The Adventurer, by Jayne Ann Krentz

Book #2 is The Adventurer, and I liked it better than #1. This one gets a B+.

Sarah Fleetwood has always gone with her instincts, and her gut instincts are telling her that Gideon Trace is her hero. Sarah wants to find the Fleetwood Flowers, gold and gem earrings owned (and buried) by her ancester Emelina. And Gideon, an expert on treasure hunting with whom Sarah has been corresponding, is just the man to help her find them. But Gideon isn't quite sure what to make of Sarah when she arrives on his doorstep and tells him just that!

Actually, I can't believe I liked Sarah as much as I did. Eternally cheerful, perpetually perky heroines are usually a bore, but not her. Maybe I was in just the right mood? I very much enjoyed the role reversal, having the heroine be the pursuer and actually literally "courting" the hero. She decides Gideon is one of her heros incarnate, despite evidence to the contrary, tells him so, and badgers him until he is. The woman just steamrolls right over him, and I just had to laugh at his bewilderment.

As for Gideon, he could have been one of those stereotypical tortured guys, who treat the heroine like dirt because they were once (once!) betrayed, but he's all right. Of course, the betrayal did have some effects on him, but they were proportionate and made me like him better, not hate him! He has some trust issues, and some insecurities, being afraid Sarah will leave him, but is capable of getting over himself. I loved the ending, Gideon was really romantic.

The suspense subplot was throwaway. The book would have been just as good without Jake.