Claudia

the aristocratic avila-rojas of seville have one daughter, claudia, on whom they have pinned high hopes. she is extremely beautiful and talented. but young claudia has a mind of her own and is defiant at every turn. at seventeen years of age, she is well-bred and naturally assumed to be destined for a life of luxury, and position. however, conditions in europe are unstable in the early 1800's. The spanish armada's defeat at trafalgar left a shortage of eligible men for marriage back in spain. as well, the coffers of wealthy families have been depleted.
when a substantial dowry is offered for claudia's hand in marriage by rich landowner, don jorge, in the colony of argentina, her parents have no option but to accept. despite knowing little about him, his money will pull them back from the brink of financial ruin.
always one to take charge, young claudia envisions her aristocratic life will continue in the new world, and ... with a dashing husband. while on-route, haughtily, she plans how it will unfold; completely to her satisfaction. however, life's destiny for her differs as black, from white. with the simmering seduction by handsome ignacio, an officer aboard ship, claudia's heart is tossed into unrelenting turmoil. she falls in love with him, too, and her self-control wavers. struggling, she manages to maintain her sense of purpose, which is to honour the dowry - until the rude reception in buenos aires, that is. no dainty carriage for her; she is unceremoniously carted off in an oxen-pulled, covered wagon.
parted from the man she truly loves, claudia bravely ventures on but not to a privileged life on the pampas. far from it! her orchestrated dreams are thrown to the pampa's winds as she is plunged into a sudden hostile battleground where the true nature of her husband-to-be is unleashed ... against her. will her wits and strong will, save her life? or will ignacio somehow come to her rescue?