Leisure, $4.99, ISBN 0-8439-4842-6
Historical Romance, 2001

Mightier Than the Sword is Peggy Waide’s best book to date. It is about Adam Hawksmore, some Earl or the other, who finds himself branded a traitor by his enemies after his return from a nice long stay at a French prison. He turns to his childhood pest and daughter of his ex-guardian, Rebecca Marche, for help. Actually, he sort of stumbles across her in his bedroom when he sneaks back to England (don’t groan or ask).

Becca once has this big crush on him, but she’s, like, so over him now. Right?

The author gives these two characters some secrets, but unlike her other two books which are poisoned by unnecessary big misunderstanding drama, she wisely circumvents most of the potential nonsense by having these two (almost) opening up to each other at get go. Which paves the way for mostly external conflicts here.

Adam is a decent hero, and Becca is a decent heroine. Nothing special or unusual here – they have decent chemistry. Everything’s decent. Not that I am complaining. Although I could use some spark of unpredictability here or there. Never mind.

Just when I think things are going too smoothly, though, the author has Becca starting to run and do stupid things in the name of furthering the plot. Oh well, knew it was going too good anyway. Next time, maybe Peggy Waide would see to not sabotaging her stories with unnecessary heroine-goes-foolhardy antics.