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I’d never read an Arabesque book before but I wasn’t disappointed. Angela Winters tells a pretty riveting story in Know by Heart, and while I couldn’t relate exactly to the discriminatory problems faced by the lead characters, I did find them to be interesting and involving.
Both the hero and heroine of this story are successful, up-and-coming, young black people. They have drive and ambition, but both of them are affected to some degree by the “white only” non-official policies of Silicon Valley. Jesse Grant is the diversity reporter for a weekly newspaper. Her job, which she is very passionate about, involves profiling minority affairs in San Jose, and she wants to do a series on minorities in upper level positions in the high tech corporations. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many minorities in upper level positions. While she is covering a protest, she sees a very attractive, very familiar man. He’s the man who shares her jogging beach, and while she stopped jogging a little while ago, she hasn’t gotten him out of her mind. Trouble is, she doesn’t trust men any more because of a previous relationship that went up in flames. So, although she’s very attracted to this mystery guy, she doesn’t really want to get to know him.
Cole Nicholson is a self-made man. He’s a computer whiz who’s about to launch a fantastic new software product for his company, Netstyles, that will make him a ton of money and guarantee his position there as top dog. But there’s a problem. It seems that someone has stolen some important confidential information about his product, and this leak could cost him the success he’s been spending every minute of the last year working on. This is exactly the wrong time for him to start a relationship. But when Jesse approaches him to do an interview and at the same time involves herself in an investigation related to the Netstyles leak, he finds himself unable to stay away from her.
For the most part, this was a pleasurable read. The story moved along at a brisk pace, and I enjoyed the suspenseful aspect of it. The mystery wasn’t too hard to figure out, but I never read romantic suspense for the mystery anyway, so I was happy enough. There were a number of sexually tense moments between Cole and Jesse, and these were done well, although I wished a little that they weren’t so often interrupted.
The romance part worked less successfully for me. Most of this is probably because I am not a believer in love at first sight, and this was the basis for Cole’s and Jesse’s relationship. I did not have a problem with them as a couple; they were a pretty good fit. But their relationship is based initially on some longing gazes passed while jogging, and then it heats up and develops over the course of a few weeks. I know a lot of people would not have a problem accepting this, but it seemed rushed to me.
Still the characters were drawn well, and both Cole and Jesse seemed authentic. The ethnic angle was also interesting to me, although it certainly was in no way too ethnic to appeal to a broad readership. I liked the cutthroat business angle of Silicon Valley. There’s something about a self-made man that’s very attractive, and when he’s pulled himself up by his brain straps, it’s even more so.
So I can recommend Know by Heart to pretty much everyone. I think that most romance readers would find an afternoon spent in the company of Cole and Jesse to be a fine way to pass the time.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Romantic Suspense
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 03/09/01
Publication Date: 2001
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.