Garden of Dreams

No matter what had ever been going on in JD Marshall's life, he always had his work to fall back on. Now, as he leads the race to bring online banking to consumers, someone is trying to destroy him. He knew it was a mistake the minute his uncle Harry told him who his 'investors' were. Based in Las Vegas, his finance backers were heavily involved in the LV Mafia. When a break in occurs at his Research and Development building, JD takes all the data and the fifteen year old son he never knew he had, and goes on the run.Nina Toon was raised by her spinster aunt to believe that no woman was better with a man. Nina went through life believing it, and the older she got, the more she believed it. When JD and his son Jackie fall into her life, Nina doesn't know what to make of it. A school teacher who is on summer vacation, Nina doesn't know how to react when JD offers to help her make her dream of having a botanical garden and reality, if he lets her rent a bedroom of the farmhouse. Knowing that her aunt Hattie would heartily dissaprove, Nina nevertheless accepts JD's offer. She did not know how to deal with her body's reaction to JD. Whenever he is in the proximity of her, she feels like her body short circuits.Never knowing the importance of family, JD only knows that he wants Nina in his bed. He doesn't know where to go from there, nor does he understand his feelings of contentment out of bed with her. Nina loses her arrogance about thinking she doesn't need men in her life as the story unfolds. Together they find their way to the Garden of Dreams after overcoming many obstacles.

I've found that Patricia Rice is one author whose books I can buy without even looking at the backcover blurb and know that I will enjoy it no matter what. That doesn't hold true for many authors. I've read a number of her contemporary romances so far, and each has held my attention and entertained me.This book is no exception. The plot has already been detailed in another review, but know that Ms. Rice has created interesting and realistic characters, ones who act and react in believable ways. Each character has some hidden depth that is initially unsuspected. Also, she creates multiple subplots which enhance and advance the storyline. In addition to romantic arc, there are also subplots involving a father's discovery of an unknown son, industrial espionage involving computer software, the return of a prodigal mother, a murder, and a community/personal battle over corporate vs. private interests. The prodigal mother subplot, for example, doesn't follow the typical restoration-of-a-loved-one route. I especially enjoy that she tells the story from both JD's and Nina's perspectives, allowing us access to their emotions. I found that the multitude of characters enhanced rather than detracted from the story. Each was integral to his/her portion of the storyline.If you like the writings of Karen Robards and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, then Patricia Rice should definitely be added to your "must-read" list.

John David "JD" Marshall is the ultimate absent minded computer nerd who trusts no one, not even himself. In Los Angeles, JD is currently working on a revolutionary computer program that needs approximately three-six more weeks to complete. However, JD panic when his uncle informs him that a financial loan officer will soon be visiting him to see what progress has been made on the new program. Adding to JD's tumbling world, he receives a call from an Arizona teenager claiming to be his son. JD panics and does what he always has done when the heat is up, he runs (computer in hand). In Kentucky, JD is injured in a car crash. He recovers in the home of Nina Toons, a local math teacher. Nina thinks all men are worthless and JD knows he has had nothing but bad luck with women. When the pair fall in love with each other, they must still overcome their past demons and the threat from the outsiders chasing JD before a permanent relationship can be bonded. GARDEN OF DREAMS is an interesting contemporary romance that features two charming lead characters and an assortment of intriguing support players. The story line is crisp but occasionally is derailed by revelations from inner souls of the lead protagonists. In spite of this slight flaw, Patricia Rice serves up a fabulous romantic intrigue that will please fans of the sub-genre. Let's hope this author will be writing contemporaries for a long time to come Harriet Klausner