Two Different Debuts

Romantic_L_eads Recommendations and reviews of romantic fiction

ROMANTIC LEADS COLUMN By Janine Taylor

RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION JULY, 1999

Two very different debuts

This time my selections have been narrowed to two authors: Susanne MacDonald-Boyce, a New Brunswick author, who has just cracked the category market under the romantic pseudonym Meredith March and veteran author, Patricia Gaffney, who has taken her faithful readers in very new direction. Readers of both would be hard pressed to find two more disparate approaches to contemporary fiction.

The Saving Graces

By Patricia Gaffney

(Harper Collins – 1999, $35.00 HC)

In 1984 Patricia Gaffney discovered she had breast cancer and it sparked a serious change in her life. She was inspired to embark on her incredible career crafting happily-ever-after historicals. Now she’s chosen a new direction in her writing, bringing the poignancy of realism to join her entertaining style.

Her romance fans may be leery of Gaffney’s new direction, but rest assured her historical fiction only partially revealed her mastery of tumultuous emotional scenes and witticisms. This contemporary saga will connect with every woman and her friends.

Saving Graces is the story of two years of a decade-long friendship. Started as a formal women’s discussion group, this friendship club has profound effects on the four core members. Flaky, self-destructive Rudy faces her fears; “the sane one” Lee becomes obsessed with her infertility; smart talking, defensive Emma falls in a hopeless love. The catalyst is the gentle soul of the group, Isabel, battling breast cancer.

The four main characters take turns telling about their own lives and the events that they all share. The alternating style is a great showcase for Gaffney’s greatest strength_ her captivating characterization.

With Saving Graces Gaffney has found a strong new voice and direction.

The Rocky Ridge Man

By Meredith March

(Harlequin Temptation – August 1999, $4.25)

A Harlequin Temptation is a category romance with just enough racy sexiness to appeal to the more adventurous of short romance readers. The Rocky Ridge Man is perfectly targeted to that audience_ not surprising when you consider that the author is an experienced marketing communications entrepreneur, actor and newspaper editor. March has taken skills developed in her earlier careers to debut as romance writer.

Sonya Duncan is in Banff, Alta. looking for the perfect butt to fill a Rocky Ridge jeans advertising campaign. She finds it right behind Clint Silver, a cocky and mysterious cowboy. Clint has no trouble showing off his hind end but adamantly refuses to show his face in public. Unfortunately the client wants Clint and Sonya has to work with this bum or jeopardise her career.

If you are looking for depth of character and plot intricacies this isn’t for you. But, if you enjoy the light style of Temptation or Silhouette Desire line, The Rocky Ridge Man is cute, fun and tightly written.

Meredith March (a.k.a. Susanne Boyce) was a founding member of the Marshlands Romance Writers club in New Brunswick. This dynamic group seems determined to make Eastern Canada a hot spot for new romance writers.

Janine Taylor is a Halifax writer. She can be reached at romanticleads@hotmail.com or at http://welcome.to/romanticleads

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