ADAIR, Cherry 1951-

PERSONAL: Born 1951; married; husband's name, David; children: two daughters. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, gardening, collecting teapots and books.

ADDRESSES: Office—P.O. Box 353, Langley, WA 98260. E-mail—cherry@cherryadair.com.

CAREER: Romance novelist. Owned interior design company in San Francisco, CA.

MEMBER: Romance Writers of America, Novelists Inc.

AWARDS, HONORS: Best contemporary romance award, Romantic Times, 2001; best mainstream romance award, Golden Quill; best single title award, All about Romance, Francis Award for best romantic suspense, Romance Journal, and top-ten books of the year citation, Romance Writers of America, all for Hide and Seek.

WRITINGS:

romance novels

The Mercenary, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1994.

Kiss and Tell, Ivy Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Seducing Mr. Right, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2001.

Hide and Seek, Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2001.

In Too Deep, Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Take Me, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2002.

Out of Sight, Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Anne Stuart) Date with a Devil, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2004.

On Thin Ice, Center Point (Thorndike, ME), 2005.

(With Jill Shalvis and Julie Elizabeth Leto) Dare Me, Signet, 2005.

SIDELIGHTS: Cherry Adair is the author of several steamy, action-packed romance novels. Many of these books are set within an elite anti-terrorism unit, Terrorist Force Logistical Assault Command, or T-FLAC, and most revolve around the four Wright brothers, who are current or former members of special-operations troops.

Six years passed between the publication of Adair's first novel, The Mercenary, and her second, Kiss and Tell. "Life happened," Adair told a Sensual Romance interviewer, explaining this gap. "Then life settled down to a dull roar and I was able to enthusiastically dive right back into my writing…. Now with a consistent writing schedule I'm able to produce books more regularly and get them out into the hands of eager readers." Indeed, since 2000 Adair has published at least one book every year.

In Kiss and Tell, Marnie Wright and her dog, Duchess, accidentally stumbles across the remote cabin of former T-FLAC member Jake Dolan. Jake is hiding out in the middle of the Sierra Mountains for a reason, and he is not very happy at being found. However, Marnie amd Dutchess are the least of his problems when a group of assassins attempt to kill him. "Romance, adventure and humor make this book a true keeper," Jill M. Smith declared in a review for Romantic Times. A Mystery Reader critic particularly praised the character of Marnie, calling her "the primary reason that Kiss and Tell is one step above hundreds of other romances with a similar plot. She's smart, brave, and surprisingly level-headed, not to mention quick-witted."

Hide and Seek follows Wright brother Kyle as he travels to South America to try to foil a drug lord's plot to traffic in deadly biological weapons. Kyle is hindered by the presence of Delanie Eastman, a former lover who has bluffed her way into the drug lord's confidence in order to track down her missing sister, Lauren. AllReaders.com reviewer Harriet Klausner praised the book as "another strong romantic suspense novel," the storyline of which "is fast-paced and loaded with non-stop action." It is "spicy, robust, and sexy," Michelle Monkou wrote on the Crescent Blues Web site.

In Too Deep is Michael Wright's story. He saves Tally Cruise, daughter of Trevor Church, when the yacht she is a passenger on explodes. Michael has spent the past year trying to destroy Church, who double-crossed Michael (a former Navy SEAL) and his partner Hugo, leaving Hugo dead. Michael is surprised when he discovers that Tally has no clue what her father does. At first he sees Tally as nothing but a way to get closer to her father, until he starts having deeper feelings for her. Together, the two must work out their relationship while trying to stay alive, since whoever wants Tally dead will not give up. As Heidi L. Haglin noted for the All about Romance Web site, In Too Deep is "well-written in terms of pacing, with explosions, dead bodies, and tension everywhere"; it will "keep the pulses pounding [and] the juices flowing." Smith also praised the book, declaring it "a highly satisfying ride."

In Out of Sight, a beautiful and talented female sharpshooter named A. J. Cooper joins Kane Wright's T-FLAC team. However, A. J. was shot in a training accident, and her psyche does not heal from it as quickly as her body. On her first assignment in the field she freezes at a crucial moment, allowing terrorist Fazur Raazaq to escape and resulting in another team member being shot. Kane wants nothing more than to get her off his team, but he is forced to continue working with her as they try to prevent Raazaq from carrying out a chemical weapons attack. "The situations A. J. and Kane encounter on their mission are terrifying and charged with an intensity often found only in action movies," commented BookLoons.com reviwer Liz Cooper, making Out of Sight "a captivating and gritty novel." Similarly, a Publishers Weekly reviewer commented: "This larger-than-life adventure is sure to satisfy those who appreciate high stakes and heavy drama."

T-FLAC agent Derek Wright decides to compete in Alaska's Iditarod dog sled race in On Thin Ice. During the course of the 1,110 mile race, he attempts to seduce widow, veterinarian, and fellow competitor Lily Munroe—but he must also work to keep her safe, as the series of "accidents" that befall her during the race seem to be more than simple mishaps. "For readers who crave sexy, suspenseful love stories," John Charles wrote in Booklist, the book's "bracing mix of passion and danger will be irresistible." Klausner also praised the book as "enjoyable romantic suspense."

One of Adair's more popular non-T-FLAC-series romances is Seducing Mr. Right. Catherine Harris has always loved her stepbrother, Luke Van Buren, but he has never reciprocated her interest. Now, as a young adult, Cat decides to do something about it—even though she is a "good girl" and Luke is a playboy. She capitalizes on a promise that Luke made to his dying father to take care of her: she moves into his San Francisco home and asks him to help her find a husband by teaching her how to be seductive. This is "an adorable premise," remarked Romantic Times.com reviewer Shannon Short, and in Adair's hands it becomes "a highly charged, delightful tale." Romance Reader's Connection Web site reviewer Fatin Shukri also praised the book, declaring that "Adair's captivating storytelling is a must for all!"

"I'll always write romance," Adair told a Sensual Romance Web sit interviewer, "because there aren't enough happy endings in the world. We need something that gives us the opportunity to sit back and relax for those few hours before we dive back into the grit of real life…. I want to continue writing stories that can transport my readers somewhere magical, somewhere fun, somewhere where they don't have to do anything more strenuous than put their feet up, sip a cup of tea and hang on for the ride."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Booklist, September 15, 2001, review of Kiss and Tell, p. 210; September 15, 2002, John Charles and Shelley Mosley, review of Hide and Seek, p. 219; August, 2004, John Charles, review of On Thin Ice, p. 1908.

Publishers Weekly, September 24, 2001, review of Hide and Seek, p. 75; August 12, 2002, review of In Too Deep, p. 283; July 28, 2003, review of Out of Sight, p. 84.

online

All about Romance Web site, http://www.likesbooks.com/ (November 1, 2004), Heidi L. Haglin, review of In Too Deep.

AllReaders.com, http://www.allreaders.com/ (November 1, 2004), Harriet Klausner, reviews of Hide and Seek, In Too Deep, Out of Sight, and On Thin Ice; Liz Cooper, review of Out of Sight.

Authors on the Web Web site, http://www.authorsontheweb.com/ (November 1, 2004), "Cherry Adair."

Bensenville Community Public Library Reader's Corner Web site, http://readers.bensenville.lib.il.us/ (November 1, 2004), "Cherry Adair."

BookLoons.com, http://www.bookloons.com/ (November 1, 2004), Liz Cooper, review of Out of Sight.

Cherry Adair Web site, http://www.cherryadair.com (November 1, 2004).

Crescent Blues Web site, http://www.crescentblues.com/ (November 1, 2004), Michelle Monkou, review of Hide and Seek.

Ivy Authors Web site, http://www.ivyauthors.com/ (November 1, 2004), "Cherry Adair."

MysteryReader.com, http://www.themysteryreader.com/ (November 1, 2004), review of Kiss and Tell.

Romance Reader's Connection Web site, http://www.theromancereadersconnection.com/ (November 1, 2004), Fatin Shukri, interview with Adair and review of Seducing Mr. Right).

RomanticTimes.com, http://www.romantictimes.com/ (November 1, 2004), Jill M. Smith, reviews of Kiss and Tell, Hide and Seek, In Too Deep, and Out of Sight; Shannon Short, review of Seducing Mr. Right; Cindy Whitesel, review of Take Me.

Sensual Romance Web site, http://sensualromance.writerspace.com/ (November 1, 2004), interview with Adair.

WordWeaving.com, http://www.wordweaving.com/ (November 1, 2004), "Cherry Adair"; Cynthia Penn, review of Seducing Mr. Right.*