|
A VERY SPECIAL LOVE Sims/Wright/Perrin Arabesque May 2000 (4) Melanie Schuster |
Contemporary Romance |
|
PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
|
|
REVIEW: |
|
|
I
am a big fan of the special Holiday Anthologies that Arabesque presents and this
one is no exception. Their annual
paean to Mother’s Day is very aptly named A Special Love, and it contains
three short novels all centered around the theme of love and motherhood, always
a great combination. The
first is an outstanding tale of family devotion crafted by the sure hand of
Janice Sims. "The
Keys to My Heart" (5) is set in her home state on the road to Damascus.
That would be Damascus, Florida, and not the one of biblical fame.
Nurse Kiana Everett is still reeling from the deaths of her sister and
brother-in-law when she gets even more disquieting news; her beloved niece’s
uncle is her legal guardian and plans to take little Courtney away from the only
family she knows. Gabriel
Merrick isn’t sure that he knows how to be a part of a family, but to accede
to his late brother’s wishes, he is prepared to take Courtney back to
Connecticut to live. That is, until
he encounters his own personal miracle on the road to Damascus and falls in love
with Kiana and her entire family. This is a heartwarming story; made rich with some delightful secondary characters and a frank sensuality that will make you yearn and smile at the same time. One of the things I enjoy about Ms Sims writing is her ability to always go for the road less taken and create something new and fresh in the world of romance. The custody angle is not an uncommon motif, but what Ms Sims does with it is worth more than 5 stars. Another winner! "Mother's
Love" (2) by Courtni Wright reads in an uncomfortable way like an autobiographical
statement. It is the story of a
woman who assures herself over and over that she has a perfect life with a
perfect husband and son, yet she is compelled to mope endlessly over the fact
that they are away from her side on Mother’s Day.
If they had forgotten the holiday her attitude would seem justified, but
she received phone calls and presents in the very beginning of the story. Yet, we are treated to an hour
by hour account of her long, lonely day in which she recounts every single
incident of her courtship, marriage and motherhood.
All of this mental exercise leads to a rather predictable ending, which
left me wondering what the purpose of the story was. Kayla Perrin’s "Maternal
Instincts" (4) is the story of a young widow, Lexy Sinclair, whose 10-year-old
daughter is not only a handful, but also a very skilled matchmaker.
Lexy’s whole life centers around Shauna, but even Shauna knows that is
not enough for her young, beautiful mother. When circumstances arise that bring an old flame, Marcel Kennedy, back into her life, Lexy is prepared to take the easy way out and keep Marcel at arm’s length. Something about Marcel, however, demands that Lexy take a long look at herself, her relationship with Shauna and what she wants out of life. Books about second chances at love always have a soft spot in my heart, and this one found a place. Ms Perrin is never afraid to grab a situation with both hands and give it a good shake, and this is just what happens in Maternal Instinct. There are a couple of plot twists that are rather daring for a short novel, and the story is the richer for it. When Lexy reaches deep inside for the courage to go after what she wants, you will be right there with her. I know I was! |
|
|
1st May 2000 |
|
