This time out, I have Linda Howard’s Veil of Night (Ballantine, received from publisher). I have to tell you, I was very good, as this book landed on my desk last month, and I resisted opening it until just last week. Jaclyn Wilde is an event planner. Okay, sure, most of the events and her mother plan are weddings. Right now, though, she has one particular bride who is making everyone who works with her absolutely miserable. To get her mind off the unpleasantness of their impending appointment the following day, Jaclyn has a drink after work. The bar she’s gone into happens to be a cop hang-out, where she meets up with detective Eric Wilder, the hunk she ran into early in the day after paying for a traffic ticket. Even more sparks fly than that morning in the courthouse, and they wind up back at her place for the night. But she’s not sure she can deal with more, not with her very busy life. Of course, she can’t help fantasizing about more with Eric after the previous night. Jaclyn’s bride-from-hell gets even nastier at their meeting before she fires her. What a relief. Until Eric arrives at her door with another detective in tow to question her about Bridezilla’s murder after Jaclyn’s last encounter with her. That’s going to put a real damper on any potential relationship with Eric, especially as it seems he believes she could really have killed the bride-to-be. Seeing this from both sides is terrific, as Eric knows full well he’ll have his work cut out for him with Jaclyn, if she ever forgives him. Then, when he’s able to rule her out as a suspect, it seems that the murderer realizes Jaclyn has seen more than she should and comes after her. Eric to the rescue, much to Jaclyn’s dismay. After all, how can she trust him when he clearly didn’t trust her, even if there are still sparks flying every time they touch? There are some fun secondary characters here, and a hillbilly wedding that I wish I’d read earlier in the day--everyone in the house was in bed while I was reading (I love a great story that keeps you up past your bedtime, as this one did for me), and I wanted to be laughing my head off throughout this particular wedding. As with all Linda Howard stories, there is enough heat to singe your fingers on the page, as well as the humorous touches throughout. This is a definite keeper. The only bad thing is now we’ll have to wait till next year for Ms. Howard’s next book. I’m giving this one four of Cupid’s five arrows.
Until next time, happy reading!
