by Lynn Raye Harris
THE SPANISH MAGNATE’S REVENGE
SYNOPSIS
REBECCA LAYTON runs a successful international conglomerate of hotels – or did until ALEJANDRO ARROYO RIVERA DE RAMIREZ nabbed her company in a carefully planned act of revenge. When Alejandro summons her to Madrid as his new employee, the last thing Rebecca expects is to be insanely attracted to the man who broke her heart five years ago after they shared one hot night together.
Alejandro only wants to humiliate the woman who betrayed him. He’s a billionaire financier now – but then, he was struggling to save his company and keep his hotel chain afloat. The deal he’d brokered fell through when Rebecca talked his backers into financing her instead. Now, Alejandro plans to carve up Layton International with Rebecca watching helplessly.
But Alejandro hadn’t counted on the intense desire he still feels for Rebecca. Though he has vowed not to give in, he finds himself kissing her and wanting to make love to her. He even insists she stay at his villa instead of housing her in his Madrid hotel – a sure recipe for disaster.
Rebecca is shocked to realize Alejandro blames her for losing his financing five years ago. But she had nothing to do with it. It was her mother who ruined Alejandro’s deal, though it was unintentional. Still, Alejandro was engaged when he made love to Rebecca that night, and though he claims it was a family arrangement, not a true engagement, Rebecca can’t forgive him.
When Alejandro announces his plans to sell off the small New York hotel opened by Rebecca’s father and designed as a love gift to her mother, Rebecca begs him to let her buy it. He offers to let her have it in exchange for her body—but she cannot risk becoming his mistress. Her heart would never survive. Instead, Rebecca is forced to turn to the man who’d backed her instead of Alejandro five years ago. She will get this one hotel back by any means possible.
Alejandro may have wanted revenge, but he’s an excellent businessman and can no more destroy Rebecca’s company than he could his own. Layton International has the potential to be bigger and better, and Alejandro intends to make it so. Rebecca may not trust his motives, but as she works by his side, she realizes Alejandro’s business sense about her company is correct.
The more they work together, the more they are drawn to each other. After a particularly difficult decision about her favorite hotel, Rebecca feels vulnerable. She seeks comfort from Alejandro and they end up making love. Alejandro realizes that Rebecca is a dynamic and intelligent woman, far more important to him and his business than he’d thought possible. He offers her the chance not only to head up her company again, but also to oversee the bigger hotel operations of Ramirez Enterprises. The job means she’ll have to stay in Madrid—which also means she’ll be there to share his bed each night.
Rebecca knows she can do a great job at Ramirez. She laments the loss of her company, but intends to accept. However, the plans she set in motion when she called her previous financier come to fruition. Suddenly, Alejandro is fighting to keep control of his business. Worse, he blames her for betraying him again. He fires her and orders her out of his life.
Rebecca flees Madrid only to realize she can’t abandon the man she loves. She will help him fight; only together can they save his company. She returns to the office and gets to work. When the crisis is over, Alejandro realizes he owes his success to the woman he loves. Rebecca believes he’s come to kick her out again, but he confesses he loves her in spite of her betrayal. Rebecca explains it was her mother who ruined his first deal, though she is culpable this time. Alejandro apologizes for not telling her about his family’s expectations that he marry a woman they’d chosen when he made love to Rebecca the first time.
They realize they can forgive each other and move forward with their lives together. Alejandro offers Rebecca another position. She is more than happy to accept the job as wife. Revenge is sweet indeed.
20 Responses to “Writing Contest winning synopsis”
- 1 Pingback on Apr 13th, 2008 at 10:53 am
- 2 Pingback on Aug 15th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Hi All and especially Lynn!
Because I’m on Aussie time I’m lucky enough to be the first person to comment here and let me say:
WOW!
Seriously, how much do you all love the spunky Rebecca after reading that? She’s a fantastic character! I really like that she returns to help Alejandro save his company
Hanging on the edge of my keyboard for the rest! Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us Lynn, and I can’t wait to see it in print!
Nikki.
….Glad to see I’m not the only one on Aussie time! (Hi Nikki)
Really interesting for me to read a great synopsis that conveys not only the story but so much emotion for the characters as well (definitely where mine was lacking in comparison!)
Can’t wait to see it on the shelves…..a worthy winner!
Susieq
I do like being based in Melbourne too, we get the first read of everything
The synopsis is great: succinct, without superfluous information, and makes me really want to get my hands on that manuscript!
Again, Lynn, well done.
Madeline
Wow, thanks! I’m here early for me, but I was more nervous about the synopsis than the chapter. Like most writers, I despise writing them. But I do love the 2 page d/s limit that Harlequin wants. Because it really makes you focus on boiling things down into action/reaction/decision units. There’s just no room for lots of backstory and explanations about how your characters became who they are.
This is truly a great learning experience for all the writers who frequent this blog!! Because not only did the editors give tips on what not to do, they will also now tell you what is right and what is wrong about my entry, and about Dani and Eve’s. This is like a crash course in novel writing. And it’s free, which is downright amazing.
You should teach a class on writing a synopsis.
As I said yesterday, I can’t wait to buy this book!
What a great synopsis, Lyne Raye! It really reflects your voice and has a definite flavour, while mine is more of a bland string of events in comparison. This is such a fab chance to learn!
OH WOW, AMAZING SYNOPS Lynn!! Now I am so nervous about mine, gaaaah!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! And I am really, truly eager to read your complete book, too.
Hi Lynn!
Fab synopsis. Two things make it great.
1) the premise and storyline – so much emotion and I love how you turn them on then turn them against each other. Great work throwing them together.
2) you choose great descriptors – Alejandro ‘nabbed’ her company. You could have said ‘takes it in a hostile takeover’ or something, but ‘nabbed’ has so much more kick and spice.
You’re so right about this being a great learning experience for all of us. So far, this is a lot of fun – but I’m not under the microscope yet
d
Excellent analysis Dani- it’s that use of strong verbs and the emotional response of the characters to the event that give it such and impact and individual voice- the elements I am sure were missing from mine. Can’t wait to practice rewriting it and hopefully giving it more life and feeling. I’m looking forward to seeing yours too!
PM: Who, me? Really? Now that’s not anything I’d have ever thought I’d do well enough at that someone would suggest I teach a class!
Eve: Thanks! I’m sure you have nothing to worry about with yours!
Dani, I appreciate you analysis! Truly, when writing this tight, I just found ways to make one word do the work of several. It felt right. This microscope thing has been very enlightening, though I was scared about it at first.
Mulberry: You have exactly pegged it! Strong verbs and emotional response, written in your own voice. And I really think the 2 page format is awesome for making you cut out all the unnecessary words. You just don’t have a lot of room to dither.
Hi All,
Honestly I still don’t know how even begin writing about Euro heroes or even if I want to! 
Any advice ?
Everybody’s comments have been right on. Lynn, great synopsis – very tight . You rose to the occasion of that 2 page limit whereas I wrung my hands over it bemoaning the fact that the synopsis example HP gave us for MOON MADNESS was around 5 or so pages.
I learnt from you that one must show important stuff in the first chapter that can’t fit in the synopsis and vice- versa. I also learnt that you not only have to make the story progress in that first chapter but you need to physically move the action along – the chapter can’t happen in one place. Also, give HP what they want meaning no small town settings (alas this isn’t a Nicholas Sparks book!) and titles with Italian, Spanish, Greek and Sheik seem to be what’s hot right now. I guess I wrote what appealed to me as a reader when the thing to do is tread the line with what you like and what HP likes. So, did I learn the correct things ?
Scarletibis- completely worthless advice from a struggling newbie- but maybe your story is a perfect fit for one of the other Harlequin/ Mills and Boon series that do use small town settings and local heroes? It may be worth thinking whether any other series you enjoy reading have storylines with similar elements to yours, and checking out some of the other writing guidelines.
Hi, Scarlet. What Mulberry said for one. For two, if you want to write Presents, I don’t think you HAVE to have a European hero. An American billionaire will work too (I seem to remember a response from the editors a while back that said that). But you need glam.
If you aren’t writing that, then find the line that mostly resembles what you like (as Mulberry said). Oh, and I wouldn’t worry about the title. They’ll change it if they don’t like it. Not that I didn’t consider the Presents promise when coming up with my own.
I don’t think an inappropriate title alone would incur a rejection, though.
Hi,
. I only read Harlequin Presents among all their lines. I’ll check the guidelines but do you know off hand what lines they print that a story with a small town US setting might fit ? I thought I could do a small town romance meets the fire of a Harlequin Presents and the Nicholas Sparks would fly ! 
Apparently not the thing to do (ha ! ha !) for an HP book.
. (I used northwest Florida including PC Beach, a Caribbean country (which were both mentioned in my synopsis) and Manhattan for a flashback (which I didn’t mention.) Do you all know of any CURRENT websites with location info for writers ? (The places I used were areas I lived in and around so no research was done.)
Hey Mulberry and Lynn, many, many thanks for your advice
Even though I did have a “Richie” hero, my chapter (location and characters) was definitely missing the glam (good point to inform me of Lynn).
Do you all have an opinion on the “glam” factor of the Panama City Beach area ? It IS nick named “R—— Riviera”
Hi scarletibis, I used to read a lot of Harlequin American Romances- they tended to feature small town settings. It may be worth looking at the blurbs for the current releases and seeing if you feel your story might fit, before you try reading a few.
I’m wondering if the my competition story has enough “glam” factor too- most of it is set in a villa on the Bay of Naples, but it is rather understated, not flashy.
I don’t know the areas you have set your book in, they certainly sound interesting, but my only trip to the States was a four day short break in Manhattan back in the 90’s!
Hi Mulberry,
.
Thank you for your info. We should start our own blog at this rate
Your Bay of Naples setting sounds ideal for HP. If you think it doesn’t have enough glam, how about sticking in some ?
Lynn is correct in saying than an American billionaire hero will work but HP does seem to favor the Italian thing – setting, hero and yes title too. How many HP American heroes do you read about compared to Italian? Even the few US writers use Italian/Euro heroes frequently so I say you’re on the right track. (In real life the only two Italians I know are Italian-Americans and both are gay !)
Nothing wrong with using settings you are familiar with, I think. I lived in Hawaii for 3 years, and I spent a week in Madrid once. I don’t see why Florida can’t be glam. But, OTOH, you have to write to the promise of the line. It’s not the setting, or the title, or the hero not being Italian (Spanish, Greek, etc) that makes a story not right for Presents. (This is just my opinion — I am certainly not the expert!)
As for the lines, Mulberry is probably right about Harlequin American. I don’t tend to read those because I *love* Presents, Intrigue, and certain Blazes. Oh, and Desire.
I don’t know where to tell you to go online for research, but I’d probably start with that town’s tourist info site and go from there. Good luck, Scarletibis!
Hi Lynn,
Just saw your response above. For us Wannabes, you’re the best one to give advice because you made it from Step A to B and you are en route to Step C (getting the book published.)
Thank you for all the comments and advice and again good luck with your fabulous story !