Now or Never (By Request 3's) [Paperback]

Rafe's Revenge is a knock out tale of a critic Silver Carlylse. She writes a scathing review of movie mogul Rafe McGinnis. Now he has set a target on her back and is determined to make her pay in one form or another.

Hand in Glove deals with Judith Daniels a small town reporter. Her friend dies under mysterious circumstances at the Puppet Factory - a Jim Henson type organisation run by Ryan Smith. Her friend was in love with him and Judith fears he may be responsible for her death. So she gets a job there determined to find out the truth. Only now she is falling for Ryan herself and someone is trying to kill her.

Partners in Crime - has Jane Dexter rushing to keep a secret formula from falling in the wrong hands. Instead she ends up in the arms of the dashing, dangerous criminal, she cannot resist.

Wonderful tales package as the right price! A must for all Stuart Fans - and if you have not read her, here is a super chance to get to know of one of the best writers in the romance field.

Unfortunately, the second offering, Hand In Glove, shows how even a master of the genre can miss the mark. I get no good feel as to what it is about the man and woman which attracts them to each other, apart from brute physical attraction. The plot has holes you could drive a horse and carriage through - a factory-full of curious employees don't realise where their charismatic boss really lives; and in a night of intimacy spent (part of the time) in conversation she fails to tell him about the recent attempt on her life? Too much rests on the tightening sense of peril, and since I spotted the (albeit unbelievable) villain miles away, this just didn't work for me.

I would consider Partners in Crime a near miss. There is some character development, and some rather satisfying romantic situations. But somehow this offering fails to convince me. Nonetheless, a pleasurable read. And I'll say this for all three books; Ms Stuart is right at the top of her league. If you must indulge in romantic fiction, you could do a lot worse then reading her offerings. Her writing is competent, full of fun and wit, and she doesn't stretch her readers' credulity too much. All this in the course pushing the right romantic buttons.