Shades of Twilight

Back when I read Linda Howard's To Die For, I said that I do not really like romance novels but I do like Linda Howard's books. And that still holds true. While I haven't touched a romance in a long time, I was immediately hooked when I started reading Shades of Twilight last night. The story was really interesting and I really liked the characters. Oh, and like Heart of Fire, Shades of Twilight is told from both the man's and the woman's perspective, which I really like.

Shades of Twilight is all about the Davenport family who lices in Arizona. Roanna and Jessie are cousins who lose their parents in a car accident and are taken in by their grandmother Lucinda. Jessie grows up like a princess, popular and beautiful, while Roanna is the clumsy, mischievious one. Roanna is in love with their other cousin, Webb, but he is the heir to the majority of the Davenport fortunes. As expected by everyone, he marries Jessie (although their marriage is far from happy).

But then one night Jessie is murdered and Webb is briefly accused. Everyone in the family except Roanna does not support him, so after the whole business is cleared up he leaves for 10 years because of their betrayal. Nearing the end of her life, Lucinda wants to make amends with Webb and asks Roanna to bring him back.

The years have been hard on Roanna. She always felt like she couldn't do anything right and that no one loved her, especially after Webb betrayed her by leaving. To protect herself she has withdrawn into herself and tries desperately not to feel anything so she will not be hurt. But the only person who can pierce through her armour is Webb, whom she still loves.

Shades of Twilight is the story of two people finding each other even after all of the betrayals and heartaches. It is also the story of the entire Davenport family and what becomes of them, especially after Webb's return brings out someone trying to finish the job that started with Jessie's murder by killing him. While it's not my usual read, I did enjoy it (having powered through over two thirds of it last night).

To Die For

I would have finished Linda Howard's To Die For last night, but I was too tired. So I finished it just a few minutes ago. I do not really like reading romance novels, but I do like Linda Howard's stuff. She is the author of Heart of Fire, which is probably my favourite romance novel to date. (I like that it is told from both the woman's and man's perspective. That made it really entertaining!)

To Die For was not told from the man's perspective, but instead was first person from the woman's, in this case Blair Mallory. The very beginning of the novel wasn't terribly appealing to me, but by the end of the first chapter I was hooked!

Nicole, a woman who was copying Blair's image, was shot, and Blair was the only witness. In comes police lieutenant Wyatt Bloodsworth, a man whom Blair had dated a bit until he mysteriously ended their relationship. Cue fireworks here.

I think the main thing that appealed to me was the dialogue between the two main characters, Blair and Wyatt. Some of the things that Blair thought during the narrative were also hilarious! The two of them argued constantly and it was highly entertaining!

I also liked that, for a romance, there wasn't way too much sex. Yes, sex did happen, but it wasn't graphic like some of the books I have read in the past.

So, to make a long story short, this book was alright. I enjoyed it for what it was.