Return to Eden

This has got to be one of the best books ever written!!! I've been trying to find a copy of the mini-series to view and then I got the idea to read the book version. It is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. Stephanie Harper is a frumpy billionaire and the richest woman in Australia. She is also planning to marry ex-tennis-pro, Greg Marsden. At their wedding, Stephanie's best friend Jilly Stewart, and Greg notice each other and are immediately attracted. For their honeymoon Stephanie convinces Greg that they should go to her summer estate in the outback, called Eden. When Stephanie notices how well Greg and Jilly are getting along, she agrees to Greg's idea that Jilly join them at Eden later on. Even though her husband Phillip is against the idea, Jilly agrees.No sooner does Jilly arrive, then Greg and Jilly meet out in the stables at night and cheat on Stephanie. Awhile later, Greg arranges for the three of them to go on a crocodile hunt. When the biggest gator in the swamp, named Gindy Baru, approaches their boat, Greg shoves Stephanie overboard, and because she can't swim she is pulled under by the croc as Greg and Jilly watch. Even though she is shocked by what Greg has done Jilly decides not to report him to the police. Unbeknownst to Greg and Jilly, Stephanie has survived the attack, and is dying on an island in the midst of the swamp. Luckily for her, a hermit named Dave is passing by and rescues her from the approaching crocs. After taking her to his house he nurses her back to health and when she tells him she can't remember who she is, he gives her the new name Tara Welles. Finally, when she is well enough to go out on her own, he gives her his valuable collection of opals and gets her aboard a bus headed for Townsville. When she arrives, her memory slowly returns and she decides she must have a grand revenge against Greg. She cashes the opals at a pawn shop, and still being horribly scared she goes to a renowned plastic surgeon who owns a clinic on Orpheus Island. Once there, she meets the owner, Dr. Dan, and she begins her treatments. She also takes a liking to Dan and she becomes his favorite patient. Even when the liking for one another begins to grown into a romance neither of them say anything. Finally after numerous surgeries Tara has become a different woman. She is thinner, prettier, looks ten years younger, and has lost a lot of weight from eating the island's nutritious food. When she is fully recovered from the surgeries she decides to leave the island, even though Dan encouragers her to stay. Using her last bit of money, Tara buys a rundown, roach-infested apartment to live in. One night, she gets the urge to see her former home so bad she takes the trip and runs into a servant leaving the home. When he doesn't recognize her, it gives Tara more confidence then ever that neither will Greg. Just as she is leaving she sees Jilly approach the house to meet Greg. She then realizes that Jill

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Well written and gripping, Return To Eden tells the story of Stephanie Harper, billionaire mining mogul but unfortunately desperate to be loved. Wimbledon tennis champion Greg Marsden, handsome and predatory, marries her for her money and embarks on an affair with her best friend. When Greg realises he could have Stephanie's money without having to bother with Stephanie herself, he feeds her (literally) to the crocodiles and settles back to enjoy her fortune.But Greg doesn't count on Stephanie's survival skills, nor the revenge of a woman scorned. After being pulled out of the crocodile swamp and nursed back to health by an old hermit, Stephanie makes her way to a private clinic where she undergoes plastic surgery to completely change her appearance. Armed with her new visage as Tara Welles, Stephanie starts to exact her revenge.Highy readable with not much brainpower involved. A great one for a rainy day on the sofa.