REVIEWS BY SANDY HUSEBY

After the success of The Greatest Generation and Saving Private Ryan, popular culture has savored stories of the war that split the world and the 20th century. Now the world of romance fiction joins in telling the courageous tales of the men and women who risked their lives in World War II and found love and honor as flying heroes.

Best-selling author Jill Barnett soars beyond her previous writing to new heights of storytelling in her hardcover debut, Sentimental Journey. Her story tears at the heart and evokes the sheer intensity and passion that compelled our parents and grandparents to set aside their ordinary lives to fight for freedom in hostile lands.

All Red Walker ever wanted was to leave behind the Texaco station he runs on the dry Texas plains. When Charley Morrison nearly crashes her plane into Walker's gas pumps trying to avoid a deadly storm, his pent-up yearning is triggered.

Half a world away, pilot J.R. Cassidy drops into Nazi-occupied Morocco to rescue Kitty Kincaid. Finding her and extricating her from the mountainhold is the easy part. When they miss their rendezvous, the pair must escape through the sands of the North African desert. The courageous young woman matches him every step of the way, even as her blindness keeps her dependent on his eyes for survival.

For George "Skip" Inskip, deadly danger hits close to home. While he flies for the RAF, his bride, Greer, gives him reason to fight for his country. A simple act of love costs Greer her life and propels Skip to machinelike air battles and ace status.

Extraordinary heroes are called to even greater acts of bravery, and the three men unite as commandos behind enemy lines where all face their own mortality. Jill Barnett has written an epic story of the humanity and terrible grandeur of that last great war. So finely drawn are the flying aces of her story -- both men and women -- that we can only hope to see their like again. It's a heaven-sent, helluva story.

Sentimental Journey
By Jill Barnett
Pocket, $22.95
ISBN 0671035339



Buy or borrow this book! Support your local independent bookseller Find it in a WorldCat library Compare prices at major online bookstores

A mysterious manuscript

Four pages of a centuries-old manuscript and a mysterious scarf are Serena Charters' only links to the unknown women of her past. Upon the murder of her grandmother, Serena inherits the priceless pages from the Book of the Learned, along with a warning to "Trust no man."

When Serena becomes the target of unknown stalkers, one man who understands the value of the pages becomes her ally. But Serena thinks this expert might be a forger.

Lowell's mastery of suspense and intricate storytelling are in golden form in this fast-paced thriller. She deftly intertwines fascinating knowledge about the world of million-dollar historic manuscripts with heart-stopping danger and heart-melting passion. Lowell draws together centuries of interlaced destiny between Serena and Erik in creating this elegant and sublime suspense.

Moving Target
By Elizabeth Lowell
Morrow, $24
ISBN 0060198753



Buy or borrow this book! Support your local independent bookseller Find it in a WorldCat library Compare prices at major online bookstores

Classic tale with a twist

Sterling Harlowe's amnesia after his riding accident gives Medeiros ample opportunity for her sprightly wit to shine in this clever turn-about on the classic romantic tale of Sleeping Beauty. Not only is Sleeping Beauty now a guy, but he's also Laura's worst enemy, the Duke of Devonbrooke, who has the power to take away her home and break her heart.

An engaging blend of Laura's quick wits with her stout-hearted allies and a golden kitten for good measure prompts the devilish Duke to rediscover his own better self. A Kiss to Remember is a delightful tale to remember and treasure.

A Kiss to Remember
By Teresa Medeiros
Bantam, $21.95
ISBN 0553802097



Buy or borrow this book! Support your local independent bookseller Find it in a WorldCat library Compare prices at major online bookstores

Sandy Huseby writes and reviews from her homes in Fargo, North Dakota and in northern Minnesota. She salutes her own circle of friends, the Prairie Writers Guild.