RIO DE JANEIRO: A TROPICAL PARADISE

Rio de Janeiro: A Tropical Paradise.

Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is the setting of my latest novel, In Rio’s Shadows and portrays a strong female protagonist, Blanca who falls in love with the male protagonist, Carlos. They are surrounded by mayhem and chaos of the Rio favelas, discovering secrets which connect Blanca’s childhood past to the present. Originally from Madrid, Spain, Blanca heads over to Brazil on a temporary work transfer for six months. A series of events triggers a traumatic past as she researches the favelas in the heart of tropical Rio de Janeiro.

In Rio’s Shadows is a strong make-over of my very first self-published novel, as over the years I have grown as an Author and wanted to make that first book a lot stronger and authentic. I unpublished my first novel, Crystal Light which was submitted in 2015 and I  created a new story, In Rio’s Shadows which features the same characters and similar plotline.

This novel will continue with Book 2, Shadows Of The Past and forms part of the Women Of Strength Series, which will tell the stories of other female protagonists. Shadows Of The Past is out on pre-order with both Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

Excerpts from In Rio’s Shadows:

Wearing only a flimsy nightgown, she crept down a dark, narrow corridor which grew smaller with each step forward. The air was dank, damp, and the floor was cold on her bare feet. A draught made her body and lips quiver.

In the distance was a door. She stopped in her tracks, waiting. For what, she didn’t know. The tangy, rich smell of blood filled her nostrils. A murmur of voices made her jerk and turn around. The sound came from behind another door at the other end of the long corridor.

—————————————————————————————————————-

She took another sip of wine before making her way over. Her nerves started to settle as she dodged circles of chatting people. She pushed down her fluttering stomach. In that moment, Carlos seemed to be the only man in the room, oblivious to the surrounding guests. He wore an immaculate tight-fitting black satin shirt that pressed into his abdominal muscles, and grey pleated pants which fit nicely around his waist. She ignored her shiver at his beauty. “Hi, Carlos.” She acknowledged Elina who stood with her hand on Carlos’s shoulder.

Carlos kissed her on the cheek. “Hi, Blanca. I’m glad you could make it. You look amazing.”

—————————————————————————————————————-

Blanca crawled on a dusty floor; all she could see from the narrow gap below the grimy rag over her eyes. From not far away, she heard chuckles and muffled voices. A hand touched her thigh. She shoved it away and shook her head. Tears poured down her young cheeks. “No, please.”

More sounds around her. “Leave her alone, man. He said not to touch her.”

Blanca whimpered as she reached a corner and cowered in a futile attempt at security. The smells of vomit, cigarettes, and cologne filled her nostrils. She lifted up her hand to reach for her locket, but her chest was bare. It had always made her feel safe, and now she remembered losing the locket days ago.

Large hands lifted and carried her away. She screamed, her body writhing. “Nooooo.”

FREE: Read the First Three Chapters Here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qyjfm89e83ailzluiAsDlhZkQzlYQdvF/view?usp=sharing

If you are interested in reading the entire novel, check out the links here:

Amazon: http://mybook.to/InRiosShadows

Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo: https://books2read.com/u/mq1qP8