A Kiss in the Wind

January 30, 2012
A rollicking pirates-of-the-Caribbean romance is fatally marred by sheer implausibility and torturous turns of phrase (“The menacing malignity hung heavy in the air surrounding him”; “Those green eyes cauterized her composure”). The stereotypically feisty pirate’s daughter, Marisol Castellan, seeking information regarding the fate of her missing brother, steals a treasured possession from the handsome, angst-filled pirate captain Blade Tyburn and offers to return it if he’ll allow her aboard his vessel in pursuit of a silver-laden treasure ship, the Gloria. She is prepared for neither the mystery that surrounds the Gloria’s fate nor the mutual passion she finds with Blade. With an improbable family of feuding pirates at the center of an equally unlikely seaborne soap opera, even a bloody series of made-for-film action scenes cannot disguise the predictable plot twists or overcome the gruesomely awkward prose.

February 15, 2013

Maria Hunt is a British nurse in German-occupied Brussels, Belgium, during World War I, caring for all of the injured, including British soldiers, and helping those who can to escape. When Lt. John Bennet arrives with a serious leg injury, he rescues Maria from an overly affectionate German soldier. Then, together, they must flee. VERDICT The rarity of the 1914 time frame makes this romance novel stand out. A well-written, sweet, though predictable story, it is impressive in its historical detail. [Xpress Reviews, 12/14/12.]--Susan Hayes, Chattahoochee Valley Libs., Columbus, GA

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