MIDNIGHT IN RUBY BAYOU by Elizabeth Lowell

MIDNIGHT IN RUBY BAYOU by Elizabeth Lowell
Avon Books – May 2001
ISBN: 0380789892 – Paperback
Romantic Suspense

Reviewed by JaToya Love, MyShelf.Com
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Elizabeth Lowell has been one of my favorite authors for quite some time. Starting with her “Only” series I have read almost every book she's written as Elizabeth Lowell and I'm slowly but surely acquiring all the others she's written under various pen names.

With the exception of my all time favorite book by her, Time Shadow Rider, it has always been her series that I've enjoyed the most. And her Donovan series is no exception. Midnight In Ruby Bayou is the fourth book in this series. And in my opinion the best so far. Faith Donovan is a jewelry designer, who having failed at love once is not interested in becoming involved with any man, much less one who wants to dominate her.

It's a familiar plot in romance novels. Once burned woman, leery of relationships, becomes super independent. Midnight In Ruby Bayou manages to portray Faith as a woman who understands the difference between independence and idiocy. She's able to laugh at herself and she doesn't shy away from her emotions. At least not to the point of stupidity. And that is what I love about this book. After reading so many others where the heroine tries so hard not to rely on a man that she ends up hurting herself and those around her, this book was a breath of fresh air. Faith is a heroine I could stand behind. Her occasional mistakes made the book real where a perfect heroine couldn't.

Owen Walker is a woman's dream. An employee and close friend of Faith's brother, Walker has feelings for Faith, but doesn't believe that it's wise to act on his feelings. Fortunately, they're thrown into each other’s constant company when Faith becomes an international hit man's target. He believes she has something he's looking for and he's willing to kill to get it back.

After introducing us to the characters the book picks up speed and things start to happen pretty quickly. What could have become a very confusing story line with mobsters and Russian henchman, as well as a few quirky characters and tales of ghost, was surprisingly easy to follow. And amidst all of that we get to watch two characters so obviously meant for each other fall in love. I closed this book thoroughly satisfied with the ending. And I eagerly await the next installment of the Donovan tales.