April Moon

Rating:
Summary: Great read during the recent hurricanes!
Review: Anything by Merline Lovelace is sure to be a great read, and I thought something shorter, anthology length, would be good as Hurricane Frances approached my house. (I'd hate to get caught in the middle of 400 pages of something and lose electricity!) The first story, by Merline, packed a whole novel's worth of sexual tension and real love into novella length. The entire story takes place in the space of one night, but the read was as satisfying as a full-length book. The following two stories also take place on the same fictional night. The second story was set primarily in a seaside cave, and the author did a good job of painting the dark and damp and windy setting. In fact, when the eye of the hurricane was over us, my husband and I went outside to check for damage in the dark and wet night, and I said, "Oh, this feels just like the book I'm reading!" The third story was much more slowly paced than the first two, and I read it during the heat and the stillness following the storm. APRIL MOON was the perfect read for my hurricane experience. I thank the authors for their perfectly written, perfectly paced stories!

Rating:
Summary: Three Talented Authors!
Review: APRIL MOON is an anthology with an interesting concept - three stories taking place in April 1803 under an April Moon.

Sailor's Moon by Merline Lovelace is a spicy sexy tale about the widow Lady Sarah Stanton. Her debts have led her to be engaged to Captain Sir James Lowell, a nasty and self-serving man. Now traveling on his ship, she realizes her mistake, but finds she is unfortunately under his control. The ship is taken over and boarded by American captain, Richard Blake, who has come to free his crewmembers who were taken by Sir Lowell and committed to his service. Sir Lowell forces Sarah to use her womanly wiles on Captain Blake in an effort to kill him. This backfires in the most delightful way. This story moves quickly and is a fun romp on the sea. Ms. Lovelace introduces sexy characters and fun villains.

Susan King's White Fire is a smugglers tale and takes place on a moonlit Scottish coast. Jenny Colvin, searching for proof to halt her father's hanging, is stopped by the mysterious and brooding Sir Simon Lockhart. Once in love with him until he left abruptly four years ago, she finds she must turn to him to help save her father, aware that only this once-daring smuggler could save her father from the gallows. In love with Jock Colvin's daughter Simon is determined to have her forgive him for disappearing without a trace. Susan King weaves a sweet and engaging tale set against the Scottish coast and the light of that mysterious April moon.

The Devil's Own Moon by Miranda Jarrett introduces us to Harry Burton, the Earl of Atherwall. On a bet he dresses as a highwayman to hijack a coach. Of course the coach he holds up is Sophie's, his long lost childhood love. Sophie now finds she needs an escort to her governess job and Harry is the only one to do the job.

The Devil's Own Moon is a fun adventure, and is both humorous and engaging.

All in all APRIL MOON is an extremely enjoyable light read by three talented writers!