Josette

August 10, 2015
Roth’s third When Hearts Dare historical (after Alanna), set primarily in a thinly sketched 1857 New Orleans, thoughtfully—and sometimes ponderously—explores not just romantic and erotic attachments, but also the bonds of family. Cameron Andrews, still reeling from his wife’s and infant’s deaths two years before, discovers he has another child, 13-year-old Alexia. Widow Josette LeBlanc, Alexia’s mother’s sister, married a wealthy man to get out of the bayou, but in spite of her place in New Orleans she still feels isolated. With Alexia’s mother long dead, Josette believes Alexia could have a better life with her father, far away from the bayou and its dangerous denizens. Cameron and Josette connect immediately, and are soon overwhelmed by passion. The story builds momentum gradually, but sympathetic characters keep readers’ interest, and Roth gracefully weaves disparate threads together. The pleasure of the exploration of different kinds of love is occasionally marred by stereotypes, including an evil voudounista, and the setting lacks verisimilitude, but readers looking for more or less historical romance with a bit of spice will be satisfied. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

September 15, 2015
Widowed Cameron wants only to get on a ship to China. Alexis, a stowaway girl on one of his company's ships, changes his plans when she announces that she is his daughter. He takes her to New Orleans and is entranced by her aunt Josette while learning the truth of Alexis' origins. The Creole family that raised her is known for voodoo and mischief, yet Cameron finds himself employing two of her wayward uncles and letting Alexis stay with him at work and even at times in his house. Pleasing Josette becomes important as the widower tries to keep her family safe from threats outside and in the extended family. In her latest When Hearts Dare novel, Roth (Celine, 2014) brings the heat of New Orleans right through the pages in both the romantic chemistry and appealing descriptions of the area. Cameron and other returning characters from previous titles find satisfying new homes and families as they cope with life's challenges. Roth is an extremely promising writer of American historical romances.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)