キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか？ しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか？ 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな？』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう？もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain's Log, Stardate 01.25.2007
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman
She's found the love of her life.
Unfortunately, he loves her sister.
As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her.
Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister.
But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart.
Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure will carry your heart from the sophisticated streets of Boston to the green hills of Ireland as men go off to war and women long for their return. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, it will captivate you from the first page.
Camy here:
This was a wonderfully rich historical romance that kept me guessing until the last few pages about who will win Faith’s heart. I love those kinds of books! I couldn’t stop reading because I had to find out how everything turns out.
The characters are very strong Christians with strong faith. They have a mighty impact on the people around them like Collin, with his anger at God, and Mitch, with his stagnant relationship with the Almighty he grew up with.
This is a more sensual book than typical CBA historical romances, and I loved that aspect of it. It made the characters’ struggles so much more realistic and relatable.
The characters are so well drawn that I felt strongly for each of them. In fact, I hated Charity so much, I kept reading and hoping she’d die or get maimed or something in the next chapter!
The novel’s theme of futile chasing after the wind—pursuing things that have no eternal value—is very deftly woven into the story, and resonated with me quite a bit.
I think this would be a fabulous novel for any teenage girl to read. The sensuality is not graphic, and the struggles of the main characters are things any single woman could relate to. There’s a great deal of realism and yet encouragement in the characters’ actions and choices.
I highly recommend this novel. Fans of Deeanne Gist will probably enjoy this one.
A Passion Most Pure by Julie LessmanShe's found the love of her life.
Unfortunately, he loves her sister.
As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her.
Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister.
But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart.
Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure will carry your heart from the sophisticated streets of Boston to the green hills of Ireland as men go off to war and women long for their return. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, it will captivate you from the first page.
Camy here:
This was a wonderfully rich historical romance that kept me guessing until the last few pages about who will win Faith’s heart. I love those kinds of books! I couldn’t stop reading because I had to find out how everything turns out.
The characters are very strong Christians with strong faith. They have a mighty impact on the people around them like Collin, with his anger at God, and Mitch, with his stagnant relationship with the Almighty he grew up with.
This is a more sensual book than typical CBA historical romances, and I loved that aspect of it. It made the characters’ struggles so much more realistic and relatable.
The characters are so well drawn that I felt strongly for each of them. In fact, I hated Charity so much, I kept reading and hoping she’d die or get maimed or something in the next chapter!
The novel’s theme of futile chasing after the wind—pursuing things that have no eternal value—is very deftly woven into the story, and resonated with me quite a bit.
I think this would be a fabulous novel for any teenage girl to read. The sensuality is not graphic, and the struggles of the main characters are things any single woman could relate to. There’s a great deal of realism and yet encouragement in the characters’ actions and choices.
I highly recommend this novel. Fans of Deeanne Gist will probably enjoy this one.
Comments
LOL, you're not alone Camy and Deborah ... I got one e-mail from a reader asking if I would slap Charity for her! Trust me, in book 2, A Passion Redeemed, Charity gets her due. But, oh ... what fun it was to redeem her!! :)
Thanks, Camy, for the great review and for posting it on your site.
Hugs,
Julie
I interviewed Julie on my site.
I'm looking forward to Charity's book.
I can't wait for the book discussion next month. I want to talk about this book.
Hugs,
Julie