Celine: A Circle of Life

Set amidst the lush countryside of 1850s New Orleans, this historical romance becomes a platform for the New Age beliefs of Roth, who, according to the publisher, is a hypnotist, healer and consultant with the gift of ""second sight."" After a devastating accident takes the lives of her husband and unborn baby, beautiful young Celine Kirkland is brought to the plantation of a neighbor, shipping magnet Jason Andrews. Raised by her grandmother, a dressmaker in the French Quarter, to fit in with upper-class society, Celine now finds herself torn in her feelings for Trevor, the self-consciously aloof son of Jason. Even when she discovers that Trevor is passionately in love with her, all does not go smoothly. True to romantic formula, the two must suffer separation and a brush with death, and they must undertake a dangerous cross-country journey before they are finally reunited in San Francisco. Though filled with steamy sex, lively if rather stereotypical characters and predictable action, the novel is distinguished by its focus on the spiritual aspects of love and relationships--""the circle of life"" in which every meeting and occurrence happens for a reason: ""There are no wrongs, no mistakes, only learning experiences. And you aren't alone in this learning process."" These sentiments sound bizarrely anachronistic tumbling from old-time Southern mouths, but this expected twist may tickle some fans of the genre. Illustrations. Author tour. (Apr.)