365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #168

Under the Brazilian Sun - Catherine George
Mills and Boon Modern
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263886832





My rating




From the back cover:

"Beauty and the beast...
Roberto de Sousa lived for the sound of crowds chanting his name. But now all he hears are thoughts of bitterness and regret. One look at his scarred face in the mirror and he's back in his car as it crashes, his racing career destroyed.
No one has tempted the reclusive champion out from his mansion, and Dr Katherine Lister is the only person to be invited in...She's there to value a rare piece of art. But under Roberto's sultry gaze she feels like a priceless jewel..."


After the last book I read on this challenge I needed a good ol' Modern to put me back on track! I quite liked this one.

The heroine Katherine is an art historian and has travelled to Portugal to inspect a painting on behalf of her employer. When she arrives she meets the hero Roberto, the owner of the painting, who at first seems unhappy that she is a woman and is slightly standoffish with her. Roberto is a former racing car driver but after a car accident he has been left with a permanent leg injury and scarred. As he and Katherine spend time together their feelings for each other grow and Roberto begins to come to terms with his injuries. When they are forced to go their separate ways, Katherine to England and Roberto back home to Brazil, they are both torn by their lives and each other. But as time goes on without word from Roberto, Katherine begins to think that what happened between them meant nothing to him.

I'm going to give it to you straight. This is a very warm and pleasant romance, but it is a tad boring. The narrative, dialogue, and characters just never really clicked for me. At times it's a little too dragged out. Although I liked the simplicity of the romance. It was refreshing to read something that didn't include any underlying revenge or full of issues and/or angst.
A few of the Portuguese expressions are incorrect, which is a little frustrating.

Overall, this is a warm and pleasant romance, if a little dull. I also think that this, perhaps, is more suited to the Cherish/Romance RIVA lines rather than the Modern line.

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