Romance Book Reviews
Charming Lily by Fern Michaels
Kensington, April 2001.Hardcover, 308 pages.
Subgenre: Contemporary
ISBN: 0821770195.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Outdoor survival expert Lily Harper has had it with
men. Years ago, Matt Starr -- the love of her life-left her
at the altar. Matt said he just wasn't ready for marriage, but
she didn't listen, and he just disappeared. He then founded
a company named Digitech on a shoestring budget and
became a multi-millionaire.
Matt never forgot Lily, and felt terrible about what he
had done to her. He hired private detectives to find her, to no avail.
But he finds Lily again when his company signs up for
an Extreme Sports vacation package. Eventually the pair
reunites, and Matt swears he's ready for hearth and home now.
Matt disappears again before the wedding and Lily is
furious. But when Matt's beloved dog shows up bedraggled
and injured, Lily believes that Matt has been kidnapped.
With the help of her friends and the Wish Keeper, a very special necklace
which gives visions, Lily sets out to find the Matt she loves
and marry him once and for all.
Lily Harper is a spirited woman who is determined not to let life's disappointments get her down (and getting left at the altar twice is bound to shake anyone's confidence). Fern Michaels has created a wonderful and strong character in Lily, who must go entirely on faith in order to find happiness. Charming Lily is an exciting romantic suspense tale which is sure to leave readers hungry for more of Fern Michaels' wonderful storytelling.
The Indiscretion by Judith Ivory
Avon, April 2001.Paperback, 369 pages.
Subgenre: Historical
ISBN: 0380812967.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
In 1899 England, Lady Lydia Bedford-Browne is
tired of people treating her like she is an invalid, just because
she is the daughter of a Viscount. So Lydia decides to
slip out to attend the wedding of her faithful
lady's servant, which will involve a coach trip alone
across the moors of Dartmoor. Lydia's only other companion
in the coach is a handsome, wealthy Texan named Sam Cody
who has come to England to wed an English aristocrat.
Unfortunately, he missed his wedding and the lady in
question will not listen to his excuses. The unlikely pair
soon find some common interests and begin an affair when
their carriage gets stuck in a bog. But when they return
to civilization, things get sticky. Proper English society
frowns on a liaison between Lydia and a cowboy -- although
his wealth and position in the State Department go a long
way towards convincing Lydia's parents that the match
is a good one. But can Lydia and Sam rekindle the
sparks that flew on the English moors?
The Indiscretion is a sensuous, passionate and entertaining historical romance. Lydia and Sam are an engaging, if odd, couple and their time together on the moors makes for some very funny -- and sexy -- reading. Linda Ivory excels at snappy dialogue and at creating chemistry between her lead characters. Fans of the talented Judith Ivory will be wearing a smile on their faces long after putting the book down.
Time After Time by Constance O'Day-Flannery
Avon, March 2001.Paperback, 366 pages.
Subgenre: Time Travel
ISBN: 0380808064.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Kelly Brennan has been cut off from life
since the death of her beloved husband, years ago.
Now a bridesmaid in a friend's big Southern wedding,
and forced to wear a truly ugly green bridesmaid's
dress, Kelly wanders out on the grounds of the
large home which is the site of the festivities.
Somehow she is transported back in time to post-Civil War
New Orleans, where a little girl finds her and thinks
she's a fairy (it's that ridiculous green dress). The little girl
Lizzie, takes Kelly home to her plantation, where Kelly gets the
shock of her life. Lizzie's father, a widower, is the spitting
image of Kelly's dead husband, Michael. At first worried that
she's losing her mind, Kelly eventually accepts the fact that she
is really stuck over 100 years in the past, with no telephones,
cars or modern conveniences. But being stuck in the past has
its rewards, as well; her attraction to the brooding
and handsome Daniel Gilmore grows stronger every day. But is
he worth giving up her entire life in the year 2001?
Constance O'Day-Flannery has created a charming time travel romance with Time After Time. Kelly is a heroine who has definitely had some hard knocks; she lost her husband when she was only 23. Now in her 30s, Kelly has just about given up on everything except running her successful travel agency. Her gradual acceptance of her surroundings and her growing love for Daniel are skillfully portrayed by the author, and the two leads have plenty of chemistry between them. Ms. O'Day-Flannery also provides some interesting historical background about the budding suffragette movement and how the women of the time weren't quite as cowed as you might think. Altogether, this is a delightful read for lovers of time travel and Civil War-era romances.
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