A Novel (The Paradise series) - Someone to Watch Over Me

I was disappointed. I was waiting for Ms. McNaught's new novel but found it missing something. The novel was very slow to start, too detailed and was written with flashbacks that detracted from the flow of the story. The mystery ended abruptly with a self-revealing villian. I found the romance between her two main characters (an actress with a murdered husband and an unjustly convicted ex-con billionaire??) jumped forward so quickly it was hard to believe. The secondary romance more important than it should have been. As in previous novels Ms. McNaught tied the story to characters from her previous books, but this time the reader doesn't know or understand the connections between these characters and those in the previous books. It was an enjoyable read, but I wish I had waited for the paperback.

This is the first Judith McNaught novel I have read and I have to say I enjoyed it very much. Well written and paced, the characters were convincing and likable. I thought the romantic part of the plot was not over done - mind you this was written in 2003 when romance novels were not "almost pornographic" in their sexual descriptions.

Good read and I will get more of her novels. This one was discovered in the op shop where I volunteer!

It seems to me that most historical romance novelists are jumping into the romantic mystery bandwagon. Judith McNaught is one of the best historical romance writers I have had the pleasure to read. Her novels -- namely A Kingdom of Dreams, Something Wonderful, Once and Always and Whitney, My Love -- are roller coaster rides of emotions with characters that you grow to love as the stories progress. Some of her contemporary novels are also good. Paradise and Perfect are my two favorite JM contemporaries, followed by Double Standards. I am saddened to say that I couldn't wait to finish this one. Someone to Watch Over Me bored me to tears. The plot seemed interesting at first, but then it went downhill fast. Leigh Kendall's life seems perfect. She has a great career as a Broadway star and is married to a wonderful man. But her life changes forever when she has a car accident on her way to her husband's new mountain cabin. When she comes to, she is in the hospital, where she's told that her husband is missing. What she discovers makes her question the life as she had known it, but she has Michael Valente, a handsome billionaire with a questionable reputation, to comfort her in more ways than one.

It took me four tries to finally finish this novel. I kept picking the book up and then putting it down in favor of something else. I couldn't believe it. McNaught novels were impossible to put down, but that wasn't the case with this one. What was the problem with this installment? Well, there is JM's attempt at writing a genre that to me makes her writing seem mediocre at best. She is wonderful at writing historicals and classy contemporaries -- so why jump the shark? Why be mediocre at something when you can be excellent at something else? I respect an author's right to dabble with the unknown, but the expression "write about what you know" springs to mind when I encounter something like this. The other thing is the story itself. The characters are one-dimensional, there is no spark or chemistry between the protagonists, the story is long-winded and concentrates on a secondary romantic couple that in my opinion is far more interesting than the leading one, and the ending is anticlimactic, for I saw what was coming from the beginning of the book. The plot is disjointed and inconsistent. If Leigh loves her husband so much, why does she fall in love with someone else so effortlessly and in such a short amount of time? It could be that she never loved her husband to begin with, but then again that piece of vital information was not made clear to me. As for the characters, Michael Valente is the JM signature alpha male, and while he is nowhere near as compelling as Royce, Jason, Matt, Zach and Clayton, he is refreshing in that he is not as intense as the aforementioned heroes. If only he had been the hero of a different kind of story though. I felt no connection with the heroine, too bland for my taste. All in all, Someone to Watch Over Me is an insipid effort from an otherwise gifted writer. I hope she will go back to writing historicals soon because I miss those wonderful stories and rereading the old ones just isn't enough for me. Well, at least I have recently discovered the wonderful Jude Deveraux, but she too has switched to contemporary/romantic suspense. Ugh!

I usually trust the the store.com reviewers to help me decide so I dragged my feet on reading this one because of mixed reviews but finnally found it in a thrift store for .75 cents and figured I what the heck!
Anyway, I knew being a long time fan of Ms McNaught I would not be disappointed! I started it friday afternoon and was done with it the next day! It was a page turner as usual. For those that found Leigh could not get over her husband so soon well that may be true, but for me it sounded like it was a marriage where they had grown apart anyway and Leigh was just holding on. I don't know where everyone got this great love between the two of them, he was always preoccupied and plied her with expensive gifts and she seemed to just be comfortable with him from knowing him for so long. Leigh was living in a dream world anyway and when that shattered it is only natural to seek comfort in someone from you past if they happened to be around. I loved Michael, I thought their relationship was deep if you realized the connection the shared.
For those that said the secondary charaters stole the show well personally I disagree, I was actually less than interested in their story and found their romance forced. Ms McNaught wanted you to see the connection but I really didnt' believe it. I found it hard to believe they had this great connection that they did but I did not like Sam anyway so that could be it.
For those that felt "robbed" by the whole stalker thing, well I never thought it was going to be a stalker, it was never written on the back page not even alluded to, he was not mentioned that much in the book. He was sort of just in the background and I never expected him to be anything of substance just someone to throw you off the trail. THe book title had nothing to to with the stalker and was explained in the book so i have no idea where everyone got the idea that this book was about a stalker.
For those that felt it went from suspense to romance well, if you like mcnaught you know her books usually center on romance so I would be disappointed if there was NO romance.
All in all I loved this book, many twists and turns and intrigue an romance. Loved it.

This book had one thing going for it over McNaught's other novels (especially the historical ones): her male lead, unlike Clayton, Jason, Jordan, Royce, et.al., isn't a domineering, abusive cad who "tames" his heroine into worshipping him. Kudos for a hero who treats the woman well for a change.

***SPOILERS***

That said, this book pushed me beyond "willing suspension of disbelief" into "oh, please, make it stop". The book opens with a lengthy description of Leigh's devotion to her husband, how much she loves him and admires him, and how happy she is. We are given absolutely no hints that she might be anything but, so we have to accept that she truly was happy. Yet we are expected to buy that she can go from deliriously happy, loyal wife, to widow, to pregnant wife of another man in the space of THREE MONTHS?

I just couldn't buy this. From one eye-rolling page to the next, I kept hoping for some kind of motivation for such a complete turnaround, but there was never any hint of unhappiness on Leigh's part except for a passing mention of a years-ago affair that they'd apparently "worked through". Suddenly she's a wronged wife who gets her revenge on her dead husband by taking a lover and getting pregnant right away. Uh-uh. Not buying it, and if I do buy it, it means she can't be a person of very deep feelings, can she?

****END SPOILER****

In addition to the biggest flaw for me (mentioned above), the characters - all of them - are flat, cookie-cutter shadows: the hard-nosed detective paired with the fresh-faced rookie, the kooky, precocious teenager, the bodyguard with a heart of gold, the housekeeper who's tough on grime. Yeah, I get it.

Most significant in its absence is the sparkling dialogue and light banter that attracted me to McNaught's books in the first place. I didn't laugh, didn't cry, didn't really care much about anything associated with this book. I did, however, roll my eyes a lot and sigh impatiently.

If you're looking for a romance-mystery, I recommend "Something Wonderful". Though Jordan is the Typical Romance-Novel Manly Man, at least he's not a shadow, and at least the story is amusing. Good luck.

I have read several of Ms. McNaught's historical and contemporary book and enjoyed them. I enjoyed this book even though some of the plots twists were a bit bizarre.

I loved the main characters, Leigh Kendall (Manning; Michael Valente and how they were developed. Michael Valente we especially learn alot about how he is now and why. Logan Manning was a sleaze and, to me, that is apparent from the beginning.

I felt that the development of the secondary characters such as the police detectives, McCord and Littleton, was also well done.

Ms. McNaught usually throws in some humor too which I enjoyed.

A good read if not the best.

Personally, I think this was a very decent and engaging read. If people were to read this book without knowing the author's name, I'm sure this book would have received atleast 4 stars but a Judith Mcnaught book gets ratings on the kind of books she has delivered in the past. In other words, she has set a very high bar for herself. While this book, in no way compares to any of her historicals or two of my fav.- Paradise and Perfect, this a romantic suspense which you can read without getting bored. The romance is very little but what is there, it is the typical Mcnaught chemistry and fireworks! I think that is where people felt cheated where they felt that the romance should have been more fleshed out. So not a 5 star book, but, remember that a good book of Judith's is way better than most writer's best works!

Not really understanding the criticism. What could possibly be more romantic than a hot, handsome, slightly mysterious man, who tries to put himself between you and all things hurtful? IMO, nobody does it better than Judith McNaught, no matter the genre, PERIOD!

After a two-year wait, Ms. McNaught latest has finally arrived, to the delight of romance readers and McNaught fans. While Ms. McNaught initially achieved critical acclaim for her historical romances, she smoothly made the transition from historicals to contemporaries. And with this recent novel, she has imbued the romance with suspense that will keep the reader turning the pages late into the night.
Broadway star Leigh Kendall is traveling to a late night rendezvous with her husband, Logan Manning, at a cabin he recently purchased for them in the Catskills. With the snowfall making the roads slippery, Leigh is forced off the road by another car, and her car plunges down an embankment. Miraculously, she survives the accident with few injuries but is bewildered when the police and hospital staff have no knowledge of her husband�s whereabouts.
When Leigh returns home to her Manhattan apartment, she relies on the support of her housekeeper Hilda and part-time borrowed bodyguard, O�Hara. Michael Valente, a business associate of Logan�s and purported criminal, attempts to offer Leigh his friendship and support as the police search for the missing Logan. As Leigh begins to warm to Michael�s charm, she treasures his loyalty to her, especially when the police discover that Logan was not the loving husband he pretended to be.
Anyone who has ever read a McNaught novel knows that she has a stellar ability to encompass in totality the attraction between the main protagonists. Without using much explicit language, the romance sizzles with the subtlety of the characters� body language and carefully worded innuendo. Not only does Leigh find love with the strong yet caring Michael Valente, but also Lieutenant �Mack� McCord begins romancing Detective Samantha Littleton.
Through the use of fascinating and yet multi-layered characters, Ms. McNaught has created a novel that is as strong in its use of romantic elements as it is in suspense. With a backdrop of the cutthroat world of New York Theater and financial empires, the list of suspects in Logan�s disappearance is as varied as it is long. While the romance keeps the pages filled with attraction, the mystery keeps the suspense building until the final page is turned on this first-rate novel.

I absolutely love Judith McNaught's novels so I bought this book without even glancing to see what it was about. I was disappointed to discover that it was more mystery than romance. In fact, for the first sixty pages or so, I kept thinking I should have waited for the paperback version. Fortunately, I hung in there. Once I accepted that this was not going to be one of McNaught's typical love stories, I focused on THIS book and began to enjoy it.
The characters were likeable and well developed. In her usual style, McNaught made me care about what happened to them. I felt the ending was a bit rushed but it didn't spoil the book for me.
I recommend this book with the caveat that you can't compare it to McNaught's other novels. It's not a pure romance novel, but it's a good way to spend a couple of hours.

This book should be retitled "Someone to Watch Over Me So I Don't Fall Asleep Trying to Finish This Book".... It was so tedious and drawn out, and the main characters had absolutely no chemistry. There was another couple in this book, Samantha (Sam) and Mack, that I preferred reading about when they appeared. That's the sign of a bad book if the main characters don't keep my focus. This had the makings of a good story. It's about a Broadway actress, Leigh Kendell, who gets into a car accident enroute to meet her husband, Logan Manning, in the mountains at a cabin he just purchased. She gets run off the road and ends up in the hospital, and the husband just disappears. So it had the makings for a really great mystery, but it falls flat on its face...I think a few other reviewers had the same feeling as me: we were waiting for a payoff and I kept reading hoping something would spark, and it just never materialized. I could also not buy the relationship that Leigh developed for Michael Valente, a billionaire with a shady past, who had some business dealings with Logan.

McNaught must have known she wrote a bad book because she brings in two characters from two of her other books to help it along: Joe O'Hara, the Farrell's chauffeur in Paradise, and Courtney Maitland, the adorable smartalecky teenager from Night Whispers, but there really is no purpose for them to be in this book. They didn't lend anything to the storyline. I actually skipped some pages in this book just so I could get to the end. This is not worth your time. If you haven't already, read Judith McNaught's Perfect, Something Wonderful and Once and Always. They get five stars.

After waiting four years for this book to come out, it met and exceeded my expectations! Judith McNaught has written a novel that combines suspense and romance in perfect proportions.
The leading characters are wonderful, and the secondary characters add snap to the plot and sizzle to the romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the story with all of its plot turns and twists. As much as I wanted to savor the story, I couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend this book for readers of both suspense and romance. It has a satisfying mix of both and will leave you wishing for more!

This was a wonderful, enjoyable book. Michael Valente was one of the most compelling "leading men" to come along in a long time. Leigh was a bit cardboard, except when her acting talent was mentioned. But Valente, Hilda, Courtney, O'Hara, McCord, and Littleton more than make up for it. A real page-turner. I could hardly put it down. The evil murderer wrap-up was a tad disappointing, as was the ridiculous baby-on-board. The pregnancy was silly and detracted from the overall story.

This author delivers great books that I love to read more than once. Logan Manning invites his wife Leigh Kendall a brilliant Broadway actress to meet him at the new location in the mountains for their vacation home. She ends up in a near fatal accident and he is missing. She comes to depend on a person of questionable background Michael Valente. The Detectives involved try every means to find the killer but keep coming back to the wife and Valente. I would like to see Sam and McCord in another book. They are terrific characters. The time frame from the murder to the conclusion is where it pushes my only giving it a 4 instead of a 5, but it was a wonderful read. Almost as good as Paradise or Perfect.

Like _Night Whispers_, I thought _Someone to Watch Over Me_ was disappointing. The mystery and romance both start out strong, but they end up sputtering out of energy and intrigue by the last third of the novel. I admire McNaught for trying to blend danger and romance, but I still think she's best as a historical romance writer. Her recent novels lack the wit, sensuality, and complexity of her earlier work.

_Someone to Watch Over Me_ features a heroine who is different in a few key ways from other McNaught heroines. She is sexually experienced and she doesn't end up having to beg the hero's forgiveness for some misunderstanding that he believes constitutes a betrayal. But Leigh still doesn't come close to the heroines of McNaught's historical romances-- she's incredibly naive, especially for an actress living in New York, and she lackes depth. In short, she's just not that interesting. As usual, the hero is more interesting than the heroine, but McNaught rushes the big romantic moments and they end up falling flat (in particular, I thought her prose in the love scene seemed awkward and forced).

As for the mystery, I felt it was too tidy and cliched to be compelling.

I always recommend Judith McNaught's historical romances to people. But even though I love them, I'm more than willing to embrace McNaught's contemporary work. Simply put, however, it's just not very good. I don't know if she's run out of ideas and or is uninspired by the genre, but this book was very disappointing.

I hope her next one is better!

This book was (for me) nothing short of superb. I loved the characters and felt they were marvelously developed and incredibly believable. The secondary characters (highly important in my opinion) were terrific and added so much to this book. We were also treated to some secondary characters from previous books which is a considerable bonus to me.
The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat and I literally screamed out loud more than once. One friend I spoke with said she was "standing up pacing the floor as she read" because she was so extremely anxious. Any novel that can evoke that kind of response is to be venerated.
I laughed and cried, sometimes almost simultaneously, and was happily and on occasion frantically carried through the web of intrigue, cliffhangers, uncertainty, intoxication and rapture that I am sure this author wished for her readers.
The plot was an intricate weaving of captivating suspense and electrifying relationships combined to keep you on a roller-coaster ride until the last fulfilling, climactic moment.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Although it is a slight departure from her previous work, I think Judith McNaught hit it "out of the park" with Someone To Watch Over Me. You will not be disappointed.
Run, do not walk, to buy this book!!

I have read several of Ms. McNaught's novels, and this was by far my favorite. The characters in this novel were much more intriguing and real, unlike some of the more shallow heroines and almost callous heroes of a couple of her previous novels. Although the relationship developments could have been a bit stronger, I felt that the portrayals of the characters' feelings were very appropriate and believable. I ended up thoroughly liking some of the characters that I thought I definitely wouldn't.
The plot was fast-paced and seamless, without any unnecessary deviations in the storyline or long buildups to the main story that I disliked in some of her other books. There were very interesting and some unexpected plot twists which kept the book flowing, and the secondary plotline was just as interesting as the primary one.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick and interesting suspenseful romance to read. A definite keeper!

Leigh Kendall thought she had it all--a great career, a loving husband, good friends. But a trip to a cottage in the woods shows her everything she believed isn't true. She's injured, her husband's missing, friends and coworkers have betrayed her. Her world unravels. Michael Valente isn't what he appears to be either. The world has labeled him as dangerous, someone who walks a fine line between what's legal and what isn't. But he might be the only person Leigh can trust.

Someone to Watch Over Me is a lovely reunion romance wrapped around a who-dunit. McNaught shines!

Someone To Watch Over Me is the first Judith McNaught book I have ever read, but I assure you it will not be my last. I love a good mystery and have no qualms about reading more pages to find one. This book is not for the Harlequin Intrigue-er, but for the serious romantic who loves a real mystery. I was surprised again and again. And the dialogue! My God, she is a genius. Then the love scenes -- whoa. Not too much, but definitely enough. Michael Valente and Leigh Kendall are fabulous characters, as are Mack and Sam. I would recommend this book to anyone who would listen. Grab a copy and enjoy, but don't think you can put it down and get back to it, it was too riveting for me to even try! I was up all night finishing it. Kudos to Mrs. McNaught! Carol Leuchovius

I just recently discovered Ms. McNaught's books; I've been looking for an author that could create the kind of intensity, humor and intelligence between the main characters through well crafted dialogue. She really hit it out of the park with this book. I've read most of her contemporary books in a short span and not all of them captured me, in fact some I felt suffered from too much detail and dialogue that seemed unnatural and forced. So far, Someone to Watch Over Me has struck the righ balance of detail and character development and is by far the best crafted of the ones I've read. I really got into her characters, both main and secondary. The way she develops the relationship between Leigh and Michael is so moving, intense and well written...Yum! If only we could all find our own personal Michael Valente's in real life. I look forward to reading more of Ms. McNaught's books and hope to find others as well written as this one. Highly recommend!

Judith McNaught is my all-time favorite author. She can weave a tale unlike any other. The emotions she can invoke are unmatched and soon you find yourself so wrapped up in the story that you are one of the characters, too. For any of you reading this, I suggest reading all of McNaught's works because she is absolutely wonderful. I have been anticipating this book for quite sometime now. Unfortunately, I had high expectations for this book and the book didn't quite meet them. From any other author, I would have given this book 5 stars, to be sure. The story seemed a bit predictable, and rushed. It was highly entertaining, but it didn't have that 'spark' that is the trademark of McNaught's work. I enjoyed the secondary story between McCord and Sam much more than the main storyline. Their story seemed to be written with more passion and conviction. I think that the book industry is too saturated with romantic thrillers. I really think that they take away from the development of the characters because they focus so much on 'solving the crime.' I believe that Judith McNaught is too terrific of an author to slip herself into that category.

Over the years Mcnaught has become my favorite author. I have all her books (and in all the editions). I've read some of them over ten times...I became a collector/fan/admirer. No one could have been expecting this book more. When I read it I was extremely disappointed.

I couldn't believe Mcnaught had actually written the whole book!!!

The phrasing was tedious, tiresome, the romance superficial... I had actually trouble reading the part when the couple "got together" for the first time...the way the scene was written dragged on for ages... "he did this, she did that, he did this, she did that, he did this...". I nearly screamed!!! I had to stop and do something else, or I'd actually throw the book away.
I truly hope this book was just a relapse in Mcnaught's carrer. I'll be expecting her next one and, hopefully, one much better.
She continues to be my favorite author, but this book will only be in my collection because it has her name. This book was a true Judith Mcnaught turn off...
If you are going to read one of her books, start with "Whitney, My Love" or "Once and Always": these are ones of the best books written!!!

While I have enjoyed some of her other books, this book's plot was generally not well connected. I agree with the previous reviews, this is not Judith Mcnaught's best work. For anyone who doesn't know, this book was supposed to be titled "Water's Edge" I really did a lot of searching before I realized "Someone to Watch Over Me" is "Water's Edge".
I feel the author and publisher could have made that a lot clearer. I spent a lot of time looking for the non-existent title "Water's Edge".
It seems obvious Judith Mcnaught is not up to writing a time travel book at this time in her career. If you like time travel try "Outlander" by Diana Galbadon and books by Constance-Oday-Flannery.

In Someone to Watch Over Me, Judith Mcnaught combines passion and intrigue to create of the most superbly crafted stories I have ever had the pleasure of devouring...and devour it I did. The twist and turns will have you wondering if *you* are not, in fact, the actual suspect. Readers are also treated to two fabulous romances, including one between a secondary couple who will knock your socks off. As another treat, devout McNaught enthusiast will adore the return of Joe O'hara and Courtney Maitland.
We have come to expect greatness from Judith McNaught, and she delivers it on every level with Someone to Watch Over Me.
Read it. Love it. Then do it all over again. It's even better the second time around.

In Someone to Watch Over Me, Judith Mcnaught combines passion and intrigue to create of the most superbly crafted stories I have ever had the pleasure of devouring...and devour it I did. The twist and turns will have you wondering if *you* are not, in fact, the actual suspect. Readers are also treated to two fabulous romances, including one between a secondary couple who will knock your socks off. As another treat, devout McNaught enthusiast will adore the return of Joe O'hara and Courtney Maitland.
We have come to expect greatness from Judith McNaught, and she delivers it on every level with Someone to Watch Over Me.
Read it. Love it. Then do it all over again. It's even better the second time around.

I found McCord and Littleton a much more interesting couple than Valente and Leigh Manning. Never could get a handle on what Michael Valente looked like, first of all, and quite frankly, I didn't find him very appealing. The deep love he felt for Leigh was sweet, however, and I admired him for it. But Mack McCord now, he was an awesome character, smart, handsome and intriguing, just like Sam Littleton.

This is an excellent book. Has some mystery, some intrigue and romance. The book causes you to become involved with the characters. It is a book I could hardly put down. One I couldn't wait to finish and yet hated it when it ended. I felt like I was leaving friends behind. Keep up the excellent work, Judith. Can't wait for the next one.

I started this book on a rainy afternoon because it was handy and I'd have to put on a raincoat to go to the library and select another book. When I reached the halfway point, the rain stopped and I decided I really didn't care all that much for any of her characters, so I pitched this one and went to the local library and took out a Marcia Muller mystery. Had the rain lasted another day, I would have finished this one. Honest Injin! Don't buy this book, but if nothing else is available, give it a shot.
Charlie

This book was a huge disappointment. I stuck with it hoping things would get interesting, but they never did.

There were so many lame, disappointing non-developments in the story. It was as if McNaught had open opportunities to make things more interesting, but blatantly ignored them. Sometimes when a storyline sucks the romantic aspects are compelling, but even those fell flat. If you ask me, Valente's character and his actions were completely creepy.

I don't recommend this book. But don't get discouraged by the author. McNaught is awesome. I would suggest Paradise, Whitney, My Love, or Remember When.

No body can tell a story like JUDITH MCNAUGHT! She takes you into the story as if you are one of the characters and you become so involed with each one, as if they are your friends or foes. I found myself telling Leigh to be strong, they would find her husband safe and sound. Little did I know, everytime you think you have it figured out, a new twist happens. Everyone that I have talked to (and I'm talking about over 50 men and women) have all said the same thing, "They didn't think she could write a better book than NIGHT WISHPERS, but she did. This is a winner, surely to make the New York Times Best Seller List quickly. Hurry and get it before it is sold out as it is in some areas already.

Exciting, mysterious, romantic, sensual. This book has it all. And just when you think you have it figured out, another twist. Very interesting characters with great detail makes you want to keep turning the pages. The hero has a dark past and a dark present but is really a knight in shining armor. Very romantic with a good mystery thrown in.

Like a lot of other romance novelists, Judith McNaught (I suspect) is trying to break into the mystery genre, while keeping her faithful romance readers. The good news is that the romance between her two main characters is her usual great; no one can write tender love scenes like McNaught. The bad news is that it takes about 200 pages to get going. I am not a mystery fan, but I don't believe those who are would be interested enough to keep reading and the romance is too long in coming. I wonder, tho, at the talent of McNaught to make the husband of the heroine slightly dislikable without this reader being able to point to something specific. There are too many irrelevant details, describing apartments, minor characters, etc. that should have been edited out. Bottom line: read "Perfect" instead.

I was hesitant to read this book because it seemed to much intrigue and not enough romance from the title and cover. But, I was wrong! It was great and I could not put it down. I will re-read it someday. She creates just enough danger to pull the reader in and more than enough romance to keep you interested. I wanted to dislike the male lead, Valente, but by the end of the book, I was hooked on him, just like Leigh. The only reason that I was disappointed in the other romance blossoming in the story is because I would rather they have their own book!! Thanks, Judith, keep them coming.

Someone to Watch Over Me is undoubtedly one of the best among Judith's novels - and a highlight for me as a fan of more than 12 years.. Leigh Kendall is a heroine who will remind you of other "innately good" female JM characters - think Elizabeth Cameron and Meredith Bancroft. It's much more of a traditional mystery than some other novels by JM we've read, which really surprised me... but she *is* Judith McNaught after all and she does NOT skimp on the romance. In fact, there are not one but two men in this book who you will definitely want to curl up with during this snowy winter we're having...
I have to say it was worth every day of the long wait - For those who have been a little disappointed in more recent JM efforts, such as Night Whispers and Remember When, because they were much shorter than some of her earlier works, don't worry - this one is a nice, long well-rounded yarn you won't want to put down. Enjoy it.

I loved this book and the characters very much, I have re-read it three times already. There was only one thing that was hard to swallow.
Someone who loved her husband that much, wouldn't suddenly stop loving him after his death because she found out he had betrayed during their marriage. Ms McNaught should have allowed more grieving time.
But saying that I still enjoyed it.

I have enjoyed this book. The mystery aspect of this book was great. But I couldn't help but feel this was rush job. The other characters didn't fit well in this novel such as the two detectives falling in love the same time as Leigh and Michael cmon on. The ending was too long and drawn out. I agree with other readers get Perfect instead

This was a wonderful, incredible book. The story is about murder, but the romance is wonderful and the seduction scenes are some of the best I've ever read. I laughed and cried and fell in love, and I followed the murder investigation wherever it led. If her other books are BETTER, I can't wait!

I wish Judith would stick to what she does best..... plain old romance. Perfect is my all time favourite book, along with Paradise and Tender Triumph, Whitney, Something Wonderful and Once and always. Her last two books have been sad in comparison. Judith just doesnt do suspense well. Half way thorough this book I was wanting the two female lead characters to get together....The men were boring. The story wasnt that great, and in places it was unbelievable. No way would someone who was that much in love with their husband fall head over heels with someone else. Two romances in the same story was just confusing, and I had no idea who the girl was who was from the previous novel until she spelled it out. Forget this novel by Judith, if you want qualtiy suspense/romance, try Elizabeth Lowell instead... she knows what she is doing!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! after reading some of the negative reviews, i just had to send this in. I think it was just what you expect from Judith McNaught and well worth the wait! i could not put this book down.

I have just finished reading Someone To Watch Over Me and I loved it!! It was a great mystery and romance novel. I read all of Judith McNaught's books and this was one of my favorite. The characters were great. I hated to see the story end.

Judith McNaught never wrote Water's Edge.

Ms. McNaught took the initial plot device of a car accident and used it as the beginning of her latest book - Someone to Watch Over Me. This is available in the US in hardback and paperback. She has no immediate plans for a time travel novel.

It's a shame that almost 2 years after this was announced by her publisher, the store.com continues to add to the reader's confusion by listing this as an available book.

I was not disappointed at all. I LOVED this book. I loved the build up to the plot and the lengthy investigation that followed. Not since Paradise and Prefect has a book entertained, thrilled, and satisfied me as this one has. Five stars are not enough to describe the brilliant of Judith McNaught. I have narrowed my book buying down to a dozen authors but Ms. McNaught will and always remains #1. I wait in eager anticipation for the next book. My only regret is that they don't come more frequently. BRAVO. WELL DONE!

This book was just awful. The characters drifted in and out of the story and the reader ended up never knowing any of them. Who were the main characters anyway? If JM intends to write another book, perhaps her publisher should suggest an outline. Maybe we'd get a story that made some sense. I don't think I would have finished this book, but I am a big fan of early McNaught so I thought for sure there would be some substance at the end. No such luck!

This book is written so beautifully. This is my favourite book of all time and its one that I go back and read time and time again. If ever you wanted a story to be real this is the one. Read it you wont be disappointed as it has everything in this one book.

This was my first Judith McNaught. I was pleasantly surprised. The plot has plenty of twists. It was hard to put down. She develops many characters and more than one romance. I highly recommend this book.

The is one of my favorites. I love her characters. I like past characters appearing in her books. They are like family. I like the fact that she doesn't have to use vulgarity in her stories to tell a good, interesting and adult story. I love the mystery and the suspense. Of course, I have all of her books as I have followed her writing since the first historical. I don't know how she could ever top this story, but I'm impatiently waiting!! I hope it isn't 3 years again!