and they ended up involved. There were some complications in their relationship, and Max ended up helping to get things straight.

There was a small amount of violence in a few scenes of the book. It wasn’t a violent book overall. The few violent things that happened were described, but not excessively. I don’t think the violence was extreme enough to bother anyone. There was a little bit of suspense in a few scenes, but the book wasn’t really suspenseful overall. It did keep my interest, but the suspense could have been better. The mystery and suspense in Krentz’s newer books has improved.

Max and Cleo met at the beginning of the book. After a misunderstanding, they grew close and became involved. Their relationship did move fast, so it wasn’t long before they were sleeping together. Some people could be bothered by that. There were some sex scenes in the book featuring those two. The scenes were descriptive, but not explicit. I think the scenes were more descriptive than similar scenes in her newer books. Readers who don’t like to read about sexual relationships should look for a different book.

There was a unique group of characters in Grand Passion that worked at the inn. Cleo and Max were the main characters, so they were the most developed. The other characters at the inn showed up often, but they weren’t as important. Cleo was close to all of them, but not as much was known about them. A few people from the near by town were in a few scenes, but they were rather flat characters. Different guests came and went to the inn. Some people that Max had worked with when he worked for Jason also showed up.

Jayne Ann Krentz also writes historical romantic suspense books as Amanda Quick. I have also read the books she writes as Amanda Quick and enjoyed them. They are the same sort of book, just set in London in the past. All of her books contain strong main female characters. The mystery aspect has gotten more important in the Amanda Quick books as well. People who enjoy Jayne Ann Krentz books may also like Amanda Quick books since there are similarities. She also writes futuristic romantic suspense books as Jayne Castle.

CHARACTERS

Cleopatra Robbins - She didn’t let anyone call her Cleopatra. She owned an inn that was doing well. She’d also written two books. She was a private person. She was close to the people she considered her family.

Max Fortune - He’d grown up with out a home, bouncing from foster family to foster family. He’d never felt like he belonged anywhere. He met Jason Curzon and started to work for him when he was still young. Jason took him under his wing. Max learned a lot from Jason and was close to him, but he still felt like an outsider. Max had a reputation for not messing up with his work. He used a cane because of an injury he received a few years before.

I have read Grand Passion several times since I first bought it. The book wasn’t really serious. This is a good book to read to take your mind off things for a few hours. It did have a few problems, but it was still entertaining. Fans of Jayne Ann Krentz or Amanda Quick will probably enjoy this book as well.

Jayne Ann Krentz Book Reviews
Eclipse Bay ~ Dawn in Eclipse Bay ~ Summer in Eclipse Bay ~ Lost & Found ~ Deep Waters ~ Smoke in Mirrors ~ Sharp Edges ~ Light in Shadow ~ Truth or Dare ~

Amanda Quick Book Reviews
Deception ~ Don't Look Back ~ Late for the Wedding ~ The Paid Companion ~


Recommended: Yes