One alluring French-Filipina beauty. One sexy US Air Force officer. One torrid weekend affair. Maddie Duvall should be living it up at her challenging new job in glamorous Singapore. But two months after her wild weekend with Aidan Ryan, she’s still yearning for him. She craves the passion only he can ignite in her.Aidan’s job takes him around the world, yet he can’t get Maddie out of his mind. … can’t get Maddie out of his mind. When he returns to his assignment in Singapore, he seeks her out with a proposition she can’t turn down.
Intensely enamored with one another, their relationship takes off. But when Aidan’s mission exposes treachery by someone close to Maddie, lines blur and wires get crossed. Can their growing love survive the intrigue?
Singapore Fling is Book 2 of Carpe Diem Chronicles, a series of multicultural contemporary romance novels. The stories celebrate the rich cultures of exotic Southeast Asian islands through languages, food, and festivals.
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Maida does such a great job painting a picture with her words of the food, clothing, and locations of the world her characters inhabit. This second full-length volume in her Carpe Diem Chronicles is sexy, quick to read, and full of well-rounded, interesting characters. Family ties and female friendship add to the depth of the world and make you want more books.
Love is a partnership, not to be dominated by one or the other. This is the main lesson that Aidan and Maddie struggle to learn in Singapore Fling.
If you are looking for a book full of hot romance, culture, and even some intrigue, this might be the book (and series) you want to pick up for your next read. I became immersed in this book and enjoyed every moment of the story. It is definitely sizzling due to the food and the sex scenes but at the same time, both Aidan and Maddie are holding parts of themselves back from each other. Is it apprehension? Or maybe it is how they grew up or the job they hold and expectations. There is one line that devastated me because no one should feel this way: “Apart from herself, nobody considered Maddie their number one priority.” But on the flip side, she embraced her dual heritage – Filipino and French. It made her unique and was an asset that drew Aidan into her life.
The dialogue between Aidan and Maddie was sensual, comedic, and loving. No, life wasn’t easy for them and they both embark on paths that may not be right for their relationship, but this is a path that all relationships must endure to become something solid and lasting. Because Aidan is military, he is used to being direct and to the point, and perhaps a bit harsh with his comments but wanting Maddie (and some input from his brothers) reshapes his rough and tough attitude to something a little softer, at least with Maddie. Maddie realizes that she too has to bend and perhaps Aidan has her best interests in mind.
I thought the definitions at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch to introduce words I may not know and define them before they were used in the book. The descriptions of the island, various locations they visited, the food all added to the picture in my mind as if I was there with them. Not all of the food sounded good to me (I personally don’t like seafood) but I’m intrigued by the Hainanese chicken rice and will need to seek out this recipe and give it a try.
Some of my favorite lines:
“We’ve already established our chemistry; I don’t want to find somebody else.”
“Do you only go at one speed, Aidan? The speed of light?
“Humility is a virtue you clearly do not have.”
“You shouldn’t wear perfume if you don’t want anybody to smell you.”
“He was coffee. Black, no sugar, the way she preferred it: strong, hot, addictive.”
Overall I enjoyed the book and give it 4 paws up.
Singapore Fling by Maida Malby is book 2 in the Carpe Diem Chronicles, but it can still be enjoyed as a standalone. The series covers the three Ryan brothers, with Aiden starring in Singapore Fling. Madeleine (Maddie) Duvall captured Aiden’s attention in book 1 (Boracay Vows). They meet again in Singapore, and their relationship quickly becomes red hot. Aiden’s brother Blake is marrying Maddie’s best friend Krista, and Maddie and Aiden need to work together for the next year as maid of honor and best man to make the wedding a success.
The chemistry between Maddie and Aiden is positively molten, but their relationship seems to be moving into something a little more serious and a little more permanent. They just have one rule: no betrayal. But sometimes rules must be broken.
Maida Malby’s characterization is intriguing, dynamic, and oh so international. Aiden is a high-ranking officer in the US Air Force and smoking hot (of course), and Maddie is half Filipina and half French and absolutely stunning. The author melds these cultures together into a delightfully entertaining power couple that appears physically perfect, but these two are not without their flaws and insecurities.
The overall story is quick and easy to follow, with lusty moments between Maddie and Aiden, and a twist in the plot that will test their budding relationship. Their interaction throughout the story is lively, steamy, and sometimes quite sweet, but can the bond these two are forging withstand the turmoil of secrets and betrayal? Check out Singapore Fling for yourself and find out. You’ll enjoy the scorching sensuality between the two main characters and the many references to the local Singaporean cuisine and idioms/slang that provide a strong sense of place.
Book 2 in the Carpe Diem Chronicles is entertaining all the way through and deftly hints at the next in the series. If you want to take a virtual vacation, then you need to add Singapore Fling to your travel itinerary.
Excellent world-building and descriptive language about travels. Tough women, hot heroes…great series to get down with.
Singapore Fling is a first for me to read by this author.
From previous reviews and from the synopsis of the book the author is known for extensive details that gives the reader a more in depth idea of the Southeast Asian islands culture. However, for me, I honestly felt it was just a bit too much crammed into this book. I felt I would be reading and finally get to the point where I was getting into the story and then BAM we go off on tangent to talk about the food or the island.
Maddie and Aidan had one wild weekend affair when they were celebrating together with friends and family. But Aidan’s job always has him jetting off around the world, so he never thinks to settle down. When Aidan learns they are both in Singapore for work for extended amounts of time he takes his chance to finally catch up with her and discover why he can’t get this one woman off his mind. However, the more he learns about Maddie and her history the deeper he falls for her. But he soon discovers that his work and personal life are about to get tangled in a very messy way.
How’s a man like Aidan, who puts his career first, suppose to choose between the woman he’s falling in love with and his job?