Bantam, $5.99, ISBN 0-553-57881-2
Historical Romance, 1999

Annette Carey supports the British in the War of Independence even though she’s American because she has witnessed the atrocities committed by her own people on her father when the latter refused to sign an oath of loyalty to the new republic. John Patrick supports the republic and highlights as a vigilant known as Star Rider that sabotages British ships left and right. One day John is injured and his men are captured. He finds himself being nursed in a ward run by his brother and an angel named Annette.

Annette is slowly falling in love with this “British soldier”, especially when she sees his kindness and gentle behavior as he helps her traumatized father heal. Likewise, John is slowly being torn to shreds with each day he is forced to lie to this wonderful woman whom he is falling more and more daily.

I love these two people. Both have good reasons to side with the side they’re on, yet their attraction to each other is simply oh-so-beautiful. The quiet moments as Annette watches John read to her father, both of them so aware of each other simply hum with unresolved sexual tension. It feels right for them to be in love, and John’s realization of his feelings for Annette early on and his increasing guilt only serve to make him even more a hero in my book. The poor man is really torn between rescuing his men and keeping Annette and her father from harm, and it seems it’s only one or the other. When he does make a decision and take action, well, let’s just say Annette isn’t exactly ecstatic, judging from the gun she is aiming towards John.

From this point, Star Keeper drags a little, although it regains its initial momentum towards the exciting finish. This book is a high-flying adventure-packed romance and I have a great time reading it.