Caves fascinate me, and I've always wished I had both the courage and the opportunity to explore an undeveloped cave. I read this book after seeing an astonishingly beautiful National Geographic feature on the still largely unmapped cave system that stretches for countless miles beneath New Mexico. The novel is so-so as a romance, but Lowell's detailed account of caving, its risks and wonders, made it impossible to put down. The depth of research is impressive, as is her ability to put the reader right THERE: being the first person - the first pair of eyes - to emerge from a claustrophobic tunnel onto a natural cathedral so far from the surface that exploring it requires a base camp; dropping a chemical light-stick into an unknowable abyss as a means of gauging its depth, and watching it fall and fall and fall into nothingness; discovering delicate crystal formations as elaborate as Venetian chandeliers, and knowing that the light from your flashlight is making them visible for the first time. Wow. Just wow.
I've read a fair amount of Lowell's books and, in general, I think she's pretty good. But not this time. The two main characters are so entrenched in their bitterness and hate because of a shared history and drastic miscommunication that their attitudes quickly become irritating and uncomfortable.We do learn a fair amount about caving, which is very interesting (the heroine is an expert; he's an adventure writer). But it's not enough to counteract the constant sniping at each other, and then the agonized "thinking" each character is made to perform. And it goes on and on. The "what ifs" and the "but ifs" and the "maybes" and the "did she/he" and the "didn't he/she."I was ready to rap their heads together. Instead, I rapped the book closed.
Do You like book This Time Love (2003)?
Described on the cover as a classic love story, I have to agree! The prologue gave enough of the back story to get you intrigued and going into the chapters I was already hooked. The miscommunications that caused all the heartbreak were believable and frustrating all at the same time. The lingo about caving was enough to let you know what was going on, but not so much as to bore or sound to text book-ish. The ending revealing something about some of the lesser characters was a bit of a pleasant surprise. Well written and a great read!
—Myndi
I have never given a book such a low rating. I liked the story line, even the part about caving. Unlike other reviews I read, I did not think it was too much information on caving. I also liked the love story about Gabe and Joy. The reason I have it such a low rating was a personal preference. I do NOT like the fact that the 'sex descriptions' were so detailed. It was not necessary to the plot. I do not like something that should be a private matter told so openly. Therefore I will not be reading any more books by Elizabeth Lowell.
—Jeanne Jenkins
