Kay Thorpe writes with plenty of verve and imagination, she combines setting and plot and character with good pacing and writing to create novels I almost always love to read. Caribbean Encounter is very good but I had a hard time liking the people and the revenge element.
Alex had almost been in love with Ian when he told her he was married; she, shocked and only wanting to get away, joined the ship Andromeda as a singer to escape. Clay is the cruise director and is Ian’s brother in law and he knows all about Alex. Except he doesn’t know, not the truth. He thinks Alex is one step up from a tramp and out to catch a rich husband. He warns her off the crew and warns her off the kind, older man who spends time with her. Clay sets himself up as the all-in-one arbiter, determined to punish Alex for chasing his brother-in-law.
The weakest part of the story is that Alex falls hard for Clay almost immediately, realizing how she feels when Clay’s attitude badly hurts her. Anyone would want to clear their name in this situation, especially with a nominal boss, but Alex doesn’t tell Clay anything, wanting him to realize based on her actions that she’s not a man chaser.
I have a very hard time with the whole you’re-a-bad-person-so-I’m-going-to-punish-you schtick. Sure Clay can judge Alex, although it’s a weakness to judge based solely on second hand accusations, but to be so self-righteous to think it’s his job to hold her accountable? I don’t get it. It’s normal to want someone will reap what they sow but it’s wrong to take delight in it or to be the instrument of vengeance oneself.
The romance is a bit weak. It just happened. Both characters are attracted to each other even though neither wants to be, and most of their interactions are each trying to get by the other. I didn’t feel love building as much as physical attraction compounded with being frustrated with themselves for caring about someone they distrust.
Minor characters range from barely there to also well-developed, with the exception of Clay’s sister, a self-entitled, vindictive brat stock character. Glenn, the older man who spends time with Alex (leading Clay to assume Alex is after a rich husband. Sigh.) gets short shrift. Alex sees him as delightful but someone who truly wants their dead wife or facsimile, and not someone that she would want to marry. Pretty insightful and a good plot device to use a foil to Clay to show Alex’s judgement and integrity.
It’s a tribute to Kay Thorpe’s skill building characters, setting and plot that we can read right through events we don’t like and still enjoy the story.
Thorpe set the cruise in the Caribbean, hopping from one port to another, islands and Venezuela’s capital Caracas, and Alex goes on several shore jaunts telling us about the magnificent beaches and hills and scenery. I enjoyed reading about places I’m not likely to visit. Thorpe shows us these through Alex’s eyes and we experience the sunny beaches and the Caracas hills through her vivid observations.
Overall Caribbean Encounter is a good book, I enjoyed reading it although the romance itself is somewhat lacking. The setting and good character development compensate, making this a strong
3 Stars.
I purchase my paperback copy in a lot on eBay and you might look there or on Thriftbooks as well as Amazon for used copies. There isn’t an E version other than the pdf available on Archive.org.
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