Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Book Squee!: Rebecca Hagan Lee

Nothing depresses me more than when an author doesn't leave a footprint.  And by that I mean, they haven't published anything in a long while and don't provide fans with any sort of update.  They fade off into the shadows, only leaving a trace with the aid of their backlists and readers scratching their heads wondering what has become of them.

One of those for me was Rebecca Hagan Lee, who wrote a few westerns, then shifted across the pond to England (because that's what too many western writers had to do in the early and mid-aughts - it was either that or don't publish).  She hasn't had a book out since 2005, and it was while I was updating my Upcoming Historical Romances wiki that I came across a new title by her, with a very western-like title.  Could it be?  Dare Wendy hope? 

I do, I do!  Feast your eyes people!


A Wanted Man by Rebecca Hagan Lee
ISBN 978-0425267295
August 6, 2013 ; Berkley ; $7.99

Description:
A thoroughly English girl raised in Hong Kong, Julie Jane Parham has spent her entire life walking the line between two worlds. When her closest friend, Su Mi, becomes the victim of an arranged marriage gone horribly wrong, Julie travels to San Francisco in order to buy back her freedom and soon finds herself in over her head.

On a rescue mission of his own, Will Keegan uses his saloon, The Silken Angel, as a front to whisk Chinese prostitutes away from the city’s ruthless brothel owners to a life of freedom, risking his own hide in the process.

Sparring with a spirited British lady is the last thing Will Keegan needs, but he isn’t about to let lovely Julie throw herself headfirst into danger. And as the urge to protect her turns into something more, Will knows he must get Julie to trust him, or chance losing her forever…
 Dear heavens, is it August yet?

7 comments:

Phyl said...

This sounds good! I'll be watching for it.

Helena said...

I love your description of authors who have gone AWOL or MIA as not leaving a footprint.

My example is Julia Ross; I absolutely adore her books (My Dark Prince, The Wicked Lover, Clandestine, etc). Her website does not appear to have been updated since 2007. It's hard to accept that someone who is so talented has stopped writing, but no news is bad news!

azteclady said...

Great news for lovers of Western--and the premise sounds really intriguing. Now tell me, have you at some point in your lengthy reviewing career, reviewed any of the author's list? If so, could you possibly point us in that direction?

---

On disappearing acts: oh my good lord, yes!

Not as bad, but annoying, when the author is active and the website is...dead. Three or four years behind actual releases, etc.

Wendy said...

AL: Gossamer is my favorite by her. I never did a full review for it (pre-blogging days) - but do talk about it briefly here: http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/superwendy-top-16.html

It's notable because the heroine starts out prejudice, and has to reevaluate her opinions over the course of the story.

I did review Barely A Bride during my TRR days. I remember loving the second half, the first half not as much. Review here: http://www.theromancereader.com/lee-barely.html

Wendy said...

Phyl: I'm so happy to see her publishing again!

Helena: It's so frustrating! I understand that life happens, writers can retire etc. - but let your readers know. We like to know :)

Anonymous said...

I didn't know she wrote Westerns! I found her (accidentally) with the Free Fellows League (BaB - not the best, imo)

Might have to check this out.

Wendy said...

Rae: Which reminds me - I had every intention of following through with reading the rest of the Free Fellows series.....and then I hit Regency burn-out. It took me a good three years to finally get to the point where a reference to Prinny wouldn't send me over the edge. Now that my burn-out is over - I should get my hands on the other books!