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Reckless Moon
THE MAN WHO WENT TO SEABethany Forsyth had never known Bram Curtis, but she remembered the talk about him. Her father said he was a wanderer on the face of the earth. Her mother said he had "gone to sea." It was a beautiful expression, calling up images of a sky filled with foreign constellations. Beth wanted to meet the man who had gone to sea.And once she met him, she wanted to give herself to him in a way her father could never accept; she wanted to love him in a way even a reckless sailor dared not love.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
Doreen Owens Malek
80 books66 followersaka Faye Morgan
{From Amazon} "I am Doreen Owens Malek, author of over forty books and lifelong fan of romantic fiction. I live in PA with my husband and college student daughter, a mini dachshund and a sun conyer parrot. I would like to tell you a little about myself.
I came to writing by a circuitous route, starting out as an avid reader of JANE EYRE and WUTHERING HEIGHTS and GONE WITH THE WIND and REBECCA and any other similarly themed books I could find. I first worked as a teacher and then graduated from law school when I desired a more lucrative and independent career. I had always been discouraged from pursuing a writing career by the volatile nature of the business and the relatively poor chance for success. But the realization that I needed a focus for the future encouraged me to do what I had always wanted to do. I sold my fledgling novel to the first editor who read it, and I have been writing ever since. I have written all types of books for all types of people, but my favorite literary pursuit is and always has been romance. Nothing is as rewarding as hearing from my readers, so please use my website to communicate your thoughts and criticisms, as I am always eager to learn from you.
A romance novel rarely disappoints me: in an uncertain world filled with tragedy and sadness, reading about an appealing woman finding a strong man to love her and share her life is the perfect escape. I like to read and write stories in which the main characters overcome obstacles to get together, and then stay together because their mutual devotion cannot be denied no matter what else is happening around them. They always HELP each other and reinforce the quaint but enduring notion that love conquers all - at least in the fictional universe of my imagination. So pull up a chair and take down a book- or pick up a Kindle- and join me in a world where the heroes are tough and headstrong but never boorish and the heroines are feminine and sympathetic but never helpless."
{From Amazon} "I am Doreen Owens Malek, author of over forty books and lifelong fan of romantic fiction. I live in PA with my husband and college student daughter, a mini dachshund and a sun conyer parrot. I would like to tell you a little about myself.
I came to writing by a circuitous route, starting out as an avid reader of JANE EYRE and WUTHERING HEIGHTS and GONE WITH THE WIND and REBECCA and any other similarly themed books I could find. I first worked as a teacher and then graduated from law school when I desired a more lucrative and independent career. I had always been discouraged from pursuing a writing career by the volatile nature of the business and the relatively poor chance for success. But the realization that I needed a focus for the future encouraged me to do what I had always wanted to do. I sold my fledgling novel to the first editor who read it, and I have been writing ever since. I have written all types of books for all types of people, but my favorite literary pursuit is and always has been romance. Nothing is as rewarding as hearing from my readers, so please use my website to communicate your thoughts and criticisms, as I am always eager to learn from you.
A romance novel rarely disappoints me: in an uncertain world filled with tragedy and sadness, reading about an appealing woman finding a strong man to love her and share her life is the perfect escape. I like to read and write stories in which the main characters overcome obstacles to get together, and then stay together because their mutual devotion cannot be denied no matter what else is happening around them. They always HELP each other and reinforce the quaint but enduring notion that love conquers all - at least in the fictional universe of my imagination. So pull up a chair and take down a book- or pick up a Kindle- and join me in a world where the heroes are tough and headstrong but never boorish and the heroines are feminine and sympathetic but never helpless."
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 22, 2026
When she was 16, the heroine of this story fell into a coup de foudre instant love with the hero, the 25 year old black sheep son of the neighbor. Right in the middle of a Fourth of July party, they found a cozy secluded spot and were about to do the deed when her irate father found them, kicked the hero out, and sent the heroine to a boarding school. The hero, who was not getting along with his dad and stepmom, and was always getting into drunken brawls around town, went back to the merchant navy, and did not return to his hometown for ten years. Coincidentally that is exactly when the heroine, fresh out of law school, returns to her hometown as well, eager to start her law practice. Heroine’s parents have both passed away by now. As for the hero, his father has had a stroke and is bedridden. His father’s wife has hightailed it to Florida where she has a new live-in boyfriend.
Hero and heroine meet again at a party to celebrate the wedding of heroine’s older sister. Hero immediately goes into hot pursuit, even offering the heroine the position of in-house counsel for his company. Heroine is still in love with him but doesn’t want to become another notch on his bedpost. The hero, unlike the heroine, hasn’t been celibate: he has been seen squiring various ladies around town including his blonde barracuda secretary who stares daggers at heroine every time she has to make a lawyer’s visit to the hero’s office.
Eventually, the heroine succumbs to her heart’s desire and she and the hero spend a wonderful night together. But the next morning, the hero is cold to her. The heroine believes that he loves her but something is preventing him from admitting to it. When he lets his guard down with her, he shows that he is sensitive and vulnerable, hiding behind a strong, macho persona. He even tattooed a small mouse in his arm because the heroine had told him that fateful first night of their meeting that she had been cast as a dancing mouse in her school’s production of The Nutcracker.
She decides to go sleuthing and tracks down hero’s old housekeeper, who tells her that the disgusting stepmother from Hell was putting the moves on the teenaged hero almost from Day One, and that this is what resulted in the hero becoming estranged from his father, acting out around town, and eventually leaving. Heroine deduces that the hero has been traumatized by the stepmom and consequently is scared of love, which he sees as a trap, something that can only hurt, betray, and be ugly.
Then, the hero’s father has a second stroke, and the stepmama from hell returns from Florida. She barges in, ready to get her widow’s hands on her husband’s fortune and to pick up where she left off with her stepson. The hero takes out all his stress and anger and shame on heroine. He calls her names and screams at her. The heroine decides that, regardless of her love for him, she isn’t going to be his doormat. When one of her other clients, who is very interested in her romantically, asks her to accompany him on a Hawaii business trip, she acquiesces. By the time she makes it to the airport, the hero is back in hot pursuit, engagement ring in his pocket, because he has decided to grow up and admit to her that he loves her. He apologizes for all his pigheadedness and rudeness towards her and she accepts his proposal.
This one ultimately worked for me. Although I don’t see the hero quitting his hot and cold pattern anytime soon, at least not until he gets into some serious therapy, the heroine is strong and smart and rational enough for the both of them. She does not have blinders on. She knows what she is tackling and accepts the kind of life with all its ups and downs that is their future. But she also is not going to take any abuse so she has set strict boundaries and will stick to them. Overall, the story was compelling and skillfully constructed by the author. It’s definitely one of her better ones plus I am always biased in favor of a lawyer heroine :)
Hero and heroine meet again at a party to celebrate the wedding of heroine’s older sister. Hero immediately goes into hot pursuit, even offering the heroine the position of in-house counsel for his company. Heroine is still in love with him but doesn’t want to become another notch on his bedpost. The hero, unlike the heroine, hasn’t been celibate: he has been seen squiring various ladies around town including his blonde barracuda secretary who stares daggers at heroine every time she has to make a lawyer’s visit to the hero’s office.
Eventually, the heroine succumbs to her heart’s desire and she and the hero spend a wonderful night together. But the next morning, the hero is cold to her. The heroine believes that he loves her but something is preventing him from admitting to it. When he lets his guard down with her, he shows that he is sensitive and vulnerable, hiding behind a strong, macho persona. He even tattooed a small mouse in his arm because the heroine had told him that fateful first night of their meeting that she had been cast as a dancing mouse in her school’s production of The Nutcracker.
She decides to go sleuthing and tracks down hero’s old housekeeper, who tells her that the disgusting stepmother from Hell was putting the moves on the teenaged hero almost from Day One, and that this is what resulted in the hero becoming estranged from his father, acting out around town, and eventually leaving. Heroine deduces that the hero has been traumatized by the stepmom and consequently is scared of love, which he sees as a trap, something that can only hurt, betray, and be ugly.
Then, the hero’s father has a second stroke, and the stepmama from hell returns from Florida. She barges in, ready to get her widow’s hands on her husband’s fortune and to pick up where she left off with her stepson. The hero takes out all his stress and anger and shame on heroine. He calls her names and screams at her. The heroine decides that, regardless of her love for him, she isn’t going to be his doormat. When one of her other clients, who is very interested in her romantically, asks her to accompany him on a Hawaii business trip, she acquiesces. By the time she makes it to the airport, the hero is back in hot pursuit, engagement ring in his pocket, because he has decided to grow up and admit to her that he loves her. He apologizes for all his pigheadedness and rudeness towards her and she accepts his proposal.
This one ultimately worked for me. Although I don’t see the hero quitting his hot and cold pattern anytime soon, at least not until he gets into some serious therapy, the heroine is strong and smart and rational enough for the both of them. She does not have blinders on. She knows what she is tackling and accepts the kind of life with all its ups and downs that is their future. But she also is not going to take any abuse so she has set strict boundaries and will stick to them. Overall, the story was compelling and skillfully constructed by the author. It’s definitely one of her better ones plus I am always biased in favor of a lawyer heroine :)
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January 3, 2013Amazon Freebie 01/02/2013
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews