Shay's mother marries Ian's father. They meet in the bathroom as Ian is stepping out of the shower. Shay is a nude model while Ian is a minister. She teases, taunts, and tempts him tenaciously. He keeps showing his ministerial side and proving Shay right. Eventually he acknowledges his feelings for Shay, and they begin seeing each other. When emotions are about to explode one night, Ian asks Shay to marry him. While life is good for a while, Shay takes a job and Ian blows up. Will they make their way back to each other or go their separate ways?

I enjoyed this story. Shay just keeps on getting under Ian's skin as he does hers. It was delightful to watch their differences make them more attracted to each other. Shay had her doubts about the two of them together, but it works until she takes the job. I understood Shay's reaction. They never talked about her job before they married. Ian was judgmental towards her job and, as a result, her. Shay is a good, generous person. She sees needs and finds ways to meet those needs. She does it without Ian telling her this is what a minister's wife does. She is spot on and able to step in when Ian is not there. I liked her a lot. Ian needed his behind kicked once or twice.

This book was written in 1983 when romances were getting hotter. The love scenes did not end at the bedroom door but instead went into the bedroom. The language was getting away from euphemisms. This is a book that goes from the tame stories of the early 1970's and back to the more realistic books of today. This is part of the history of the changes of romance novels. The story is as contemporary as anything today, but it shows the evolution of romance novels. A choice read!

@Archaeolibrary, @RebeccaRohman1, #Contemporary, #Romance, #Suspense

Thirty years ago, as teenagers, lawyer, Bobby McLean and travel writer, Sicora Clarke shared an intense love affair and had a happy future planned. But when Sicora ended it with no explanation and Bobby never heard from her again, it devastated him.

Today, one marriage and one horrific tragedy later, Bobby returns to his island home of Saint Lucia to help him reset before a fresh start in San Francisco.

Sicora Clarke intends to be in and out of her birthplace quickly. When she unexpectedly runs into Bobby McLean in the most dubious circumstances, it resurrects issues that she had buried decades ago, issues that rocked her entire world—issues that tore them apart.

When Sicora returns to life on the US east coast and Bobby on the west, neither can forget the plans they made and the passionate life and love they used to share. But with the geographical distance between them and a world of secrets, conflicts and dangers amid them, it widens the gap physically—but not necessarily in their hearts.

With Sicora’s life now threatened, could a rekindled love be the only way for them to make it out alive or was this reunion doomed from the start…

My reviews are honest & they contain spoilers. For more, visit:

3.5 stars. This rating and review is ONLY for “Mrs. Sartin’s Secretary” by Wendy LaCapra. If I read the other stories later, I’ll try to review them. Of course, the rating may change too.
****

Mrs. Sartin’s Secretary by Wendy LaCapra

When I read book 1 of Wendy LaCapra’s Lords of Chance series titled Scandal in Spades last year, I was blown away not only by Wendy’s beautiful writing but also the story and its protagonists. The H and h shared amazing chemistry that was palpable right from the moment they met. It was a straight winner so I was eagerly waiting for book 2...which turned out to be Heart’s Desire.

While I waited, I heard about Wendy writing a short story in between these two books, somehow connecting to book 2 through its hero, Lord Markham or Heart. But why is Markham called ‘Heart’? I talked about it a bit more elaborately in my review of book 1. In a nutshell, the other heroes of this series formed a group of sort where Markham joins later, and they called each other by sobriquets taken from the cards. The hero of book 1, the Marquess of Bromton Giles went by as Spades. Two of his close friends that will have the next books in the series, Lord Farring and Lord Rayne, are known as Club and Diamond. In that order.

In book 1 I had the hint that Markham, the youngest of them all, was a bit of a rake, hence he was the Hearts. It was said that he never left his lovers wanting. Just how much of a rake, you get a glimpse of it in this really short story here. From the beginning though, I had issues. I had a difficult time connecting this story with the series. For one, Mrs. Sartin or her secretary, the two protagonists were never even introduced in book 1 so I had no earthly idea who they were and why they even had a story to begin with?! Well apart from the fact that it becomes clear very early on that Mrs. Sartin is Markham’s lover. (note here that Mrs. Sartin may well have been briefly introduced in book 1 but I don’t remember her at all so my point stands)

In the end though, Wendy’s note explains that we’ll be seeing more of Mrs. Sartin in Markham’s book, Heart’s Desire. She wanted the lonely widow to have a story so she gave her one.

Fair enough.

Life broke her heart. Can the sands of time and the winds of fate put the pieces back together again, with a little help from love? Kincaid is not afraid to get the emotions dirty. She hits at the weakest point of the heart, in order to get a reaction. Callie's Second Chance for Love, reads like a balm for the soul. There will be bumps and bruises, but there will also be moments of joy and laughter. Healing does not mean we forget the pain of the past, it means we cherish the memories, learn from the heartache and don't lose ourselves in the process. A poignant look at a new beginning.

Sometimes a person has to wander through the dark in order to find a ray of light. Blinded feels like that. I felt caught in a maze with no clue how to find my way out. For Joey and Mara pain breathes deep within their hearts. Tragedy has brought them to a crossroads that is littered with danger, destined for heartache and perhaps pointing toward a second chance. The twists are endless, the danger is near, but love casts a shadow that encompasses it all.