Review 2 : Maria Gonzalez

June 2009: Danya for Night Owls Reviews

                  Rating: 3 ½ - enjoyable

After her father’s death, Maria left her home in Antwerp and moved to Madrid to live with her uncle and aunt in 1582. Miguel Gonzalez was a darkly handsome soldier who quickly swept Maria off her feet. After four years of wonderful and passionate marriage, Miguel was posted to New Spain. Maria refused to be separated from her husband, so she went with him. After a horrible attack by Indians leaves only Maria and the priest alive, Maria is given to the Aztec king Montezuma as a bride, considered to be a woman of the Sun because of her golden hair. After many experiences, Maria finds herself in England years later, fighting an attraction to the attractive sea captain Michael Fenwick. Will she be able to resist the advances of the lusty Sea Dog or will Maria succumb to his salacious intentions?

Nickie Fleming has written a sweeping romance that follows one woman through exciting and tumultuous times in history. Torrid and steamy scenes combined with intrigue and danger result in Maria Gonzalez gripping the reader’s attention. While not always historically accurate - the story more than makes up for any creative rewriting of history.