Under His Sheets Accidentally Undercover Mystery Series Book #3
Mystery Romance, Military, Gay Romance
Celie Bay Publications
April 9, 2024
Kindle
288
Amazon
Review By : MARYANN
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Randall Sutter at twenty-seven had big dreams as a member of MoonCraft. He even thought he found a connection with one of the band members. Now, MoonCraft has broken up. They were robbed of their clothes to equipment and passports. Randall has an appointment at the embassy to find a way home. For now he’s stranded in Catalonia, Spain where there’s protests for independence from Spain and justice for separatist. All Randall wanted to do was find a bar to drowned his sorrows.
Somehow he’s saved by a mysterious man, who takes him to his apartment. They spend the night together. Even though Randall leaves a note, he never hears from the man again.
A few weeks later, after his embassy meeting he contacts his former teacher Cecilia Galvan and explains the entire, well almost, story. He didn’t have to leave Spain as long as he had employment. It would be a start for a new life. Cecilia was more than happy to see him put his education to good use and connects him with important people. He get’s and interview that leads him to Castelldefels. He’s get’s through the interview and a tour of the Frederick Douglass International School. They were more than over joyed to have a musical talent and a person of notoriety teaching in the music department. He’s excited to meet Principal Lara Trujillo-Perez to go over his schedule. He also gets invited to the Friday after school social for instructors, making a new group of friends.
The first day and he already has a slight accident right in front of the Principal. Lucky for Randall he was helped out of the bushes by the custodian, Alonso, who also rescued his damaged bike. There was something about Alonso that was very familiar and Randall swore it was his mystery man. The few times he would spot Alonso, the man would avoid him or not respond. Now with his bike fixed, he wanted to do something nice for Alonso, a man he’s still very suspicious of.
Many of the students spoke more than just English and they came from very high-profile, important and wealthy families. The school had their rules before students were released to anyone even parents. Randall connects with the ten year old, Pere Ferrer. Paolo, his father is the world famous flamenco guitarist with a dominate and bad attitude.
For Randall, his new life will surely hold surprises, danger and the question of trust, when he get’s caught up in a political uprising.
R.L. Merrill creates a suspenseful and eye opening story of Randall Sutter 2.0, with “Under His Sheets” from the “Accidentally Undercover” series. Randall is self-conscious about his body and needs to get on a better understanding with his family, especially his father. He’s a very ambitious person and loves music, whether he’s entertaining, teaching or just listening. Alonso is very secretive. As much as Randall likes him, he has many doubts about him.
There’s a host of interesting characters: Cecilia Galvan, Felip Segura and the Segura family. The French trio of Sasha, Camille and Josette. Besides the students that Randall loves teaching, there’s Lara Trujillo-Perez and Madame Lahlou.
Before getting into “Under His Sheets” I highly suggest reading: “A Note About Language,” the author will enlighten readers of the use of: Catalan, English and Spanish, that’s used throughout the story. The other highlight is “Author’s Note” where R.L. Merrill expresses her love and colorful descriptions of Spain and the ideas that created this story.
I highly recommend “Under His Sheets” just one of the stand alone, six stories from the “Accidentally Undercover” series. Be entertained with the suspense, surprises, romance and love of music while visiting Spain.
Review by Ulysses Dietz
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
As a fan of R.L. Merrill’s books, I was looking forward to reading this particular installment of the new “Accidentally Undercover” mixed-author series. I was not disappointed. The writing, the characters, and the setting are memorable, and I was fully engaged with both the romantic story and the fascinating cultural lesson the book offers.
A young American rock musician, finding himself robbed and abandoned by his bandmates in Barcelona, literally stumbles across a handsome Catalan during a raucous demonstration for independence. Their brief but intense connection seems to have come to naught, when Randall Sutter takes a job teaching music at a private international school. There he finds his mystery man, Alonso, acting as the school custodian and pretending he doesn’t speak English.
That’s the hook, and Merrill takes us along on Randall’s journey as he realizes how much he loves teaching children, and begins to understand the complicated political situation in the Catalonian capital of Spain. Randall’s particular appeal is in his humility—a Grammy-winning singer without arrogance. His instant connection with the mysterious Alonso leads him into the lives of two very different Catalonian families—the wine-growing Seguros and the celebrated Catalan musician Paolo Ferrer, whose son is one of Randall’s favorite students.
The real story here is that of an American falling in love with a foreign country, through its language and its people. It is both emotionally satisfying and intellectually compelling.