Reviews by Wendy Soliman

I snapped the third in the Stephanie Beauman series up as soon as it hit the digital book shelves. Having read the first two, Embedded and Expose, I couldn’t wait to found what further twists and turns directed Stephanie’s life. I wasn’t disappointed. Never one to hide her light under the proverbial bushel, Stephanie takes another undercover journalistic assignment, this time helping to make a documentary about the International Grand Prix circuit. She meets an old adversary, lethally compelling Jeffrey Caroway. Wouldn’t you know it, former lover Gabriel de Romanos is the owner of the Argentinean team. I was pleased about that. I rather like Gabriel, mainly because he’s obsessed with Stephanie and she’s one of the few things in his life that he can’t control with his money and compelling charm. Gabriel if focused on winning the championship but his feelings for Stephanie haven’t changed and he’s equally determined to win her. Jeffrey seems similarly minded but kick-ass Stephanie takes no prisoners and the reader is left guessing which way she’ll swing. Trouble seems to follow Stephanie in whatever she does and once again she finds herself up to her neck in murder and mayhem that throws suspicion on both Jeffery and Gabriel. Oh, and I almost forgot about Jean-Luc for a moment there. He’s a French driver who also has his sights set on Stephanie, and beating Gabriel to the championship. When his life his threatened Stephanie must decide who she can trust, as well as trying to stay alive herself, producing nail-biting tension as I rooted for Stephanie to come through. Fast moving and exciting, with lots of hot, throbbing engines, (and I’m not necessarily talking about the cars here!). More twists and turns than most race tracks and a definite chicane of a climax that I didn’t see coming. Exciting escapism that will have you on the edge of your seat, rooting for Stephanie. Buy it! Better yet, buy all three. You won’t regret it.

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I loved Simone Sinna’s first book in the Stephanie Beauman series and eagerly awaited Expose. This one takes the investigative journalist from New York, where she is recovering from the end of her affair with Gabriel, to France and Spain. Producer Jeffrey Carroway is making a film on the Camino de Santiago—the famous pilgrims' walk—and Stephanie has a tip-off that he is planning to buy himself an Academy Award. Stephanie joins the film crew and finds more than she bargained for when things start going wrong on set. I don’t know much about film crews but all the petty jealousies, tantrums thrown by the stars and fights between the producer and director sounded realistic to me. Sinna’s sparkling writing highlighted the tensions, bringing them alive to such an extent that that much over-used phrase ‘page-turner’ really applies in this case. Sabotage, bribery, and artistic integrity are all in the mix as Stephanie struggles to find out who’s trying to destroy the film and who, if anyone, is trying to buy that award. I have to confess that I didn’t guess, which is good because I usually do! Stephanie isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to get her story, and for that I admire her. She’s attracted against her will to the charismatic Carroway, gets entangled with director Paolo and male lead Damian Croft. She also needs to figure out why the location manager is keeping such a close eye on her, and wonders whether she will ever truly escape Gabriel. I can’t wait for book three to find out if she finishes up with Gabriel. I kinda hope she does. Entertaining, witty, lots of hot sex and even hotter sunshine. What more could you ask? Do yourself a favour and buy a copy of this fun, well-researched novel. You won’t regret it.

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I was hooked from the first page, unsure where this story was going. New York journalist Stephanie Beauman, recently fired from her job on a fashion magazine, goes undercover in Sydney, Australia, taking a job as a hostess come house-sitter for publicity shy businessman, Gabriel de Romanos. Attracted to the enigmatic Argentinian, she doesn’t want to believe he’s a drug dealer, or that he had anything to do with the disappearance of the woman he intended to marry years earlier. But if she discovers proof of his guilt, her feelings won’t get in the way of the exclusive story that will make her name in the world of journalism. With the help of Gabriel’s groundsman, Stephanie gradually leans more about her reclusive employer, and his arch rival Miguel. Both men involve her in games that spill over into the bedroom , pitting Stephanie’s desire for a good story against desires of a more immediate nature. The locations were glamorous, as too were the main players. The author kept me guessing right up to the last page, and I didn’t see the final twist coming. An entertaining read. You won’t regret buying this one.

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