After the death of her philandering husband, Eva saw no reason to stay at home while his relatives glared at her. She had never fit in their circle and, while packing up Stephen’s things, she had found a ticket to Brazil for an expedition in search of a topaz stone. Why not? It’s not as if she had a good reason to stay.
At the airport, she spies a good-looking man who stops her breath. Then she is met by a taxi driver and hurried on to the next leg of her journey – the small town where the expedition will begin. She is dropped off in front of a house where the housekeeper doesn’t speak English – nor do the neighbors. After walking the entire village, she ends up where she started, hot, dehydrated and a bit angry. Turns out this is the right home, after all.
Eva and her companions soon meet their leader, Roberto de Carvalho, the mysterious man at the airport! She wakes up in his bed with him kissing her. Not the tour introduction she had imagined! Maria had put her up there to rest and couldn’t explain that it was the boss’ room.
She is overwhelmed by the town, the jungle, the food and by Roberto himself. Until he opens his mouth and calls her a “black widow” searching immediately for a new husband. She is the only woman on the trip and, through her passion for photography, immediately becomes the video person for them all.
They are searching for the Epsinhaco Topaz from a map given to Roberto by an old friend. Do they find it? Possibly. Will Roberta stop nagging Eva for every little thing? NEVER! She is falling in love and he could care less. This is an e-book unveiling of some of Barbara Delinsky’s early works and, while I don’t think I’ve read her before, I am looking forward to more of her titles coming my way. The characters are wonderfully done, the tropic scenery beautifully described and the storyline is exceptional. ( )