Oklahoma fight song

Seduction by Design by Sandra Brown

Seduction by Design is a fast, light read. It's an old story, circa 1983, that has now been reprinted in hardback (2002), told on CD, and retold by Kindle. It's not a bad story at all. On the other hand it's not great either. It is a good, straightforward category romance from the days when that was all that Sandra Brown wrote. The author's talent for story telling and gentle hand shines through the character development and story pacing from the first chapter. The story has some quirks that left me scratching my head. The standard romance formula that begins with two distinctly different people who first meet and dislike each other - gets flipped on its head from the next chapter forward - when the man, amusement park owner Tyler Scott, tells the perky heroine and amusement park manager, Hailey Ashton, that he will seduce her. Of course, it's a romance story so he will accomplish that. He will also fall in love with her as she will with him. The genre requires an optimistic, happy ending and we aren't disappointed. There are some times in the story when the dialogue is not believable, even seeming to be inappropriate or offensive to present day sensibilities. There are some steamy moments in the story, but none that would require a rating beyond PG-13. It's a good story and worth a read if there isn't something more pressing on the bookshelf.

Safe Haven By Nicholas Sparks

Just when I thought I had the Nick Sparks formula down pat, here comes 'Safe Haven.' I was coming home from a business trip in New Orleans and had an 11 hour and change drive, so I picked up this unabridged audiobook. One of the things about Nickolas Sparks' writing is that there is usually a fairly narrow cast of characters - a fact that makes audiobooks a joy to read through the mind's eye. 'Safe Haven' follows a single woman, Katie, on a remarkable journey from savage abuse to triumphant Self-actualization. The journey is a heroes one, but with a decidedly feminine bent. Nurtured by a warm abd generous small community in North Carolina, Katie is able to fill the missing part of herself. When she meets Alex and his children, she reaches a crossroads - can she reveal the dark secret of her past and be accepted or will the evil that she's carefully hidden from all these months come bursting through? Fulfilling ones individual potential is a risky proposition no matter how you slice it. Nickolas sparks has created a real gem. The most interesting character, the one who helps Katie weigh her options and make the fateful decision, is one of the best drawn characters in the story. She's a no-nonsense neighbor who really shines. When the story reaches its climatic point, have no fear - all the loose ends are neatly pulled back together. That may be one of Nick Sparks' best traits - nothing is left undone. All his stories are complete, well-rounded and satisfing. Safe Haven is just the most recent addition to the list of well done works by this author.

The audiobook is very well done by Rebecca Lowman. She has an intersting voice and her ability to sustain believeable characters is remarkable. The audio quality is very good and won't disappoint.