The Deepest Night

Starred review from October 13, 2014
Where The Longest Night stood out by demonstrating that consent is sexy, this smashing sequel shows that respectful communication is downright scorching. Opportunities abound for miscommunication and high drama between Michelle Cole, who’s planning to turn an English house into a B and B, and Ray Powell, the battle-fatigued military contractor who shows up at what used to be his grandmother’s home and is startled to meet its new owner. The tension and the stakes are artfully developed, and the characters handle their conflict head-on rather than with melodramatic assumptions. Ray can be rough and intimidating, but his manner toward Michelle is respectful and patient as affection builds between them and their relationship blossoms. Though each character is haunted by sorrows and traumas, they both grow, change, and adapt as whole people, and the story is better for not being limited to surface personality traits. This sweet contemporary will appeal to romance fans who like their heroes powerful and smitten and their heroines capable and genuine. Agent: Jennifer Udden, Donald Maass Agency.

November 1, 2014
Soon after her arrival at Valhalla's Rest, the bed-and-breakfast she is evaluating for her best friend, Vicky, Michelle Cole is surprised to find that she has a guest. Military contractor Ray Powell has returned to St. Mary's, one of the Isles of Scilly, to recuperate from an intense and dangerous mission in Peshawar, Afghanistan. A cautious friendship develops when Ray offers to show Michelle the sights. The attraction between them is undeniable, but the difference in their lifestyles makes a long-term relationship unlikely, and Michelle, always the smart and sensible one, finds it hard to believe that Ray could be attracted to her. When Michelle's many times divorced mother shows up in the final third of the book, the story really heats up. Loosely connected to Braden's first book, The Longest Night (2014), the characters and plot are well developed, and The Deepest Night can stand alone.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)