Random Romance Sunday: The Shadow Of Vietnam

The Book: Midway Between You And Me by Rogenna Brewer

The Particulars: Harlequin SuperRomance #1070, July 2002, Out of Print

The Blurb:

She doesn't love a man in uniform.

Professor Tam Nguyen knows that most women dream of a handsome, broad-shouldered military man. But she can never forget that the man who abandoned her pregnant mother in the middle of a war zone wore a uniform.

Of course, that's before she meets Lieutenant Bowie Prince and gets to know the man behind the uniform. Once he sets out to change her mind, she finds him hard to resist. Until she discovers he holds the key to her father's identity....

Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Nope, but I have read this one!

Any Reviews?: The Romance Reader (Judi, who was one of my favorite reviewers) gave this one 4 Hearts (equivalent to a B grade)

"These are very personal observations on the nature of what is and isn’t romantic, and this is certainly a genre in which the lines of acceptability between fantasy and reality can shift wildly, depending on the writer’s skill and the reader’s preferences and sensitivities. Those readers who like lots of gritty authenticity will enjoy this story even more than I did. For everyone else, I can still recommend it as an absorbing read; just be warned that you may not always find it a comfortable one."

RT gave this one 3 Stars:

"Tam's parents' relationship, seen in flashbacks, creates an unusual framework for romance. However, Rogenna Brewer's MIDWAY BETWEEN YOU AND ME (3) is too ambitious, tackling drug smuggling, kidnapping and the Vietnam War."

Anything Else?: I read this one years ago (as in, I was still living in Michigan years ago), and remember liking it quite a bit. I know I picked it up thanks to the TRR review, and it did not disappoint. That being said, I tend to really like "gritty" in my romances, and I suspect that's why this one worked so well for me. Brewer tackles some issues here (namely Tam's American GI father having an affair with her teenage mother!) that will obviously be harder sells for some readers.

This one didn't hit my Keeper Stash, and dang if I can give you specific reasons why now. But I do remember it being a solid read - and if you like military-type romances, and are open to some of the tougher subjects the author tackles? This one is worth hunting down at your local UBS. Alas, this is one of Harlequin's backlist titles that hasn't been digitized.

As for Ms. Brewer herself? Her last book came out in 2008, but according to her web site, she's sold a new title to HSR and it's due to her editor in late July. No word on a release date as of yet.