Monday, March 28, 2011

Broken Wings by Sandra Edwards

This Review Posted First on The Romance Reviews

In a twist of fate and a love for the ages, Sandra Edwards has built a romance that warms the heart. She has taken actual events from history and the lore of the gold rush days, and spun a story of love and heartache, a love so pure it seems like a dream. The characters are sensual and just a glimpse of our hero in a painting is enough to send the heart into overdrive, with a heat that leaves you shaken.

Rio Laraquette is a feisty but beautiful woman; on her own, she runs numerous cons. When she meets up with Turner Adkins, he has a job for her. He is a gangster of the worst sort and he has a game in mind to find himself some money. And not just any money either. He is looking for the buried treasure stolen by the Fuller sisters during a bank robbery back in the 1800's . What makes this con perfect is that Rio is the spitting image of Maggie Fuller.

Molly Fuller was killed during the robbery, Mary Fuller got away and home to California, but Maggie headed for the hills and there found a home with the Washoe Indian tribe. It was here that she met and fell in love with Tajan, the love of her life. But love and life was not to be for such star crossed lovers. When the posse caught up with her, Tajan tried to help her get away. She refused to head towards California and lead the posse to her only living sister, so they went the other direction and here found themselves at a dead end. With the posse in sight and knowing they would die, they chose to be together in death, leaping from the cliff and sealing themselves in their love for eternity.

As Rio poses as a relative of the Tajan's, her image is so much like Maggie's that any doubt melts away. There is a map, or at least half a map in the possession of the Tajan family, and Rio has the other half, given to her by Turner Adkins. She is to get them to lead her to the treasure, whereby he will then take control.

Sandra Edwards has built a strong yet fragile character in Rio. She finds herself in love with the Tajan of the story. She is drawn to him, or at least his likeness. She is so enamored she dreams of him, but the dreams are real. It is as if she is there. In love with the thought of him, the heat level is intense. What is happening to her? She feels as though she is someone else, and that Tajan somehow belongs to her. But he is dead, isn't he?

The Tajan of the story is a bold and noble warrior. Very much in love with Maggie, he is devastated when he thinks he will lose her. He is willing to give his life for their love, and understands there will never be another love like that he feels for her.

As the story comes together and the danger threatens to tear them apart, Ms Edwards has found the most beautiful solution and ending. In a brilliant and bold stroke of her pen, she has set the stage to bring Tajan and Maggie's love back to life. There is magic in this kind of love, creating the emergence of souls that resonate and return time after time, secure in a love that is everlasting.

Rating 5/5
Broken Wings

No comments: