French Silk by Sandra Brown is my choice for romantic suspense read of the month and it was a very good read at that. Brown is one of those authors who is hit or miss for me but in this novel, the suspense is just right, the characters are well fleshed out and the chemistry between the two protagonists is smoking hot.
Claire Laurent runs a successful lingerie shop called, French Silk, in New Orleans. Unfortunately it has earned the complete attention of the local evangelist, Jackson Wilde, who has nothing but scathing remarks to make about her lingerie shop. This has caused tension and bad publicity for Claire’s business since his campaign is aimed at shutting her down. Then one day, the preacher is found murdered and while Jack Wilde may have had many enemies, the list dwindles down to Claire being at the top of the list of suspects who has a viable motive.
District Attorney, Robert Cassidy takes on the case. The sparks fly when Cassidy and Claire meet for the first time in her lingerie shop. The chemistry between them is so thick at times you could cut it with a knife. Claire seems to have an airtight alibi but Cassidy, who wants to believe her because he’s attracted her, keeps finding evidence to the contrary. The case eventually becomes a conflict of interest that is briefly mentioned because Cassidy is attracted to the suspect. Therefore objectivity becomes a big problem for solving the case. However, the case does get solved and there is a HEA.
The villain of the story turned out to be a complete surprise and the romance between Cassidy and Claire was red hot. This is by far one of my favorite Sandra Brown novels next to her suspense novels that I loved: Charade and Witness. French Silk is a romance but there was one scene that might put readers off especially if your keen on your heroes to just sleep with the heroine (Cassidy out of frustration sleeps with his neighbor). I found nothing out of place with that. It happens.
There is plenty of H/H interaction here that made this novel a page-turner for me. Also, the author does a great job with chemistry; I think Brown is excellent with chemistry. One of the best at writing chemistry. The story had plenty of atmosphere and plenty of red herrings leading to the suspect that turned out to be a complete surprise.
H/H interaction is the main draw for me to any novel no matter what it is. How well the author creates chemistry between his/her two leads, the dialogue and the story must all come together to create an unforgettable read. This book was a keeper for me as everything worked for me: the characters, story. My grade: A-. If your new to Sandra Brown I strongly recommend starting with this novel since it represents some of her best work.
Note: I have several more Brown titles sitting in my TBR pile like Best Kept Secrets, Another Dawn, Sunset Embrace and Where There’s Smoke. I think I’ll tackle the latter. Any feedback on any of those titles are appreciated.
Technorati Tags: Sandra Brown, Romantic Suspense Review, French Silk
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Kristie(J) 07.28.06 at 9:46 am
I havent read that many Sandra Brown and I’m not sure why. I have liked the ones I’ve read. I think it might be the same thing with Anne Stuart’s RS - I didn’t start reading until fairly recently and just haven’t looked up the back lists of either author. French Silk is one I haven’t read and after reading your review I think I’ll give it a try. As for your TBR pile, I read Another Dawn and Sunset Embrace YEARS ago. I really enjoyed Sunset Embrace at the time, not so much Another Dawn and then well…., once you’ve read them both, I’d love to see what you think.
Cece 07.28.06 at 2:27 pm
The Alibi is one of my all time favorites…so’s The Witness and I do remember liking Where There’s Smoke. I’ve heard lots of great things on Envy but have yet to pick it up….and FWIW it seems like Another Dawn gets a lot of flack =)
CindyS 07.28.06 at 4:04 pm
Hmmm, my favourite books of hers were not her popular ones. Something like Fanta C, another had Chase in the title and one was the hero who slept with his brother’s fiance (heroine) - I liked the angst in that book but I got lots of flack on a reader’s board because I enjoyed the skanky rape - sorry, wasn’t rape but it wasn’t the right thing to do either
How’s that for being helpful.
I can’t remember which came first, Another Dawn or Sunset Embrace - let me check - okay, you have to read Sunset Embrace first - I read them backwards and was glad I did! I’m not sure how either will stand the test of time though ;) CindyS
Karen Scott 07.28.06 at 4:52 pm
Oh wow, I picked this up, a couple of days ago, to browse through at Borders, and ended up putting it back on the shelf. I may have to have another look…
RenéeW 07.28.06 at 9:55 pm
I read French Silk a long time ago and remember liking it, but I haven’t read any of the others you mentioned except I have Sunset Embrace in my TBR too. My favorites by Brown are Texas! Chase and Slow Heat in Heaven, both keepers.
Sotheara 07.28.06 at 10:38 pm
First off, I enjoy coming to your blog and reading your reviews and general thoughts/opinions. I’m a definite lurker and have your site bookmarked.
French Silk is one of three all-time favorite books of Sandra Brown. The other two being Best Kepts Secrets and Slow Heat in Heaven. Highly recommend those two books. Did you know they had a made for TV movie of Frenk Silk starring Susan Luci as Claire? That I don’t recommend.
I’ve also read Sunset Embrace (good read), Another Dawn (alright but was upset about a major character death), and Where There’s Smoke (average read). Thanks!
Avid Reader 07.28.06 at 11:50 pm
Hey guys:
First off — -Thank you Sotheara for the kind words about my blog. I appreciate it. Many times I feel like throwing in the towel
I did read and enjoy Slow Heat in Heaven (keeper for me, too) and I haven’t read Envy and Cece your the first reader who I’ve come across that enjoyed The Alibi - I do have Envy and one other title, Chill Factor, I think. I also did read Texas Chase! which was good also and Fat Tuesday was an average read for me. There’s Mirror Image that was very good despite the reader having to suspend disbelief to enjoy the story. Brown’s suspense books are the best. And Karen S you must read French Silk. I love that book.
Devonna 07.29.06 at 10:47 am
I used to love Sandra Brown…she was one of my favorites. The first book I read of hers was Eloquent Silence and I was hooked. I soaked up her romances faster than she could write them; and then her style chaged. She started doing more suspense/mystery than romance and my love affair with her books ended. I still find myself sometimes just out of habit reaching for her new novel, only to put it back on the shelf. It’s too bad really, because her books were always a hit with me.
Cece 07.29.06 at 2:18 pm
I *loved* The Alibi but I also loved Fat Tuesday too LOL both of which had not-quite-heroic (semi-antihero’s?) main characters. In The Alibi it was the heroine, as I remember, but in Fat Tuesday it was more the cop/hero.
Avid Reader 07.29.06 at 7:00 pm
Hi Devonna,
For me - I started with her suspenes books which were really good then worked my back to her romance books which were really good. But she does do more suspense than romance these days but man, can Brown is the queen of chemistry - excellent with chemistry. She’s one author I wish would go back to romance.
Devonna 07.29.06 at 8:18 pm
Definitely she can do the chemistry. I sure miss the romances though. I’ve read her suspense, I just love her romances. I’m hoping one day she’ll go back to them, too.
Amarjaa 07.30.06 at 7:15 am
Hmmm…I’ve never read much Sandra Brown, but I might try this one: what with the great review and all.
There’s nothing like a really good romance story, anyway, where the hero and the heroine have genuine, unforced chemistry!
Avid Reader 07.30.06 at 8:52 am
Any romance that I enjoy MUST HAVE good chemistry between the protagonists. Sandra Brown is one of the few who does it very well. The other would be Laurell K. Hamilton and the first eight of her Anita Blake books. I don’t read her much anymore but she does very well with chemistry between her protagonists as well.
Also, I love to see plenty of H/H interaction. I think romance readers would enjoy French Silk.
ReneeW 08.01.06 at 1:47 pm
I read French Silk a long time ago and remember liking it, but I haven’t read any of the others you mentioned except I have Sunset Embrace in my TBR too. My favorites by Brown are Texas! Chase and Slow Heat in Heaven, both keepers.