Love's Lasting Song :

Rating:
Summary: Love Songs in Laredo
Review: In "Love's Lasting Song," talented new writer Leslie Garcia has created a sizzling romance that incorporates humor and real-to-life characters that you can empathize with and root for. Newspaper reporter Julie Barnes knows she's in trouble when she lands at the feet of international Latino singing star Joaquin Gonzalez-a singer Julie has idolized for years. Unfortunately, the Joaquin of Julie's dreams is nothing like the real-life arrogant, demanding entertainer. Julie, the anonymous author of a best-selling novel, is horrified to discover that Joaquin has been cast as the male lead in the film version of her book. As Joaquin pursues her, Julie finds herself losing her cold objectivity and common sense. She's hopelessly in love with the sexy star. When the filming of Shades draws to a close, Julie has to face issues from her past and make some tough decisions about her future. Will she remain safe and alone in Laredo? Or can she make room in her heart for Joaquin's love song? This is one of those rare books that begs to be read at one sitting!

Rating:
Summary: Romance Returns To the Streets of Laredo!
Review: Laredo, Texas is a legendary town, full of romance and history, and the ideal setting for the sizzling tale of passion and love between reporter Julie Barnes and international singing star and composer Joaquin Gonzalez.

Julie has carefully crafted a secure life for herself; she's successful in her chosen field and surrounded by friends. But she has a secret: she's the author who penned a scandalously sexy novel being filmed in the border town of Laredo, and it's Mexican counterpart, Nuevo Laredo. Julie hides her talents with good reason--her mother abandoned her as a youngster to seek fame and fortune in Hollywood, but never succeeded; Julie refuses to risk making similar mistakes.

She doesn't count on the arrival of Joaquin; the international idol has been signed to shoot his first film role--playing the lead in "Shades," based on Julie's sexy book. When he plucks Julie from a street in Nuevo Laredo, he expects gratitude--not Julie's wary determination to keep him out of her life.

Love's Lasting Song portrays glimpses into a border culture that is colorful and unique, while touching on the issues of abandonment and change that the characters, and the border itself, confront.

Laredo's romantic legacy and fabled streets echo with the lasting strains of Love's Lasting Song. Lose yourself in the legend and this romance.

Rating:
Summary: Dreams are made of this
Review: Love's Lasting Song is one of those stories I read in one sitting. Ms. Garcia's style flows easily. Her heroine is plausibly drawn - a woman with a head on her shoulders and passion in her heart. The hero? Well, he is every female music fan's dream. So yes, I dreamt right along.

The love-making scenes are steamy and written in good taste and the story has a strong hometown feel to it which made me get to know Laredo and her people as if I had visited in reality.

A promising debut, Ms Garcia!

RDP

Rating:
Summary: A beautifully romantic tale of two unlikely lovers.
Review: Since being abandoned by her mother years earlier, Julie Barnes truly believed she couldn't be loved. Once she discovers that international latin singer Joaquin Gonzalez is in town shooting the part of the fiery latin lover, Alfonso, in a spicy movie "Shades", Julie has high hopes of a run-in with her favorite singer. After meeting him Julie discoveries that he is arrogant and she wonders why she ever liked him.

Being a reporter Julie's assignment is to interview the arrogant Joaquin. He is instantly attracted to her. At first, with her guard held high, she denies her true feelings until that one chance encounter. But could it last? After all, Julie and Joaquin are from seperate worlds.

Love's Lasting Song is an excellent read that holds one's attention from beginning to end. I highly recommend this well-written book to all of the romantics at heart.

Also recommended: "Candy" and "Candy2, The Sequel"