A Whole New Light

This story had both a heroine and a major supporting character who I really didn’t like. The heroine, Cyn is a widow with a young son. She was prissy in a way that I found really annoying, and also nuts. She agrees to go on vacation with her deceased husband’s friend Worth (who has secretly been in love with her for years). They sleep together and afterward Cyn’s interpretation of Worth's is beyond ridiculous. I can understand how her guilt over becoming involved with her dead husband’s friend would make her jump to conclusions, but she was totally out of line and didn’t really get any better as the story went along.

Cyn’s mother was also awful. She’s was also a widow, and when she starts a relationship with a new man she show more keeps it a secret from Cyn. She goes far as to get Cyn’s son to lie about the outings that Ladonia and her beau take him on. When Cyn accidentally walks in on them Ladonia announces that they're getting married and then is “disappointed” that Cyn isn't instantly thrilled that a total stranger is joining the family. Ladonia’s excuse for not telling Cyn earlier is that Cyn has been widowed longer but still doesn't have anyone because she just won't take the initiative even though Ladonia & Worth both told her she should. So, basically Ladonia accuses Cyn of being incapable of being happy for her just because Cyn doesn't have a man. She does this in a way that pretends to be a show of sensitivity when in fact it's a criticism. Those are not the actions of a good mom or a nice person.

I didn't have any particular feeling about Worth except to think he needed his head examined for being in love with Cyn and for thinking that Ladonia was fabulous. This was not an HEA that I cared about at all. show less

I'm very stingy with my 5 stars but this novel appealed to me 100%. To think that it was first published in 1992 - 30 years ago. I did notice that they weren't on their cell phones during dinner! It did seem to me like a period novel because of the lack of social media that is an integral part of a contemporary novel.

Worth and Cyn's friendship is so enviable - such a rare thing. And it was a little bit of a stretch that it took 2 years for them to realise there was an attraction that might be developed, after Cyn's husband and Worth's best friend dies.

The most poignant part was towards the end when she realises she has his support, no questions asked. That unconditional support - it is the ultimate in love and respect. I adored it. He show more was such a character - good at laughing at himself as the ladies man.

Credit - and the extra 1/2 star that pushed this novel to a 5 - is due to Staci Snell - her reading was stellar. I immediately searched the library to see what else she has read.

I do believe this is the first Sandra Brown novel I have completed. show less

Cyn McCall feels like she needs a change, her life has become too monotonous.

"I want something to happen. Something that will shake things up, turn my life around."

Cyn's husband Tim died two years ago. She has a four-year-old son, Brandon. And she's being hit on by an ob/gyn doctor who works at the same clinic that she does who thinks Cyn's uptight about sex. After visiting a good friend, Worth Lansing, he persuades her to go away with him for the weekend (just as friends) to Acapulco, to take a break and get away from it all. After thinking about it Cyn impulsively agrees.

Worth has been friends with Cyn for years. He was her husband Tim's best friend and they got to know each other well over the years. They had their happy times, and show more their sad times (like when Tim died in an auto accident.) And they were only just friends.

Worth got his tickets to Acapulco from a girlfriend who couldn't make it. So when he and Cyn arrive at their hotel in Acapulco they find they have a room with only one bed. But, since they are friends, they think they can deal with sleeping together. As they spend time together they start noticing things about each other, and start becoming attracted to each other. One day they eventually make love. But afterwards, Cyn is confused. She feels insecure, she thinks she can't compare to Worth's other lovers, she wonders if this ruined their friendship, etc....and she decides it's time to go home.

This was a sweet friends to lovers romance. I really liked Worth. He felt very guilty for wanting his best friend's wife, but he found himself genuinely caring for her. There were times when I was disappointed with Cyn though, and I didn't like how she treated Worth and jumped to conclusions. But eventually she noticed her mistakes. I thought Cyn and Worth were perfect for each other since they went through so much together and knew each other so well. Another enjoyable read by Sandra Brown.

Previously released as a Loveswept romance from 1989. show less

This was just your basic formulaic romance… Man and woman are best friends, man and woman end up on vacation alone together, man and woman discover mutual attraction, but of course, don’t know how to handle it, etc, etc, etc. Throw in a dead husband, a young son, and a prying yet well-meaning mother, and you have a party! That being said, it was a very enjoyable formulaic romance. Sandra Brown sure knows how to give you likable characters that you want to see together in the end.

This is my first Sandra Brown that I've read. This book had me laughing. I don't know if Sandra intended on making her readers laugh with this, but I did. Worth and Cyn (Cynthia) are best friends. Cynthia is a widow. She was married to Worth's best friend, Tim. He had been dead for two years. They had a son together - Brandon.Cyn had been in an icky mood and her mother told her the she needed to move on with her life. She had a bad day at work and needed to talk to someone that would understand her and that person was Worth. She tells him about her day and what her mother said and he agreed. He had a date with a woman name Greta, but she cancelled it and left him tickets to go to Acapulco, Mexico. He gets the ticket and decides he show more wanted to go and he wanted Cyn to go with him.On the trip, they were walking in friendship shoes, but not for long. They sleeps together, but the next morning Cyn regretted what they have done and she wanted to go home. So, they both leave. Her problem was that she didn't believe that she could touch the women that Worth was use to being with.They have tension between them. Their tension may seem childish to some people, but I would think that's how best friends who cross that line would act towards one another. They wanted to be friends and not go there again, but at the same time, they were fighting their feelings for one another. They were trying to push each other away, at the same time, wanting the other close.I honestly believe that best friend turn lovers would be harder to do, then two strangers hooking up. This is a person, you have seen as your best friend all these years. Someone you didn't see as girlfriend or boyfriend material, until something change. One part that had me laughing so hard and laughing for a while, is when Worth and Cyn was in his bedroom and he asked her to touch him in a certain spot. He yelled and poor Cyn thought that she was hurting him. Come to find out, he was having a charley horse. LOL, poor worth. That's a bad time for a charley horse to appear. I know about Charley Horses and they are painful. Cynthia and Worth gets married. Her son Brandon calls him father, which was touching to him. Brandon may have only been four years old, but he knew that Tim was his real father, but to him, Tim was his father, when he was a baby and now Worth is his father for the rest of his life. This book is a very quick read and strictly romance. Oh, and funny, well at least to me it was. show less

A modern day bodice ripper. Widow who remains friends with her husband's best friend denies and denies and denies her true feelings for the man. Outcome is never in doubt.

Typical 1980s romance style. Not bad for what it was, but I prefer her newer romantic suspense novels .