Customer Reviews

Diamond Bay

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Diamond Bay by Linda Howard unites together Kell Sabin previously from Midnight Rainbow and Rachel Jones and continues her legacy of crafting romance with heartmelting heroes and heroines. Kell is unexpectedly attacked by the villains on the high sea and is swept to the Diamond Bay where Rachel found him and nursed him back to health. Linda Howard weaves an intricate and emotional tale when the sexy Kell falls in love with Rachel but takes rein on his passion for fear of Rachel's safety. His job is dangerous - and he knows it, and soon after his enemies are on the chase for him...

Diamond Bay is a passionate read but even more stirring in the emotions it awakens. It explores Rachel's vulnerabilites, Kell's undying love for her in the line of duty which altogether climaxes in the suspenseful end when enemies hunt them down. Realism aside, this book is definitely a keeper for romantic fanatics - who likes sexy, gorgeous heros and an abiding passion. Out of the Silhouette collection, this is Ms. Howard at her best and certainly jewelled fun and passion.

I started reading Linda Howard's novels a couple of years ago--since I enjoyed her more recent novels so much, ("Kill and Tell", "All the Queen's Men", "Mr. Perfect", etc.)I decided to search our her earlier stuff. So far, this is the best one I've read--almost hated to see it end. (I haven't read any books in the MacKenzie series, but I intend to!) "Diamond Bay" is set in my home state of Florida (a possible reason why I'm partial to this book), and involves two very well-developed characters, Rachel Jones and Kell Sabin. Sure, you knew from the first few pages that these two would end up together, but they are such interesting people, that the slightly unbelievable situations which develop don't seem as important as how the relationship between Rachel and Kell grows. Incidentally, for some reason, most bookstores don't seem to carry this novel, although they do carry a lot of Ms. Howard's other early works. I found my copy in a used bookstore--thank goodness for them!

Story Summary:Kell Sabin is an agent on vacation. He is set up by someone in his organization and is shot. Rachel Jones finds him lying on the beach unconcious. She takes care of him and protects him from the dangerous men hunting him. They both fall in love with each other but he doesn't want to have her hurt because of what he does for a living and ultimately leaves her toward the end of the story. Don't worry it will work out in the end. Now to what I liked about the book.

First, I loved Kell Sabin. He's dark and dangerous. He keeps himself from feeling anything for anyone until he meets Rachel. All I can say is that I want to find a guy liked that washed up on the beach.

Second, I really liked Rachel. She was sooooo honest. She didn't play games and just told it like it was. When she realized she was in love with Kell she just told him straight up.

This book is where you meet John Rafferty and he'll have his own story in Heartbreaker. You also need to read Midnight Rainbow first, then Diamond Bay, Heartbreaker and finally White lies. They all tie into together. Happy reading.

Having read the trilogy - White Lies, Midnight Rainbow and Diamond Bay - backwards I can honestly say that this one is my favorite! The plot is original, the characters are great (it was wonderful to finally get a handle on Kell Sabin), and it's superbly written. I'd have to say that this is a must read for any Linda Howard fan or for anyone who loves a great love story!

Linda Howard's early works are some of the best series titles Shillouette ever published. Diamond bay (Kell Sabine's story)is the second in a four book thread that started with Midnight Rainbow, and continues with White Lies and Heartbreaker. Sabine is the thread that binds all four stories together. I think Kell Sabine was the genesis for the character of John Medina in the later works Kill and Tell and All the Queen's Men. A shadowy figure whom no one ever really knows, he must give up his natural caution and distrust to open himself to that one special woman. I found Sabine easier to like than Medina, but still, he is one of Ms Howard's harder to love creations. If you can, get all four books and enjoy. I liked them as well as, if not more than the Mackenzie saga.

Originally published in 1987, Linda Howard tells the story of Kell Sabin (introduced in Midnight Rainbow) and Rachel Jones. Previously published as one of four books chosen for Silhouette's Linda Howard collection (Midnight Rainbow, Heartbreaker and White Lies were the others), it is Linda Howard at her best.

Department chief of a group of secret-agent type men, Kell is on vacation trying to pretend he lives a normal life - until he is shot and his boat blown up. Rachel is a former investigative reporter who returned home to Diamond Bay after her husband had died a violent death several years previous. She has finished grieving for her husband and is seemingly content to live alone with her guard dog Joe.

As usual, the bad guys are out to get the hero and it is up to the heroine to save him while not getting the both of them killed. With time and a little help from friends, Kell recovers his health, and captures the bad guys. Along the way though he also loses his heart and learns that love is a risk that is worth taking.

Linda Howard writes the same love story over and over again. Strong, forceful, dangerous man meets 29-30 year old woman with either no sexual experience or very limited sexual experience. He falls madly in love with her at first sight and has to restrain himself from overwhelming her with his passion immediately. Instead, he announces that she will have him and be glad for it - and of course she is, and he is amazing in bed. I would so like to meet one of these guys. All those caveats aside, Linda Howard does this really well and all of her books have been fun to read.

Diamond Bay is particularly interesting - our heroine has to rescue her unconscious hunk from the ocean and drag him up the beach to her cottage - a superhuman feat she accomplishes with the help of her faithful dog. She then nurses him back to health (washing his naked body day and night to keep the fever down - be still my beating heart!). He plans to leave her, although he loves her more than life itself, so that she will be safe from his powerful enemies. You get the idea, I'm sure!

Done well, this novel is a paragon of its genre!

Face it. If you are hooked on Linda Howard, even her bad books are winners, and this is one of the really good ones. Action packed and sexy (and nobody, but nobody writes sexier novels). Kell is a to die for hunk (Yea, yea, I know. Stereotype. But so's Mel Gibson, and I'm not complaining.) Rachael is bright, strong, independent and thoroughly likeable. This is romance with a capital "R" and another LH winner.

Another typical Linda Howard winner. Fast-paced action, breathless romance, it's one of those "I wish I was her" kind of stories. A definite must-read.

Just when you think you've found the ultimate romance in Linda Howard's Midnight Rainbow, along comes Diamond Bay. Romantic novels just don't get any better than this. Kell Sabin is the ultimate sexy hero and Rachael suits him perfectly. I read this one five times in a row before I could put it down! If you haven't read it and can still find a copy- run, do not walk!! I only hope Ms. Howard's future books contain half of the excitement and romance of Diamond Bay and Midnight Rainbow. This is romantic fiction at it's very best.