Category Romance Review: Beyond Compare by Penny Jordan

Harlequin Presents #1282

The Book

Holly Witchell, the heroine of Penny Jordan’s Beyond Compare, suffers a bit from an overinflated ego combined with an oblivious nature. Thankfully, Drew, the wonderful hero of this book, sorts matters all out for her.

The Plot

Holly was ignominiously dumped by her boyfriend Howard for the more sophisticated, Rosamund. That’s not something Holly will accept laying down, so she concocts a plan to get him back. Hadn’t Rosamund been dating old, reliable Drew Hammond before she’d gotten together with Howard? Well, who better than he to help Holly break up the new couple than Rosamund’s old former flame?

Holly approaches Drew, a farmer, whose the salt-of-the-earth type, with her plan. They’ll pretend to be a couple and make Howard and Rosamund jealous.

Drew isn’t exactly chomping at the bit at her plan to get Rosamund back, and Holly assumes it’s because Drew’s insecure. Holly assures him he has nothing to be insecure about. He’s handsome, even if–OMG–he wears glasses of all things, has a steady income from his farm, and any woman would want him.

But that silly fool, Holly, doesn’t realize that the only woman Drew wants is her, not Rosamund. In fact, he hadn’t even been serious with Rosamund; that was all in Holly’s head.

I love the scene on the cover where Holly is in her white suit and heels, and Drew carries her off in his arms. Only minutes earlier, she’d been almost attacked by Drew’s Angus Bull, and Drew swept in to save her. It perfectly captures the essence of Drew: he may seem like Clark Kent, but in reality, he’s Superman.

Final Analysis on Beyond Compare

All through Beyond Compare, it was fairly evident to me that Drew was crazy for Holly, but she was so focused on her plan to get her old boyfriend back, she hardly noticed what was right in front of her until it was almost too late!

For me, I loved the hero and Angus the bull; eventually, I warmed up to Holly, as she was a nice gal, even if she was blind to what even people with 20/400 vision can see.

Beyond Compare was a pleasant Harlequin Presents with a although lacked in heat was high in sweet.