Hi Readers! I hope you all survived the scares and sugar overload of Halloween. Thanks for joining my friends and fellow BCT Bloggers as we REMEMBER WHEN. This is where we each share our thoughts on something from our booky past. I hope you enjoy!
I REMEMBER WHEN:
I first read a book by Linda Howard
WHITE LIES
Rescue series Book #4
Linda Howard
Reissued 1997 by Mira Publishers
You don't argue with the FBI. So when they summoned Jay Granger to identify her gravely injured, heavily bandaged ex-husband, she agreed to keep a bedside vigil.
Strangely, even unconscious, Steve Crossfield wasn't at all like the husband she remembered. As he struggled toward awareness, he demonstrated a strength of character, a manly power, the old Steve had lacked. Ironically, she was more drawn to him than ever.
When Steve finally awoke, Jay had a unique chance to recapture--and even embellish--the past. But would the new Steve ever share her cherished memories?
Jay Granger knows that the man lying in the bed is not her amnesiac ex-husband, despite his sincere belief he is, but when Jay becomes entangled in a web of danger and duplicity, it becomes impossible to escape her uncertain future.
I read WHITE LIES when it was reissued in 1997. It is originally a category romance written in 1988 when the publishers had a few guidelines for the authors. These guidelines are dated now, but at the time were popular. The hero was alpha, handsome and could be a jerk until the woman turned him around. And yes, these men were sexy.
I remember having mixed feelings about the story. It was a bit implausible and it didn't help reading the last book in a series first. Of course at the time, I didn't know that. In this story, Jay Granger is approached by someone who wants her to identify a seriously injured man as her ex-husband. A secret agent, the man who is believed to be her ex-husband Steve and besides being injured, suffers amnesia. His life is still in danger and Jay makes the decision to take him to an isolated area in Colorado to heal. Even though his face is bandaged, they somehow feel a connection with each other.
Steve is the typical hot and cold hero of that time. Of course his job was dangerous and with his injuries and the fact someone was out to kill him, I might be a bit cranky,too. And as he heals, they find that he is still in danger as they begin to fall for each other. Below is the original 88' cover. Doesn't it look romantic?
I remember a love scene in the book that goes with this particular cover. Now remember, my cover was different. This cover looks so romantic with spring flowers in green grass, but the scene was described as them making out and there was still melting snow on the ground. Cold and wet, I thought they were a little nuts and didn't find it romantic at all. IMO. Passionate, definitely, but I hate being cold so I just don't see the romance in rolling around during a spring thaw. And that is still my opinion all these years later and still the scene I first think of when I see the title of this story.
Now did I hate the story? No. I enjoyed Ms Howard's writing enough to want to seek out more of her writing. She, of course, branched out into writing romantic suspense thrillers for a wider audience and I still read her books today. She is one of my favorites for suspense and I think she has a wicked sense of humor. DREAM MAN, AFTER THE NIGHT, MR. PERFECT and a shorter story THE WAY HOME are some of my favorite rereads and are in my keeper case. She is probably one of the authors I have reread the most, category or mainstream.
This book has been reissued numerous times and now is available in e-book form and came out in hardcover September 1st of this year.
November 9th-Clearing Off The Book Shelves
That's a oldie. I can't even remember reading it even though I know I did.
ReplyDeleteIt was the last book in the series that started with Midnight Rainbow with Kell Sabin.
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