dark_siren's review
5.0
Hank Wyatt has spent years in a foreign prison for murder. But Hank is actually innocent. He had a mockery of a trial before being sentenced to life. He manages to escape and stow away on a ship where he meets a beautiful woman.
Margaret Huntington Smith is a hard working attorney. Her supreme court judge father insists she take a vacation and sends her off on a island cruise in the South Seas.
The cruise is doomed though and a fatal shipwreck leaves Hank and Maggie alone on an island with three orphans, Lydia (9), Theodore (5), Annabelle (less than 2), and a goat. Hank and Maggie struggle to survive, care for the children, and just plain get along. Being stuck on the island forms a family that never would have come together otherwise. While on the island they actually find a real live Genie named Muddy just to keep things interesting.
A beautiful tropical island location, wonderful characters, humor, romance, family, and good plot made this a great read.
Margaret Huntington Smith is a hard working attorney. Her supreme court judge father insists she take a vacation and sends her off on a island cruise in the South Seas.
The cruise is doomed though and a fatal shipwreck leaves Hank and Maggie alone on an island with three orphans, Lydia (9), Theodore (5), Annabelle (less than 2), and a goat. Hank and Maggie struggle to survive, care for the children, and just plain get along. Being stuck on the island forms a family that never would have come together otherwise. While on the island they actually find a real live Genie named Muddy just to keep things interesting.
A beautiful tropical island location, wonderful characters, humor, romance, family, and good plot made this a great read.
eandrews80's review
2.0
Is there anything more disappointing than a book with a great premise and poor execution? Well, poor is perhaps too strong a word; Barnett undoubtedly has a way with words, and the first part of the book is quite well written. But the characters are two-dimensional, there's a completely ludicrous supernatural element, and -- here comes my main complaint -- Barnett's style is far too saccharine for my taste. (If Hank called Margaret "sweetheart" one more time, I was going to rip the book in half.)
nday's review
4.0
This was an odd little duck of a book. While I don’t get to read that many, I do really enjoy “lost on a desert island” books, and this certainly fit into that genre. What was quite odd was the addition of the genie. Much like magical realism novels, this was kind of just accepted without too much of an explanation. I’ve never read this author before that I recall, so I’m not sure if this is a normal sort of thing for her or not, but it certainly was a little surprise for me!
All and all this was an enjoyable fun read, although nothing to be taken particularly seriously (even without the addition of the genie). Their greatest hardship on the island was getting sick of bananas (oh, and the shark I guess, but even a slight injury from that incident was barely noted) so I wouldn’t call this a very realistic island adventure. It was more like an inadvertent island holiday that they couldn’t leave.
The true heart of this book lay in the relationships built in this one, between Hank and Maggie, and between them and the children. I actually really liked Hank, he felt very true to himself which I really appreciated. He was ornery, stubborn, witty and hard and grew into a softer character (inside) as the book progressed. Maggie was a very likeable character as well – also stubborn, determined and ahead of her time as a lawyer in the 19th century.
It’s probably not something I’d read again, but it was a lovely book once you suspend a rather hefty amount of disbelief.
All and all this was an enjoyable fun read, although nothing to be taken particularly seriously (even without the addition of the genie). Their greatest hardship on the island was getting sick of bananas (oh, and the shark I guess, but even a slight injury from that incident was barely noted) so I wouldn’t call this a very realistic island adventure. It was more like an inadvertent island holiday that they couldn’t leave.
The true heart of this book lay in the relationships built in this one, between Hank and Maggie, and between them and the children. I actually really liked Hank, he felt very true to himself which I really appreciated. He was ornery, stubborn, witty and hard and grew into a softer character (inside) as the book progressed. Maggie was a very likeable character as well – also stubborn, determined and ahead of her time as a lawyer in the 19th century.
It’s probably not something I’d read again, but it was a lovely book once you suspend a rather hefty amount of disbelief.
takethyme's review
5.0
If you enjoy a touch of whimsy, some silliness, an adventure and a genie, welcome to IMAGINE. This is Jill Barnett's take on the shipwrecked and deserted island themes and is a frolic feel-good fantasy with a dollop of romance. The setting is somewhere in the Pacific. It is 1896 and the end of Victorian times, when women were still innocent and yet starting to enter man-dominated professions. A time when they were thrown a learning curve in many respects. The book is an undertaking into a hodge-podge of genres and I loved it.
Margaret Huntington Smith, 'Smitty', is both an accomplished attorney and a sweetheart who manages to find good in others. She was raised by a loving father and several doting uncles to develop a mind of her own, in a good way. She's never been married, doesn't cook and has no idea what to do with children. She is patient to a fault.
Hank Wyatt is best described as an anti-hero. An escaped convict with impatience and a foul mouth, he initially poses as a priest when he first meets Margaret. He is on the run and claims his innocence. He also is obnoxious and crude but I loved his character. Here is a man who is the epitome of annoyance. Set in his ways, he views women and children the same as prison. There is a purpose for each of these but not in his life. IMAGINE, in some ways, reminded me of the movie FATHER GOOSE with Cary Grant and Leslie Caron.
The children in this story have lost their parents and are on their way to an orphanage. Lydia, the oldest, is quiet and serious. Her best friend is a goat. Theodore, at five, takes everything at face value. He follows Hank like glue on paper. The youngest is Annabelle, a little one. If you have ever been around a toddler you know this young child can be a handful.
Lastly, there is Muddy, the genie. I told you this story had elements of a fantasy. Mix all of these characters and you have a funny adventure with a bite of romance. Quirky yet delicious, this book is a keeper. Read the story for its oddball humor. Read it for the unforeseen developments between the characters. Read it for the off-the-wall romance but just read it. You will be glad you did.
Margaret Huntington Smith, 'Smitty', is both an accomplished attorney and a sweetheart who manages to find good in others. She was raised by a loving father and several doting uncles to develop a mind of her own, in a good way. She's never been married, doesn't cook and has no idea what to do with children. She is patient to a fault.
Hank Wyatt is best described as an anti-hero. An escaped convict with impatience and a foul mouth, he initially poses as a priest when he first meets Margaret. He is on the run and claims his innocence. He also is obnoxious and crude but I loved his character. Here is a man who is the epitome of annoyance. Set in his ways, he views women and children the same as prison. There is a purpose for each of these but not in his life. IMAGINE, in some ways, reminded me of the movie FATHER GOOSE with Cary Grant and Leslie Caron.
The children in this story have lost their parents and are on their way to an orphanage. Lydia, the oldest, is quiet and serious. Her best friend is a goat. Theodore, at five, takes everything at face value. He follows Hank like glue on paper. The youngest is Annabelle, a little one. If you have ever been around a toddler you know this young child can be a handful.
Lastly, there is Muddy, the genie. I told you this story had elements of a fantasy. Mix all of these characters and you have a funny adventure with a bite of romance. Quirky yet delicious, this book is a keeper. Read the story for its oddball humor. Read it for the unforeseen developments between the characters. Read it for the off-the-wall romance but just read it. You will be glad you did.
leighannsherwin's review
3.0
Started off promising and intriguing. Set in 1896 Margaret is a lawyer. That alone intrigued me. Her father sends her on a cruise through the seven seas. Unknown to her a prisoner named Hank is planning an escape and when he does he ends up on the same ship as Margaret. A storm brews the ship sinks and Margaret, Hank, a goat and three children, Annabelle, Theodore and Lydia, are the only survivors. As I said it starts promising, even hilarious when toddler Annabelle constantly repeats Hank's vile swear words. Then she brings some random genie into the mix which is where the story lost me. Just why? It was dumb really. I also found it was much the same as her other books. A cranky man, a chatty woman annoys the man, the man gives the woman a nickname of some sort based on nationality, or a version of her name. They eventually fall in love and end up living happily ever after. The kids changed the formula slightly and the odd and unnecessary genie did too. I think the book came out around the same time as the original Aladdin when Robin Williams made genies a big deal, but it falls flat. But I tried and I just couldn't. I like her shorter books better and this one might've been better if it was shorter. Hey they had a genie wish for rescue maybe? Ah well I somehow got through it, might revisit it again later on, but only once I forgot about it.
lauriereadslohf's review
4.0
Whatever you do don't miss this one, you'll regret it! It's charming, heartwarming and left me feeling sooo good. It's the story of Margaret (Smitty), an attorney, and Hank an escaped convict who was wrongly accused of murder. She's an independent woman who can't cook, he's a beat 'em over the head and drag 'em by the hair kinda guy that thinks woman are good for only one thing, until he gets stranded on a desert island with Smitty and three small orphans. There's also a delightful Genie with three wishes who needs to find a true believer to fulfill his destiny.
The verbal sparring between this odd couple is hilarious, Muddy, the Genie, adds a touch of magic and humor to the story & also makes a convenient baby sitter :), the kids are darling and the scenes where Hank warms up to them are really touching. It was so much fun to see Hank's attitude about women and children change after being stuck with them day in and day out with no escape. The last few chapters had me teary eyed. I recommend this one for anyone looking for a feel good romance with a happy ending and lots of sexual tension! This book is the ultimate fantasy.
The verbal sparring between this odd couple is hilarious, Muddy, the Genie, adds a touch of magic and humor to the story & also makes a convenient baby sitter :), the kids are darling and the scenes where Hank warms up to them are really touching. It was so much fun to see Hank's attitude about women and children change after being stuck with them day in and day out with no escape. The last few chapters had me teary eyed. I recommend this one for anyone looking for a feel good romance with a happy ending and lots of sexual tension! This book is the ultimate fantasy.
georgiewhoissarahdrew's review
3.0
2.5 stars rounded up
There's a lot of the Bogart film "The African Queen" in this - hardbitten man and uptight woman brought together in tough tropical circumstances, and slowly begin to appreciate each other. Although the film didn't have three children and a purple genie. There's a lot of humour in this story, and it passed a pleasant couple of hours.
I won't go back to it, however, because the hero's MCP posturing lasted too long for me. That might be realistic in the circumstances, but I simply became incensed at his continued "Me Tarzan" approach. The genie was a whimisical but ultimately unnecessary touch - funny - but not integral. And I think the genie slightly let Jill Barnett off the hook of constructing a plausible ending. So much was made of the differences between H&H throughout that we really needed to see how they lived together in real life. Waving a wand and decreeing there will be a HEA isn't enough.
There's a lot of the Bogart film "The African Queen" in this - hardbitten man and uptight woman brought together in tough tropical circumstances, and slowly begin to appreciate each other. Although the film didn't have three children and a purple genie. There's a lot of humour in this story, and it passed a pleasant couple of hours.
I won't go back to it, however, because the hero's MCP posturing lasted too long for me. That might be realistic in the circumstances, but I simply became incensed at his continued "Me Tarzan" approach. The genie was a whimisical but ultimately unnecessary touch - funny - but not integral. And I think the genie slightly let Jill Barnett off the hook of constructing a plausible ending. So much was made of the differences between H&H throughout that we really needed to see how they lived together in real life. Waving a wand and decreeing there will be a HEA isn't enough.
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