Serpent in Paradise (Hqn Books)

Rating:
Summary: Early Jayne Ann Krentz
Review: Early Krentz that isn't as polished as her later work, but shows the beginnings of her wit and humor. The hero and heroine are delightful, although I didn't understand why the heroine would want to give up that lovely Pacific island for cold and rainy Seattle.

Rating:
Summary: JAK shines even back then
Review: Reviewed by: Danyelle Warden

Jase Lassiter owns The Serpent, a local bar on Saint Clair, an out-of-the-way Southern Pacific isle. Jase has been in the South Pacific for the past decade trying not to think too much about his dismal future as he declares himself an interesting "souvenir" for adventurous female tourists seeking vacation flings.

When Amy Shannon shows up in his establishment, Jase realizes immediately that she's the wrong kind of woman in the wrong place; however, Jase is intrigued despite his misgivings. Initially, Jase believes he can have a simple affair, but after it becomes evident that Amy is in over her head with some unsavory characters in her attempt to find out what has happened to her ex-brother-in-law, Jase decides to become Amy's protector and confidante.

Jase, alpha-male extraordinaire, does a fine job of protecting Amy and steps up to shoulder his responsibilities (would JAK ever let one of her heroes off the hook? I think not!) after an unexpected turn of events occurs. Jase and Amy are fairly predictable characters, but the book fits nicely into the themes so often explored in JAK novels - trust, faith, commitment, and family ties.

There are two things to consider when evaluating this book: The first item - JAK wrote this book in the early eighties, a time that touted the alpha-male as the end-all-be-all of romantic fiction; and secondly -Silhouette's stringent page limits are inflexible. Serpent in Paradise has the makings of an excellent single-title release. The characters' motivations are rock solid as are the plot devices that drive the action. My only complaint is that there weren't enough pages to fully delve into the characters and the elements of mystery and danger.