He must earn her trust
before he wins her heart!
In distancing himself from his nefarious wealthy family, Julián
Fuentes has gained a rebellious reputation. Still, he's shocked when heiress
Amalia Troncoso hires him to stage her kidnapping! Julián doesn't mind
masquerading as a bandit to help Amalia get her inheritance from her tyrannical
uncle, or spending time with the bold heiress who's captured his imagination.
But will the truth that ties their families together prevent their alliance
from becoming more?
Good book. Amalia and her younger sister have been kept
under the thumb of their controlling uncle ever since their parents' deaths.
Amalia is very independent and chafes under Francisco's restrictions. She's
even more frustrated when he refuses their request for Lucia to study music in
Vienna. Determined to break free, Amalia hires Julián to kidnap her and plans
to use the ransom to finance their escape.
Julián is the son of a wealthy family but is treated as a
failure by his father when he refuses to cooperate with his unethical business
practices. Julián's cousin Victor, who has been Julián's nemesis since
childhood, is the one his father favors. Julián also suspects his father of
interfering with his relationship with a local woman. When Amalia hires him,
he's glad to help, as he also suspects that his father and Francisco are in
cahoots.
The kidnapping scene was excellent and immediately showed
the sparks of attraction that flared between Julián and Amalia. The banter
between them is amusing, with Amalia's intensity running up against Julián's
devil-may-care attitude. When it becomes evident that no ransom is forthcoming,
they race back to Amalia's home to discover her uncle and sister gone, and
Amalia's disappearance is described as an elopement.
This begins a roller coaster ride of twists and turns as Julián
and Amalia hurry after her family. The scene on the boat voyage involves a
gossipy acquaintance, a midnight feast in the ship's kitchen, and a
confrontation with thugs determined to return Amalia to her uncle. Matters
become more complicated when they find Francisco has bargained Lucia's hand to Julián's
cousin Victor. A confrontation reveals Julián's other reason for helping
Amalia, leaving her feeling betrayed. Julián attempts to trick his father into
revealing information, and Amalia suffers another kidnapping, this time a real
one. There are heart-stopping moments when Julián races to the rescue, and they
struggle to escape her captors. The final confrontation was fantastic. I loved
seeing Amalia take the lead and expose her uncle's shenanigans. I also loved
seeing Julián get to deal with Victor.
The development of the relationship between Julián and
Amalia had its ups and downs. While their chemistry is undeniable, Amalia has
trust issues regarding men. She is determined to avoid marriage, which is one
of the reasons she wants control of her inheritance. Julian has reacted to his
father's disdain by developing a rebellious reputation. Underneath that reputation
is a man with a good heart, his own sense of honor, and a belief that he is
unworthy of love. As they spend time together, Amalia shows Julián that his
father is wrong. At the same time, Amalia begins to trust Julián, though that
trust takes a hit when she learns of his other reason for helping her. I loved Julián's
determination to protect her and seeing how he begins to earn back her trust. I
especially liked the ending, where he shows how well he understands her and her
fears.
I'd like a book that follows Julián, Amalia, and Lucia in
Europe. Not only to keep up with Julián and Amalia but also to see if it lives
up to Lucia's expectations.
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