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STRANDED WITH A TEMPTING STRANGER - Brenda Jackson Silhouette/Desire January 2008 |
SYNOPSIS: Cutthroat litigator Brandon Washington wasn't used to being ignored. So when Cassie Garrison—the newly discovered half sister of his firm's biggest client— refused his repeated attempts at contact, he set out to teach the elusive heiress a lesson.
SERIES ROMANCE |4| Jennifer Brathwaite
REVIEW:
Never assume; life can bring vivacity,
joy and healing when you least expect it and from sources you may never
have predicted, but when you assume, you may miss the gifts life is
trying to give you.
As a favour to a client and
friend, attorney Brandon Washington flies down to a resort hotel formally owned
the client’s father who recently passed away and which he left to a daughter no
one knew existed. Tasked with the
job of finding out more about this reclusive new sibling – Cassie Garrison –
Brandon takes on an assumed identity and checks into the hotel.
What he finds when he meets Cassie however surprises him; not only
because of how different she is than he expected her to be, but by his
attraction to her as well.
The book’s pace is fine but
isn’t really utilized enough to be considered an element of the story.
In addition, while all of the characters in the book are well-written,
with Mrs. Jackson’s typical skill and talent, for some readers it will be
difficult to support or to become emotionally invested in some of them, given
the foundation of which their relationships with each other came to be.
The island setting of the
Bahamas is lovely; sensual and exotic it enhances the story and sets the tone
for Cassie and Brandon’s romance.
Further, it does its job in showing the different worlds Cassie and Brandon are
from. Moreover, geographically it
is symbolic of the chasm between Cassie and her “family” in America; namely the
siblings whom she has never met.
Like with the pace of the
novel, the dialogue of STRANDED WITH A TEMPTING STRANGER is good but not a major
part of the story. Dialogue is best
used as Brandon and Cassie grow closer, during that time their talk becomes more
intimate, showing their increasing fondness and familiarity with one another.
Likewise, the conversations between Brandon and Parker Garrison – Cassie
brother, under who’s urging Brandon went to the Bahamas in the first place – is
a demonstration of the trust and friendship that exists between the two men.
All told Mrs. Jackson has
written the kind of interesting, sexy romance novel that is customary with her.
Personally, it was difficult to let go and really enjoy the book, given
that the actions of Cassie’s father seemed extremely distasteful (to say the
least); as was everyone’s seeming acceptance of it.
Perhaps those with a more, cosmopolitan, view of marriage and adultery
might enjoy the story more. That
being said, as previously stated, the book is well written and while it is worth
a read, it wouldn’t be one that would be qualified as a ‘must buy’.
reviewer@romanceincolor.com | 10th February 2008