Wild Orchids

Lora Harding is vacationing in Cancun after years of tending her late Mother's illness. Renting a car to visit the ruins, she is surprised by a man jumping in her car and forcing her at gun point to drive him into the jungle. Despite several attempts to escape she cannot and ends up on a terrifying adventure that tests her and shows her her true inner strength. Typical of 80s capture style romance, but a good writer who I've enjoyed in the past.

WO is a road/cabin romance that starts out in Cancun, Mexico when Lora is carjacked by Max. I normally love an alpha hero but this guy is an alpha jerk. Way over the top jerk too. He scares her to death when he jumps in her car with his face hidden by a sombrero, kidnaps her and manhandles her when she tries to escape, but the worst part is his repeated threats of rape! You know, I could almost forgive him if he could have groveled or even apologized because he does not actually physically abuse her. But, no! No apologies, no groveling. Heroine is no wimp either, she's a fighter and insists on staying with him when their lives are in danger. So I never understood why she is SOOO hot for him even while he is bullying her or threatening show more her with rape. I did not fall for that crap. Well, WO warmed me up, partly because of the hot sex scenes and jungle heat, but mostly because it pissed me off. I thought this book which combined two of my favorite themes (jungle and road/cabin romance) would be great but I ended up disappointed. Granted this was an oldie, originally published 1986, so I should probably allow some leeway, but threats of rape turn me off. (Grade: C-) show less

Lost impetus in the last half. I just couldn't really get behind either of the characters. Even though I love this sort of book, this one just didn't work for me. It seemed to lack polish somehow.

When schoolteacher Lora Harding's mother passed away she finds herself free to take a vacation. In Mexico she is carjacked and driven across the country by a man she both fears and is attracted to.

Read