
Part of Series
HOW LONG COULD SHE HATE THIS MAN WHO AWOKE SUCH UNBIDDEN ECSTASY? Aristocratic Rafael Navarro spies the beautiful Catherine Mayfield at one of New Orleans' most exotic quadroon balls and mistakes her for a woman who generously dispenses her favors. He realizes too late that he has hopelessly compromised a lady of the haute monde. With no choice but to accept his proposal, the enraged Catherine becomes his bride. Rafael whisks her away to his bayou home, a looming, dark mansion of secrets and forbidden passions. Here, whispers of past tragedy and present danger begin to insinuate their way into her life —- while she weakens to her growing desire for a man whose caress ruthlessly tempts her with the pleasures of love. But the past may keep her from claiming the heart of this enigmatic man, who has indelibly and passionately claimed her body and her soul ...
Author

A pseudonym used by Patricia Maxwell. Jennifer Blake has been called a “pioneer of the romance genre”, and an “icon of the romance industry.” A New York Times and international best selling author since 1977, she is a charter member of Romance Writers of America, member of the RWA Hall of Fame, and recipient of the RWA Lifetime Achievement Rita. She holds numerous other honors, including two “Maggies”, two Holt Medallions, multiple Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times BookReviews Magazine, and the Frank Waters Award for literary excellence. She has written over 60 books with translations in 20 languages and more than 30 million copies in print worldwide. Jennifer and her husband reside in a lakeside Caribbean-style retreat in North Louisiana where they often entertain family and friends. Always a gardener, she spends much of her time encouraging her garden to bloom with her favorite daylilies and antique roses. She also enjoys walking her two dogs, Buffy and Lucky, and indulging in needlework, painting, and travel.