Exotic India sets the scene as a young contest winner gets
an escorted tour of Agra and Delhi, courtesy of a newspaper
and a TV reality show. Mandy Robbins is determined to gain
fame from her trip. To her chaperone Joanna - a newcomer to
the Daily Post who got this task at the last minute -
Mandy's a headache she could do without. She's been warned
not to let the film crew walk over her, especially the
director Matthew Howard. Mandy has been provided with a
new wardrobe but not Joanna - who won't expect to be filmed
anyway.
THE SECRET TAJ takes us from the overpowering heat, noise
and colour of New Delhi to the calm and luxury of the hotel
interior. Enjoying a snack on her balcony, Joanna finds
that Matthew is next door. She knows she'd better be
polite, but finds him abrasive. Seventeen-year-old Mandy
has already declared her intention to drink vodka, so
Joanna can't relax too much. Peacocks strut around the
swimming pool and the sun will burn fair Mandy fast.
Joanna's responsible for her sunscreen too. She's not
thinking of herself, so when Matthew presents her with a
gorgeous light dress, she's stunned. Is he showing his good
side, or does he have a mere amusement in mind? The
streets are lined with barbers, beggars, letter-writers,
cooks, doing a fine trade. Dinner in a classy restaurant
consists of melon, Shah Jehani pullao, a lamb on saffron
rice dish, and fig sorbet with fresh nectarine slices. The
culture clash overwhelms Joanna, and this is just the first
day.
The contrast is amusing as Mandy has never heard of Ghandi
and wants Rice Krispies for breakfast. I wondered what on
earth kind of contest she'd won. We see many different
sides of India - and this book was written long before
Slumdog Millionaire. For seven years Joanna has been
writing about other people's good fortune, yet she doesn't
seem to have had much herself. But in teeming, incredible
India, we get the feeling that anything can happen. The
sounds, sights and smells come across to the reader and the
Taj Mahal seems to float on water in the moonlight. I got
thoroughly into the story and by turns liked Matthew and
disliked him, with his strong personality taking advantage
of a young woman in a lower-paid job. Read this unusual
romance by Stella Whitelaw and make up your own mind. THE
SECRET TAJ was previously issued and is now available as an
e-book.
A once in a lifetime trip to India leads to a once in a
lifetime love.
Chaperoning the teenage winner of a trip to Delhi was not
high on Joanna Hamilton’s list of desired job tasks.
Nevertheless, she devotes herself to the onerous duty of
escorting the rebellious teen through Northern India. Her
task is made even more difficult by the documentary crew
filming the journey—especially dealing with the autocratic
director Matthew Howard.
Yet as they travel through the breathtaking landscapes of
India, Joanna finds herself falling for the proud man, that
is, until she is informed that their relationship could
jeopardize all that he has worked for. Amongst the beauty of
the Taj Mahal, Joanna must decide whether she should let him
go, or fight for their blossoming love.
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