Do you have a free afternoon? If you do, pick up a copy of Amanda Jean Kelly's In Ruins and treat yourself to an archeological adventure in Belize. No customs lines, no packing, no passport required!

This engaging novella includes elements of romance and a bit of sexual spice as it follows Raul Ignacio and Theresa Tustin's quest for Yeccijil's Staff. Set with a backdrop of Mayan Ruins, you are quickly carried away into a world where Indiana Jones himself would feel right at home.

Both Raul and Theresa need to find Yeccijil's Staff, and the race is on between them to be the one discover it first. Unfortunately, the funds have run out on the dig and both Raul and Theresa must face the possibility of failure if they don't find it in the next two days.

For Theresa, failure means the loss of her childhood home and a missed chance at recognition within her profession. Failure for Raul will drive him into financial ruin and end any hopes he has of conducting future digs on his own. They both long for the glory of the discovery of the Staff.

With tempers flaring and the competition soaring in the final hours of the expedition, Raul and Theresa begin to realize the heat between them isn't coming from the blazing Belize sun or from their competitiveness. Add in a bottle of tequila and even the dark night air can't cool down the flames rising between them.

I read In Ruins on a sultry August afternoon with the fan on my bare back and a cool drink by my side. It was the perfect escape. The story is faced paced and interesting, and the characters are real enough that you believe they are who they say they are. The sexual tension is thick, but the actual playtime is minimal. The sparse erotic action in no way diminished my reading pleasure.

All in all, In Ruins is a great story to read when you have a few hours to lose yourself in an adventure.

So put on your khaki shorts, break out the tequila and sit down to savor an escapist afternoon with Amanda Jean Kelly's In Ruins. An enjoyable adventure awaits you. 
 
Reviewed By Sabine Maurier
© August 2007