Ann Josephson - Julia Justiss
Josephson, Ann - COMING HOME (Bouquet Romance - 2/00) (4)
Knowing something is missing from his life, Jared Cain returns
to the cabin in northeast Georgia where he spent his youth, only to find nothing left but a pile of rubble. He comes across a piece of patchwork cloth—most likely a scrap from a quilt that his mother had worked on while she was alive. Jared takes the cloth to Althea Simmons, the owner of a local craft and quilting shop, and asks her to create a quilt using the same pattern.
Jared is immediately drawn to Althea and he invites her to his home for dinner, planning to show her the room where the quilt will be used. Althea is attracted to Jared as well, and she agrees to have dinner with him; but she still mourns the loss of her childhood sweetheart, Bill, a deputy sheriff who was killed in the line of duty. Bill had convinced her that they should wait until their wedding night to consummate their love—a decision she has regretted for the past year. Althea knows that Bill would have wanted her to find someone else, but she can't risk falling in love and being hurt again. However, Jared appears to be so lonely and he seems to need her. As the relationship between them heats up, both try to deny the love they feel, and the townspeople and Althea's brother make it difficult for them to carry on their love affair.
COMING HOME, Ann Josephson's second book for the Bouquet line is a heartwarming and sizzling romance set against a country backdrop. The two main characters are marvelous, and readers will easily relate to them because they are so realistically depicted. Jared is a caring, sentimental man whose generosity gets him into trouble, while Althea is an independent woman who is determined not be hurt by love again. Snuggle up in your favorite easy chair and enjoy this homey, sensual contemporary. ~Sharon Laird for Bookbug on the Web
Josephson, Ann - ENDURING LOVE (Zebra Bouquet - 1999) (4)
Brand Carendon, born into a wealthy, influential family, and
Dani Murdock, who grew up on the wrong side of town, fell in
love when they were teenagers. They eloped after they
discovered Dani was pregnant, but Brand's mother sent Dani away by telling her Brand didn't want the baby. She fled, leaving a good-bye note behind.
Twelve years later, pro-football quarterback Brand Carendon is confronted by a young boy, Dave Murdock, at preseason training camp. Dave asks the football star if he happens to know his father because his birth certificate states they share the same last name. Brand puts two and two together and seeks out Dani before giving the boy an answer. Having been led to believe she had an abortion years ago, he is elated to discover he has a son, but he is also livid because Dani never notified him.
Brand and Dani begin to see each other again and soon realize the sexual attraction is still there. To protect Dave when the press gets wind of the celebrity's "secret son," they decide to remarry; but with the agreement that the marriage will be one of convenience, not a love match. Can Dani and Brand finally find true happiness and an ENDURING LOVE, despite all the misunderstandings and small-town prejudice?
ENDURING LOVE is the sixth book in Zebra's new category line, Bouquet, and if this book is any indication, the line is off to a great start. The strong point of this sizzling contemporary romance is the characterization of the hero and heroine. Brand Carendon is a hero to die for; he's caring, determined, understanding, honorable—and handsome, too. Because of her rough childhood, Dani is short on self-esteem and self-confidence, but Brand brings out the best in her. The secondary characters, the hero's teammates and the town's cronies, add greatly to this tried-and-true plot. Ann Josephson (a.k.a. Sara Jarrod) treats readers to a fast, very satisfying second-chance-at-love story! ~Sharon Laird for Bookbug on the Web
Justiss, Julia - WEDDING GAMBLE, THE (Harl. Hist. - 1999) (3+)
Setting: Regency London
Sarah Wellingford, left destitute after the death of her gaming father, needs to provide for her mother and siblings and pay off the past-due mortgage on the estate. Hoping to find a rich lord to marry, she obtains a London season by assisting her quick-tempered, immature friend Clarissa. When Clarissa ends her betrothal to Nicholas Stanhope, the Earl of Englemere, he proposes a marriage of convenience to Sarah. Terrified of having to marry another—an evil lord who has already tortured her—Sarah willingly accepts Nicholas' offer. But how will she cope with her feelings about his mistress, and how will Nicholas react when Sarah's champion returns to marry her?
What follows, as their relationship develops and they come up against a corrupt villain, will keep you reading with interest. Sarah is a very strong female and she endures many trials without breaking. Nicholas is a tender, romantic protagonist who has been burned by love, but he falls under his wife's spell as his protective instincts take charge.
Julia Justiss not only writes some steamy, passionate scenes, she also has more than one hero in store. THE WEDDING GAMBLE is an exciting debut, but for such a strong-willed, outspoken heroine, it takes Sarah a long time to conquer her fears and admit her true feelings. Although the climax of the story seemed rushed, this is an enjoyable Regency romance filled with adventure and passion. ~Carol Carter for Bookbug on the Web
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