Desire and Deception — Sharon Buchbinder

Pampered princess and daughter of a Mexican crime boss, Isabel (Izzy) Ramirez is a newly appointed assistant professor working toward tenure and promotion. Driven by voracious desires, including ambition for advancement in the legitimate world and lust for her boy toy, Izzy's house of cards is threatened when the department chair confronts her about a major transgression. Izzy's take no prisoners approach means she makes sure her boss can never expose her deceptions.

Graduate assistant and guy-on-the-side, Sean Richards wants Izzy to leave her sleazy husband. If she would only get away from that crook, he's convinced that he can bring out the better woman who exists beneath Izzy's tough sex siren exterior. He adores his hot blooded Latina and will do her bidding--up to a point. Despite the mind blowing sex, he can't and won't murder for her.

As Izzy's nosy parker friend and colleague doggedly follows an obscure trail of clues about the department chair's death, Izzy is forced to choose between reverting to the ways of her unredeemable father--or becoming the extraordinary woman she sees in Sean's loving eyes.

To My Readers:

In DESIRE and DECEPTION, polar opposites sex siren Isabel (Izzy) Ramirez and goody-two-shoes Sarah Wright-Rosen become fast friends and seem destined to be BFFs until Izzy's terrible secret is unearthed--literally and figuratively. Convinced that she is unworthy of redemption, Izzy goes down a take no prisoners' path, halted only by her younger lover, Sean Richards. Izzy discovers the redemptive power of love and realizes that she can change, despite her horrific past. For her part, Sarah discovers shades of gray in her formerly black and white world and learns the powers of forgiveness and love can transform not only how she sees the world, but also her own self-image.

In the end, Izzy becomes more like “good girl” Sarah--and Sarah becomes more like her “bad girl” friend. Izzy is the larger than life embodiment of all that is forbidden to “good girls”: she embraces her sexuality and desires and takes control of her life and the men in it--and pleases herself. Sarah is “everywoman”: she works hard, plays by the rules, collaborates and works by consensus--and wants to please others. This binary, yes/no reasoning is faulty, but I believe many of us struggle with this duality in our lives. As seen with Izzy and Sarah, with love and an honest relationship we can grow into who we want to be, not who we think we should be. On behalf of Izzy and Sarah (who have been badgering me for quite some time now), I hope you enjoy this story.