Give Me the Night by Liane Spicer

Charmaine Rousseau is a Trinidad-born writer whose short story, “Miss Annie Cooks Fish” has been short listed for the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2014. She is the author of two novels, Cafe Au Lait and Give Me the Night, both published under the pen name Liane Spicer. Her works-in-progress span several genres, from a memoir on raising her own son, to a mystery series set in a fictitious Caribbean island, a historical novel, and a speculative short story.

In “Give Me the Night“, Naeva flees a threatening boyfriend in the Caribbean and settles in Miami where she has to deal with a whole new set of challenges including a challenging boss, less than ideal living arrangements, and a handsome, intelligent, West Indian man who makes her weak in the knees at first sight.

Once again Ms. Spicer has delivered a romance of substance with a strong plot and believable characters. Readers will be taken on a suspenseful ride as Naeva finds that although she has left her home she has not left her fear and problems behind. The author subtly introduces the spectre of a stalker into Naeva’s life and a number of suspects for the reader to consider, including the delectable Dr. Avery Dubois, Naeva’s love interest, who is not without secrets of his own.

The fact that the novel is suspenseful does not mean that it is short on romance, not in the least. The love scenes are intense and skillfully described. Readers will be left longing for to meet their own Avery or Naeva.

In weaving this tale, the author slips smoothly between the point-of-view of Naeva and that of Dr. Avery Dubois. Some readers may notice a few technical issues but will certainly forgive them as they are swept away into the story.