Sleeping Beauty

Coco and James are an intimidating pair. Really. James is the quintessential golden boy: charismatic, bold, sensitive, intelligent, good. And Ivory writes a halo around his head without ever having to put it so bluntly; he shimmers and shines through the book, and as a reader it was very easy to share Coco's awe of him. And Coco? Oh, this woman is more than a romantic heroine. She is mature, elegant, fun, sexy, loving...actually, Coco Wild is gracious, which is something that is bizarrely rare in historicals. And Ivory does a really good job of crafting her as a sexual creature; she isn't vulgar at all; she uses her skills and experience without ever becoming dominant or manipulative...and that's one great example of exactly how skilled she is. I thought that the book itself was excellent. The story is developed very naturally; the plot doesn't hinge on stupid misunderstandings or miscommunication & Ivory avoids most of the old standbys: one of the cleverest parts of the book is the way that Ivory adapts and then subverts one of the commonest romance cliches when Coco and James have to take shelter from a storm. And one last thing about Judith Ivory: she doesn't write the same book twice. This is the fourth book of hers that I've read and each one is totally its own creation; the characters are unique, their relationships and the trajectory of their romance totally distinct. I can't think of any other romance author I can say this about - so bravo! to Ms. Ivory.

What a fantastic romance! Judith Ivory has departed from nearly every romance formula in creating Sleeping Beauty. First, we have a hero, Sir James Stoker, in pursuit of the heroine AND he respects her AND he accepts her with all her past dalliances AND he is seven years younger than her AND he thinks she is the most beautiful woman AND he is not an alpha type! He is highly intelligent, humble despite wide popularity as an African explorer/geologist, extremely successful for his age, honest almost to a fault, and perceptive with an ability to care deeply for a woman. He is not noble although the Queen really likes him. He has little care for what others think and he is overall one very attractive hero to the reader.Enter Coco Wild, soon to be 37, a woman with a very questionable past - a past that she is not ashamed of. She has become a very wealthy woman and has no need for a protector. Fretting about her age, she first encounters James in a dentist office where she is scheduled to have a tooth pulled. She hides behind a beautiful smile that rarely leaves her face. James wants to know her better - she refuses. James is too young for her and she would be very bad for his golden reputation. Plus, she has no desire for a broken heart and she highly suspects that is the condition she would find herself in once James lost interest in her. But they seem "meant to be together" as they encounter one another again and again. Most of the story occurs at Cambridge where James has many responsibilities, which include studying the many notes and artifacts from his disastrous, yet, eventually successful African exploration.James is highly alluring and very likable as this most unusual hero. He's not a rake and doesn't have the typical aversion to love. Coco seems to constantly run from James although he becomes dearer to her with each meeting. Their interaction is very refreshing and their communication is honest. We get to see a precious friendship develop between the two although their relationship eventually becomes quite sensual as well. Those sensual scenes rate about a 4.0 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).I highly recommend Sleeping Beauty. I have read four of Ivory's books and each have been the equivalent of a four or five star rating. Her writing captivates you and you must continue reading because you probably will not be able to guess what comes next. My interest never lagged once and I have decided Sleeping Beauty definitely belongs on my keeper shelf. I wish Ivory had a larger backlist because I am making my way through it rather rapidly. However, I have discovered that she also writes as Judy Cuevas and I plan to explore some of those books as well.

I was absolutely hooked on this novel. It's definitely a keeper. The tired old formula- beautiful, innocent, unsophisticated somewhat naïve virginal heroine falls in love with jaded rogue who doesn't believe in love and has legions of ex-lovers is reversed in a way. Sir James, 29, explorer and scientist has just returned from an adventurous trip to Africa when he runs into Coco, 37, ex-courtesan and mother of an adult son. For him it's apparently love at first sight He is the son of a coachman and far from being rich or sophisticated. He's youthful, enthusiastic, romantic and honorable. His integrity which is rarely found in a romance novel attracts Coco who is a bit world-weary and disillusioned. She mocks romantic notions and nevertheless secretly hopes they exist. Her vulnerability and genuine charm make her sympathetic, she's, though a born seductress, far from being a lethal femme fatale. She is the one who resists the temptation of an affair with James for his own sake. He needs a flawless reputation to make his way into the world and her notoriety will be only a burden to him. But James doesn't give up. He's the first to acknowledge his feelings and takes great risks to be with his beloved. Neither hero is depicted as flawless. Coco's past really becomes a burden for the two and her legions of titled and rich lovers who made her very wealthy were first shocking for me for this is usually not what you find in a romance novel. But I admired James loyalty all the more. Every man can love a woman who's young, innocent and full of virtue. But it takes a man with a heart as big as James' to love a woman like Coco unconditionally. Truly romantic.

When I read her book Bliss (written as Judy Cuevas) I thought it was the best book I had read in a VERY long time. And I read 3 to 4 novels a week. Dance was even better. Beast was just as great. But I feel as though if Sleeping Beauty was written just for me. If someone asked me what I wanted in a perfect romance, this is it. This is not a suspense/romance, or any other combo-romance. This is a TRUE ROMANCE. Yes, there is suspense but not at the cost of giving me what I want: A great story about two people falling in love despite the dictates of the society in which they live. If you need lots of action/gore/murder/betrayal and worst of all, a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING to get you interested in a love story, then this is not for you. Nor is this a G rated book, thank goodness. This book does not insult your intelligence but that does not mean it reads like a textbook. It's VERY easy to read. You know what he/she thinks and feels. This is one element that Ivory truly excels at. I've read so many other authors where I can never figure out what the hero is feeling or when the two are getting hot & heavy, they suddenly become mute as far as the reader can tell. Let me tell you, you will need a cold shower after reading about some of the heated moans and pants these two can generate. I also loved the fact that this book turned the tables on the old 70's & 80's romance stand by. This time, it's the woman who is older and more sexually experienced. And he declares his love for her first and he never falters in his pursuit of her from the minute he meets her. What woman wouldn't want all that! Not me & Coco.

The mood of this book reminded me of both Delderfield and Forrester, but a lighter version of both. The characters are multi-faceted, but always remain "in character." Ms. Ivory is stunningly talented and whether you love the story or not, she never insults your intelligence, and she has turned into an "automatic buy" for me, and is amongst the top five of my favorite romance authors (Linda Howard, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Loretta Chase and Julie Garwood are the others, so Ms. Ivory is in rather good company).