Sam Bennett feels he lives the ideal lifestyle. He loves running a Reno casino and deeply cherishes his spouse Azia. However, heaven crashes when Azia dies in a camping accident. Five years later, Sam still has not gotten over his grief nor his guilt. However, Sam tries another new start when he takes over managing the new Sand Dollar Casino and Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi.
However, Sam was not ready for the restart of the beating of his heart. When he first sees his assistant Abby Thompson, Sam is stunned. He realizes for the first time since Azia died, he finds a woman attractive and fascinating. Surprising herself after a disastrous affair in Nevada, Abby reciprocates Sam's feelings. As they fall in love, a hurricane threatens to destroy their casino. Besides needing to overcome the specter of their previous relationships, they also have to surmount danger from a real sentient being out of their Nevada past.
THE JOKER'S LOVE TUNE provides readers a feel for the new Mississippi as the author brillainatly describes the clash of cultures between casinos and the old-time Gulf Coast residents. The subplots are quite interesting and add to the contemporary romance by providing the readers with glimpses behind the scenes of a casino and the terror caused by a pending hurricane. Abby and Sam are a perfect pair from the first moment they met even though they have a lot of baggage to recycle. Rolling a seven, Sidney Rickman proves he is no joker when it comes to scribing a warm, exciting tale.
Harriet Klausner