In the same vein as "Romancing
the Stone", "African Queen" and "Brief
Encounters", Debbie Macomber's latest release MOON
OVER WATER brings two unlikely characters
together in an adventure of a lifetime. This story is chock
full of bandits, high seas adventure and stolen treasures, all
while searching for a meaningful love.
Lorraine Dancy's mother has been killed in a tragic accident
leaving Lorraine alone in the world, her father, Thomas Dalany
being dead for many years. When her mother's attorney presents
her with a mysterious letter Lorraine finds herself on a plane
to a small village in Mexico. It seems Thomas Dalany is really
alive and Lorraine is determined to get to the bottom of her
fathers lies. It's during the final leg of her journey to
her father's village that she meets a man named Jeremy who
is kind and helpful and ultimately befriends her. Little does
she know that he's planted a very rare Mexican relic in her
bags. When she's discovered with it in her possession she
finds herself running for her life. It's Jack Keller, by request
of the father she's had only hours to get to know, who whisks
her away on his boat, and away from danger. All is not roses
because it's hate at first sight for Lorraine and Jack. But
when she begins to fall in love with him it's thoughts of
her fiance Gary Franklin that keeps running through her mind.
Jack Keller is a retired mercenary from an elite group called
Deliverance Company. He now spends carefree days on his boat
"Scotch On Water". As a good friend of Thomas Dalany,
there's nothing he wouldn't do for him. Including taking the
daughter, who'd only just arrived in Mexico, into hiding and
protect her from those that want to kill her for the relic
she's already handed back to the Mexican Government. He's
short on supplies and pulls into the nearest town to stock
up. While there Lorraine manages to get herself tangled up
with one of Mexico's big time drug barons and finds himself
coming to her rescue before he can get the provisions loaded
onto the boat. When Jack is shot, Lorraine must not only keep
them out at sea long enough to let their trail cool, but also
nurse Jack back to health. It's this healing time that Jack
realizes that Lorraine is not the woman he thought she was
but the woman he's been searching for all of his life. The
one he could love for all time. But she's told him that she's
married and he refuses to let himself get mixed up with her
no matter how much he's attracted to her. Even if it means
leaving her in tears begging him to make love to her.
Though I found "Moon Over Water" an intriguing
book, I felt that Macomber's thoughtful and savvy heroine
lacked drive once she got to Mexico. Lorraine put herself
into unnecessary danger and trusted those around her too easily.
Jack Keller kept appearing in my mind as another version of
Indiana Jones. Only Macomber substituted the whip for a gun.
Images of Michael Douglas's "Jack" character from
"Romancing the Stone" kept racing through my mind
as well. Lorraine is conveniently let off the hook for her
guilty feelings stemming from her feelings for Jack Keller
as the story turns to the sideline romance of Lorraine's fiance,
Gary Franklin , who's having an affair of his own!
"Moon Over Water" is a page turner and easy to read,
but I think that's only because we already know the heroine
and hero so well from our favorite romantic movies.
