Swept Away
by Robin Carr
Before you think you’re in for a steamy romance, Swept Away is not the original text behind the 1974 and 2002 desert island movies. It just happens to have the same title, but it’s entirely unrelated. In fact, any number of titles would have suited the novel better and been less confusing.
At that, my criticism is over. I loved this book! I thought it was going to be light, and while it was simply written and easy to read, it was surprisingly moving. The heroine is a professional mistress who has put all her energy into being physically attractive and emotionally cut off; she has been nothing but arm candy to married men for years. Then, she witnesses one of her boyfriends killing his wife and, afraid for her own safety, flees. She escapes to a small town, à la Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and drastically changes her appearance. With no makeup, baggy clothes, and a shaved head, she hopes to hide from her old life. She gets a job in a diner (again, like Alice), and learns how to really relate to people. It’s a fascinating journey and all the characters are compelling and could have received their own spinoff novels. I would have loved to learn more about the diner owner or the elderly neighbor with a past.
I really felt like I got to know everyone in this book, and I would definitely read another book by author Robyn Carr. It was so refreshing to read a book on the lighter side that wasn’t saccharine or unrealistic.
At that, my criticism is over. I loved this book! I thought it was going to be light, and while it was simply written and easy to read, it was surprisingly moving. The heroine is a professional mistress who has put all her energy into being physically attractive and emotionally cut off; she has been nothing but arm candy to married men for years. Then, she witnesses one of her boyfriends killing his wife and, afraid for her own safety, flees. She escapes to a small town, à la Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and drastically changes her appearance. With no makeup, baggy clothes, and a shaved head, she hopes to hide from her old life. She gets a job in a diner (again, like Alice), and learns how to really relate to people. It’s a fascinating journey and all the characters are compelling and could have received their own spinoff novels. I would have loved to learn more about the diner owner or the elderly neighbor with a past.
I really felt like I got to know everyone in this book, and I would definitely read another book by author Robyn Carr. It was so refreshing to read a book on the lighter side that wasn’t saccharine or unrealistic.