"This contemporary is a bit of a departure from Deveraux's usual romances."

When Jackie Maxwell first met famous author Ford Newcombe, she refused to go to work for him. Everyone who'd ever done so had been angrily dismissed, saying how impossible he was to work with. The rumors also hint that Ford isn't really a writer, that his deceased wife was the real author, and that's why he hasn't written anything since she died.

Jackie had no intention of working once she got married. However, after she's betrayed by her fiancé, she decides to accept Ford's job offer. Especially since it means she can leave her small town and all the gossip. As Jackie is drawn deeper into Ford's quest about a bizarre story of a woman who loved the devil and that woman's subsequent murder, Jackie begins to question whether the story is fiction or really true.

This book is a departure from Ms. Deveraux's usual romance stories. At first, it's a bit confusing because of the first-person narrative with chapters alternating between Ford's and Jackie's points of view. I did enjoy the story, but it might not be for everyone. If you're an avid fan of Ms. Deveraux's (which I am) and want something out of the ordinary, give WILD ORCHIDS a try.

Reviewed by Debrah Douglas
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted April 9, 2003