Dinah McCall - Candace McCarthy
McCall, Dinah - CHASE THE MOON (Harper - 1997) (Highly Recommended)
Jake Baretta is at Elijah Moon's camp to complete the job his twin, John, was doing when he was killed...and to avenge his death. Gracie Moon is at the camp fulfilling a promise to her dead mother to take care of her father, Elijah. Both are caught in the middle of Elijah's religious fanaticism and her brother's anti-government activities. Jake and Gracie's story, for me, was a believable one. McCall deftly avoided the cliches of THE misunderstanding, the separation of the hero and heroine, etc. A compelling, one-sitting read. ~Beth C. (elizabeth_coogan@brown.edu)
McCall, Dinah - CHASE THE MOON (Harper - 1997) (3+)
I enjoyed this book, but I didn't think it had the same level of intensity as her other books. It's about a government agent who infiltrates a religious group, which is a cover for a militia organization. The hero's brother was killed while on a similar mission and he is determined to find his murderer. He meets the daughter of the cult's head and finds himself torn between his duty and his desire to protect a woman he knows is innocent. I don't think McCall did a completely satisfactory job in uncovering the mentality of the anti-government fanatics, and that detracted from the suspense aspect; however, the romance was great. ~Jean M. (huntermason@earthlink.net)
McCall, Dinah - CHASE THE MOON (Harper - 1997) (4)
CHASE THE MOON is above all a love story—about the beautiful love that grew between Jake and Gracie; the unique love shared by Jake and his identical twin, John; the familial love bonding both Jake and Gracie with their respective families; and the love shared by friends. It was not as intense as some other McCall stories, but it was fast-paced and a very compelling read. McCall has a real gift for characterization and this book was no exception. CHASE THE MOON definitely goes on my list of favorite reads for 1997. ~Mona M. (monamont@3rivers.net)
McCarthy, Candace - WILD INNOCENCE (Zebra - 10/99) (4)
Setting: Wisconsin, 1838
Rachel Dempsey walks down the aisle in Baltimore, Maryland only to discover that her intended groom, Jordan Sinclair, has run
off with an older and richer woman. Humiliated and vowing never to give her heart to another man, she decides to start a new
life and join her doctor father and older sister in the
Wisconsin Territory. Once united with her family, however, Rachel finds that things have changed. Her sister, Amelia, has married and is expecting a child, and her new brother-in-law, Daniel, is unexplainably antagonistic towards her. Rachel's father is also unconvinced that his "social butterfly" daughter can buckle down to assist him in his medical practice.
Then Rachel meets Black-Hawk-Who-Hunts-At-Dawn, an Ojibwa war chief and good friend of her family. They are drawn together, despite each other's resolve not to get involved: Rachel because her heart has not healed from her fiancé's deception; and Black Hawk because he is intent on avenging the torture and murder of his father at the hands of a renegade Sioux warrior, which he witnessed as a young boy. Also, both realize they are from different worlds. When Rachel is desired by another Sioux warrior and she is in need of protection, she lives in Black Hawk's village temporarily, where she learns to love his people and the Ojibwa ways. They consummate their love for each other, but neither is quite ready to let go of the past. Black Hawk must seek justice for his father's murderer and heal this childhood pain, and Rachel must resolve her feelings for her fiancé—especially when he shows up on her doorstep wanting her back.
WILD INNOCENCE is the sequel to Candace McCarthy's earlier novel, SWEET POSSESSION, which is the story of Rachel's sister, Amelia, and Daniel Trahern. Readers will welcome a return visit with these characters as the younger sister's story unfolds, and they will especially enjoy Rachel's transformation from Baltimore socialite to capable frontier woman. WILD INNOCENCE is a sensual romance that gives readers a fascinating look into the Ojibwa culture. I highly recommend it. ~Debora Hosey for Bookbug on the Web
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