Legend of laid-back, king of nonchalant, Rafe Carlisle doesn’t know what hits him when he meets, Catriona (Cat) McConnell. Rafe never considered himself father material but thanks to the clause in his father’s will, that one child had to be born within a year, or he and his brothers could lose their inheritance, he set out to call upon an old girlfriend to have a child with him. But when he crashes his plane on Cat’s airstrip trying to beat a storm, she comes to his rescue and nurses him back to health. Within days he knows she’s the woman for him, but he has to convince her of the fact.

But Cat is an independent woman. She doesn’t like being told what to do, doesn’t like having anyone take away her control. Rafe finds himself fighting Cat every step of the way in their relationship and with Lady Luck usually on his side, he travels with Cat to Las Vegas as she looks for her old flame, and one spin of the roulette wheel changes their lives forever.

The Rich Stranger was a wonderful sequel to the Princes in the Outback series. We met Rafe in book one, The Rugged Loner, which received The Road to Romance Reviewer’s Choice Award, and this was a charming and capturing story to fit this series. Readers are taken on a whirlwind ride with Cat and Rafe. Both are fiercely stubborn and determined, and the sparks fly whenever they are together. Cat’s independence is put to the test and Rafe, a man used to handling women and taking care of them, tries to make her life easier and show her in the only way he knows how, how much he does care for her.  Rafe finds himself questioning everything he ever knew about women while dealing with Cat and as he hopes that their marriage will be a lasting one, Cat doesn’t make it easy.

The Rich Stranger was sensual and exciting. Tomas caught my heart in book one and his brother Rafe did the same in this story. I think Rafe really set this book on fire with his prowess and his immediate love for Cat. This rich stranger sweeps in and steals a reader’s heart from the first few pages. I’m more eager than ever for book three, The Ruthless Groom.

Reviewed by Tracey West for The Road to Romance

August 21, 2005