This book was an kind of entertaining read, though a bit on the melodramatic (a.k.a. silly) side. Camille sure played the victim card, before it was even fashionable. She slept with Zack, whom she just met, then blames him for "ruining" her. She wasn't forced or given a date rape drug, so if she gave up her virginity, which she supposedly wanted to save for marriage, she had no one to blame but herself. (Not to mention that, since she and Zack ended up with a HEA, there was a lot of bother over nothing.)

I think my favorite character was Zack's dad, who seemed to be the only level headed person. He knew his son and Camille belonged together, and after overhearing their conversation (in his hospital bed, of all places) about what happened between them and how cheap it made Camille feel, he insisted that Zack do the right thing and marry her. With that kind of start, it's not surprising that their marriage was anything but happy at first. It took a natural disaster for things to finally get straightened out, when some good honest conversation would have done the trick a lot easier.

It occurred to me that some of this might have worked as a regency novel: the innocent girl taken advantage of by a scoundrel, the honorable father insisting that they get married, the misunderstandings as they both realize their true feelings, yet believe they aren't returned, etc. It would have made more sense in that time period. ( )

Typical early contemporary Brown. The characters make or break her books. ( )

Love's Encore by Sandra Brown
Rayburn Prescott hires interior designer Camille.
She is amazed when she meets his son, Zach-who she had met once in Utah skiing after she had graduated from college.
She was to stay at the plantation while it was restored. She never wanted to meet Zach again and wonders if she can do her job with Zach around...
Love detailed descriptions of not only the estate of the driving tours, gardens but the skiing lodge in Utah.
Hot steamy sex scenes add to this story. Zach takes charge when the servants have the day off and he prepares their meals-I was glad to see he didn't rely on them.
Medical emergency, natural disaster and an abrupt wedding really upset the household... ( )