Riptide by Cherry Adair

Princess Bria Visconti demands the return of the money her brother rashly invested in Cutter Salvage. Treasure hunter Nick Cutter is too reckless, too arrogant—and far too handsome—for his own good. But he can’t charm his way out of this one. Bria plans to make Nick pay up even if she has to board his boat, don a wet suit, and dive for the treasure herself… Nick sees Bria as a beautiful but spoiled princess who’s never done a day’s work in her pampered life. But once they set sail for the dive site, and the legendary fortune in gold the wreck carries, Nick begins to see Bria in a new light. This princess may be out of her depth, but she’s ready to take on the hidden danger and excitement a treasure hunt stirs to the surface. Together they must fight unexpected enemies—and reveal their darkest secrets—before they’re pulled into a rip current of danger.

Goodreads Summary

Bria is the main character in this novel and what made it truly phenomenal.  She is a strong female character, great to see in a romance novel *cheers! No wimpy female here*.  She is sarcastic, witty, brave, and intelligent.  She is also a compassionate, hot-tempered Italian Princess.  When she discovers her brother's potential mistake in sinking a large sum of money in the hopes of finding buried treasure, she naturally has to go see if she can recover the money. 

What she finds or who she finds is Nick.  Nick is the perfect balance for Bria.  He is cool, aloft, enigmatic, and often silently seething on the inside.  They balance each other perfectly.  Their connection and chemistry is instantaneous.  The reader will love following their relationship and seeing it develop.  The author puts in all the ups and downs, not everything is peaches and cream, but it seems much more realistic as well. 

What can be better than dynamic characters and a steamy relationship?  How about we throw a smuggling ring into the plot.  The smuggling ring targets Nick's ship, which is suspicious as only he and Jonah are supposed to know about the cache of diamonds on board.  Will the Italian Princess be an asset or a pain in the you-know-what?

This book was terrific, I finished it in one day.  I loved the characters and I loved the fast-paced events and large amounts of action.  The ending was perfect and a strong female character in a romance novel clinches the deal.  This book is recommended for adults.

5 Stars

Find this book:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon
The Book Depository