Scenes of Passion (Silhouette Desire) [Mass Market Paperback]

We start with the pathic heroine - her parents take advantage of her, her sister is a drunk, her boyfriend cheats on her with her drunk sister, her best friend tries to sabotage her romance with the girl friend's old boy friend; these are the good moments of the book.

We then go to the mis-understood hero who would rather have people think he is a drug addict then a cancer sufferer, when did having cancer become so shameful that you would rather submit to random drug tests and someone publicly demanding you go pee in a cup??. He doesn't just hide this from the public at large but lets his own father think he is in rehab not on death's door.

We finally have these two get together only to have our heroine decide the hero is a liar because a hospital won't give her confidential patient information on the hero over the phone. What hole has she been living in to think a hospital will release any patient information over the phone to someone that is not even a family member of the patient?

This book is beyond bad. If you want a good Suzanne Brockmann book purchase one of the Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series, do not waste your time or money on this miserable read.

If like me you have purchased this PLEASE burn it don't take this one to the book re-sellers, remember you would then be responsible for this book getting into another innocent person's hands.

The best I can say about this book is it's average - A bit twee but nothing special. The plot has been clearly covered by other reviewers so I won't repeat it here. I didn't come to care about the characters: The age old man who lies by ommission for the heroine's "own good" and a woman who believes him, finds out the truth and then forgives him with really no reason to, (or explanation) has been done time and again (and better) elsewhere.

In fact a miraculous 'happy' ending would have been in keeping with the whole tone of this story. I confess I didn't really like Letters To Kelly (her last Harlequin title) either but the writing and plot were a lot tighter and more cohesive there.

I'd be a happier fan of Ms Brockmann if she was allowed, or gave herself the time, to only write what she really feels will work. At her level of productivity and popularity there really can be no excuse for churning out under par formulaic books.

However, since she's not the only Harlequin / Silhouette / Mills&Boon author doing this one has to wonder if outstanding contractual obligations are being forced on authors from above.

Whatever the reason, I would rather have read the superb Gone Too Far (just out in HB and worth every penny)or waited for her next Harlequin book; Night Watch (due in a scant 3 months)and seen Ms Brockmann have more time for writing as she can do rather than seems forced (for whatever reason, by whomever) to do.

This book is, at best, average. Not destined to be a classic 'keeper'.

Read Frisco's Kid, Prince Joe, Get Lucky, Forever Blue or any of the dozen+ titles in her Tall, Dark and Dangerous series to get a un-put-downable story and a feel for how good a writer she really is. Or her longer SEALs series. Both are superb, highly addictive and currently being reprinted in full!

Matthew Stone has waited ten years to tell Maggie that he has been in love with her since they were teenagers. Once the bad boy, Matt soon faced his own immortality and reformed his bad boy ways. Now he has three months to prove that he can keep his fathers company afloat and make it profitable again, and he wants Maggie's help. He also wants to prove to her that they are perfect for eachother.

In Scenes of Passion, Brockmann is at her best with romance. Not in the same League as her SEAL series, it nevertheless captures the readers heart and holds them spellbound.

Don't miss it!