Donna Kauffman

I finished my review of Night Play, which ended up being 4 out of 5. Fun stuff as long as you don't take it too seriously.

I just finished Bayou Heat, a Loveswept romance by Donna Kauffman. I enjoy her writing very much, and I count on her to provide a good read. Bayou Heat is no exception. The plot: Erin McClure goes to Louisiana to research the bayou. Her guide is Teague Comeaux. After a very unconventional meeting--she finds him injured and naked in her bathtub--they develop a friendly, flirting relationship that develops into something more. The copyright date is 1996. Kauffman has improved as a writer since then, but I still enjoyed reading Bayou Heat. I rate it at 4 out of 5.

The short story "Going Down?" from Bad Boys on Board (what a title!) is the first of Donna's stories I read. It's about two people who get stuck in an elevator. I enjoyed it so much that I started collecting her books. My favorite is Her Secret Thrill. In fact, this is one of the books on my top 100 list. I was drawn into the story from the first, and it was wonderful to the end.

I met Donna at an August book signing at Turn the Page bookstore in Maryland. I did a scrapbook page about the signing (which you can see in this blog; she is the tan woman in the bottom photo on the first page). She was gracious and friendly, though it was too crowded to allow much interaction. It was nice to meet someone whose work I've enjoyed so much.

Next up is When He Was Wicked, by Julia Quinn. It includes one of my favorite plot elements: seemingly unrequited love. I've heard good things about it, so I'm hoping for a terrific read.

Alyssa