JUDITH MCNAUGHT

|| Remember When || Double Exposure ||

Last review(s) added 10/30/97

Rated 4.0
ISBN# 0-671-79555-4
Copyright 1996
Pocket Books
Reviewed 9/23/97 by Pam

A long wait was in store for me until the paperback version of "Remember When" became available. I enjoyed "Double Exposure" very much and that only added to my anxiousness to get my hands on "RW." I had heard some negativity regarding McNaught's newest novel, but that did not deter me from feelings of heightened anticipation.

It was an enjoyable story. I can't say that I was jumping up and down to finish it and I didn't have too much trouble putting it away for later, but in-a-nutshell it was very good. I found it to be well written and the characters were delightful.

Diana Foster handles the administrative end of the family's "Beautiful Living" magazine. Discovering her fiancé on the cover of a tabloid magazine with his newly acquired bride, Diana is devastated and hurt.

Cole Harrison is given an ultimatum by his uncle: Get married and raise some kids or lose the shares of the company to cousin Travis. Cole cannot believe his crusty old uncle is bribing him in this fashion.

Cole and Diana bump into each other at a ball. Cole comes up with the perfect plan to assist them both. Get married, stay married for a year, make his uncle happy and at the same time drag Diana out of the negative press her slimball of a fiance has put her in.

From here on out, the plot is pretty predictable . . . very unlike "Paradise" where you weren't quite sure what would happen next and some of her historicals that were quite charming. It is definitely a worthwhile read, but does lack a little of the excitement that some of her other stories have.

"A Gift of Love" contains five short stories written by authors Judith McNaught, Jude Deveraux, Kimberly Cates, Andrea Kane, and Judith O'Brien. I purchased the book several weeks ago and all I can say about the first story is why did I wait so long to read it! It is wonderfully written, highly compassionate, and contains all those qualities of a childhood dream come true.

Anyone who has been dumped by their first real love will sympathize and understand the hurt the heroine of this story goes through.

Corey's mother married Diana Foster's father when Corey was thirteen. The two girls quickly became friends as well as sisters. Corey came to the family with grandparents, something Diana did not have, and a mother who was a fabulous cook. Diana's father gave Corey his name by adopting her and being a caring family man to his ladies.

Corey is an outstanding photographer, even at the young age of fourteen when she develops a mad crush on Spencer Addison, a boy six years her senior. She spends the entirety of her teen years following him around and taking his picture. She is fully devoted to him until the day comes that he hurts her deeply enough causing her to abandon all thoughts of him completely.

Jumping to seventeen years later when Corey, Diana, their mother, Mary, and grandmother, Rose, have together built a business empire with Foster's Beautiful Living magazine. The story evolves around a "Perfect Weddings" issue where they will assist with all details and photograph the perfect wedding, which just happens to be taking place at the home of Spencer Addison.

You got it! Corey and Spencer are thrown together again. Sexual tension and sparks are flying wildly. Childhood memories are brought to the surface for both of them, some good and some causing pain. Much to Corey's embarrassment, Rose, her grandmother, spills the beans, telling Spencer how much he hurt Corey all those years ago. She is embarrassed by her grandmother's confession, but decides she has hardened herself to those hurtful memories, and they no longer bother her like they used to.

Those old memories may not hurt, but Corey is fearful of the feelings Spencer is stirring in her once again. She is over him, so she thinks, but the idea of being hurt again, most of all by him is unbearable.

Spencer realizes he has fallen in love with Corey, his golden girl. He can't imagine living any more of his life without her. He knows she was hurt by him, but he really thinks somewhere inside her perfect body she cares for him. He makes a few mistakes in trying to get her over to his side, and things begin to look ugly. The bride elopes with someone besides her fiance, leaving the "Perfect Wedding" issue in jeopardy. Without a bride and groom to photograph, there is no issue. To keep the magazine issue in line with it's deadline, Spencer decides a stand-in bride and groom is the best way to go. Corey agrees with this idea, too.

Spencer is misled by a note left behind by the eloping niece, and uses a few tricks that he has stored up his sleeve to try to make Corey his wife.

What a grand story! Judith McNaught did it again! You can not make it from page 1 through 105 without a laugh and possibly a tear!