Stranger in My Arms

Overall, I thought the book was good. The suspense concerning the long lost husband added a certain quality to the book that you don't usually see in many historical romance novels.
My only problem with the book was the character of Lara. Usually, Ms. Kleypas' female protagonists are strong willed, independant women, who let neither society nor aspiring suitors to get in their way. However, Lara proves to be a very flight character, latching onto which ever side seems to fit the best at the time. She starts showing moments of strength toward the end of the novel, but in my opinion that effort was too little, too late.

This book held my attention from the very first page. I read it every free minute I had--at home, on the subway, during lunch.
Ms. Kleypas has a knack for setting up explicit sexual imagery in the reader's mind through a lot of teasing and sexual tension between the two main characters.
After reading this book, I was definitely feeling very romantic towards my spouse.
Keep up the good work Ms. Kleypas!! I look forward to your next book.

From one of my very favorite authors, a real dud. Kleypas does nothing original with the same plot as "The Return of Martin Guerre" and "Sommersby", the films. The hero and heroine are unbelievably perfect whereas all villains are undiluted evil. The heroine grated on my nerves and at every turn made a decision that made no sense and was against her best interests (until the very end where it should be too late and isn't, making the resolution highly unbelievable). Perhaps the most unbelievable legal proceeding imaginable (I am a lawyer). I cannot believe that this came from the same author who created Derek Craven, Logan Scott and Lawless Lily. Buy and collect this author's backlist as all of her other titles are outstanding! I have kept them all.

Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite romance authors. She is the best historical romance author I have ever read. Her novels are vibrant, her stories are extremely original, her characters jump off the page at you, and you never, ever want a book to end.

STRANGER IN MY ARMS is no exception.

In fact, this novel might be my favorite of her works.

Lady Lara Hawksworth is extraordinary. Lord Hunter Hawksworth (at least, his NEW self) is the man of any woman's dreams. Seeing them slowly reacquaint themselves with one another is spellbinding. Watching Lara reluctantly fall in love with her husband is wonderful.

And the best part about the novel? You probably won't guess the ending. I didn't. I was left wondering up until Kleypas felt it was time to reveal the secret.

Another A+ for Lisa Kleypas!

Charming book with action and romance. Interesting facts about both India and England in the 1800s. I enjoyed the prison children and how they were helped by lady Chatsworth and the local families. It also nice when nasty people get what they deserve at last. Also a good amount of love and sex. Enjoy.

3.5 stars. I actually really enjoyed this book but one important decision that Lara makes really makes me very disappointed with her. The story was interesting and lots of chemistry between the characters, but that one thing about Lara made me quite hate her until she corrects it but it still somewhat dragged down the book for me.

From the beginning, its obvious that Lara and Hunter did not have a good marriage. He was heartless and uncaring and she was unattached. When she discovers that he perished in an accident at sea, she is more than happy to give the title away to someone else and live out her days as a widow. However, that was not too last. Suddenly, a man claiming to be her husband has returned and is more than willing to return to his marriage and especially marriage bed. However, Lara has other plans. She got a taste of freedom and often encourages Hunter to seek out other women. For the most part, I disliked this novel. The story was not that great and the characters even worse. There is nothing to like about Lara. She is cold, cruel, and selfish throughout most of the book. I think Kleypas was trying to redeem her by making her so interested in the orphanage. However, I think that made things worse. Lara appeared to be nothing but superficial. I would recommend skipping this book. Most definitely not one of Kleypas' best works.

Stranger in my Arms is probably my favorite Lisa Kleypas' book. A very sensual and interesting book all the way through. Also the characters are developed and unique. I don't understand the negative reviews about Lara. Just because a character doesn't act the way you would, doesn't make them a bad character. Also, if all characters were polite and nice all the time it wouldn't make a very good book. She was true to herself and her convictions, and even sometimes her fears. I love reading about all sorts of unique characters because that's what the world is made up of. Definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves romance!

I thoroughly disliked this book. Now before I am inundated by unhelpfuls let me explain why,

The first chapter I absolutely loved. I was eager to see how LK would resolve a such a mean unloving husband and his ill treated wife. Then I got more glimpses of said wife who was the most annoying heroine lead I have ever encountered by LK. In the TSTL handbook, Lara would be under the chapter of 'sanctimoniously stupid'. (TSTL- Too stupid to live)

How could she be so open and loving to orphans etc and not think Hunter could have changed.
OK she doesn't want to be married again- fine- why does she ask him for money for her orphanage in one hand, then deny him his husbandly duties with the next? In fact forget husbandly duties- why is she acting like such a prude for kisses?
Why did she bargain for a charity ball in exchange for a night with her husband then try foist his ex lover on him? Who does that to their husband in the 1800's when he is paying for said ball to aid her charities and they are getting out of debt? The charities are very important to Lara, but not sleeping with her husband is more important.
Why does she act like a doddering fool when he wants her to wear the negligee? Why did she think it was ok to freaking adopt an orphan and bring it into their home? This isn't an orphan cat or dog but an orphan child. Why did she go to Arthur and Janet with the realization that Hunter be an imposter, and then act all shocked when Arthur and Janet did not want to compromise with her? I mean Lara, did you think they had a personality makeover after they got kicked out?

Now before you howl in protest that I am being overly critical of 'Ms. Oh woe is me, I must perform my marital duties !' , please know that I like my heroines with a little backbone, some common sense to be slighly endearing. Lara was not.

Somewhere between the misery of her first husband, the resistance to the advances of her faux husband and horrible problems with the sisters domestic violence...I just lost interest.

I picked up this book for the second time(I couldn't get through it the first) and forced myself to finish it. I was sure that perhaps I misread this book and I would surely enjoy it...but I didn't. Everything he did to her was a lie. We weren't treated to any of his inner dialogue related to his deceit or his feelings for the herione which left me disconnected. It is just too tragic and pitiful.

STRANGER IN MY ARMS is one terrific read! This story has scoundrels to loathe and champions to adore with a flicker of mystery. Hunter, Earl of Hawksworth is a man who is not what he seems and Lara is a women determined not to make the same mistake twice. This is romance at its best!

I have always love lisa kleypas books, and even has a collection of them. Still, I cannot force myself to like Lara in this book, because her character was switched between a caring person and a loving person into a selfish and childish brat at times with no honor to her words. Reasons I don't like Lara:

1: She has no honor, even when she made bargain for the good of others, she still find ways to back out of it by double crossing in the end after she gets what she wants

2: I can't find why the hero is attracted to her in the first place

3: she only cares about her own interests when it suit her, and deny the needs of her husband. It doesn't make sense why she would let him use her in the past when he was not a good husband to her, while at present her husband cares for her, but she'll deny his needs

4: I can't see how she could love the hero, when she is willing to let him die by delivering him to the enemy rather than talking to him first.

5: Lara was presented as a person with a big heart who would break society's rule for helping others, like her sister and the orphans, but she would not lie to the society to protect the man she loves

6: When she found out the truth about the hero, she would rather tell the people who would likely harm him about it, also taking a risk of the ones to she loves, like her sister, johnny, the family's inheritance, and everyone else affected by it, just because she thinks she should be honest.

7: She is a teasing #$%#$ when she feels like it, then blame it on the hero for not controling his urges. There is no excuses for her when she's a mature married woman, not a little virgin who doesn't know what she's doing

8: In the Society she lives in, the rule is to obey your husband above all, but Lara never appreciate how much her husband is giving her and caring about her. She demands things like a child, and even get offended when he wants to bargain to sleep with her for one night after he helps her out with her charity fund. Note, the hero does not need to say yes on any of the matter she demands, and she never has the rights to ask of them. This woman only want to get whatever she ask for, without any payment, even if his request is in legal rights.

I would list more, but it would probably upset the author. Close so the end of the book was when things started to fall apart. Lara's character and the reasons for her to do what she does not goes well with her character. The only reason why I would consider liking this character is that she must had been an eccentric woman. It would explain why she care so little of the live of others, that she doesn't even understand that her silence would be a wise things to do, rather than blurting out to the whole world, so that the man she love would hang. She also placed her trust in Author, her uncle, who has been a horrid person from the beginning to end, and love nothing more than to hurt everyone she loves, including Hunter. I mean, how stupid can this woman be?

I cannot understand the good reviews for this book. It just plain stinks. She is totally unfeeling and should not have been portrayed as a heroine. He is just dumb to continue his pursuit of her. I guess I would just rather rent the movie Sommersby than to have to sit through this book again. I could not feel any sort of emotion throughout the book for two characters who are so unsuited for each other in such an overused plot. I guess I may have also been expecting too much.

While there are some implausible aspects to this story it was so well written. I loved the characters. The scenes between the main characters were so steamy they'll fog up your glasses! Definately a keeper in my book.

This book was so amazing! It kind of disturbed me that Lara could forgive Hunter after all the terrible things he did to her and even when Lara didn`t think it was Hunter she still gave into him. But all in all this book was so great. I finished reading it the day I got it. I couldn`t put it down. I love this book. Please anyone who likes romance novels, you`ll love this. And anyone who disagrees please email me and I`ll defend the book till the end! Best Book Ever!!!!!!

This book is really provoking. One does not want to put it down.....I was awake all night reading this book. it is worth the time you spend reading.......I truly enjoyed it. I really liked the happy ending.

This story was more focused on the orphanage than the romance, as well as the mystery.
But you don't even find out who he is! It implies that he really is Hunter, but at the same time, it doesn't. The ending left me feeling cold. How could she just accept this person as her husband if he still won't tell her who he is?
This was just not worth it. If you're looking for romance, skip this one.

This is what kept me reading this book all night! I couldn't put it down. The herione was justifiably confused. By half way through I wasn't sure if I wanted him to really be Hunter or not. I loved the plot and haven't read the other book it was based on, so it was original twists for me. Don't start this book unless you can finish it that same day, it's just too tempting!! Kleypas is one of the few highly enjoyed regency authors that I can agree is worthy of high regards.

The premise of the story was good, however, the development of the characters as well as the situation culminating to the revelation of who really Hunter, Earl of Hawksworth is, was quite lacking. Lara's/Larissa's character was also so unlike Ms. Kleypas other heroines. Lara is colorless,insipid and so indicisive. Overall, it was disappointing.

This book had nice character development and writing, but the plot was so similar to Summersby that it left no suspense for the "mystery" ending. There is a nice semi-twist at the end, but overall it was rather predictable. I enjoyed the writing and characters, but the plot was a bit thin.

It was an amzing story line.... I enjoyed this book so much, I read it in only two days. It kept me guessing until the plot was revealed. It was another of Lisa's scintillating novels. If you liked her other books, such as: Again the Magic and her wallflower quartets, you'll love this book for its witty humor and enrapturing story line!