Designed for Passion

by Francine Craft

Curvy Melodye Carter runs a successful boutique dedicated to plus-sized beauties. The widow and mother of twin boys also has serious troubles. Her husband's mysterious death has been linked to another shooting, and now she's more than grief stricken…she's a little afraid.

Detective Jim Ryman is drawn into her case, and soon Melodye and her mischievous boys are reawakening feelings he'd sworn off after his wife's death. He didn't think he could love again, but proud yet vulnerable Melodye makes him remember what it means to be a man in love—a man who will risk everything to protect his woman.

Genres: Romance

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

More than anything, I'm a whole earth lover, but that doesn't mean I like everything. I do give people the benefit of the doubt, and I'm happy with that.

I've written 19 contemporary romance novels and been a participant in 4 romance anthologies for Harlequin, Kensington, and BET and. I've had a really good time writing romances and have a mainstream romance, Solomon and Sheba, biblically-based and this century to be released in 2012., but I've indie published a multicultural thriller, "Dying On The Edge," on sale now on Amazon and all online bookstores. I will also be doing a triology of biblically-oriented mainstream romances that I will also indie-publish. Edge will be a series. I love this, and I look forward to having you read and let me have your comments, yea or nay. They're all part of the writing game.

My mind really began to open when I began to indie-publish. I was lucky enough to find good help after many many stumbles and disappointments.

Please visit my interactive website. You'll find all my books and reviews on there and some good info about me. http://www.francinecraft.com.

I'm looking foward to hearing from you. My website is interactive.

Best,

Francine

Reviews

[Kerdel Ellick · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, it was boring but as I got closer to the end, I was caught off guard by the plot twist. The pace of the story changed instantly and pulled me in. I enjoyed this book. It's a nice read.

[Kelly Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed this for BookPleasures. See below.
Review For:
Designed For Passion, by Francine Craft
ISBN: 9780373860579, Publisher: Kimani Romance


While reviewing the book Designed for Passion, by Francine Craft I had a mixture of emotions and opinions. Francine Craft is an author of romantic fiction and has over 20 titles to her name.
To summarize, Melodye Carter is a widow with twin boys who owns a boutique for plus sized women. Her marriage was not a happy one, nor was her childhood living under her mother’s scrutiny and in the shadow of her sister. Melodye is a woman who wasn’t willing to open her heart again. Detective Jim Ryman was assigned to her husbands murder. Jim, also a widow, has sworn off any and all emotional ties of romance since his wife’s death. Together they help heal each others hearts, ridding them of painful scars and hoping to move on.
Let me start by saying I had two issues with this book. First, the book is intended to center around the investigation into her husband’s death. However, there was little in the way of an actual investigation mentioned, and when it was it was by way of fleeting comments. Second, the characters interactions with each other revolved around sexual reactions and not necessarily ones of the heart. This, at times, made it appear that there was nothing to the relationship but sex. For example, at a point in the first half of the book Jim is questioning a suspect and all that is said about feelings is the electricity between them. Nothing wrong with that, but in my opinion the way the characters were portrayed when together didn’t leave me knowing what was really inside their heads or hearts.
After saying that, it is apparent that Francine Craft is a born romantic and a great story teller. What I like most about the book was that the main character, Melodye, didn’t fit the norm. Often times with romance you find that the characters fit into a perfect box and don’t have many physical flaws. Melodye is a woman with glorious curves and is more of a character that I feel most women can relate to. I applaud the author for doing this. The secondary characters; Bettina, her mother, and Lucia, her sister were down right cruel. The way the author wrote these segments made your heart ache for Melodye and could be quite a blow to your system. The initial attraction between Jim and Melodye kept me reading to find out what happened next. While reviewing I was at no time disinterested nor did I find any dead spots. I look forward to more of her titles in the future.

Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer

[Datavia Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loves a beautiful thing

The art of making love is beautiful in it self but making love to the one your in love with is magical as written so lovely in this book.

[Lornp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Interesting ending, wouldn't have guessed at that of her sister and Manny.
Grandparents did well.
Good read, and would recommend it

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book could have been a excellent read but because of the low self-esteem of the main character it just made you want to pull out your hair. The main character had no backbone and let her mother and sister run all over her and that really irritated me.
it was annoying when all she kept saying was I'm too fat and I can't be attractive and no man wants me. so all men want a "thin" woman?? This just irritated me just irritated me!! This book did no justice for curvy women or big women at all. This girl was just annoying. And if being 5'9" and 195 is considered FAT then I want to be that size.

First time reading her books and there will not be repeat. Thanks but no thanks.

[Dorel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I read by Francine Craft. This book's storyline was okay. I liked Jim's investigation in the story. I think this story needed more of a romantic feel. I may read more books by this author.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters. Love finds you when you least expect it.