From Russia, with Love

Mediterranean Nights #1

by Ingrid Weaver

Successful fashion designer Marina Artamova is determined to reunite her small family. Her orphaned nephew has vanished into the Russian welfare system, and her mission is his rescue.

After months of searching, Marina locates Stefan - but not before he's adopted by David Anderson, an American teacher. She books passage on Alexandra's Dream, the cruise ship David has chosen as a treat for the uncharacteristically reserved boy before taking him to the U.S. Marina is single-minded in her quest to gain custody of Stefan, despite the romantic ambience of the cruise ship and her undeniable attraction to David.

Marina and David have no idea that the boy's silence hides a secret about his parents' deaths...and that the man responsible will stop at nothing to keep him quiet.

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

About the author

Weaver was born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She has a degree in English literature. After her youngest child entered school in 1989 she began writing in the hopes that she could build a career that would allow her to work from home. None of her first eight manuscripts sold, but in July 1993 her ninth, True Blue, was purchased by Silhouette Books.

Generally Weaver writes two to three novels per year, taking up to five months to finish each work. The novels are most often classified as romantic suspense, and the protagonists are put into life-or-death situations in order more clearly reveal their true characters and feelings. In many of her novels, the hero is either connected to law enforcement or the military. Weaver also enjoys including animals in her stories "because they're usually excellent judges of character."

Weaver was awarded a Romance Writers of America RITA Award in 1998 for Best Romantic Suspense for her novel On the Way to a Wedding.[3] She is also a recipient of the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award.

Reviews

[Mojca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Russian beauty boards the cruise ship Alexandra’s Dream in order to rescue her nephew from the clutches of an American kidnapper. David Anderson has legally adopted Stefan Gorsky after the boy’s parents died in a car crash, but impulsive and emotional Marina doesn’t see that. Stefan is the only family she has left and she would do anything to keep him.

This was a rather sweet story. The setting (Mediterranean cruise ship) slightly "mellowed" the impact of the premise – adoption and family, and the suspense subplot, but it was the heroine that really bombed this story. For someone who had a child’s best interests in mind, she never thought about the impact her actions might have on her nephew, she selfishly wanted to have her own way. Lucky for her, Stefan, and the readers, David – a sexy schoolteacher with a childhood filled with abuse – represented the clear head of this duo, providing a steady figure in Stefan’s (new) life and a buffer for Marina.

The suspense subplot seemed to be there merely as an afterthought – to bring everything nicely together, but it was IMHO the best part of this story, with the villain having more depth than the heroine, displaying an strange "integrity" for a mobster.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent story line for a short book made me want to keep reading until the end. I pretty much read it in one sitting I started it but put it down after a chapter to work on a different book I needed to read for a book club, or I would have finished it all in one sitting.

[Angélica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buena, no sé porque tarde tanto en leerla

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book of the romance series from Harlequin.
Each book in the series takes place on a cruise ship. A book that leaves you wanting to continue the series.

[Rocamad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Great book .. with lots of heartwarming and heartbreaking moments ..
Loved it <3