Ever wonder what happens to well known celebrities who suddenly disappear off the face of the Earth? Some may have reached the end of the road after a series of box office flops. The world seems to have passed them by. Then there are others who, like Dylan Evers, who decide to take a pass on the world, to step out of the fast paced rat race.

Dylan Evers, the “bad boy” tabloid star is tired. He’s tired of fame, tired of his infamy and just plain tired of being a celebrity. After the death of a close associate, he decides to take a break by buying a personal island. All he wants to do is be alone. His aloneness allows him time to walk the beach, dive and self-reflect. He’s so much into self-reflection that he has no contact with the outside world. His only link is a supply boat that shows up every two months on schedule. No phone, no television, no touch with any human until the boat wreck that flings two beautiful females onto his personal beach.

Avril Towers, a copper-haired reporter, is staking everything on getting a coveted interview with Dylan Evers. The problem is that he disappeared, but Avril is hot on his trail. She bribes the desk clerk for information on the elusive Dylan. A hot tip leads her to the dock in search of a man named Ramirez. Instead, she meets his dark-eyed daughter, Seville, who agrees to transport Avril to Dylan’s island after being tricked by Avril. The trip ends with the boat wreck, casting the two on the beach. The first thing Avril sees is a buff, nude Dylan walking towards her. Could life get any better?

Seville isn’t a great sailor, but feels obligated to transport the quick-talking American when she claims to have paid her father in advance. It wouldn’t do for her father to come back from his honeymoon with an irate customer waiting. Against her better judgment, she carefully cruises toward the Dylan Evers’ island only to be snagged by the coral reef. Cast up on the beach, she watches her father’s boat sink as a gorgeous blond man approaches. Could things get any worse?

Three separate souls tossed together, with at least two being unhappy with the initial meeting, struggle with self, lust and each other to find the real truth of what they have been seeking. The subtitle, Tarot: Four of Cups, deals with where Dylan finds himself at the beginning of the tale, but it may not just be Dylan who is self-absorbed at the start of the story.

This short, sexy romp actually delves quite deep into the psyche of its characters. The island setting also gives it a more laid back feeling—a sort of Jimmy Buffet singing a song about Jung while incredible hot bodies wander the beach. I would recommend Tarot: Four of Cups-Lust and Found in Paradise for a fast beach read.

Reviewed by Morgan
© June 2007