Leigh, Tamara

PERSONAL:

Married; husband's name David; children: Skyler and Maxen. Education: Master's degree. Hobbies and other interests: Volunteer work, faux painting, and reading.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Nashville, TN. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer. Formerly worked as a speech pathologist.

WRITINGS:

ROMANCE NOVELS

Warrior Bride, Bantam (New York, NY), 1994.

Virgin Bride, Bantam (New York, NY), 1994.

Saxon Bride, Bantam (New York, NY), 1995.

Pagan Bride, Bantam (New York, NY), 1995.

Misbegotten, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.

Unforgotten, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.

Blackheart, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Stealing Adda, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2006.

Perfecting Kate, Multnomahr Publishers (Colorado Springs, CO), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Tamara Leigh made a name for herself as a historical romance writer and later began incorporating her strong beliefs concerning the Christian faith into her tales of romance. In one of her earlier novels, Saxon Bride, Leigh tells the story of Maxen Pendery, who sets out to seek revenge for the murder of his brother Thomas, supposedly by Rhiannyn, a Saxon girl who was to wed Thomas, albeit unwillingly. However, Rhiannyn declares her innocence, and soon the reluctant Maxen comes to believe her. "With a deft pen Tamara Leigh draws you into a passionate tale ablaze with vibrant characters and tumultuous emotions," wrote Lizabelle Cox on the Romantic Times Web site. Pagan Bride takes place in the fifteenth century harems of the Ottoman Empire and features Alessandra and English captive Lucien De Gautier. Kathe Robin, writing on the Romantic Times Web site, commented that the author once again "combines a hot headed pair of lovers with smoldering sexual tension, an enthralling backdrop then adds a dash of adventure."

In Unforgotten, Leigh tells a romantic tale based on time travel. Collier Marrow loses his beloved Aryn Viscott but discovers a 500-year-old painting of Catherine Algeron, who supposedly fought and died for the ill-fated Lancaster King Henry. Astounded by the resemblance to his dead lover, Collier inspects the painting closely and is sent plunging into the past to get a second chance at love. "Ms. Leigh makes her characters human and lovable, and her ending utterly satisfying," wrote Cyndie Dennis-Greer on the Romantic Times Web site. "This is definitely a ‘keeper.’"

Blackheart features the strange tale of Lord Bernart Kinthrope, who sends his wife Julianna to sleep with Gabriel de Vere. Lord Bernart is unable to make his wife pregnant, and Gabriel is the man who made Lord Bernart sterile. In his twisted mind, Lord Bernart believes that his wife becoming pregnant by Gabriel will allow him to seek revenge by taking Gabriel's child. However, complications arise when Julianna is kidnapped by Gabriel and love blooms between the two. Anne Bulin, writing on the Romantic Reader Web site, called Blackheart "a good read, a definite page turner that was difficult to put down."

Leigh turns from historical romance to a modern tale in Stealing Adda. Adda Sinclair is a New York Times best-selling author whose husband deserted her. To further complicate matters, Adda is suffering from writer's block. However, when she meets the publisher Nick Farnsworth, she begins to see a way to save her career. Bev Huston, writing on the Romantic Times Web site, called Stealing Adda "a hilarious, though sometimes scandalous, look at the world of publishing."

Perfecting Kate is a Christian romance fiction featuring Kate Meadows, who narrates her own story of a tough life that she has tried to overcome by various self-improvement methods, including cosmetic procedures. Along the way Kate meets a serious love interest and learns some valuable lessons about what is important in life. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that "Kate's love-hate relationship with a series of cosmetic procedures makes for a fun read."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, April 1, 2006, Tamara Butler, review of Stealing Adda, p. 74.

Publishers Weekly, November 20, 2006, review of Perfecting Kate, p. 35.

ONLINE

Christianbook.com,http://www.christianbook.com/ (May 18, 2007), brief profile of author.

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (May 18, 2007), Anne Bulin, review of Blackheart.

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (May 18, 2007), Cyndie Dennis-Greer, reviews of Unforgotten and Perfecting Kate, Bev Huston, review of Stealing Adda, Lizabelle Cox, review of Saxon Bride, Kathe Robin, review of Pagan Bride, Maria C. Ferrer, review of Misbegotten, and Gabrielle Pantera, review of Blackheart.

Tamara Leigh Home Page,http://www.tamaraleigh.com (May 18, 2007).