The year is 1943 and Geraldine Pearce is in Khadampur, India. While her wounded father, Gordon, a big game-hunter, is slowly dying before her eyes, he promises an emerald peacock to Maharaja. With no one left to care for her, Maharaja promises to be there, keeping her as his own daughter. After her twenty-first birthday, she will be given the emerald peacock broach that was a keepsake of her mothers. While Geraldine resides inside the palace, she is known as Dina by everyone. Unfortunately, four years later, bad luck strikes when Maharaja dies. His son, Maharaja Ashok Kumar succeeds his father and decides to possess Dina and the peacock broach. Dina is hurt by the ordeal and only wants what is rightly hers, but the only thing that Ashok intends to do is make Dina his love slave. Duncan MacGavin, an engineer, knows about Ashok and his attitude. After working on the construction of the palace when Maharaja reigned, he got to see firsthand Ashok’s action’s, and he found the man, revolting. Of course, others see his egotistical side, too. The moment Dina meets Duncan; they are immediately drawn to each other. As Dina and Duncan come closer together, Ashok’s fury abounds as he ensues to do anything in his power to have Dina for himself.

Lure of the Emerald Peacock has a romance that leaps from the pages and sends warmth to the heart. The dedication that Dina shows for the keepsake that was left to her by her mother was written so well. Anytime she could have said goodbye to the palace that had been her home the last four years, but she chose to stay until she could claim what belonged to her. Duncan is the all-round great hero with charisma, and great sex appeal that emits great love for Dina. Ms. Hilliger writes a heartfelt story mixed with a bit of intrigue that engages the reader. Ashok, and the other secondary characters, create great drama that keeps the story moving at a great pace. The depraved harshness can almost be heard in the pages when Ashok speaks of his intentions toward Dina. Each character plays a role that orbits around Dina and Duncan making this one terrific book read.

Reviewed by: Linda L.