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karenholmes's review against another edition
4.0
Enchanting tale about a family and the love each member has for the others. Yes there is magic involved, but mostly it's trick's and artifices.
All the characters are deeply moving, even though the secondary ones could have been a bit more developed.
Nora Roberts performs a brilliant and well told story with a quite scary villain and enduring characters.
All the characters are deeply moving, even though the secondary ones could have been a bit more developed.
Nora Roberts performs a brilliant and well told story with a quite scary villain and enduring characters.
quillandkindle's review against another edition
5.0
Life is hard for the 12-year-old Luke Callahan. In his attempt to safe himself from the hell he calls home, he is force to be a runaway, live on the street, earning money through pick pocketing. His life takes an unexpected turn one day when he meets Max Nouvelle, a magician, who breathes life into his world: takes him in, loves him like his own son, teaches him to be his apprentice and eventually shares his hidden secret with him. With Max as his father, Lily as his loving mother and Roxy as a lovely yet snarky sister, Luke feels like he has everything he ever wanted.
As he grows older, the feeling Luke has for Roxy grows stronger, making him feels guilty, as Roxy is practically his sister. However, when Roxy makes her sudden moves, the romance buds immediately. Their happiness doesn’t last forever as the ghosts from Luke’s past creeps into his world again; forcing him to vanish in order to protect the family he comes to love. What would Luke do when he realises that he needs to stand up to claim back what he has missed and wins back the woman he loves? Will Roxy ever forgives Luke for leaving her behind at the time she needs him most? What is the real mystery behind Luke’s disappearance?
Reading through Honest Illusions is like munching a bunch of chocolate that you can’t have enough of. Written in a time progression manner, where the story travels from one period of characters’ lives to another, Honest Illusions is definitely one of the best romance novels I’ve ever read. Fluidly written, the author seems to be a master in weaving the events in the past with what happens in the present, leaving readers with no unanswered questions and complete satisfaction. The strength in this book lies in its beautiful prose, along with interesting, multilayered characters and also the structure of the story itself. Huge part of the Honest Illusions consists of what happen in the past, allowing readers to thoroughly understand what really happen to the main characters, what makes them who they are and why they act in certain ways.
The characters created by Roberts in this book are real and well balanced. Luke, for instance, is a good looking, well-behaved, strong and stubborn character, but at the same time, he is actually an extremely vulnerable person. His past shapes him that way and this can’t be shaken off by simply moves on. Roxy, on the other hand, is a delicate, beautiful and soft character but she also has strong traits in her that keeps her standing when she faces difficult situations. All these make Honest Illusions an extremely delightful read.
A story about true love between lovers, true love among family members and about trust and acceptance, Honest Illusions is indeed a kind of book that must be read by those who enjoy contemporary romance. I enjoyed it great and is definitely one of the books that I’ll re-read in the future.
Final Verdict: With its beautiful, lyrical prose, Honest Illusions is a meaningful and beautiful book with its own capability to make you laugh, cry and sigh at one time or another. This is the kind of book that will captivate and pull you in before you realise it.
Taken from my book blog: The Bibliophile's Journal
As he grows older, the feeling Luke has for Roxy grows stronger, making him feels guilty, as Roxy is practically his sister. However, when Roxy makes her sudden moves, the romance buds immediately. Their happiness doesn’t last forever as the ghosts from Luke’s past creeps into his world again; forcing him to vanish in order to protect the family he comes to love. What would Luke do when he realises that he needs to stand up to claim back what he has missed and wins back the woman he loves? Will Roxy ever forgives Luke for leaving her behind at the time she needs him most? What is the real mystery behind Luke’s disappearance?
Reading through Honest Illusions is like munching a bunch of chocolate that you can’t have enough of. Written in a time progression manner, where the story travels from one period of characters’ lives to another, Honest Illusions is definitely one of the best romance novels I’ve ever read. Fluidly written, the author seems to be a master in weaving the events in the past with what happens in the present, leaving readers with no unanswered questions and complete satisfaction. The strength in this book lies in its beautiful prose, along with interesting, multilayered characters and also the structure of the story itself. Huge part of the Honest Illusions consists of what happen in the past, allowing readers to thoroughly understand what really happen to the main characters, what makes them who they are and why they act in certain ways.
The characters created by Roberts in this book are real and well balanced. Luke, for instance, is a good looking, well-behaved, strong and stubborn character, but at the same time, he is actually an extremely vulnerable person. His past shapes him that way and this can’t be shaken off by simply moves on. Roxy, on the other hand, is a delicate, beautiful and soft character but she also has strong traits in her that keeps her standing when she faces difficult situations. All these make Honest Illusions an extremely delightful read.
A story about true love between lovers, true love among family members and about trust and acceptance, Honest Illusions is indeed a kind of book that must be read by those who enjoy contemporary romance. I enjoyed it great and is definitely one of the books that I’ll re-read in the future.
Final Verdict: With its beautiful, lyrical prose, Honest Illusions is a meaningful and beautiful book with its own capability to make you laugh, cry and sigh at one time or another. This is the kind of book that will captivate and pull you in before you realise it.
Taken from my book blog: The Bibliophile's Journal
booksbymyrthe's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read this in Dutch it was a bit cringe in the beginning. But later on I really liked the story.
smasshton's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
veronica_mars's review against another edition
5.0
Love this book
I read this book once every couple of years and I just never get tired of it. I love the characters and the banter. It’s a great story.
I read this book once every couple of years and I just never get tired of it. I love the characters and the banter. It’s a great story.
amandalubbers0513's review against another edition
I really wanted to like this one, but it was just too slow paced for me. The author was overly descriptive of minor details that weren't always necessary.
bookish_manda's review against another edition
4.0
Honest Illusions is a story about love, lust, and magic. Meet Roxy, a girl who loves the thrill of illusions and heists. She has grown up the Luke, the boy her family unofficially adopted into their family at a young age. Nora Roberts weaves a funny and magical story of Roxy and Luke’s relationship from a young and tender age.
I think this book was well written. It has a lot of action, meaningful characters, and adventure. I especially loved the budding romance that could be seen developing over many years of childhood. I would’ve given this book a 5/5 stars except I felt like it was too long and the pacing wasn’t always right. Regardless, this is now one of my favorite Nora Roberts books.
Anyone who likes Nora Roberts, magic, and romance should read this book.
I think this book was well written. It has a lot of action, meaningful characters, and adventure. I especially loved the budding romance that could be seen developing over many years of childhood. I would’ve given this book a 5/5 stars except I felt like it was too long and the pacing wasn’t always right. Regardless, this is now one of my favorite Nora Roberts books.
Anyone who likes Nora Roberts, magic, and romance should read this book.
jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
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.
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.