From island scandal
To dutiful vows!
When heiress Paulina Despradel is banished from the
family quinta in a storm, she seeks shelter with her dashing new neighbor,
Sebastian Linares. Their attraction may be as electrifying as the lightning
outside, but the night they spend together is totally innocent. Barely more
than strangers, they must now marry. But left alone with their simmering
chemistry, can they build a true union from the ashes of scandal?
Good book with an out-of-the-ordinary historical setting.
The story takes place on a sugar plantation on a small Caribbean island in
1904. I enjoyed the exotic location and the look at a different lifestyle than
the more plentiful Regency/Victorian settings.
Paulina is a twenty-one-year-old woman who has lived
under the thumb of her older brother Antonio since their parents died when she
was much younger. He is extremely controlling, keeping her a virtual prisoner
on their increasingly deteriorating estate. Antonio is driven by what other
people think, so he talks big and gives the impression of great wealth. He is
actually deeply in debt, but that doesn't stop his gambling and spending. He
chooses Paulina's clothes and dictates where she may go and who she may talk
to.
As the book opens, Paulina has been permitted to go to a
store in town to purchase things for a party her brother is giving for her
birthday. There she meets their new neighbor, Sebastian, who lives on the
plantation next door and purchased the sugar mill that belonged to her family.
They make quite the impression on each other, and Paulina invites him to her
party. Sebastian turns her down because he spends most of his time working and has
reasons to avoid romantic entanglements.
But when Antonio arrives and sees them talking, he says terrible things
about Sebastian and drags Paulina forcibly from the store. Sebastian suddenly
changes his mind about the party and tells her he'll be there.
I ached for Paulina because it became evident that
Antonio is abusive, selfish, and just plain mean-spirited. The party that night
was not all that great, and Paulina spent most of it watching for Sebastian to
arrive. I loved how he paid attention to her. Their interactions were
respectful and respectable, but he didn't stay long. After the party ended,
Antonio made wild accusations and threw Paulina out of the house in the middle
of a storm. With nowhere else to go, she went to Sebastian. I loved how he took
her in and cared for her. It was easy to see that there were sparks between
them, but Sebastian is an honorable man. Unfortunately, they were caught in a
compromising position the next morning by Antonio and two guardsmen. Again, he
made wild accusations against Sebastian, ending with Sebastian being thrown in
jail.
Then Antonio's diabolical plan comes out. He claims that
Sebastian has dishonored Paulina and must marry her or stay in jail. Though
Sebastian tries to refuse, eventually, he gives in because he worries about
what will happen to his mill employees and those he's responsible for. He is
furious, believing that Paulina was in on the setup. Though they are married,
he is determined to find a way to annul the marriage.
I liked seeing the relationship between Sebastian and
Paulina develop. Sebastian refuses to believe that Paulina wasn't involved and
tells her not to expect anything from him. Paulina is hurt that he thinks she
would do such a thing. I liked seeing Paulina's sweet nature slowly win
Sebastian over, eventually convincing him that she is innocent. I enjoyed
seeing her get involved in life there, fitting in as if she belonged. I
especially enjoyed seeing her constantly surprise him with the things she could
do. Sebastian, hurt by a deceptive woman in a previous relationship, resists
the idea of risking his heart again. But
the more he gets to know Paulina, the more she gets past his walls. He warmed
my heart when he took her to town and gave her all the decision-making power.
It was easy to see the feelings growing between them, but Sebastian resisted
giving into them.
Trouble comes when Antonio first tries blackmail to get
money from Sebastian. When that doesn't work, his desperation leads him to
other attempts. I was glued to the pages as his actions took a dangerous
direction. I ached for Paulina as she discovered how low her brother would go.
Sebastian's protectiveness for the woman he realizes he loves puts his life in
peril. The scene between him and Antonio had me on the edge of my seat until it
was all over.
I loved the ending and seeing where they were two years
later. I enjoyed seeing how happy Sebastian is and that Paulina has the life
she could only dream of before her marriage to Sebastian.
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