Indiscretion
Secrets, danger and passion under the scorching Spanish sun
A young woman’s journey of discovery takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty – and revenge.
Spring, 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish youngwriter abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London andtravels to Spain to be reunited with her long-estranged family.
Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are riven by seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucía, all of which are alien to Alexandra.
Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra’s destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured on to the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed dancers hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?
Indiscretion is a story of love and identity, and the clash of ideals in the pursuit of happiness. But can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?
Selected reviews
It’s been just one day since I’ve read this book and believe me I miss it badly… I sensed every fragrance of Spain, I imagined every beautiful landscape there, I felt every feeling that the main characters feel and I enjoyed every single word written by Hannah Fielding. – Books Are My Life
Fully developed, intricate, intimate, heart wrenching – this novel is all these things and more. Myths, expectations, love and lust all collide to make one of the most compelling romances that I’ve read since Outlander. Seriously, five stars. An amazing novel that I felt like I could have highlighted the whole thing. – Books Are Delightful
Rich with atmosphere, scenes that bring breezes and sunshine to life with all the beauty and grace of the region… Tales of gypsies add a magical touch and the words of Hannah Fielding flow like a gentle river downstream. Lively characters that share a myriad of personalities and cause tension-filled scenes that will touch the inner romantic in all of us. – Tome Tender
Extract of the book
‘Papá? Papá … is it really you?’
‘Sí, soy yo. Fifteen years is a long time, I know.’ Don Alonso de Falla paused and then his mouth broke into a most disarming smile. ‘I’m glad you still recognize me.’
Her face frozen in shock, she didn’t return his smile. ‘What are you doing here, Papá? You didn’t write to say you were coming to London, I wasn’t expecting you.’
‘I wanted to surprise you on your birthday. Here, these are for you. May I come in?’
‘Yes, yes, of course. Thank you. They’re lovely.’ Alexandra took the flowers from him and placed them on the hall table.
‘I see the house hasn’t changed at all,’ noted Don Alonso as he stepped into the hall. ‘Oh, but enough of that. Mi querida Alexandra, deja que te mire, let me look at you,’ he declared, holding his daughter at arm’s length. ‘You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman … so like your mother.’ Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her warmly on both cheeks. ‘I know you must have a lot of questions, niña. Is there somewhere we can talk comfortably?’
Trying valiantly to regain her composure, Alexandra led him into the drawing room, to the two wing-backed chairs facing each other in front of the fire, which was already lit. Stunned, she sat down, looking across at the man she hadn’t seen since she was ten years old.
The one photograph she had of him, standing with her mother, depicted him as a much younger man, the way he was in her childhood memories. Now, although still handsome, his black hair and goatee were peppered with silver and his face was narrower and slightly worn-looking.
So he was back, after fifteen years, looking at her as if he were seeing her for the first time, no longer the vulnerable ten-year-old he had left behind in the charge of her protective but rather austere English aunt.
Don Alonso settled himself in the chair and gazed at her. ‘You have your mother’s pearly complexion and her beautiful dark copper hair,’ he told her wistfully.
Alexandra’s eyes momentarily clouded with tears. She had no real recollection of her mother and the few black-and-white photographs that Aunt Geraldine possessed were faded. Still, years of suppressed anger and resentment at her father’s absence made her reluctant to talk about her mother in front of him. She decided to be blunt.
‘So why have you waited until my twenty-fifth birthday to come back to London, Papá? Are you here on business for the family estate? When are you going back to El Pavón?’
‘Of course, I wanted to come back sooner.’ Don Alonso raised his hands defensively at her barrage of questions. ‘You know from my letters how difficult things have been. The uprising at home … then the war in Europe. And it wouldn’t have been easy to leave the country these past five years either.’
Knowing that wasn’t quite true, she stared at him defiantly. ‘But not impossible.’
‘No, not impossible.’ He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ‘Thankfully, the government seems to be steering us out of isolation, which is good for business.’ Noting her arched brow, he added hastily, ‘and of course, it made it easier to arrange this trip to see you. I’ve been out of your life far too long. You know, I’ve always regretted not being here, leaving your Aunt Geraldine to bring you up but, as your mother was gone, I thought you needed a female substitute. A girl needs a woman to guide her.’
‘They also need their fathers,’ Alexandra replied softly.
‘Yes, querida, so they do.’ He smiled sadly at her now and tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair as if deliberating what to say next. She almost felt sorry for him. At least he had taken the trouble to surprise her on her birthday and he had remembered the date, after all. She smiled at him for the first time.
‘I’m pleased to see you, Papá, truly I am. It’s just that it’s a bit of shock, seeing you after all these years with no warning at all.’
Reviews
A captivating tale of love, jealousy and scandal… their romance is fraught with drama, and the reader is swung around in a flurry of passion and denial towards an unexpected conclusion. – The Lady magazine
A powerful story that really captures you and pulls you in… Full of passion, danger, love and a fantastic setting, Indiscretion is a stunning story that is truly consuming and gripping. – Reading in the Sunshine
I could almost feel the heat of the Spanish sun on my face and hear the sound of flamenco guitars as I was reading…This is wonderful, good old-fashioned romance the way it’s meant to be, with tension, drama, a brooding, irresistible hero and a gorgeous heroine battling against the odds in a world steeped in romance, moonlight, gypsies, flamenco and the heat of the Spanish sun. What more could you ask? – Amazon review
A powerful and romantic story, one to savour and enjoy… Written in a flowing, vivid style, Indiscretion grips from the first. – Lindsay Townsend
A tense, compelling story… kept me enthralled to the very last page. – Novelicious
I was totally swept into the bygone era, into a Spain full of unbridled passion…There’s so much to enjoy in this book: romance, passion, poignancy, vibrancy, drama, excitement, and plenty of twists and turns. – Amazon review
This beautifully written novel mesmerized me from the beginning… I loved all the aspects of the plot including the de Falla family drama, Spanish culture, gypsies, bull-fighting, danger, jealousy, lies, revenge and passion. I think Indiscretion would make a great movie or tele novella. – Amazon review
I totally recommend it… Indiscretion is a great romantic story with much tension, dram, a brooding hero and an emotional journey. – Goodreads review
A beautiful woven story of romance and adventure… I plan to read all of the author’s novels both in the past and in future releases because out of all the authors in the industry today Fielding has stood out. – The Bookish and the Romantic
A great historical fiction book filled with romance, tension and drama… I could not help turning page after page. If you are a fan of historical fiction than I would definitely recommend this book. – So Bookalicious
It’s been just one day since I’ve read this book and believe me I miss it badly… I sensed every fragrance of Spain, I imagined every beautiful landscape there, I felt every feeling that the main characters feel and I enjoyed every single word written by Hannah Fielding. – Books Are My Life
A story we can all get lost in… Hannah has the magic in her writing to transport her readers into another world, I savoured every word. – Goodreads review
Great historical romance… Very well written, beautifully descriptive full of intrigue and passion. – Amazon review
Fully developed, intricate, intimate, heart wrenching – this novel is all these things and more. Myths, expectations, love and lust all collide to make one of the most compelling romances that I’ve read since Outlander. Seriously, five stars. An amazing novel that I felt like I could have highlighted the whole thing. – Books Are Delightful
A great book for romance lovers… I love the passion and detail that Hannah Fielding puts into her work. – Amazon review
I thoroughly loved this book… This is a romance with multiple twists and turns that keeps the reader riveted and intrigued. – Amazon review
A breathtaking, memorable read – I couldn’t put it down…Indiscretion is a most memorable read and Hannah Fielding has pulled it off again. – Amazon review
Un-put-downable romance just like they used to write… It has all the hallmarks of the author’s style: vivid, transporting descriptions, magical locations, danger and intrigue and of course unbridled and unashamed romance. I can honestly say that I picked it up and wasn’t able to put it down until I had finished the last page – and then I was tempted to start it all over again! – Amazon review
Spain comes alive… The reader is transported into the land and its culture in this spellbinding story. The romance is both dark and breathtaking in its depth. A wonderful book by this author who I will read again. – Amazon review
The author has woven an exciting and engrossing story… She brings alive a world of bull fighting, gypsies and fascinating cultures all set in a stunning landscape. I found this novel to be an elegantly written love story and well worth reading. – Amazon review
[Hannah’s] books are great holiday reads, being extremely evocative of the time and place… [Her] writing is usually quite evocative, but in this book, she has surpassed herself with the richness of her scenic descriptions… I recommend this book warmly. – Book Pleasures
A beautifully stunning old school Spanish romance… It was so easy to get swept away in the story and forget where I was!! If you love romance novels or even historical fiction, this is definitely one to pick up! – Debra’s Book Café
Rich with atmosphere, scenes that bring breezes and sunshine to life with all the beauty and grace of the region… Tales of gypsies add a magical touch and the words of Hannah Fielding flow like a gentle river downstream. Lively characters that share a myriad of personalities and cause tension-filled scenes that will touch the inner romantic in all of us. – Tome Tender