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Duet
Long Journey Back & Smoke in the Wind
First published 1986 · 384 pages
A tempestuous dive into 1980s romance, where guarded hearts clash with overwhelming, undeniable passion against a sweeping New Zealand backdrop.
What it feels like
Reading this duet is like stepping into a time capsule of 1980s category romance, where the emotions are dialed up to eleven and the tension crackles on every page. The pace is brisk, pulling you through a tempestuous landscape of deep-seated angst, bitter betrayals, and irresistible attraction. The prose is unapologetically dramatic, lingering on the heroines' internal turmoil as they battle their own desires and the relentless pursuit of domineering, alpha heroes. It is an emotionally charged experience that thrives on the friction between vulnerability and overwhelming passion. Fans of vintage Mills & Boon or Harlequin Presents will devour the high-stakes melodrama, reveling in the classic trope of guarded hearts finally surrendering to an all-consuming, hard-won love.
- Mood
- angsty
- tempestuous
- emotionally charged
- Tone
- intense
- melodramatic
- earnest
- passionate
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- second chances · fear of vulnerability · irresistible attraction · overcoming past betrayal · power dynamics in love
- The writing
- Dramatic and emotionally heightened, focusing heavily on internal turmoil and the visceral sensations of physical attraction.
- The arc
- Moves from guarded resentment and deep-seated fear of heartbreak to a sweeping, inevitable surrender to love.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave the high-stakes emotional drama and intense, alpha-driven dynamics of vintage 1980s category romance.
Content notes
- emotional manipulation
- past betrayal
- toxic relationship dynamics
About the book
Long Journey Back Where she was concerned Trent had no scruples. Nothing—not even Trent's divorce—could alter the fact that he'd cruelly jilted Melly in favour of a more advantageous marriage. His undeniable love for her only made his betrayal all the more searing, her return to New Zealand even more unsettling. Trent wanted her back. No, demanded it! Passion, trust, the lot. His single minded ambition was to lay bare her love for him at any cost. Yet he hardly even tried to explain the past. And until he did, how could Melly trust opportunity not to sway his ambition a second time?
Smoke in the Wind Her response to him was frightening. Venetia had felt desire before. The result? Such a disastrous marriage that she felt she wanted never to experience desire again. And she hadn't - until now. Ryan Fraine, famous documentary filmmaker, was in New Zealand to set up a new television station. From the moment they met, Venetia, herself a TV reporter, knew this man could make her suffer as she never had before. So she shied away from his blazing sensuality. Yet there was something else, something in the very core of her soul that wouldn't permit escape....
Description from Open Library.
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