I have no reliable way to assess the book afresh, the story is too familiar to me. But I can understand how the ending might seem unsatisfying: a fairytale story like this should, perhaps, have a fairytale ending.
We might applaud the author for not bowing to a stereotypical ending, were it not that we know the intention was more cynical: if you are not satiated it suggests you care what happens next and so will buy the next book (or magazine or whatever). And sometimes it works, fantasyfan
. But not always, Catlady and Bookworm_Girl
.
But I would not characterise it as a cliff-hanger ending. The story is finished. The heroine is satisfying her idea of honour, intending to keep her promise, and William Clayton is a good man (and rich!), so we can't feel too sorry for her. The hero has satisfied his idea of honour and (we assume) will return to the jungle he knows. All the pieces are wrapped up and apparently finished, there is nothing more to be said or done (unless/until you say or do an entire book). There are many stand-alone books that leave much more unexplained than this one does.
Perhaps it's thanks to my long history with the series that I find it quite satisfying enough that I have no need to read more this time around. For me it's like watching an episode of of Doctor Who, or Star Trek, or Tarzan! I never expected the love interest would steal the hero away from a life of adventure, and so I leave this story knowing the hero is still out there rescuing others in distress, and I can join them again whenever I care to pick up the next book.