Windswept by Fran McNabb

Wow. This was my first book by Fran McNabb and I was IMPRESSED to say the least. When I bought it there were no reviews but the synopsis sounded like my cup of tea.

The book opens with a shipwreck. An emotional tug of war follows: on one side we have the ship owner's daughter. She is both attracted and yet repelled by the wrecker who saves her life and yet profits from her loss.
On the other side, the wrecker is torn by the connection he feels for this unusual, stubborn woman and guilt over his dead wife's memory.
Added to the cast of characters is a disapproving father, a suspicious housekeeper and a happy go lucky orphan boy who I guarantee will pull at your heartstrings til they snap.

 Ms McNabb paints a vivid portrait of the Florida keys. I've never been but I feel as though I have. In few, well chosen words she places the reader right in the midst of every storm and mist shrouded morning. From the first page I was immersed in her story telling. Well done!

Why only 4 stars? Its difficult to say...
There was a lot of time spent agonizing over "do I love him? Do I hate him?" ..." I love her. I cant have her..I failed my wife" etc and I did get a little frustrated with them, wanting to knock both their heads together at times. But for the most part I thought their interaction was realistic. They disappointed each other, said the wrong things, got mad, and stomped out..but that added to the dramatic tension and made the characters believable.

I also would have liked a few more twists and turns; a bit more excitement. However, I did make myself slow down and savor this book over several days (I normally devour a book in one long bug eyed evening) and enjoyed every minute. So a good story doesn't HAVE to make you hold your breath; its not a hard and fast rule. But it's a good rule. :)

 The writing was clean and would cause no offense to the most conservative of readers. No sex. No violence.

I bought Ms McNabb's other book "on the crest of a wave" and am already engrossed in it. Keep writing, Fran!!