I purchased this book on a whim and, after reading the Publisher's Weekly review, nearly didn't get past the cover. I'm certainly glad I chose to judge it for myself. I completely disagree with the professional review of this work. Sure, the storyline could have been tightened up a bit to achieve a faster pace. Personally, I think the onus for that belongs as much to the editor as the author. But, for an inexperienced, nascent novelist this was an excellent foray into romantic suspense.
The prose was terse, contemporary (young and fresh) and rang true for me - something so lacking in many romance novels. The plot's climax was gripping. The characters grabbed hold of my heart such that, when the last page was read, I felt a sense of bereavement at the thought of ending the book; Ms Lowell crafted characters for whom I cared very deeply. For me, that sense of loss at a book's conclusion ONLY occurs with the very best characterizations from the likes of Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood, Linda Howard and, of course, Elizabeth Lowell.
I acknowledge that TV soap watchers may consider the amnesia plot device to be shop-worn. However, the plot devices used in this novel worked for me - they were well-crafted, intriguing and mostly believable. And the date scenarios were certainly no more clichéd than that which we find on episodes of Sex in the City. In addition, I did not find the love scenes to be prosaic in the least. For anyone who is TIRED of flowery, syrupy, melodramatic love scenes, you won't find them here; you won't find the typical fomulaic phrasing, the esoteric and worn-out euphemisms nor the vaguely-described action. I found Ms. Lowell's love scenes to be plausible and titillating yet tasteful. They were exactly right.
For myself, my next click is to order the second Heather Lowell book. She's earned a place on my list of must-buy authors. Keep `em coming, Heather!
