Secret Seduction by Susan Napier ... QC #282

Reviewed by Katherine-eHarlequin on July 27th, 2008, 11:07am

by Susan Napier

Format: Print Books

Series: Harlequin Presents

4 Stars! ~~~ This is an amazing story, one that made me appreciate Ms. Napier’s talent even more!

Secret Seduction by Susan Napier

Harlequin Presents #2135 ~ October 2000

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Nina’s content in her rented cottage on Shearwater Island off the coast of Auckland. Nine months before on the ferry over, she’d fallen and knocked her head and when she came too she realized she’d completely whipped out the last two years of her life. Feeling healthy otherwise, Nina decided to just move on with her life and perhaps the memories would come back. One evening a huge storm swept the island and Nina discovers a stranger outside her cottage having been knocked down by a tree struck by lightening. She manages to get him safely inside, when she see the huge gash on his head. A neighbour is a doctor and he comes over to stitch up the stranger, a stranger who doesn’t recall his name. Only when his overnight bag is found are they certain that his name is Ryan. No one can leave the island until the storms pass, so Nina has no choice but to keep him. And when her landlord returns and hires Ryan to do repairs to the cottages, Nina is forced to keep him even longer. There’s something about this man that makes her uncomfortable, and slowly glimpses of her missing life begin. Nina fights it all, she knows instinctively that getting close to Ryan will only bring her unbearable pain.

This is an amazing story. It was a little confusing at first with all the amnesias! Ryan was honestly dazed from the knock on the head, but he took advantage of that in order to be close to Nina. We find out about mid book that he’s come to find her. It’s obvious that Ryan loves her very much but he’s holding back. He knows that for Nina’s sake she needs to find her past on her own. Something happened, and in order to protect herself Nina blocked out all things that were associated with her loss, and that meant blocking out Ryan. Nina realizes that unless she finds the courage to confront her past she’s going to lose Ryan forever. I loved these characters and I thought Nina’s amnesia was very realistic as were their reactions to one another. They have a sizzling chemistry that is very well done; a shower scene comes to mind! I read this one twice, and on the second reading I picked up the nuances that I missed with the first reading and came to appreciate Ms. Napier’s talent even more.

Excellence: Very Good ~ Steaminess: Yummy

My Totals = 92 ~ Harlequin Imprint = 77 ~ Other Publisher = 15

KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
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