Brilliant

By: Marne Davis Kellogg

Narrated by: Kate Reading

At Ballantyne and Company, a genteel but failing auction house in the heart of London, Kick Keswick has been an expert on painting, furniture, and objets d'art for over 30 years. When Ballantyne falls victim to a corporate takeover by robber baron and womanizer Owen Brace, Kick is the next target for Brace's idea of romantic merger and acquisition. Elegant and self-possessed, she is at first swept off her feet by Brace's forceful approach to love, romance, and sensual pleasure. But Brace has other games to play, and his affair with Kick, far from being sincere, is simply one more strategy in his welter of scheming and dealing. When she realizes this, Brace's treachery makes her blood boil. Her revenge is complex and total.©2003 Marne Davis Kellogg (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Kellogg's sophisticated and lavishly fun tale of greed and daring in the high-stakes auction house world presents a full-figured, tough, and atypical heroine readers will cheer for." (Booklist)

pretty good!

Kate Reading makes every book a little better--even when she loses her American accent a quarter way through the book!
It's a light, enjoyable listen--interesting plot and solid characters.

Brilliant is Brilliant.

I love this book. She is an amazing writer. When will her other books in this series be on line? I read them and now I want to re-read them all on tape. Love the narrator and love the story. Marne Davis Kellogg is a brilliant story teller and I am waiting with baited breath for her other titles in this Kick Keswick series to be on tape. I will be one of the first to purchase once they are. She teaches you not only about class, but about cooking, decorating and lovely jewelry. It is a feast for the brain. I just ordered the cook book series that Kick uses to cook a sole veronique. Classs all the way. Give us more Marne Davis Kellogg.

Great mature heroine

More romance than suspense, featuring a complex heroine of a certain age with interesting secrets and a lot of nerve. Very enjoyable, and reader Kate Reading is always great.

Cute story with a twist

Loved the story with the surprise ending. As Kick would say, “revenge is sweet!” Can’t wait to read other books by this author.

Wonderful Listen

I've read the book but decided to listen to the audio version because Kate Reading has a fabulous voice. She really is prefect as Kick Keswick. I wish the rest of this fun series was available on audio.

This is fun escapism solidly anchored in good research of art, jewelry, food wine and travel. Kellogg is a talented writer, and Kick is a witty, urbane, shrewd character whose self-possession, gravitas and cool-headedness are her trademarks. I hope Kellog is not done with the series!

Very Entertaining!

I enjoyed this book very much. It was very entertaining and had a happy ending. A great way to relax and get away from everyday stresses.

Sublime

Kate Redding is the most perfect fit for this character. It’s perhaps the best audiobook casting ever. The book itself is fun to read, but Ms Redding really brings it alive. She sounds like Kick. In spite of the years that have passed, I fervently hope the rest of the books in the Kick Keswick series can be made into audiobooks with Kate Redding. Like Kick with her high standards, this series deserves the very best.
Note: there is a decent amount of swearing and references to sex but nothing too graphic.

Cotton Candy Listening

I loved listening to this book. It is light and witty and delicious. My dog got a lot of extra walks so that I could keep listening. The reader is wonderful. Don't expect great literature, but for pure fun, you can't go wrong.

Lots of fun and a great escape in gridlock!

If you could sum up Brilliant in three words, what would they be?

Lots of whimsy and wish I live around the corner from Kick Keswick. Reader is fantastic.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Main character of Kick Keswick - picture Grace Kelly and she is the thief - not Cary Grant.

What about Kate Reading’s performance did you like?

She was perfect in the role.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction - just did not want the book to end.

A fun read

MDK spins a fun tale of theft, romance, mystery, possible murder, and the high life in this first Kick Keswick installment. Kick is an executive assistant at an auction house for luxury items in London by day, and an extremely capable jewel thief by night. When the auction house gets sold, Kick is swept up by the handsome playboy owner, Owen Brace. The relationship is passionate but not especially profound, and Kick soon realizes she's dealing with a shady guy. Unfortunately, he also underestimates her, a terrible mistake.
This book was more graphic than I usually go in terms of steam and language, requiring some skimming on my part (I just don't go for it, don't care what people think), but overall I enjoyed the descriptions of the food and jewels and basically how Kick is confident in who she is. I thought it was especially charming that she considers herself "born with an extra 25lbs" but doesn't let that stop her from dressing well and flirting with men. In any case, it was a fun read, and I already started the sequel lol!