Title: Vistaria Has Fallen
Series: Vistaria Has Fallen
Author: Tracy Cooper-Posey
Designation: Full-Length Novel (234 pages), Book One of Six, Not Recommended As A Standalone
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Riveting Stars****
Before I get into specifics, I'd like to first make a short disclosure. This book was originally published in 2003 as Red Leopard, the first book of the Guns 'n' Lovers Erotic Romance Series by Tracy Cooper-Posey, then released again in 2012 with the same title and basic content but with a different cover and designated as Book One of the Vistaria Affair Series. The author has recently revised and re-edited the book by removing the erotic content but not the romance and re-released the story as romantic suspense with a new cover, title, and series designation, Vistaria Has Fallen. This latest incarnation focuses primarily on the political thriller aspect of the story thereby making it suitable for a wider audience. I've read Red Leopard as it was written originally as well as the most recent version, Vistaria Has Fallen, and can honestly proclaim I love both! Yes, there was a lot more explicit sex in the original version but the sex was only a small part of the story; it was never actually the story. Initially, I was afraid the revised version without the sex would not be as um... stimulating (*cough* I think you catch my meaning), but I was dead wrong. It was the exact opposite! Without all the sex distracting me, I found myself more focused on the characters and the political climate stirring the hotbed of civil war inside the fictional Latin America island nation of Vistaria. When I read the original version twelve years ago, I remember thinking how realistic I felt the storyline was at the time. But what's really surprising is how relevant the story continues to be today, even after fourteen years. As usual, I digress so let's talk a few details.
Vistaria Is Fallen is a smart, edgy, exciting, fast-paced, well-crafted political thriller filled to the brim with danger, drama, action, adventure, suspense, political machinations, a diverse and very engaging cast of characters, agonizing angst, an irresistible attraction, and a passion so overwhelming, so undeniable, it combusts into a fiery blaze that will alter the course of millions of lives and spark a rebellion, setting an entire country onto a path of war. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with the primary perspective from the heroine, Callida 'Calli' Munro, an almost economics professor from Montana. We also get a brief insight from Nicolas Escobedo, the hero and half-brother of Vistarian President Jose Escobedo, and another very brief point of view from Calli's cousin, Minerva 'Minnie' Benning. I generally prefer books with, at least, dual perspectives and was so hoping the author would expand the hero's backstory and point of view in this revised version, especially since Vistaria is Nicolas' native country and not Calli's, but the author did a great job of supplying the reader with ample information using dialogue. I was immediately smitten with all the characters but Calli and Nick were just the cat's meow! *sigh* OMG, Nicolas Escobedo aka the Red Leopard was a man of mystery with such a powerful persona. I've always been attracted to gingers with green eyes and Nick is a ginger, features obviously inherited from his mother and not his Latin American father. *sigh again* And Calli... oh my! She's so strong and beautiful, tall, athletic, blonde hair and blue eyes, and so different than the women of Vistaria. Even after all the erotic scenes had been removed, I could still feel the attraction and undeniable sexual chemistry between Nick and Calli. It took on a life of its own, so powerful and, unfortunately, inevitable. It was like watching an accident you knew was going to happen but couldn't stop, no matter how hard you tried. They were absolutely perfect together, complementing each other brilliantly. We do discover a good bit about Calli and her life, and why she came to Vistaria, and why she's still single in her thirties, but I was a little disappointed in the character development of Nicolas Escobedo in the original story. I'd hoped we would discover more about the enigmatic Red Leopard and how he came to be in his current position of trusted advisor to his half-brother and respected liaison between the Vistarian government and military but alas, Nicolas still remains somewhat of a mystery. Romantic Suspense has always been my favorite genre and Tracy Cooper-Posey certainly kept me on the edge of my seat, white-knuckling my ereader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time. It was riveting! Did I like this story? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet and I am, for anyone who loves political thrillers, action adventure tales, and romantic suspense. This book is a full-length novel and the first of a six book series. I believe each of the books will feature a different couple but there is an underlying interconnected storyline and does end in somewhat of a cliffhanger leading into the second book, which is why I do NOT recommend this as a standalone read. But if you're anything like me, once you read the first, you'll be hooked and won't be able to stop! I've already preordered the second book, Prisoner of War, which will feature Minnie and Duardo. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! I've been a diehard fan of this author for many years. Tracy Cooper-Posey is an exceptionally talented wordslinger and skilled wordsmith who writes in many genres and I love them all! ANd finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
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Top reviews from other countries
IngSav
Phoar! What great chemistry and romance with an intriguing back story.
Reviewed in Australia on April 21, 2018