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Romance Book ReviewsPage One of TwoHomeport by Nora RobertsPutnam, March 1998.Hardcover, 456 pages. ISBN: 0399143874. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Dr. Miranda Jones of Jones Point, Maine, is a beautiful, if
somewhat lonely archeometrist who spends her
days at The New England Institute of Art founded by her
brilliant but remote parents. Her evenings are usually spent with her
alcoholic but beloved brother in their family home.
Her life is quiet until the day she is attacked at
knifepoint and her wallet, passport and ID are
stolen. Shaken up, but not seriously injured, Miranda complies with
her mother's imperious demand that she travel to Standjo,
the family's art laboratory in Italy, at once to
help authenticate a recently discovered Renaissance bronze known
as "The Dark Lady" after a courtesan at the de Medici court.
Miranda authenticates the find as a Michelangelo, but someone leaks the
findings to the press. Banished back to the
states by her furious mother, Miranda is further devastated
when another art lab declares The Dark Lady a fake.
Her reputation in tatters, Miranda endures yet another
blow when a different bronze is stolen from her museum. Soon afterwards,
a handsome
and angry art thief, Ryan Boldari, shows up in her bedroom one night
claiming that the bronze he stole is also a fake. Now Miranda and
Ryan are forced into an uneasy alliance to prove that
a forgery was substituted for the real Dark Lady and to find the killer who is stalking Miranda.
The inimitable Nora Roberts has created yet another captivating adventure which will sweep readers away on a tide of passion, suspense and intrigue. With startlingly real characters, a complex plot and a superbly moody atmosphere created by the vivid descriptions of Florence and the Maine coastline, Homeport enthralls and entertains on every level. The Lady and the Knight by Lois GreimanAvon, Dec., 1997.Paperback, 372 pages. ISBN: 0380794330. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
In Scotland in 1509, three cousins make a magical wish
upon the Dragonheart amulet. Although the three girls wish
for different things they all form a pact to come to each other's
aid whenever one is in danger or need. Seven years later, Sara of
the Forbes, the eldest
of the cousins, is surely in need. A widow, she has gone to live
with her cousin Caroline and Caroline's infant son. Caroline is the
mistress of the powerful Lord Haldane and the infant is his only heir.
On a difficult journey to safety in the Highlands, the group is set upon
by vagabonds and all are killed except Sara and the infant. Caroline's
dying words make Sara think that the brigands were sent by Lord Haldane,
so naturally she is less than thrilled when Sir Boden Blackblade shows
up to escort her back to Lord Haldane. But the Knight is insistent
upon escorting them. After numerous escape attempts, Sara begins
to notice a growing attraction for the handsome Knight who
has saved her from many dangers on the journey to Knolltop.
As the pair travel towards safety they have many adventures
and grow to realize their love for one another. Each torn by
honor and duty, they know that they cannot be together because
of Haldane's love for Sara -- or can they?
The Lady and the Knight is the first entry in the Highland Brides trilogy which will follow the lives of the three cousins, Sara, Rachel and Shona. A medieval romance with magical elements, this latest effort from Lois Greiman is sure to please lovers of historical romances. With a dashing yet human hero and a spirited and beautiful heroine, the story moves along at a thrilling pace. The romance is steamy and the peek into medieval life adds interest to the tale. Readers will be breathless with anticipation for the next installment in this exciting new series. Romance Reviews Page Two Return to Book Reviews Index To visit the archives of romance novels reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |