Contemporary Romance

UNTIL THE END OF TIME

Melanie Schuster

BET/Arabesque

1-58314-363-7

March 2003

(2+) Debra Ross

PLOT SYNOPSIS: 

Tormented by Andrew Cochran years after he accidentally saw her in her birthday suit, Renee Kemp has been endlessly annoyed by him. When she sees Andrew in a new light, Renee must face the past to free herself for a love that will last a lifetime.

REVIEW: 

Rene Kemp is a successful yet selfish businesswoman.  She dates older men exclusively - investing nothing into a relationship, yet taking all that she can from her numerous admirers. “I am the prize” is her daily affirmation, and she has built an impenetrable wall around her heart.  Andrew Cochran is a dedicated surgeon who has known Rene for years and he teases her relentlessly about her choice of escorts.  His teasing however is really a cover up for the attraction he has had for her since the moment he first saw her.

As the story progresses, we learn the reasons behind Rene’s cool façade.  A troubled childhood and a traumatic adult experience have left her hurt, angry and cautious.  As those around her find love and happiness she begins to question the direction of her life and what it may or may not have is store for her.  UNTIL THE END OF TIME is Rene’s journey towards self-discovery, love and happiness.

Rene has so many issues, while Andrew is perfect. This imbalance is at times tiring.  Both Andrew and the reader must show an exuberant amount of patience as Rene faces her past in an effort to develop a honest relationship with Andrew.  So much time is devoted to Rene’s recovery that the romance aspect is somewhat overshadowed. It would have been nice to have Andrew be more of a part of her recovery instead of his just being a reason to recover.

I also had a problem with the fact that after 17 years Rene suddenly realizes what a great catch Andrew is. When they were 18 year old college freshmen, Andrew accidentally sees Rene naked, he’s had a crush of sorts on her ever since, while she wants nothing to do with him.  Seventeen years later Rene accidentally sees Andrew naked; now she wants to give love a try.  The superficial premise behind these two getting together leaves much to be desired.

UNTIL THE END OF TIME is the sequel to Ms. Schuster’s first novel LUCKY IN LOVE. Despite the minor flaws in the debut novel, I was impressed by her writing style and looked forward to the sequel.  However, her second offering misses the mark. The severity of Rene’s issues and the detailed length she takes to resolve them result in a story that is too long. Conflict and drama are important aspects of a romance novel, but a heavy dose of therapy can put a damper on the “happily ever after” format. 

I still see the potential in Ms. Schuster’s work. I would however like to see her “lighten up” her conflict resolution methods, or at least shorten their length. “Wait For Love”, her novella in the anthology CANDLELIGHT AND YOU is a better representation of her work.