Christmas Diamonds-Devon Vaughn Archer

Christmas Diamonds
Devon Vaughn Archer
Harlequin Kimani, Nov 2009, $5.99
ISBN: 9780373861392

Her mother dumped her as a child on her grandmother who raised her with love. However, though beautiful and intelligent interior designer Paula Devine has a résumé of losers so has given up on a romantic relationship like that of her grandma whose husband proposed on Christmas.

Diamond jeweler Chase McCord misses his wife Rochelle who died two years ago. He hires Paula to redecorate a room in his home. However, before they meet formally, they encounter one another over cappuccinos in a cafe in Silver Moon, Washington which she, tired of trite males, rips his skin for staring at her. After he takes her down a peg or two, they meet formally in his office. As she works the renovation, they are attracted to one another, but he has doubts due to his feelings of deserting Rochelle and one of her ex boyfriends seems to have her on a string.

This is a fabulous holiday romance between a terrific female weary of the gender game and a wonderful somewhat fickle widower who is not afraid to exchange barbs. This pair makes a fine couple, but their respective pasts haunt them more than the ghosts visiting Scrooge. Readers will enjoy this fun tale as diamonds are a woman’s second best friend after the love of their life.

Harriet Klausner