This is a prime example of why I stopped reading Johanna Lindsey's books in the 80s. I would hazard a guess that her fans like to read the same story over and over and over and over. What else would explain the huge sales for her books, when they are virtually identical? This book is just like Fires in Winter, which is just like A Heart So Wild, which is just like... Well, you get the idea. Face it: Ms. Lindsey writes by template. She uses one plot, changing only the details such as names, places, physical characteristics. The first time she wrote the plot, it was great, then she wrote it at least 10 times in the 80s alone, and probably more than that in the 90s. It wears thin. But, hey, the masses apparently like endless repetition. Personally, I'd rather read a writer who bothers to try different plots, not one who writes a formula every time. If I could give all of her books no stars, I would.