Thursday, January 18, 2007

THE BUSINESSMAN’S BRIDE

I’m rescuing the blog from Max for a moment on behalf of another “bride”. Since her book is out this month in both the US and the UK (Australia next month), it won’t wait.

I met Jackie Braun at the RWA conference in New York -- that is to say we both found the same quiet corner for a quiet drink after the Rita awards ceremony with senior editor, Bryony Green -- at the point when her Silhouette Romance editor had suggested that her “voice” might be more suited to Harlequin Romance. I’m not familiar enough with the SR oeuvre to comment on that – we don’t get many of them in the UK. What I can tell you is that Harlequin Romance are extremely lucky to have such an author; her voice is sure, strong and she isn’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects, which is why I asked her to join me in writing a trans-continental trilogy SECRETS WE KEEP (more of which later in the year!)


Her latest book, THE BUSINESSMAN’S BRIDE, caught my attention because the cover art has not “smudged” over the fact that her heroine is of mixed race. Jackie is not the first author to go there – the heroine of my own THE TYCOON’S TAKEOVER (which is being reissued in March in a three in one containing the whole BOARDROOM BRIDEGROOMS trilogy) had a Eurasian mother. And the extraordinary Anne Weale wrote BLUE DAYS AT SEA back in 1981, with a West Indian hero and mixed race heroine -- not that you'd have guessed it from the cover art.

It says a great deal about new confidence of Harlequin Romance that Jackie’s cover celebrates her heroine’s nationality.

But that’s just a small point. The big one is that this is a wonderful book with two characters facing the challenge of nature over nurture, putting their belief in who they are to the test, confronting the past and winning through to a wonderful future and I heartily recommend it.

Okay, I'm back to the deadline cave -- Max, it’s all yours.

Thanks, Liz.

Another bride? A guy could get to feel outnumbered around here. Just remember that anything they can do, we can do ...

No, self-preservation suggests I'd be a fool to say that. I'll just remind you to scroll on down for a bride-free zone where you’ll find details of THERE GO THE GROOMS and the chance to win a serious bundle of books.

Max

1 comment:

Jennifer Y. said...

I never really paid attention to just how many books use the word "bride" in the title until recently. Brides, Brides everywhere!