Tidings of Great Joy [Mass Market Paperback]

Sandra Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 1999

From the author who knows all the secrets of a woman's heart comes a tantalizing tale of holiday romance—as a young woman discovers how a night of passion can change your life, and your dreams, forever....

Ria Lavender is the last woman in the world to be swept away by a smooth line and a seductive smile. A talented architect, she's just beginning to savor the fruits of her success when she meets a man who will change everything.

Mayor-Elect Taylor MacKensie is handsome, charming, and charismatic. Still, Ria never imagines that she'll leave a Christmas party with him, or that, caught up in the magic of a snowfall and a bottle of champagne, she'll give in to desire. Eight weeks later, Ria knows she's carrying Taylor's child.

To give their baby a name, Ria persuades Taylor to marry her—at least temporarily. But while Ria soon feels a surprising tenderness—and passion—for Taylor, she fears his prime concern is protecting his career. Ria vows to keep her distance from the man who holds the key to her heart...until life teaches them both a lesson in miracles—and love.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This paperback reissue of a short romance originally published in 1987, and offered in hardcover last year, is a pleasant, sexy read about an appealing couple who struggle to deal honorably with the consequences of one night of irresponsible passion. At a luxurious Christmas Eve party, successful, levelheaded architect Ria Lavender becomes dazzled by champagne, snow, and charming mayoral candidate Taylor MacKensie. Impulsively, they spend the night together. Two months later, realizing she's pregnant, Ria demands that Taylor legitimize the impending birth by marrying her. But what she intends will be a marriage in name only escalates into much more as the two begin sharing a house and, inevitably, a bed. Then tragedy strikes, threatening their tenuous union and leading to some new realizations about love. Tidings of Great Joy is a classic short romance told with flair and enjoyable in any season. --Ellen Edwards --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Brown...is one of today's hottest writers of romance and romantic suspense novels."—Brazosport Facts

"Nobody in the '90s has had more hits....Brown's storytelling gift [is] surprisingly rare, even among crowd-pleasers."—Toronto Sun

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (November 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553576003
• ISBN-13: 978-0553576009
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Brown, Sandra

More About the Author

Sandra Brown is the author of sixty New York Times bestsellers, including RAINWATER (2010), TOUGH CUSTOMER (2010), SMASH CUT (2009), SMOKE SCREEN (2008), PLAY DIRTY (2007), RICOCHET (2006), CHILL FACTOR (2005), WHITE HOT (2004), HELLO, DARKNESS (2003), THE CRUSH (2002), ENVY (2001), THE SWITCH (2000), THE ALIBI (1999), UNSPEAKABLE (1998) and FAT TUESDAY (1997), all of which have jumped onto the Times bestseller list in the number one to five spot.

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into thirty-three languages.

A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco, grew up in Fort Worth and attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. Before embarking on her writing career, she worked as a model at the Dallas Apparel Mart, and in television, including weathercasting for WFAA-TV in Dallas, and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program "PM Magazine."

She is much in demand as a speaker and guest television hostess. Her episode on truTV's "Murder by the Book" premiered the series in 2008 and she was one of the launch authors for Investigation Discovery's new series, "Hardcover Mysteries."

In 2009 Brown detoured from her thrillers to write Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown recently was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer's Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Magical Christmas, One Night Stand Thing, November 11, 2000

By 

izzyfree "izzyfree" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tidings of Great Joy (Mass Market Paperback)

Taylor MacKensie and Ria Lavender met during a Christmas party. They had a one-night stand and a few weeks later, Ria discovers she's pregnant. Ria proposes to Taylor, so her child would not be born illegitimate.

And now Ria lives with him and shares everything with him. She discovers more about Taylor, his tenderness and his personality. Taylor begins to enjoy Ria's company and little by little they're living together in a comfortable way. But disaster strikes and could Ria and Taylor survive the obstacle together? And what about their previous mates before they met each other?

I think this book is ok. Not all that good but not really bad either. It falls into that average level. I mean there is tenderness and the romantic part but it just seems a little bland compared to Sandra Brown's other books.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Love Story!, June 13, 2000

By 

MaryannJr "MaryannJr" (PHILADELPHIA, PA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tidings of Great Joy (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of my favorite Sandra Brown books, and one that I re-read most often, because the love story of Ria and Taylor is so far off the beaten track, you can't help but root for them. One night of passion turns into a committment neither of them could turn their backs on, even when all the odds seem stacked against them. They put up a brave front for the sake of Taylor's voting public, and Ria's family and professional colleagues, and all the while they are falling so deeply in love with one another, you can't imagine an outcome that does'nt have them strolling off into the sunset. Be aware though, they do have their share of ups and downs, tragedies and triumphs, but all in all, "Tidings of Great Joy" is a must read for any fan of true romance.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Okay, until the end, December 31, 2000

By 

Samantha (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tidings of Great Joy (Mass Market Paperback)

When I read the summary of this book, I thought it would be pretty good, so I went out and bought it -- even before it went to paperback, which is saying a lot for a cheapskate like me :) Now I wish I hadn't wasted the money. The ending of this book was one of the most moronic things I've ever read in my life. I won't spoil it for anyone who wants to read it, but believe me, it's not worth the time. I liked the idea behind the book, no matter how unlikely it was... but the end had just TOO much corniness for me.