A royal tour…A real enticement!
When Crown Prince Dante is unexpectedly thrown together
on a royal tour in southern Africa with childhood friend Sierra, unanticipated
sparks ignite while they're on safari. At the risk of ruining their friendship,
Dante knows he cannot reveal how he really feels. But with Sierra dazzling
everyone she meets, Dante soon realizes she could be the perfect royal consort…
Will they risk it all and finally give in to their temptation?
Good second chance romance in a fascinating location. The
descriptions of the environment and wildlife were so vivid that I felt like I was
experiencing it along with Sierra and Dante. I especially enjoyed their
reactions to the leopards and the lions.
Dante, Sierra, and Dante's late wife, Rula, were best
friends growing up. But Rula's ambitious parents planted the idea of being a
queen in her mind early in her life. So she spent her childhood and teen years
doing everything possible to prepare for that life, with marriage to Dante as her
end goal. Meanwhile, Dante and Sierra's friendship deepened, though neither
said anything about their feelings to the other. In the end, Dante's parents
encouraged him to marry Rula, but the marriage was not happy. Then, two years
ago, Rula was killed in a car accident, and Dante has been eaten with guilt
ever since.
The story opens as Dante's mother tasks him with going on
a special trip as a replacement for her and the king, who is ill. He is content
with the idea until the queen hits him with her plan that he is accompanied by a
fellow citizen who can be his partner for ceremonies and activities. Dante is
stunned when she selects Sierra, whom he hasn't seen since Rula's funeral. Because
Sierra was always at the back of his mind, even during his marriage, just the
thought of spending time with her ramps up his guilt.
Sierra is shocked at the idea of accompanying Dante and refuses
his initial request. She is well aware of her feelings for him and feels the
risk to her heart is not worth it. But she changes her mind when she learns the
reason behind the request.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Dante and
Sierra develop. Their initial awkwardness with each other begins to fade as
they attempt to resurrect their friendship. But matters quickly become
complicated as their buried feelings resurface. Each fights those feelings.
Dante is still consumed with guilt over what he sees as his failure as a
husband, which causes him to resist the idea of marrying again. Sierra compares
herself to Rula and comes up short, believing that she could never be the type
of wife Dante needs. A night stranded in the wilderness brings their attraction
to a head. But the past and insecurities keep them apart, and they go their
separate ways.
Fate isn't done with them and brings them back together
for a wedding. Sierra's tension was evident, as was Dante's hopefulness. I
wanted to shake them both as Dante flubs around expressing his feelings, and
Sierra allows her insecurities to keep her from following her heart. It takes a
surprise discovery to open her eyes and put the past to rest. The ending was
emotional, and the epilogue was great.
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