Review: Combative couple with a history, 3.5 stars
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 11 2, 2013
Against the Wind has the typical bad boy hero Anne Stuart writes so well and the feisty female who stands up to him.  It's an okay novel, by no means my favorite by this author.Maddy  Lambert comes from a politically connected family.  Her father had abandoned her years earlier to become an unofficial leader of a rebel band in a small Central American Government.  His right hand man Jake Murphy goes with him too.  Maddy had a mad teenaged crush on Jake but as he was older, nothing could come of it.Maddy goes to see her father when she discovers he is dying.  The reader can tell she is conflicted in that she hates that her father has left her with no word for years and she desperately wants validation and acceptance from her sire (she even works in California as a social worker who helps refugees from this small country). When she sees Jake again she feels anger, bitterness and a well spring of desire for him.This couple has chemistry but they also are combative.  I did not understand Jake's complete and absolute loyalty to Maddy's father, a man who is essential selfish and prideful.  Jake's puts his life on hold for years for him.Maddy is stubborn and willing to believe the worst in Jake, mainly because he has not been there for her in the past.  This couple has a rocky romance to say the least.  Jake is brave but also taciturn and distrustful.  Maddy vacillates between trusting too much and too little.  I did not doubt the leads were fascinated with each other and when they share scenes together they are memorable.  But these moments are too few.