|  |
| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 37 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 A Classic Love Story Sep 18, 2008
By Voracious Reader Rae
"A Writer's Dream blogspot"
From the moment I saw the cover for Zoe by T.A. Ford, I was entranced. The rich pastel textures reminded me of sweet confections reminiscent of beautiful previous century tapestries. The fact that a beautiful girl with smooth coffee skin instead of the usual porcelain complexion graced the cover made me sit up and take notice along with the laced title.
I don't usually read historical romances, mainly because the heroines were of the run of the mill same variety without much difference between them. Thus I couldn't find much interest. I did read historical fiction, like the Feast of July & Legends of the Fall, and many movies that took placed in the previous century that were adapted from books still grace my shelves to this day.
However Zoe has helped introduced me to a new love in a genre I hope to find more of in the coming days: IR Historical Romance.
And yet it's so much more than that.
From the moment we're introduced to Zoe, her sister Marianne and her stepmother Madame we enter a world of rare privilege and high society. Where women's futures are defined by the men they marry. Marianne is set to ride this path as she is to meet with the Count Julien La Roque de Toulouse as they enter his home. But once the Count sees Zoe, he is entranced by her and sets to make her his.
Most of the synopsis is in the back of the book so I won't recount it. I'll share my thoughts on the book instead.
In a word, this book is magnificent. A richly described novel that takes you into the depths of the character's turmoils, loves, frustrations and fights as they interact in early 19th century Toulouse, France. Author T.A. Ford takes you on a journey of the self discovery of her title character as she leaves childhood behind and enters womanhood. There were so many beautiful descriptions and wonderful quotes. One in particular stands out:
She reached down and pulled up the covers. She
understood now that being a woman was not losing her virginity.
Being a woman meant understanding her heart.
Zoe is definitely a strong independent female character forced to grow up wiser than her years due to the inhumanity she grew up around as a child and that she was reminded of by her stepmother everyday. Even through all the atrocities she faces and as she fears the loss of her family and her loves heart, you can't help but love her and keep cheering her on as she struggles to survive a cruel world.
Count LaRoque is a complex romance hero that defies mere terms like that of alpha and beta. He lives and breathes right off the pages as he goes from cold hearted womanizer to lovelorn hero within the pages. Once his past is revealed, it all becomes clear.
Author T.A. Ford said this book is part factual and part fantasy and I can see where some liberties may have been taken. But overall the book feels like it could have taken place in a very real time not too long ago. The descriptions of the scenery as well the character's dresses and actions made it seem like a period movie played out in my head as I read. I wished all the more that my dreams for directing had already come to light as this would definitely be a story I would be more than eager to adapt for the visual medium of storytelling (with the author's consent and guidance of course ;-) ).
I can't say enough about Zoe and I can't remember when a book last had me cheering out loud one minute, crying the next, and yelling in surprise the next minute after that. I started reading the book late last night with only the idea of reading one chapter and ended up reading until the sun started rising outside my window. Tonight I finished the second half of the book and haven't remember plowing through a good book in that short amount of time since I was thirteen reading Jurassic Park in three days.
This book has definitely made it to my keeper shelf and I can't wait to reread it again later. The book may seem rather costly but do not let that sway you. It is an amazing, entertain and beautiful read that you should definitely check out.
Zoe has earned it's way as number 1 on my best reads of 2008 list and I can't wait to see what else T.A. Ford has in store for her readers. I hope IR Historical Romances start popping up like Zoe, because if they do, I'll definitely be eating them up like hot cakes!
A highly recommended read.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Zoe Aug 26, 2008
By The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Zoe Bouchard is young, beautiful and born into a life of privilege during the Napoleonic era. She is the eldest of two daughters born to Bertrand Bouchard. However, there is one problem, she is of African descent. Zoe is the product of a love affair between her father and his African mistress. After the death of her mother at the age of six, her father and her cruel stepmother raise Zoe.
A trip to meet the man who is to become her sister's husband sets into motion a series of events which will forever change the destiny of the entire Bouchard family. Comte Julien La Roque de Toulouse is a man of privilege and a scoundrel. After meeting the beautiful Zoe, he plots to make her his mistress. His long time friend and slave owner, Flynn Sheridan has his own plans for the beautiful and refined young woman.
ZOE is an epic tale of love, betrayal, and prejudice which will take you on a journey you won't soon forget.
Excellent!
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful Aug 16, 2008
By Adrienne
The novel was amazing from beginning to end. The front and back cover are gorgeous too.
I love how T.A Ford intertwined romance with issues and culture relevant to 19th century France. The book reminded me of "Ever After" in some instances, but since I love the movie, I found it very pleasant.
Though the novel is a romantic tale, Ford was not afraid to take the reader into the less than romantic elements of 19th Century France for gens de couleur. For example, her sister Marianne is oblivious to the looks and glances that men give Zoe because of her skin color. Though the two were brought up similarly, Zoe is well-aware of their differences.
Many times throughout the novel, I found myself getting angry at the "villains", even gasping in disbelief over comments and situations that Zoe finds herself in. For example, she is literally told at one point that because she has brown skin and is a woman, she is meant to serve men. Even if she is raised as a woman of good standing, there are still people who consider her to be lower than anyone else.
I don't want to spoil the book, but by the book's end you really want the bad guys to get their comeuppance. I don't always get caught up in the books that I read, but Ford was able to draw out several emotions (frustration, anger, sadness, hope, laughs, relief, happiness). She is able to make you feel what Zoe and La Roque go through-- the heartache and the happy moments too.
Zoe is a truly likeable character. She is smart, quick to learn, strong-willed, and sincere. La Roque, the commitment-phobe, took a while for me to warm up to but you get a real since of who he is and why he is that way. Both characters parents have tragic stories themselves, and it affects who they are.
Her characters are engaging, the plot keeps you turning the pages, and at times I was tempted to peek at the end because it was so thrilling.
I definitely recommend this book to everyone.
12 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 A Fairy Tale That's Not So Sweet Oct 26, 2008
By S. Thomas
"Zoe" is described as an IR Cinderella story. Filled with a lovable damsel in distress, a handsome hero, an evil step-mother and a host of evil doers, the description definitely fits. I've always loved fairy tales, but somehow this story left a sour taste in my mouth.
Zoe is a sweet, smart young woman of color living in the 1800s in France. Zoe is intelligent and loving girl who is lonely. The fact that due to her race she may not have a life which includes love, marriage, home and security is slowly dawning on her since her younger, white sister seems to be headed in that direction.
In comes Julien La Roque, a handsome, rich aristocrat who is supposedly looking for a wife. While on this "search", he meets Zoe and is instantly struck by her beauty and intelligence. Julien is a man that is use to getting what he wants and he wants Zoe.
The chemistry between Zoe and Julien was good and the author was adept at creating scenes between them that were vivid and rich in detail.
On the surface, Zoe and Julien are characters that anyone would like. Both Julien and Zoe are smart and insightful. That is one reason why this book was so frustrating. Zoe was just too "sweet" to be true. Julien, on the other hand, was completely selfish.
Zoe falls in "love" with Julien and the two quickly become lovers. Relatively early on, Julien betrays Zoe, in an attempt to protect himself from the love that he feels for her. Julien left Zoe exposed to every Daddy's girl's worst nightmare.
When faced with his betrayal, Zoe wishes him well and hopes that someday he will overcome his fear of love and happiness. If he had left me flapping in the wind like that, I wouldn't be wishing him all the best.
This is just one example of my primary problem with this book. Julien's actions were completely selfish, while Zoe's were selfless. In some ways, Julien treated her worse than anyone else, so how she could keep on "loving" him escaped me.
While reading this book, I kept asking myself, "When is this girl going to develop a survival instinct? How could a man who claims to love her allow all of this to happen to her? Did it never occur to Julien to make sure that Zoe was okay?"
In an attempt to redeem himself, Julien embarks on a harrowing journey to save Zoe. By that time I was disgusted with him and Zoe. Julien, because of his selfishness and Zoe, for allowing herself to be put in the dangerous situation that she was in.
In the end, the lovers had their HEA ending, but I stopped caring about them long before it happened.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Amazing! Sep 07, 2008
By A. Gift For You
"Zoe" is an amazing book that you can't put down. It was a definite page-turner, and I loved it. It was filled with romance, jealousy, betrayal, surprises, and so much more. It had a very unique and interesting spin in the plot/story, especially the way it turned out in the end.
If you want to buy a book that's worth every bit of your money, buy this one. You won't be dissapointed.
See all 37 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
| | |
|
|
