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Night into Day
SOME CALL THE FEELING "KISMET"
When sports celebrity Patrick O'Casey's eyes met Alex Farrell's across a crowded New Orleans dance floor, both of them felt like running. He wanted to run off with her--and she just wanted to run.
But Alex couldn't. Stricken by arthritis, she'd learned to cope by being self-reliant. And, after opening a travel agency for the handicapped, she'd closed the door on romance.
To Alex's bleak life, Patrick brought rainbows. Naturally she felt he deserved the perfect woman. All Patrick had to do was convince her she was lovable as she was, "perfectly imperfect"...
When sports celebrity Patrick O'Casey's eyes met Alex Farrell's across a crowded New Orleans dance floor, both of them felt like running. He wanted to run off with her--and she just wanted to run.
But Alex couldn't. Stricken by arthritis, she'd learned to cope by being self-reliant. And, after opening a travel agency for the handicapped, she'd closed the door on romance.
To Alex's bleak life, Patrick brought rainbows. Naturally she felt he deserved the perfect woman. All Patrick had to do was convince her she was lovable as she was, "perfectly imperfect"...
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
1 person is currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Canfield
20 books10 followersSandra Kay Patterson Canfield was born on 21 November 1944 in Longview, Texas, USA. She wrote as Sandra Canfield and under the pseudonym of Karen Keast. She also used the pseudonym of Sandi Shane in collaboration with the writer Penny Richards (alias Bay Matthews). At 58, Sandra passed away on 23 January 2003 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 15, 2018
This is such a different read for a category as this author's one previous book I have read features an amazingly loving hero. I don't think I have ever read a book with a protagonist that has arthritis . The heroine's constant struggles with regards to her health, her doubts because of her ex letting her down everything is depicted. This isn't a romance where the heroine magically goes into remission instead she has day to day pain, gets frustrated when she can't do several things, has to have yet another surgery. The hero is instantly taken by her and takes the time to know her and what she needs but he does have mis-steps along the way. I can see why this book is so highly rated. I think Harelquin needs to digitize some of these golden age oldies that are so well-loved.
December 11, 2016
Multiple rereads for this gem. Sandra Canfield was a gem of a writer, rarely mentioned but so gifted that her passing was a huge loss to the romance genre.
Quarterback Patrick is both alpha and beta hero. Alex doesn't believe love is for her, her rheumatoid arthritis has taken over almost every waking moment in her life. I have never been able to read through the last few chapters without crying my eyes out. You know there will be a happy ending - it's a romance after all - but the journey is not an easy one for Alex and Patrick. The story breaks my heart every time I reread it. Now I must start a reread of her books in 2017.
Quarterback Patrick is both alpha and beta hero. Alex doesn't believe love is for her, her rheumatoid arthritis has taken over almost every waking moment in her life. I have never been able to read through the last few chapters without crying my eyes out. You know there will be a happy ending - it's a romance after all - but the journey is not an easy one for Alex and Patrick. The story breaks my heart every time I reread it. Now I must start a reread of her books in 2017.
November 27, 2014
I'm a huge fan of Sandra Canfield's work. She had a gift for writing stories of incredible emotional depth and wasn't afraid to tackle real life issues which I admire. As with her previous novel, "Cherish This Moment", we have yet another strong heroine who is facing a rather challenging life situation. Alex has near-debilitating Rheumatoid Arthritis which will eventually cripple her if she doesn't soon undergo hip replacement surgery to correct it. Having been diagnosed when she was barely into her 20's, Alex has used her personal experience to greatest benefit by running and operating a travel agency which services the unique needs of the physically disabled.
It's during a charity event for a group of disabled children that Alex first meets resident NFL athlete Patrick O'Casey and sparks immediately start flying between the two. Patrick openly pursues her soon after he discovers the nature of her disability, and though Alex sincerely welcomes his attentions, it soon becomes apparent to Patrick that Alex's daily physical challenges are much greater and more complex than he first imagined. The first time he picks her up for a date in his low-slung sports car is an especially poignant moment as he watches her silently struggle to exit the vehicle with gritted teeth. His subsequent response when he sees her unguarded reaction to a flight of stairs is swoon-worthy.
Alex is also emotionally crippled by moments of self-doubt and deep feelings of inadequacy which Patrick does his very best to help her overcome. He is very vocal about his desire to understand and support her needs, and when he gets resistance from Alex due to her fear of becoming a burden to him, he actively seeks help elsewhere. His willingness and determination to do whatever necessary to makes things work between them is what makes him a hero in my eyes. My heart went out to Alex for all the suffering she endured both physical and otherwise, and yet Patrick clearly saw the core of strength within her and gave her the space she needed to discover that for herself. Her journey towards healing and building a new life with Patrick by her side is a beautiful one.
Yet another long-time keeper for my shelf and a worthy new addition to anyone's reading list.
It's during a charity event for a group of disabled children that Alex first meets resident NFL athlete Patrick O'Casey and sparks immediately start flying between the two. Patrick openly pursues her soon after he discovers the nature of her disability, and though Alex sincerely welcomes his attentions, it soon becomes apparent to Patrick that Alex's daily physical challenges are much greater and more complex than he first imagined. The first time he picks her up for a date in his low-slung sports car is an especially poignant moment as he watches her silently struggle to exit the vehicle with gritted teeth. His subsequent response when he sees her unguarded reaction to a flight of stairs is swoon-worthy.
Alex is also emotionally crippled by moments of self-doubt and deep feelings of inadequacy which Patrick does his very best to help her overcome. He is very vocal about his desire to understand and support her needs, and when he gets resistance from Alex due to her fear of becoming a burden to him, he actively seeks help elsewhere. His willingness and determination to do whatever necessary to makes things work between them is what makes him a hero in my eyes. My heart went out to Alex for all the suffering she endured both physical and otherwise, and yet Patrick clearly saw the core of strength within her and gave her the space she needed to discover that for herself. Her journey towards healing and building a new life with Patrick by her side is a beautiful one.
Yet another long-time keeper for my shelf and a worthy new addition to anyone's reading list.
October 24, 2017
This really needs two ratings. It is 5 stars if you or someone you are close to as a friend or lover has Rheumatoid Arthritis, or one of the other debilitating auto immune diseases, but due to Sandra Canfield's intensity of feeling which permeates every page it is a very strong 3-4 otherwise, the chief weakness being the beautiful unreality of the resolution. However your mileage will vary greatly. I personally loved it as hokey and explication filled as it was. But then it is an 1980s contemporary genre romance.
It is really striking how few books of any sort involve a character with RA or related conditions getting anything like a life let alone a happy ending with the love we all hope for. In fact the only other book I can think of is another Harlequin Superromance from about a decade later, "Kate" by Patricia Armstrong which in which our heroine suffers from relatively advanced Myasthenia Gravis, which is also made a major, and somewhat realistic plot element, and like Alex Kate tries to live life to the fullest, though with worse dialogue and a far more convoluted plot.
It is really striking how few books of any sort involve a character with RA or related conditions getting anything like a life let alone a happy ending with the love we all hope for. In fact the only other book I can think of is another Harlequin Superromance from about a decade later, "Kate" by Patricia Armstrong which in which our heroine suffers from relatively advanced Myasthenia Gravis, which is also made a major, and somewhat realistic plot element, and like Alex Kate tries to live life to the fullest, though with worse dialogue and a far more convoluted plot.
February 5, 2023
This was an absolute favourite of my mom's from years ago. I eventually found the right book and immediately hunted down a physical copy of it. I'm so glad I added it to my shelf.
The story slowed down in the middle for me, but I enjoyed seeing Patrick and Alex together. I really appreciated Patrick's patience and understanding. He didn't treat Alex's struggles as just something to tolerate. I do wish Alex's character was different. I wasn't a fan of her constant remarks about how her arthritis made her undesirable. I would have loved to see her be a bit more kind to herself.
The story slowed down in the middle for me, but I enjoyed seeing Patrick and Alex together. I really appreciated Patrick's patience and understanding. He didn't treat Alex's struggles as just something to tolerate. I do wish Alex's character was different. I wasn't a fan of her constant remarks about how her arthritis made her undesirable. I would have loved to see her be a bit more kind to herself.
December 20, 2019
I read this book as a teenager right after being diagnosed with arthritis and this story has stuck with me ever since.
I moved about a dozen years back and my book vanished so am extremely glad to finally find this book again!
I highly recommend this and will be purchasing this book again to replace my lost copy as soon as I can!
I moved about a dozen years back and my book vanished so am extremely glad to finally find this book again!
I highly recommend this and will be purchasing this book again to replace my lost copy as soon as I can!
November 23, 2025
Painful getting to a climactic anti-climax. I feel like the entire bit was left out. The positive is, it made me appreciate the ADA more, since it didn’t exist when this book was written (1987) and the main character struggled with access in multiple buildings.
May 4, 2020
I love this book. My grandma had RA, and this book helped her when she was feeling really down about herself and the disease. Reading it always makes me feel closer to her.
August 18, 2022
A NFL player and arthritic woman who runs a travel agency for the disabled fall in love. Cute story with unique characters with a little spiciness.
July 23, 2016
Alexandra Farrell runs a travel agency specializing in serving the handicapped. She knows what is needed since she is handicapped herself with rheumatoid arthritis. The disease has already necessitated hand surgery, wrist replacement and hip replacement. She is months away from having the other hip replaced when she meets Patrick O'Casey, star football quarterback. At 36, he is at a crossroads of his own. The road to true love for these two is very rocky, lots of pain and insecurity. A real tearjerker with a lot of information of the disease and living with it. Since this was written in the 80s I had to go look up what the status of this disease is today. Still a painful life, newer meds can slow the damage, but still no cure or definitive cause. Well done.
September 2, 2016
This was a good read and definitely provided insight as to what it's like to live with RA - from the frontispiece, the author has it.
The book is very well written - parts take place concurrently and alternate points of view. Sometimes that doesn't work well - here it did.
Patrick isn't what I'd describe as a full-on Alpha but, being QB on the field, he's accustomed to people listening to him and doing what he says. Alex is so insecure and Patrick is great about addressing her needs. He's also man enough to admit his mistakes and to learn from them.
There's also a secondary romance that works well.
This is the second romance I've read that has a heroine with RA. The other is Lord St. Claire's Angel, a traditional regency, that's awesome.
The book is very well written - parts take place concurrently and alternate points of view. Sometimes that doesn't work well - here it did.
Patrick isn't what I'd describe as a full-on Alpha but, being QB on the field, he's accustomed to people listening to him and doing what he says. Alex is so insecure and Patrick is great about addressing her needs. He's also man enough to admit his mistakes and to learn from them.
There's also a secondary romance that works well.
This is the second romance I've read that has a heroine with RA. The other is Lord St. Claire's Angel, a traditional regency, that's awesome.
February 16, 2015
I had this book for so long and I try to read so many times and I always stopped... I didn't know what I was I had this book for so long and I tried to read so many times and I always stopped... I didn't know what I was missing. missing.
June 4, 2012
Just reread this powerful story about a heroine with RA and it is just as good as the first time 25 years ago. The many of the challenges are the same for anyone with a chronic disease.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews