Book description:
He was barely alive. Someone had shot him twice. Trusting her instincts, Rachel didn’t call the police. Her sixth sense told her that she was his only hope. With him lying unconscious before her, Rachel had to decide his future, as well as her own.
This is the only synopsis that I could find. It’s not a very good one, is it?
Only a handful of people know that Kell Sabin even exists. A shadowy figure within the CIA, keeping his identity secret is paramount to what he does. While he’s on a much needed vacation, Kell is attacked and almost killed. Only two people within the organization know his exact location. Now all Kell has to do is somehow stay alive so he can flush out the traitor. That’s hard to do when you’re in the ocean with a gunshot wound. It’s not in Kell’s nature to give up, so he strikes out for shore, all the while trying to avoid the very people that shot him.
When Rachel Jones finds a man floating in the bay by her house, her investigative instincts kick in. Having no idea whether this man is good or bad, Rachel trusts the instincts that have guided her so well in the past. Dragging the almost dead man to her house, Rachel decides against calling the police, though she can’t even explain to herself why.
Taking care of her patient for days with only the help of her veterinarian friend, Rachel tries not to lose hope that he will wake up. When he does finally wake up, she immediately realizes that this man is even stronger than she first thought. Kell has never had anyone take care of him. The novelty of Rachel is something that he has a hard time comprehending. His attraction to her and his need to protect makes those feelings even stronger. All he knows is that he has to recover enough to go after those who betrayed him.
I think Rachel is one of my favorite Howard heroines. She was so strong willed and she refused to let Kell walk all over her. With an alpha personality like Kell’s, it takes a special woman to be his equal. Though he has a strong personality, a woman that would allow Kell to constantly dominate her wouldn’t work for him. Rachel stood toe-to-toe with him. She wouldn’t accept his excuses why she couldn’t be in his life after he left. I just loved how she refused to give up on him, even after he left.
Kell is the alpha hero type that I miss. Howard used to write these heroes (or some variation) in every book she wrote. As a reader, you come to expect it. Every new book she releases, I hope that she writes the alpha hero that her fans know and love.
5 out of 5.
This OOP book is published by Mira Books. You can buy used here or here.
As a avid fan of LH, I have re-read all of her books in the past 6 month periods. And one of the truly unique thing I discovered is how perfectly insync I am with her heroines – by that I meant mental stage, career and personal growth.
(sorry, i’ll try to keep this short)
I started reading LH when I was a teen so the earlier stories, Independent Wife, Come Lie with Me, etc, really reflects my tender age and mind:) Seeking and playing with idea of independent but I was ultimately comforted by huge alpha male who took charge of the scary unknown “life”. Notice that the heroines at the time were even in their early twenties.
Years past, LH’s heroines gets stronger and more mature but in their career, they are still not equal to their heros. I find this is the period in which most LH fans prefer her to stay with.
Now, I have a career and family. I find, like most female in cities, the woman are earning equal if not more than their partner. They are more ambitious and at time more driven. The latest LH books are interesting in they too have evolved- the woman are becoming more equal to their men in ambition, strength, and wit. The struggle to balance both personalities are interesting to observe. Though some stories are not the best, others, like Dying to Please, are better at getting it right.
So as much as I do really enjoy Diamond Bay, it does not touch me as much as it used to.
mph
I love this book–I love Kell Sabin.
*sigh*
Thank you for the memories, Casee. I feel a LH marathon re reading coming on (as soon as I fulfill some reviewing obligations, that is 😀 )
LOVE this book and have read it so many times it’s warn out- although I recently got an orginal SIM version of it on Ebay for a great price (some of her old originals are going for rather high!) which I am very fangirl squeally about.
LOVE Kell and Rachel to bits.
Ohhhh. I loved this one!
Great Book…Must Read!!