Nihon Nights

by Trisha Haddad, Monica Haddad

Abigail Dennis has spent the last five years in exotic Japan, working her way up the ranks at English World to become the head of the Nagoya schools. While the school has fallen into a financial crisis, not paying staff in a month, Abigail trusts they will pull through. That is, until golden-curled London Crane arrives from Maui, hired to teach without any warning about the economic issues. Despite their immediate attraction, their relationship is strained with London?s cynicism and Abigail?s corporate loyalty.Suddenly, English World?s CEO is missing. Rumors fly. London is impressed with the action Abigail takes to protect her staff and students and, as the two explore temples, festivals, and each other, passion deepens to romance.But when Abigail?s nationwide counterparts disappear, ten- sion mounts. London insists she go home to protect herself, and she bristles at his demands, arguing that Nihon (Japan) is her home and she?s needed by her teachers and students. Will the new love Abigail and London have found survive the economic turmoil and criminal suspicions that surround them? Will Abigail survive at all?

Genres: Interracial Romance, Contemporary Romance

ebook

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[LS · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had its good points and its bad points, but mostly it was kind of flat.It never did get under my skin. I usually do not get to read books in the African American Interracial romance genre because they are routinely stolen from the public library. One of the librarians did a search for me for some of the more popular titles in the genre and they all had been stolen from every library they had been placed in in the entire United States. That's sad. I checked out a copy of a romance novel about a cyborg which was written in the 1970s, as the original was still on the shelf. When thievery is so bad that none of the books from a genre are available from the library, it is almost as if they are not a part of the collection of American fiction.
Anyway, apparently living in Japan is just as frosty and alienating for an African American person as I thought it would be. Nevertheless, the main character enjoys it and the authors poignantly describe some beautiful scenes and instances of Japanese culture. The way the main love interest's financial situation is introduced was refreshing. Even though the authors tried to incorporate a bit of a thriller into the plot and the two characters do sweet things for each other, for me the chemistry between the two lovers never picked up after their initial meeting.

I don't know; since I read this book after finishing Bronte's novel Shirley with all of its character and societal analysis, perhaps a modern book is automatically going to seem as if it lacks depth and is as superficial and fluffy as watching shadows on a wall. Of course this is not fair because Haddad is not a Bronte.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book almost up til the very end. Almost at the end the Ms. Haddad and her co-writer need to move the plot along and Abigail made some decisions that just didn't make much sense in my mind. But, other then that I liked the characters and the intrigue and the brief look at Japan.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

"If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all."