/Judith McNaughtshelf | Paradise

Meredith Bancroft’s cool blonde beauty and serene poise graced the photos that appeared constatnly in Chicago’s society and businness columns. A mejor executive with the elegant stores of Bancroft & Company, her family’s firm, she was linked with a series of eligible, socially prominent men, but remained essentially mysterious, aloof…and alone.

Matthew Farerell’s tall, darkly handsome image was the fuel of media fantasy, enhanced by the string of starlets, princesses, and other beauties that clustered arond the dazzling corporate tycoon. From Carmel to Texas to New York, he was dynamic and relentless, acquiring multinatioal companies with the ease of a born business genius. He had come a long way from the poor, scruffy kid of Indiana’s steel mills, spurned by the rich and powerful citizen of his small town. A long way from the country club where, gauceh and unaccepted, he had fallen in love with a beautiful blonde girl, and known a once-in-a-lifetime passion that still haunted his memory.

Meredith remembered that night. No longer an awkward teenage girl, she had defied her tyrannical father for the sexually mangetic, intense, dashing Matt Farrell. The disastrous outcome of her dfinance still lived with her, a burning, bitter lgacy of love somehow betrayed.

Now, when the Bancroft empire is threatened by a hostile takeover attempt, Meredith is forced to turn to Matt. As tensions build between them and sparks fly, bittersweet, poignant memories rise to the surface, leaving them both uncertain, restles, suspicious and falling in love again. They are made for each other, meant for each other, destined to share their lives. If only they can begin to believe in each other, and grasp the tender miracle before them (Book Description).

I don’t know who wrote the book description, but they need a serious copy editor. For one thing, though you won’t notice in the summary above because I removed them, there were about 10 elipses sprinking every single paragraph. And essentially, the summary always makes things sound so much more dramatic.

Actually, there is quite a bit of drama. The kind where you don’t believe, but is written well enough that you’d keep reading (but it’s not trashy like the Gossip Girl novels. Seriously, I stil can’t believe everyone in there went to Brown or Yale or Harvard.)

Another this Judith McNaught’s books are full of is misunderstanding. Chalk full. Neck high, and overflowing. Just way too many of them, one after another, piling on higher and higher. At many points, especially near the end, I put the book down when she set up the scene for yet another one.

As always, the ending was rushed, not completely satisfactory, and the ever after happily summariezed in a two page epilogue.

For a 500 page romance, however, I’d say it kept my attention pretty well. Much better written and fleshed out (character and plotwise) than Remember When, Paradise is definitely one of the better Romances I’ve read.