Fool Me Twice (Zebra Ballad Romance)

Rating:
Summary: A delightful historical romance -- Highly recommended
Review: A disastrous engagement leaves Jack Ryerson determined to never again avail himself of the professional matchmaking services of Russell Braddock. Now Braddock seeks to match him with a different sort of proposal. Trinity Standish must find a businessman to save her inheritance and a husband to fulfill her grandfather's will or she will loose her ranch. With a household of women, sisters and a cousin he is raising, Jack has no desire to add another woman to the collection. However, the businessman side of him cannot help but be intrigued by the challenge of saving Trinity's ranch.

Trinity expects an squinty-eyed accountant, not a bold cowboy covered in dust. She only wants to save her inheritance, and then earn enough profit to trace her father's footsteps the world over, seeing exotic locations described so many years ago in her father's letters. In contrast to Jack, she has no interest raising children, though she finds he acceptance of such responsibility admirable. Yet she suddenly finds the idea of temporary marriage exciting when she meets Jack. Too bad Jack seems incredibly determined to find a loophole out of marriage while still retaining possession of the ranch.

Author Kate Donovan pens a lighthearted romp that conceals a surprising dark side in FOOL ME TWICE. With her characteristic flair, she creates a heroine with spirit and sass, and a hero who deserves such style. Trinity cannot help feeling intrigued by Jack despite his determination to maintain his distance. Jack does not realize that she slowly wears away his resistance with her undeniable passion. Their shared sensuality underlies every encounter, and their repartee and the intrinsic charm of the entire story will win reader's hearts. The secondary plot concerning Russell's cousin proves a powerful counterpoint to the novel. Indeed, Donovan's tale personifies the greatest strengths of the Zebra Ballad line with her marvelous characterizations and surprising plot. Readers will truly miss such talent next year with the demise of the Ballad line, and can only hope such talent finds a voice in the Zebra Historical Romance line. FOOL ME TWICE comes highly recommended.