Take A Break, Read Some Romance
The holidays are upon us, dear reader.
Time for rushing like a maniac from store to store, time for throwing an elbow or two at the mall, time for slogging through slushy parking lots, time for cramming packages into the trunk.
And time, if you want to retain the teensiest bit of sanity, for curling up in front of a fire with a cup of hot chocolate, opening a delicious book, gazing through the frost-rimmed windowpane, and just drifting off….
Here is a list of books to waft you away on a gossamer cloud of romance. And, gentle reader, we’ve given each a heart rating: one heart (yawn!) to four hearts (gasp!).
“Love Me Forever,” by Johanna Lindsey (Morrow, $22) four hearts:
A delightful story of love among the lords and ladies. The lordliest of the lords is the Laird of Lachlan, laird of the MacGregor clan, who meets the lovely Kimberly. It’s not exactly love at first sight, but little by little, they discover each other. He foolishly believes he is in love with the beautiful Megan, but Megan is in love with her husband, the Duke. The Laird and Kimberly are invited to visit the Duke. Romantic interest, passion, anger and stolen horses. Very good read.
“Amanda,” by Kay Hooper (Bantam Books, $19.95) 3 hearts:
Amanda rummages through her earliest memories and a sad tale unfolds as secrets are revealed, one by one. What is it that she is trying to remember but just can’t? Is it love? And why “can’t” she remember? What about those initials carved on the tree? Why does her father seem to love only Amanda while ignoring his other children, sons Reese and Palley and daughter Kate? Why does the housekeeper stay on? Food poisoning, missing dogs, a murder. Keeps you reading.
“Sheer Pleasures,” by Stella Cameron (Zebra Publishing, $5.99 paperback) 3 hearts:
The lovely W.G. Phoenix, with her wild mane of curls, comes to a small town in the state of Washington looking for her best friend, April, who has disappeared. She meets Roman (a former Navy SEAL) and there is an immediate attraction. Phoenix takes a job in a place that caters to the very rich and depraved, trying to find April. Phoenix discovers lots of secrets and pleasures in this yummy tale. She also finds the baby she didn’t know April had and discovers a very special secret that she shares with Roman and April. An absolute page-turner.
“A Different Light,” by Mariah Stewart (Pocket Books, $5.99 paperback) 4 hearts:
This is an absolutely delicious book to curl up with, no matter what the season. A young widow named Athena and her no-nonsense daughter, Callie, 9, are having a difficult time trying to adjust to life without their husband and daddy, who was killed by a stray bullet. At the Memorial Day picnic, they meet the editor of the local paper and his son, who are also trying to see things in a “different light.” I read this scrumptious book in one sitting. This is the second delightful book from this entertaining author, so I would say she is one to watch and savor for a long time.
“Sincerely,” by Sandra Kitt (Pinnacle/Arabesque, $5.99 paperback) 3 hearts:
TV researcher Joanna Mitchell is attending the funeral of her neighbor, Sheila, as “Sincerely” opens. Only six people show up, including a ruggedly handsome stranger. Soon the stranger is calling Joanna, trying to find out about money that he claims Sheila owed his family. Meanwhile, it turns out that Joanna’s boyfriend, TV anchor Phillip, was having an affair with Sheila - among others. Tempers flare, suspicions are aroused. Not a bad way to spend a few hours.
“Gift Of Love,” by Judith McNaught, Jude Deveraux, Kimberly Cates, Andrea Kane and Judith O’Brien (Pocket Books, $20) 4 hearts:
This is an anthology of charming holiday stories from some of my favorite authors.
“Double Exposure” is a contemporary romance by McNaught. Teenager Corey Foster hardens her heart after Spencer Addison stands her up for the Christmas dance. They go their separate ways. Years later, grown-up Corey, a photographer now, is assigned to cover a society wedding in Rhode Island - at Spencer’s estate. Will Corey and Spencer finally end up in the same picture?
“Just Curious,” by Deveraux, is a wonderful story of babies, Christmas and love at first sight. Sigh. Make that two sighs. This is one of Deveraux’s best.
“Yuletide Treasures,” by Kane, set in England in the 1860s, tells the story of Lord Eric Bromleigh; his unruly orphan niece, Noelle; and Brigette, the granddaughter of the local vicar. Bromleigh marries Brigette solely to provide a caretaker for the wild Noelle, who is only 3. Can Brigette tame the little girl? Can she tame the angry, bitter Lord Bromleigh? A fastpaced tale from an accomplished storyteller.
“Five Golden Rings,” by O’Brien, begins in a contemporary classroom. Teacher Emma Graham asks her class to bring in items for telling the story of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” One boy, Asa, brings in an antique golden wedding band. Emma puts the ring on her finger and is suddenly whisked back to the 19th century, where she finds herself the loving wife of a lawyer in a Western town. She takes the ring off and - “zip” - back to 1995. Has love really vanished like a dream? A soft, lovely story.
Each of these stories deserves the highest rating.
“The Passion Of An Angel,” by Kasey Michaels (Pocket Books, $5.99 paperback) 3-1/2 stars:
This is the rollicking tale of a noble soldier, Banning Talbot, the Marquess of Daventry, who promises a fellow soldier he believes to be on his deathbed that he will take care of the dying man’s sister, Prudence. Prudence and Banning fall in love (of course), but not smoothly (also of course). The story races along from surprise to surprise.