Outlander - Diana Gabaldon (Dell - June 1992)

Series: Outlander (Book 1)

In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon -- when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach -- an "outlander" -- in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord... 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny is soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidding Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life... and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire... and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives...

I have reread this book for three main reasons. First, I wanted the story fresh in my mind when the Starz series starts in August. Second, my husband and I are going to Scotland this summer and will be visiting some of the places in the book and the film locations. Third, the story itself is so incredibly well done that it is worth reading over. There are always things that I didn't notice or remember from previous readings. This is an incredibly emotional book, with a rollercoaster of feelings - laughter, tears, joy, fear, confusion, pain, and most of all love.

Claire is the heroine, through whose eyes the story is told. She and her husband are on a second honeymoon in Scotland, getting to know each other again after years apart during the war. He is into genealogy and spends a lot of time researching his family. Claire is interested in the healing properties of plants and during a search for a rare one ends up in a local stone circle. She is thrown back in time to 1743 when she touches one of the stones. At first she thinks she is caught up in some kind of reenactment, but soon discovers she really is in 1743. 

Claire is an amazingly strong and adaptable woman. Thanks to being raised by her archaeologist uncle,  she is accustomed to primitive living and adjusts pretty quickly to her surroundings. She is also very independent, which gets her into hot water several times, as she pursues her own desire to find a way back to her own time. She is a pretty good judge of character and adept at reading people which also helps in her adjustment. She also has no problem speaking her mind. Her medical training comes in handy as she helps treat various members of the clan with whom she is living. One of them is Jamie Fraser, a handsome young Scot who seems to have some secrets of his own. Over the course of the first few weeks she is there, she and Jamie become friends. She is also attracted to him, but as she considers herself married (even though her husband hasn't been born yet) she does nothing about it.

Jamie is a fantastic hero. He is honorable, intelligent, strong mentally and physically. He has been through some incredibly bad times, leaving him with both physical and mental scars, but has also retained his sense of humor and humanity. He is tough on the outside, but has a kind and sensitive soul. He is a keen observer of people. He is drawn to Claire, her beauty and her forthright personality. 

The two of them together make an amazing couple. They start out with a strong friendship and a pledge of honesty between them. When they are forced to marry to keep Claire safe it is the beginning of a romance for the ages. Jamie's feelings for Claire are pretty clear from the beginning and only get stronger. Claire takes a bit longer to come to terms with her feelings because of the existence of her first husband. Once she accepts her feelings, the love between them only gets stronger. That love has to get them through several dark periods as outside forces work to tear them apart. There are also some clashes between Jamie and Claire when her 20th century outlook causes her to do things that put her in danger and she has to deal with the consequences. Those consequences are accurate for the time period, but can be a bit hard for a modern reader to accept. That same outlook and independence makes her a strong fighter when it comes to saving Jamie's life on at least two occasions. 

The setting of the years before the Jacobite Rising emphasizes the dangers that Claire and Jamie face. Jamie has a sadistic British captain who has it in for him. There are several encounters with him that show just how evil he is, including a very bad scene at the end of the book. An added twist to the story is that this man is the ancestor, and lookalike, of Claire's husband Frank. The daily life of the people is a hard one, not without dangers of its own, including an accusation of witchcraft that nearly costs Claire her life. There is also the fact that Scotland is basically an occupied country, and there are encounters of various intensities between the Scots and the British soldiers.

The secondary characters are all as well drawn and complex as Jamie and Claire themselves. Each one has an important part of the story. Colum and Dougal show the complexity of dealing with the politics of the time while trying to keep their people safe. Jamie's sister Jenny shows the importance that Jamie places on his family and his need to protect them. Their actions on his return home also show a great deal about their characters, as well as providing a bit of comic relief. There are also other characters that show up for brief periods, but whose presence or actions add another layer to what we know.

One of the best things about the book is the richness of the detail. Everything from the food eaten and clothes worn to the descriptions of the prisons has been painstakingly researched and it shows. It is easy to get completely immersed in the story. 

Notorious in the West - Lisa Plumley (HH #1183 - May 2014)

BEAUTY AND THE "BOSTON BEAST"

Infamous Boston businessman Griffin Turner may have a reputation for being thoroughly ruthless, but underneath it all he hides a painful past. He manages to keep the world at bay until he comes up against the smart, sassy Olivia Mouton.

Morrow Creek's resident beauty Olivia is determined to stand up to Griffin -- no matter how notorious the stories that precede him! But when he reveals a side that no one else has seen before, she has to reconsider everything she's ever heard….

After a miserable childhood, Griffin became a very successful businessman with a horrible reputation. His reputation precedes him to Morrow Creek, where he encounters Olivia Mouton. Olivia isn't intimidated by him at all, and soon tames the "Beast".

I liked Griffin right from the start. The book starts with a glimpse of his youth, growing up with a notorious father and an uncaring, selfish and cruel mother. He also deals with cruel taunts because of his looks, which causes him to lock away his emotions. He falls for a young woman as a teenager and works to become successful enough to win her. When she turns down his proposal he is devastated and retreats to Morrow to deal with his pain. He uses his reputation to keep people from bothering him, but discovers one person who refuses to be intimidated.

Olivia was a bit harder for me to warm up to. As a young girl she was quite pretty, but also intelligent and curious. She is determined that people see her as more than just a pretty face. But her father doesn't approve of her activities and prefers that she act more "proper". Because she wants to please him, she buries her own preferences and becomes the type of person everyone expects her to be. I really wanted to smack her for playing dumb so often. When she meets Griffin he has just displayed a terrible temper tantrum that she calls him on, and then walks away. When she returns to discover that he has taken over the hotel and threatened to shut it down, she is determined to get him to change his mind.

Griffin is surprised by Olivia and his reaction to her. Her attempts to get him out of his room and meeting people amuse him from the beginning. He is also surprised by the fact that she appears to see past his looks to who he really is. This worries him some, but also makes him surprisingly happy. He also begins to recognize a kindred spirit and finds himself telling her things he's never told anyone else. He sees the way that she hides who she really is behind the prim and proper facade and is determined to get her to show everyone who she really is.

Olivia sees past Griffin's looks into the pain she sees in his eyes. She is determined to get him out of his self imposed isolation and show him that he is worth getting to know. Because he doesn't know her at all, she feels comfortable being more like her real self around him. She uses her scientific way of looking at things to figure out how to break him free of his chains. But she only shows the real her when they are alone together. She continues to be the prim and proper Olivia when they are in public together, though it gets harder to do the more she is around him. She feels like he is encouraging her to be herself, but she has spent so long hiding that she has a hard time believing that he isn't simply testing her "properness". She feels good when she finally lets go of her fears, but it also creates a different problem with Griffin.

The interactions between Griffin and Olivia were a lot of fun. I had to laugh at her attempts to be the maid. It was also fun to see the way she took control of Griffin's life in an attempt to force him out in public. Olivia's own experiences with the way people treated her because of her looks enabled her to see past Griffin's looks. It was a unique experience for him to have those looks so completely ignored. I really liked the way their relationship grew from an initial friendship. It was great to see how easy it was for them to be themselves with each other rather than who they were expected to be. The deeper feelings that developed made them long for something more, but neither one felt that they deserved that kind of happiness. I loved the ending and seeing the whole town get involved in making sure they got their happy ending.

Swept Away by the Tycoon - Barbara Wallace (HR #4426 - May 2014)

A woman who's been burnt… Chloe Abrams has had quite enough rejection for one lifetime. These days, she's flying solo!

A man who needs hope… Former soldier Ian Black was once the king of Manhattan. Then his PTSD caught up with him and his whole world crumbled. Now he's on a mission to rebuild it.

A love worth risking everything for! Ian sweeps Chloe off her feet and makes her feel cherished. Dare she start to believe the most heartwarming truth of all -- that the best men stick around forever?

Good book. Chloe hasn't had good luck with the men she's dated, so she has decided to take a break from men for awhile. Then she meets Ian, a guy who hangs out at the coffee shop she goes to every day. He teases her, he tells her she deserves better than she's gotten, and is easy to talk to. She thinks of him as "The Slacker" at first, because he's always there and doesn't seem to have a job. Ian is trying to put his life back together. After several years in the military, he put what he learned into a successful business. But he had been cold and ruthless, and a functioning alcoholic, until his life fell apart. Now he's trying to fix it.

I loved the opening scene, as Chloe discovers what a jerk her current boyfriend is and what she does about it. But it just reinforces her belief that she can only attract losers. I loved Ian's commentary as he compliments her on what she did. He's been watching her for awhile and likes what he sees. Ian spends his time at the coffee shop going over his past and working to make amends to the people he has wronged over the years as part of his recovery. Because he feels he has been such a rotten person he doesn't think that he deserves kindness from anyone. 

I loved the banter between Chloe and Ian as they first started getting to know each other. Chloe was a bit snarky toward him at the beginning, but began to see a different man than the one she expected. She ends up listening to him when he tells her about himself and is impressed with the way he is taking control of his life now. She also sees his insecurity when he talks about seeing his son for the first time in thirteen years, and offers to go with him for moral support. When the weather traps them together for a couple days they get closer, and their attraction starts to build. Ian still doesn't believe that he deserves the kind of happiness that Chloe can give him and starts to withdraw. Chloe sees that withdrawal as just another example of how she isn't good enough for any man to stay with. Chloe has always felt a sense of rejection because of the way her father walked out when she was young. He had never been there for her and she always felt the lack. When she hears Ian talk about his son and his own actions she wants him to understand how important it is that he keep trying to reach him.

Both Ian and Chloe have to face the demons of their pasts before they can look at a future together. I loved seeing Ian discover that the most important person he has to forgive is himself. And Chloe has to be willing to take a chance risking her heart, depending on love to make Ian want to stay. I loved the final scene at her friend's wedding.

When Opposites Attract... - Jules Bennett (HD #2316 - July 2014)

Series: Barrington Trilogy (Book 1)

"When I want something, I find a way to make it mine."

After a near-fatal accident, Hollywood hotshot Grant Carter never imagined returning to the equestrian world. But producing a movie about a racing dynasty means he has no choice. Luckily Tessa Barrington, star jockey, provides the distraction he needs--feisty attitude, stunning looks...and a surprising innocence he can't resist.

Tessa won't give herself to just any man, especially a smooth-talking player like Grant. Once filming wraps, how can she trust he'll stick around? He's already keeping secrets. Besides, Tessa has her eye on bigger prizes...unless falling in love is the biggest prize of all, for both of them.

Another terrific movie-world story from Jules Bennett. This time we have Grant Carter, who is co-producing a movie with Bronson Dane (Caught in the Spotlight) and Anthony Price (Whatever the Price). Being back in the equestrian world is hard on him, but if he wants his chance he has to do it. Meeting Tessa helps get his mind off his issues there, but opens up a whole different set of problems. Tessa isn't interested in getting involved with Grant. She's too intent on her own dreams, plus she just ended a relationship with another charmer.

I admit it took me a few chapters to warm up to Grant. He has enough of a reputation that there is a clause written into his contract that forbids him from getting involved with anyone involved in the movie. But the first thing he does when he gets there is hit on Tessa, ignoring her when she tells him she's not interested. Tessa is in the middle of training for the racing season and has no time to waste on a guy like Grant. Though she can't deny the attraction she feels for him, she's very wary of getting involved.

Grant and Tessa are extremely different. Thanks to his work and the past he is running from, Grant is very much a city oriented man. Tessa knows this about him (I love the way she calls him Slick). He also carries a tremendous amount of guilt over something that happened years earlier. That event affects his relationship with Tessa as he tries to deal with what she does. As his feelings for her grow, he has to face his past or risk losing her. He also has to deal with that contract clause, which forces the two of them to keep their relationship secret. I loved seeing some of the things that Grant did for Tessa as he got to know her better. There were times when he was really sweet.

Tessa is a country girl. Nothing makes her happier than being out on the track with her horses or riding across their land. She'd had a relationship with a man who was more interested in what she could do for him than in who she was. He had tried to make her change to suit what he needed. When she met Grant she didn't want to get involved with another city guy. She tries to fight her attraction to Grant, but it's just too strong. She knows he won't be sticking around after the movie is done but she's willing to risk her heart. She can tell that there is something bothering him, but he resists opening up to her. Once he does, she knows what is driving him and she doesn't want it to come between them, but it does. 

Grant's emotions during those later scenes were intense and seeing what he went through was heart wrenching. It really made me root for him getting everything he wanted. I loved the support he got from Bronson and Anthony, and the part they played in the final scene.

In the "Dear Reader" letter at the beginning, Jules alludes to a big surprise in the third book. There is some foreshadowing of it in this book. I have a suspicion and I am looking forward to seeing if I am right.

Welcome to Wyoming - Kate Bridges (HH #1179 - Apr 2014)

Series: Mail-Order Weddings (Book 2)

What kind of situation is she walking into?

Seeking justice for his murdered colleagues, Detective Simon Garr has gone undercover as infamous jewel thief Jarrod Ledbetter. All is going to plan, until he finds out that Jarrod's mail-order bride is on her way to Wyoming! Simon can't afford to jeopardize his cover, and is left with only one option -- he must marry the woman!

When his poor bride, Natasha O'Sullivan, arrives she doesn't have a clue what she is walking into -- but Simon finds there is more to her than first meets the eye. Because Natasha has brought along secrets aplenty of her own….

Simon is working undercover as a jewel thief as he tries to find out where the man hid the loot from his last heist. Things are going great until he discovers that Jerrod had sent away for a mail-order bride. He can't blow his cover, so he has to go along with it until he can figure out what to do. Natasha is a victim of the Great Chicago Fire and has become a mail-order bride to start a new life. She liked everything she found out about Jerrod in the letters that they exchanged. But when she arrived in Wyoming he is different than what she expected.

Simon is a loner. His father walked out when he was six, his mother had drunk herself to death by the time he was eight. He survived on his own from that point on. He doesn't get involved in relationships, believing that he brings nothing but trouble to those around him. He feels that he is responsible for the deaths of his two friends and is determined to find the missing loot. Simon is not happy to find out about the expected bride, and initially plans to simply send her back where she came from. Being a less than trusting man, he worries that she might be involved in the robberies and decides to keep her around until he can find out. He runs into a problem right away in that he is drawn to her in a way he's never felt before. He wants to believe that she is innocent, but some things she says make him think that she is involved. He has enough of a conscience that he doesn't want to marry Natasha under false pretenses, but it soon becomes obvious that he won't have a choice. In spite of his belief in her guilt, he doesn't want her hurt so he does what he can to protect her. Simon spends a lot of time going back and forth about her guilt. He starts to not trust himself because his head and his heart believe different things. Simon also senses the same sort of loneliness in Natasha that he feels himself which just adds to his confusion. In the end, he realizes the depth of his feelings, but he isn't sure that Natasha will forgive him for his deceptions.

Natasha had lost almost everything in the Great Fire. Desperate for a new start she advertised as a mail-order bride. She picked Jerrod because, like her, he was in the jewelry business. She had spent years working for her grandfather and is very knowledgeable about many facets of the business. After months of correspondence she feels that Jerrod is the one she can have the best relationship with. She heads to Wyoming with a heart full of hope for her future. When she meets him, he seems to be far more distant emotionally than he was in his letters. He is also dragging his feet on having the actual wedding. She is attracted to him, and uses some of the things she learned from other women in Chicago to try to show him how she feels. She also frequently gets the feeling that he is judging her for something she knows nothing about. Natasha is determined to settle in to her new life in Wyoming and tries to pin him down on his feelings about her helping in his jewelry business. She shows him her abilities when she assists a couple and prevents them from buying fake jewels. As the days go on she falls more for him and is thrilled when they finally marry, only to be hurt and furious when she discovers his deception. She has to decide if she can forgive him enough to let her love for him win out.

I enjoyed the mystery part of the story as Simon uses his undercover persona to try to find the missing loot. It was interesting to see the way that he had to adjust his plans when Natasha arrived. While his trust issues had a lot to do with his suspicions about her, it was also easy to see why he was concerned. I liked seeing the way that he used misdirection to keep from giving away the fact that he wasn't Jerrod. I really liked the way that he was able to get Natasha to help him, even though he knew he had really screwed up with her. The final showdown was very good.

Be Mine - Jennifer Crusie, Victoria Dahl, Shannon Stacey (HQN - Jan 2013)

SIZZLE by Jennifer Crusie

Business takes a backseat when successful ad executive Emily Tate meets Richard Parker.  He's an accountant who's been sent to keep her in line and under budget in her ad campaign for a sensual new perfume called Sizzle.  And if Emily's not careful, she could well melt in Richard's hands.

Emily is an ad exec who is very good at what she does, but she does have problems keeping within a budget. The company assigns accountant Richard Parker to keep her under control. Emily calls him Richard the Hun because of his habit of just rolling right over anything she has to say.

Emily doesn't want anyone trying to control what she does. She's determined to do things her way no matter what. She is frustrated because he doesn't listen to what she says about her advertising needs. She is also attracted to him, just as he is to her. I was a bit put off by the way he was coming on to her at work. It felt a bit too much like sexual harassment to me. She said no to going out with him several times before she gave in. Then when they went out, he never listened to what she said, ordering for her at the restaurant, ignoring her when she told him what she wanted. Then later, practically assaulting her, not listening to her when she said stop. Richard was a total jerk through most of the story. He ignored just about everything she said. When she'd get through to him he'd say "sorry" but then go right back to not listening. I'd have hit him with something hard to try to get through. I didn't really feel the relationship between them. Even her "lesson" on listening felt more like a sex scene he sort of liked than an actual lesson, as shown by his actions the next day. He finally got it when her secretary lectured him, and he came through on the advertising campaign, but I hold out no hope that he actually changed. I understand why Jennifer Crusie herself doesn't like this story. From the FAQs on her page: "Can I write to your publisher to request that they publish a reprint Sizzle?

DO NOT ASK FOR A SIZZLE REPRINT. That damn book is following me around the way early porn films follow actresses."

TOO FAST TO FALL by Victoria Dahl

Series: Jackson Hole (Book 1.75)

For Jenny Stone, driving is her escape -- from her past, her problems, her quiet life in Jackson Hole.  But after Deputy Nate Hendricks stops her -- again -- for speeding, she could lose more than just her license.  She could lose her heart.  Nate seems to think that Jenny should replace her love for fast driving with something even more...heart pumping.  And despite her need for speed, Jenny's never been one for defying the law.

I really liked this one. Jenny is a pretty responsible person in everything except her driving. Sometimes she just needs to go out and drive fast. Unfortunately for her, Deputy Nate Hendricks seems to be on that same stretch of the road when she does. So far she's only gotten warnings, but this time he tells her to get to driving school before he stops her again and gives her a ticket that will get her license pulled.

Nate doesn't know why he keeps letting Jenny off, but she gets his motor running. When he makes plans to meet his cousin, he chooses to do it at the saloon where Jenny works. At that point, they connect during something other than a traffic stop and their chemistry is off the charts. Just when things start to get interesting they are interrupted by Jenny's flaky ex-husband.

Jenny feels guilty about the way her marriage ended so she agrees to store some landscaping equipment for him until he can make other arrangements. At the same time Nate discovers that he is involved in some shady business with Nate's cousin's nephew, and fears that Jenny is also involved. When he goes to her house to ask her about her ex, he ends up getting distracted, then sticks his foot in his mouth by questioning her after they'd had sex. 

Nate is torn because he doesn't want to believe she's involved, but it's hard to ignore what he sees. Jenny is hurt by his lack of trust, and does what she does best, which is run. She has to decide if it's time for her to stop running away from her problems and start running toward a chance for happiness. I loved the ending and Nate's really sweet way of grovelling. 

ALONE WITH YOU by Shannon Stacey

Series: Kowalski (Book 6.5)

When waitress Darcy Vaughan's friend asks her to help out with the launch of a fledgling restaurant, she's happy to oblige.  Little does she know the owner is Jake Holland, the perfect guy who slipped through her fingers after their one night of passion.  But for Darcy and Jake, one touch was just not enough.

My favorite of the three stories. Darcy meets Jake at a local bar where she is participating in Trivia Night. Her usual partner isn't there, so Jake is assigned to her. He is passing through on his way to open a restaurant in another town. They connect quickly and have a hot night together. He gets her number and promises to call. Through a series of unfortunate events, the number gets destroyed and he can't call, though he tries hard to find her.

Darcy's boss, Kevin Kowalski, asks her to help his friend set up their new restaurant. She is stunned to discover that the friend is Jake, the guy who got away. She figures that he was just a player and refuses to listen to his excuses. The attraction is still there, but they agree to keep their relationship professional.

This decision gives them a chance to get to know each other without the physical getting in the way. They develop an excellent friendship and working partnership. I really enjoyed the banter between them, especially when it came to the menu items.  The friendship develops into love for both of them, but neither one actually says it. Jake has these great plans running around in his head for Valentine's Day and the grand opening, but doesn't let Darcy in on any of it. All she sees is him talking about how well they've worked together, so she takes her broken heart back home. It takes friends pointing out to them what idiots they're being for them to come to their senses. I loved the ending and how Jake used a trivia contest to show her how he cared.

A Rancher's Honor - Ann Roth (HAR #1504 - June 2014)

Series: Prosperity Montana (Book 1)

One Night With A Cowboy

There's no room in day-care owner Lana Carpenter's life for casual flings. After all, her dream of adopting a baby is closer to becoming a reality than ever. So why is she still mooning over the sexy cowboy who made her forget everything but the strong, sure feel of his arms around her?

It wasn't supposed to be more than one unforgettable night between consenting strangers. But when Sly Pettit spots Lana's photo in the local paper, he grabs at the chance to see her again. The guarded rancher is falling hard for Lana, but it can only end in heartbreak. Unless Sly can trust her with the secrets that keep him from believing that, just maybe, they could have a future together.

Good book. Lara is recovering from the news that her ex-husband and his new wife are expecting a baby. He had divorced her because she had been unable to have children. She met Sly while she and her friend were at a local bar. They had an instant connection but as neither wants a relationship they agreed to one night only, then part the next morning. 

Lana hasn't been able to forget him, but she has other things on her mind too. She is trying to adopt a baby and a fling just isn't practical. She's surprised when he seeks her out, even though he has said that he doesn't do relationships. They begin a tentative relationship that is leaning a little more on the friendship side as she discovers Sly is very supportive of her plans to adopt. Things get a little complicated when she discovers that he is involved in a lawsuit with his next door neighbor, who is also her cousin. She is torn between her growing feelings for Sly and her need to support her family member. Family is very important to her and she is nervous about telling them who she is involved with. It gets even more complicated when she discovers she is pregnant. Sly has made it clear that he doesn't intend to have children and she worries about how he will react. She wants him to be involved but she's willing to do it alone. I liked seeing her patience with his fears and how she kept him involved without showing any expectations. I got a bit frustrated with Lana's constant worry about pleasing her family. At thirty-two she should be at the stage where she can stand up to them in regards to her own wants and needs. She didn't cave in to their wishes at least, but she didn't speak up either. In the end, Lana had to decide what was more important to her, her love for Sly or the approval of her family. I really liked what she did with her decision.

Sly has never been good with relationships. He keeps things very superficial which drives women away after awhile. Sly doesn't like to risk his heart because every time he does, things go wrong. His parents died while he was young. His uncle took custody of him and his younger brother but not his little sister, who went into foster care. The uncle wasn't good to them, so Sly tried to do his best for his younger brother. Unfortunately, Seth went down a bad road no matter what Sly did and ended up dropping out of school and disappearing. Sly blames himself and swears he will never inflict his poor parenting skills on a child of his own. He also had a bad relationship in college that soured him on love. His night with Lara was incredible and he hasn't been able to get her off his mind. He wants to get to know her better, in spite of his misgivings. Even though he tells himself to stay away, he finds himself getting involved in her life. He supports her through her nerves about adopting and helps her assemble furniture for the nursery. He likes talking to her and discovers they have a lot in common. When she tells him about the baby he is stunned and not real happy, but he promises her his support. He can't stay away from her and finds himself growing closer to her and more comfortable with the idea of the baby. I loved the scene in the doctor's office. He also starts thinking about what it would be like to have her in his life permanently which really scares him. He doesn't want to risk getting his heart broken again and when something happens regarding the lawsuit it looks bad for the two of them. I loved seeing Lara's influence on what he does at the end to help resolve it, and how he finally is able to open up his heart.