The Reef by Nora Roberts

Roberts, Nora. The Reef. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1998.

Tate Beaumont is studying to be a marine archaeologist. When her family hooks up with rogue treasure hunter Matthew Lassiter and his uncle to recover a legendary amulet off the coast of St. Kitts, an uneasy partnership ensues. The dialog was cloying with the typical bad boy/good girl who hate each other, are forced to work together on a project, fall madly in love, bodice ripping commences. Actually it wasn't quite that bad. The main love story was predictable, but it was actually wrapped in another plot that was reasonably interesting and the characters, while not very complex (note to author -- just b/c he is "brooding" does not make him complex or interesting!), were at least engaging and likable.

Being a SCUBA diver and sailor who lived in the Caribbean for a few years, I chose this book thinking that if I didn't like the characters, I might like something about the setting or plot. While the boating and diving scenes were evocative, they were also rife with errors, which were distracting and irritating. Several technical aspects of diving were off, such as characters swimming to the bottom (as opposed to sinking gradually as they decrease the air in their BCs) or staying still with small movements (experienced divers, such as Tate, control buoyancy through breathing which is imperceptible to an observer). Roberts even describes swimming through fish bubbles! Really, she must have gotten her knowledge of diving and reef fish by watching the bubbling diver-guy in her home aquarium!

The sex scenes were predictable, not too graphic (good), and humorous while not intending to be. One scene has Tate's "sea begin to toss." Anyone seasick?

Recommendations:

The Alibi by Sandra Brown

Fans of Roberts' forbidden love and romantic suspense themes might enjoy this tale of assistant District Attorney Hammond Cross who is drawn to the mysterious Dr. Alex Ladd, who later turns out to be the prime suspect in a case he is prosecuting.

Out of the Mist by Joanne Ross (1st in Stewart Sisters Trilogy)

Rife with bad boys and intriguing career women, Ross' plots strike a similar tone as Roberts'. Lily Stewart is drawn to a hunky Scottish filmmaker when he arrives to film her annual Scottish Highland Games event.

Treasure Hunting on a Budget by Robert E. Park

Don't have the funds to go to St. Kitts? Want to try your hand at finding lost treasure? Pick up this handy guide which shows thrifty and frugal ways of starting a new and interesting hobby.

Fatal Treasure: Greed & Death, Emeralds & Gold, and the Obsessive Search for the Legendary Ghost Galleon Atocha by Jedwin Smith
Readers interested in tales of true, contemporary treasure hunts might be interested in the story of Mel Fisher and his search for the Atocha.