I’m reading Sally Beauman’s backlist — her old, old stuff from when she wrote as Vanessa James. Two words for this stuff: slurpy good. Beauman wrote Harlequin romances while working up to what she would call her “big book” – meaning Destiny.
So these little Harlequins are, obviously, not in print anymore. The one I just finished, Give Me This Night, is copyright 1985. Amazon is supplying these to me – and I’ve been lucky in that the ones I’ve ordered so far are in good condition, if a little yellowed.
I haven’t yet read The Fire and The Ice but I am amused at the cover. Both covers, in fact. They’re so 1980s. Blondish women in the embrace of a dark-haired man in some European locale. Yep. Gimme somma that. I suspect the others that I’ve ordered (and haven’t yet arrived) are similar. I didn’t even really read the blurb before I bought them – I just grabbed them as soon as I saw them.
What is so amazing to me is that I can see bits of Destiny in Give Me This Night. Some phrases are used either verbatim or only slightly altered, which delights me to no end because I do that myself – use phrases in something small and then recycle it for something better. Since I love Destiny so much, I love seeing the traces of it in these early “practice books”.
Okay. I’m going to read Destiny. I’ve decided. Then we can talk about it.
That would make my freakin YEAR! YES!!!!!
Very excited about the book! Can’t wait. Love you, hon.
Squeeeeee! So excited that you’re going to read it. I need to talk with someone about this book. It becomes more dear to me with every passing year.
Got your “it’s been shipped” email. I am SO excited. Seriously. It’s like mini Christmas for me.
I’m thrilled to share it with you. I am actually nervous about this, like I’m being fundamentally judged. : )
So excited to hear your thoughts!