"One of Jayne Ann's gems!"

Mattie Sharp stared down at the man dressed all in white, watching him die. When he uttered to "tell him reign in hell", she knew she'd stepped into the middle of something very bad. The "him" was Hugh Abbott, a man she has been trying to avoid for a year, a man she once offered to follow to the ends of the earth - or in this case to St. Gabriel's Island.

Hugh Abbott was her aunt's 'pet wolf'. He was a security expert and troubleshooter for the large multinational business her aunt inherited. Since her aunt adores Hugh's genes, she fixed him up with her niece, Ariel. Maddie watched the mis﷯﷯match﷯﷯ed romance go down in flames, knowing from the first time she saw him her sister was all wrong for Hugh. Maddie stood by, waiting, knowing she was falling in love with him. When the expected breakup came, Maddie made her pitch. A candlelight dinner, a good bottle of wine, and a memorable night of lovemaking, in Maddie's mind, were the formula to Hugh's heart -- or so she thought. Only, when the morning came for Hugh to leave for St. Gabriel's Isle, he refused to take Maddie. He tried to tell her it was bad timing. He was angry over the break up of his engagement with Ariel, but it came out all wrong, with him saying Maddie was "just not his type".

So hurt by the rejection, Maddie made sure she stayed away from Hugh. This was not easy, since her Aunt is determined to get Hugh in to the family, and is most willing to help play matchmaker. Hugh, once he got over the breakup with Ariel, saw he wanted Maddie, but she would not accept any letters or calls from him. To Maddie's aggravation, four times during the year, he conspired with her aunt to bring Maddie and him together. All four times, Maddie left town rather than face the man she now sees as a "big mistake".

When her aunt sent her to pick up a medieval sword from the Island of Purgatory - from the man who was at her feet dying -- she figured it was an excuse to get Hugh and Maddie together. Her plane was due to land in St. Gabriel's, so to thwart the ﷯﷯﷯matchmaking﷯﷯﷯ plans, she took another flight to Purgatory. Hugh is hot on her heels, and she is very glad for the comfort of his arms. Only, now they are running for their lives through the jungles. Despite their predicament, Hugh sees this as a chance to win Maddie back. However, Maddie is fed up with being "second place" to her beautiful and gifted sister, and is determined not to be hurt by Hugh again.

Maddie is charming, funny and warm; Hugh is a wonderfully droll 'throw-back'. They will win your heart. It's Jayne Ann Krentz are her very best.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted September 30, 2004

Summary

Successful but shy, Seattle art dealer Mattie Sharpe fell hard for handsome, outspoken, professional adventurer Hugh Abbott. When he broke her heart and returned to his South Sea island home, Mattie vowed she'd only meet him again over her -- or better, his -- dead body. When they do meet again, it's over someone else's dead body -- and now they're running for their lives through a tropical paradise. Hugh's talking fast to make up for his mistake. Mattie's not listening...until his gentle touch ignites a white-hot fusion, and she gives in. But Hugh's past is catching up with them, and Mattie must stake her very survival on the man she loves -- the only man who ever let her down! If there is a silver lining to a broken heart, Mattie's about to discover it -- when love storms back into her life and sweeps her off her feet! Passion is an adventure -- and seduction an art -- in Silver Linings, from beloved New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz!