THE WINTER KING is written by author Thea Harrison. In the 80's and 90's, Thea wrote for Harlequin Mills & Boon under the pen name of Amanda Carpenter. Capitalizing on Thea's current massive popularity, Samhain Publishing has re- released all Amanda Carpenter available romances digitally as part of their Retro Romance line. The Winter King was originally released in 1994 as a category romance (category romances are short, usually no more than 250 pages, and have a low purchase price compared to other fiction books). However, this book feels more like a flowery 1980's romance book. The vocabulary is florid and very elaborate, with many extra flourishes and frills. It's a quick read, only 155 pages.

Yvonne is a very talented actress who, as it seems many great actors and actresses do, becomes subsumed in her roles and loses her core self. At age twenty-two, she flees Hollywood and her acting career, living simply on a Montana ranch away from her family. Two years later, she is blackmailed into coming back to do a movie with her father, another actor who will play her dying father for his role in the film. Yvonne seems written true to how I would picture an actress who becomes so caught up in her character that she becomes lost in it (sort of like Robert Downey Jr.). She's histrionic, and brings the reader along on her roller coaster of great highs and tremendous lows.

Adam Ruarke is the director in charge of the movie, and the man Yvonne believes is blackmailing her. He's very calm and cool overall, but Yvonne pushes his buttons and breaks his vaunted control again and again. The sparks they create are quite breathtaking. He's very manipulative, but again, this rings true to me, as I would expect a great director would have to be in order to deal with the temperamental prima donnas in the movie business.

The sex scenes are mostly implied, characteristic for a category romance of its time. Fans of Thea Harrison who want to peek at her earlier works and those who enjoy old school category romance books will enjoy THE WINTER KING.

Book Summary

She wants nothing to do with fame, but he wants everything to do with her.

Yvonne Trent had once had a dream life. Wealth, famous parents, exotic travel and worldwide recognition were all part of the package that came with being a movie star. But when fame and fortune weren’t enough, Yvonne walked away from it all to find what truly mattered. And she refuses to go back to that empty life.

Too bad Adam Ruarke is determined to have her. Using all of his powers of persuasion, he encourages Yvonne to step back into the spotlight. And though she knows there will be a price to pay, Yvonne finds herself willing to do almost anything to please Adam, the man she is coming to love and admire.

This Retro Romance reprint was originally published in April 1994 by Mills & Boon.