Bride in a Gilded Cage (Mills & Boon Romance) (Mills & Boon Hardback Romance) [Hardcover]

I love Abby Green's work and was thoroughly looking forward to reading this, especially as I love dancing. The dancing was spectacular but unfortunately, the story did not have any of her usual content and substance, I was left quite disappointed!

For me the perfect Presents is full of conflict and sensual tension and author Abby Green delivers this and more in Bride in a Gilded Cage. Talk about fireworks while reading the first chapters.

Isobel Miller had known since she was sixteen that at age 21 she would be required to marry Rafael Romero but she didn't like it one bit! On her eighteenth birthday Rafael came to meet her and the meeting was very unsettling. Their future marriage was a "water tight" arrangement and when they married her family's estencia would be returned and he would get a dynastic marriage from a family with a respected lineage. Not to mention that her father had made some bad investments and Rafael would give them a sizable amount of money. This agreement was made between her grandfather and his father years earlier.

Rafael Romero was a devastating male and and was one of the most sought after bachelors in Buenos Aires. He was determined to meet his future wife. Their meeting was absolutely explosive. Isobel was more than determined not to marry Rafael but when he grabbed her and kissed her it was quite amazing. However, being a proud alpha he brushed it off with a smart remark and left her absolutely confused and fuming. Now three years later he can't seem to stop remembering that kiss and he looked forward to when she turned twenty-one and they could marry.

Three years later, Isobel now resides in Paris and was teaching Tango classes. Her memories of Rafael still lingered as she remembered his kiss and she hated him for it! Even though she had dated, no one came close to making her feel what she felt with Rafael. And now Rafael was in Paris to collect her and make her his bride. Did Rafael remember that kiss years ago? You bet he did and he was looking forward to their marriage because he sincerely believed it would work because the passion was there but also because Isobel stood up to him, she challenged him in so many ways.

Even though Isobel grew up in society it was not something she wanted. She didn't want the designer clothes, the parties, the false friendships. She wanted to be free of that and was so hurt that her parents were relying on her to restore their fortune, not thinking about her. She loved to dance, she wanted to be free, she wanted to have her own studio and give families the opportunity to learn to dance. Plus she wanted to offer classes for disadvantaged kids and kids with learning disabilities because it had been proven dance was excellent therapy. She was conflicted because Rafael affected her and she was frightened, very frightened and afraid she would loose herself once they consummated their marriage because every time he kissed her, touched her, she went up in flames. What if she fell in love with him, would she loose her soul?

Rafael Romero, let's just say was every woman's dream. Successful, larger than life, full of passion and he aches for Isobel. She pleased him, she frustrated him and she was constantly on his mind. He couldn't wait to have her in his bed. Every step of the way, their marriage was a challenge with misconceptions on both parts, passion that sizzled and then when you wondered if there was a chance for them, the walls came tumbling down and their passion exploded. Rafael was pleased and Isobel was in turmoil because she realized what she feared would happen, she loved him.

The ensuing chapters of Bride in a Gilded Cage were so full of conflict, turmoil, passion, making this the most amazing love story. Especially the ending when Rafael revealed his true feelings for Isobel and how he went about revealing and executing them. Their happy ending was magical, I promise. Bravo Abby Green, Bride in a Gilded Cage was an exception love story and took my breath away.

Abby Green is one of my fave authors. This book is a little different, but quite good.

Her love of the tango was quite obvious.

Isobel and Rafael have been promised to each other via a legal agreement when Rafael's father bought an estancia (ranch) from Isobel's grandfather. Isobel's family had financial probs and the agreement was when Isobel turned 21 (she was 8 when the agreement was made, Rafael 18), she and Rafael would marry and Isobel's parents would get some money and Isobel would become half owner of the ranch.

Rafael turns up to Isobel's 18th birthday, with gf in tow!, to check her out and share a mind altering kiss with her. Isobel is defiant about marrying Rafael and eventually escapes to Paris where she teaches dance. Three years later Rafael finds her there and brings her back to Argentina to fulfill the terms of the agreement.

In those intervening three years, neither Isobel nor Rafael have been able to get the memory of that shared kiss out of their minds. In fact, Rafael did not sleep with any woman six months prior to retrieving Isobel in Paris, a fact he later brags to Isobel about in an attempt to show how much he cares. I thought this was a bit caddish of him and wouldn't have impressed me.

Isobel eventually falls in love with Rafael, but can't carry on in a marriage of convenience. She thought she could, but she realized she wants Rafael to love her. Will he?

Also mentioned in this book is Rafael's brother. I would like Ms. Green to write a book on him.

Sidenote: for the majority of the book the heroine has a pixie like haircut, so why does she have long hair on the book cover?