When Callida (Calli) Munro is called from Montana to come to Vistaria to help car for her sick aunt, Beryl, and younger cousin, Minerva (Minnie), she had little knowledge of what the country was like or its language, history, people, customs, or current political conditions. Not soon after arriving, she is walking a side street in the main city when she is surrounded by a group of rowdy young men intent on getting to know her way better than she was comfortable with. When âNo means no!â doesn't make any headway, she defends herself and lands in jail for assault! It seems the entire country is celebrating the Luna Festival where the people's inhibitions evaporate and the populace and emotions run to romance.
She is released when a handsome redhaired stranger appears at the jail and everyone there jumps to do his bidding. The stranger turns out to be Nicolas Escobeda, the step-brother of José Escobeda y Castaños, Vistaria's president. Although holding no official position in the government, he is a major power behind the scenes and secretly called âThe Red Leopardâ by his supporters in the army.
Calli is retrieved from the jail by her Uncle Josh Benning and his daughter, Minnie, who has made a new friend in the army while waiting for Calli to be released: Captain Eduardo (call me âDuardoâ) Peña y Santos. A gorgeous hunk of man, Duardo is a gentleman to the core and his eyes are firmly set on Minnie. He invites Minnie and Calli to a celebratory party the following night.
Calli's visit does not get any easier. With her luggage lost and the country on the edge of revolution, she learns that foreigners, especially Americanos, are mistrusted. Uncle Josh is in the country as the head of a lucrative mining operation, the Gallida Silver Mine, working under the protection of the government.
At the party, Calli is confronted once again by Nicolas Escobedo and the reality of their deep attraction for each other. But with the political situation as it is, for him to begin a liaison with one of the hated Americanos would be just what the revolutionaries need to start an all-out civil war. But their need for one another continues to grow.
Maybe 10 years ago, I was gifted with a random collection of Harlequin Romances from the 60s and 70s. For the most part, they were WONDERFUL, and I was soon addicted and always looking for more of these oldies. However, being written in an earlier time, there were no sex scenes and some of them depicted the interactions between the heroine and hero in a very âMe Tarzan, you Janeâ way with the hero always being in charge, always right, many times abusive, and the heroine supposedly loving every minute of it. Ugh. Yet, the storylines, the settings, and the characters were very compelling, interesting, exotic â I loved them.
Vistaria Has Fallen reminded me of all the good things in these books with the bad bits corrected. It has a great storyline, an exotic location, a load of action, characters that felt updated and realistic, dialogue that was natural, and sex is a âyes.â
I enjoyed the heck out of this book, and although it comes to a satisfying conclusion, there are signs that there is more to the story. I will anxiously await a sequel!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.
She is released when a handsome redhaired stranger appears at the jail and everyone there jumps to do his bidding. The stranger turns out to be Nicolas Escobeda, the step-brother of José Escobeda y Castaños, Vistaria's president. Although holding no official position in the government, he is a major power behind the scenes and secretly called âThe Red Leopardâ by his supporters in the army.
Calli is retrieved from the jail by her Uncle Josh Benning and his daughter, Minnie, who has made a new friend in the army while waiting for Calli to be released: Captain Eduardo (call me âDuardoâ) Peña y Santos. A gorgeous hunk of man, Duardo is a gentleman to the core and his eyes are firmly set on Minnie. He invites Minnie and Calli to a celebratory party the following night.
Calli's visit does not get any easier. With her luggage lost and the country on the edge of revolution, she learns that foreigners, especially Americanos, are mistrusted. Uncle Josh is in the country as the head of a lucrative mining operation, the Gallida Silver Mine, working under the protection of the government.
At the party, Calli is confronted once again by Nicolas Escobedo and the reality of their deep attraction for each other. But with the political situation as it is, for him to begin a liaison with one of the hated Americanos would be just what the revolutionaries need to start an all-out civil war. But their need for one another continues to grow.
Maybe 10 years ago, I was gifted with a random collection of Harlequin Romances from the 60s and 70s. For the most part, they were WONDERFUL, and I was soon addicted and always looking for more of these oldies. However, being written in an earlier time, there were no sex scenes and some of them depicted the interactions between the heroine and hero in a very âMe Tarzan, you Janeâ way with the hero always being in charge, always right, many times abusive, and the heroine supposedly loving every minute of it. Ugh. Yet, the storylines, the settings, and the characters were very compelling, interesting, exotic â I loved them.
Vistaria Has Fallen reminded me of all the good things in these books with the bad bits corrected. It has a great storyline, an exotic location, a load of action, characters that felt updated and realistic, dialogue that was natural, and sex is a âyes.â
I enjoyed the heck out of this book, and although it comes to a satisfying conclusion, there are signs that there is more to the story. I will anxiously await a sequel!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.
