Travel Secrets: Book One - Rio de Janeiro

Every Destination Holds a Secret.Work, sleep, repeat. Instead of living the dream, travel writer Rachel Moore is dreaming her life away.When a new owner takes over Travel Secrets magazine the chance of a lifetime appears. About to be “downsized,” Rachel desperately conjures a way to avoid losing her job by betting her boss that she will find a scoop in Rio de Janeiro – or be fired.Looking for an exclusive story in exotic Rio, the curvy, insecure Rachel must overcome the sabotage of a vicious model with the help of her sexy tour guide Otavio. She must learn how to use the power of a different culture to conquer those insecurities and thus discover the greatest travel secret of all. Travel Secrets is contemporary women's fiction, celebrating body positivity and transformation through travel.Working in Travel Secrets magazine, Rachel has been stuck covering the same American tourist spots for three years. She dreams of traveling the world instead and of someday starting her own, unique women's magazine.When young tech millionaire, Ryan Brooks, buys the failing magazine, he must “downsize” the company in order to save it. About to give Rachel “The Talk,” Ryan instead agrees to the bet that Rachel conjured out of desperation: Give her a chance to cover Rio de Janeiro during carnival, and to bring back an exclusive story – or she's fired.In Rio, Rachel is accompanied by beautiful, mulatta tour guide, Isabel, and surly, sexy tour guide Otavio. The accompanying model and businesswoman, Chantal, along with photographer, Kevin, bully Rachel for her ideas and curvy body throughout her time there. Rachel does her best to get along with Chantal, who is currently dating her boss.Otavio pursues Rachel from the start, telling her she is beautiful, an observation she finds hard to believe. Both he and Isabel first seem to distract Rachel from her goal, but both end of proving themselves essential to finding the scoop. (This is a genuine scoop, still unknown to the American travel industry). Since Chantal can't model in some of the scoops, the necessity arises for Rachel to star in them herself. She dances in front of the Samba school masters, dances on a carnival float, and even performs a striptease with her new Brazilian girlfriends at a bachelorette party.Instead of the bullying of her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, Rachel has stepped into a different kind of world. The admiration the Brazilians hold for both her courageous spirit and her body helps Rachel perceive herself in a different light. She realizes that body image is an issue that is viewed differently around the world.Rachel's affair with Otavio leads her to his childhood home in a dilapidated shantytown, opening her eyes to the other side of Rio, a side tourists normally don't see. By the end of her trip, Rachel understands the spirit of Rio de Janeiro itself.Rachel goes back to New York as Raquel, a confident, sexier, happier woman hoping her final scoop is a winning one.Her resolve to remain a changed woman is tested amongst the sophisticated French women in Travel Secrets: Book Two – Paris and Bordeaux (to be released soon).

“Laugh, cry, cheer, gasp, and blush right along with Rachel as Travel Secrets has you feeling every emotion while winding through the streets of Rio on a grand adventure. It’s a little romance, a little self-discovery, a little travel, and a lot of fun! Set in a colorful and exotic backdrop, Shar Lemond has created real-life characters that leave you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happen next!” - Trista S.

“Wow; I couldn't put it down and loved every minute! I haven't had the opportunity to travel much but the rich descriptions in the book made Rio come alive for me. In today's society so many women have negative body images and bullying is such a growing problem. This book made me stop and think about views I had on life and of myself and there is a great message of learning to love yourself that all women can learn from. From beginning to end I was immersed in this book and I can't wait until the next one comes out to see where she goes next.” - Rebecca S.

"A fascinating combination of serious literature and contemporary women's fiction that men can enjoy too! Travel Secrets is a fun and insightful personal growth story about a young woman that men can enjoy too! The protagonist is a young woman, and one thing male readers can gain from it (especially through the first person narration) is to better empathize with women by seeing her struggles and how she responds. There are some pretty sexy scenes, but don't worry about it being a cheesy "romance" novel. It's a fascinating combination of serious literature and contemporary fiction that should appeal to a broad spectrum of readers of all ages." - Scott P. 

"Unlike many books that contain sexy scenes, the sexy scenes in this book were integral to the plot. Throughout the book, we see the evolution of our heroine from someone who hides behind drab clothing, while denigrating her own body, to one who learned to revel in her body and sensuality. I thoroughly enjoyed, and appreciated the body-positivity message this book conveys." - SA. 

"The beautiful weaving of Rachel's story kept me not only engaged throughout the book but also touched me so deeply I felt I was in the story, that I could actually be Rachel. Instead of simply being drawn into a story, I was drawn into an individual. Knowing her fears, understanding her thoughts, and glorifying in her growth as a person. The artful first-person telling offered a seamless experience of a woman who finds her strength and femininity. It reminds us that embracing our masculinity and femininity can help us to find strength, success, and happiness." roggedance

"Travel Secrets has everything you look for in a modern, contemporary novel. The plot is original and well developed. No useless stereotypes pollute a single paragraph. The underlying themes of the story as noted in the description are fleshed out and thoroughly explored without beating you over the head, and leave you to come to your own conclusions rather than tell you what to think. I wish I had this book to read in my early twenties. The contemporary novels and romances I did have were trite by comparison." Tilia J.

"wild ride through the lesser traveled parts of Rio, but more importantly, a glimpse into the mind of a young woman deciding exactly how to best experience life while navigating the pitfalls of toxic colleagues and her own insecurities. I found it fascinating." Lynne B.

"This is not some run of the mill romance novel, but rather an adventure travel story. I learned the history and the socio-economic circumstances of Rio's residents all while rooting for Rachel and her dreams, her job, and her sexy Octavio. I can't wait to read what intriguing travel secrets will be revealed next!" Lisa H.