Rafael

Elle James — 2024

Navy SEAL, Rafael Romero, left the military to marry his high school sweetheart. When he was stood up at the altar, he was left with a deep distrust of women. After a stint as a mercenary, he joins his merc team when they sign on with Bayou Brotherhood Protectors landing in a small town in Louisiana. Cursed with extreme good looks, he dates, but never commits. Rejecting a particularly persistent female ignites the wrath of her family of Voodoo practitioners. Rafael doesn’t believe in magic any more than he believes in love. He’s about to be schooled in both. Granddaughter of Bayou Mambaloa’s resident Voodoo queen, Gisele Gautier runs a gift shop with natural remedies and voodoo souvenirs. After her cousin is shamed in public, Gisele sets out to teach the heartless bastard, Rafael, a lesson by making him fall in love with her so that she can reject him and show him how it feels. When her business and her home are targeted, she's forced to turn to Rafael for help. Together, they search for answers. In the process, they fall victim to a passion neither expected or wanted and learn to believe in the magic of Voodoo and love.

Reviews

Nicola Sarah Brooks@nikkisbooknook

Oct 31, 2024

I really enjoyed the different style of opening to this story. The ill-gotten gains being hidden away - what has that to do with our story??

Welcome back to Bayou Mambaloa. The cutest, quirkiest and, it would seem, most dangerous small town in Louisiana! Rafael aka Romeo, has been burned in love. He gave up the career he loved for his sweetheart and she jilted him. Now he loves the ladies but leaves them wanting more. Gisele however, she doesn't hate men exactly -s she just doesn't trust them a whole lot! Wither her ful mouthed, men hating parrot, she rules over her little Voodoo and potion shop. But it seems that someone has it out for Gisele.

Rafael can't have that. He's now on protector mode, whether feisty Gisele thinks she needs it or not. The chemistry between these two is palpable and soon can't be contained. Gisele wants to hate Rafael for his treatment of her cousin but she soon learns that situation is not all it's been painted.

Wooing a wary woman whilst trying to fend off cougars, biting parrots and a determined bad guy means Rafael has his work cut out for him! Interfering friends/neighbours really needs to become a standard trope!