Search - April Moon: Sailor's Moon / The Devil's Own Moon / White Fire

Merline Lovelace writes the most enjoyable of these three stories that must be resolved in the space of one night's full moon. We're rooting for Lady Sarah Stanton--AKA the notorious Lady S--to find a better mate than her obviously vile finace. He is actually holding her hostage in return for absolving her family debts. A mutiny spurred by "pirates" solves this dilemma and brings her a better match.

Susan King's story is poignant and captures a 19th century Scottish ambience. It is a bit less fun, though, based on a hateful misunderstanding among smugglers. However, her heroine's desire to save her father, and the hero's actions to help her are compelling.

Miranda Jarrett's English governess must get to her next job despite a rickety carriage and her childhood sweetheart's pretending, on a lark, to be a highwayman. She's a spunky gal, but the dismal premise of having to forsake her love and become a starchy governess due to their class differences hangs on the story like stale mildew. This one doesn't quite jell, but the April Moon conceit is handled well by all three.