Treasure (Harlequin Superromance, No 1403) (ISBN 0373714033)

Treasure lives up to its name:
Helen Brenna's debut novel truly lives up to its name. Treasure deals with human failings, family, perceptions of self, deception and ultimately love. Jake Rawlings is a treasure hunter - he's paid his dues and he's ready for the big payoff. Annie Miller is a marine archaeologist with a lot of secrets. She's paid her dues as well, but she only wants to get rid of some treasure. They're working together but with their own goals firmly in mind. Without a doubt these goals will clash and it will be spectacular. Ms. Brenna weaves their lives together wonderfully well. The cast of supporting characters and the secondary love story are equally well drawn and captivating. I had a vague idea as to who the villain was, but the twists and turns kept me wondering right to the end. With a debut novel this strong, it's no wonder Helen Brenna has been chosen as an "author to watch" by Harlequin. I look forward to her next release.

TREASURE:
Helen Brenna's debut novel, TREASURE, is a real treat. A great read from cover to cover, with well developed characters and an interesting and unusual plot.

Great debut!:
TREASURE by Helen Brenna February 11, 2007 Rating 4 Stars TREASURE is the debut novel by Helen Brenna, an adventure romance that takes place off the coast of Florida and the Bahamas. Annie Miller is a curator at the Chicago Field Museum, who is haunted by a piece of stolen treasure she has secretly in her possession, the Santidad Cross. Myth has it that bad luck will follow whoever covets the cross. Annie has witnessed horrific accidents because of this cross, including the deaths of her parents, and she is now ready to return the cross to where her parents found it, near an island in the Bahamas. In order to make the trip, she hires on with a treasure hunting company, as they travel in search of this cross, which was part of the bounty on the Spanish galleon Concha. Jake Rawlings owns the company that is in search of this sunken treasure. When he meets Annie, he is not convinced she's the one to help them out. Her inexperience is obvious, but he doesn't know who she really is, the daughter of the famous Miller family who was known in their circle of treasure hunters. One of her problems is that Annie has a fear of the water, which would affect her ability to search in the waters for the missing Concha treasure. Jake cannot imagine how Annie can help them out, with so many negative points stacked against her, and his attitude towards her is as unfriendly as it can get. Annie lies to Jake about many things, including the fact that she has the Santidad cross in her possession. As the group travels to the Bahamas, they are always encountering mishaps that almost cost them their lives. But Annie is determined to find the place where the Santidad cross needs to be returned to, no matter the cost. She is tired of living her life, forever afraid of the Santidad curse. TREASURE is a romantic adventure filled with a number of characters that helped move the story along. Jake Rawlings and Annie Miller were definitely opposites in many ways, and opposites do attract. What made their romance work was probably their common background in treasure hunting, something that both of their parents were obsessed with while the two of them were growing up. While Annie had a need to put her family's past behind her and hide behind a desk job at a museum, Jake had a yearning to prove to his family that he was as good as his deceased brother had been at treasure hunting. Both had reasons to want to run from their family's preoccupation with this dangerous "sport", yet something in their pasts kept bringing them back. There was a real connection between the two main characters, which helped give the romance a more credible feel than in some romances written today. There was a definite chemistry between Jake Rawlings, the treasure hunter that seemed to live for the thrill of adventure, and Annie Miller, the somewhat shy and introverted museum curator who had secrets she was afraid to reveal. The subplot that revolved around Jake and his deceased brother also fit in well with the main story line, as it all circled around the world of treasure hunting and scuba diving. Helen Brenna did a wonderful job making this story believable, despite being such a fantastic sea adventure that doesn't happen to every day people. Her knowledge of the world of scuba divers also seemed accurate, as this reader was caught up with the details of the divers as they went in search of the missing jewels and gold. Vivid description of the ocean helped lend a romantic feel, making it a perfect location for a romance novel. Helen Brenna's debut, TREASURE, is recommended. - Courtesy of Love Romances and More - M. Lofton

Fun in the Sun and Treasure to Boot:
It's great to read a modern-day treasure hunting story, especially when the characters are cool people you would like to be your friends, but each with their own personality. The treasure hunting aspect on the high seas is engrossing--not sugar-coated yet exciting, but not more so than the heat that springs up between the lifetime treasure hunter and the marine archeologist he's saddled with--and who's afraid of the water. Great, engrossing read, one of those books that makes you forget what time it is! Awesome book from a debut author.

Fun and adventure:
If you like to be swept away into a world of sea and sun, romance, mystery and adventure, then you'll love this book! I did. I'm eager to read Helen Brenna's next book.