The Longing

Wendy Lindstrom

Amelia Drake becomes a bride because she is tired of being played for a fool. As a naïve teen, she’d been seduced, abandoned, and doomed to a life as a spinster. Her father’s sudden death leaves her facing financial ruin. And when his business rival – sawmill owner Kyle Grayson – unwittingly puts her in a compromising position, she is determined to save her honour the only way she can: marriage to a man she barely knows…

When Kyle Grayson accused his competitor Tom Drake of treachery, he never imagined the man would die in his arms. Wracked with guilt, he marries Amelia and vows to resurrect her father’s lumberyard. Though hard and cynical when it comes to love, he is all too aware of his desire for his beautiful wife – sensing her secret longing for his touch, her fear of his passion… and unspoken secrets weighing down on their marriage. But will the searing truth deep in their hearts hold the power of forgiveness – and a chance of everlasting love?

Review by Denise M. Clark (011202) Rating (9/10)

Review by Denise M. Clark
The second in a trilogy about the Grayson brothers, The Longing picks up where the first book in the series, Shades of Honour, left off. Kyle Grayson is reeling with heartache and a deep sense of betrayal from a ruined courtship, a courtship which saw his fiancée marrying his older brother, Radford.

Burying his disappointment in work, he is disturbed by his long time mentor and friend's hesitance to repay an overdue debt. Confronting the man, he is again emotionally battered when, in the midst of an argument, the man suffers a heart attack and dies, his last request pleading with Kyle to marry his daughter, Amelia.

Circumstances force Amelia and Kyle to do just that, but past secrets and mistrust prove an almost insurmountable barrier for them to overcome. They both long for love and stability, yet both must first deal with their pasts before they can even think of looking forward to any kind of a future together. Whether they're strong enough to do that remains to be seen.

Ms. Lindstrom's fantastic characters are a treat, as is her rare ability to immediately develop conflict while at the same time introducing characters with enough depth and dimension to instantly captivate the reader in their dilemma. Her plots are expertly rendered, forging a relationship that compels urgent, can't-put-down page turning. With The Longing, the author has proven her writing skills, and as such, this reader knows Ms. Lindstrom will never disappoint.
Denise M. Clark (1st December 2002)