 Contemporary Romance |
PANACHE Nathasha Brooks-Harris Domhan Books May 2001 (4) Shereen Jones |
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PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
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REVIEW: |
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PANACHE by Nathasha
Brooks-Harris certainly lives up to its name.
The story is replete with examples of distinctive elegance exhibited only
by the stylishly wealthy. Like
the heroine in this story, you will be swept into another world – a world of
élan and sophistication. Alexandra Walker’s son is dying.
In order to save his life, she briefly considers stealing jeweler from
her employer. Good sense eventually prevails – but too late.
Her momentary lapse is caught on film by an unscrupulous security guard
who blackmails Alexandra with the tape, forcing her to commit a far more
prestigious heist from the ultra-sophisticated, exclusive jewelers to the
wealthy – Panache. As luck would have it, Alexandra wins a date with
Chase Thomas, VP of Panache, at a charity ball and the attraction is both mutual
and immediate. The chemistry is
palpable. Not only is Chase Thomas
Houston’s most eligible bachelor, but he is also kind, considerate, sexy,
imaginative and did I mention incredibly sexy?! Totally enamored with her from the start, Chase
uses his irresistible charm, unique sense of style and abundant wealth to
romance Alexandra, literally sweeping her off her feet. In spite of herself, Alex falls for the kind, considerate,
imaginative, romantic (and sexy) man behind the public playboy image, hoping
against hope that he never finds out about her role in the theft of the King
Solomon emerald. With the budding romance between Chase and
Alexandra, Alex’s sick son, the jewelry theft and a ‘secret mystery’, PANACHE
is a tale never lacking in excitement and adventure. Chase must learn to trust in the face of incredible odds and
is forced to fight for the woman he loves. I have to admit I was a little tentative approaching
this story. Having a heroine who is
a thief is definitely a “different” approach to a romance novel.
I need to like my heroes and heroines and I wasn’t sure that I would be
able to bring myself to love a thief! My
fears proved groundless however, as Alexandra turned out to be a loving mother,
confident woman and loyal friend. Chase,
the hero, is a dream come true. He’s
tall, handsome, supremely confident (verging on cocky) and extremely generous.
He romances Alexandra as a prince would a princess.
And yet, he is at the same time a down-to-earth kind of guy, able to
enjoy the simple pleasures of life as much as the finer things. I thought PANACHE’s
plot was a good and unusual one for the romance genre.
I did however have some difficulty with some parts of the story. Chase seemed to move from 0 to 120 mph in less than 60
seconds in his relationship with Alexandra.
And while acknowledging his wealth, the speed with which that
relationship progressed seems unreal. Also
I found him a little too showy with his wealth.
For example, I can understand renting out a whole restaurant for a very
special occasion. But for dinner
and dancing? I found that a bit
much. Also, the “secret
mystery” unfolded so easily it appeared almost contrived.
There were also quite a few loose ends in the story
that I did not feel were adequately addressed.
Alexandra’s relationship with her mother is one such case in point.
I’m still not sure I understand the degree of animosity.
I would have loved to have a little more detail because it would not only
allow me to better understand the mother-daughter relationship, it would also
help me better understand Alexandra herself. PANACHE is Nathasha’s
first published novel. However Ms.
Brooks-Harris is no stranger to the publishing world.
A native New Yorker, she is currently a contributing editor and columnist
for Today’s Black Woman Magazine and she contributes to many magazines
including True Confessions, Belle, Black Elegance, and Black
Men. A Senior Reviewer with our
own Romance In Color, Nathasha has proven her way with words many times
over. PANACHE is well worth a read
and marks the start of what I am sure will be a successful writing career in
romantic fiction. |
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1st May 2001 |
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