Monday, January 13, 2014

Tiger Eyes by Robyn Donald

Tiger Eyes (Harlequin Presents, #1755)Tiger Eyes by Robyn Donald

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I decided to sneak in a Harlequin Presents book in the middle of my review reading schedule, and my eyes fell on this book. It's a reread, but it felt fresh and new for me. If asked, I wouldn't have listed Robyn Donald as a favorite author. But a book like this makes me want to change that.  This short romance packs a powerful punch.

Tansy is a singular heroine. She's very independent, quite confident, and very much her own woman. Her true love was always music, and she made a lot of sacrifices for that love. However, her heart is larger than she thought, because she made room for a teenage runaway with big problems.  But you know what they say about good deeds? Now she has to deal with his older, domineering and very fascinating older brother, Leo.  Leo wants to know where his brother is, but a promise is a promise.  He won't go away until he gets the knowledge he seeks.  And the more time she spends with him, the more he intrudes into the small world that Tansy has created for herself with her music.  As a music love, I can appreciate the impact that music continues to make in her life, and I love that she was determined to be a composer, and willing to work and sacrifice towards that dream, cherishing her independence along the way.

I just plain loved Tansy. Despite her young age, she is a very self-actualized woman, and she's fearless about life.  That doesn't mean she doesn't have room for growth, because she realizes that there is room in her heart for love, and that her music doesn't have to consume her whole world. 

Leo is fairly likeable as well. I think the one aspect that really appealed to me was how hard he fell for Tansy, despite the fact that she didn't fit into his world.  She challenges him and he rises to the challenge.  He's a good brother and son, and that is definitely worth admiring.  And despite his rough edges, he is a honorable man. 

This book has the zing that has me coming back to vintage Harlequin Presents.  In the short 189 pages, Donald packs in a powerful story with textured characters, dynamic interactions built around strong chemistry and a story that screams romantic and true love to this die-hard romantic.

For that, I'd have to give it 4.5/5.0 stars.



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