I have been in love with Elizabeth Lowell since I was a teen and first picked up one of her Avon historical romances. From the very first word, I was mad to read more of her work, and between the Avons and the Harlequins, she kept me in rapture. These were not your typical romance novels. They were beautifully written, with well-thought-out metaphors, breathtaking descriptions of the vastness of various American landscapes, but mostly Colorado and New Mexico. As the 80s rolled into the 90s, her books evolved into romantic suspense, and I learned more than I needed to about the jewel trade in China and Australia, the drug and gun trade between the US-Mexican border, and more. All of which were fascinating reads, with the romance between two strong, intelligent people front and center. The stories and the writing were clearly a cut above the typical romance, and I was beyond enamored. I have continued to buy and devour all of her books, right up to the present day, and they, until recently, failed to disappoint.
Until recently. Those two innocuous words that say so much. Beautiful Sacrifice is Lowell’s latest publication and one of the biggest disappointments I have experienced in reading a treasured author. First, the book jumps on the December 21, 2012 bandwagon, with the Mayan prediction that the world is about to come to an end. To give Lowell her due, she’s done her research, and she does a decent job of debunking the myth surrounding this latest “end of the world” date. The Mayan calendar has had many “end of the world” dates over the centuries, and rather than meaning the world will literally come to an end, it merely means that the existing period in Mayan culture will end, and the Mayan’s will embark on a new era, when ruling gods will change and life for the Mayan’s will be either good or bad, depending on the fortunes coming forth as the days, months and years progress.
While the details of Mayan religion and culture made this book an interesting read, it was lacking in so much more. What I’ve always loved about Lowell is her richness in detail, in characterization, in heady emotional connections, and stellar writing. Nearly all of which have been lacking in her latest publication endeavours. Particularly, Beautiful Sacrifice read very much like an earlier book of hers, so much so, that the entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking to myself: “I’ve read this before, I’m sure I’ve read this before.” And as I own nearly every book she’s written, I can verify, unfortunately, it was a new book, if it did read like a heavily recycled one. Perhaps it is time for Lowell to take a break from churning out formulaic books for a while, just until a new, fresh idea comes to mind, one that she can write with all the style and care she put into her earlier work.
Till next time, happy reading!
L 
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