“The Mysterious Lady” by Angelica Bourland is a tale of a beautiful young woman, Dominican and American, who fall in love with a much older man (an immigrant) she met in her native Dominican Republic. But when the marriage between them comes to an abrupt end, they are separated and neither knows how they will manage their ever-deepening relationship. Meanwhile, the man becomes an important part of their country’s culture and society, and Angelica begins to wonder at the implications of her transformation into a man.
The Countess has a secret admirer in her younger days, an artist called Antonio. One day, while visiting him in his home, the countess falls for him despite his repeated denials that he is only a friend. As time goes by, he tries to seduce her – which doesn’t work very well, since Angelica detests guys who try to win her over with talk. Eventually, he succeeds in seducing her on a boat off the coast of Puerto Rico, where he proposes marriage and asks her to marry him. But Angelica refuses, and this is where things take an ugly turn: as she is making plans for her upcoming birthday (which is just a week away), she receives a call from Antonio, who claims to be coming to visit her, offering to pay for her present on condition that she promises to marry him on her birthday.
Angelica is more than happy to marry Antonio, but things don’t go exactly as planned. She learns that he is hiding something from her – that he is, in fact, an ex-cop and that he once served a four-year jail term for murder. When he refuses to tell her what this ‘connection’ is, Angelica realizes that the curse of her height is tied to this man. Once she accepts his invitation to his house, she is confronted by a past crime which haunts her in her new life as she attempts to prevent the marriage from going wrong. This novel is a smart and enjoyable read, as Angelica Bourland weaves a fascinating plot that ultimately leaves you rooting for Angelica and Antonio to reach each other’s door…