Air Ticket by Susan Barrie 1974 *****

This is a really sweet little book. Shorter than most HM&B books it is still quite a satisfying read. Caro has just married off her only daughter very successfully and is facing life alone. Her brief, youthful marriage to a submariner left her largely untouched emotionally. The sixteen years since his death have been ones of struggle to make a living as a portrait artist in miniatures. Now she is quite successful but feeling rather lost. A suggestion by her cleaner sends Caro off on a journey to Switzerland and she meets Dr Lucien Andreas on the flight to Zurich.

She ends up in the scenic mountain region of Oberlaken where Dr Andreas has his practice and runs a clinic for children. Thrown together by an accident their romance is swift and overwhelming for Caro. Especially when she learns of Lucien's tragic first love from the lips of a woman claiming to be Lucien's good friend.

This is a very enjoyable story of the challenges facing a very nice couple as they embark on a second marriage for both of them. The mistakes they make and the things that come between them are realistic and quite moving at times. Both characters are endearing and the HEA very satisfying.

Meeting in Madrid by Jean S. MacLeod 1979 ****

This is a fairly typical romance set in Spain. The English heroine, Catherine Royce is to be the tutor to a
Spanish teenager for twelve months.

The romantic lead is Don Jaime de Berceo Madroza. Cathy almost immediately compares him to the tall lean and very hard Conquistadors of Spain's violent past. Don Jaime is the uncle and guardian of her pupil Teresa. He is a man who has little interest in women after a betrayal in his youth.

In any case, his sister-in-law Lucia, the step-mother of Teresa, has already staked her claim. Having lost her first husband, Don Jaime's older brother, she is keen to establish her authority over the family property by marrying his brother. It is Lucia who causes most heartburnings for our heroine as she begins to fall in love with Don Jaime.

In spite of the rather familiar story line, this is a pleasant read with a suitably alpha hero. The ending had a nice touch of drama to help the climax and lead to the HEA.

Millionaire to the Rescue by Ally Blake 2007 ****

Millionaire to the Rescue (Harlequin Romance, #3984)

This is the second Ally Blake book I've read. This is an interesting read because we see the hero is in love with the heroine pretty much right from the start. Brooke is a recently widowed mother of two. Her husband Calvin, who would have been ex if he hadn't driven off a road with his trashy new girlfriend, was a racing driver and Australian icon.

Unfortunately he also managed to offload the very substantial fortune he'd made over the years leaving his wife and children destitute. Enter Danny, Calvin's boyhood buddy and best mate. Together they'd risen to the top, Calvin as a driver and Danny as a sports manager.

It was only natural that while Calvin travelled on the racing circuit that Danny should be there helping out. Brooke relied on Danny, even though she knew he didn't actually like her all that much.

If Wishes were Fishes, as Danny always said. Funny thing is that Danny wasn't altogether sure he liked Brooke. He'd spent the eight years of her marriage making sure he knew she was off limits. Even though there had been a time when he regretted the fact that Calvin had seen Brooke first.

But what was an honourable man to do when faced with his friends widow in such tragic circumstances. Offer her a home and a job...maybe something more.

Brooke found herself fitting far too easily into Danny's lovely home and her children turned easily to the man they'd known all their lives. Both Danny and Brooke have a lot to deal with, with the ever present shadow of Calvin.

This is pretty much just a very sweet romance with a hot capable guy who isn't used to family and emotional stuff and a woman who has had to learn to be strong and self sufficient and doesn't quite know how to let go. I very much enjoyed the read and the fact that, apart from the fortunately dead husband, there weren't any 'bad' people in the story. Not even a raft of mistresses to prove the heroes virility which made a nice change.

The Pregnancy Bond by Lucy Gordon 2003 ****

Now I've always said I love a reunion story. This is an interesting one, starting as it does on the night the

heroine is celebrating her divorce. Jake Linley married Kelly when they were both quite young, him a brash young reporter and her barely out of school due to an unexpected pregnancy.

The Pregnancy Bond (Maybe Baby) (Harlequin Romance, No. 3733)

The strains of his job and her loss of self esteem over losing the baby and having to put aside her dreams of university to make a go of their marriage when Jake was only starting out, took a toll on their marriage. When it seems that Jake has cheated on her, Kelly decides enough is enough and sues for divorce.

Jake never really believed she would go through with the divorce and is thrown off balance when he arrives in the midst of the celebrations to find Kelly living large with a bevy of men at her beck and call. Nevertheless it is Jake who she finishes the night with before sending him off with well deserved thanks for the best night of goodbye sex. It was time to get on with her life.

Until she sees Jake wounded on television and comes to the hospital to see him. Jake is a changed man. Gone is the cocky self confident reporter. It is a long hard road to recovery and when he realises Kelly is pregnant he is determined to make everything up to her. The sacrifices she made to help him on his career path hang over him as he sees her pregnancy about to cost her the chance to make the new life she's chosen, studying for her degree.

Kelly's independance is rocked by the pregnancy but when she sees Jake's pain and is reminded of how alone he is she allows him to move in. She would keep an eye on him as he recuperates and he would pay rent to enable her to live and study.

As they interact over the next months we see them learning more about each other. Kelly's doubts about whether Jake ever truly loved her are still a barrier and it takes a whole lot of things, including Jake's emotional collapse from depression, to awaken her to the true nature of their bond with each other.

This is really a very interesting story with a hero who while appearing alpha is very far from perfect in some ways. But he is a wonderful hero who deserves his second chance. I very much enjoyed watching both of them grow and change and learn to see each others reality.

Like Strangers by Lynda Trent 1988 Silhouette Special Edition ***

I hadn't heard of Lynda Trent until someone mentioned her on the Harlequin boards as their first romance. Having grown up on Mills & Boon, many Silhouette authors are unknown to me. In fact many U.S. authors are unfamiliar to me apart from Janet Dailey.

This is a reunion story. I particularly chose this as an introduction to the author as I love reunions.

The story begins with us meeting Lani Cameron whose husband supposedly died in an air crash five years ago while carrying freight to Mexico. Lani has made a new life for herself as a potter, including an interesting line of faux Mayan gods she sells to a regular customer.

When her husband Bryan turns up, thin, dirty and dishevelled, Lani doesn't quite know how to greet him. After five years in a Mexican jail, her husband is not the same man.

Both Lani and Bryan have big adjustments to make both to each other and for Bryan, a new life without his air freight business. He also wants revenge on the anonymous smugglers for his false imprisonment.

There is a little bit of intrigue as Bryan and also Lani work towards uncovering the secrets behind his wrongful imprisonment.

I did find some of the internal dialogue of both of them a little irritating at times as they worried about whether the other person had decided the marriage had no future. That went on a little bit too long before things sorted out.

Otherwise I found it a good story and it held my interest right to the end.

Kate Hewitt has put together some of her many stories published in magazines over the years in themed anthologies. Here are four of them. Plus a Novella.

Out in the Country ****

This is a three in oner. A novella length story that manages to introduce quite a broad range of characters and surprisingly, the ensemble cast are painted with quite a detailed brush. A real gift, but one Kate Hewitt excels in. Our primary heroine is Lynne, a recently widowed New Yorker, she has come to the point where she wants something more, something new. At first she thinks it might be returning to her birthplace of Scotland to set up a Hotel with her childhood friend Jess and her fiancé. Only Jess's plans fall through and another option opens up for the old friends in Vermont.

Lynne's daughter Molly is also going through a transitional stage in her life. She is beginning her teaching career at a tough inner city school in New York. There she meets the cynical Luke who guides her through her first weeks and makes her wonder if her long term boyfriend Jason is the right man for her after all.

Meanwhile in Vermont. Lynne and Jess find themselves becoming part of the community and making new friends and even perhaps new loves. But they first have to come to terms with the past.

This is a sweet and engaging read full of interesting and likeable characters. We see the ups and downs as the characters brave their new world and make decisions about the future.

Before the Dawn: Stories of Hope in Hard Times ****

I've been working my way through Kate's series of short story collections. Kate has gathered them together and is putting them into themed e-books. This one, based one the old adage that it's 'Always Darkest before the Dawn' is a collection of stories that have the common them of people at their lowest ebb finding, love, hope, redemption, even themselves. They are not all love stories as such. Four of them are more about family and finding purpose in life. My ickometer gyrated madly when I saw the word infidelity listed as one of the themes but I should have known I could trust Kate to deliver sensitive and beautifully written stories that touch on the serious issues but leave you feeling hopeful and uplifted by the end of the story.

My favourite in the book is the Post WWI Reunion story. 'Memory and Desire' is faintly reminiscent of one of the stories in her historical collection but from a different angle and very moving. 'The Locket' is a sweet romance of young love challenged by circumstance as is 'A Piece of Cake' which shows us that we are all unique and loveable for the right person. 'Comfort' is a comfort read for those of us further down the track when a long term relationship may seem a little flat. 'Now That You're Here', 'Daddy's Girl' and 'Blueberries for Breakfast' are touching tales of family relationships. The last one, a little different, is 'Triangles', the story of a childless woman looking for meaning in her life.

This collection is a quick and easy read and left me feeling pleasantly uplifted. I went back and read 'Memory and Desire' again because I'd read it late at night and wanted to revisit it.

Through the Years: An Anthology of Historical Romance *****

You might think five stars over the top for a little book of five short stories. But I loved four of the stories and absolutely loved the fifth. That was story number two, Finding A Way Home. And yes it was a reunion story. My very favouritist kind. The stories are all plain straight out romances set in the first half of the 20th Century. From the San Francisco Earthquake to a post WWII department store.

All the stories are very simple and sweet stories well embedded in the era. Kate Hewitt has done a lovely job with her evocative backgrounds that tell you exactly where you are without hitting you over the head or distracting from the core business, the romance.

All the characters are well drawn in spite of the short length of the stories and each and every one of them I would have been happy to read about all night.

Number One "Elegance" is about a young miss who dreams about being more than just the girl behind the glove counter. She learns that elegance is about more than working in the fancy couture department.

Number Three, "Through the Storm" is a classic tale of the city school mistress proving herself to a small town in the far west, and to a rather special widower.

The title of number four "A New Hope" at first had me thinking Star Wars but it is a lovely little story set in Ontario reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery's short tales.

Number Five "A Day Like No Other" is a nice little snapshot of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and two antagonistic young people who discover much more under adversity.

I've left Number Two til last because for me this was the pearl of the collection. The story of a young woman welcoming back her husband in 1920 after six years away in WWI. This lovely and moving tale of a man coming to terms with both physical and mental wounds and the difficulties he and his barely a bride wife have, really caught my emotions.

This was a free download on Amazon yesterday and I snabbled it up having enjoyed two other similar collections by Kate. This is my favourite.

Bump: An Anthology About Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Trying for it All ***

If you are expecting (no pun intended) something resembling Kate's well known Presents romances you will be disappointed. This is a selection of short stories (very short magazine length) dealing with the pains and gains of pregnancy and babies. All the stories are well written, even beautifully written in places. They are not really romances although there is love in them. I found a couple of them quite difficult to read as they deal with subjects that will be emotional, especially for women. Kate has very kindly sorted them from sad through to happy, so it is worth persevering to get a happy ending. Kate's gift for drawing us interesting and engaging people is evident even in these very small tales, but don't expect the intricacy of her usual full length novels. I gave it 4 stars on Amazon because I liked it but on Goodread I gave three because I didn't quite 'really like it'. Maybe 3 1/2. Today was probably not a good day for reading emotionally demanding stories.

Love, Laughter & Lucky Marbles: An Anthology about the Funny Side of Falling in Love ****

Now this was exactly what I needed after a pretty rough day. This is a selection of mini romances. Yes they are all about boy meets girl and with a fair indication (give or take about 46 000 words down the track that we don't get to read) that they will end up with a happily ever after. They are all light hearted reads as the title suggests. The most fully developed story was probably Just Friends. It was my personal favourite anyway. But a few others stood out from the crowd as well.

The stories covered a fair range of situations though as is always a risk with gathering an anthology under a topic that there will be similarities. Two sister of the bride stories but they aren't all that similar in the end. A couple of Valentine's that started off with the same theme but diverged pretty quickly.

I enjoyed all the stories. I always worry with an anthology that some make weight might be chucked in. Like when you buy a CD of your favourite artist (I was going to say record but thought that might date me a little). So often you like just a couple of them and the rest are pretty meh! Not so here. They are all light and fluffy but still very enjoyable with engaging characters.

Sarah Morgan is one of my favourites of the new wave of romance authors. First published with HM&B in 2001 she does Medical romances but I like it most when she gets all angsty in Presents.

A friend of mine referred me to this little gem of information on the Ferrara name. It is also a place.

Once a Ferrara Wife *****

Well I should probably give myself breathing space before I write a review on Once a Ferrara Wife. Yes. it was that good. I'm still smiling stupidly at the thought of it. I've had this book sitting here for weeks after reading the first few pages and getting dragged away to other things. I've always loved Sarah Morgan's stories so I decided today was the day. Even if it killed me. It nearly did. A sinus attack forced me to put the book down halfway through so you can imagine my angst. A vapour inhaler and three hours sleep and I was able to stagger back to my Kindle and continue the journey.

And what a great journey it is. I love a good reunion story and this was perfect in every way. Christiano is the ultimate macho Sicilian male full of overweening arrogance and an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, to family, and most of all to business. The only person who apparently missed out was his wife. On the one day of her life she needed him most, he let her down.

After the emotional desert of her childhood, Laurel had enough of disappointment, of rejection, of hoping, only to be betrayed. Christiano demanded trust and when he failed her two years ago, there were to be no second chances. Laurel left, her emotions, and her marriage, in tatters.

So what was Laurel doing at his sisters wedding, acting as her Matron of Honour, locking eyes with Christiano while Dani and her new husband exchanged vows? She was only there for Dani, her best friend in college. After the wedding she would return to London to await the finalising of the divorce.

Only it wasn't to be so easy. Christiano had always read her heart and when he saw what was in her eyes he determined not to let her go.

This is where the real fun starts. Watching Christiano do what has to be done to win back the love of his life is an emotional rollercoaster. Both of them have to step out of their comfort zone to achieve some kind of reconciliation. Christiano does this in a spectacular way that explains why a crowd of women in an airport are prepared to go into bat for him.

For Laurel the journey is even more painful and as revelation upon revelation comes out, we understand exactly why their marriage has come to this place, and the tremendous amount of work needed to get it back on track.

Right from the start Sarah Morgan invests us in the protagonists. We want to see the happy ending, even though we know the way back will be fraught with difficulty. Sarah doesn't make us wait until the very end for the positives. As in so many relationships it is one step forward, two steps back. Some scenes were incredibly moving and the ending left me both choked up and smiling. A real achievement.

The Forbidden Ferrara *****

Don't ask me how it happened. It was supposed to be just a little peek before bedtime. I read the excerpt on the authors site and it finished at a point of maximum impact. I just wanted to know what came next. What came next was 1am and it was all over bar the clean up.

Fia is a resiliant woman who responded to her loveless childhood by building herself a little family around her restaurant to provide a loving environment for her son. Having watched the Ferrara family from a distance as a child, due to a feud between the two families, her one wish was to be part of that extended happy family. They do say, be careful what you wish for.

Santino Ferrara is a cute little puppy dog who follows Fia around with his soft Spaniel's eyes. Nah! Just kidding. Santino stalks into the story smouldering with a heat just a smidgeon lower than 280 degrees C. If Christiano was hot then Santino is off the charts. If we met a third Ferrara with the heat rising exponentially he would have to take the entire responsibility for Global Warming.

Both the heroine and hero are still recovering from the conflagration of their time together one tragic night three years ago. When Santino walks into Fia's kitchen, there is a lot more simmering than what's on the stove. The revelation that Fia has more than memories of that night knocks Santino for a loop and brings out the Sicilian Family man to a macho extreme.

So shocked and concerned is he about his son that he fails to consider Fia at all in his plans except as mother to his son and bedmate. Though bedmate isn't entirely the right term when these two get together. Things got so hot I had to step back and take a breath. (If you don't believe me, check my Twitter feed)

But I couldn't stay away for long. I had to know what happened next. Cos this is where the story became really interesting. I don't know what it is about these Ferrara males and their penchant for emotionally unavailable females but they sure do know how to up the ante when it's needed.

By the time I was cleaning up the salt water from my keyboard I was one very satisfied camper. A lovely ending to a well written book.
Just my cup of hot chocolate.

Lucrezia de’ Medici, by Bronzino, Married to the fifth Duke of Ferrara

#The Sisterhood of the Travelling Harlequin/Book -The Aussi Road Trip

You wouldn't think a group of writers would be so derivative would you. Hell yeah, why not. It worked great as a hash tag. After travelling across the U.S.A. our travelling Maisey Yates book "One Night in Paradise" landed in Stanthorpe, a small inland town on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. Not quite the paradise our traveller expected. Lucky we were heading off on a road trip. I've included links so if you want to find out a little more about the places mentioned you can do so.

Yes we are driving on the right (actually left) side of the road.
As passenger I was able to show Maisey Yates the scenery.
Travelling from Stanthorpe to Toowoomba.

Doctors waiting rooms are boring.
While DH did his thing in Toowoomba
we discussed travelling to Paris and read three chapters.
Pity DH was so quick.

Took Maisey Yates to Picnic Point in Toowoomba.
She thought the Australian flag flying was most patriotic.

As you can see our little book is a long way from home.

At the Picnic Point Lookout gazing towards Brisbane

Couldn't find a real Koala this trip.

But coincidentally my daughter Pernell was
filming at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo that day.

Mt Coot-tha lookout. In the centre distance is the City.
You can see Moreton Bay on the horizon.
Next stop the America's via a few Islands

Hanging out with the Aussi editions.

Lunch at the Lookout.

Yes we have windmills in Australia too!

Maisey flirting with a Calendar Boy

These lovely young ladies attend the very same
school as I did when first discovered HM&B romances in 1976.
Thanks girls. Stuartholme uniform hasn't changed much.

Watching footy at King George Square

Checking out the competition. Brisbane City at night.

Busking off King George Square near
City Hall.

Maisey made a donation to the Starlight Foundation

Some high school film students interviewed me about tattoos. Then they kindly
re-enacted a scene from the book.

This lovely young woman just happened
to be standing outside a Gentlemen's Club.
No link as I wish to remain PG rated.

We finished off the night at a film festival. Here mylovely and talented daughter struggles to hold back tears as the film they entered failed to place. Click on this text if you want to view
the film they entered. Not suitable for children. Language and violence.
.

And here we are at the end of our Odyssey.

The truck is waiting to take the parcel on its journey back to the U.S.A.

One Night in Paradise by Maisey Yates *****

One Night in Paradise (Mills & Boon Modern)

If you know an absolutely gorgeous man who is hiding dark tragic secrets and a broken heart, this is what you do. Send him along to Maisey Yates and she will find him the perfect heroine to put in his life to heal him and bring out the best in him. He will grow and mature and be really really incredibly hot in bed. Not that the last bit is important. Really it isn't. I'm telling you this for your own good.
Zack Parson is not one of those broken men that need fixing. Because he fixed himself years ago and he knows exactly how to keep control. Firstly, you don't do "Love". That's a no brainer, because love makes you lose control. So when you meet someone who might threaten that, you slot them into a neat box under "friend" or "employee". You stick with that, because that is how you stay in control.
That's what Zack did when he met Clara Davis in a bakery seven years ago and realised she was everything he ever wanted or needed. For his business. She really had the goods and none of it was to do with her sinfully sexy body which he could carefully ignore, but all about the cupcakes. The baked ones of course. Keep your mind out of the gutter puhlease.
Somehow in those seven years Clara also became his best friend. Which makes it quite natural for him to think of her when he needs a replacement for his Fiancée when she left him at the altar. To take on his honeymoon. NO! You are doing it again aren't you. It is a purely business arrangement. Really! Seeing Clara in the surrounds of a romantic holiday resort is not going to change anything. Or is it?
This is a classic friends to lovers romance and in Maisey Yates inimitable way she gives us all the emotion and angst we could possibly want as these two friends struggle with the fallout of taking that friendship beyond the boundaries already set.
There are laugh out loud moments and gutwrenching revelations and we are with both Zack and Clara all the way to the end. I love Maisey Yates stories. No matter how miserable they make me in the middle as I empathise with the pathos and misery and suffering, they always leave me feeling really good at the end.

The first thing I need to say is that I like virgin heroines in my stories. The ones I read, and the ones I write. I like them because if you get it right first time it's special. Virgins are a tricky thing these days. Firstly, because no one believes in them any more. But in category romances, virgins still pretty much ruled until the last two or three decades. Probably around the time I officially stopped being a virgin. Synchronicity?

In most HM&B romances up to the seventies the heroine was almost guaranteed to be a virgin. If she wasn't a virgin, she would be a widow. One interesting exception I've come across is a Mary Burchell book originally published in the late thirties called "Such is Love" which features a heroine who entered a brief bigamous marriage as a teenager, six years before the story starts. While dated in many ways it is a beautifully written story, full of emotion with a fascinating hero.

The introduction of the Presents line in the seventies started to change things, heating up the stratosphere. Anne Mather wrote a book called "For the Love of Sara" in which the heroine had an affair with the hero resulting in a child some years previous to the action of the book. There may have been others but this was the first time I came across this scenario within the HM&B line.

By the eighties, heroines regularly 'slept' with the hero before marriage. But usually only the hero. In the nineties this definitely changed. Serious relationships with a previous boyfriend often involved assumed or explicitly mentioned sexual relationships. An interesting phenomena is that in my reading patterns it began to seem that the steamier Presents line has become the last bastion of the virgin.

Romance/Sweet lines began to feature more and more single mothers looking for men who were not the father of their child. This has become the norm in many of the current books with very few being reunions between the both father and mother of any child involved. A recent head count showed four of twelve current 'baby' books where the child belonged to both hero and heroine.

When One Night Isn't Enough by Wendy S. Marcus

Medical lines were some of the earliest to introduce story lines with heroines having previous sexual relationships. This is logical considering the average age of heroines in that line has generally been older, due to the professional nature of their career paths. The nature of medical life would also impact.

And this is another issue with virgins. With the average age of heroine's now being in the mid to late twenties and creeping into the thirties, there has to be a good reason for a heroine to be a virgin in the current day and age. So how do we justify a virgin in her mid to late twenties? Religious reasons would fly but would pretty much cut out publication in all but Inspired lines. Religion is usually very delicately handled in the regular imprints with either no mention or only very vaguely. And if you want your heroine to lose her virginity to the hero on the page, well there go the Inspired options.

The Billionaire's Virgin Bride by Helen Brooks

Other reasons would usually involve angsty traumatic pasts that might go down well in Presents, which is probably why Presents still seems to have the highest percentage of virgins among the main imprints. Though it is harder to pick them without the generic Billionaire Greek, Virgin Bride type titles that ruled until the last couple of years. All the same, a reading binge a couple of months ago of a stack of recent Presents books still only came up with four virgins out of twenty consecutive books.

So there we have it. The case of the Vanishing Virgin.

When innocuous pleasures come with bite.

In any kind of women's fiction, there will be times when a writer deals with a subject that is challenging. For different people different things will press the wrong buttons. I found this some weeks ago when I forced myself to read a romance that dealt with infidelity. As I half expected, I struggled with it. It was a well written book and I vaguely thought that if it were well written, (it's been nominated for awards), I wouldn't find it so difficult. I did find it extremely difficult to finish. I kept reading, hoping that somehow I would feel better about it by the end. Technically I should have. The subject was dealt with sensitively and realistically. It still made me nauseous.

This week I've read two books on topics that press emotional hot buttons for me. The first is The Tycoon Millionaire's Secret Daughter by Susan Meier. It deals with alcoholism, a subject I had considerable experience of as a child. What are the chances of picking up a romance novel, a reunion story of course, because I love reunions, and finding the hero not only has the same addiction as my father, but shares the same surname. That was bound to press a few buttons.

Max Montgomery reacted badly ten years ago when a family secret exploded in his face and he turned to alcohol to help him through. His marriage to Kate suffered as for three years he became more and more violent and out of control. While he never actually hit Kate, her fears multiplied when she realised she was carrying a child. Afraid of the power wielded by the Montgomery clan she fled.

The Tycoon's Secret Daughter by Susan Meier

Four Stars ****

Seven years later she is back in town for a family crisis and meets Max accidentally. The existence of his daughter is revealed immediately and both Kate and Max have to deal with it. Max has been sober since not long after Kate's leaving gave him a wake up call. Will the stress of finding himself a father, and the emotional issues involved in meeting his ex-wife, the anger at finding she hid his child from him, send him back into the spiral?

For Kate, it is all about trust and guilt. She doesn't feel she can trust the man who let her down so badly but she feels a sense of guilt about keeping her daughter away from the little girls father. She wants to be fair, but it becomes even harder when she realises her feelings for Max may just still be lurking.

I admit I found the first chapters worrying as Max struggled with his anger at his wife's betrayal. Then the lessons he learned over the years with AA started to kick in. Lessons about responsibility and about asking forgiveness.

The challenges this couple face are heart wrenching at times when you realise how much everyone has missed out on over the years because of Max's weakness. They have both changed and grown stronger because of the circumstances they've had to deal with. By the end I had a very positive feeling about the future of this little family. Susan Meier has done a wonderful job bringing these very real but wounded characters to life.

How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart (Harlequin Romance #4270)

Four Stars ****

The second book is How a Cowboy Stole her Heart by Donna Alward which is the story of a young woman recovering from treatment and surgery for breast cancer after a year away. It's emotive for me as it is only a little over a year since my sister-in-law, a truly beautiful person, died of untreated breast cancer. This is a reunion story of sorts as well, friends to lovers. Clay and Megan shared a special friendship as children after Clay's dad died of cancer and his mother abandoned the family during his long illness. So when Megan developed breast cancer, this was going to trigger a few hot buttons for Clay. He's decided that marriage was not an option considering his own experiences so when he realises his feelings for his buddies little sister are more than friendly, he isn't going to be happy.

Megan of course has loved Clay since before she really understood what love is. But now that she is a cancer risk, along with the difficulties the chemo might mean for having a family, she's put those dreams aside. Instead she's going to build a different dream, a riding school that will give her a future and help her struggling family ranch.

Funny thing is that Clay is the only one who takes her dream seriously. Seriously enough to bankroll it when other finance isn't forthcoming. Now Megan has to deal with Clay as a sleeping partner in her business, tied to him through their financial agreement.

It takes quite a bit to convince both these stubborn people where their destiny lies. Donna Alward writes a sensitive and sweet romance that deals with the issues without overwhelming us with the tragedy of the subject matter. I really enjoyed it and will look out for the other stories set in Larch Valley.

True Magic

Over on Facebook they are talking about Nora Ephron. That clip from When Harry Met Sally is circulating.
You know the one.

If you know and love the film (aka Movie) you will have quoted from that scene at least once in your lifetime. I know she wrote other stuff (Silkwood) but this is about the light and fluffy love stuff.

Noted romance author Sarah Morgan mentioned loving three of Nora's most well known romances. She asks which of them is our favourite and I started to answer. And then couldn't decide. I love each of them for differing reasons. But when you think about it they are sort of the same reasons.

1. They are about people you relate to and the casting is brilliant, both leads and supporting cast. Everyone relates to Meg Ryan in whatever guise she assumes. Which mostly seems to be slightly ditzy, naive, girl next door. Tom Hanks? What is there not to love about this guy who manages to be a top Hollywood actor with that face. Even in his early B-Grade attempts he was lovable and the characters he plays are almost invariably loveable. (I say almost because there may be a film I haven't seen where he plays an Axe Murderer). Actually I take that back. He would be a loveable Axe Murderer.

2. Witty script writing. If you are as old as I am, and older, you would remember a time when you complained about the demise of Wit in Film. You would reminisce about those old Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn's in which the protagonists were clever and well read and could carry off witty badinage in lieu of hot and heavy love scenes. Then came Nora Ephron and we forgot there had ever been a time when light and clever romance was too low brow for Hollywood.

3. Referencing. This is the bit where Nora made us feel really clever. Like the scene in Sleepless in Seattle where the girls are sobbing over 'An Affair to Remember' and the guys are screwing up their noses and suddenly getting all emotional over the ending of 'The Dirty Dozen.' Not only do we 'get' the reference but Nora also 'gets' us. There is this mutual understanding thing happening between us the audience and the scriptwriter. She does it again with 'You've Got Mail' with 'The Godfather' references. 'Go to the Mattresses.' It's the only quote I know for sure from The Godfather. And what was with the whole documentary feel of 'When Harry Met Sally' with those cute little romantic vignettes of 'real' couples? Just a bit of art-house for us low brows.

So you are thinking, 'why the hell is she writing about Nora Ephron films on a category romance blog?' I got that word for word didn't I?

It's because Nora Ephron can teach us wannabe (and published) authors a whole lot of things about characterisation, story arcs, pacing, dialogue (especially dialogue). Whatever!

Because her lighter screen fare are really category romances. Feel good reads that are supposed to engage us, make us love the protagonists and bat for them to reach their happy ending. Yes the happy ending and feel good stuff are guaranteed.

They are like a spectrum with 'Harry Met Sally' a classic Friends to Lovers story. Then you have 'You've Got Mail' where they fall in love over the internet while not being really certain of how the friendship will develop in real life. You know the trope. Meet, hate each other, fall in love. Ooops!

Then Sleepless in Seattle. Is it really possible to fall in love without really meeting each other? The sound of a voice, the touch of a hand. Magic! It just chokes me up every time. And this is the true magic of these stories. The true magic of any story that will have you watching them over and over again and still laughing and crying and having that emotional connection.

And that is the true magic of the written word. When a book is on someone's 'keeper' shelf. A book that someone will turn to again and again over the years because there is something inside those covers that takes them to a magical place, to laugh, to cry, to care about people who only exist inside our imagination. Because somehow the writer has made a connection through the written word with the heart and soul of the reader.

That is the legacy that Nora Ephron leaves behind. It is a legacy all writers can aspire to.

The Ortiga Marriage ****

This is my first Patricia Wilson. I've had it sitting around for a while and when a Twitter friend recommended the author I bounced it up the TBR pile for my daily dose of vintage.
You don't see very many stepbrother-sister romances these days. Along with the guardian ward trope they were quite popular back in the day. Now that young heroines are not fashionable they seem to have dropped off the radar to a large extent.

Twelve year old Merry loved Ramon Ortiga, her much older step-brother who'd made himself her protector when their parents married in Venezuela. This was in spite of his hot and cold attitude to her. Then just when it seemed he wanted her, once she'd left school, he suddenly drove her away, turning to another woman, a more suitable bride for the Ortiga family.

Six years later the death of their parents brings Merry home to help her young half brother, taking leave from her high powered job. Somehow things are not what they seem and the resentment she expected to see between the half brothers is absent. But what is still there is the attraction between her and Ramon.

A Latino alpha male, he wants Merry and goes all out to get her. Pressuring her into marriage. But of course all that alpha machismo and he doesn't bother to explain himself. So Merry doesn't realise the passion he feels for her is more than physical desire.

This is another great read from Patricia Wilson of the old fashioned style of Presents. Great for a wallow in angst and misunderstanding and hot hot Latin male.

Lingering Melody *****

Have I ever mentioned how much I love reunion romances. So long as they have some very important elements. First one is that the hero and heroine haven't been sleazing all over the countryside with multiple other lovers in the meantime. Ok, so that might be a bit of a spoiler. But there are plenty of other things to discover about this book.

Matt and Carrie lived together as lovers four years ago and when Matt went off without explanation, Carrie left him, believing he'd gone to another woman. Now she is back in London with three year old twins and a dead husband. She has come to help save her cousins business. So it's a nasty surprise to find Matt is the one holding the cards.

This is a classic blackmailed bride story and Matt is a determined man who will stop at nothing to get back his former lover. Blaming Carrie as he does for the breakup he isn't going to let himself be vulnerable but it is clear to see that he still burns for her, in spite of believing she'd married and had another man's children.

Carrie can't see that, but is amazed by his tender reaction to the children. Matt is one scary obsessed male at times but we the reader see beyond that to what is driving him. They both have a lot to clear up before getting their HEA but it is worth it in the end.

I loved every page of this book. The hero was an old fashioned alpha and the heroine while young had her own strength when it came to her children. A Great Read if you like these vintage Presents.

One of my favourite of the vintage authors is Ida Pollock who wrote under a multiplicity of pseudonyms. The very nicest of comfort reads, I include reviews here of a number of recently read books.

From Wikipedia
Ida Pollock, née Crowe (born 12 April 1908), is a British writer of several short-stories and over a hundred romance novels under her married name, Ida Pollock, and under her numerous pseudonyms:Susan Barrie, Pamela Kent, Averil Ives, Anita Charles, Barbara Rowan, Jane Beaufort, Rose Burghley, Mary Whistler and Marguerite Bell. She is also an oil painter, who has been selected for inclusion in a national exhibition in 2004.^[1]

Ida and her husband Lt-Colonel Hugh Alexander Pollock DSO (1888–1971), a veteran of war, Winston Churchill's collaborator and editor, had a daughter Rosemary Pollock, also a romance writer. Ida's autobiography, Starlight, published on 15 November 2009, tells the story of the start of her career, her marriage, and the relation of her husband with his ex-wife Enid Blyton.

Pollock has lived in Lanreath, Cornwall since 1986.

So Dear To My Heart 1956 ****
Susan Barrie

I'm particularly partial to Susan Barrie heroes. Not quite alpha but not really beta, they are charming and handsome, well groomed, tall and lean. Mostly dark haired and dark eyed. A little cool, a little distant but capable of passion when roused. Not of course that we see more than a few kisses in these older vintages.
Dr Leon Hanson is a famous Swiss surgeon, called upon to use his considerable talent to cure Lisa Holt, a young pianist with an injury to her hand. She is accompanied by her less vibrant but very sweet sister Virginia. You can see where this is heading can't you?
It is the sweet sister who catches the eye of the distinguished doctor but complications in the form of a young Englishman and an attractive young female friend of the doctor contrive to multiply misunderstandings.

This is not a fast, angsty read but a sweet meditative story of a love that is formed almost immediately by two people of different social and cultural backgrounds but goes unacknowledged because of misunderstandings and misapprehensions.
I love this kind of book at the end of a day that has been full of real life angst as a pick me upper. It soothes like Prozac with the only side effect a couple of missing hours from the day.

Castle Thunderbird 1965 ****
Susan Barrie

A classic governess tale with the heroine Noel travelling to Austria to be a companion to the sixteen year old ward of the hero Gerard de Freer. In a fairytale Austrian Castle.
The fly in the ointment is the bad tempered old friend of the family Harriet. She is Gerard's housekeeper and the bane of the servants lives. Her ambitions are clear and of course young Noel is immediately singled out for trouble.
Add in some other gentlemen who seem rather quicker to appreciate the attractive young heroine and we have plenty of misunderstandings and hurt pride and feelings. Until Harriet carries her jealous temper too far.
Another lovely sweet story from a favourite vintage author.

The Quiet Heart 1966 ****
Susan Barrie

Alisoun Fairlie is the step mother of three young people not much younger than herself. After the death of her husband she continues to caretake Leydon Hall until the arrival of the new owner.

Charles Leydon has a lot of ideas about changing Leydon Hall and for Alisoun, his arrival brings the fear of homelessness for her and her family. When the rather hard businessman falls ill it is her task to nurse him back to health with the assistance of the housekeeper and her two older stepdaughters, both of whom fall under the spell of the handsome owner.

It is not the attractive older girl, Marianne that seems to appeal to Charles but Jessamy, with her limp caused by childhood polio. Alisoun must watch their developing friendship with a strange feeling of helplessness. When he insists on buying Jessamy a car and arranging for treatment for her limp it seems obvious his plans for the future include the sensitive young woman.

How Alisoun finds her happy ending is a sweet and tender tale of a young woman who has never known real passion even though she had been a married woman.

Moon at the Full 1961 ****

Susan Barrie

When the rich Liane Daly loaned Stephanie a flat in Paris to recuperate from a recent illness, she had no idea how Stephanie's life would be changed.

Because the flat was not actually hers and as Stephanie settled into the luxurious apartment, the real owner arrived.

What could a young and rather naive English model expect of a man who's family crest bore the motto 'Black is the Knight and blacker is the heart.'

The Comte Leon de Courvalles was certainly very dark in colouring, suave and a little jaded, his smile sardonic. I'm loving him already, never mind how young Steve feels about this sophisticated Frenchman.

How he feels about Steve is something that she finds most puzzling. Especially when he gives her a job as his social secretary. Monsieur le Comte is taking a cruise and on that cruise will be some very lovely potential brides.

What seems to be a developing friendship is soon tested when a glamorous actress on board involves Steve in a questionable exchange of messages. Luckily a young Englishman on the cruise is there to comfort her.

Cruising through the Mediterranean and then traversing the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, Steve watches as one by one the potential brides fall away until only the troublesome actress is left in the running. They say romance and cruises go together but Steve is pining for the wrong man entirely. Until danger on the high seas brings everything to a head and the true nature of Leon's heart is revealed.

Star Creek 1965 ****
Pamela Kent

This is a modern (for 1965) take on the Jane Eyre franchise. Pamela Kent is another pen name for Ida Pollock who also writes as Susan Barrie, Barbara Rowan and several others.

Helen arrived at Star Creek after her father's death to the casual guardianship of his old friend and former pupil Roger Trelawnce. The setting is an old house overlooking the sea at Cornwall, historically connected with smugglers.

Roger is a former surgeon, now retired and running the family estate after losing his right arm in an accident. He is fiercely independent and always immaculately turned out. And rather susceptible to the sweet young thing flung into his household.

Helen is drawn to the rather enigmatic Roger, until she discovers the resident of the forbidden part of the house is none other than Mrs Valerie Trelawnce, beautiful, volatile and unstable. Helen befriends the woman, torn between her attraction to Roger and concerned about his lack of love towards the lovely young woman.

When Helen finds Valerie is romantically linked with the rather unsavoury cousin of the house, Peregrine Trelawnce her feeling are even more confused.

Drama involving a wild storm, mysterious caves and secret tunnels plays it's part in bringing the story to a climax and the HEA.

Mountain of Dream 1958 ****
Barbara Rowan

A Swiss Hotelier, Pierre Larouche, is the hero of this tale of a young English woman who falls in love with the mountains and wants to stay on after a holiday. A temporary job as secretary of Pierre is the ideal method to achieve and extended stay until his permanent secretary recovers from an accident.

Pierre is of course all those things that a charming Pollock/Kent/Rowan/Barrie hero should be. Much admired by the ladies and there is one in particular, Freda, the daughter of a fellow hotelier who is doing the running.

Which doesn't cheer up young Patricia, even after a wonderful day on the mountains with Pierre that culminated in a kiss. The very next day disaster strikes with Pierre hospitalised and the attendance at his bedside of the wealthy heiress.

The lies of this young woman and the attentions of another rival to Pat's hand almost end the burgeoning romance but Pierre responds to the challenge with typical panache and some timely grovelling to bring us our HEA.

Mountain Magic 1964 ****
Susan Barrie

Kurt Antoine is an Austrian Hotelier. He meets Toni when she's stranded on a ledge on a mountain walk and offers her a job. Toni's existing employer is a rather unpleasant woman and when her honesty is called into question she quits and takes Kurt up on his offer.

Unfortunately the Manageress of the Hotel where Kurt installs her has a rather different view of her employer bringing strange and attractive young women into the hotel. Putting her in the most unpleasant room and giving her the most unpleasant jobs, Toni is exhausted and humiliated.

Her plight draws the attention of an English visitor and with Kurt so taken up with the attractive manageress, it isn't surprising that she allows Philip Gresham to take her about. Especially when it seems Philip knows Toni's estranged uncle.

All this makes it rather difficult for the relationship between Kurt and Toni to develop but somehow it does and finally all is settled. A small hiccup at the end leads the way to a smooth and certain HEA.

Another Susan Barrie review appears in my May blogs.

Ten Things I Review About You. Give or Take.

I've been doing a lot of reviewing lately and it occurs to me that because I have some peculiarities, it might be wise to let people know what they are getting into when I review their book or if they read my reviews. Especially as I notice there are some concerns over Reviewing practices going around the Twitterverse, Blogosphere and Goodreads. Once we have things clear you can take or leave my reviews.

When I review a romance novel, particularly of the Harlequin Mills & Boon persuasion, I am looking for something very particular that I don't look for in 'mainstream' fiction. For this reason, I score these books just a little differently.

I use four of the stars to score the book on writing, style, story, and the usual things. The fifth star is about the HEA. As inMy Happy Ever After. It is purely about how I feel when I get to the end of the book. Yes it is subjective and that's why I think it only fair to make it quite clear that when I review a book I am using one of those stars to score My personal HEA based on FEELINGS.

Because I read these romances to make me feel good. They are my Prozac, my stress relief, the medication I turn to after a rough day or week. So it is very, very important to me how I feel when I finish the book. I want to feel REALLY good.

It's not about whether I cry at the end, though there is nothing more cathartic than a good weepy Happy Ever After when the real world is offering you less pleasurable reasons to cry. In fact I count it as a plus if I get that involved with the characters.

I think I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to a romance, give me an interesting story, protagonists I can engage with and a Happy Ever After and I'm good for the most part.

But there are some things that will impinge upon how I score that last star. And this is where my own peculiarities come into play. For a purely stress free read that resolves everything to my total satisfaction some key ingredients come into play.

These are not secrets to anyone who knows me and reads my blog. I've always been upfront about them. For instance I like virgins. That's not to say I won't find a non-virgin heroine satisfactory but it is a small part of the mix that gives me my feel good read. I prefer a hero who hasn't been obviously sleazing around with a stack of mistresses or one night stands. At least not recently. I don't demand a virgin hero, but I prefer not to have his ex's in my face. Or hers for that matter. Once again that isn't set in concrete, but on the whole I prefer a misogynist to a philanderer.

Then there is the fidelity thing. This particularly comes into play in one of my favourite tropes, the reunion romance. I prefer it if both the hero and heroine have been faithful to each other once they actually have sex with each other. I've read stories where they don't remain faithful and enjoyed them, but...it's going to have to be a pretty spectacular story to get me over the ick factor enough to feel REALLY good at the end. Not impossible, but not common in my experience. I don't mind thinking he's been unfaithful throughout the book, but I get a nice little bump on the satisfaction meter if all is revealed at the end and there was NO infidelity.

This all comes down to my conviction that a really heroic hero is not ruled by his libido and has the capacity to remain faithful to his true love, no matter what the odds. That if he cannot have the heroine, he doesn't want anyone. If he cannot do this, there is always the faint chance that he will fall down on that in the future. It leaves a shadow. Shadows impinge on my HEA.

I will always mention in a review if there was something that made me uncomfortable in this way. I will not leave a question mark about the writing or technical excellence of the book. Usually that commentary will be somewhere down near the end of the review where I give overall views on what I've read.

All this being said. Your mileage may vary.

Huh? Yes. There are variables. Sometimes it's not about what happens but how it happens. And it isn't always obvious.

I'll give you an example surrounding two Sarah M. Anderson Desires I read this week. Just take a look at the blurb for 'A Man of Privilege.' I will be talking about things that may constitute minor spoilers but should not impinge upon the actual storyline. Stop reading now if this worries you.

The heroine in 'A Man of Privilege,' Maggie Eagle Heart, is introduced up front in the book as a former prostitute and drug addict. The hero, James Carlson needs her as a backup witness in a corruption case that is going to be his stepping stone to a political career.

Right there you are thinking. 'Dammit, that star just went right out the window on that one. A non-virgin and a prostitute. No way is prudish Fiona going to let that one pass.' Actually that wasn't a problem in the context of the story. I love a woman who has been strong enough to get over something horrendous like that in her past and comes out of it pure and wholesome. It could have been a no brainer, but Sarah made me love and appreciate her. Maggie was as good as a virgin because she was strong and she didn't sleep around even though she could have. Having nothing to lose, so to speak ;-].

I loved this story and I was just dying to give it the five star treatment. Then the modern world caught up with me later in the book. The nonchalance of the casual affair and the civilised aftermath. Yup, it was that darned hero who mucked it all up. If he'd kept his thoughts away from the past and not compared our little Maggie with his ex-lovers we would have been home and hosed. So what did he do, you ask? It was a simple thing that no one else in the whole universe would have been bothered by. But it bothered me.

You see there was this ex-girlfriend. Sure the assumption was he'd slept with her in the past. It's what people do, but I could have overlooked it. Shut my eyes, put my fingers in my ears and gone LALALA really loudly. But here we were, on the last stretch of the book. This woman had been mean to Maggie and then he explicitly tells us through the medium of his internal dialogue, he'd slept with her back when they were dating. Hell James, you slept with that snarky b*tch. T.M.I. I did not want to know that. I already knew you'd been with the other chick cos you'd ruined my perfect ending for 'A Man of His Word' by being all macho with the heroine's new love.

I have enough trouble trying to remember who used to sleep with who in the real world I inhabit. It's not comfortable because not everyone stays friendly and nice like Rosebud and James. They are more like snarky Pauline. Nuff Said. Don't bring the stresses of my real world into my fantasy world.

This being said, the books are a fantastic read with the most wonderful heroes and incredibly brave strong women. I gave them four stars because they were perfect in every other way. The writing, the story. Just wonderful. If I could have given them another half a star I would have but Goodreads doesn't allow for partials.

This being said, I am always painstakingly honest in my reviews. I will say if there is something I struggled with so readers can judge for themselves. I will say what I loved and what I hated. Rarely is there something I hate. I will always try and give credit where credit is due. I am willing to be pleased and I appreciate how lucky I am that so many authors write things I love.

I can understand that knowing all this you might not want to have me review your books. Allowing for my peculiarities and the weight I put on a subjective feeling based on personal foibles may not suit some writers. It's up to you. I'll keep reading and reviewing.

His Unexpected Family
by Robyn Thomas ****

This is a lovely romance about second chances and new starts from debut author Robyn Thomas. Set just outside Melbourne, Australia and in Melbourne itself, the story is about young widow and new mother Renata, Ren, and her husbands friend and adventure seeking colleague Cole. Cole comes looking for Ren to help deal with his guilt over the death of Danny, who died on a climb Cole arrived too late to join. Cole's brother Nate died at the same time causing alienation with his family.

The instant attraction between these two is complicated by Ren's feelings of inadequacy over the large amount of debt Danny left her with. Cole too is not looking for permanency so their relationship is a constant dance around guilt from the past and unacknowledged hopes for the future. Ren is wary of becoming involved with another man like her husband who would never be satisfied with a home life and must be always seeking out new thrills. Cole is constantly aware of the shadow of Danny and the type of man he was as he starts to see himself with a future based around this small family of Ren and her daughter Char.

This is a very sweet story and the hero and heroine are well drawn and very likeable people. At times I felt the emotional depths were skated over a little and we didn't really see much complexity and inner workings of the protagonists considering the issues both were dealing with. As such it was a lightweight and very enjoyable read. I recommend it to anyone who wants a sweet not overly hot read with just a nice touch of sizzle.

Jilted by Rachael Johns ****`

Four and a half stars. So what can I say about this gem of a story. They call it 'chook lit' as the aussi version of Chicklit which reminds me of a very confused German exchange student when I was a child asking what a 'chook' was. I reckon it's a great little romance and a lovely snapshot of country town living in rural Australia.

This book had it all, the footie on Saturday arvo, the gossipy hairdresser, the CWA crafts and cooking, the local pub. All very familiar to those of us living or having lived in outback Australia.

The story of Flynn and Ellie is a classic reunion of two young people in love who don't quite know how to cope when things go wrong. Ellie ran, leaving Flynn humiliated and bewildered. On the surface she made a success of her life, becoming a famous soapie star beloved by all Australia, except in her home town of Hope Junction.

Flynn didn't deal so well, making some poor choices in his grief and anger. But all is well now to all appearances, though he is still a bachelor, having taken over the farm after his father's death.

When Ellie's only real family member, Matilda, needs her support after an injury, Ellie knows she has to do the right thing, even if it means facing the townsfolk, and Flynn, after ten years.

When the two former lovers meet, it is obvious that they are kindred spirits though Ellie is determined her stay is temporary and Flynn is equally convinced that Ellie is off limits.

The dangling of another woman in Flynn's life at this point was entirely too stressful for me. I don't cope well with those potentially lethal plot elements and it trickled on quite a way through the book. If I was Flynn's auntie at that point I would have clipped him under the ear and told him think about what he was doing in no uncertain terms. Unfortunately much as I would love to live in Hope's Junction, I don't and had to chew my fingernails, watching helplessly as disaster seemed only a drink or two away.

Flynn and Ellie really had to work for their happy ending, and there were moments when I really wondered if I was reading a classic HEA romance because there was an element of Nicholas Sparkes, almost inevitably doomed relationship thing, happening now and then. There is probably a reason why I keep my angst reading to categories under 200 pages generally. The dark parts of their mutual and separate history make for some heartbreaking reading.

Now all this being said. In spite of my angst and nail biting and stressed out hand wringing, I loved this book. If I hadn't been totally engaged and loving the characters I wouldn't have cared what they did and whether they got their happily ever after.

Flynn is just gorgeous and Ellie is such a sweetie you want them so much to overcome the tragedies of the past. They are so real you could just about touch them, with flaws and fears and little quirks that endear rather than irritate.

The setting of Hope Junction is beautifully and lovingly drawn and for those of you who haven't ever been there, presents an accurate if rather rose coloured portrait of a town that could exist anywhere in Rural Australia.

Now I have a special give-away for one person who comments on this blog.

I was fortunate enough to get a second copy of Jilted at the recent RWAus12 conference at the Gold Coast. I got it signed by Rachael and will ship it anywhere that doesn't cost a fortune. Luna residents please take note.

How To Mend a Broken Heart by Amy Andrews ****

This is one of those wow books when you are amazed at the story but shattered at the same time. This was such an emotional read for me even though I've never lost a child post-natal. Fletcher and Tessa are such remarkable characters you just ache for them right from the first moment. Each of them have dealt with the loss, the grief and the guilt of losing their only child tragically in different ways.

Fletch looks whole on the surface but inside he has a hole in his heart that not only is the place where their son should be, but also his soulmate Tessa. He has chosen to devote his life to improving the chances of children who drown by researching and trialling methods.

Tessa has withdrawn entirely from feeling, from living, and this was essentially the breaking point of the marriage. They still loved each other but they lost their way in expressing that love, in validating their feelings. By denying her grief and through that, giving her husband no outlet for his, Tessa pushed Fletch into an action that became the final straw.

Now they have to work together to help Fletcher's mother who is sinking into the frightening world of Alzheimer's. Tessa is experienced in nursing such patients since she left paediatric nursing to avoid children and Fletch desperately needs her assistance.

Thrust together, these two have to start dealing with the issues that tore them apart ten years ago. And it is a painful process, not just for the hero and heroine, but for us living through it with them.
I felt battered when I finished the book. Yes, it has a happy ending. But as the author informed me when I asked halfway through when I was panicking, it is a tempered one. Damaged people do not have euphoric happy endings, not in the real world.

But this book, painful as it is, is a book about hope. It is about healing that can come if we are willing to work towards it, within ourselves and together with those we love.

The writing, and the way the author deals with such a deeply sensitive issue is beautifully done. It isn't an easy book to read but it is a very worthwhile one. Anyone who denigrates the quality and depth of romance novels has never read authors such as Amy Andrews. Thank you Amy for the pleasure and the pain, and the healing tears.

The Mommy Porn Phenomena leads to Rabbit Catching journalism.

This is a slightly expanded copy of my comment posted at the newspaper. The difference is due to word count limitations on the SMH site.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/blogs/citykat/are-romance-novels-as-bad-for-relationships-as-porn-20120824-24rwh.html?#comments

This article starts off on the wrong basis by taking this assumption as true.

“Porn is bad because it fosters unreal expectations about what women should look like and how they should behave in bed.”

There are a lot of arguments about why Porn is bad. This is not a legitimate or even widely used one among people who think seriously about the issue. Upon which the whole argument relating it to Romance falls. Along with the Headline which clearly shows the Editors are Rabbit Catching it trivialises what could have been a meaningful discussion on the place of romance and porn in modern society. People think that the popularity of BDSM lite romance 50 Shades has blurred the lines. Note the use of it as the illustration for a 'typical' romance novel. Another anomaly that a good number of reputable authors of romance would take issue with.

I characterised this article as trite and meaningless the first time I read it. Sure it's a nippy little article, presses the right buttons to spark peoples interest and got the twittersphere in a minor buzz. But if porn and romance demeans the roles of those reading it, surely rabbit catching does the same for journalism. Even the loose interpretation of variant figures makes one wonder how much serious thought went into the article.

This might have started off intending to be a lightweight rather humorous take on the whole 50 Shades as Mommy Porn phenomena, but it signifies a deeper malaise when editors waste the talents of their writers skimming over issues, trivialising real concerns and appearing to criticise the simple pleasures of large sections of the populace.

The only possible excuse for it is that it appears on the Life & Style pages and therefore is probably targeted at women who don't think deeply about anything other than their next manicure or romance novel.

File:Women hunting rabbits with a ferret.jpg

File:Women hunting rabbits with a ferret.jpg

Coming Home -Seasons

The trees along the driveway showed bright orange and yellow. They’d been a fresh green the day she’d left, the light breeze stirring the tops of the avenue of liquid ambers. Today the wind gusted, bright leaves scattering across the dirt of the drive, into the overgrown grass of the neglected paddock.

She accelerated up the narrow track, noting the last remnants of wattle flower in the bush that surrounded the house. It sat, squat and broad, the veranda empty apart from a table and two chairs.

They’d been wedding presents. That first year she and Trey used them every weekend, even in the chill of Winter. Trey’s parents chose them, the stained timber table and cushioned chairs suiting the Federation style of the newly built home. Would they ever forgive her? Would he?

A light showed in the study, the mountain behind the acreage shadowing the sturdy building once the Autumn sun lowered in the late afternoon. Trey must be home. His parents said he would be, but she’d not taken it for granted.

Edging the car around the circular driveway, she slowed to a halt at the front stairs. If he was in the study he would see her. How would he react after six months? That last fight had been horrific. Even now she still saw his harsh face vivid in her memory, taut with anger, his grey eyes pale as ice.

He recognised the car immediately when it stopped at the gateway. He’d chosen it for her not long after they returned from the honeymoon. The personalised number plate provided the final confirmation, if he’d had any doubts. Her initials and year of birth. Lacey Ann Cruikshanks, aged twenty-three.

She laughed every time she said the name, like she had the first time she’d heard it. ‘Next you’ll be telling me your mother’s name was Widdershins.’ He’d laughed too. He couldn’t help himself. And as he laughed, he’d fallen in love.

Now the joke was on him. He’d been a fool to think staid Trey Cruickshanks, lawyer and stalwart of the town, could hold a dancing sprite twelve years younger than himself. She’d danced into his dull life, tossing her bronze curls and making his world sparkle with the light of her amber eyes.

He’d noticed how blue the Winter sky could be after a frost. The brightness of the Spring flowers. The misty arc of a rainbow after a Summer storm. He’d enjoyed snuggling with her in front of the wood fire, stoking it to a blaze to keep them warm as they made love on the woven rug she’d bought on one of her trips to South America, before they met.

She’d seen the world and all he’d seen was his home town, and the city where he’d gone for those few years to university. No wonder, when that second Spring came around she’d gone. He could barely remember why now.

She’d been so young, he’d not wanted to tie her down with children before they had a chance to have adventures together. A chance for him to prove he wasn’t the stick in the mud she’d teased in those first months together.

Now it was too late. Lace would breeze in and pack up the last of her things. Her musical instruments, the carved wooden ornaments from all the corners of the world, that rug in front of the fireplace… The breath he drew hurt and he rubbed the heel of his hand against his chest, through the light cotton of his plain white button up shirt.

He’d put away the bright colourful polo shirts and printed T-shirts and jeans she’d given him over the short months of their marriage. The plain navy slacks and long sleeved business shirts suited the man he was. Boring. Ordinary.

She could see into the office now. Empty, the large window framing the antique timber desk with the matching swivel chair. Solid, dependable, like Trey. It had been that air of permanency that first drew her to him. Apart from his looks of course.

He had a body to die for, tall and lean, his angular hard boned face topped with a mane of dark blond hair that never seemed to sit neatly, for all his attempts to tame it into submission. His eyes seemed chilly at first but when he laughed they softened into a cloudy grey.

Kind eyes, that until those last weeks always crinkled tenderly at her when she did something ditzy. He’d been a rock that she could cling to in the stormy insecurity of her life. All those years battered from pillar to post with her unreliable mother, a virtually unknown father, had left her lost.

Travelling the world, she’d searched for a place to call home, yet she’d found it here in this small rural town, while backpacking across the country. Now she’d risked losing it all because she’d done what she always did when things didn’t work out. She’d run.

The call to his parents, just to ask if Trey was ok, had brought her back. They’d always been so kind, but when they’d told her how he’d withdrawn into his shell, she’d heard the condemnation in their normally gentle tones.

Gathering her courage, she climbed out of the car, rubbing the small of her back as she stretched after the long drive. Trey stood at the front door, watching her. What would he say when he saw her stomach?

Nothing. He just stood there, face drawn and closed, waiting for her. The six steps up to the veranda felt like a hundred under those cool eyes.

‘What brings you here, Lace?’

No welcome, no pleasure. His eyes lingered on her stomach and those sensual lips tightened. Suddenly all the things she rehearsed to say seemed unimportant. ‘I’m sorry Trey.’

‘Sorry?’

‘For running. I should have talked about it. I should have stayed.’

Lifting her eyes to his face, always a journey in itself, he was so tall, she caught her breath at the expression in his eyes. Not cold or angry.

‘Are you staying?’

‘Will you have me?’

His large hands cupped her face. ‘Do you doubt it?’ The soft tones wrapped her in warmth.

Closing her eyes she let him draw her into the solid strength of his embrace. ‘I love you, Trey.’

‘Welcome home, love.’

This is another short story from the Writing Challenge competition on the Harlequin Community boards. The story had to include a Firefighter and a dog. I include it on my blog today in honour of the So You Think You Can Write Competition raging merrily at the moment.
If you would like to read my entry you will find it under After the Funeral in the new Kiss imprint section. There are some fantastic submissions and I recommend you go browsing. I've found quite a few that I am desperate to read so I can see them have their Happily Ever After.
Some of my favourite recommendations can be found on some other blogs here and also here and here and here.
But don't restrict yourself. There are dozens of Supernaturals, Historicals and Suspense as well as Inspired and Heartwarming. And don't forget Medicals. Over 600 entries to browse through in 19 different categories.
If you like any of the stories be sure to vote. You get to cast one vote per day until the 11th October. Use your power wisely.

The Firefighter.

The taste of smoke sits uneasily on her tongue, drying her mouth. She can’t see it, but it lingers in her nostrils after every breath, stinging her eyes, making them water. It must be long past midnight, that gulf of darkness when everyone is asleep.

The silence is broken by a frighteningly insidious sound. A crackling, a sudden gasping roar as something succumbs to the ravenous monster. The curtains in the lounge room across the hall perhaps. Those thick, dusty velvet drapes would cling to the heat, welcome the licking flames like a lover.

Her phone must be somewhere. Fumbling across the bedside table, she knocks something to the floor and kneels down to scrabble on the carpet. The mobile must be in the kitchen. Probably on the bench beside the microwave. Groping her way into the hallway, she dismisses the morbid thoughts that stir. Which way to go? The front hall tempts her with its promise of freedom only metres away. Yet if the fire has taken hold in the lounge... The kitchen holds the best hope. But she has to find Abby.

‘Abby. Abby. Here girl.’

Is she stuck in the laundry? The polished timber, cool under her bare feet, comforts her as she moves along the hallway, hesitating at each doorframe. If only she could see.

Sweat trickles down her spine under the thin cotton nightdress. Not far now. A faint whisper of fresh air greets her at the open door of the kitchen. From the window over the sink. More confident now she walks around the table to the bench. Her reaching hands find the microwave, and in moments, close over the mobile phone.

Nothing happens as she keys in the emergency services number. A dead battery. Dropping the phone with a clatter, she presses her hand to her racing heart. So this is fear. Changing direction she aims for the back door, her hands clutching at the knob, fingers reaching for the key on the deadlock. Finding nothing.

She left it back in her room with the rest of the keys. Dare I go back for it? The windows, all with security bars, aren’t an option. Back in the hallway the smoke fills her lungs with just one breath. Coughing she staggers across to the laundry. The door is shut, but opens easily and she almost falls into the room.

‘Abby? Please, Abby.’

Her fingers close over a coil of leather. She’ll need it, if she finds Abby. It’s becoming harder to breath. They say to go low and crawl to escape the smoke. The laundry is empty. Abby must be elsewhere. Is ringing in the ears a sign of smoke inhalation? Coughing, choking, she lies on the floor, the tiles cool under her damp cheeks.

He didn’t think they’d find anyone alive, the way the fire took hold at the front of the old Queenslander. The slender figure, lying on the tiled floor of the laundry caught him by surprise.

‘One adult female.’ He informs his team as he rolls her over, ready with the portable oxygen.

She coughs as she draws clean air into her lungs. Cornflour blue eyes stare up at his mask blankly.

‘You came.’

Recovering his voice, he nods. ‘Yes, what’s your name sweetheart?’

‘Sarrah.’ Her voice, husky from the smoke, still sounds like music.

‘Saaarrah. That’s pretty. Now we need to get you out of here.’

Light as a feather, she curls against his chest trustingly. From nowhere comes a surge of protectiveness, well beyond his usual fierce determination.

Her hand clutches at his collar, bumping at the mask. ‘Wait, you must find Abby. Have you seen her? A big golden Labrador.’

‘We’re searching the whole house Sarrah. One of us will find her.’

She settles then, holding the mask against her face in one hand, the dog harness in the other.

Reluctantly he relinquishes her to the paramedics. Her hand comes out wildly, snagging his gloved wrist as he moves away. ‘You will find Abby wont you?’

Enveloping her fine boned hand within his large ones he squeezes. ‘Sure we will, sweetheart.’

Lying back at the behest of the paramedics, Sarrah sighs, releasing her grip on the coiled leather. If anyone could save Abby, he would.

From the moment she heard his voice in the darkness, that hammering of her heart eased. His strong arms and broad chest embraced her easily. Like home. Her fears melting away like willo-the-wisps in the dawn.

A loud crash, followed by a thunderous roar and she struggles against the restraining arm of a paramedic. ‘What happened? That noise…’

‘The roof caved in on the house, love. Now, just lie back and put that oxygen mask back on for just a tic.’

Fighting back the moisture building in her eyes, she slumps back on the gurney. Abby and the fireman are still in there somewhere. She can hear yelling and people running past the door of the ambulance. Oh please let them both be ok.

A scuffling noise and a protest from the paramedic alerts her and she wrenches off the mask. A large bundle of damp fur lands on her lap. ‘Oh Abby. You’re safe.’ Burying her face in the rough fur, she surreptitiously dries her tears.

‘There you go Sarrah. She’s safe and sound.’

Extending her hands in the direction of that deep, reassuring voice, Sarrah lifts her chin, revealing her blank stare to the man standing at the door of the ambulance. ‘Thank you. You don’t know what this means to me.’

Warm hands return her grasp, tightening convulsively, as if he feels the same magic. ‘I think I do sweetheart. I think I do.’

One hand pulls away, the leather harness replacing his clasp. She grips his remaining hand tighter. ‘You do understand.’

A touch on her cheek answers her, a feather-light grazing of firm lips, a finger tilting her chin. ‘I’ll be seeing you, sweet Sarrah.’

It sounds more like a promise than a goodbye.

The End-Maybe

Thanks for Reading.

The Devil and The Deep by Amy Andrews *****

This book should come with a WARNING. Do NOT choose this book to read while sitting at the bedside of a dying relative. You will make enemies when you glare at the nursing staff for interrupting you. Because you will not want to put this book down. This book also has really sizzling love scenes, so it is not the book to read in the presence of your Mother-in-Law. Even if she is in a coma and will not notice your heavy breathing and hot flushes.

Seriously this book has some wow factor. I always loved those old musicals in which there was a story within a story. This book has a story within a story that will have you running to the fridge for an Icepack.

The heroine Stella Mills is a best selling author of a historical romance featuring a pirate so hot he would turn the seven seas into a steamy desert when he captures Lady Mary Bingham and seduces her. The funny thing is that Vasco Ramirez is based on Stella's real life childhood friend Rick Granville who would never be interested in doing any of those interesting things to Lady Mary's alter ego, the real life Stella Mills. Or would he?

The long time friendship between Stella and Rick is sorely tested when her father leaves them a treasure map in his will, sending them on a Treasure Hunt together. Or is it a Pleasure Hunt? Rick is a hero to die for, though early in the book when he displayed his flirty technique with OTHER women I was ready to clip him under the ear. But once he got going, he had me under his spell like the rest of those poor bemused women. I thought I knew better but apparently I'm a sucker for a gorgeous guy with a nice line in flirty charm.

Stella is a wonderful heroine. In spite of her denials, it's obvious that Rick was always the one for her from the time she was ten years old. Even her ex is so opposite to Rick you can see how hard she was running. But her book gives her away every time. So imagine what might happen if Rick should get hold of it. Lucky a macho seagoing treasure hunter isn't likely to read a romance novel.

If you've read Amy's recent books Taming the Tycoon and How to Mend a Broken Heart, you wont expect this. Just as they are entirely different, this is different again. It has the wit and humour of Taming the Tycoon but the added vibe of a rollicking sea going adventure and don't forget that sizzling hot historical pirate. Amy's heroes and heroines are so incredibly real you have this sneaking feeling you've met them somewhere. They aren't perfect but they are likeable as well as loveable. If you are after a feel good read that still packs a punch emotionally and with nicely graded sizzle on every page, this is the book for you.

Where have all the Doctors Gone...

I used to read doctor and nurse romances all the time. But I have hardly touched a "Medical" romance for years. I've recently started reading them again after discovering some authors that really captured my imagination. But I am still reluctant at times to pick up a "Medical" off the shelf.

I spent a few minutes rummaging through my vintage Harlequin Mills & Boon romances this afternoon looking for a quick read. After the intensity of the voting section of the So You Think You Can Write competition and late nights trying to Mr Sheen my manuscript into a pristine polished condition, I needed a break.

The selection I picked out as possibilities included books by Jean S. Macleod and Jane Arbor who were mainstream romance writers. All of the books are standard Harlequin Romances, all of them included nurses and doctors. Of course there are authors who are known for Doctor/Nurse romances like Betty Neels, Lilian Chisholm, Marguerite Lees, Vivian Stuart and Juliet Armstrong.

I've been puzzling about this for some time for a number of reasons. One is that the manuscript I submitted to the competition features a surgeon as the hero. I happen to like writing romances about professional men. Doctors, Lawyers, Architects and so on. This particular story, and all the others I am working on with doctor's and nurses, don't fit the current "Medical" category because the guidelines stipulate that both the hero and heroine must be professionals working together in a medical environment of some kind. My doctors have a fancy for glamorous models, and artists and my nurse is tangled up with a lawyer.

There is also a discussion on the Harlequin boards on "Medical" romance that bemoans the lack of broader distribution of the line. Apparently they are not available in store fronts in the U.S. though they are here in Australia. Then there is the fact that only eight people submitted a manuscript to the SYTYCW competition under the "Medical" imprint. So is there a problem? And does it lie in the extremely rigid guidelines about what comprises a "Medical" romance.

The difference? Why do I relish reading these vintage authors and their doctors and nurses and yet hesitate to read the more specific "Medical" category? Perhaps because "Medical" category romance takes itself so seriously. If I buy one of these modern Doctor/Nurse romances, I will almost invariably be seeing my hero and heroine interact in a medical environment. It's certainly a great way to throw them together and offers some interesting and occasionally heartbreaking story lines. But it's all a bit intense and to a former nurse (of the very lowest, bottom of the rung kind) it's also a bit like work. Every...single...time.

Not that I don't enjoy the occasional visit to a hospital. Though in real life I don't want to stay there! And the writing is amazing. The quality of the "Medical" stable is high and includes some of my mainstream favourite authors like Sarah Morgan, Kate Hardy and Olivia Gates from the Desire line. There are exciting things happening in the "Medical" with some of the new authors really stretching the boundaries. I mean that mostly in a good way <G>.

But if there is an attitude to "Medical" romance that keeps it marginalised, all this will go unnoticed and unappreciated by the general populace of romance readers. While I can appreciate the Harlequin Mills & Boon dedication to the promise they make to readers to give them what they want and expect, perhaps it can be carried to extremes. In the case of Doctor/Nurse romances, perhaps they have made their promise too narrow, too confined.

I notice that the new KISS Riva lines promise an arc from mild and sweet to hot and sexy but with an overall promise of alpha males and a flirty modern take. Wouldn't it be nice if there could be a similar arc with Doctor/Nurse romances so that people who find too much hospital and medical jargon off-putting could ease into it gently while still enjoying the pleasures of McSteamy and McDreamy. And maybe there could be more Tulips and Manorial homes, more cruises to exotic destinations, and maybe doctors and nurses could marry outside the profession. Maybe they could marry artists and models and lawyers and billionaires and princes that don't coincidentally happen to be doctors as well.

It's that time of year again.

In our house that means checking all the bunks have fresh sheets for the influx of family. This year we will have all seven children in the house plus a ring-in attached to No. 5. No.2's fiancé is missing in action, spending Christmas with his family as his parents are just back from touring the country. Seriously you don't need an occasion when the whole family is together to have a party, but these days with No.1 in Berlin more often than not, and Nos. 2, 3 and 5 living in Brisbane, it isn't that common to have everyone in one place.

I will probably dig out some favourite Christmas movies, "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Love Actually" and this year I'm thinking of watching "The Holiday" for a little romance with a seasonal touch. Speaking of Jude Law... No.7 and I went to see "Rise of the Guardians" at the cinema in the neighbouring town of Warwick. Jude Law is the voice of Pitch Black aka The Boogyman. Is there a reason why a British voice does evil villain so very well? No. 7 thought it was the best Christmas movie she'd seen. It had humour, pathos and lots of good will and a hot Australian bunny voiced by Hugh Jackman. What more could you ask for?

Still on the subject of Hugh Jackman, I hope to see Les Miserables in the New Year. I've managed to avoid reading the book and the 'serious' movies for years. Surely with music and singing it wont be depressing. Nos. 4, 6 & 7 are coming with me to see The Hobbit in 3D at a Vmax cinema in Brisbane on Boxing Day as a special treat.

Christmas reading. So far I've read Christmas Wishes by Rhian Cahill, a spicy little short set in Australia. Another Australian Writer with a historical in an English setting is Anna Campbell with The Winter Wife which is a nice little reunion Novella. I also read and enjoyed Newborn Baby for Christmas by Fiona Lowe, set in Australia too. On my Christmas TBR I have a duet by Sarah Morgan Wish Upon a Star and a trilogy of linked stories, A Christmas Letter by authors Fiona Harper, Donna Alward and Shirley Jump. Intriguing because each of the authors comes from a different country so I'm looking forward to seeing if there are any notable differences considering they are all snowy northern hemisphere stories.

I am in big trouble because I forgot the Baby It's Cold Outside Anthology which I read a while ago. It's a terrific read from four of my favourite sizzling hot Harlequin Mills & Boon authors, Amy Andrews, Heidi Rice, Aimee Carson and Kate Hardy. Sorry girls. Don't know how I could forget those totally Hot guys. Maybe it was jealousy, maybe I was blocking them from my mind. Maybe I drank too much Bailey's...

Seasons Greetings

This is the picture we used on our Christmas Card this year created by No.6

DH and myself as Mr and Mrs Claus and the elves from left to right are as follows.

No. 4, No. 6, No. 1, No. 5, No.2, No. 3 and on the floor is baby elf No.7

To finish off, I'll include the 1k short I wrote for the latest Seasonal Themed Writers Challenge on the Harlequin boards. It's a matched set with my other reunion short. It didn't win so by all means finish reading here.

A big thank you to all those people who have read my blog over the year.

Tis the Season

The ice clinked and settled, melting slowly in the heat of a late December evening. Dipping one finger into the glass, Jess swirled the frozen lumps into a whirlpool. Her mother always said drinking alone was a bad sign. As usual she was right. Annoying woman. She’d been right about everything even til the end.

‘This is my time, Jessica.’

‘That’s just stupid Mum. You’re only fifty-four.’

Not that she looked it. Years of fighting for her life, the chemo, the surgeries, the pain. She looked old. And tired.

‘They’ve been fifty-four good years, in spite of losing your father so young. Don’t hold on Jessica. You’ve your own life to live.’

Maybe mum hadn’t known everything. Not that it was her fault. Oliver still turned up to visit the hospice regularly. Pretended all was well between them. He’d moved out a couple of months before the funeral. That beautiful spring day at the cemetery was the last time she’d seen him. Doing his duty, standing beside her through the Church Service and at the interment. His grave expression suited his long patrician good looks. Cool grey eyes mocked her gently when she had to beg a handkerchief. She never could remember to bring her own. Right to the end he did everything expected. Holding her hand, his long elegant fingers threaded through her small slender ones. Even letting her bury her face in his shoulder to dampen his dark, well cut suit with her tears.

Right until the end when everyone had gone home and just the two of them remained. Embarrassed by the memory of how she clung during the service, she’d withdrawn from him, uncertain about his mood. He stood silent, watchful, his thumbs hooked into the waistband of his trousers. At some point he’d loosened his tie and run his fingers through the pale blond hair giving him a faintly disreputable air.

‘Thank you for all your support, Oliver. I appreciated you being here.’ He didn’t answer, just stood there expectantly. ‘Well, I suppose this is goodbye.’

‘Is it, Jess?’

‘You won’t need to come around any more now Mum’s gone.’ That tell tale nerve in his jaw pulsed. He probably couldn’t wait to get away.

‘True. I suppose there’s no other reason for us to see each other.’

That hurt. Hearing him say it finally. Cautiously, Jess extended her hand. ‘Friends?’

A strange silver glint showed in his eyes. ‘Friends? I don’t think so, Jess.’

Scrubbing her face, Jess frowned at a brightly clad Santa on a Christmas card. ‘There’s no need to stare, haven’t you seen anyone drunk before?’

He didn’t respond, his jolly red-flushed face indicated he’d probably been into the Bailey’s too. Bailey’s on ice. She giggled. Bailey’s on a snow cone at the North Pole. Not sweltering in the heat of an Australian summer.

She could hear bells ringing. Santa’s sleigh no doubt. He’d have a hard time getting down the narrow flu of this fireplace.

A figure swam into view. Not dressed in red. Not Santa then. ‘What happened? Couldn’t Santa make it? Fancy sending Frosty the Snowman instead.’

‘You’ve been drinking.’

‘Clever, clever Snowman. Do you think your icicle heart will melt in the heat?’

‘I don’t have a heart remember. You told me I came fully formed in solid marble.’

‘Marble. Cold hard marble. I remember now.’

The tears came, trickling beside her nose. He’d liked her nose once upon a time. Liked the freckles, the ginger curls, even the muddy hazel brown eyes. Liked the fact she was only as tall as his heart.

‘I’d forgotten what a maudlin drunk you were.’

‘I’m not mor…maudlin. I’m just tired. I’ve been working right up til this evening.’

‘Saving the world from silence at the music store.’

‘Music is very shmoozing. Soothing.’

‘I think it’s time for bed, Jess.’

‘Didn’t you bring me a Christmas present?’

‘I did, but I don’t think you’re in any condition to receive it.’

The world spun as strong arms scooped her up. ‘Marble, cold hard marble.’

Daylight illumined the sleeping figure, the milky skin with the smattering of freckles on shoulder and nose. The kissable lips, the lush curve of…

‘Oliver? What are you doing here?’ She pulled the sheet up, hiding the tantalising curves.

‘Sleeping. What one usually does in bed.’

‘Not this bed.’

‘Why not? This is the marital bed and we are married.’

‘You left.’

His chest tightened painfully at the memories. ‘You threw me out.’

‘No I didn’t. Did I?’ Her forehead creased in a frown. ‘Did I?’

‘I certainly understood “Get out and stay out” to have that meaning.’

‘I didn’t mean it. I was upset.’ She struggled into a sitting position holding the sheet across her chest.

‘Not surprising. It is upsetting when your exceedingly heartless husband demands sex of you now and then. But I think you did mean it.’

‘My mother was dying.’

‘And in my purely selfish male way I thought I was offering you comfort. I was wrong apparently.’ He could see her eyes studying him. So much hinged on her response.

‘No you weren’t wrong, Oliver. I just wasn’t prepared to see it.’

‘You could have just told me you weren’t in the mood.’

‘You said I was immature and needed to grow up.’

‘I cared about your mother too. You never gave me credit for that, Jess. You were hurting but so was I. You were slipping away from me. Every day you seemed more distant. It’s hard to be shut out.’

‘I didn’t know I was doing it.’

‘I know. And every time I pushed, you just retreated more. So when you told me to go, I went.’

‘Why are you back?’

‘Christmas is the Season for Peace and Goodwill to all men. I was hoping for a little of that to come my way.’

‘You want to come home?’

‘I would very much like to come home.’

Her hand reached out and her fingers intertwined with his.

‘Tis the Season.’