THE MOON AND THE STARS

Author: Constance O'Banyon ISBN: 0843955422 8/2005 HISTORICAL Publisher: DORCHESTER/Leisure
Time Period: Victorian - 1868

Caroline Richmond started running on her wedding day—the same day her husband died. Her malicious brother-in-law had kept his vow to make her a widow, but she knew he wouldn't stop at that, and her solitary life was filled with fear of him always one step behind her. She thought she'd found a shred of peace in Texas, and at least a glimmer of the life she deserved. But when a mysterious bounty hunter came to town, she knew the wrath in his amber eyes was meant only for her. He found a way to be everywhere she was, speaking words with double meaning in his smooth French accent and making her nerves hum in a way she thought she'd conquered. Wade Renault came out of retirement for one reason: to see a deceptive murderess brought to justice. But when he met the woman pictured in the tintype he'd carried for months, he sensed more panic than treachery. She lived too simply, she seemed too honest and scareed. Someone had deceived him, but.he would wait it out and get her right where he wanted her, beneath...The Moon and the Stars.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I am absolutely never disappointed when I read a Constance O'Banyon book. Her characters are wonderful, her plotlines are intriguing, and her love scenes give just enough—not too much, not too little. THE MOON AND THE STARS kept me captivated all day long today. I didn't want to put it down for any reason—and I was at work!

When Caroline Richmond runs from her evil brother-in-law on her wedding day, she has no way of knowing that no matter how far or how long she runs, Wade Renault will find her. Wade is the best bounty hunter around, and when he sets his sights on a prize, he never comes away empty handed.

But Wade has gotten more than he bargained for when he takes on the case of tracking down Caroline. Because all he sees when he looks at her picture is a beautiful woman, and no matter how hard he wants to believe that she is a cold blooded killer, he can't seem to get the idea out of his head that he is looking in the wrong place, that maybe Caroline is everything that she seems and more.

I had two little pet peeves about this book that kept me from making it a Top Pick. My first concern was that if Wade was such a fearsome bounty hunter, wouldn't he have checked out Brace a little better from the get go? Wouldn't he have wondered why the town, and even his own mother, were terrified of him? Wouldn't he have wondered why Caroline's father hated Brace so much? Another question that I had was why Caroline just gave herself up. She essentially didn't fight when push came to shove, and willingly went along with Wade to the point of being a little bit too submissive in my way of thinking.

Those two concerns aside, THE MOON AND THE STARS really is an excellent read. I didn't understand the "why" of it, but once Ms. O'Banyon had paired up this couple, I knew that I was in for a treat.

Kristal Gorman