RomanticLeads Recommendations and reviews of romantic fiction
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RomanticLeads Recommendations and reviews of romantic fiction
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Romantic Leads July comes with the start of a new series and one of the last from Catherine Cookson. This new crop offers plenty to read, but you have to do some weeding first. The Branded Man By Catherine Cookson (Corgi- June 98, $8.99) Catherine Cookson had a gentle, powerful talent. Reading Cookson spoils the reader for anything less than wonderful. Her style inspired many and her recent death last week at the age of 91, has left a void in literary romance. The Branded Man is a beautiful tale of an unloved, wild young lady Marie Anne Lawson and her witty companion Sarah Foggerty. Their lives in turmoil, they befriend a disfigured gentleman sculptor, known to the Northumberland locals as the Branded Man. Events change the Lawson family and allow for unthinkable relationships to flourish. The lyrical, yet realistic, characters touch the heart. The atmosphere and strong characters in this turn of the century story place The Branded Man among Cookson's best. Her strong stories, reflecting her own life and times are classics of romantic fiction. Expect many re-issues as more readers discover Cookson's work. When Venus Fell By Deborah Smith (Bantam - July 98, $29.95HC) Complex, witty and poetic, yet this story refers to so many current events you might expect Ginger Spice to make a guest appearance. Nightclub musicians, Venus and Ella Arinelli are enticed to the Tennessee Mountains for a visit. Gib Cameron is holding money for them, left by their infamous, anti-government father. The Cameron family is mourning for their patriarch. Due to past events, the Camerons view the Arinellis as a kind of good luck charm and welcome them with open hearts. Venus having grown up in the school of hard knocks is suspicious of this overly friendly clan. Gib wants her to stay to help his family recover and for himself too. Smith is a lovely writer who can make you cry with laughter and still fills the pages with poignant prose. Her final chapter criminally reduced the novel's best feature_ a complex cadre of characters_ to a series of pop psychology one-liners. Her fans expect better. The Hostage Bride By Jane Feather (Bantam - June 98, $7.99) Don't let the bodice-ripper title scare you off. This first installment in Feather's Brides Trilogy is a salute to Robin Hood and an intrepid heroine. The series' premise is an unlikely pact against marriage between three oddball young girls in 17th century Yorkshire. The Hostage Bride is the story of the aspiring soldier, Portia Worth, mistakenly abducted by outlaw, Rufus Decatur. Rufus is the outcast Lord Rothbury, a leader of men who does all his own cooking while fighting to regain his inheritance and helping the local peasants. What woman could resist that? Certainly not Portia, who is torn between loyalty to her family and Rufus. The Hostage Bride is up to Feather's steamy standards and whets the appetite for next year's Bride. Shades of Gray By Vicki Hinze (St. Martin's Paperbacks- July 98, $7.99) An attempt to be both a suspense thriller and romance, Shades of Gray sparkled with potential that sometimes went flat. First the good news: a unique plot. Laura Taylor and Jake Logan were friends for many years before falling in love. There is none of the typical unrequited love. There is a marriage of convenience handled so well it didn't even seem hokey. The domestic terrorism mystery was surprisingly mysterious. Despite the military jargon the writing was tight. Bad news? This book was too preachy about the importance of the military. The metaphor shades of gray was overused and misused. The characters have no development, Betsy and Alice are awkwardly stuck in to act as babysitters. Laura, a special operations expert idiotically puts her child in the unguarded home of an elderly man to be protected from terrorists. The problems and biases depicted due to absentee parents may strike a responsive chord in real military families. Still, this so-so thriller could have been a great romance if it had more explanation of Laura's history. Laura's character remained a mystery. Fast-paced, but emotionally shallow. The Bad Luck Wedding Cake By Geralyn Dawson (Pocket Books - August 98, $8.50) If you read The Bad Luck Wedding Dress last year, this sequel is a cute follow-up. Otherwise give it a pass. The plot is contrived and there isn't much originality despite the catchy title. Don't count her out though. Dawson can deliver, just didn't this time.
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