Send No Flowers (Bed & Breakfast)

From the beloved Sandra Brown, whose "storytelling gift [is] surprisingly rare" (Toronto Sun), comes this New York Times bestselling novel, an exquisitely sensual tale of a young woman's sudden, irresistible affair with a stranger—a man whose secret could shatter her life....

Since the death of her husband, Alicia Russell has struggled to take care of her two young sons alone. But when a sudden storm threatens to ruin a family camping trip, Alicia must rely upon a stranger for help. Before long, the man offers much more than shelter from the storm.

Handsome, sensual, and slightly mysterious, Pierce Reynolds showers much-needed attention on Alicia's sons—and reminds her how it feels to be desired. But even as Pierce tempts Alicia to explore her newly reawakened longings, he holds her at arm's length, his only explanation a silent refusal to share the secrets of his heart.

Alicia knows she can't give Pierce up without a fight. But how can she convince him that love is a risk worth taking?

Setting: Contemporary
Sensuality Rating: 8

When an unexpected storm disrupts young widow Alicia Russell's camping trip with her two sons, she and the boys are rescued by a mysterious man who offers them shelter for the night. Alicia is reluctant to accept Pierce Reynolds's offer, but the ferocity of the storm and the resulting damage to her own cabin leave her little choice.

Pierce's attention to the boys wins their outright worship--and reminds Alicia how much her sons have missed having a man in their lives--while his sensuality rekindles emotions Alicia had thought were long buried. But as she gradually allows herself to explore her desires, Pierce seems determined to keep his distance emotionally for reasons he can't, or won't, explain.

Well written and sensual, this hardcover reissue of one of Brown's early entries in the Bantam Loveswept line holds up well given the time that has elapsed since its initial publication in the early 1980s. The plot device of enforced togetherness is somewhat tiresome, but longtime Brown fans looking for a hardcover edition of an old favorite might like to splurge on this one. --Lisa Wanttaja