Maybe not, but gems are a reliable
trope in romance novels. (Hey, I’ll read
almost anything if it has jewels. Or
cowboys.) And since I’m a gemologist, I
thought it might be fun to take a look at some novels that focus on gems and
jewelry.
Going straight to my keeper
shelf, I found seven novels by Elizabeth Lowell/Ann Maxwell that fit the bill,
so that’s where I’ll start. She’s
famous, she’s a good writer (a little over the top sometimes, but always
excellent), and she does her homework.
Lover in the Rough was originally published in 1983 and reissued in
1994. Yes, it’s a real oldie, originally
Silhouette Intimate Moments #34!
Plot: Reba Farrall, owner of half-interest
in a California gem mine, is devastated at the death of her dearest friend and
employer. When his disinherited grandson threatens her, she is saved by rogue gem
hunter Chance Walker. After she decides to reopen the mine, she hires Chance to
help her, not knowing his sister owns the other half. They explore the mine together, discovering
that it is unbelievably dangerous. Facing death in the smothering darkness of
the mine is a potent aphrodisiac, but when Reba learns of his connection to the
mine, she leaves him. Chance is devastated and returns to the mine in spite of
its imminent collapse to bring Reba a treasure trove of tourmaline.
The critique: Lowell’s research is solid. She drops
in lots of interesting facts about tourmaline, and she gets downright lyrical
about the beauty of gemstones and geologic features. (Hey, gemologist and
geologist here. Of course I like this stuff.)
The text: The story
opens in Death Valley, where Reba is supervising the photographing of art and
jewelry for an upcoming sale. A white
jade dish, a baroque pearl cluster, an ivory sculpture, green gemstones, and a
carved tiger eye figure are displayed against the rocks of Mosaic Canyon.
“…precious objets d’art resting on the ledge of natural marble. Pale marble
walls rose on either side of the dry streambed, walls polished by water and
time into flowing curve sand hollows.
Bands of cream and pale yellow, gold-grey and eggshell wove through the
walls, giving depth and subtle texture to the satiny stone. Above the marble rose steep, deeply eroded
hills of vermilion and black and chocolate, volcanic rock so new that the sun
hadn’t had time yet to bake out the intense colors.”
There is quite
a bit of description of the geology here.
“Polished marble walls…jagged debris of past volcanic explosions. bent broken, canted on edge, the banded
marble strata were almost shocking in their smoothness…fierce, naked land…Minerals
both common and rare were jumbled together, colors and textures juxtaposed in a
haphazard way that told much about the violent geologic history of the
valley. Earthquakes, molten rock flowing
thickly, seas and lakes alternating with grinding drought, floods eroding
mountainsides, strata of rock sinking, rising bending, breaking; it was all
here, written across the hard surface of the earth.”
This sets a perfect frame for
the violence of the dangers of the mine and the fierce love story that unfolds.
After many travails, Chance
brings to her the spectacular pink tourmaline he has found in her mine, and “For
an instant Reba felt as though she were inside a gem, a place of shattering
beauty and brilliance, a faceted world as complex as the man who had turned the
room into a fantasy...”
So...happily ever after.
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