November 15, 1996
Sick of ice and snow and just plain bored, Claudia Claus leaves Santa to his Christmas preparations and heads south to St. Louis for a bit of holiday diversion-and succeeds in providing a Christmas-loving real estate agent with her very own 6' 1," sexy, broad-shouldered, Holiday-hating Grinch-and all the expected trimmings. The premise is cute, the heroine perky, and the holiday atmosphere abundant; and despite some rather strained humor and love scenes that are explicit but not especially romantic, this will appeal to White's (Male for Sale, Silhouette, 1995) fans and readers who like their holiday romances short, sexy, and uncomplicated. As if a wounded knight and his murderously protective servant in her dispensary weren't enough, Lady Edlyn is stunned to discover that her patient is none other than Hugh de Florisoun, a man from her past-a man she had once passionately loved. Descriptive writing, a nice sense of pacing, and well-handled sexual tension will keep readers engaged in this medieval story of love, conquest, and intrigue. Dodd is a respected historical writer (Move Heaven and Earth, Harper, 1995).