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Trisha Terrence is used to cooking up special dishes, in fact she is a seasoned
gourmet chef at Carlotta’s Bed and Breakfast, nestled in up state
Pennsylvania. After years of study at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, Trisha’s life
long dream is just about to become a reality. As part owner and head chef,
her heart is filled with commitment to provide exquisite comfort and cuisine to
all her guests.
Things begin to bubble and threaten to boil over with the confession that her
business partner, Guy, is a compulsive gambler and has gambled away their
business because his gambling markers have been bought by an underworld
figure with a taste for revenge. Rommel, a greedy ruthless brother from
the
past, is out to teach Trisha that he can and will have title to her and all that
she possesses.
Kaliq Faulkner is as dedicated to his life long dream as Trisha is to hers. Upon
his arrival at Thisha’s inn, this renown former field journalist turned
falconer, ignites and fuels a different sort of heat that Trisha has to struggle
to keep down to a slow simmer. She watches as the valet assists
Kaliq in retrieving his sporty wheelchair from the back of his car. Yes,
her eyes travel the length of his immobile jean clad thighs, but they don’t
linger for long. Hungrily her gaze sweeps upward and over his broad
expansive chest and chiseled arms to rest upon his clean shaven head and
face. There is no denying the burn she feels within. Kaliq is very
fine brother.
RETURN TO LOVE is a soulful story of two very
accomplished people who are focused on fulfilling their lives' goals almost to
the point of losing what matters most. One moment you want to shake these
two and then the next you want to spirit them away to safety as the diabolical
Rommel literally, moves in for the kill.
Ms. Carlysle must be commended for her unique storyline. It is gutsy and
expansive of her to explore the realm of a romantic relationship to the point of
going into the mechanics and nuances of a sexual expression between an able
bodied woman and her disabled lover. The concept and the publication of
this story is inspiring, in that Kaliq’s physical limitations served to add
intrigue and depth, rather than to evoke any degree of sadness or pity
that might have detracted from the focus of the plot. Ms. Carlysle has
demonstrated her gift for creating characters with sobering constraints and then
infusing them with the will and good sense to move forward in their lives'
scenarios. Her story, “Brianna’s Garden,” from the A
MOTHER'S TOUCH anthology is another example of her ability to accomplish
this.
Although the storyline of RETURN TO LOVE is strong
and worthy, I did not find this to be a captivating read. It lacked depth
and development in key places. I found myself wishing more than once that
I could have more information or greater insight into Trisha’s personal
history to be able to substantiate some of her choices and bias as easily as I
could those of the supporting characters. Despite this hitch, I was well
satisfied with the ending of the story. Believe me, it is not your typical
wrap up. Enjoy!
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