BET Books (Paperback) ISBN 1-58314-330-0
Purchase a ticket to Crescent Island, an idyllic setting that inspires hot, sizzling romance between a lovable cast of characters. Celeste Norfleet crafts a fun, make-believe world for her debut novel, Priceless Gift. On the island, during the spring season, when the fauna blooms and the birds and bees do their thing, Professor Madison Evans falls for the independently wealthy and very aloof Antonio Gates.

What prompted Madison to seek sanctuary on Crescent Island? The renowned professor and author of several scholarly works accidentally discovered her fiancé slept in his assistant's arms -- naked. After that shocker, she thought it prudent to leave before she committed a double homicide.

Taking a sabbatical, she rents a little guest cottage on a fabulous estate from the matriarch of the Gates dynasty, Mamma Lou. All Madison wants to do is to relax, rehabilitate and rejuvenate and forget about her cheating ex-boyfriend, in particular and all men, in general. However, she failed to reckon on an X-factor in the guise of sexy, bow-legged Antonio Gates.

Tony deals with antiques, travels to exotic locations, and wheels and deals for the family business. His good looks, fame, and wealth act as a magnet for conniving women. Just when he thought that it couldn't get worse, his grandmother forces him to meet and greet the new tenant for the cottage. Immediately after meeting Madison, Tony knows that he may lose his battle, and the count down on his bachelorhood has begun.

Mamma Lou plays matchmaker behind the scenes, while being courted by her own elderly hunk. Tony's ex-girlfriend makes Madison's and Tony's lives miserable with her obsessive determination to use any means to crush their burgeoning romance. Madison's ex pops in hoping that Madison can let bygones be bygones and move onto a brighter future. He must have lost his mind!

Madison must overcome her insecurities to find ultimate happiness and enjoy true love. The barrier that she erected around her heart dissolves to a yearning that only one man can satisfy. Yet she walks away from Tony and everything that he promises because she refuses to compromise. Her love cannot be taken for granted again.

Tony learned from previous relationships that commitment can be one-sided. He refuses to listen to his heart's traitorous clamor for one woman's attention. Through small acts of self-destructive sabotage, he may lose the only woman to claim his heart. For the first time in his life, he needs to surrender.

Norfleet writes with a bold, unadorned style that captures her characters' pains and triumphs. Her interesting secondary characters leave the reader with the hope and expectation that sequels will follow soon. Good luck to Norfleet. May she continue to tell delightful stories with her signature voice and style.

Gabriella Samuels

Click here to share your views.