"First in the Carrington Trilogy"

Miranda Carrington likely never cared for the song "Me and My Shadow". For her, the words had a different connotation. A shadow was her perpetual bodyguard that dogged her every step. Miranda was the free spirit, the youngest of the Carrington children, and ever since the death of Katrina, the eldest daughter of Senator Carrington, she'd been forced to live under the watchful eyes of her paid protector...the whole time itching for the elusive taste of freedom. For a fleeting moment, she thought she caught the wonderful feeling. In a blond wig, living in a small town in Portugal, she felt "normal"... just like everyone else. Then he spoke to her shattering the illusion.

Alessandra Vellenti, heir the Vellenti Vineyards died five- years before, died in a horrible bomb-blast that claimed his two best friends. Now only Sandro exists. And Sandro is a man who does what he must. He does the balancing act upon the tightrope, so deep undercover he fears he may as well be dead as everyone believes him to be. A man serving two masters. He is sent by the "guys in the white hat" to protect Miranda Carrington. The son of General Viktor Zhukov was captured crossing from Canada to the US, and Miranda father claims he will stand trial for his crimes. Only Viktor sees Miranda as a pawn, a hostage to be traded for his son. Sandro has sent five years in hell trying to get close to Zhukov, and handing Miranda to the evil dictator would be the ticket.

Miranda is attacked to the handsome stranger who approaches her on that sunny afternoon. But soon, she ﷯﷯discover﷯﷯s, in the same instant, her supposed freedom is a myth as she spots her bodyguard rushing toward her. Suddenly, he is gunned down and Sandro is pushing her to run. So begins a chase, with Sandro dragging Miranda across Portugal one- step ahead of those chasing them. Despite her growing desire for the dark and deadly Sandro, is he her savior or her capture?

Jenna Mills gives you a dancer on the razor's edge, in a pulse-pounding story, the first of the Carrington children's tales.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted September 29, 2004

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Summary

An international kidnapping attempt gone awry forces undercover special forces operative Sandro Vellenti to hustle free-spirited Miranda Carrington into a shadowy world where lies skirt dangerously close to the truth, and the truth could well get them killed. On the run through the countryside of Portugal—from crumbling castle ruins to haunting standing stones, musty wineries to walled cities—they learn freedom comes in many shapes and sizes. And sometimes, the greatest freedom of all comes in the form of surrender.