There was no way that Alex Christie was going to let his father reach and control him from the grave. It was 1880 and he almost had tenure at the university.
Imagine! Being asked to go to Glasgow of all places to run a textile factory for two years, have it make a profit, and then he could inherit a million dollars. Alex, the oldest son of a strong self-made man, Sir William Christie, and his three siblings has all been offered a million dollars each for doing their specific task within the timeframe or they would only inherit 500 dollars. Well, they could run all over the globe doing their father's bizarre commands, if they liked; he and his infant son, Edmund, were going to be just fine.
That is until Josiah Todd, the blustering and abusive father beloved late wife, arrived at his home and demanded custody of his grandson, Edmund. There was no way Alex was going to risk that. Barely arriving in Scotland, he was soon faced with a fire in his mill and suspected sabotage. As the police hauled in the usual suspects, Alex soon found himself lusting for the spirited and stunningly beautiful union activist, Polly Gowan.
Coming from a strong union family, headed by the famous leader Graham Gowan, Polly would not let anything stop her from caring for her people -- the mill employees in the union and in the smoky and gritty Calton slum area of Glasgow. Polly was determined to get a measure of this new boss, but when he reached for her, she was surprised at how they quickly connected. When she got close, he made her blood sizzle. Could she get him to understand the situation in time or would she get burned by his unknown, all-consuming goal?
Carrie Lofty's STARLIGHT is a great stand-alone read on its own, yet, as the second book of her Christie Saga it is even more satisfying to readers wanting to get more immersed into the lives of the Christies and their response to the intriguing challenge laid down by Sir William Christie.
Lofty has a wonderful knack for setting an absorbing and realistic stage for the strong- willed characters to cross social and class barriers in dangerous circumstances to find true love. It was also intriguing to see Alex grow in character and flex his new understanding and strength to fight for what was really important. STARLIGHT is a great romantic suspense and I loved how the studious professor and the saucy union leader sparred with each other as they both learned more of each other's passions and depths while pursuing their heartfelt goals.
STARLIGHT is a sensual and scintillating treat you will enjoy!
Esteemed astronomer Alex Christie, the eldest and most steadfast of the Christie siblings, has never possessed his late father's ruthless business drive. But to protect his frail infant son from his cruel father-in-law's bid for custody, the young widower must undertake Sir William Christie's posthumous million-dollar challenge: to make a Glasgow cotton mill profitable. At sea in an industrial world of sabotage and union agitation, Alex meets Polly Gowan, daughter of a famed union leader, who hopes to seize a mysterious saboteur without involving the police. Because a sympathetic mill master would aid her cause, Polly becomes Alex's guide to urban Scotland. From soccer games to pub brawls, Alex sees another side of life, and feels free for the first time to reveal the man--vital and strong--behind his intellectual exterior. Polly is utterly seduced. Their ambitions, however, remains at odds: Alex vows to earn the mill bonus to save his child, while Polly fights for the needs of her people. Is there strength enough in their sparkling passion to bind them together in their quests--and in a lasting love that conquers all?
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