"A talented newcomer!!"

Claire Brown is a workaholic. Her idea of a getaway is to bring her cell phone and her computer along and take breaks to order room service. But it's her fiancé's birthday and she has found a lovely lodge in Aspen which offers luxurious surroundings and adventure excursions so makes this her gift to him. Her first clue that this wasn't going to be a good day should have been when she arrives at the airport only to discover her reservations have been cancelled and if she wants to go on this trip she will have to sit in coach between a woman who keeps trying to infringe on her space - and a young child who is, shall we say, not a good flyer. Claire does find her fiancé in first class and tries to get an explanation out of him but air turbulence forces her back to her seat in the back of the plane. Then her luggage doesn't arrive and when she goes outside the airport to catch the van that's to take her to Hunter's Lodge, she discovers it has left without her.

To her rescue comes John McBride but neither of them is very friendly to each other. John is actually the lodge owner, but Claire believes him to be simply the handyman and John does nothing to correct her impression. They also infuriate each other to no end but the sexual tension is undeniable.

When Claire arrives at Hunter's Lodge she discovers the luxurious suite she has reserved and paid for, is inhabited by her fiancé and his new girlfriend. Unfortunately, there are no more available rooms but Claire insists on staying and a small room above a garage - no more than a glorified closet really - is readied for her.

Claire is unable to set her workaholic ways behind her. Her idea of a vacation seems to be working with her computer and cell phone with short breaks to order room service. When she discovers she has temporarily been promoted and her workload doubles, she spends much of her vacation working. OF course this does nothing to endear her to John McBride whose mother is a CEO of a large cosmetic firm and whose ex-wife is the COO of the same company. He's had his fill of workaholic women.

Claire does finally take a well-deserved break and joins the group on a river rafting excursion where her inexperience puts the entire group in danger, infuriating John even further. However, eventually John and Claire's attraction to one another cannot be denied. But will John come to her rescue when she discovers she is in grave danger?

As wonderful as John and Claire are, beautifully-drawn secondary characters add even more to this wonderful story. Particularly widower George Isler who is vacationing with his two orphaned teenage granddaughters and Mary Beth McBride, John's widowed mother who eventually enter into a very friendly relationship; womanizer and cad William and his meek wife Peggy; as well as Claire's ex-fiance Bryan and his new girlfriend, Cindy.

Talk about a page-turner!! This book had me up into the wee hours reading it when I thought I'd just read a chapter or two. But I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down. Although there were a few minor problems including a suspected threat to John that really goes nowhere and seems not to have a resolution, the story as a whole is one to savor. I just love discovering new writers! Debut author Beverly Brandt has a wonderful future ahead of her if TRUE NORTH is any indication of her talent. I can hardly wait for her next book.

Reviewed by Maudeen Wachsmith
Courtesy What I'm Reading
Posted January 7, 2002

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Summary

Rustic Colorado is hardly Claire Brown's idea of a primo vacation spot, but the weeklong getaway at a romantic mountain lodge promises to heal a rift with her increasingly detached fiancé. Armed with her trusty laptop and constantly ringing cell phone, Claire decides to give this vacation thing a try. She can't help sensing, though, that her fiancé might not be as committed to their relationship as she is. The dead giveaway: he's brought another woman along on their romantic holiday...

As proprietor of Hunter's Lodge, John McBride is duty-bound to find suitable accommodations under his sold-out roof for the cell phone addicted, just-jilted guest. As a red- blooded man whose pet peeve is workaholic women, he's determined to steer clear of the suddenly single dynamo who's just checked in for the next nine days.

Unfortunately, the annoying, yet very alluring, Claire has a way of popping up when he least expects it-and as John soon discovers, so does true love...