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For her safety, Kathlene Mallory’s father has placed her with Simouye, mistress of the Teahouse of the Look-Back Tree. Simouye has agreed to disguise Kathlene and take her on as an apprentice geisha. It is something Kathlene has always wanted and her wish is about to be fulfilled.
Kathlene is schooled in the ways of the geishas. Her world changed when her father left her at the Teahouse and her life changes again when she meets Reed Cantrell and Baron Tonda. Reed has come to Japan in search of a blonde geisha. He made a promise to her father to find her. Kathlene is a woman at the crossroads of her life. The question she faces is simple: can she be a true geisha?
Kathlene and Reed experience love and lust together. Reed wants her to leave with him but Kathlene finds it difficult to leave the life she has lead. Although this reader would have liked to learn more about Reed, we do know that he is a honest and loyal person. Throw in the villain, Baron Tonda who wants Kathlene and you have the makings of a terrific story. The secondary characters are fascinating especially Simouye who loved Kathlene’s father and Mariko, her friend. The cultural differences between them and Kathlene are apparent even though Kathlene has tried her best to immerse herself in the geisha/Japanese ways. Kathlene still yearns to fall in love with one man and that is something a geisha can never do.
The Blonde Geisha is filled with historical details as the author displays her knowledge of the Japanese culture. It is very apparent with the amount of facts that is woven into the storyline that she has done extensive research about the geishas. Ms. Bacarr’s book is well written and flows very smoothly. The writing is very elegant yet highly erotic. It is quite different from many of the erotic novels on the market. The author does sweep the reader into the geisha lifestyle and the reader can visualize it. The story moves at a quick pace as we follow Kathlene’s life experiences. The main focus is Kathlene as this is her story to tell. The Blonde Geisha is a unique book that gives a reader a taste of life within the confines of the geisha world.
Reviewed by Susan Tam
for The Road to Romance
July 7, 2006
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