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Hidden Passions #2
Mystic Isle
SHE HAD TO TRUST HIM WITH HER LIFE...
In an attempt to rescue her kin, Kathryn Morland insinuated herself into the dark, mystical underworld of New Orleans -- a world filled with hypnotic voodoo that fronted a society of sex slaves. Posing as a member pushed her courage to the limit...and made it impossible to resist the embrace of Roark Lansing. The sexy stranger tripped her heart, stole her breath -- and tempted her to trust him.
AND HER HEART?
Roark needed Kathryn to trust him, hoped desperately that the daring beauty would read his true intent in his heated touch, his passionate kiss. Because he wasn't the enemy. He was undercover, a man hell-bent on vengeance and prepared to save Kathryn from the evil he knew thrived in the recesses of the bayou.
Travel with Joanna Wayne into the American South as she unlocks Hidden Passions
In an attempt to rescue her kin, Kathryn Morland insinuated herself into the dark, mystical underworld of New Orleans -- a world filled with hypnotic voodoo that fronted a society of sex slaves. Posing as a member pushed her courage to the limit...and made it impossible to resist the embrace of Roark Lansing. The sexy stranger tripped her heart, stole her breath -- and tempted her to trust him.
AND HER HEART?
Roark needed Kathryn to trust him, hoped desperately that the daring beauty would read his true intent in his heated touch, his passionate kiss. Because he wasn't the enemy. He was undercover, a man hell-bent on vengeance and prepared to save Kathryn from the evil he knew thrived in the recesses of the bayou.
Travel with Joanna Wayne into the American South as she unlocks Hidden Passions
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2002
33 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Wayne
187 books59 followersReal name: Jo Ann Vest
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 18, 2018
Joanna Wayne has an unusual and original story to tell in "Mystic Isle." Kathryn Morland comes to New Orleans in search of her missing sister. The trail leads her to the mysterious Mystic Isle, a club whose charismatic owner has a strange pull over his followers. Trying to uncover his connection to her sister, Kathryn finds herself up against the mysterious Roark Lansing. Roark knows she's asking too many questions that will only place her in greater danger. Can he protect her without revealing the truth about himself?
It's been almost a year since the last Hidden Passions book, "Another Woman's Baby," so I don't really remember if any of these characters were in that book or how the two are connected. "Mystic Isle" was easy to understand on its own, so I don't think it's necessary to read the other book first. Readers looking for a different kind of romantic suspense book will want to try "Mystic Isle." I don't think I've ever read an Intrigue quite like this before. The storyline is different than the normal Intrigue plots these days. Wayne takes a different approach to her story than we usually see. She doesn't focus only on the hero and heroine, but also shows us what's happening from several other characters' perspectives. This opens up the story more and gives the supporting characters a little more development than we're used to. We get to see everyone with their separate motives and see how one person's decision affects something someone else is doing that they don't know about. It's a neat method that pushes the limits of category and makes "Mystic Isle" seem almost like a mainstream romantic suspense in its style.
At the same time, the romance is somewhat lacking, mostly because the characters are so focused on the suspense plot that falling in love seems like an afterthought. I also never really got a good impression of who Roark was as a person. It is possible to have a mysterious hero who keeps his secrets while still showing enough of his personality to make him a full-blooded character. I don't think Wayne is completely successful at this. That made it even harder to get involved in the romance. Kathryn is a good heroine though, a determined woman who won't back down when her sister is in danger.
"Mystic Isle" is recommended for readers tired of the same old thing. This book certainly isn't that. Kudos to Joanna Wayne for creating such an unusual, enticing tale for Intrigue readers.
It's been almost a year since the last Hidden Passions book, "Another Woman's Baby," so I don't really remember if any of these characters were in that book or how the two are connected. "Mystic Isle" was easy to understand on its own, so I don't think it's necessary to read the other book first. Readers looking for a different kind of romantic suspense book will want to try "Mystic Isle." I don't think I've ever read an Intrigue quite like this before. The storyline is different than the normal Intrigue plots these days. Wayne takes a different approach to her story than we usually see. She doesn't focus only on the hero and heroine, but also shows us what's happening from several other characters' perspectives. This opens up the story more and gives the supporting characters a little more development than we're used to. We get to see everyone with their separate motives and see how one person's decision affects something someone else is doing that they don't know about. It's a neat method that pushes the limits of category and makes "Mystic Isle" seem almost like a mainstream romantic suspense in its style.
At the same time, the romance is somewhat lacking, mostly because the characters are so focused on the suspense plot that falling in love seems like an afterthought. I also never really got a good impression of who Roark was as a person. It is possible to have a mysterious hero who keeps his secrets while still showing enough of his personality to make him a full-blooded character. I don't think Wayne is completely successful at this. That made it even harder to get involved in the romance. Kathryn is a good heroine though, a determined woman who won't back down when her sister is in danger.
"Mystic Isle" is recommended for readers tired of the same old thing. This book certainly isn't that. Kudos to Joanna Wayne for creating such an unusual, enticing tale for Intrigue readers.
July 16, 2024
I enjoyed this intriguing romance even if parts were a little on the wild side. I bought this at a local Goodwill store. I've given it a 4.5* rating but it is not for the under 18 readers. This involved sisters and spiritualists and a few other things going on. With a killer of a couple women, on the loose, can they be found before they kill again. Seems a lot going on, in a little business in this small town.
May 26, 2023
It was really good. Love all the suspense!
January 16, 2016
Kathryn Morland receives a desperate phone call that sends her running from Dallas to New Orleans in search of her sister Lisa. Lisa Morland has mysteriously disappeared before she is to inherit twelve million dollars on her 25th birthday. Kathryn's search leads her to Mystic Isle, a holistic healing store run by Roark Lansing, an enigmatic follower of cult leader Devlin Tishe and his wife, Veretha.
The stakes are raised when the body of another follower of Devlin's is pulled from the river. Now, Kathryn must watch her step as she's drawn deeper into a dark realm of magic and spirits. I give this romance a B+!
The stakes are raised when the body of another follower of Devlin's is pulled from the river. Now, Kathryn must watch her step as she's drawn deeper into a dark realm of magic and spirits. I give this romance a B+!
December 11, 2015
Missing rich sister, shennigans with charismatic occult leader, romance.
June 23, 2013
loved it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews