Product Description

In this classic novel of two willful lovers caught in a breathless adventure of deception and betrayal, #1 New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught has created a powerful and unforgettable masterpiece.

ELIZABETH CAMERON

The Countess of Havenhurst possessed a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast.

IAN THORNTON

A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, his voyage to Elizabeth's heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge.

Destined for each other, yet wary of each other's motives, Elizabeth and Ian engage in a dance of suspicion and passion that tests the very soul of their star-crossed love. As a twisting path of secrets takes them from London's drawing rooms to the mysterious Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46142 in Books
• Published on: 1991-06-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 384 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Well-developed main characters with a compelling mutual attraction give strength and charm to this romance set in 19th-century Great Britain. When orphaned Lady Elizabeth Cameron is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, said to be a gambler and blackguard, her reputation is destroyed. Elizabeth's half-brother shoots Ian in a duel and disappears, while she becomes an outcast. Finally her uncle decides to marry her off, dangling a generous dowry to entice former suitors to reinstate their offers. A bungling secretary erroneously accepts on behalf of scornful Ian, so, baggage and duenna in tow, Elizabeth lands at the door of Ian's hunting lodge. They eye each other warily, irritation and sheer bafflement vying with passion. McNaught is at her best with these two willful lovers; and fans should welcome the reappearance of Jordan and Alexandra Townsende (from bestseller Something Wonderful ) . Fastidious readers may be irked when McNaught's prose plummets into "the stormy splendor of the pagan kiss" or by an occasional anachronism.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ingram
Elizabeth Cameron's uncle--guardian of her estate--forces the scandal-ridden young woman to choose from three unlikely suitors. But the one she fancies sees her as a flirt; and she fears he is a fortune hunter. From London's salons to Scotland's highlands, Almost Heaven weaves a heart-capturing spell of romance.

About the Author
Judith McNaught is the New York Times bestselling author who first soared to stardom with her stunning bestseller Whitney, My Love, and went on to win the hearts of millions of readers with Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams, Almost Heaven, Paradise, Perfect, Until You, Remember When, the #1 bestseller Night Whispers, Someone to Watch Over Me, and other novels. There are more than thirty million copies of her books in print. Judith McNaught lives in Houston.

Customer Reviews

it's ALMOST heaven
I hope nobody will condemn me for what I have to say. I already gave it a four-star-review for I know giving it less than that will gain me dozens of "unhelpful-votes". Maybe, I'll start with the good stuff. This novel have excellent humorous dialogues. McNaught has delivered every witty remarks with style. I CONGRATULATE her on that part! I thought I had read all the books that can make me laugh out loud. I was wrong! Here is another book that can make a person laugh without him/her doubting the author's abilities. I also like how she created Elizabeth's and Ian's characters. There are no denials of their love for each other. I applaud Ian's honest confession of his feelings for Elizabeth. It always pleases me to witness a man admits his feelings FIRST before the woman does. In romance novels, that's surely a rare possibility, and that's one of the parts I like about this novel. The bad parts are not really that bad. You see, the humor and anticipation filled the beginning. The emotions and the excitement were at the end. I enjoyed both segments extremely well. BUT...uh-oh...I hate to do this to a 5-star-book especially to a McNaught one, but I have to be honest...The middle is a little bit dry and slow. I had multiple urges to put down the book and do something else. Still, I was touched by the sweetness and sincerity of the affection blossoming between Ian and Elizabeth. I was also impressed that McNaught had succeeded to blend the title, Almost Heaven, at the remaining lines of the novel quite properly(unlike "Until You" which ALMOST turned the whole thing sour for me) which gave the novel a whole new definition. After these musings, and may I mention that I didn't really say a lot of dreadful things concerning the story line, I have to say that it was almost good or heaven as my title implies. That's just because I can name another McNaught novel that'll beat this one, but still, it's worth ur time and Im sure ull enjoy the book like most people did.

Really well done
I really enjoyed this book. So many romance novels are badly written, badly researched and badly plotted. This one did a pretty good job with the details; it's largely accurate in terms of the history and research (though not perfect). My only complaint was the final 'crisis' of the book and of the couple's relationship. It was just too over the top, and I think it was impossible to believably resurrect their relationship after that. But the first 400 pages were excellent. Very enjoyable and well done.

I WAS SMITTEN
This book was my introduction to Judith McNaught. After reading it, I had my little sister (who works for a major bookstore) track down all the books Judith had written before it. I started reading Almost Heaven late one evening and finished it the following afternoon. I pretty much read it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. I was even reading while stopped at traffic lights! I had rarely bothered with romance novels before this book because the ones I had read seemed too unbelievable to me.

I loved all the characters (not just the hero and heroine), and the attention to detail - it felt as if I was really there. Parts of the book were hilarious and others were unbelievably sad. This book broke my heart and then healed it again. The only down side was that it wasn't long enough. I could have read about Ian and Elizabeth forever. Judith McNaught just can't write her books fast enough for me.