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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.
sophilozophy's review against another edition
5.0
Another great story by Nora Roberts with the art of magic, romance, crime and mystery. Loved it!
husnaibrahim_'s review against another edition
4.25
The way this book is structured is so different and confusing but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
I loved almost everything about this book. I mean I'm no stranger to Nora's writing style, having read numerous works under her real name and her pseudonym in the "In Death" series. I found that this book shares a similar structure with “The Witness” and “Shelter in Place,” two of my favorite books by her. So, I’m not surprised I was naturally hooked from the get-go.
First and foremost, I have to say I loved the Nouvelles. They aren’t your typically normal family, but their unique dynamics, from Max down to Mouse, are oddly perfect. Their lifestyle, as part magicians and part elite thieves, had me hooked honestly. I liked how their easily welcoming nature, especially to stray children, brought us Luke, and that was a significant part of what made them endearing.
Now, Luke and Roxanne might not be conventionally perfect characters, but that’s what makes them so compelling. I think they were both complicated characters that made tough decisions in difficult situations even though that might not have been what was best for either of them, but they had immense backbone. I think if this were any other book, I would have been weirded out with their family dynamic and relationship dynamic when it came to each other. But Nora makes it work here, and I guess that simmering sexual tension doesn't hurt also.
That’s probably why, despite everything that unfolded in the middle and latter parts of the book, I still found myself rooting for them. Okay so, perhaps Luke could've groveled a little bit more, or tried a different approach to make amends. Because I expected more from him especially with people like that Finestein guy and lily in his life.
Speaking of Lily, I adored her character and what she brought to the story. She's a master of using her womanly charms to her advantage, and I couldn't help but admire her for it. I'm also glad nothing romantic happened between her and the Finestein guy, as I was getting that vibe, and it would have pissed me off if it happened. Because Max, although no longer physically present, remains irreplaceable. He was an extraordinary man and father, which added to the depth and I just love everything about this book honestly.
Now, after indulging in the “In Death” series, I've grown used to revisiting characters in their later books. So Sometimes I forget, and it saddens me when I finish a stand-alone book by this author, realizing that’s the end of the story. But such is life.
I loved almost everything about this book. I mean I'm no stranger to Nora's writing style, having read numerous works under her real name and her pseudonym in the "In Death" series. I found that this book shares a similar structure with “The Witness” and “Shelter in Place,” two of my favorite books by her. So, I’m not surprised I was naturally hooked from the get-go.
First and foremost, I have to say I loved the Nouvelles. They aren’t your typically normal family, but their unique dynamics, from Max down to Mouse, are oddly perfect. Their lifestyle, as part magicians and part elite thieves, had me hooked honestly. I liked how their easily welcoming nature, especially to stray children, brought us Luke, and that was a significant part of what made them endearing.
Now, Luke and Roxanne might not be conventionally perfect characters, but that’s what makes them so compelling. I think they were both complicated characters that made tough decisions in difficult situations even though that might not have been what was best for either of them, but they had immense backbone. I think if this were any other book, I would have been weirded out with their family dynamic and relationship dynamic when it came to each other. But Nora makes it work here, and I guess that simmering sexual tension doesn't hurt also.
That’s probably why, despite everything that unfolded in the middle and latter parts of the book, I still found myself rooting for them. Okay so, perhaps Luke could've groveled a little bit more, or tried a different approach to make amends. Because I expected more from him especially with people like that Finestein guy and lily in his life.
Speaking of Lily, I adored her character and what she brought to the story. She's a master of using her womanly charms to her advantage, and I couldn't help but admire her for it. I'm also glad nothing romantic happened between her and the Finestein guy, as I was getting that vibe, and it would have pissed me off if it happened. Because Max, although no longer physically present, remains irreplaceable. He was an extraordinary man and father, which added to the depth and I just love everything about this book honestly.
Now, after indulging in the “In Death” series, I've grown used to revisiting characters in their later books. So Sometimes I forget, and it saddens me when I finish a stand-alone book by this author, realizing that’s the end of the story. But such is life.
whaney's review against another edition
4.0
A good read for an older Nora Roberts book. She never disappoints. Characters that I fell in love with.
agmaynard's review against another edition
I had read this a long time ago, and only picked it up again for Romance Book Club. It's badly dated to me.
queletn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
sandlynn's review against another edition
5.0
I first read Nora Roberts’ Honest Illusions, which was published in 1992, twenty years ago. Before then, I wasn’t a huge fan, but this book was the impetus for my collecting her work and enjoying a number of her other books. I recently re-read Honest Illusions with my book group and became reacquainted with how much this one stood out for me.
The story focuses on a family of magicians/high-end thieves based out of New Orleans, but traveling the world — performing magic as well as making off with the jewels and art of the well-to-do. Maximillian Nouvelle is the patriarch, Lily, his lady love, Roxanne, his precocious eight year old daughter and Luke Callahan the adopted son he picks off the streets doing petty thievery at twelve. We follow this family, their close friends/confidants, but particularly the relationship between Luke and Roxanne as they grow up, form an attraction, and fall in love. At the same time, the family — and particularly Luke - attracts a powerful enemy which threatens both their happiness and their way of life.
First I wanted to say that Honest Illusions still holds up. It has a plot line that some might find certifiably bonkers in terms of all that happens. Even though this is a contemporary romance - contemporary as of 1992 — it reminds me of the old school historical (and some contemporary) romances of the 70s and 80s that were sweeping sagas of families, following characters from childhood to adulthood. The unique setting involving a troop of traveling magicians, who steal on the side, is well-done (even though I couldn’t understand why they continued to steal once they became famous and wealthy). The descriptions of both the magic as well as the heists are believable and are well-incorporated. I especially enjoyed how the dialogue between characters would include them doing their magic like it was second nature to them. Although I found the villain of the story - Sam Wyatt - to be a bit over the top, I liked how he was originally incorporated into the plot and how Luke’s backstory was used against him. Still, I did wonder if Luke had confessed what was happening to his family whether they could’ve worked together to defeat Sam, since they were so clever in their various plots. And in the end, I thought Sam’s reaction to having the tables turned on him was a bit strange. Not to spoil anything, but he seemed too together - too cold and diabolical - to lose it like he did.
In any case, Honest Illusions certainly stands on its own as a unique, smart, and entertaining example of Nora Roberts in her heyday. Fortunately, she had many, many more books to share with us and, apparently, still does. I gave this an A-.
The story focuses on a family of magicians/high-end thieves based out of New Orleans, but traveling the world — performing magic as well as making off with the jewels and art of the well-to-do. Maximillian Nouvelle is the patriarch, Lily, his lady love, Roxanne, his precocious eight year old daughter and Luke Callahan the adopted son he picks off the streets doing petty thievery at twelve. We follow this family, their close friends/confidants, but particularly the relationship between Luke and Roxanne as they grow up, form an attraction, and fall in love. At the same time, the family — and particularly Luke - attracts a powerful enemy which threatens both their happiness and their way of life.
First I wanted to say that Honest Illusions still holds up. It has a plot line that some might find certifiably bonkers in terms of all that happens. Even though this is a contemporary romance - contemporary as of 1992 — it reminds me of the old school historical (and some contemporary) romances of the 70s and 80s that were sweeping sagas of families, following characters from childhood to adulthood. The unique setting involving a troop of traveling magicians, who steal on the side, is well-done (even though I couldn’t understand why they continued to steal once they became famous and wealthy). The descriptions of both the magic as well as the heists are believable and are well-incorporated. I especially enjoyed how the dialogue between characters would include them doing their magic like it was second nature to them. Although I found the villain of the story - Sam Wyatt - to be a bit over the top, I liked how he was originally incorporated into the plot and how Luke’s backstory was used against him. Still, I did wonder if Luke had confessed what was happening to his family whether they could’ve worked together to defeat Sam, since they were so clever in their various plots. And in the end, I thought Sam’s reaction to having the tables turned on him was a bit strange. Not to spoil anything, but he seemed too together - too cold and diabolical - to lose it like he did.
In any case, Honest Illusions certainly stands on its own as a unique, smart, and entertaining example of Nora Roberts in her heyday. Fortunately, she had many, many more books to share with us and, apparently, still does. I gave this an A-.
laney623's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite Nora Roberts book. And I have read them all :)