Kelly Sanders studied hard for years to be a veterinarian, against the wishes of her parents who'd have preferred medical school. She does have to be on call, and sober, at party times, but she can cope. Her boyfriend has a surprise in store for her one evening in Charlotte, when he slips a ring into her glass and expects to propose in front of their friends. But the pager is beeping, and Kelly's almost glad of a difficult foaling if it saves her having to give an answer. Neil says that she doesn't need a career if she marries him. That's very much the wrong thing to say to this girl....

A TOUCH OF LOVE is all Kelly wants but nobody is sympathetic except her well-off grandmother Edie, who whisks the girl off for a Caribbean holiday. Their hotel room on an island near Nassau is simple, but they're in paradise. Kelly meets Mike Kramer, who runs a dive shop, and his large dog Biscuit. The island is quieter than the city but it's ideal for diving. Mike explains that if Kelly wants to come out with him and see the underwater environment she'll have to start training in a sheltered cove, learn dive theory and demonstrate her swimming ability, then take tests. Mike doesn't fancy a holiday romance, but he senses that Kelly is different and while they get on well, she's not all over him. Maybe they could take it further. He's holding back the fact that he owns a string of dive shops; he just wants to do what he loves best. Kelly's mother however is not averse to emotional blackmail...

I loved the descriptions of the islands. Breadfruit plants mix with banana and coconut trees; banana fried with sugar and cinnamon is for breakfast. Hibiscus and orchids are almost as colourful as the squawking parrots, and the air is sweet with floral scents. The ocean water is so clear because there are no rivers in the Bahamas to carry silt to the sea; the divers are in their element. Unlike some other Caribbean locations this is a low-crime area and Kelly feels quite safe to go off on her own.

Patricia Hagan has written an adult romance with a gorgeous setting and it will inspire many holidays. The characters are well drawn and believable, and the author has written many other novels in interesting locations. A TOUCH OF LOVE is a romance which will appeal to the adventurous as well as those who enjoy exotic locales.