Gabriel's Angel

Gabriel's Angel
3 Stars

Seeking solitude and solace in an isolated Colorado cabin, Gabriel Bradley is annoyed when a very beautiful and very pregnant Laura Malone literally crashes into his peace and quiet. On the run and in fear for her unborn child, Laura finds herself stranded with Gabe in a blizzard. As they grow closer, Gabe and Laura must overcome their individual fears if they are to have a future together.

A stereotypical late 80s contemporary romance with an alpha hero and a submissive heroine.

Laura is not my preferred type of heroine. She is too shy and insecure, and it takes her far too long to find her backbone. Gabe, on the other hand, is right up my alley. His dark, brooding and mildly overbearing nature is, nevertheless, show more mitigated by his obvious love for Laura and her child; his scenes with baby Michael are simply adorable and make him all the more appealing as a hero.

The other plot elements are very 1980s, including the hero's wealthy and influential family, the marriage of convenience trope, and the nasty "other woman" who threatens the heroine.

Overall, Gabriel's Angel is a product of its time and does not really mesh with 21st century sensibilities. That said, Nora's writing is skilled and engaging despite the dated themes. show less

Artist Gabriel Bradley retreats to a small cabin in Colorado, hoping the solitude will help him find his will to paint again. When a damsel-in-distress invades his quiet retreat, what will he do?

Well-drawn characters and a thought-provoking plot create a mesmerizing tale of discovering your own strength, fighting for your family, and finding true love. Readers are likely to find this one difficult to set aside before the final resolution.

First off, GABRIEL'S ANGEL is, indeed, a reprint of the original Silhouette edition that was published in 1989. I had read this story years ago, but wanted to reread it and was intrigued with the new cover. Is the book a Christmas story? Not in the literal sense. In the way that it inspires love, happiness, selflessness, and a sense of well-being, then yes, it's a good holiday read.

Laura Malone, former model and a woman whose face was known worldwide, is on the run--not from an abusive husband or a group of bad guys determined to due her harm, but from a domineering, powerful ex-mother-in-law who wants nothing more than to take away Laura's unborn child. Although Laura's former husband is no longer alive, the unborn grandbaby is, at show more least to Mother-In-Law-Dearest, the necessary means to keep her son alive. With more money than she knows what to do with, she sends out private detectives to find Laura, to force her to return home to hand over custody of her child.

While traveling through Colorado on her way to Dallas, Laura makes a wrong turn--and almost ends up dead during a snowstorm on an isolated mountain road. Fortunately, she narrowly avoids hitting Gabriel Bradley, an artist who has chosen solitude in a small mountain cabin to ease his pain and grief over his brother's untimely death. With no other viable ways to get Laura rescued, he takes her home with him--and is immediately struck not only by her beauty, but by her inner strength in the lengths she'll go to protect her child.

As the storm rages on, Laura and Gabe learn more about each other than they'd planned--and they devise a plan that includes a marriage of convenience to save Laura's unborn child from its grandmother. But their feelings, although not spoken aloud, are edging towards love. Will it be enough to save this family?

Rereading GABRIEL'S ANGEL, I was once again reminded of why I love Nora Roberts and her books. A contrived relationship and overly-used storyline (i.e. marriage of convenience, marry for the baby's sake, etc.) it may be, but Ms. Roberts has a way of writing that fully immerses you in the story. A true romance classic, this is one to reread over and over again. show less

I loved this story! Who wouldn't? Nora Roberts knows romance and this was a wonderful, heart-warming story. A beautiful, independent pregnant woman provides a twist to the story. She encounters her handsome knight in an interesting way, and Mother Nature provides a snowstorm that keeps them confined in a cabin in the mountains, where events proceed as we know they will. These are just the basics to any great romance, tho. How the story proceeds from there, the strength of the characters, and the way in which they work through their difficulties and come to love and support each other is what makes this story special. I've never read a Nora Roberts book that I didn't love!

Gabriel Bradley almost runs into Laura Malone on a dark and snowy night and he takes her in. Pregnant and running from her husband's family he's facinated by her. Snowed in they can't escape each other and have to learn to get along. A short, seasonal tale that's not challenging but is a cozy love story. The sort of things to while away a long winter's night.

Really not sure why this is being marketed as a Christmas romance--and in hardcover yet. I understand the Amazon reviewers who felt ripped off. Still, it's a nice early book from Nora--and no, I didn't spring for the hardcover. I've got the old Silhouette. I did think some parts weren't as fleshed out as they could have been, but for its time (1989) and as a SIM, it was a good read.

OK, it's readable and fine for a comfort read but that's all I can grant it. Not up to par.