Patti Berg
Berg, Patti - LOOKING FOR A HERO (Avon - 1998)
(Very Highly Recommended)
This book could be called "Casey's Pirate." Casey is the young daughter of widowed Kate Cameron, and the pirate is Morgan "Black Heart" Farrell. Morgan, a gentleman who became a pirate to avenge the death of his parents and younger sister, disappeared with his ship in 1702. Kate and Casey meet him when they are temporarily stranded on a Caribbean Island after their sailboat runs aground in a storm.
Morgan thinks he has come home to his island and his fortress with all of its antiques, velvets and gold, but what he finds is everything in ruins. When he spies Kate and Casey playing on the beach, he can't believe Kate's attire. She is wearing a modern-day bathing suit, and he is secretly scandalized and enchanted at the same time. The pirate still has no inkling that he has traveled forward in time. He refloats the sailboat for Kate and asks her to take him to St. Augustine, which she reluctantly agrees to do. Casey, on the other hand, has no reservations about Morgan—she falls in love with him immediately.
When they reach St. Augustine, Morgan can't believe his eyes—so much has changed. He finds out that he is no longer in 1702, but 1998. Again, Kate reluctantly allows him to stay with her until he can find a way to return "home." Little do they know that the man responsible for the death of Morgan's family, Thomas Low, has also traveled forward in time. A pirate is spotted in town and murders begin to happen, making it seem as though Morgan is responsible. Meanwhile, Morgan's ship shows up in the St. Augustine harbor. He steals aboard to take some of his own booty, jewels and gold doubloons, then visits a coin dealer to have them converted to modern currency. When the coin dealer is later found murdered, Morgan is implicated, at least in Kate's mind.
The cover of the book might suggest a rollicking good, funny read, but LOOKING FOR A HERO is anything but. Although it does have some light moments, this is a complex, serious love story. Morgan's interaction with the children at Kate's day-care school is warm and wonderful, as is his interaction with Casey. And when the villain gets what he deserves, the reader wants to cheer. The ending and the epilogue are also very satisfying. All in all, LOOKING FOR A HERO is a very fast, somewhat suspenseful, entertaining time-travel romance. ~Beth C. (Elizabeth_Coogan@brown.edu)
Berg, Patti - LOOKING FOR A HERO (Avon - 1998) (4)
Morgan "Black Heart" Farrell's last coherent thought as he struggled to keep his ship afloat was that he was finally going to die. Battling a deadly storm that dark night in 1702 was bad enough, but when he also found himself fighting a bitter duel with his sworn enemy, Thomas Low, Morgan knew all was probably
lost. The last vision he had, before the lightening bolt struck his sword, was the look of utter fury on Low's face as they fought across the lurching deck of the ship. Later, when Morgan awoke to a beautiful sunny day on his own island retreat, he was at first relieved...and then shocked. How did he arrive here,
and why was everything in ruins around him? Even more puzzling, where did the beautiful little girl and her scantily-clad mother come from?!
Kate Cameron had taken her daughter Casey out for a sail that day, in search of some inner peace. It had been two years since her husband's death and the sorrow and loneliness still haunted her. What Kate never expected to find on this little excursion was a dazed and injured man—a man who talked like an actor in a B-grade movie and seemed to be in need of a huge reality check. It was obvious that the handsome man, dressed like a pirate, delighted young Casey, but Kate's reaction was far more skeptical. Who was this guy?—a talented actor who couldn't shed his swashbuckler persona, or a certifiable lunatic who might take it into his head to do them both bodily harm?! Anything was possible...and she was going to be very careful around this man, even though, oddly enough, she also found him strangely charismatic and vulnerable.
When the facts of the matter sorted themselves out, Kate and Morgan began to realize they'd been given a second chance to find happiness...together. But a threat from Morgan's past catches up with them, which has the potential to ruin everything. Would death finally claim the pirate "Black Heart" and end any hope for his redemption?
LOOKING FOR A HERO is filled to overflowing with clever dialogue and well-defined, charismatic characters. If the conventions that allowed for a pirate's travel to the 20th-century were at times a bit trite and unbelievable, they can be easily overlooked by the reader looking for a truly romantic hero and a beautiful love story. Morgan was immensely satisfying in the role of hero, and even when his tragic past intruded, he could be counted on to give Kate exactly what she needed in terms of intimacy and security. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to readers who want to escape to a thrilling and romantic fantasy land. ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
Berg, Patti - WIFE FOR A DAY (Avon - 8/99) (4)
Exhausted from working too many hours, Samantha Jones is fired from her tailoring position for napping on the job. She's broke, desperate, and dangerously in debt to a loan shark for money spent on her mother's hospitalization, funeral and burial. Before Sam leaves Mr. Antonio's For Men Shop, she answers a
phone call from the concierge of the Palm Beach Breakers Hotel, who needs a tux for a wealthy guest. She "borrows" a sewing machine and heads for the hotel, hoping to receive a big tip for her services. Upon her arrival, Sam is sent to the room of Jack Remington, a Wyoming rancher who also owns a successful chain of steakhouses. While waiting outside the door, she overhears Jack's phone conversation with his fiancée—who is
apparently ending their engagement.
Jack is absolutely livid! First, the airline lost his luggage and his tux, and now Arabella dumps him. In two hours, he needs to be at the engagement party of his sister Lauren, whom he dearly loves and doesn't want to disappoint; but she is looking forward to meeting his fiancée...and that is impossible now. Or is it? He glances over at Sam—would she be willing to spend the evening as his fiancée? Jack explains the situation to her, promising to furnish suitable clothing plus a big cash bonus if she'll masquerade as his wife-to-be. Sam doesn't like the idea of deceiving his sister, but the money is just too tempting to pass up, so she agrees. Although Jack is delighted to have her help, he is also peeved because she appears to be a money grabber just like all the other women in his life. But there is something about Samantha Jones that holds his attention, even after the evening is over and he returns to Wyoming. Luckily, circumstances soon dictate that they join forces again to continue the engagement deception.
WIFE FOR A DAY is a humorous, heartwarming romance with a classic plot line. The hero and heroine are likable and believable characters, who've both had unhappy past experiences that make them kindred souls. Jack, having lived with the tragedy of losing his first love and giving up custody of his infant son, has a lonely personal life despite all his financial success. He is searching for someone to love him for himself, not for his money. Sam, my favorite character in the book, is trying to cope with her homeless state and the loss of her unconventional mother. On the outside she is confident and hardworking, but on the inside, under all the bravado, is an insecure, lonely lady who's looking for a place to belong. I highly recommend WIFE FOR A DAY to readers who enjoy uplifting Cinderella stories laced with plenty of humor! ~Sharon Laird for Bookbug on the Web
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