Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Nov08

“Spaniard’s Seduction” is Tessa Radley’s latest Silhouette Desire release in her ‘Saxon Brides’ series about a family of vintners in New Zealand. I enjoy reading the occasional Silhouette or Harlequin release because I know, 1-the books will take less than two hours to finish, 2-the books won’t contain much, if any, violence, and 3-the story will always end happily. So when I’m looking for a quick pick-me-up read, I always have a few on hand to sate my appetite.

Caitlyn is not a member of the Saxon family; instead she’s their award-winning winemaker. Since she met the eldest Saxon son, Heath, in college, she’s quietly loved him and was thrilled when he helped her get an internship at his family’s famous winery. When another worker attacked her, the family gave her a home and a job and a refuge. She has been fiercely protective of them ever since, burying herself in her job and using her unrequited love for Heath as a shield against dating. Then seemingly from nowhere, a haughty Spaniard turns up saying he’s a Saxon bastard child…and the eldest to boot. Caitlyn dislikes his arrogance and his hatred of the Saxon patriarch, but the way he makes her feel is very confusing.

Rafaelo has come to New Zealand for revenge. He intends to force the Saxon’s to give him his due inheritance—an equal share in the winery. Then he plans to sell that share to the first non-family bidder. His hatred of the Saxon patriarch is fierce and he intends that no one will get in his way. Certainly not a waifish, but sexy, winemaker!

Ah, yes. The course of true love never runs smooth, right? I fell a little in love with Rafaelo once the author showed me his hidden kindness and gentleness. Like Caitlyn, the more I learned, the harder it was to maintain my dislike. I appreciated the fact that Ms Radley didn’t wave a wand and vanish Caitlyn’s fears; instead, Rafaelo’s patience and gentleness helped Caitlyn overcome her fears. Other than the compacted timeframe, I found the situation believable. There was even a bit of history about New Zealand winemaking to sweeten the read. The tension between the hero and heroine was taut from the first and tastefully done…not too hot, not too cold.

I quite enjoyed my quick mental excursion to New Zealand through Tessa Radley’s latest release. “Spaniard’s Seduction” delivered a sweet and lightly spiced love story with a pinch of mystery and a dash of action to flavor the plot. I’ll be looking for her next release in the series, “Pregnancy Proposal”, which is due to hit the shelves in early December. Salud! ( )