Book Review: Watch By Moonlight

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Watch By Moonlight     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Kate Hawks
Class/Genre:   Romance
Morrow, Jun 2001, $24.00, 224 pp.

In 1763 Dorset, England, though she is the daughter to the owner of the King’s Shilling public house, Bess Whately feels more like a slave. Depressed with her lot, Bess sees no future except serving poor farmers ale. Her only prospect is a relatively intelligent boor, who would simply leave Bess grinding her life away working on a job and in his unappealing bed.

Everything changes when Jason Quick enters her father’s inn as he and Bess are immediately attracted to one another and soon falls in love. She quickly learns that he is a highwayman with the king’s troop in pursuit. Will her wannabe-rejected lover figure out who Jason is and then betray Bess by informing the soldiers about her so they can use Bess as bait to trap the adventurous Jason? If the answer is yes, will Jason bravely, yet foolishly, try to free her?

WATCH BY MOONLIGHT is a romantic tale that retells the classic narrative poem The Highwayman (remember the ending is not happy together). The story line is exciting, as Jason becomes bolder even as his circle of safety rapidly shrinks. Bess is a strong lead heroine who wants love and something better than serving ale out of life. However the lead couple fails the believability test, as neither seems compassionate enough to even think of sacrificing one’s life for their soul mate. Still, Kate Hawks provides a glowing Georgian tale that sub-genre fans will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner