TROPICAL HEAT - Louré Bussey
BET/Arabesque
September 2004
SYNOPSIS: When Jada Gracen has her heart broken, she flies to St. Thomas for a job interview, hoping for a fresh start. There, she discovers something even better--her childhood friend and longtime crush. Jada finally captures his attention--and his heart.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: (4+) Jennifer Brathwaite
REVIEW: Heat, heart and humour are the perfect ingredients for a romance novel and are expertly combined and delivered in Loure Bussey’s TROPICAL HEAT. Jada Gracen and Randall Larimore’s relationship and long-term happiness do not come easy but in their story the reader is shown that no matter what the obstacle, love will find a way and trust is the key to peace and bliss in a relationship.
In the book, Jada and Randall, childhood acquaintances, renew their association as Jada embarks on the beginning of her university career. Their relationship quickly turns romantic and Jada’s childhood crush blooms into a deep, true love. Before they are able to move their union on to a deeper level, however, an unforeseen personal tragedy pulls them apart. During their time of separation neither forgets the other. Thus, when they are unexpectedly reunited much later, those old feelings quickly bubble to the surface. Unfortunately, events that have taken place during their time apart have affected both Randall and Jada and are barriers in their journey to togetherness.
While reading TROPICAL HEAT, one is given time to really enjoy all the characters and the progression of Jada and Randall’s relationship. Nothing seems forced nor does the book move too slowly or too fast. The reader gets the chance to sit back and relish scenes and smile or laugh right our loud as the story enfolds.
Ms. Bussey does a superb job of creating characters that are full, well developed and intriguing, both lead and secondary alike. The reader comes to care not only about Jada and Randall but about Gus and Linc as well. They are drawn as real people, with faults and regrets. In addition, the interaction between the characters gives depth to the story and strengthens the book altogether.
The locations in the text are all great. St. Thomas as a whole and the villas themselves breathe an air of beauty and luxury into the story. The same goes for the city of Savannah. The settings all add sexiness to the book and at times almost become a visual representation of the beauty and purity of Jada and Randall’s love for one another. The book’s dialogue is natural and believable, such as Linc’s flirty lines.
All in all I loved TROPICAL HEAT. The story is an excellent mixture of humour and romance – never was the removal of a splinter so funny and sexy at the same time. All of the elements of storytelling are successfully put to use in a smart professional way. While one story line is a bit theatrical that is easily forgiven as it is appropriately worked into the rest of the text.
TROPICAL HEAT is an absolute buy!
jennifer@romanceincolor.com (1st September 2004)