Saturday, March 5, 2011

Captive Bride by Bonnie Dee

This is the story of an arranged marriage that turns into a nightmare...


Carina Press published this eBook in mid-February.  I got my copy from Net Galley.  Thanks to you both for the chance to read and review it.  You can buy it directly from Carina Press or from other eBook vendors.


Huiann is from China and her father, a wealthy merchant, has arranged this marriage for his daughter.  She will be living in San Francisco and her future husband has paid well for her.  Imagine her consternation when she finds the room she is in has bars on the window and he has no plans to marry her; she's to be a high-priced call girl!


While being transported to her first "date", where she will lose her virginity, she manages to escape the carriage and takes refuge in a general mercantile store. Luckily, Alan is a kind soul who hides her and takes her in and protects her.  But Xie bought her and she's his property and he won't give up...


I really truly enjoyed this read.  It's set in 1870 and is historically correct.  The romance between Alan and Huiann is surprising to both of them and not acceptable to either culture.  Ms. Dee makes her characters strong and determined and hardworking.  You'd need to be in that era.  The only part of the plot that stretched my imagination a bit was that Xie is the head of one of the Tongs and they fight him without repercussions.  Tongs are well organized and have long memories.  But it is fiction, so I'll set that worry aside.  Before you're through with the story, you'll want protect Huiann, too.


Get yourself a copy of this eBook and visit Chinatown in Frisco in 1870.  It's well worth a visit.

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