Jayne Reads: COMING UNDONE

This is the next in my little mini-series featuring my thoughts and observations on recent books written by my sister Quills. There's a reason why the writers here at RWQ have been successful. The secret is that each has a unique, highly individual voice.

In case you haven't yet figured out why some writers appeal to you and others don't -- why you love books that your best friend finds dull and vice-versa -- the secret is the author's storytelling VOICE. If that doesn't work for you, then the book doesn't work for you. Period. Doesn't mean the book is bad; it merely means just that you didn't respond to the author's voice.




And that's why reviews of fiction are generally useless. All you get from a review is one piece of highly individual information: whether or not the reviewer responded to the author's voice.

So, in that spirit, I'd like to make it clear that I'm not doing reviews here. Instead, I'm trying to nail down what I believe each author delivers so successfully -- to me, at least. And then I'm going to give you a behind the scenes glimpse at what the author thinks about her own book.

COMING UNDONE by Susan Andersen

THE STORY: Sexy romantic suspense involving a hero and a heroine who have a history. Priscilla Jayne Morgan is on the brink of country music superstardom. Jared Hamilton -- the man she once idolized -- is hired to act as her bodyguard while she's on tour. (Hey, he's from Semper Fi Investigations. How can you go wrong with a hero like that?) There's also a stalker, a crooked mother and a lot of colorful country music characters. Mostly, there's great tension between the hero and heroine. Did I mention the Marine connection?

WHY I READ THE BOOK: I read Susan Andersen because I know I can count on her for strong sexual tension, hundred-miles-an-hour pacing and a lot of heart. She does a terrific job with relationships of all kinds, not just the one between her two main characters. She knows how to use family dynamics and friendships, to define her hero and heroine. Plus, in COMING UNDONE the heroine's middle name is Jayne -- with a "y"!!!!

WHAT I GOT FROM THE BOOK: A fast-moving romance with a fascinating cast of characters who feel true to their world. Susan uses language that is edgy, contemporary and authentic. When you're with the hero and heroine in a country-western bar you know it.

ONE OF THE AUTHOR'S UNIQUE TALENTS: She's not afraid of heroines with intriguing and unusual (in the romance genre) pasts. Think: Las Vegas showgirls and country music singers who came from the wrong side of the tracks.

WHAT THE AUTHOR HAD TO SAY ABOUT HER OWN BOOK:
"Jayne, this book was an honest-to-goodness labor of love, which I don't say lightly, as writing for me is generally not a flows-from-my-fingertips process. Both Jared and P.J. (my hero and heroine) first appeared as teenagers in an earlier book called Hot & Bothered. Jared, as the brother of that book's heroine, was a major secondary character. P.J, however, was only supposed to be a walk on character, a sounding board for his time on the streets. But that little girl just grabbed my imagination and refused to turn loose, and before I knew it I was expanding her part and plotting her book before I even finished the one I was contracted to write. My New Year's wish is that heroines of future books will bless me the way Priscilla Jayne Morgan did . :)"

LAST WORD: Edgy

Until next time....

--Jayne