Zebra, $5.99, ISBN 0-8217-6695-3
Historical Romance, 2000

Hmm, this is the second book I’ve read by this author and I must say it’s pretty good in a bad, hysterical-silly-heroine way. The heroine does a lot of stupid things that after a while I stop taking Wild and Sweet seriously and just sit back and enjoy the silly fun.

It concerns the escapades of flighty-heeled Gillian Stafford who journeys from London to Mackinac Island off Michigan (which is under the rule of the Brits) under the wary and lusty eyes of Luc du Pré, her reluctant guide. As trouble threatens to brew on Fort Mackinac, Gillian concocts harebrained schemes after harebrained schemes to escape her stuffy father and the island. Poor Luc, who is actually a spy for the Other Side (the Yanks), is dragged along to save her from herself.

There’s a very good adventure story, in a B-grade flick sort of way where the heroine is always in trouble, and I like Luc. I don’t even have a problem with hare-brained, impetuous Gillian because it is so easy to write her off as a cartoon character. The romance may not be compelling, but really, this is a fun action tale masquerading as a romance.

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though I never thought that we could lose
There’s no regret…

Oops, wrong song, but it’s rather apropos. Bring on the guns and the shrieking damsels-in-distress; I’ll be there in the front row seat with my giant tub of popcorn.