The Quiet Storm

Dugan/Riley #2

by RaeAnne Thayne

Beautiful heiress Elizabeth Quinn really had a medical excuse for having a hard time making conversation. But even if she hadn't, heart-stoppingly handsome detective Beau Riley might have left her tongue-tied. Still, Elizabeth needed the good detective. There had been a murder, and it affected the beloved little boy in her care. So speak with him she must. If only she were sure her traitorous heart would leave it at that....

Beau had already tried to get somewhere with Elizabeth--and all it had gotten him was the cold shoulder. And now, suddenly, because she needed his help, she was pursuing him? His head was telling him to get out while the getting was good.

Unfortunately, his heart was giving him a different message entirely....

Genres: Romance

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

I'm not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all -- through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor -- I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try -- their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I've come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the "that's-it!" feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can't imagine my life any other way.

I love to hear from readers. You can reach me at my email address, raeannethayne@gmail.com

Reviews

[Linda C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Quinn asks Detective Beau Riley to take another look at a closed case of apparent suicide. As a favor to his former partner he does and finds a few discrepancies worth investigating. As they work together Elizabeth seems to blow hot and cold, but in reality she has a brain problem that makes it challenging to follow fast speaking and have to concentrate to find the right words. We learn this about her near the beginning but she hides it from Beau and it becomes the source of much of their misconnections. The apparent suicide was a single mother of a deaf child who is in Elizabeth's care. This is another communication difficulty that is a major part of the story. This series romantic suspense had more that your typical plot depth. Well done.

[Saly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.25 stars
Heroine came across as a coward too hung up on her old insecurities. I kind of became tired with her wish-washing.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it. I thought both Hero and Heroine were great. Some of the self loathing was a bit much for heroine so not a 5. Always enjoy Reanne Thayne books her plots are interesting.

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This was a negative motivation book. In other words, in a positive motivation book, the protagonist is driven to act. In a negative motivation book, the protagonist is driven to not do something. This is a delicate balance for a writer to strike, since the resolution is basically for the character to get over themselves and just do the thing. If the character does this too easily, the conflict is over and so is the story. But if the character takes too long to do this, the reader gets frustrated that they won’t do the thing. (I did not come up with this concept, Jennifer Crusie blogged about it—unfortunately the post appears to be no longer available)

That was the case for me in this story. The heroine was so convinced that her speech impediment made her unlovable that she wouldn’t trust the hero to even know she had a disability. So I spent the latter half of the book muttering “oh my god, just tell him already!!” But of course to the hero it was a non-issue, so the instant she told him the tension would be over, so it was dragged out for the sake of the plot.

The mystery plot line was good and I liked the characters for the most part, but the heroine I wanted to shake more than once because she wouldn’t do the thing.

[artsandgrace *ೃ༄ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minus 1 star because it ended just like that!!!! But everything else? Loved it!!!

[Maureen Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

superb love discoveries

[Tonya Warner]

Enjoyed!