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High Noon

Review

High Noon

HIGH
NOON --- a most appropriate description of the career of Nora
Roberts, who remains at the peak of her craft. She is one of the
hottest romantic suspense writers of all time; each of her novels
is eagerly anticipated and never fail to climb repeatedly to the
top ten on the New York Times bestseller list. Her latest
novel keeps readers hot on the trail of a fierce opponent out to
make Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara pay for the death of his
fiancé.

The backdrop of sultry Savannah, Georgia --- with its quirky
inhabitants, stately old homes, two sexy characters and multiple
hostage scenes --- keeps the theme of HIGH NOON hot, hot, hot. When
sexy redhead Phoebe MacNamara arrives on the scene of a man
threatening to jump from the roof of a bar, Duncan Swift gets lucky
for the second time in his life. The first time he got lucky, he
won $138 million on a lottery ticket. Duncan seeks Phoebe out and
convinces her to have a drink with him --- at one of his
sports bars, of course. Before the night is over, he is taking her
home in his "gleaming white Porsche" and using his killer blue eyes
and sex appeal to convince her to go out with him again. This is
just the beginning of Duncan's persistent quest for Phoebe. The
pure fantasy of what millionaire toy will be revealed next and what
irresistible male trait he possesses adds sizzle to the budding
romance.

The countless hostage negotiation scenes and gruesome outcomes
in HIGH NOON meant nothing to me as a diehard Nora
Roberts fan. They were part of a plot, a method of creating a
strong female character, a Quantico-trained former FBI agent who
prevents death to the best of her abilities. What appeals to me as
an avid reader of romantic suspense is the chemistry between her
characters and their journey to love. What is the magnetism between
the characters that draw them together? Is it the casual appeal of
a millionaire who can "make a hell of a martini"? Is it the
attraction of the luxurious, expensive toys money can buy --- a
grand house on an island, a sailboat and a champagne lifestyle? Or
is it the fact that Duncan has a sense of humor and is
complimentary, patient and supportive, and that his love surrounds
Phoebe?

What kind of woman asks a millionaire to marry her? Phoebe's life
is complicated; she herself is a victim of a hostage situation and
carries the scars of fear. Her lovable mother Essie is still so
traumatized by the incident that she is an agoraphobic who hasn't
left the house in 10 years and she has a seven-year-old daughter
whose father deserted them. We are skillfully led to realize that a
woman in love is strengthened by that love and acts upon it; she
follows her heart. Wild rides in Duncan's Porsche to a crime scene
escalate the plot to encompass unusual imagery, and liaisons in the
moonlight intensify the romantic indulgence.

HIGH NOON is also about relationships that change us. Duncan
too has scars from his past but surrounds himself with friends who
make him happy. The repartee between Duncan and his best friend's
wife keeps the book light in between unraveling the mysterious
threats to Phoebe's life. "Dump him (her husband). I'll buy you
Fiji." Phoebe's mentor Dave is the negotiator who saved her family
from a brutal ending. He remains a stalwart part of the women's
lives. Moments, surprise encounters, tragedy and friends draw
people together in mysterious ways.

Roberts has the reader believing in love at first sight, love at
high noon and "love without even looking for a handhold." What is
best about HIGH NOON? Winning the lottery or winning the heart of a
sexy redhead? Winning both, of course!

Reviewed by Hillary Wagy on January 22, 2011

High Noon
by Nora Roberts

  • Publication Date: July 10, 2007
  • Genres: Fiction
  • Hardcover: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Putnam Adult
  • ISBN-10: 0399154345
  • ISBN-13: 9780399154348