Diamond Bay

I started reading Linda Howard's novels a couple of years ago--since I enjoyed her more recent novels so much, ("Kill and Tell", "All the Queen's Men", "Mr. Perfect", etc.)I decided to search our her earlier stuff. So far, this is the best one I've read--almost hated to see it end. (I haven't read any books in the MacKenzie series, but I intend to!) "Diamond Bay" is set in my home state of Florida (a possible reason why I'm partial to this book), and involves two very well-developed characters, Rachel Jones and Kell Sabin. Sure, you knew from the first few pages that these two would end up together, but they are such interesting people, that the slightly unbelievable situations which develop don't seem as important as how the relationship between Rachel and Kell grows. Incidentally, for some reason, most bookstores don't seem to carry this novel, although they do carry a lot of Ms. Howard's other early works. I found my copy in a used bookstore--thank goodness for them!

Face it. If you are hooked on Linda Howard, even her bad books are winners, and this is one of the really good ones. Action packed and sexy (and nobody, but nobody writes sexier novels). Kell is a to die for hunk (Yea, yea, I know. Stereotype. But so's Mel Gibson, and I'm not complaining.) Rachael is bright, strong, independent and thoroughly likeable. This is romance with a capital "R" and another LH winner.

Having read the trilogy - White Lies, Midnight Rainbow and Diamond Bay - backwards I can honestly say that this one is my favorite! The plot is original, the characters are great (it was wonderful to finally get a handle on Kell Sabin), and it's superbly written. I'd have to say that this is a must read for any Linda Howard fan or for anyone who loves a great love story!

Originally published in 1987, Linda Howard tells the story of Kell Sabin (introduced in Midnight Rainbow) and Rachel Jones. Previously published as one of four books chosen for Silhouette's Linda Howard collection (Midnight Rainbow, Heartbreaker and White Lies were the others), it is Linda Howard at her best. Department chief of a group of secret-agent type men, Kell is on vacation trying to pretend he lives a normal life - until he is shot and his boat blown up. Rachel is a former investigative reporter who returned home to Diamond Bay after her husband had died a violent death several years previous. She has finished grieving for her husband and is seemingly content to live alone with her guard dog Joe. As usual, the bad guys are out to get the hero and it is up to the heroine to save him while not getting the both of them killed. With time and a little help from friends, Kell recovers his health, and captures the bad guys. Along the way though he also loses his heart and learns that love is a risk that is worth taking.