Books › Strike At The Heart
Strike At The Heart
First published 1988 · 187 pages
A classic clash of wills under the Australian sun, where a pragmatic widow and a flamboyant director collide in a storm of irritation and undeniable chemistry.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage romance feels like stepping into a sun-drenched, emotionally heightened time capsule of the late 1980s. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, driven by the classic friction of opposites attracting. The mood is a compelling mix of domestic coziness and simmering, dramatic tension as a guarded single mother clashes with her larger-than-life neighbor. The prose is direct and passionate, leaning into the sweeping declarations and intense internal monologues characteristic of the era's category romances. It traces a deeply satisfying arc from prickly defensiveness to vulnerable surrender. This is a perfect comfort read for fans of old-school romance who crave a story about second chances, unexpected family bonds, and the irresistible pull of a flamboyant hero.
- Mood
- sun-drenched
- romantic
- emotionally charged
- Tone
- dramatic
- earnest
- passionate
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- second chances · opposites attract · healing from grief · unexpected family
- The writing
- Direct, emotionally heightened, and characteristic of vintage 1980s category romance with a focus on internal conflict.
- The arc
- Moves from prickly defensiveness and irritation to vulnerable surrender and passionate rediscovery of love.
- Who it's for
- Fans of vintage category romance who love a wealthy, larger-than-life hero melting the heart of a pragmatic single mother.
Content notes
- grief
- widowhood
- dated gender dynamics
About the book
"At heart I'm the last of the great romantics."
Jackie Mulholland scorned Sunny King's extravagant boasts. Everything about the Australian movie director who had become her next-door neighbor irritated her: his opulent mansion, his reckless driving, his overwhelming arrogance.
Gradually Jackie discovered Sunny's real nature--his sensitivity and his generosity to her and her two sons. "I'm going to take you under my wing and give you all you deserve," he told her.
Sunny's expert touch reawakened sensations Jackie had almost forgotten in four years as a widow. But a lasting relationship with the irrepressible Sunny was hard to imagine.
Description from Open Library.
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