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ISLAND MAGIC Bette Ford BET/Arabesque July 2000 (4) Nathasha Brooks-Harris |
Contemporary Romance |
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PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
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REVIEW: |
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Cassandra
Mosley is a good-looking chef who co-owns a burgeoning bed and breakfast with
her sister, Sarah. She is perfectly content with her life in Oakland,
California. She also loves being around her family and greatly enjoys their
company. Gordan
Kramer is based in Atlanta, Georgia and is the owner of
Kramer House, a successful worldwide chain of resorts. Before the book
opens, they had been a couple managing a long distance relationship for five
years. However, Cassy wanted more so she brought up the subject of marriage to
Gordan. The divorced father of one teenage son wanted no part of that formal a
commitment, so instead, he gave her a pair of earrings and asked her to live
with him. Cassy, then 39 years old, wanted the same thing as her sister who had
recently gotten married and had given birth to a beautiful son. Cassy was
furious when Gordan dared to propose an arrangement other than marriage, so she
argued with him and called off their relationship. She ended her visit with him
in Atlanta and returned to California.
ISLAND
MAGIC
opens
with Cassy taking a vacation to Martinique courtesy of her sister and
brother-in-law--a thank you gift for taking care of the bed and breakfast while
Sarah was bedridden during her difficult pregnancy.
Ironically, Gordan not only owns the resort where she’s staying, it’s
also where they met! Memories flood Cassy’s mind and Gordan soon begins to try
to find her so he can win her back. But it isn’t as easy as he thinks because
he can’t forget his bad marriage to his ex-wife and give Cassy the commitment
she so desperately wants. They both want what they want and don’t compromise
themselves in order to get it. This
novel is a realistic look at today’s romantic relationships. There are so many
obstacles in their way that they must overcome in order to get together and have
a meaningful union. At times, Gordan thinks that sex will be the glue needed to
mend their problems, but Cassy quickly puts him in check. Their relationship
mirrors what many couples are facing in terms of dealing with long distance love
and compromising to make it work. The
characters are nothing short of wonderful. Cassy is drawn as a strong,
independent woman who speaks her mind no matter what. She isn’t written as a
whiny n’er-do-well who depends on her wealthy man. Gordan is depicted as a
successful entrepreneur who does well in business, but has a lot of learning to
do in the love and romance department. Perhaps
the nicest part of this novel is that a lot of attention is paid to Cassy’s
relationship with her sister and nephew. Very rarely do we see heroines in
romance novels who have such a strong bond with anyone other than the hero.
This, in and of itself, is a welcome change because the focus is channeled to
that relationship which is refreshing because readers will know that although
Cassy is clearly crazy about Gordan, she has a strong support system to which
she can run no matter how their relationship unfolds. She is happy within
herself and doesn’t need Gordan to define who she is or to validate her. ISLAND MAGIC is a definite keeper. It’s a romance novel, but one of a different breed than what most readers are used to. Cassy is a strong, all or nothing kind of woman. She’s not the type to settle for just anything for the sake of having a man as many women are so prone to do. This book will teach readers some important lessons about setting a goal and achieving it. ISLAND MAGIC is well-crafted and reads more like women’s fiction than romance because the subplots are so well fleshed out. This book won’t disappoint. This reviewer’s recommendation is to run out and get it today. Grab a blanket, head to the beach and read it from cover to cover! |
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2002 |
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