Betrayed Birthright is the latest in Silhouette Desire’s Dynasties: The Ashtons miniseries. It goes nowhere, and does nothing except introduce a character who will appear in the next book. I started this series hoping for a nice, juicy soap opera, but I’ve pretty much given up hope, and was bored to death by this book.

Walker Aston’s father was the kind and gentle farmer David Aston, and also the brother of evil Spencer Ashton, the now dead patriarch. David married Lakotah Sioux Mary Little Dove and they had two children. When David was killed in a car wreck, Spencer came in and with a combination of payoffs and threats, took the children from their mother. Spencer took a shine to Walker and the boy grew up as a favorite with his uncle. Walker is an investment banker with Ashton-Lattimer and lives for his work. When Walker’s sister discovered their mother was alive, he went to find her.

Mary Little Dove lives on the Lakotah reservation in Pine Ridge where she works as a nursing assistant. Mary is lucky to have a job and a modest mobile home to live in, since there are few jobs and a shortage of housing on reservation. Walker is appalled by the drunkeness and poverty he sees there, but he also feels the tug of his Indian heritage. When he finally meets his mother, he finds that she has adopted a young woman named Tamra Winter Hawk. Mary and Tamra work to better the lives of the Pine Ridge Sioux, and they introduce Walker to his mother’s people. Walker and Tamra are attracted to each other, but he is tied to the city and she is devoted to her people.

That’s pretty much it, folks. We all know that eventually they will figure things out and marry and live happily ever after and they do. But I didn’t care a bit. Both Walker and Tamra had all the substance of shadows and Mary Little Dove was nothing but a phantom. This is a short book, as are all the Desire titles, but I’ve read my share that were funny, sexy and touching. This book has none of those qualities.

If you are following the Ashton continuity, you probably will read this book, but you won’t be lost even if you aren’t. My advice, though is to pass this one by – it is noe of the most insubstantial and forgettable books I have ever read in my life. The Ashtons will continue next month with Mistaken For A Mistress. I’ll be there, with hope that maybe something will happen.