Nobody’s Saint

Diego thought that the answer to his prayers was a virtuous Spanish virgin….until the Saints delivered a fiery, intractable Irish Miss into his care; a woman who is definitely nobody’s saint.

High-spirited Irish lass, Mary Katherine O’Reilly knew that she would have to choose a husband one day. She had no idea that her disliked English grandfather would take the choice out of her hands, by threatening the tenure of her family’s farm. Sir Calder Larcombe wanted his estate and title to fall to an English heir and was determined to stop Mary Kate from marrying an Irish savage, so he took her back to England. For four years, Mary Kate was belligerent and rude to her suitors. If all else failed she threw herself on the floor in a tantrum. Finally, she believed that her grandfather had given up and was sending her home. Mary Kate had been duped. Sir Calder had signed a marriage contract with a man that she had never met. Soon she was locked in a small cabin on a ship as it sailed towards her new Jamaican home.

Shortly afterwards, the ship was attacked by pirates and then the Spanish. Mary Kate’s fate was placed in the hands of a Spanish captain, Diego Montoya. Unfortunately for Mary Kate, the handsome man does not fall for her tricks or her false charm. He is a devout Catholic, as she is also, so she knows better than to tempt him with her feminine wiles and lose his respect… or does she? Mary Kate has never lost self-control around any man, but that was before she met Diego.

Diego’s life, his decisions and morality, were always a reflection of his strong Catholic religious beliefs. He knew that he had kept his crew alive because he heeded his visions of Saint Maria Magdelena. Diego had been guided away from pirates and even left a woman that he loved deeply because of this spiritual assistance. Lately he has come to realise that his crew is wary of him, suspiciously believing that his good fortune comes from a supernatural force.

The saintly vision had always promised Diego that he would one day find a soul mate, a woman of his own to love and cherish. Whilst fighting pirates on the open sea, Diego is astounded to see that his vision has come alive. He is struck by sight of the dark haired beauty on the pirates’ deck and is grateful that he has finally been sent his Spanish bride. Diego’s euphoria turns to disbelief when the woman speaks. Her language is vulgar and definitely English, not Spanish. After the prisoners are taken, Diego questions the woman, whose sweet compliant behavior is at odds with her first impressions. Mary Kate’s beauty is obvious, but Diego soon realizes that she has been lying to him. She is clearly not the saint of his visions, but a woman who is desperate enough to do anything to control her own destiny. When her attentions become physical, Diego knows that without his strong sense of honor he would be powerless to resist her.

Paula Reed’s historical series (Into His Arms, For Her Love & Nobody’s Saint) are all highly recommended by this reader. Although the main characters in each are linked, the stories are completely different, each based on separate themes but all with strong ideals. Readers are sure to be moved by many of the events and emotions felt while reading these stories. The character of Diego is introduced in the first novel of the series and the tale of his romance is well worth the wait. During the opening chapters of Nobody’s Saint, Diego is disbelieving when he is presented with the idea that in this period of time, a woman needs to use any assets that she has to control her life. As the story unfolds, Diego himself uses whatever he can, even to the point of lying when all appears to be lost, to gain the upper hand. His strong sense of duty and honor is never compromised. Diego has to come to understand that the Saints have answered his prayers, in a manner that he could never foresee. Erotic moments are long awaited and an essential part of this romance. Whilst they leave little to the imagination, the love making is not overly explicit. Paula Reed’s books are keepers that will be fondly remembered by this reader. I look forward to her future releases.

Reviewed by: Naomi