Emerald Rain
Nicholas Drake is consumed with revenge against the man who had so completely and totally ruined his life and that of his entire family when he was twelve years old.  He cannot let go of the past until he has the last remaining piece of property that once belonged to his enemy, but the person who owns it won't sell.  Nicholas goes to see Eliot Sinclair about selling the property and is surprised to find that Eliot is a woman.  Nicholas pursues Ellie relentlessly both for her home and because he is strongly attracted to her.  Ellie knows who he is, but he doesn't know who she is and she cannot allow her secret to become known, so she is harsh with him and tries to discourage his attentions by continually telling him to leave her alone.   A life altering crisis changes Nicholas, and Ellie goes to comfort him, and they end up loving each other, but she leaves him with only a note asking his forgiveness.  He can't forget and he sees her again and asks her to marry him.  Ellie knows she can't marry him for fear that he will hate her when he learns the truth about her.  Nicky plans to announce their engagement on the night of his gala, but Ellie arrives with another man.  Nicholas is hurt and angry, but Ellie insists that she can't marry him.  Nicholas leaves the country and Ellie marries to keep another, more critical secret.  Almost two years later, Nicholas returns to New York and he sees Ellie. Despite how deeply hurt he is by her betrayal, he still loves her and she loves him.  But she is married to a respected and wealthy man yet when Nicholas discovers a secret, he uses it to betray her by revealing a part of her that no one knew, and she is destroyed.  Nicholas turns that situation around and Ellie's reputation is restored, better than before! Nicky and Ellie have accepted that they will never be together when suddenly Ellie suffers a major accident that leaves her in a coma and the doctors tell Nicholas that she will most certainly die. Miriam, Nicky's sister and Ellie's friend, directs Nicky to Ellie's house under a pretense, knowing what he will find there.  Nicky finds more than he could ever bargain for and now he has the whole story, plus a little something extra.  Nicky is determined to save Ellie as he loves her beyond life itself. He promises himself that if and when she wakes up, and if she asks him to leave her alone, this time he will, though it would kill him.  I caution the reader to pay attention to the chapter headings as the story goes back and forth between the present and the past.Emerald Rain is a tremendous story of love and hate!  Powerfully written, it is definitely one of the best books I have read so far this year! Linda Francis Lee totally engages your emotions in Emerald Rain!  She very craftily plucks your heart strings and plays them like a well orchestrated symphony! Emerald Rain has an emotional edge that will keep your heart pumping and your pulse racing!  Linda Francis Lee is an author that I shall not soon forget! Ms. Lee's Emerald Rain is a strong and sweeping story that will grab a hold of you and not let go till the very end!Gloria Miller  --Copyright © 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc.  All rights reserved--FromLiterary Times