I really loved this book - I liked the way Ms. Napier, as always, created such a unique background for her characters and makes their romance plausible. The bedroom scenes are smokin' and I loved how honest Scott always was with Grace. There aren't any stupid misunderstandings between the two of them and I always enjoy that kind of straightforwardness in a book. I really empathized with Grace and I found it very pleasing that she is a widow who was actually quite content with her previous marriage. All too often, authors demonize the previous husband as if they need to justify the heroine's current relationship. Yes, Grace was married, yes she was happy (even though her marriage did have slight snafu's - whose doesn't?) but that doesn't mean she isn't also happy with Scott. He's passionate, teasing, and could have been made into a HUGE jerk, but was actually extremely sweet and considerate of Grace. Pick this one up - it's a winner!
A good book with unexpected depths...
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
Susan Napier writes about interesting people and themes; some of the material she touches upon would fit very well into a larger (fatter) format. This is the story of a young widow struggling to simultaneously save her late husband's company from a competitor and to acquire a much-needed education in business skills. At the same time, she is being courted by the said competitor, who she believes thoroughly despises her (after a memorable scene in an elevator where she is caught wearing nothing but a fur coat). And at the same time, she is getting flowers from a secret admirer, whose name remains unknown. Enough to worry about? Certainly. Grace, the heroine, is quite memorable - a model with a troubled childhood whose education was cut short, who married young and remained dependent on her husband, and who is now struggling to catch up in all ways. The hero has a troubled past (of course!) but is surprisingly charming for all that. And he has a big secret! (Hint, he is a bit like the hero of Jo Beverley's FORBIDDEN). The love scenes between the couple are quite interesting, especially when the big secret is revealed. I found Grace a little naive, especially considering her lack of concern about her secret admirer who keeps sending her flowers. But some of her naivete is understandable.This was a good short read, and it rather stuck in my mind (for a Harlequin romance). I came back to it recently, reading both this book and Beverley's FORBIDDEN in the same fortnight. Why? Well, there is that common theme, a slightly unusual hero...
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