Here's my full review:
http://www.sholee.net/2019/10/mpov-silver-linings.html ( )

Mattie finds herself in the middle of an adventure when she stops at the island of Purgatory to pick up an ancient sword for her aunt and finds the murdered body of the sword's owner. Fleeing the scene, she runs into the last person that she wanted to see on her island vacation. Hugh Abbot is the man who turned down her marriage proposal, broke her heart, and took off for parts unknown. She's been avoiding him for a year.

Hugh regrets hurting Mattie but it was really the wrong time to begin a new relationship. He had just broken his engagement to her sister Ariel and was questioning his own judgment. Some thought convinced him that Mattie was the woman for him. The only problem is that she isn't eager to hear what he now believes.

Hugh rescue Mattie from danger and they head off to a nearby island. Hugh is ready to resume their relationship, marry her and take him back home to his island where he is in the process of setting up a charter airline business. But Mattie has had time to think too and she isn't at all certain that she wants to trust Hugh with her heart again. Worst of all, following Hugh means giving up her life in Seattle where she is a successful art gallery owner.

Having successful careers in two very different places would be enough of an obstacle to romance but there's more: an old enemy of Hugh's has resurfaced and Hugh needs to take care of him. After all, he tried to kill Hugh and did murder his friend on Purgatory.

This novel was written in 1991 and it shows in a few ways. Lack of cellphones which likely wouldn't have worked on Purgatory anyway is one of the things that make its age know. Most of all though, the attitudes indicate the book's age. Hugh's unwillingness to hear the word "no" in sexual situations was a little troubling even if Mattie was willing to be convinced.

This story does have Krentz's trademark quirky characters and crisp dialog. It has independent women and men who are heroes with slightly rusty armor. It was an enjoyable reread since I hadn't revisited it since buying and reading it first in 1991. ( )

This is Krentz at her best. I like everything she’s written between 1990 and 2005, no matter under which of her three nom de plumes – [a:Jayne Ann Krentz|2387|Jayne Ann Krentz|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1312411698p2/2387.jpg], [a:Amanda Quick|42211|Amanda Quick|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1254303117p2/42211.jpg], or [a:Jayne Castle|8840|Jayne Castle|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1269098921p2/8840.jpg] – a novel is published. This one is a contemporary romance, and despite the lack of internet and cell phones, it reads as well today as it did in 1991.
On page one, the protagonist Mattie stumbles upon a dying man on the floor of his island villa. You don’t get more in medias res than that. Upon exiting the villa in a state of shocked panic – entirely understandable: the man had a bullet hole in his chest – Mattie runs headlong into Hugh, a guy who had rejected her love a year ago. He takes her on a jaunt through the jungle to escape the bad guys, and of course, romantic tangles ensue, inescapable and exciting.
As it should be in a formulaic romance, the action rolls non-stop from the start, packed tightly like sardines in a tin. The dialog is sharp and exaggerated, fun to read. The locale is exotic and the relationship steamy. And the protagonists are of course the opposites that attract. While she is a gallery owner, sophisticated and reserved, a refined urbanite, he is at home in a jungle, a former mercenary with a past. The author paints him as a mix between a Neanderthal with fast reflexes and a knight in shining armor. I admit I’ve never met such a man. He doesn’t seem real, more like a woman’s dream, but it’s nice to dream sometimes.
Every time my mood plummets, I pick up one of Krentz’s novels, and they serve me faithfully, better than any antidepressant. I own many of them. Like salve for the soul, they’re swift and sweet, although utterly interchangeable. No literary nourishment, just a reading candy, and this one is no exception. I’ve read it at least three times and I still enjoyed it.
I must add that in my view, Krentz is peerless at building her plot arch. In most of her novels, this one included, the story structure is extremely focused, elegant in its transparency. As a beginner writer, I learned story structure from Krentz’s books, analyzed them like writing manuals. I’d recommend them for every new writer, as guidebooks on constructing a good plot. I’d also recommend them to any fan of romance novels, although you should pay attention to the publishing date. Anything published before 1990 or after 2005 is a suspect. Anything published during the above-mentioned interval is either a bestseller or a darn-good book.
( )

Seattle art dealer Mattie Sharpe fell hard for her sister's Elemental Period inspiration. But when Hugh Abbott turned her down, she put herself back together and carried on. Except Hugh changed his mind. Unfortunately for Hugh, his plan to get Mattie back isn't working - and when his latest plan goes south, the only thing harder than getting her back may be keeping both of them alive.

If you're a fan of rough, tough, blunt men with a penchant for calling their lady's "babe", you'll like Hugh Abbott just fine. Mattie's pretty typical of Krentz's women - smart, quick-witted, and independent enough to get herself in over her head and still get her man out of trouble. If you like your romances complete with tropical islands, murder, cursed swords and hot sex, this might be your cup of tea. ( )

pure krentz style; lovable characters; strong female character and rough male; more adventure than i'd liked but good story ( )