Shades Of Twilight

I started this novel with high hopes because the actual technicalities of the writing are very good. However, it soon degenerated into a "typical" Mills and Boon romance of earlier times. It was actually written in 1996, but even so, I thought by that time, M & B was starting to perk up a bit.

I could understand Webb marrying Jessie (young, hot-blooded idiot at the time) but to watch her bad behaviour and cruelty toward a girl (Roanna) for whom he is supposed to care, and not do anything to protect her is unreal. In fact the whole family are shown to be a pack of cold-hearted, greedy jerks.

Unfortunately, the heroine's character is very weak. I found it hard to believe that she HADN'T SMILED FOR TEN YEARS? And the point about her insecurity and not eating is gone over and over to the point where I wanted to slap her. No matter what the hero does, she immediately feels she's "not worthy" and that everyone was right to abuse her. Webb's treatment of her when he meets her again after all those years is abominable and she just whispers how much she loves him and he can do whatever he wants with her? Oh dear, oh dear...

The ending was a surprise, I have to admit, and Webb's behaviour changed toward the end, but Roanna was still "slap" material!

Shades of Twilight is without a doubt my favorite romance novel of all time. I've read it well over a dozen of times, yet every single time certain scenes have me crying from the emotional tugs (and believe me, that is a feat - I am not normally a crier). Howard shines in this touching tale of love reunited, betrayal, murder and intrigue.

The main characters in Shades of Twilight are very well fleshed out, and by the novel's end, I felt like I'd really gotten to know this family. Even the "bad guy" is extremely well fleshed, so that you know his reasoning and motivations behind his actions, not just his depravities. Roanna Davenport is, in particular, a character I could identify with, due to her need to be needed and her strong capability to love and forgive. I love how Howard takes enough time with the first sections of the book to give us the past so that when we come to the "present day" you can really tell the differences in the characters, especially Roanna. When her grandmother points some of the most dramatic changes the early events caused, that's when the tears start flowing.

Webb, as well, as a strong male character, with his own ability to forgive those who have hurt him, despite his having a stubborn streak. After getting to know him, there is no doubt that anyone privilege to be in his circle of family and friends will not regret it and will always have someone there for them.

Howard paces the book well, with both past and present given just the right amount of attention. The only complaint I can foresee some reader's having is that Howard had no qualms of adding an incestuous (and rather perverse) relationship to the mix, which precipitated a great deal of the events. If you stop reading the novel just because of that, though, you are missing out on a great story. It's a prologue to where things end up, not the bulk of the story.

My copy is well worn, as I have yet to get tired of rereading it. With each read I still find some new nuance and pick up on new clues as to who did what.

Roanna Davenport loses both her parents as a young child and goes to live in the South with her rich but cold grandmother, Lucinda. There Roanna meets and falls in love with her distant cousin, Webb Tallant. First she hero-worships him as a child and then as an adolescent she has a teenage crush on him. However, Webb was always destined to marry another cousin, the beautiful but tempestous Jessie. The wedding goes as planned but when Jessie is found murdered one evening in her bedroom all fingers point towards Webb. Webb decides to leave the family home and heads for Texas.

Ten years pass and Roanna is now grown up and Lucinda is dying. Lucinda's dying wish is for her beloved Webb to return to the family home and to take over the business from her. Roanna heads off to Texas to persuade Webb to return home. Webb finally decides to return with her but tongues start wagging and old gossips are dug up. With Webb's return, Roanna starts receiving new threats. Is Jessie's killer still a danger to the Davenport/Tallant family? Will Webb ever return Roanna's unrequited love?

This was an explosive read. The chemistry between Webb and Roanna sizzles and sparkles. Their sex scenes are graphic but also romantic at the same time. Although I agree with other readers that the incestous scenes between father and daughter could have been toned downed. The southern family saga was a great storyline. It was like watching a good old episode of Dallas or Dynasty. A very highly recommended read. You can't go wrong with Linda Howard.

Lea Ling Tsang

I liked this story and would highly recommend. Roanna Davenport is the granddaughter of a very rich and powerful southern family. She has lived with her grandmother since her parent's death. Roanna is skinny, not that pretty and has never quite fit in. She doesn't mind because she has two great loves in her life, horses, and her older cousin Webb whom she has openly adored and loved forever. Roanna also has another cousin Jessie. Now Jessie is everything Roanna is not (beautiful, sexy, elegant, etc.) In the end Jessie nabs Webb and Roanna nurses a broken heart. Then out of the blue Jessie is murdered. Who is the murderer? Is it Roanna who has wanted Webb forever? Is it Webb who just had an argument with Jessie? No one is quite sure but the neighbors suspect Webb and in a fit of anger, after Webb is cleared by the police (mainly due to lack of evidence), he leaves town for good. Now Roanna is left alone and she has to try and pull her life together without Webb. But is Webb really gone for good? I don't want to give too much away, but this is a good southern story, with the powerful matriach grandmother, all of the family's various and colorful relatives, and Roanna Davenport, a character you can't help but feel for. I would highly recommend.

Hailed by many as one of her most audacious romance novels, Shades of Twilight is indubitably Linda Howard's most ambitious attempt in creating a chilling mystery that will keep you riveted. Roanna Davenport struggles with her budding yearning for her cousin Webb Tallant - and when her sister and his soon-to-be wife Jessie dies - Roanna is plagued with guilt while Webb becomes a suspect in the foul play.
The tragedy has muted the vivacious Roanna and sculpt her into a vulnerable soul while Webb leaves his desired Alabama estate in cold disgrace, becoming a hard man. Ten years later on the account of her grandmother, Roanna finds Webb and brings him back to helm over the management. Yet the killer remains scot-free and no doubt will take this reunion to silence and frame Webb all over again.
Shades of Twilight is a lacerating experience that will keep you riveted through webs of deceit, incest and mystery. The resuscitation of Roanna's lost spirits through Webb's love will tear you asunder with its poignancy. Ms. Howard creates scorching passion that triumphs with tender emotions and developed characters. Shades of Twilight has established Ms. Howard as a master of suspense and romance.

Glad to have found another author that I can enjoy. Very well developed characters, interesting story, easy to read writing style. The characterization was one of the best things about this book, especially with Roanna. You really see her character change throughout the book. There were a lot of emotionally painful moments for her, especially at the beginning and it moved me too. Wonderful chemistry with the main characters and I liked that many of the acts were written from both of the characters' points of views, allowing the reader to see what each character is thinking/feeling, while realizing exactly how the other character is misinterpreting those same actions/glimpses of emotions. Howard keeps the acts with sub-characters short, and there are not too many, which was good so the focus is really on the relationship between Roanna and Webb.

Mystery, Romance, and Sensuality this book has it all and is written by a great author that keeps getting better and better.
Roanna is raised on her grandmothers estate in Alabama when her mother and father are killed. Her life is a torment and her torment is in the form of her perfect cousin Jessie who is cruel and mean to Roanne. The only bright spot in her life was Webb. He stood between the imperfect Roanna and the spoiled Jessie. Roanna finds herself falling in love with her hero. Webb eventually marries Jessie but finds out to late what a mistake that was. Webb's wife and Roanna's cousing Jessie is killed and the finger is pointed to Webb.
Webb leaves the area and years pass and Roanna goes and finds him to bring him back to their grandmother who needs him now. Webb comes back to the house that his wife was killed in to a killer that was never caught and to the feelings that he is starting to have towards Roanna.
This book really sizzles and is a great story by one of my favorite authors.

Even though "Shades of Twilight" is less than perfect, it will still be a welcome read for Linda Howard fans. Howard continues to do what she does best - deliver intense, steamy modern romances with a hint of mystery to keep the plot moving along. The core romance is strong, and as usual, the hero is an appealing combination of tender caring and strong masculinity. My biggest problem with this book was that the heroine was just too passive - not the spunky, independent modern woman you'd expect in a Linda Howard novel. I also wasn't crazy about the cliche Southern family all living together under one big roof with distant cousins pairing up. That doesn't really work in a contemporary novel, but Howard comes close to pulling it off. Despite my complaints, I did enjoy the book, and you will too if you have enjoyed other Linda Howard novels. However, if you aren't familiar with Howard's work, better to start with one of her better novels. "After the Night", "Dream Man" or any of the MacKenzie saga would be great choices.

Once you get beyond the whole "ick factor" of cousins falling in love and getting married, (and a father and daughter having... relations), this is actually an emotional love story about second chances.

After her parents' death, mousy Roanna was sent to live with her grandmother Lucinda. Her perfect cousin, Jessie also lost her parents and moved in with grams and got all the attention. Ro has a massive crush on fellow cousin Webb (his grandma and Ro and Jessie's grandma are sisters), who has always stood up for her. Of course, when they grow up, it is Jessie that Webb woos and marries, much to Ro's heartbreak.

But a kiss suddenly turns passionate and results in turmoil for all members of the family. After Jessie discovers Webb and Ro in each others arms, she throws a fit (despite being in a torrid affair with her birth father). They fight and Webb walks out and soon Jessie is found bludgeoned, and all the family except Ro think Webb is guilty. After being cleared, Webb moves to Arizona and becomes a hardened and weary man. He returns years later at Lucinda's request. She sends Ro for him, and he agrees as long as she provides what everyone assumes he got when she was a teen. He is shocked when she agrees to sleep with him.

When he returns to the family home, they continue the relationship, not realizing that the other actually means to them. Meanwhile, Webb is searching for the actual murderer of Jessie, while family members still taunt him and confront him with their suspicions.

One has to ask - why hasn't Lucinda tossed out the freeloaders? this one is dated, which is why the heroine lacks a real backbone. But overall, it is a passionate love story/mystery. You willbe surprised when the killer is revealed.

Roanna was a loving, giving person but the only one who gave her any affection was her distant cousin Webb. No one realizes what a treasure she is. Webb foolishly marries Roanna's cousin Jessie, a manipulative, shallow woman who delights in making Roanna's life as miserable as possible. When Jessie is murdered Webb leaves town after offering no comfort to Roanna. Her entire family believes she had seduced Webb because that's what Jessie said shortly before her death. When Webb leaves there is no one left who cares about Roanna.
When Webb returns to town years later he finds a different Roanna. She no longer smiles or laughs and has taken on the burden of the entire family never asking anything in return. He finally sees what he left behind and hopes it's not too late. This book was one of the best I've ever read! It's one you'll want to read over and over!

I literally just finished this book and wanted to write out a review right away.

Wow...what to say. Shades of Twilight is quite a book.

The story centers around an old-money, prestigious Southern family, the Davenports, and their poorer relations, the Tallants. The Davenport Matriarch is Lucinda. She had two children, a son and a daughter. The daughter had an illegitamate daughter, Jessie, and the son and daughter-in-law had a daughter, Roanna. Then there's also Webb Tallant, Lucinda's grand-nephew who lives at the Davenport estate with his mother since his father died. When Lucinda's two children and daughter-law are killed in a car accident, her two grand-daughters, Jessie and Roanna, come to live at the estate. Webb was raised and groomed to be the heir to the Davenport legacy. It was also expected that Webb would marry Jessie (they were only distantly blood-related). Jessie was the one always getting attention. She was pretty, esteemed, graceful, and all that. Roanna was the misfit, always in Jessie's shadow and getting in trouble, but Webb always stuck up for Roanna, though she was 7 years younger than him. They had a special bond.

Anyway, Jessie and Webb marry in their early-twenties, but the marriage quickly goes sour. Then Jessie is murdered and though it can't be proved, Webb is thought by many to have done it. He leaves town and doesn't return for ten years, when Roanna goes to him and asks him to return because Lucinda is dying.

The bulk of the story then takes place during that period as a relationship develops between Roanna and Webb, and things begin to happen that endanger Webb, and later Roanna.

This book was just...enthralling...in a way. I just could not put it down. It's such a twisted, dark tale in a lot of ways. LH doesn't mince words in this book. There's nothing flowery about it. The language at times is coarse, but fitting. And she crosses the line on taboo's blatantly. But it doesn't take away from the story. It makes it all the more powerful.

There's a definite suspense tale to the story, but it's not the biggest part of it. A lot of this story is about the characters. The book just completely draws you in on an emotional level. It pulls at you in a way that so many books don't. The characters are so vibrant and you really feel for them. And the relationship between Webb and Roanna is compelling.

There are a bunch of things about the book that would put some readers off. It is a dark tale. But man it was good.

Rating: 5 / 5

In this novel linda howard explores not only the intricate family and societal ties in a rural southern community but also the emotions and vulnerabilities of a young girl. Roanna the heroine in this book starts out as an insecure 7 year old who had just lost her parents. As a result she goes to live with her grandmother, and two cousines jessie and webb. As she grows she finds disaproval at every turns thus becomes a shy, akward tomboy, with a case ove hero worship/love for her older cousine Webb. Unfortunately, while he is kind to her, he is atracyted to thaeir other cousine Jessie, who is not very nice, as is revealed later. Roanna's feelings for Webb set off a series of events that result in Webb leaving for several years and jessie murdered. Because Webb left Roanna went through a change and withdrew from her family and friends, until she convinced Webb to come back. He did come back, to try and find out what had changed Roanna so much. He tried to fix his relation ship with her and the rest of his family, all the while, trying to find out who killed Jessie and was now trying to kill him and Roanna. This book is a thoroly good book. I was caught up in it from page one. The twists and turns and surprise ending earns it a place as a great mystery, but the skill with wich the characters were portrayed, add a new dimention. Aside from that my favorite part was how well Ms. Howard expressed Roanna's vulnerabilities and her complex relationship within her family and with Web. If there were a higher rating than 5 stars i would give it to this book.

The pain of suffering in silence, the weight of guilt, and the chance of a new life... they all come together in the form of Roanna Davenport. Growing up in a place where love was given to her cousin Jessie and none to her, Roanna was always feeling lonely and focused her attention on the only person that took notice of her--Webb Tallant. Gresome events took place, and then Roanna was left alone once more. Many years passed before Webb came back, and with him, the agony and the guilt she hid inside her soul. This is the story of the jouney that Roanna and Webb take in order to defeat the ones that are threatening their lives and their love, and trying to find a way to have the happily ever after they deserve.

Seventy-five percent of this story was the hero and heroine's REPETITIVE inner-dialogues. Say it once and move on...please! The two may have been "kissing-cousins," but they spent most of their time apart. The whole incest-thing was not as dark as I got from other reviews as the story did not go in to too much detail and it only involved two extremely sleazy adults who would have been a danger to barnyard animals. (Actually, what I found to be just a tad creepy was the heroine's total and consuming obsession toward the hero practically since her birth.) The murderer was obvious if your roots are deep enough in the South, but the reason behind it was such a prosaic letdown. There were so many more imaginative possibilities. I found After The Night an intriguing Southern story by this author. Narrator was fine.

Roanna lost her parents at age 7. She then lived with an evil cousin Jessie who bullied and tormented her constantly for 10 years. Jessie was killed and the relatives at first believed Roanna did it, then later believed Webb did it so he left town for 10 years. He made erroneous assumptions about Roanna and acted like he hated her as he left. He was the only one who cared for her and raised her from age 7, and she felt abandoned. Other relatives came to live in the house with Roanna and treated her badly for the next 10 years. I have four problems with this book.

First, Roanna was too much of a victim and everyone else contributed to it. The grandmother should have done more to protect and help Roanna, especially when Roanna was initially accused of the murder by the relatives. I did not enjoy having the majority of the story dealing with the sadness, grief and helplessness of this victim.

My second complaint is that Roanna and Webb both lusted for and loved each other but they stayed away from each other due to making wrong assumptions. He felt like he forced sex on her, and said it wouldn't happen again. She thought he didn't like sex with her and didn't want her anymore so she said she understood and that she would leave him alone. He said you don't understand anything, but he didn't clarify. She thought he didn't want her. I don't know why he continued to stay away from her. This went on for most of the book. She was honest in her communication, but he was not. Finally when they did get together he said "I've tried to stay away from you." She said "Why." He said "God knows." Later he said "I thought I was being noble by not taking advantage of you." I never did understand his reasons. He should not have stayed away from her like that and should have been more direct in his communication with her.

Third, the author spent too much time inside Roanna's head, thinking and worrying about things. Many of these worries were based on erroneous assumptions or could have been solved. Some of this bored me.

Fourth, I was confused about cousins who shared the same grandmother being able to marry and produce offspring with genetic safety. This sounded like they were too closedly related to me, but I'm not familiar enough with genetics to know.

Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: nine. Setting: 1990s Alabama. Copyright: 1996. Genre: contemporary romantic suspense.

As a romance novel, this is enjoyable. However, the relationships between the cousins, as well as the father and daughter, make the story less "comfortable." It is more disturbing that the novel presents an atmosphere of approval for the romance between the cousins.
However, even more disturbing is that some readers apparently feel this type of relationship is characteristic of the South. As a born and raised Southern, I can assure you that I have never known this to be normal or accepted behavior in the modern South. Though I have enjoyed Linda Howard novels, I was somewhat surprised, and a little insulted, to find this incestuous relationship so openly accepted and celebrated in this particular novel.

I really wanted to like this book, it sounded interesting and different, and I wasn't put off by complaints of incest I read in most of the negative reviews - but I could not get through the sample. We are forced to read the same information, the same events, from every character's perspective. The redundancy was just too much. When I found myself skipping paragraph after paragraph, page after page because I wasn't reading anything new, I just could not buy this book. People may think that someone who hasn't read the entire book has no right to criticize it, but if a storyteller is good, they will grab their reader at the beginning and never let them go, not have them yawning halfway through the sample. A good editor with the guts to cross out all the repetition may have been able to help this author publish a decent novel, but alas, we got this muddled mess instead.

I liked the characters of Roanna and Webb. Not much of a storyline for me. I, too, could not get past the scenes of Jessie and her father. The ending deserves 5 stars, as I did not see that coming. I usually can figure out "who did it" in the middle of a book. Too much sex without that much content. If you want a true love story with a roller coaster of a ride that will keep your heart pumping read Paradise by Judith McNaught.

I read this book after reading the reviews, good and bad. I don't understand the bad reviews. This was a good story.
Of course, the issue of incest was a little disturbing, but other than that I understood the reasons why Webb acted the way he did. He gets accused of a murder that he did not commit and his family and friends turn their backs on him. I'd be pissed off too, and not very trusting. Roanna had a very sad life, she had lost the important people in her life, and she ends up having to live somewhere where she does get the love that a young girl craves, especially from your own grandparent. It was reviewed that she seemed so spineless, but she had alot of reasons not to fight back. She did not dare find out what would happen if she did stand up for herself. Also, other reviews say that Webb was mean and vicious to Roanna. He was confused and did not know how to handle his feelings for her. He makes amends, IMO, and tells Roanna exactly how he feels about her and shows it in many ways. There is a good story plot here. It didn't take me long to finish it, because I could not put it down. Read for yourself then judge for yourself.

This is one of my favorite Linda Howard books. Roanna has led a very emotional life, one I can't imagine living. As a child, she loses her parents, the people who would love her unconditionally. She is then sent to live with her relatives, who are disappointed in her conduct and never fail to let her know. All her life, she has felt inadequate and insecure. The only person that shows his concern for her is Webb, her cousin. He was always concerned about her well-being and naturally, since he is the only positive life force in her life, she falls in love with him. Since the tragedy, Roanna has bottled up her emotions into the deepest part of her heart. Webb is the only one who can make her want to live again. I love the fact that Webb concentrates on making Roanna smile and laugh again and just concentrating on Roanna period. How many women have felt this way and wished someone could come and pay attention to us and save us? Webb is a true knight in shining armor. This book exudes romance. Don't read it for anything else otherwise you'll be disappointed. I think this story is something we can all relate to because it's real. I love the fact that we feel what Roanna feels and we are there reading every word of how she grows up into a splendid woman. Another reason I love this book: the main characters have also grown with maturity and not all is lost when you think it is otherwise.

In this book Howard explores the darker side of humanity in the well-cultured, steamy South. It is a story of jealousy, betrayel, and strength in characters united by a common lineage, one that has its own drive of preservation. The readers are swept along as we see just how far those dark, chaotic drives can take the weaker beings among us. We see how these things can indirectly set off a chain of events that force others to change, survive the cataclysmic fall-out that results, and how it can rip apart some relationships while forging others still stronger.

I have been reading Linda Howard since back in the 80's when she wrote for the Silhouette/Harlequin book line, and I can say she NEVER disappoints.
This is one of my very favorite books along with Mr. Perfect, Dream Man and Open Season

This book is easily my favorite Linda Howard book--perhaps my favorite romance. The story is intense, sexy, sweet, and has a little bit of murder mystery thrown in. I always want to cry when Ms. Howard describes her heroine's battle with her appetite and when the hero remarks how he counts all of her smiles. I am emotionally connected with these characters and I never wanted the novel to end. I think I've read it three or four times since I first got it and the love between these characters just gets sweeter. I highly recommend this book to all romance readers. It's easily one of the best stories by one of the best writers.

I always have enjoyed the writing style of Linda Howard and this was no exception. I read this book once before and kept it to read again because I thought it was an outstanding book. I still enjoyed the mystery end of the story but the romance was lacking and the intimate details of relationships should have left more to the imagination. There was also an inappropriate relationship between a father and daughter which should have been downplayed. Again, it was well written and not a complete waste of time.

Ahhhhh.... so lovely to recollect my very first Linda Howard experience. This book has had a place on my keeper shelf for years now. In response to the question, 'what would be the one thing you would take with you to a desert island?' My answer, after my husband (maybe... just kidding, darling), would be THIS BOOK. It's essentially the story of Roanna, one seriously, and I mean SERIOUSLY, F'ed-up girl who turns into one seriously F'ed-up woman. She's soulfull and downtrodden but gutsy and oh such a wonderful victim. Another bonus: her family makes inbreeding look quite glamourous, so you can't help but start thinking about taking up with your is-he-my-cousin-or-isn't-he love interest. Anyway... I digress...
Don't worry, no spoilers: Roanna is a rich, orphaned kid being raised by ol' Grandma in the family's palacial estate in Alabama. She's got two equally strange cousins, Webb (love interest) and Jessie (who has textbook sociopathic tendencies). As times go by, Webb gets together with Jessie while Roanna, younger and fairly heartbroken by this, watches on sadly. Grandma doesn't seem to have a problem with this, which is odd; I would have recommended family counselling at this stage.
Short version: Jessie is murdered (lots of mystery, a la Linda Howard gold)... Webb, all manly and resentful, leaves and goes off and does something with horses or whatever for several years... leaving poor, heartbroken Roanna still on the crazy ranch with Grandma.
Fast forward to some years later: Roanna goes to find Webb to bring him back to the crazy ranch because crazy Grandma is dying. Lots of steamy sex (and, erm, some seriously F'ed-up sex between some of the other characters) and, Ta-da! Murder mystery solved with sex and heartbreakingly well-written emotional scenes.
This is a book that you can read over and over again... I take it with me whenever I have a really long flight or when on holiday. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!
PS. It's funny how some of the tags for this book include: 'Alabama' and 'incest'... aren't they synonyms? hahahaah... just kidding.

One of my fave Linda Howard books (not dissimilar to After the Night).
This book is wonderful! It's about unrequited love, devotion, second chances and good coming out on top!
I always go back to this book when I want a bit of a cry, Roanna has so many trials in life, but her perseverance is inspiring!
The book has a solid story and mystery running though that along with the well developed characters and the in-depth emotions of the novel keep the story flowing... fast.
If I could give it more stars I would!

Linda Howard for some reason does not have her own website, so I had to dish somewhere and the store is as good a place as any. This is definitely one of my top five best books of all time! This story was so juicy it was almost fattening. I know a book is excellent when I want to contact the writer and tell her so, and that's exactly what I wanted to do here! This book has passion, jealously, lust, betrayal, and mystery. Everything that makes a great book. I became a fan of Linda Howard after reading 'After the Night', but this book cemented my fandom and I have picked up her books ever since. Not everything is as good as this book, but almost all of her books are enjoyable (nee 'Open Season'), but with this book she was in 'THE ZONE'! A thousand other reviews will probably tell you what this book is about, so I won't waste my time. All you really need to know is READ IT! READ IT! READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a bad book. Incest, all throughout. And why was webbs mom so uninvolved ? What about Corliss's mother how about helping that poor girl. Roanna needed some counseling. All the people in this book got on my nerves. Terrible

This is one of my favorite Linda Howard stories because Roanna & Webb are such a great match and the wealthy southern family setting is always a good read. I love the stories where there's an unconsumated attraction between the two main characters and then they're suddenly thrown back together many years later to find that time/distance only made the attraction more intense.

*Some spoiler alert*

I'm pretty baffled by all these rave reviews since they usually don't go wrong by me. I just have to say that this book is as "rednecked" as you can get where first cousins are marrying each other, daughter and father intercourse, second cousins making out... There were some psychological aspects and disorders to this book that although we study it, it's just not something I would read for fun (ie the Lolita syndrome). What I usually get off of Linda Howard's books is that she tries to be as realistic a possible where relationships go but the author pretty much overstepped this to the point where it wasn't enjoyable for me.

Roanna Davenport is a fascinating character follow as she grows from child to adult. Going from ugly, unsure duckling to self-assured swan over the span of ten years is fascinating to uncover in this romantic suspense novel of the power of strength through overwhelming adversity.

A book about the growth of one woman into maturity, and the evils that surround her everyday life throughout the years. Howard's best.

This book was truly wonderful. I couldn't put it down. It goes to show that even the wealthy, most powerful people have their own problems. Howard's eloquent descriptions of love, sex, and family troubles, really gets your emotions stirring. I feel that in some way anyone can relate to a character in the novel.

I've just recently started reading Linda Howard books. This one is great especially the depth of her character, Roanna Davenport. There is a good mixture of suspense and romance in this book. Nice to see that Roanna hung in there for many, many years before she got her man.