Indiscretion

Andalucían Nights #1

by Hannah Fielding

A young woman's journey of discovery takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty, and revenge.

Spring, 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to be reunited with her long-estranged family.

Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are driven by seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucia, all of which are alien to Alexandra.

Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra's destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured on to the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed dancers hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?

"Indiscretion"is a story of love and identity, and the clash of idealsin the pursuit of happiness. But can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance, Spain, Fiction

464 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2015

About the author

Hannah Fielding is an incurable romantic. The seeds for her writing career were sown in early childhood, spent in Egypt, when she came to an agreement with her governess Zula: for each fairy story Zula told, Hannah would invent and relate one of her own. Years later – following a degree in French literature, several years of travelling in Europe, falling in love with an Englishman, the arrival of two beautiful children and a career in property development – Hannah decided after so many years of yearning to write that the time was now. Today, she lives the dream: writing full time at her homes in England and Ireland, and in the South of France, where she dreams up romances overlooking breath-taking views of the Mediterranean.

To date, Hannah has published eight novels: Burning Embers, set in Kenya; The Echoes of Love, set in Italy; the Andalucian Nights trilogy (Indiscretion, Masquerade and Legacy), set in Spain; Aphrodite’s Tears, set on the Greek islands; Concerto, set on Lake Como; and Song of the Nile, set in Hannah's homeland, Egypt.

Reviews

[Archit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boils Passionately.



Alexandra de Falla is on a journey to the famous land of wine, paella, flamenco, la Tomatina and bull fights, Spain in hope to be reunited with the long-awaiting family. Living a beautiful and satisfying life in London, it never hit Alexandra that one day, the tsunami of suffocation will gulf her somewhere deep down and that's why she makes a decision of a life-time.



An adventurous Alexandra travels alone to the hot spot of peril. A mesh of lies, treachery and deceit is awaiting her since a long time. She falls in love but she has to confront some monsters before she gets what she desires.

What fate awaits for the innocent and faithful Alexandra? Will her destiny be playing treachery or this time Hannah Fielding's protagonist will get what she deserves?

Interesting plot, charming descriptions of locations, prosperous vocabulary, atmosphere filled with romance and attractive characterization provides Indiscretion, Andalucian Nights a wonderful start. What Hannah Fielding has penned down that will mesmerize even the stone-hearted people.

An intense and vibrant story of love, revenge and of the battle for one's belonging in her own family.

Romance readers must not miss Hannah Fielding's creations.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feel the Passion of Romance ~ the Sultry Heat of Andalucian Nights ~ From Hannah Fielding

Enter Her Giveaway - Click on Banner - Ends August 18, 2016 - Intl

It was supposed to be a reunion, a meeting with family she never really knew. A time to reacquaint herself with her father, but when prim and proper Alexandra de Falla arrives in Spain, she finds more than the beauty of the wild and untamed land. She finds the inner passion she never knew she had and the love of a man she can never keep.
Used to the sedate life she lead in London, the one that left her feeling not quite at ease, Alexandra finds overpowering emotions, a zest for living and the freedom her newfound family shares in expressing their feelings, inappropriate or not.

One man stands out, tall and formidable, Salvador steals the air out of the room whenever he walks in. But even in such a place of sultry passions, he stands almost in shadows, or are they the secrets he carries within?

Hannah Fielding’s Indiscretion is a tale of love and the passion two lovers share, even if their love seems doomed. Deceit, trickery and an unexpected proposal will pull at the very fibers of their passion, leaving Alexandra no choice but to go home, heartbroken and devastated. They say time heals all wounds, but will it?

Rich with atmosphere, scenes that bring breezes and sunshine to life with all the beauty and grace of the region. Tales of gypsies add a magical touch and the words of Hannah Fielding flow like a gentle river downstream. Lively characters that share a myriad of personalities and cause tension-filled scenes that will touch the inner romantic in all of us.

I received this copy from Hannah Fielding in exchange for my honest review.

Trilogy: Andalucian Nights - Book 1
Publisher: London Wall Publishing (April 9, 2015)
Publication Date: April 9, 2015
Genre: Romance - Women's Fiction
Print Length: 512 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[snowplum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The level of description in this book is unique. I found myself setting aside the book several times early on in my attempts to read it because I had other things on my mind and realized I was doing it an injustice by skimming so much – because at least in the early parts of Alexandra’s journey to and arrival in Spain, skimming the potentially optional descriptive passages meant skimming massive sections of the book. So I realized I either had to wait for a time when I was in the mood to slow down and see whether I genuinely enjoyed them, or just give up on the book because not enough was going to happen to capture my interest.

Finally on a slow night I gave it a third try, and was glad that I did. I ended up finding Fielding's crafting of the environment to be a lot more effective than in a typical romantic sort of book – it came across unquestionably as well-researched as the best historical fiction, with a nice eye for unique details, especially since the setting is an uncommon one to begin with. (Sometimes with Regencies, you feel like the only research the author did was reading 5 other Regencies; but given the relatively low number of stories I've seen set in post-War Spain, it seems like Fielding did her own research and drew from unique experiences, and I really dig that.)

There are at least a dozen interesting locations for scenes in the book -- many of them completely unexpected, like the buildings where a wealthy industrial family crafts and stores sherry -- the main building of which was a seventeenth century convent. I have no idea to what extent Fielding is basing her locations around real places and to what extent she is drawing on her travels for the basic elements of climate, geography, and architecture, but then using her imagination and recombining elements and creating details that make her settings so compelling and vivid. But Fielding even knows the Spanish name for the ladle used to taste sherry directly from barrels (and that it's made from whalebone). She'll talk for a couple of pages about fermentation and blending, and of course, taste. It's slow, sophisticated writing that assumes you have an attention span and an interest in detail. But then...

The romance and characters… At times I felt like the romance has all the emotional subtlety and nuance of an episode of America's Next Top Model. Clichés abounded, and I often marveled, trying to remember the last time I read a book where setting and environment were by so far the best aspects… It’s not just that the love interest is a broody, tall, dark, handsome man. It’s all the little things about how Alexandra feels about him: the fluttering and nerves and blushing… He has Issues! He sends mixed messages! Sometimes they kiss and she melts! Sometimes he ignores her and she acts like a high school girl trying to make him jealous! (And sometimes [yes I said sometimes, plural] almost gets herself raped by a freaky sadist with a dining room [yes, I said dining room] full of torture devices!)

Other characters also fall into extremely broad archetypes – the sullen, bitter younger stepsister; the loathsome estate manager; the old dowager who most people think is intractable and irascible, but who might be something of a fairy godmother to our intrepid, pure-hearted heroine; not to mention the gypsies who are so classically Gypsy that they belong more in a magical realist novel than a realistic one. It’s an odd mix, to combine Fielding’s lengthy, detailed, occasionally very sensitive and well-researched descriptions with such rudimentary character construction. And because most of the book is so realistic, you can't let her off the hook for writing one-dimensional fairy-tale style characters.

One scene in particular where this oddity came to a head was around the midpoint of the novel when Alexandra attends a bullfight... and the matador spontaneously dedicates the fight to her by throwing her his hat. There are all kinds of details about the trip to the bullfight and the fight itself that clearly reflect a love and knowledge of both the country and the traditions; yet suddenly in the midst of that realism (and brutality), the most famous matador in Spain supposedly singles out our charming heroine from an entire stadium of people and throws his hat to her because she is that damn hot? (Oh, and just in case you don't realize what a big deal this is, Ramon whispers, "He's offered you his life as a gift. It's the greatest homage a bullfighter can pay a woman, and Don Felipe doesn't hand out his attentions lightly. Usually he dedicates his fight to the whole arena.") (Oh, and also by the way, this takes place less than 24 hours after Alexandra almost dies in a car that is run off the road and nearly falls off a mountain cllff and has to be rescued by tall, dark, handsome Salvador. So... she's a busy girl. As well as the hottest thing in the history of hotness, apparently. )

I'm sure there are legions of fans of romantic novels who don't care how outlandish an event is -- if it's ROMANTIC, then bring it on. But I belong to a subset that isn't as interested in such over-the-top theatrics and fantasy. I'd rather read a book I can actually picture myself in, where the guy involved would have some chance of liking a reasonably cute girl who possesses conversational skills and some talent, and it's okay if it takes a little while for him to figure it out. (Mr. Darcy, for example, would actually <3 me back. This is a fact.)

I think I can encapsulate my discomfiture with this novel most succinctly by referring to the issue of tone and expectations. Early on in the novel Alexandra meets a mysterious gypsy fortune teller who absolutely MUST read her fortune and acts all dire and scary about what she is about to reveal. Like fictional gypsy fortune tellers do. Said fortune teller tells Alexandra that she has two paths before her -- one for an easy, contented life... and one for a journey that will be (paraphrasing here ) long and arduous and complicated, rife with suffering, but with the ultimate reward of epic love. I dunno... somehow Fielding made me think I was going to be reading an epic work in the nature of Gone With the Wind. Or even Jane Eyre. But... though Alexandra takes the long path rife with all the stuff (duh), somehow the stuff never quite gets to the level of Stuff, if you see what I mean. She is saved not once but twice from being raped by the sadistic rapist with the torture dining room, and the first time she honestly doesn't even seem to KNOW it. The second time she kinda realizes something bad could have happened, but the rapist's godmother gives her some tea and soothes her and... eh, life goes on. The evil estate overseer HATES Alexandra.... and just kinda ends up getting taken out of the picture by the gypsies without ever getting to make his animosity a problem for Alexandra. Salvador's gypsy lover HATES Alexandra and wants to make her life miserable... but never does much more than shoot her dirty looks. (They get in a fight once, but Alexandra gives as good as she gets.) Alexandra's half sister HATES her and would love to ruin her... but doesn't do much more about it than make the occasional bitchy remark. Someone tries to scare Alexandra by shooting an arrow at her... and sure, it scares her for about 20 minutes. But it doesn't kill her and it doesn't scare her off, and I don't think she much cares about it a few pages later. There are so many people in this book who hate Alexandra -- way more than hate Scarlet O'Hara in her book -- but aside from being depressed/angsty over mixed messages from Salvador and spending a lot of time sad because she's not with him, I'm not sure Alexandra ever reaches a level of particularly interesting or complex suffering.

...And the ending. [Spoilers follow, I suppose, if you didn't know that Alexandra and Salvador will be sitting in a tree and k-i-s-s-i-n-g] It's happy, of course. But I really feel like it's one of those "comes out of nowhere" endings. Alexandra's been in England grieving over Salvador for over a year. She thinks he married someone else. She lost the love of her life. She has to move on. It's hard. Then... he shows up! And tells her he loved her all along! As a great believer in the Frabjous Day, I can't help but feel that one actually has to be witness to or participate in the slaying of the Jabberwock to... earn it, as it were. Alexandra mostly just sat around and waited and brooded (when she wasn't being immature and playing games to try to make Salvador jealous) and then suddenly... FRABJOUSNESS! Not buying it, Senator.

Fielding also has a tendency as a writer that I don't much care for -- to recap. A lot. Take a random chapter (like 9, for example). Fielding begins it with pages and pages of recap. Salvador's character. His troubles. Alex's lusties for him and her tormenting, unrequited(?) luuuuuuuuv. Now, believe me, I realize that when you're falling in love and circumstances are difficult and the guy is all enigmatic and infuriating and sends mixed messages, you recap internally. A lot. (Especially when you're 16.) But at some point an accurate depiction of a person's internal wheel spinning turns into novel writing that isn't the most thrilling to read. For me, a generally self-indulgent dreamer, to be thinking "Okay, get on with the stuff happening..." means you're probably recapping too much. The rest of chapter 9 follows the same pattern as preceding chapters: Alexandra and Salvador have a nice interaction... then a romantic moment, then he pulls back, she tries to turn him on or make him jealous, he shuts her down... and then Chapter 10 begins. With a recap of her thoughts and feelings! Which are exactly the same as they were during Chapter 9's recap!

Fielding makes some extremely odd choices in her narrative on occasion -- for example, she's mostly going on in simple past tense, but then will inexplicably and unnecessarily shift something into the past perfect -- including a major event that would have made much more sense to tell as part of a continuous, linear narrative. An example that really hit me over the head: instead of showing you as directly as possible when one character (avoiding spoilers) proposes to Alexandra, all we know in the preceding narrative is that they've been in the same place for a while, spending time together -- time which is accounted for in a linear, basic way. Then she skips a couple of hours ahead in time, and suddenly you learn how he "had proposed...Alexandra had been at a loss for words... Alexandra had protested... he'd whispered." Might seem picky, but I don't understand how you can spend pages and pages talking about making sherry and then try to minimize the significance of a proposal by giving it just under three pages, shifted strangely out of focus and time by that tense change.

Also, perhaps a small picky point... but nevertheless as it is my final thought while reading the final pages of this book, I will share it with you: please, please, please, whoever you are out there -- novelist, scholar, young, old, amateur or master in the ways of love -- don't ever use the word "umpteenth" in a sentence that is suppose to be erotic.

(Unless of course you are one of my dear GR friends and want to take up the challenge in the comments section for the fun of it....)

**

Those troublemakers at Net Galley offered me a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Hope you enjoy! (And hey, if you like slower-paced, sort of self-indulgent romance novels that focus a lot on locations and the fantasy of being in another life, in another time, give this one a try. I just don't recommend it so enthusiastically if your priorities are character and dialogue.)

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا · Rating 5 out of 5]

القصة رائعة ولكن الترجمة تحتاج إلى التدقيق والمراجعة

[Snooty1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring ourselves
-Federico Garcia Lorca

This review is a tough one, because I really liked the book...it was just soooooo long. I mean it's >450 pages! It could have been about a hundred pages shorter.
The book is extraordinarily descriptive, I felt that I could have smelled the dinners, enjoyed the expanse and scenery as though I was there, and drawn the characters from memory, but sometimes it was too much.

The story is of a 25 year old woman, Alexandra who is half English, half Spaniard; her mother died when she was young and she was raised by her Aunt in England. Her Father was away most of her life (This story is set in 1950s Spain, just after The Civil War), as it was difficult for him to come and visit her often.
Alexandra has grown bored of her life in England and longs for adventure, she eagerly goes to Spain to find herself.
Well....What she finds is a bit of a tele-novella. Her step-mother hates her, her step-sister is a spoiled brat, there is one awesome and fun cousin who I loved, and then most importantly Salvador....
Salvador is obviously hotter, smarter, more brooding, and more passionate than all other Spaniards, but he also has a sordid past and unfortunately it is coming to bite them both!
I loved the scenery, the gypsies, the PASSION. (kicking young me for never going to Spain while I was single). :)
All of it is so intoxicating in this story.

***Thanks to Netgalley and London Wall Publishing for providing me with a copy of this novel for my honest review.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️ = Below Average.
Paperback.
This was lovely and descriptive but the storyline didn’t progress as much as I would have liked it to.
The setting was also not as captivating as in the author’s last book that I read : Italy.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After turning down an engagement Alexandra, bored with the privileged life she leads feels the calling to connect with her father's Spanish side of the family. She travels alone from England to meet her family for the first time in Andalucia in Spain in the 1950s. Traveling alone is dangerous and unheard of but Alexandra has an adventurous side and will not be denied. Upon arriving she is caught up in the wild landscape and danger of the area. The Spanish people are as untamed as the lush,vast wilderness. I could feel myself baking in the sun there and hear the cheers of the bullfighting. I felt the danger as the gypsies and fortunetellers lurked. I heard the music and felt the excitement in the air.
She is soon entangled in a web of secrets,lies and deception. She finds she has fallen for Salvador but scheming members of her family do everything they can with deception and lies to keep the couple apart. The areas bull fighting champion wants to make her his and she is flattered by this handsome man's attention. When he is set to announce their engagement at a reception one evening she knows it's all a huge misunderstanding as she never agreed to marry him. Salvador believes she is set to marry the other man though and she is heartbroken. To deal with her broken heart she travels back to England to try to forget him but true love is not lost after all. This is my first book by Hannah Fielding but definitely won't be my last!
Pub Date 25 Mar 2015
Thank you to NetGalley and London Wall Publishing for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a fan of Hannah Fielding’s previous novels, I was especially excited to read her latest release, Indiscretion. I was immediately taken in by the cover of the book but as soon as I read the description on the back, I was keen to get started!

Spring, 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to be reunited with her long-estranged family. Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are driven by seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucia, all of which are alien to Alexandra. Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra’s destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured on to the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed dancers hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?

I REALLY enjoyed this book from Hannah Fielding. I liked Alexandra straight away, as a character she is very likeable, I related to her personality and I really felt a connection with her. I think I connected with Alexandra because like me, she is experiencing Spain and everything involved in her move there for the first time, and so I felt as though I was learning alongside her. The customs were truly fascinating – the dances, the gypsies, the bull-fighting, and the flamboyance and drama too…I was absolutely hooked to what I was reading and could not put it down! I did feel for Alexandra, I knew that this all was completely new too her and so another reason I was glued to the pages was because I desperately wanted to know how things would work out for her, both with this new lifestyle and traditions, and definitely how things would work out with Salvador! I was SO intrigued by Salvador, and Hannah’s writing is so good that I could feel the connection and sparks between Alexandra and Salvador radiating from the pages! Wow.

One thing that I love about Hannah’s novels in particular is her settings and how she always brings them to life. In this case it was 1950’s and Spain, and let me just say…wow! Hannah’s writing is so descriptive and flows so beautifully that you can’t help but be completely lost in her words and transported to wherever it is she is writing about. I have very little knowledge of Spain but Hannah;s words brought everything to life and created very vivid scenes for me, and it genuinely felt as though I had been transported there and was standing next to Alexandra watching every scene unfold in front of me. I could feel the hot temperature of Spain, I really sensed the atmosphere amongst Alexandra and the people she was with, and I was completely taken in by dancers, gypsies, masked balls…the beauty and glamour of it all and of everything else that was happening. I liked that this story was not an easy story, there is danger and tension within the pages and at times my heart raced when I was reading because I had no clue where Hannah would take me next!

Indiscretion is a powerful story that really captures you and pulls you in. Full of passion, danger, love and a fantastic setting, Indiscretion is a stunning story that is truly consuming and gripping – you won’t want to be parted from it!

[Sarah Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bottom line: pure soapy melodrama. It’s also a throwback to the days of classic Harlequin novels—those glorious ‘70s paperbacks by Violet Winspear, Sara Craven, Jean Macleod, et al, where the setting is exotic, the heroine is highly principled, the danger is random, the OW is an unrelenting bitch, & the grumpy hero’s POV is never explored (THANK GOD—I’m so tired of being spoonfed every little nuance & having to endure wasted, repetitive passages of blabbering about his feels). So. If/when you pick this up, be prepared for a 450-page Winspear novel. You’ll either love it or hate it for that reason.

This one features two OW, both of whom are unrepentantly horrid (though one gets some comeuppance off-page) & also an OM for the heroine. Don Felipe, the OM, is actually my fave—Salvador is ok, but Felipe has more shade to his angst. I really wanted him to be redeemed; indeed, the scope of his involvement in unsavory backstory isn’t fully resolved. Though circumstantial evidence points to him, other reliable characters maintain his innocence beyond an obv predilection for “commanding” sexuality (remember this was the 1950s, so nobody would’ve openly named him enjoying kinky stuff), & his remorse after scaring the heroine felt genuine to yours truly. So #TeamFelipe all the way, y’all. 😈

The book’s single biggest flaw is slow pace. Because yeah. It crawls. But it’s worth pushing through the dull bits for such delightfully soapy staples as car accidents, punishing kisses, comas, bullfights, slutty gypsy girls, whipping, gold-diggers, elopement, brawls between OM/hero, & catfights (wherein our previously demure heroine punches a girl in the eye—bravo!). The ending is also weirdly rushed, with most of the resolution happening off-page & helped along by deus-ex-machina (e.g., an uber-convenient admirer who removes Mercedes from the heroine’s orbit), but that only adds to the Old Skool aura.

Overall verdict: a shamelessly fun throwback. (And judging by the positive ratio in other reviews, I’m not the only one ready for a return to Old Skool.)

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first time listen by Hannah Fielding a new author to this reader and selected for a bookclub read. When I stated my listen of "Indiscretion" I became a little apprehensive with wanting to finish as it started a bit slow. However, once I continued my listen I was a bit captivated with the story.

The story is about Alexandra who abandoned an engagement and left her privileged lifestyle to connect with the Spanish side of her family. She travels from England to Andalucia in Spain with not a care of the dangers but only thinking of the adventurous side of her travels.

Arriving in Spain she comes face-to-face with the people, their lifestyles and the untameness of the country. It is not too long after that she falls in love and becomes entangled in deception, lies and scheming relatives that only want to keep her and Salvador apart.

This story was close to 18 hours of listening and worth it. I thought Matt Bates did a wonderful job at narrating the somewhat frustrating characters in the story. This was a delightful and enjoyable listen with very descriptive narration that provides a picturesque view of the era, sites, smells and sounds. Enjoyed and recommend the book.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

ISBN: 978-0-9926-7188-4
INDISCRETION is an intense read. From the Spanish landscape to the homes, to the people to the relationships, to the entertainment of the bull fighting ring.
The passion between Salvador and Alexandra runs deep. Although she couldn't understand his intermittent aloofness towards her, she loved him unconditionally. Salvador would go from talking to her, being passionate toward her to totally ignoring her and not even acknowledging her presence at times.
Alexandra leaves her home in London during the Spring of 1950 to reunite with the family she's been estranged from for a long time. What she finds in Spain is not at all what she expected and she finds herself wondering if she's made a mistake by going there. Her only redemption in her visit there is, Salvador whom she falls madly in love with. The love and deep passion between the two of them is like one heartbeat.
I kept finding myself wanting to rush them into their relationship, wanting to push them to the point of no return but it was not to be, I had to be patient. Their love story took my breath away and left me reeling and wanting more. I so didn't want this story to end.
I thought Ms. Fielding had outdone herself with her second novel but she's done it again with this third one. The writing was so clear and descriptive that I could hear the crowds in the bull fighting ring, I could feel the dust in my nose and eyes and feel the scorching Spanish sun on my skin. I loved the gypsies, one of whom actually scared me!
Indiscretion is filled with passion, intrigue, suspense, and a deep intensity that you'll want to read it again. I was taken in from the very first page and could hardly swallow until I reached the end. I'm looking forward to Ms. Fielding's next book with bated breath.

[Jessie Leigh]

I don't know if this is for me but I am a magpie and must try because COVER.

[Kerstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning, I adored "Indiscretion". The author set the story up very well, described the setting in detail and gave us a lot of information about the culture and history of Spain which I really, really liked. She wrote about everything really well (especially the scenery) and created an atmosphere that was both exotic and strangely familiar... and it captured me. Everything was described in great detail and was very interesting. Since the story is set in the Spain of the time of Fraco, there is a lot of interesting background informtion and even though some notions (like that a woman has to be pure to preserve her honor while men have more options) are outrageous for a modern reader, it fits the time this takes place in and made everything realistic.
I also liked the characters, especially Alexandra, who was an outsider (and thus not used to all the strange customs in Spain), but did not take any crap - she stood up for herself and had clear ideas what she wanted, at least at first. I didn't much care for the family drama since it's so cliché (stepmother hates her, sister is jealous that she receives less attention, father is too weak to stand up to them and protect his daughter), but the beginning of the love story was well written and convincing. You could feel the chemistry between Salvador and Alexandra and it was clear that something was going on between them, but there was also potential for conflict which seemed to promise an interesting story. Sadly though, the tone of the book changed after about 150 pages and my enthusiasm was sort of quelled.

From the beginning, it was made clear that Alexandra's sister was also interested in Salvador and his ex-fiancée was also in the picture. This didn't bother me at first since I thought it would be a typical plot where the woman is needlessly jealous of the "other woman" in her lover's life, but then, another woman was added - a woman with whom he had a child and who appeared to still be his mistress. At this point, I was starting to get annoyed because seriously, how many woman do need to be added to make it clear how desirable and awesome the guy is supposed to be? But as if that wasn't enough, Alexandra captured the attention of another man and kind of used him to make Salvador jealous and mad (she oppenly admits that she enjoys seeing Salvador's jaw clench and his other reactions to seeing her with the other man). This did bother me as well, but I have to admit that there were times when I was hoping she'd stay with Salvador's "competition" for good. Later, stuff happened that meant clear that he would of course not the right man for Alexandra (only Salvador is right for her, obviously - and then the other man had to be demonised to make that perfectly clear which made me roll my eyes because who didn't see that coming as soon as Felipe was introduced?)... and there was even more conflict.
All of this wouldn't have been a problem if Salvador hadn't been so damn hot and cold towards Alexandra, kissing her one moment and shutting her out the next. He explains his behaviour later in the book and yes, considering everything that was going on in his life, it does make sense, but the explanation came too late for me since I had started to dislike them together after this behaviour started. And because of that, I sadly wasn't invested in their love story anymore and didn't care about the happy ending.

All of this doesn't mean that I hated the book - like I said, I really loved it at the beginning and even after the love story got way too complicated and kind of bitter I still enjoyed the descriptions of the places Alexandra went and all the legends and facts about Spain and its culture, but there happened a lot that made me roll my eyes (and to be honest, the representation of the 'gypsies' made me a bit uncomfortable since it's a bit one-dimensional, but I don't know how accurate it is - it seems to be based on encounters the author had with them) and there was a lot of drama and tension that just... disappeared, like the hateful behaviour of the step-mother or a serious threat on her safety. So I'm really torn since I liked the setting and the descriptions, but had problems with the characters and how the love story was written. Because of that, I can sadly only give the book 3 stars (but I'll likely still read the second book of the series).
_________
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. Thank you!

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Alexandra de Falla is a half-English half-Spanish young woman who was raised by her Aunt Geraldine in England, when her parents were separated and her mother was lost. She was become a beautiful woman and an author of romantic novels. After all those year growing up in England, she decides to travel to Spain and reunite with her long-estranged family.

Her arrival at El Pavon is not exactly the warm welcome of a loving family she expected. The de Fallas are riven with seething emotions, full of do’s and don’ts. Alexandra is trying to balance between her love at first sight with the country of wine, paella and flamenco and the customs and traditions of Andalucia, so foreign to her. Even so, she founds affection in the person she never thought she would. Her grandmother, the duquesa, Dona Maria Dolores, was the one that never accepted her mother and that made Alexandra feel distant to her, while the two of them were living so far away from each other. On the contrary, once they are close, they make a strong family bond and Alexandra feels safe around the duquesa.

Apart from a loving grandmother and a mischievous family, the young woman finds love in the face of a tall, handsome, masculine and honorable spaniard, Salvador. Salvador is heading the family business along with the duquesa, even though he is not a relative by blood, but an adopted one. However, he fully supports the family interests and honors his heritage. Alexandra falls from him from the first time she lays eyes on him and she is surprised by her own feelings.

This is a story of love and affection and finding one’s true identity. This is a must read for all lovers of the romantic genre, as it is a quality read full of strong emotions and the uncertainty of those who love and are not convinced their love is answered.

Hannah Fielding’s penn is remarkably passionate. Her descriptions of emotions and feelings is so strong as if the reader is actually there and can see and feel for themselves the true anguish in the heroine’s face. She tells tales and legends of Spain and the Spaniard way of living. The rules that have to be followed, the climate of the post war Spain, the traditions that prevail over logic, and so on.

The beautiful descriptions of the surroundings transfer the reader right in the heart of Andalucia. It is a fact that she can really transfer all the beauty of that marvelous region into paper and vividly create the wonderful setting behind the reader’s eyes. The details she shares are part of the story in a way to give more attention to the actual events or emotions of her heros.

“Indiscretion” is the perfect opening for the “Andalucían Nights” Trilogy and the first of Fielding’s books that I read. Will most definitely seek to her other writings as well! Oh, and that beautiful cover is now on perfect display on my bookshelf!

[Nadwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I received a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much, Ms Fielding, for giving me this opportunity]

Can I be considered a Spaniard now that I've finished the Andalucian Nights series? I need to thank Ms Fielding for introducing me to:

Proper historical fiction; I never imagined that I'd ever be capable of reading Historical novels. I'm so grateful for this series. I loved each and every book to pieces. The characters are so precious and each one of them holds a special place in my heart.
SPAIN. Okay, I had this insane obsession with everything Spanish back in the day. But this is different on so many levels. I mean, I ACTUALLY KNOW SOME SPANISH NOW. It's not much, but I genuinely know a couple of words, legends, proverbs, some Arabic ones at that! So, yes, saying that I spent the whole time fangirling over the most typical things in this series would be the understatement of the century.
What I noticed is that although the three books in the series took place in Spain, I did not find any repetition with the descriptions of scenery and landscape. And let's make one thing clear. I have never tolerated long paragraphs of scenery descriptions due to them boring me out of my mind, but Ms Fielding quite literally makes the scenery come alive. I'd read a whole book of her describing Spain's landmarks and landscapes and I wouldn't complain one bit. 

Now, let's talk about Indiscretion.

I knew I was going to like this book from the very first chapter. We were introduced to Alexandra, a half-Spanish half-English writer who lives in England with her aunt. When her father pays her a visit after 15 years and asks her to come back to Spain with him to meet her family, she decides to go ahead and do just that. 

Meeting her aristocratic family was the funniest and most entertaining scene I've read. The grumpy stepmother, the spoiled stepsister, the sweet and amusing cousin, and the incredibly charming and mysterious 2nd cousin with a tortured past. Like, seriously, one cannot walk away from a book with such alive and interesting characters. 

This is a coming-of-age story. A woman trying to find her roots, and stumbling across love on her journey. 

Ramon is my spirit animal. That guy is incredibly underrated. The novel would have never made it without him, I can say that with one hundred percent certainty. 

What made this book my favorite one yet is that scene with Alexandra and Salvador, where she's hell-bent on proving to him that "she doesn't need the protection Spanish women seem to accept without question". Yes, she was struggling, trying to make sense of those Spanish customs, which she doesn't find quite logical. That banter was honestly my favorite part of the novel. I can relate a lot to what she was going through, as I, myself, am trying make sense of those very same customs that are still present in my society.

But the best part was the compromise the couple seemed to have reached at the end of the book. To swallow your pride for the sake of being with the one you love only to find that they've done the very same thing. To apologize and get an apology in return? It was all very overwhelming and absolutely incredible. 

[Shruti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review on my book blog, This is Lit.

Review:
Alexandra de Falla is a half-Spanish/ half-English woman who has lived in England her whole life. A visit from her Spanish father makes her return to her family’s estate in Spain to learn more about her motherland, and herself in the process.

What I liked about the novel: The angst. I like angst. It adds layers to stories and it’s the same here. The writing is also extremely descriptive. Spain is portrayed in a beautiful manner in this book. Every scene involves adjective-strewn paragraphs about the location and/or the story or urban legend associated with the location. Some readers may not like this.

What I didn’t care for: The main character. Gosh, she’s annoying. Listen up, ladies. If a man keeps changing his mind every chapter and oscillates between hot and cold faster than my wonky showerhead, you need to dump his sorry ass.



Here’s how every chapter in this book goes: Alexandra and Salvador have a moment. Alexandra happy. 🙂 Salvador changes his mind and walks away. Alex sad. 😦

Seriously, girl? Don’t you learn?

Oh, and while itty-bitty baby Alexandra mopes about everything through the entirety of this novel, I can’t help but wonder why she thinks she has it bad. She doesn’t. Here are a few examples of exactly how every difficulty Alexandra faces is quickly extinguished (by the author’s God complex?):

1. Her car hangs off a cliff after an accident. She safely jumps into our boi Salvador’s arms.

2. An arrow nearly misses her one day. The perpetrator is revealed a few chapters later, but nothing really happens to her again.

3. The steward in the de Falla estate hates her. The steward is successfully eliminated from Alexandra’s big list of emotional boo-boos after a run in with the gypsies.

There’s a lot more that can be added to this list, but I’m leaving them out so as to not spoil the story. But, why do I still think it’s a good read? It’s fast-paced. You can read it really fast despite it being a tome.

This is a good book despite its main character being a whiner. You should definitely check it out if you like romance, Spain, and/or hugely descriptive writing.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Hannah Fielding’s latest novel, she has pulled it off again. I was waiting for her next book and wasn’t disappointed. This time, she takes us to Spain in 1950, and I could almost feel the heat of the Spanish sun on my face and hear the sound of flamenco guitars as I was reading.

The writing here is just as atmospheric as her previous book, The Echoes of Love, and I loved Indiscretion even more because of the magic she weaves in bringing this vision of Spain alive: the wild and colourful gypsies, and the intrigue surrounding them and the de Falla family, not to mention the exciting aspect of Spanish bullfighting. I found the sinister rival, Felipe, chilling and fascinating at the same time, and a great addition to the story, contrasting nicely with our hero, Salvador (deliciously brooding), and highlighting Alexandra’s fallible character as she fights to retain her sparky independence in the face of such a reactionary and traditional society. 1950s Andalucia was still living in a bygone age in some respects, not just because of things like an antiquated railway system and the fact that people still used horse and carts as much as cars, but because deeply Catholic Spain was still so very conservative towards women, something that the author conveys very well, in addition to depicting its religious piety. This was a time and place where a young senorita behaved in a certain way and certainly didn’t go out without a chaperone, something which gives our heroine plenty to rebel against – and which gets her into hot water.

The pace of the story was as cracking as an Andalucian horse whip, and kept me turning the pages avidly to see how Alexandra was going to extricate herself from both her suffocating Spanish family and the menacing warnings all around her (including Salvador’s) …and in turn how Salvador was going to untangle himself from his own web of mistakes and misfortunes to end up with the lovely Alexandra.

What I also liked were the contrasts between Spain and England at the beginning and end of the story, and how that felt to Alexandra, brought up in a privileged but stifling upper-class environment. The small but telling details about London in that era brought it to life even more (I loved the atmospheric and nostalgic descriptions of Chelsea), giving it a glamorous, escapist feel while remaining realistic (the fact that the well-heeled still had butlers at that time, despite the post-war economic pinch, though even they were still subject to rationing).

This is wonderful, good old-fashioned romance the way it’s meant to be, with tension, drama, a brooding, irresistible hero and a gorgeous heroine battling against the odds in a world steeped in romance, moonlight, gypsies, flamenco and the heat of the Spanish sun. What more could you ask? Five stars again!

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's 1950, and a British woman and novelist is going to meet her family in Spain for the first time. She's twenty-five and though she writes about love, she's yet to experience it herself. Her Spanish family is...strange...to the say the least. They are wealthy; they tolerate a wild group of Gypsies on their land; and all the women are terrible bitches, it seems, except Esmeralda, who is just a coward.

And Alexandra is just thrown into the middle of all their drama--the drama pretty much surrounding the incredibly good looking Salvador who is just oh so seductive...and crazy. He's got a secret baby, a fiance, and yet lusts after his cousin one min and tells her to go home five min later. That's pretty much the first 40%.

I wanted to like this book. I normally really enjoy the Spanish setting and the heroine is very independent. But I didn't like it. I abandoned at the halfway point, as the most exciting thing at that point was that someone shot an arrow at the heroine. I was actually cheering that something besides Salvador drama and lust was going on.

Things that put me off:
--It does NOT feel like 1950. Not even close. The novel mentions how backward Spain is and that they are still recovering from war, but it felt like Victorian days, even the way they dress. And while the Spanish may be stuck in the past, for Alexandra, a British lass, to be that way...in 1950??? No.
--The hero is a bipolar and runs hot then cold, hot then cold, and frankly, treats the heroine like crap. Her pining for this guy did her no favors with me.
--It's predictable. The costume, the man on the pier...I saw it all coming from the very first.
--The hero again...is obviously a man whore and Alexandra is this virginal angel...I hate that.
--Did I mention all the women are bitches? The grandmother, the gypsy, the stepmother, the stepsister, the Isabel lady. Everyone but the heroine and the maid Agusta pretty much.
--After all the cold reception, why didn't Alexandra just go home? What's keeping her in Spain? Her father never talks to her after the first day. I get she is always up for a challenge and fights for what she wants, but this guy is not worth it.

Full review and quotes here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...

[Ruth B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars

‘Indiscretions’ is the story of Alexandra a young woman who decided to embrace her half Spanish heritage and goes visit her father’s family in Spain. Set in the fifties, this is a story about a colorful, passionate and traditional culture and a woman who in the middle of it all, has to discover herself and love.

This romance is about more than love, it’s about the choices we make to be the person we want. The characters have to discover what they really want and how far they are willing to go if happiness is the prize. It deals with the conflict that comes when different cultures collide and how destiny can be tricky at times.

The story has a fast rhythm and despite its length (the paperback has more than 400 pages) the words flow by quickly and the story drags you into its deepness and it’s hard to let go. The richness of the writing makes it even better.

Alexandra is a nice character because she has a real personality and becomes a tridimensional character. Her flaws and strengths make her sound even more real and you can understand her doubts and actions. Salvador is a mysterious character at first but once the story unravels, we discover a man driven by the sense of duty, loyalty and honesty above all. He is a powerful man, handsome and hard not to love. All of him is consuming not only for Alexandra but for the readers as well.

The author managed to capture the passion and intensity of the Spanish people. As a Spanish descendent I can assure you everything she says about them is true. Her words consume your soul and take you to a place where emotions are skin deep and it’s easy to get lost in the feelings and the story.

I have to talk about the sexual tension and the constant latent passion. This is not an erotic book but the physical attraction between the characters is a major ingredient of the story. It was overwhelming for moments and if it’s was hard for them to live with it, imagine how hard is for the reader that is waiting to know what comes next.

Overall, Indiscretion is an excellent romance book and I’m looking forward to read the next book.

*** I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Alexandra Borthwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un-put-downable romance just like they used to make

Indiscretion is the third Hannah Fielding book which I have read and I must say it does not disappoint. It has all the hallmarks of the author’s style: vivid, transporting descriptions, magical locations, danger and intrigue and of course unbridled and unashamed romance. I can honestly say that I picked it up and wasn’t able to put it down until I had finished the last page - and then I was tempted to start it all over again!

The story is written from the perspective of Alexandra de Falla, a beautiful, half-Spanish, half-English writer who, having grown up in England, returns to her estranged family in Spain to explore her roots and have an adventure. The reception she receives from her extended family on arrival is mixed and we are at once plunged into the shady throes of individual secrets, passions and ambitions. Against the backdrop of their magnificent ancestral home, El Pavon, Alexandra begins to discover her true identity and for the first time experiences what it is to fall deeply and madly in love. Salvador - her (and our!) hero - is everything you could ask for in a man: kind and compassionate, handsome and commanding, yet behind his clear blue eyes lie shadows and secrets which threaten to keep them apart forever. ‘Indiscretion’ it seems is Alexandra’s enemy and the book allows us to share her tumultuous journey, encountering gyspy rituals, dashing toreadors and the dazzling sights, sounds and smells of Spain along the way.

Hannah Fielding’s passion and knowledge of Spain and Spanish culture lends the novel an air of authenticity and she writes with an excitement for her subject and characters which is infectious. With all it’s twists and turns, Indiscretion is possibly my favourite of her novels so far and I’m delighted that the next instalment in the de Falla saga - Masquerade - can take me back to El Pavon this weekend!

[Leone (She Reads too Much Romance) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful woven story of romance and adventure. There was a great deal to fall in love with about this story. The story itself was breath taking and I felt like I can been transported to Spain, in the 50's by the use of the author's outstanding writing style. Fielding certainly has a talent for storytelling and it is a rare jewel that I was more than happy to discover within the pages of this book. Just on the writing style alone I would suggest reading this book however there is much more to this book that is to be devoured.

I will start with the plot. It drew me from page one. I knew I was going to like this book, but I didn't know how much I would love it by the time that I finished reading the pages. The plot is bold, daring and romantic all into one. I have never read a book like this before and so I am still excited about the story even now that I have finished my reading and have started to write this review.

The romance in this book was slightly different than typical romances. I think this book is more of an adventure read for me more than a romance, but the romance certainly highlighted the novel and was an added bonus for me. So another great job on Fielding's part to have written romance into this book.

As for Alexandria I related well to her character. I enjoyed her personality and company. I rooted for her as I could not get enough of her story.

Before Indiscretion I haven't read a book by Fielding and I don't understand how I have overlooked this amazing writer. I plan to read all of the author's novels both in the past and in future releases because out of all the authors in the industry today Fielding has stood out.

-This review was submitted to all rightful parties PRIOR to posting it to GoodReads.

[Raye of the Dead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indiscretion is well written and has interesting but sometimes frustrating characters. At times I would get a little annoyed with Alexandra and Salvador, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book.

[Debra K · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my written review, please check out the link below:
Debra's Book Cafe

Debs :-)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Magical World Of Words

(Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).

2.5 stars.

I read Fielding's novel The Echoes of Love about a month ago, and unfortunately I didn't enjoy it. As a result, I was hesitant to start Indiscretion.
But I'm happy to say that it was a lot better than TEOL, even if I still didn't love it.


It was a relaxing read, and it was easy to get lost in the exotic world Fielding created. The atmosphere was fully immersed in the story, and the setting was a character in itself. But to be honest, the description - which was exquisitely detailed and frequently vivid, though not as much as you would expect - was both a positive and a negative. Yes, it's vivid, and Fielding does a brilliant job of evoking all the senses and showcasing every possible detail in the scene, but the problem lies in that very fact: it leaves nothing to the imagination. And because there's so much detail, it's impossible to take it all in. I didn't find the huge amount of description boring, exactly, but there was just too much to absorb, and at the end of the scene I'd come away without having seen the setting and characters clearly in my mind. Or at least, without the level of detail Fielding had invested in it.

The plot was incredibly threadbare, and had all the cliches of a stereotypical romance: dashing hero - dark and brooding - innocent heroine, equally dashing rival - but who, unlike the hero, goes just a bit too far over to the dark side.
The language was cheesy and flowery, the dialogue unrealistic, and the passionate exchanges between Alexandra and Salvador made me roll my eyes.

My favourite characters were Esmeralda and Ramon. I did like Alexandra's writing temperament, but I couldn't stand how perfect she was; and by perfect, I mean how beautiful she was. She had real flaws and I liked that, but I couldn't stand how literally every man in the novel was falling at her feet in adoration and begging her to marry him. She was beautiful - the author never missed the chance to remind me - and I just had no patience for a heroine that everyone seemed to be falling in love with and who put the looks of every other woman to shame.
Salvador was not my kind of hero, but I can certainly see why female readers would swoon over him. Personally, I found him infuriatingly hot and cold (the way he treated Alexandra was aggravating, to say the least) and he had huge potential for becoming controlling, domineering, and overly possessive when it came to Alexandra.

I didn't like the romance at all. Fielding's romances are always very physical, and I personally want more from a romance than that. The amount of lusting that went on between Alexandra and Salvador was tiresome and irritating, and I couldn't stand it. I wanted more relationship, and yet things were constantly coming back to the physical. I'm not denying physical attraction plays a part in romance - obviously it does - but in this novel it was the emphasis, and that didn't sit well with me.
Here are some passages from the book that added to my dislike of the romance and Salvador:

"What about the night at Ronda, and this morning?" she {Alexandra} whispered........
"They meant nothing." Salvador lent an arm on the cupboard door and ran the other hand through his unruly hair.
"Nothing?" Alexandra stared in disbelief.
"Why must you always challenge me, Alexandra?" He spoke without looking at her. "You're a very beautiful woman. No hot-blooded man would be able to resist you. Can't you see that?"


WHAT? Excuse me? I have a huge problem with that conversation, and I feel like it summarises the characters' relationship: they'll spend a passionate minute or so making out in the shadows, and then Salvador will be all cold and distant to Alexandra and she'll have a little tantrum because she doesn't understand why he keeps pushing her away. Not to mention the fact that in this particular dialogue, he basically tells her that it's her fault he's attracted to her and unable to keep his hands off her, and it's all because she's just *insert sigh* too beautiful...
URGH.
Walk away, girl, walk away.

And there's more:

Salvador tells Alexandra when they're married: "We Spanish men don't like to let our wives out of our sight. we suffer an innate feeling of insecurity which makes us possessive and jealous, and I......am no exception to the rule, as you've experienced." They both laughed and he drew her into his arms tenderly.


You might think, by reading that last line, that he was joking. It's clear he isn't, though, as the rest of the story proves: Salvador is very jealous and possessive at times, and has said similar things to Alexandra throughout the course of the story.
I still say: Walk away, girl, walk away.



If you love heated, passionate romance amid radiant historical settings and bubbling with secrets and revenge, then I'm positive you'll love Indiscretion. For me, however, the cons stood out more prominently because I didn't love the aspects I've described above.

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many things to discuss when it comes to “Indiscretion”, starting with how amazing this book looks and finishing with the lovely story it contains. I have loved every page! Being a lover of all things Spanish, it was quite predictable I would enjoy it.

When it comes to the content, the blurb says it all. It is a combination of fighting for love and finding oneself in the process. Alexandra de Falla goes in search for her Andalucían roots and answers an invitation from her father to meet her grandmother, the terrifying Doña Maria Dolores de Rueda. Little did she expect to find a more than welcoming old lady but a not so thrilled half-mother and sister. But she finds her strength and determination in the love she quickly starts to feel for her step-cousin Salvador. What they share reminded me a little about “Pride and Prejudice”, because both characters almost lost to their strong tempers. Without insisting too much on this, I can simply tell you this is an amazing combination of strong characters, a dash of mystical and great amount of intrigue.

Other than the story (of which I already stated it is fabulous!), we can experience an unbelievable trip to different cities in Andalucía. The way the author described those places is so vivid, so full of appreciation and respect for history and tradition. The book is full of descriptive paragraphs that may tire some of the readers, but I loved them all. I love Spain, I spent some time in Catalonia and I did my best to experience it. Since Andalucía is so different, I welcomed the voyage with open arms.

These two items (great story and incredible excursion in a lovely part of Spain) are topped with local legends and wisdom. The Spanish language is present as well, flowing like a melody, linking all the chapters!

I am so honored to have this book as a printed version, courtesy of the author. I’ve gained here not only an amazing book, but as well a free ticket to parts of Spain I have not yet discovered in person and an incursion in local history and legends. Suffice to say I loved every page and I look forward to more from the de Fallas!

[Mosaed Al-Rumman · Rating 2 out of 5]

كالبحث عن العمق في مياه ضحلة... قراءة الرواية أشبه بالخوض في المياه الضحلة.. لا تشبع رغبة من أراد الا ستمتاع بالسباحة في بحر الأفكار العميقة التي تختبر مهارة الإنسان وقدرته على التفكير.. الرواية سطحية جدا..
تفاصيل دقيقة جدا بشكل ممل حتى الاكل فوق الصينية والجبن واللحم.. تفاصيل اوصلت الرواية لهذا العدد من الصفحات ولو اعتمدنا على الاحداث لم تكن لتبلغ نصف ولا حتى ثلث العدد هذا.. لا يوجد هدف من ذكر معظم هذه التفاصيل الا ان الكاتبة تستعرض قدراتها الوصفية التصويرية.. تكرار للمشاهد.. لعبة المداعبة الطويلة جدا ومشهد جنسي باسفاف في النهاية..
بكل صراحة المترجم وفق في اختيار العنوان لان العنوان الذي اختاره المترجم "رحلة إلى بلاد الأندلس" هو افضل من العنوان الرئيسي "indiscretion" لسبب اساسي الا وهو ان ثلثي الرواية وصف سياحي لمعالم إسبانيا وكانك تقرأ في بعض الأجزاء من موقع يهتم بالمعالم الأثرية والسياحية.. و هذا الجزء الذي شدني في البداية وليس القصة بحد ذاتها.. لأن موضوع القصة مطروق ومكرر ولا يوجد مايميزها.. حتى وصفها اللقاءات الحميمية أصبت بالملل من كثرة تكرارها ووصفها لحلمات البطلة وهي تشد وترتخي ولون البطل النحاسي.. في كلامها شيء من العنصرية والمبالغة في رسم صورة سيئة عن الغجر.. لا ادري لماذا ولكن يظهر لي طغيان النظرة الشخصية للكاتبه ربما بسبب حادثة وقعت لها مع الغجر.. هل استمتعت ؟ في البداية نعم.. لكن كلما تقدمت كلما سأمت من ضحالة الرواية.. حتى اصبت بالملل قبل انتصافها.. والجزء الأخير كان رحلة شاقة حتى انهيته.. هل سأقرأ رواية لنفس الكاتبة.. لا اعتقد.. نجمة للرواية ونجمة للغلاف..

[Lynn Smith]

SYNOPSIS:
A young woman’s journey of discovery takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty – and revenge.
Spring, 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to be reunited with her long-estranged family.
Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are riven by seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucía, all of which are alien to Alexandra.
Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra’s destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured on to the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed dancers hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?
Indiscretion is a story of love and identity, and the clash of ideals in the pursuit of happiness. But can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful romance - an absolute must-read!

I decided to read Indiscretion on holiday and couldn't put it down once I had started. The passionate love story between Alexandra de Falla and Salvador de Rueda is set in 1950s Spain. The magical surroundings under the strong, sultry Spanish sun are magnificently captured by Hannah Fielding. Despite the many obstacles the protagonists must face, I found myself desperately willing them to be together.

In particular, I really liked both the central characters - Alexandra and Salvador. I felt an affinity with Alexandra: she is independent, sensible yet passionate and actually quite feisty at times. Salvador is similarly likeable: he is noble, strong and of course, very handsome.

The pace of the book is perfect and keeps you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns. Hannah Fielding's poetic descriptions of the scenery are beautiful and you feel transported to the centre of all the action.

I'm so happy and rather relieved that this book is part of a trilogy; I'm already looking forward to the second instalment - I can't wait to return to Andalucia!

[Lisdanay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the author as a Goodreads Giveaway, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Ms. Fielding, for giving me this opportunity.

I really liked the plot, the descriptions of Andalucía were amazing. I visited this part of Spain while reading the book and it was just magic.
I enjoyed the initial set up of the romance, but as the story evolved, it frustrated me. I struggled a little to understand why Alexandra loved Salvador, besides how devilishly handsome he is.
My favorite characters were Ramon and Doña Ines, they make me feel the real soul of Spain in them.
In general, the book was a little predictable and long for me.

I don’t know if it was a problem with the edition, but I found some little bugs in Spanish phrases.

I would recommend this book to those who love classic romantic stories.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexandra is a writer living in London who embarks on a trip to Spain. While there, she is entranced with the country, a pretty nu e'd change from the boredom of home. She meets Salvador and absolutely falls in love. Unfortunately, love doesn't always come easy. This is actually the second novel I have read by Hannah Fielding. I have loved both! She builds such an amazing story that you can't help but be taken in. The romance (and indiscretion) is timeless.