"warm contemporary romance"
Jack Walker buys back a renowned Copley portrait of an
ancestor that his father years ago sold to bring in cash
to fund an elitist lifestyle. While making his five
million dollar symbolic purchase from the Hall Foundation,
Jack's friend Grace Hall introduces him to art restorer
Callie Burke. After just ten minutes in her presence
Callie occupies his dreams though he is engaged to someone
else. Jack offers Callie a chance to restore the masterpiece,
which after twice refusing, the poor Callie finally agrees
to do so. She travels from her New York residence to
perform her craft at his Boston mansion. As Jack and
Callie become acquainted they fall in love, but he knows
she hides a secret from him that makes him believe she
does not trust him. What he does not know is that she
promised her beloved half-sister Grace that she would
never reveal the identity of their common father. This is a warm contemporary romance that stars a
delightful lead couple, several nice secondary players
like Grace and his fiancée, and boneheads like his mother
and her dad. The story line provides the audience an
insight into restoration, but mostly focuses on the
attraction between Jack and Callie that if encouraged
would most likely derail his bid for the Governorship of
the Commonwealth. Sub-genre fans will find Jessica Bird's
latest tale irresistible. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 1, 2004
SummaryCallie Burke has lived her life on the fringes of high
society, the unacknowledged daughter of a powerful man.
After a lifetime of being second best, she's not about to
repeat her mother's mistake and give her heart to a man
who's out of her league. But then she meets Jack Walker,
the scion of one of America's oldest families. Her career
as an art conservator is just getting started and working
on his priceless new painting is exactly what she needs
professionally. She's also intensely attracted to him,
even though he's rich, prominent and a hard-nosed
businessman- exactly what she always swore she'd stay away
from.
Jack Walker always gets what he wants and he wants Callie
from the moment he sees her. Except he's not a free man.
Recently engaged, he realizes after meeting Callie that
he's with the wrong woman. It's a mistake he's willing to
rectify, even if it means breaking off a relationship with
someone who's from his world.
Their passion is undeniable but Callie is wary of being
hurt, torn between her past and her hopes for the future.
To win her heart, Jack must prove that love means more to
him than money and she's the only woman for him.
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