The Royal Geographic Society has twice sent teams of men down the Amazon to Manaus but none have ever returned. Under the auspices of collecting rare orchids, which British society is simply mad for, the true mission is to bring back rubber tree seeds. Manaus, home of the rubber barons, is the fifth richest city in the world - a wealth primarily maintained through slave labor. These debauched men have no problem eradicating any threat to their fortunes. Enter Harry Kincaid, a mercenary with just enough Paris refinement to get him into Manaus society. Harry is going to break the South American rubber monopoly and destroy these corrupt men, that is, if he doesn't lose himself to a woman first.

This is not my first reading of Black Orchid. I discovered it as a young teen and its more tawdry passages made quite an impression. But after many years all I could remember was orchids, a boat and a feisty love affair. Who knew there were so many romances out there having to do with orchids? But I finally tracked it down again and was really looking forward to a re-read of it.

Black Orchid is an adventure-romance, my favorite kind of guilty-pleasure reading. It's not epic, legendary, literary or particularly novel. It's just fun. Go in with your eyes open and enjoy it for what it is. ( )

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