Judy Gill - Kathleen Givens - Jane Goodger
Gill, Judy - SEEKERS OF THE DAWN (E-book; New Concepts - 5/99) (3)
When Jasmine Fenwick gave up her daughter at birth, she did so believing the child was going to a happy, loving home. Now, almost thirteen years later, she is contacted by Greer Reeman, the woman who had adopted the baby (along with her husband, Ed). The Reemans are now divorced and the ex-wife tells Jasmine that her daughter, Rachel, is unhappy and living in a possibly violent home with her adopted father. In order to investigate, Jasmine
rents a cabin near Ed Reeman's residence, and it is there that she meets "Tony."
Ed has borrowed his gardener's overalls and is masquerading as "Tony" so he can meet the attractive woman living in his uncle's cabin and, hopefully, discover who she is and what she wants. He practices caution, believing the woman may be Rachel's birth mother. After Greer's threats concerning Jasmine, Ed is determined to protect his daughter, so he sends the twelve-year-old girl to her grandmother's home for an extended visit.
SEEKERS OF THE DAWN is a gripping tale that holds your attention and touches your heart. When Ed allows Jasmine to know him only as Tony, he doesn't realize he is setting himself up for hurt when she discovers the truth. After all, he doesn't expect to fall in love with her. Keep a tissue handy while you read this book, especially during the last few chapters. Rachel will steal your heart as she did mine. ~Pat Cavender for Bookbug on the Web
Givens, Kathleen - KILGANNON (Dell - 10/99) (5)
Setting: Scottish Highlands, 1712
KILGANNON is a story of love, war, and one woman's quest for happiness. This novel will not only satisfy romance fans, it will also appeal to readers who enjoy history, drama, adventure, and suspense.
Mary Lowell is bored with the London season and wants more out of life than finding an English lord. She craves adventure and wants to be swept off her feet. Then, in walks a gorgeous, sensuous man wearing a kilt and a beautiful smile, and every eye is on this Scottish Chieftain they call a barbarian. His name is Alex MacGannon, Earl of Kilgannon. Alex strolls into Mary's life and steals her heart, but before he will marry her, he wants her to think long and hard about all she will be giving up to move to Scotland.
There is a traitor among the Kilgannon clan who wants Alex out of the picture altogether. One of his ships is missing he has been poisoned, and Mary fears for her husband's safety. There is talk about a rebellion, and even though Alex doesn't approve of James Stewart, he must choose sides. With the forceful persuasions of his Scottish neighbors and his brother Malcolm, he must unite with Scotland and go to war against his wife's country. And as Scotland is torn by the rebellion, Mary will find both love and danger in the Highlands she now calls home.
Once I started this remarkable book, I could not put it down. Alex and Mary became a part of my life and I didn't want their story to end. As luck would have it, their story will continue in THE WILD ROSE OF KILGANNON. KILGANNON is a gripping and passionate love story with unwavering compassion that will grab you and have you begging for more. Alex will steal your heart just as he did Mary's. I hope to see more books by this wonderfully talented author! ~Paula P. (Luv2ReadRomance@webtv.net)
Goodger, Jane - DANCING WITH SIN (Topaz - 1998) (4)
This smoothly written story has sympathetic main characters, an absorbing and suspenseful plot, and an interesting setting—late 19th-century New England (Springfield, Massachusetts). Thank goodness for an American historical that is NOT another frontier/pioneer or Native American western romance, or Civil War-era southern romance, or small-town Americana romance. Given my pleasure in the setting, as well as the author's fine storytelling abilities and the engrossing plot, I found it a pity that Goodger didn't spend just a bit more time developing the book's details. There was a certain flimsiness—for example, the book ultimately seemed to cop out on its examination of religious repression, and the sketchiness of the legal and criminal justice details made them less believable than they could have been. Also, the behavior of the initially interesting villains eventually dwindled to caricature. Still, I found DANCING WITH SIN to be one of the better romances I've read in some time, and I plan to watch for this author's future works. ~Elena P
Goodger, Jane - DANCING WITH SIN (Topaz - 1998) (2+)
This historical, set in Massachusetts, is very different from most of the historicals I read. The couple, Rose and Luke, are already married when the book opens. Rose was brought up by a strict, almost fanatically religious woman who emotionally and physically wounded both of her daughters. She was never allowed to enjoy the simple everyday pleasures that most children do, like swimming or playing with a dollhouse. Rose married Luke, an assistant prosecutor with a promising career, because he was "acceptable" to both her and her mother. She and Luke barely know each other though—they are basically two strangers living under the same roof who occasionally share the same bed. When Rose is befriended by a vivacious new neighbor, Collette Taylor, she is opened up to a new world of fun. Rose begins to enjoy life for the first time; however, she also begins to question her relationship with Luke when she sees how affectionate Collette and her husband are towards each other. But the Taylors have ulterior motives for suddenly befriending the naive Rose. They plan to set her up in order to destroy Luke. Rose and Luke's budding love is put to the test by betrayal, scandal, lies, and too many words left unsaid.
There is a lot going on in this book: the hero's painful childhood, the heroine's tortured past and her realistic relationship with her mother, her sister's marriage to a nasty man (while secretly in love with another), a woman's struggle to break the bonds placed on her by society, and then there's the scandal and the courtroom drama—all leaving little time for the growing romance between the hero and heroine. I got to know Rose very well—this is really her story; but I never felt like I knew Luke, and because of this I never grew to care much for him. Rose is a very naive woman, which I understood because of her crazy upbringing, and even though she made me want to scream more than a few times, I did sympathize with her struggle to please everyone and herself. I finished this book in less than a day. It was intriguing and easy to read, and the heroine had faults and a "realness" to her because of them. The story was emotional, but infuriating at times because the heroine kept too many secrets from the hero. If you enjoy intrigue and/or family dramas, you'll probably love this story. Books that concentrate on "pure romance" tend to be my favorites, so I can't wholeheartedly recommend DANCING WITH SIN, but that's just my taste. ~Laurie S. (shallah@empire.net)
Goodger, Jane - DANCING WITH SIN (Topaz - 1998) (4)
Shy, naive Rose is married to the handsome assistant attorney general, Luke Beaudette, but they have a very sedate marriage. When she meets a fun-loving young woman named Collette Taylor
and her husband, John, they become fast friends...adding some excitement to her life. When Luke meets the Taylors over dinner, he doesn't like them very much, but he doesn't object to their friendship because they seem to make his wife happy.
Although Collette and John appear to be a nice couple and they really like Rose, they are actually using her to ruin the assistant attorney general. Luke was responsible for putting John's father in prison, and John is very bitter and angry about it. The Taylors set up Rose in situations to compromise her, and in the end she is accused of murder. Rose is confused and hurt when her friends turn their backs on her, not realizing their deceit. She is even more hurt when it seems Luke has also turned away from her, but she knows he is the only one who can save her.
This is a riveting tale of the perfect set-up, which forces the hero and heroine to look within themselves as they deal with the nightmarish situation at hand. Luke and Rose show us the meaning of true love and the need to stay strong even when the odds are against us. Ms. Goodger's DANCING WITH SIN is a seductive blend of romance and intrigue, which will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. ~Robin Peek for Bookbug on the Web
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