I've met Linda Howard a few times. I know Linda Howard's writing. And this movie is NO Linda Howard plot. In the true tradition of Harlequin Romances, their movies strip any semblance of passion, pacing and plot.<br /><br />Linda Howard is known throughout the womens' fiction world as being a writer with very tight plots, slick and sassy words, and the hottest, most erotic love scenes.<br /><br />How they managed to strip ALL of this, including the original story, from this movie, I don't know. But it must've taken a monstrous effort.<br /><br />We have Cannon, the hero, who is no Alpha male, by any stretch. He's so New Age, you can smell the Brie on his breath. Which is sad, as Nick Mancuso is a fine actor and capable of so much more. If only it had been written for him! And the heroine... what can one say about the heroine? The eponymous heroine, Evie, has about as much sizzle as an uncooked rasher of bacon. Part of this is due to the lamentable script which never met a cliché' it didn't like. Part is due to the actress, Kelly Rowan, whom I've never seen before. She's petite, meek, and, even when angry, makes you wonder where the fire went. During the climactic scene, where you might think she'd be in fear for her life, she acts as if she's shopping for bread and milk.<br /><br />The story here bears little resemblance to Ms. Howard's story. The main protagonists have been dumbed down to the level of ho-hum. There's no real pacing, in fact, the entire movie feels more like a stroll in the park. Where is the emotion of two people falling in love, yet not trusting each other? Don't look for it here.<br /><br />Oh, why go on? Any tension is in the viewer, wondering when it will all end.<br /><br />The result is a film not worth viewing. Please don't judge Linda Howard's work by this film. It's lamentable that her name be attached. I do hope they paid her a truckload of cash for this travesty.