The Joker's Love Tune

Rating:
Summary: An ace of a love story amidst the Gulf Coast casinos
Review:

Sam Bennett feels he lives the ideal lifestyle. He loves running a Reno casino and deeply cherishes his spouse Azia. However, heaven crashes when Azia dies in a camping accident. Five years later, Sam still has not gotten over his grief nor his guilt. However, Sam tries another new start when he takes over managing the new Sand Dollar Casino and Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi.

However, Sam was not ready for the restart of the beating of his heart. When he first sees his assistant Abby Thompson, Sam is stunned. He realizes for the first time since Azia died, he finds a woman attractive and fascinating. Surprising herself after a disastrous affair in Nevada, Abby reciprocates Sam's feelings. As they fall in love, a hurricane threatens to destroy their casino. Besides needing to overcome the specter of their previous relationships, they also have to surmount danger from a real sentient being out of their Nevada past.

THE JOKER'S LOVE TUNE provides readers a feel for the new Mississippi as the author brillainatly describes the clash of cultures between casinos and the old-time Gulf Coast residents. The subplots are quite interesting and add to the contemporary romance by providing the readers with glimpses behind the scenes of a casino and the terror caused by a pending hurricane. Abby and Sam are a perfect pair from the first moment they met even though they have a lot of baggage to recycle. Rolling a seven, Sidney Rickman proves he is no joker when it comes to scribing a warm, exciting tale.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Well-written and Exciting!
Review: As a resident of the Gulf Coast and frequent visitor to the Mississippi casinos, I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Rickman's book. The story is well-written and I found the details of the "behind-the-scenes" operations of the casino business exciting and informative. Also, the threat of the hurricane was very real and brought back recent memories. I'm looking forward to Ms. Rickman's next book!

Rating:
Summary: Loved this book!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed "The Joker's Love Tune." The characters are believable, the story is fast-paced, and the dialogue is intelligent. Abby, the chief character, is very appealing. She's a strong, independent woman, but one who has not lost her femininity. From the beginning it's obvious that she and Sam are perfect for each other, but the two of them have to overcome the shadows of their pasts before they can believe in love again. The book has an unusual setting in the casino world of the Gulf Coast, and it builds to an exciting thriller-like climax. I hope to see more books from this new author.