I am also an avid Julie Garwood fan.  I read and reread her earlier historicals (Ransom --my favorite--, The Prize, The Wedding, The Secret, etc., etc.).  They were keepers for me.  I enjoyed the prequel to this one, Shadow Dance (though a modern romance).  I was hoping to love this one, as I've been waiting for Ms. Garwood to return to historicals for a long time.  But I decidedly did NOT like this book!  I finished it because I kept hoping it would get better, but it did not.  I hope that, in future, there will be more historicals, BUT with the quality, romance, and chemistry that we are used to from her.