365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #149

The Vengeance Affair - Carole Mortimer
Mills and Boon Modern
Reprinted in 'Bedded for Revenge' Mills and Boon Special Releases
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2010
ISBN: 9780263873931


My rating




From the back cover:

"Beau Garrett wanted a more peaceful existence. But the seemingly idyllic village of Aberton proved to be a hotbed of scandal and gossip - and Beau was the target!
His "crime" was to employ female gardener Jaz Logan, branded by her mother's adulterous past. Soon Beau acted on his attraction to Jaz...and the poison pen letters started arriving.
Just who was sending this cruel correspondence? Beau's solution was to propose that Jaz become his fiancée. But Jaz had always planned on marrying for love..."


This is the third and final book in the Special Releases omnibus as above. Unfortunatly this one didn't really do it for me.

The hero Beau has moved to a quiet village in order to escape from the pressures of city life after a car accident left him mentally and physically scarred. Only he soon finds out that village life is not as quiet as it seems, with nosey neighbours and gossip. He hires the heroine Jaz to landscape his garden and as they get to know one another they recognise each others loneliness. Jaz has lived in the village all her life and tries to escape the scorn that her mother's adultery created. However when news of her growing friendship with Beau circulates Jaz starts receiving anonymous and malicious notes. She tries to ignore them but they begin to get to her and frighten her. Despite his attempts, Beau can't get Jaz to open up about her past, her fears or her growing feelings towards her.

I have to admit that I am very confused about this book. It's certainly not a book that I liked, but not one I didn't like either. It's just OK. The plot doesn't really match up to the title, blurb or general 'revenge' theme, which I found a little frustrating. I did like the development of the relationship between the hero and heroine, this feels very natural and believable. The heroine is written with a feisty and independent spirit that really helps balance her vulnerability. I liked the hero too, but there wasn't enough of him to really get his character across.
I also think this would be better suited to another line; the plot and characters are not powerful enough and there is almost no passion and/or love scenes. To me this is not suited to the Modern line.

An OK read.

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