A Jayne Ann Krentz classic. First time in eBook.Sara Frazer is certain that it isn’t considered breaking and entering if the front door is unlocked. Her choice to search Adrian Saville’s study for clues to explain her Uncle Lowell’s disappearance, well that’s just pushing it. And if she hadn’t been mesmerized by the crystal apple on his desk she quite possibly might not have been caught.Adrian comes home to a beautiful woman rifling through his desk, so he does what any man in his position would have done—he makes her dinner. As he learns more about Sara's determination to find her uncle he offers to help, but not before he lets it slip that her uncle promised her to him as a “prize� for getting his life in order.Uncle Lowell has always had an odd sense of humor and he’s never liked any of Sara’s boyfriends, but this “promise� he made to Adrian has to be a joke. Sara reluctantly accepts Adrian’s help and soon makes a discovery that puts both of their lives in danger.
The author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Some readers will have a problem with this one. But if you like Anne Stuart / Diana Palmer hero's you'll love this book. It was one of the first I read my Krentz. The hero has the nerve to actually say "Your uncle gave you to me." I'm like WHAT!!!!! That one statement makes him a refugee from a Palmer / Stuart book however he is not an a** like the Palmer heros nor is he cold hearted as a Stuart book, more like a 3rd cousin of the two. In the end, he is a Krentz hero, that deep thinker. I was on fictionwise every month hoping to get this one in ebook because I love going back and re-reading it. But being the anal person I am and the fact I have a crate in the trunk of my car that holds various paperbacks, it travels with me. Yes, I have several copies of this one -- the though of being stranded without it scares me. I kid you not. It is right there with Palmer / Stuart / Linda Howard Howard / Sala / etc. I will not leave home without it.
"The Waiting Game" is the story of Sara and Adrian.
An adventure filled ride with a heroine incensed by wanderlust, and a hero who longs for her. The plot revolves around her missing uncle, who has "gifted" her to his friend from the past, the hero. He is an emerging author with a secret past, who has been dreaming of the heroine, and is ecstatic when she finally enters his life. But while she tries to search for her uncle, whom she is convinced is in danger, she makes her realize that all roads eventually lead to him..
I actually found myself being bored by this book. The plot stretched a bit too long, the heroine was flighty and the hero was strong, silent and brooding. Sex scenes were super hot, but overall mystery element was average.
When your black sheep uncle is an undercover operative for the government and you can actually identify with his off-the-wall behaviors, he will tell you things when he has had a few too many beers, which isn't often. He tells his niece about a fellow operative for whom he has concerns. Will the man go rogue?
When your mentor who is also an undercover operative for the operative tells you a story of a lost shipment of gold hidden in Cambodia and then tells you he is giving the gift of his niece because you two would be good for each other, you wonder what is real.
But when the niece meets the operative and the uncle is missing, you get a pretty good story.
I think Jayne Ann Krentz and her aliases are my three favorite authors.
I thought I had read all of JAK's books. Since this is one of her earlier books, I guess I missed it until now. I've read all her other Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle books. This book moved slow for me. There was waiting but for me, I was bored while waiting. Interesting characters as usual for her stories.
Oh, how I like such male heroe. Mysterious , dark , with a unknown past. And from the first moment he is sure that this is the right woman . That woman was promised to Adrian by her uncle . Until Sarah's uncle disappeared. Adrian has to help her stay out of trouble, after so many months of waiting for her he has to show a strong will ... and fall in love . Oh so lovely mountain glacial : dangerous , quiet ... Sara is chaotic , impulsive but I think she is the only womat for Adrian.
I am usually a fan of Jayne's... but this female character, just grated on my nerves. I don't like weak , silly women and she just topped the list. And the leading male took the" silent type" to a whole new level and for her uncle to be an ex government agent.... he wouldn't have made the cut either... with leaving his niece in danger but not telling her anything.
No, no, no! I love this author, but everything she has written before 1990 is crap. This was a book published in 1985, and it is no good at all. Now, everything she has published after 1990 is first rate. I own most of those books and re-read them occasionally. But I'm going to throw away this book and forget I ever read it. I shouldn't have bothered.
DNF: I was very disappointed in this book. Normally this author’s female protagonists are strong, independent, and do not require a man to rescue them. Not this time. I got about 65% finished when I decided that Sara Frazier was needy and codependent on Adrian Saville, who was the all-too-familiar inscrutable, unemotional (unless in the throes of sex) male. Ho-hum. I didn’t even care about where Uncle Lowell was and what he was up to. I realized that overall, I just didn’t care.
This novel holds up quite well, considering it was written in 1985, almost 40 years ago. Sara and Adrian are in a much more co-equal relationship than exists in most of JAK's earliest books. The romance is written with a light touch, to the point that it could almost be called romantic comedy. There is also a smattering of mystery, foreshadowing her complete switch later in her career to romantic suspense.
I will definitely purchase the audiobook version of this novel, if one is eventually released.
3.5 Stars for THE WAITING GAME which was a reread for me of an “oldie� standalone light Suspense Romance novel by Jayne Ann Krentz.
MY RATING GUIDE: 1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I ENJOYED IT; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I rarely give 5 Stars).
Bainbridge Island, Puget Sound and Seattle, Oregon area ~ Sara Fraser/FMC, a woman in her late 20’s-30, is the favored niece of Lowell Kincaid’s, a retired intelligence agent. Sara believes a dangerous element from Lowell’s past has arisen since her uncle is suddenly missing and she cannot locate him. Sara, who is between jobs at the time, tracks down Adrian Seville for assistance. Sara doesn’t know Seville but she’s aware that he’s an old trusted friend of her uncle Kincaid and hopes he will be helpful in her search.
Adrian Seville/MMC, between 35-early 40’s, is a solitary man with few friends. Yet he and Lowell Kincaid understand and respect each other, both having worked and recently retired from somewhat similar and dangerous occupations. Adrian has been privately celebrating the release of his first published book of fiction in his newly chosen career when Sara arrives with her quest to find her uncle.
THE WAITING GAME was originally published in 1985. It is one of JAK’s early books and I’ve read it before as well as most of Krentz’s other novels under her various pseudonyms (Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle/Amanda Quick/Stephanie James). I enjoy Krentz novels because while the heroes are men with “rough edges� they are yet strong, dependable and honorable at the core (rather than flashy or JQ perfect). The women rather than “beautiful� are unique, spirited, and resilient.
Proximity/Danger is one of my favorite tropes. That being said, THE WAITING GAME was quick and enjoyable but not my favorite Krentz novel. Sara’s actions are occasionally impetuous (one of her unique character qualities). At one point her actions are similar to the heroine who walks downstairs when you know the creepy guy is waiting. Unnecessary drama between the MCs follows before the MCs arrive at their hard won HEA - a bit too much “emotional drama� for my tastes. Yet THE WAITING GAME is a decent read and I’ll probably read it again at some point. I do like the MMC.
I recommend RHE WAITING GAME to readers who enjoy Krentz novels, seasoned characters (MMC particularly) and/or Contemporary LIGHT Suspense Romance and don’t mind the MCs stumbling their way to their HEA. 😉
READER CAUTIONS - not recommended to readers who prefer Clean fiction. PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used on occasion. VIOLENCE - Minimal. G/PG SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Several scenes of open door intimacy which can be skipped fairly easily if desired.
I really like Jayne's books and until now was never disappointed. I couldn't even finish it. This must be one of her early books because her style is very different from what she writes now. I'm assuming that this story is of the style that was being written at the time but it was so tedious I had to force myself to keep reading it until I just gave up. The female character, Sarah, was a royal pain in the behind. Impulsive to the point of stupidity, willful and careless of consequences from her actions. The male character, Adrian, was just plain confusing, it was hard to figure out just what he was. Then there is Sarah's uncle, another basically under developed character. I found the plot weak and as under developed as the characters. It's my opinion that this book is really not worth reading. I very much enjoy most of the books she has written and I have a very large collection that I read often. I recommend her syfi Harmony series under Jayne Castle, her recency series under Amanda Quick and many others under Jayne Krentz.
This romantic suspense novel set in Washington state is aptly named. From the opening sentence, an impulsive Sara Fraser is waiting. Standing in the den of a house she entered without permission, she waits for not only the owner's return but for answers. Sara is looking for her missing uncle, who went "hunting" according to a neighbor. Sara knows better. Her uncle is not a hunter, but he is a retired government agent whose past may have come back to hunt HIM. Adrian Saville is the sinister house owner Sara soon collides with in her quest for answers. Adrian's response about her missing uncle is that she must wait with him for Uncle Lowell's return. Adrian's justification for keeping Sara with him is: "Didn't your uncle tell you that he has decided to give you to me?" During Sara's waits, she is almost kidnapped once then walks into a trap. Is the man who holds her hostage the infamous "wolf" 🐺 that her uncle has warned her against? This is a well plotted and wonderfully written story, one short enough to read in a day, yet still packed with excitement.
The Waiting Game (Hardcover) by Jayne Ann Krentz (ŷ Author)
This was another of JAK's early books, 1985 I believe, so it followed the "Harlequin" romance novel formula. Which also means it irritated me so much that I put it down for several weeks before I could finish it. There was a hint of an intriguing story but in "Harlequin" books authors never fill out a storyline. The storyline is only used to advance the romance between stupid young female and older wiser male.
I didn't like any of the characters really, not Sara, not Adrian, not Lowell. Once again I'm really glad I discovered JAK from one of her later series or I would have missed out on a really entertaining writer.
This was not my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz story, unfortunately. There was the usual amount of suspense and intrigue but the female MC just didn't stand the test of time and the relationship felt very traditional (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, the characters were just very obviously written in the 90s).
I've read several of Krentz' older romantic suspense books and some hold up better than others which was definitely the case here. Still, not a bad story plot-wise and was still fairly enjoyable but needs to be read with some rose-colored glasses on when regarding some of the interactions between the two MCs.
This was enjoyable, but having been written in 1985, it's age shows. It is nothing like the way she writes now. The heroine veers slight towards TSTL on occasion - and I was a little uncomfortable with the idea that the heroine was a 'gift' to the hero for finishing his first novel and, of course, the absence of modern technology is striking - the plot would either not have held up or had to be different if written today. Having said that, it was a pleasant read and I'm glad I found it in the library. Much prefer her up to date stuff though - those are some of my all time favourite books.
Sara was not good at the waiting game. She is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of girl. Adrian is very methodical and very patient. He has an orderly world. There is a good reason for that. When Sara is thrown into a situation of her uncle's making, Adrian goes into protector mode. Sara is not crazy about anyone managing her and isn't sure she wants Adrian to manage her. Adrian has known about Sara for a long time, but she is just discovering who Adrian is. If they make it out of this situation, will they be able to make a life together?
This book was first published in 1985 and it’s showing its age. Sara and Adrien are brought together when Sara is looking for her uncle. There is a large part of the plot that revolves around her uncle’s time in Vietnam and some missing gold. There is also some uncomfortable bits such as her uncle “giving� Sara to Adrien to marry and other points that just didn’t age well. I did like Adrien quite a bit but his insistence at the end of the book that he knew Sara’s emotions better than she did was a downer. All in all, not great.
So even though this book was written in the 80's and Ms Krentz had to stick to the strict trope formula, she still manages to give the heroine a backbone and the 'alpha male' is still overprotective and not great at communicating but he's definitely not a jerk (or worse!) A bit of a time warp without mobile phones and the Vietnam war being only a few years prior, I can stil see why this author was such a trailblazer
I had three main issues with this book. 1. Dialogue was overly correct and not realistic. 2. The female lead character was TSTL in some spots. Too Stupid To Live. I really really hate that. 3. Missing �. Many dialogue marks are missing. Kind of like editing was done by cut and paste without regard to replacing the cut �. Overall, this book was NOT of the expected quality of a Jayne Krentz novel…makes me wonder if she wrote it.
I love Amanda/Jayne/Jayne! Her series books are wonderful. The 2 really stand alone recent books , this one and 'Connecting Rooms' are good but not really why I love her. This one starts a little slowly and builds to a good finish but takes awhile to get there. A good place holder while waiting for her next blockbuster. At least I am still reading a Krentz book!
An older book so there were moments where it felt a bit dated but not in a "problematique" way.
The story/plot isnt much tbh but it was a classic JAK book and the couple were classic bubbly heroine and stoic shadowy past hero. It read really short for some reason and her AQ books do much better when it comes to such heroes . Overall , i did enjoy it more then the newer suspense thriller contemps.
This was fun, but short. Adrian Saville, a very stubborn, controlled man meets Sara Frazer, an impulsive stubborn woman. What she doesn't know. is that her missing uncle "gave" her to him. This was written in 1985, so keeping that in mind makes his attitude easier to deal with. I did enjoy the plot, when I didn't want to kill Adrian. Of course, anything Jayne Ann Krentz writes is really good.
This book may have been copywriter in 1985 but the story is just as great today without cellphones, of course. Uncle Lowell has a niece Sara that he loves dearly. He becomes good friends with a fellow he had mentored in the spy field, Adrian. Thus the matchmaking begins. Add in a mystery and you just keep flipping the pages to see how it will all turn out.
I love finding these gems in used bookstores. Jayne Ann Krentz is a terrific writer.
Jayne Krentz is probably my favorite author but this book has to be one of her earliest efforts because I know her other books are much much better. I know because I have read and vastly enjoyed the most of not all of them. This book is slow and repetitive. I only gave it 4 stars because of all the wonderful books the author has written over time. This book was boring.
Bleeeebbbh. DNF at about 50%. This one was too much mush and rawrrrr silent sexy manhood and stupid dumb protagonist, and not enough fucking patriarchy and badass woman.
Very much a relic of the 1980s and a very early book in Krentz’s prolific writing career.
Don’t bother � pick up some of her later books instead, where her writing improves and her characters are less irritating!
Sara tries to surprise her uncle with a quick visit but he isn't home and she's worried. When she goes to check with his friend, an author, and they go to check out her uncle's cottage, they are thrown into a spy novel plot. Can an impulsive all in kind of woman make it with a patient non adventurous kind of man?Maybe...maybe not...
This book was a miss for me. I didn't like either of the main characters and it almost didn't even seem like a JAK book. The hero and heroine were pretty flat and didn't give a lot of personality or express their emotions well. Plus, the overuse of the heroine's name as other characters were talking was annoying. It was basically every sentence.