Elizabeth Lowell books are obviously fairly formulaic but I still find them to be an enjoyable quick read. I think her books are at their best when they are part of a series so she has a chance to develop the characters and story a bit more. I especially like her series that deal with rare artifacts. This series is one of hers that I think works the best. ( )

Predictable, enjoyable romance adventure. I feel like I've learned a lot about Jade. You really don't need to have read the 1st book to enjoy this one.Kyle and Lianne have sex pretty quickly. ( )

I grabbed this book off my bookshelf because I needed a "J" book for my A to Z challenge. I did not know it was part of a series, in fact I do not think I have ever read a book by this author before. Well, let me tell you, I am definitely going to look for the others in the Donovan Series.

This took me back to the romantic, suspense, mysteries that I used to read and love a few years ago. This book had a little of everything. It is the story of Lianne Blakely and Kyle Donovan. Lianne is the daughter of a rich Chinese man's mistress. He is the third son of the Tang family, known for their collection of precious Jade. Lianne has an uncanny ability to assess and spot good and bad jade, so works for the family. She is not acknowledged as a Tang, but everyone knows that Johnny is her father. He wants her to meet Kyle Donovan of the Donovan Gem empire, but does not tell her why. She meets him at a charity auction and they hit it off quite well. Little do they know, each was instructed to meet the other for different reasons. When some perfect jade shows up, China is up in arms and wants the US to return it to them or they will cut off economic ties. When Lianne is implicated in this theft from China things heat up.

I really liked the character of Lianne. She has been raised in a questionable environment subject to both Chinese and American rules of family and sexes. She wants terribly to be recognized by her father and grandfather and does whatever the ask of her. Kyle is the big, blonde man who is by her side to keep other Chinese, who want her to be their concubine, at bay. He also become emotionally involved with her and is there when she needs help and support more than ever. His family is bigger than life and I am looking forward to seeing what the other books in this series have in store for me. This is an enjoyable read, a recognizable plot with a Chinese (multi-cultural) twist, and with a good flow that kept me interested. ( )

Jade Island is the second book in the Donovan series but it doesn't follow Amber Beach's plot line all that much. When we left the Donovan clan in Amber Beach, Kyle Donovan had been rescued from near death after his amber hungry girlfriend sold him down the river and nearly had him killed. Now, Kyle is chasing jade and an impossibly beautiful Asian-American named Lianne Blakely. Kyle certainly knows how to pick 'em. Lianne is the illegitimate child of Chinese Johnny Tang and all American Anna Blakeley. Lianne wants nothing more than to belong to the Tang clan and is more than happy to appraise and evaluate jade trades for them. But what happens when Tang jade starts to disappear and Lianne is the prime suspect? Kyle must decide between his head and another piece of his anatomy. Is Lianne innocent or is he falling in love with a criminal? What I appreciated with Jade Island was there was none of the coy games played between the two impossibly beautiful protagonists. Lianne enjoyed Kyle's company and they got along really well despite the sexual tension.

It is not necessary to read Amber Beach to understand Jade Island. Lowell makes references to details from the previous book but the plot is not dependent on it. ( )

Kyle Donovan and Lianne Blakely are sent to each other by their respective families, which couldn't be more different: Kyle is the fourth of six children in a close, lively, loud family, while Lianne, the daughter of a Chinese businessman's long-time American mistress, is unacknowledged by her father and his family. Sparks fly as they question each other's motives and investigate mysterious appearances and disappearances of priceless Chinese jade artifacts. It's a nice read for a lazy weekend or beach trip, entertaining and with good chemistry between the lovers and interesting interactions between the Donovans and the Tang family. ( )