"A Time Travel that has it all...Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness!"
Charleston, South Carolina - 1783 Privateer, Declan O'Shea, had waited out a war to claim the
treasure he'd buried on a remote island off of Florida's
southern coast. He and his crew would depart with the
setting sun. The Irish sea captain could barely suppress
his anticipation as his ship, Lady Liberty, bobbed
in the
harbor. He was almost to the end of the dock when he heard
his name being hissed by an elderly gypsy woman. Declan had thought her harmless and though he hadn't time
to humor her, he didn't mind contributing a coin to her
purse, after all he would soon have all the riches he'd
ever dreamed of. But he becomes wary when the when the
woman insists that he must choose his destiny from a
handful of trinkets she carries in her basket. He is
spooked when she reveals her knowledge of his quest, and
tells him to choose wisely for his life may depend upon it.
He refuses, but when the old woman thrusts her trinkets
into his chest, he becomes befuddled, and as he pulls away
a finger hooks on a medallion. Declan's amulet bears the
face of a lovely lady. He is told that he has made the
perfect choice. He thinks to cast it into the sea, but as
he raises his arm to do so, a strange pulsing emanates from
the piece, filling him with a strange anticipation. Instead
he places it around his neck. Later, as a storm like no
other in his experience savaged his ship, he clutched it
tightly in his hand. He was still holding it when a wall of
water twice as high as the ship struck it. Declan's world
turned black. He would not see the light for more than two
centuries. Sunset Key, Florida - 2002 Libby Grayson has recently returned to the quiet island
with her five year old son in tow, to make a new life for
them both. She had left home years ago to attend college in
New York City. There she had landed employment as a book
keeper in a bank, and fallen in love with a man of
fairytale looks, no substance, and equally empty promises.
Brett Ritter had left her seven year's later, an unmarried
single parent, and sadly disillusioned about men,
particularly the charming irresponsible types. Her
introduction to Declan O'Shea is not auspicious. To ponder the sad state her life and her of her
grandfather's books, Libby walks along her favorite cove.
She is soon swamped with memories. Suddenly she realizes
that the tide is lower than she's ever seen it. Entering an
opening in the newly exposed rock, Libby makes a startling
discovery....a man lying lifelessly on a ledge just above
the
water level. Attempting to rouse him, she notices a broken
medallion around his neck. She had discovered the other
half outside the cave and had pocketed it. It is only when
she joins the two halves that the man rouses. Coincidence? Taking in his ragged appearance Libby can only assume that
Declan is a drifter, intent on bilking the senior citizens
of Sunset Key of their money, or worse....a fugitive from
the
law. Taking in her scanty attire, Declan can only assume
that Libby is a light skirt he's recently dallied with,
intent on robbing him of his purse. Reality was a shock.
Had he truly slept away more than two hundred years? To his credit Declan adapts quickly to his new
circumstances. He is accustomed to hard work, and is more
than willing to earn his keep. He soon has the elderly
islanders eating out of the palm of his hand. Libby's son
idolizes him. Only she remains wary, though she is far from
immune from his charms. Libby fights her wayward emotions,
even while her body craves his closeness. Though the lovely Libby has borne a child out of wedlock, a
fact the would have ruined her in his time, Declan realizes
quickly that she is not a woman of loose virtue. He wants
her, and it becomes his mission to have her for as
long as he stays. She is as vital to him as the air he
breathes, and he knows that to realize his dream he must
trust her with his tale. In spite of the fact that he is
honest, hard working, kind to children and the elderly, and
she is crazy about him, Libby is reluctant to believe his
outrageous story. Deep in her heart she knows that if she
loves him she must believe him, but if his tale is true
Declan would soon be sailing out of their lives for good. Nature strikes again, threatening the island and everyone's
hopes for the future. Is it the hand of fate? What kind of
future would Libby and Declan have if it wasn't spent
together? Is it possible that he has been seeking his
treasure in the wrong place? Could he convince Libby to
follow her heart rather than her head, and share with him a
life of love, far more precious any gold? SAY YOU'RE MINE is one of those truly romantic
tales,
filled with wit and charm that leaves the reader euphoric.
For a down home, feel-good, time travel read with liberal
laughs, I highly recommend it. Leslie Tramposch - Copyright © 2002
For PNR Reviews
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted October 1, 2002
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