Love Conquers All by Roseanne Williams is a Harlequin retro romance featuring a white heroine and a Japanese-American hero who must overcome peril and prejudices to be together.
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Love Conquers All by Roseanne WilliamsRating:
Published: 1991
Illustrator: William A. Dodge
Imprint or Line: Harlequin Temptation #350
Published by: Harlequin, Mills & Boon
Genres: Category Romance, Contemporary Romance
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Buy on: ThriftBooks, AbeBooks, Open Library (BORROW FOR FREE)
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader
The Book
Love Conquers All by Roseanne Williams, Harlequin Temptation #350, stars a heroine with an exciting career as a photographer of exotic animals. Her hero, Ty Toranaga, happens to be Asian-American, a rarity in retro romances.
The Plot
No Escape from Danger
Rianna Breece, a wildlife artist from California, promised herself never to be hurt by men again after her ex cruelly dumped her. So she swears off men forever and dedicates her life to photographing and painting exotic animals. However, Rianna soon realizes that even amongst her furred, feathered, and scaled animal friends, trouble still lurks.
Through her job, Rianna has developed a network of contacts worldwide. She discovers a smuggling ring that imports endangered species into the United States. As she gets closer to whomever is behind the illegal shipments, that “whomever” is not about to let Rianna stop their criminal activities.
Enter Ty Toranaga, a sexy bodyguard determined to protect Rianna from danger.
Despite her predicament, Rianna is determined to find out what is happening with the illegal animal smuggling operation. And she isn’t content to stay and have a bodyguard watch over her—especially one as sexy as Ty.
As Ty spends more time with Rianna, he becomes increasingly attracted to her. Nevertheless, he remains committed to his duty as her bodyguard, ensuring her safety even as their relationship deepens. While fighting off temptation, Ty remains vigilant and determined to protect Rianna from any potential harm.
So, before long, the bad guys are after them, and Ty and Rianna have to run for their lives. But the deadly threat they face is just one struggle for them. They also fight their ever-growing feelings for each other.
A Different Kind of Danger
Ty and Rianna come from different worlds. He comes from a middle-class Japanese-American background, while Rianna is an upper-class Anglo-American.
In the end, it turns out that Rianna and Ty face the most significant challenges, not from the dangerous criminals out to kill her but from the prejudices held by their parents.
Presumably, Ty’s parents won’t be happy with their son bringing home a wealthy white girlfriend (but they aren’t featured in any on-page scenes).
Although Rianna’s mentally ill mother is absent from the narrative, her father is a major obstacle to their happy ending. Dad vehemently disapproves of Rianna’s relationship with Ty due to the latter’s ethnic heritage. His resentment towards the Japanese stems from World War II and Pearl Harbor.
(Remember, this is a book from 1991, so Rianna was likely born in the mid-1960s; her father was thirty years before that.)
However, Rianna refuses to tolerate her father’s bigotry and confronts him about it. Despite his initial reluctance and resentment, her dad eventually—reluctantly—puts his biases aside to support his daughter and her forever man.
My Opinion
Ty is almost too good to be true as a hero. Besides being a buff private eye who saves Rianna’s life, he donates his spare time to a save-the-wild-animals foundation.
Plus, he’s a great cook and enjoys making the greatest meals for Rianna. More superlatives are on parade in this book as he tells her, “You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever respected.”
Meanwhile, Rianna thinks that Ty is simply the best lover ever.
Heat Level
Harlequin temptations excel when it comes to steam bedroom scenes. The emotional and physical aspects are handled with maturity and sensuality. This is one spicy romance.
Final Analysis of Love Conquers All
Roseanne William’s Love Conquers All is a solid romance with excitement, passion, and obstacles the protagonists must overcome.
Ty is a great hero—almost too great to be believable sometimes. Rianna is an assertive heroine who stands up for her beliefs and follows her heart, even if her father is dead against it.
Fortunately, her father eventually supports Rianna and Ty’s relationship, setting the stage for their love to conquer all.
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Synopsis
Men weren’t to be trusted!
After being jilted, wildlife artist Rianna Breece swore that the only species she’d associate with were the four-footed variety she painted. But even the animal kingdom proved menacing. Someone was smuggling endangered species into the States… and wasn’t about to have Rianna interfere.
Bodyguard Ty Toranaga was determined to protect Rianna—even if it meant not giving in to his strong attraction to her. What began as an act of duty was soon transformed by desire into a dangerous liaison. Before long, Ty and Rianna were running for their lives… and love
Love Conquers All by Roseanne Williams