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Desperate Desire
Lenore had gone to Maine to rebuild her life after a love affair ended badly. There she found the half-blind Adam Jonson, who was even more bitter and mistrustful of people than Lenore herself. The electrifying passion that flared between them frightened her. Once the infatuation burned itself out, would Adam return to his former girlfriend, leaving Lenore more desperately unhappy than ever?
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1984
1 person is currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Flora Kidd
136 books34 followersFlora Mildred Cartwright was born on 1926 in Liverpool, England, UK. The youngest of four children, Flora and her family lived in the same house until she was a teen. In 1949, she graduated from Liverpool University, where she met Robert Kidd, her husband. They moved to her beloved Scotland, where she began teaching, writing, and raised their four children: Richard, Patricia, Peter and David.
Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.
Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.
Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 4, 2011
Books like this in the Harlequin Presents line make me want to reach for more vintage romances. I like that this book had a rich story. The hero and heroine are complex individuals who come together and find a compelling attraction between them. Neither of them are perfect. Adam was delightfully surly, kind of take charge and rough in a way, and very compellingly masculine. He's also a bit insecure about his partial blindness. When Lenore literally bumps into him, they exchange mean words with each other, that Lenore feels bad about when she finds out that he's vision-impaired. Days later, Lenore gets stranded at his house during a freak snowstorm, after injuring her knee. They end up going to bed together, and it felt right to me. The passion and the connection and sharing between them felt authentic. However, Lenore runs away, only to return when her heart draws her back. But that's not their happy ending. They have to deal with some things first. Lenore was in a long-term relationship with a guy I felt was using her. He was Orthodox Jew and while she was good enough to shack up with, he wouldn't marry her unless she converted. When she said no, he broke it off. Now, she is dealing with the heartbreak of being dumped, and she's not ready to let herself be vulnerable in that way to a man. It's even more devastating when she has a powerful, intense attraction to a man like Adam.
Lenore's music ends up bringing them back together, when she's asked to see if the local music group can hold their performance at his house. Adam makes demands on Lenore that she's not ready to deal with, and they end up parting again, not under the best terms. However, he agrees to letting the concerts take place at his house. This brings them into close, tantalizing proximity, showing Lenore and Adam that their feelings are very real.
Although this is all from Lenore's viewpoint, I was able to get a fix on Adam. He's a tough guy who was gravely wounded in a war-torn country, where he lost part of his sight. He's not sure how to rebuild his life without being visual, since that's a big part of his self-esteem, allowing him to pursue his dangerous career is a videographer/journalist. He finds himself drawn to Lenore, and wants all of her. However, he's not good with words in showing his love. They both have to decide if they can love each other and find everything that they need in life together as a unit.
This was a quick, fulfilling read. I'm sure I read Flora Kidd growing up. But I feel the urge to hunt down more of her books, since I like her writing style. Recommended to fans of the older Harlequin Presents books.
Lenore's music ends up bringing them back together, when she's asked to see if the local music group can hold their performance at his house. Adam makes demands on Lenore that she's not ready to deal with, and they end up parting again, not under the best terms. However, he agrees to letting the concerts take place at his house. This brings them into close, tantalizing proximity, showing Lenore and Adam that their feelings are very real.
Although this is all from Lenore's viewpoint, I was able to get a fix on Adam. He's a tough guy who was gravely wounded in a war-torn country, where he lost part of his sight. He's not sure how to rebuild his life without being visual, since that's a big part of his self-esteem, allowing him to pursue his dangerous career is a videographer/journalist. He finds himself drawn to Lenore, and wants all of her. However, he's not good with words in showing his love. They both have to decide if they can love each other and find everything that they need in life together as a unit.
This was a quick, fulfilling read. I'm sure I read Flora Kidd growing up. But I feel the urge to hunt down more of her books, since I like her writing style. Recommended to fans of the older Harlequin Presents books.
October 9, 2015
Desperate Desire - this is one of Flora Kidd's better romances, the h is spending time with her sister in Maine as she has been dumped by her live-in lover when she tired of playing shiksa to his orthodoxy, since she did not want to convert, he dumps her for a nice mum-approved girl and the h has had her heart broken. Thus a very rare non virgin makes an appearance in HPlandia.
The H is partially blind, he is a video journalist and was in Lebanon where his partner was killed and he was injured. He literally runs into the h and some hard words are exchanges. Later the h gets injured and stranded at his home, they wind up in bed but since both have some issues, their romance is some together time and then more apart. There is a malicious OW tossing poison into the mix and the H is dealing with the trauma of maybe being permanently blind as well.
The h is a clarinetist who is seeking an new orchestra, since the Maine town they are in wants to do a series of concert programs and the H has this huge manor house, the h goes to see if he will let them play there. The H agrees and thus the romance is back on until the H decides he is going to have experimental surgery to fix his sight. The h is scared and he pushes her away. Then, when his vision is restored he hunts her down and HEA - well actually the fact that they are mad about each other is expressed.
This one ends a bit differently because the H is determined to go back to Lebanon and finish his video. So the reader doesn't really know if he will make it back, but it ends with devout avowals of love-- and if love is like Kevlar, this H is golden.
It was a good book, with a lot of depth, the H was Mr. Crankypants a lot, but then he had reason to be. The h had some issues with getting dumped from an intimate long term relationship and her mother, but they were both well developed characters and the story was pretty believable. Give this one a go when you are tired of the wrecky, but want a satisfying emotional romance.
The H is partially blind, he is a video journalist and was in Lebanon where his partner was killed and he was injured. He literally runs into the h and some hard words are exchanges. Later the h gets injured and stranded at his home, they wind up in bed but since both have some issues, their romance is some together time and then more apart. There is a malicious OW tossing poison into the mix and the H is dealing with the trauma of maybe being permanently blind as well.
The h is a clarinetist who is seeking an new orchestra, since the Maine town they are in wants to do a series of concert programs and the H has this huge manor house, the h goes to see if he will let them play there. The H agrees and thus the romance is back on until the H decides he is going to have experimental surgery to fix his sight. The h is scared and he pushes her away. Then, when his vision is restored he hunts her down and HEA - well actually the fact that they are mad about each other is expressed.
This one ends a bit differently because the H is determined to go back to Lebanon and finish his video. So the reader doesn't really know if he will make it back, but it ends with devout avowals of love-- and if love is like Kevlar, this H is golden.
It was a good book, with a lot of depth, the H was Mr. Crankypants a lot, but then he had reason to be. The h had some issues with getting dumped from an intimate long term relationship and her mother, but they were both well developed characters and the story was pretty believable. Give this one a go when you are tired of the wrecky, but want a satisfying emotional romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2025
Not for me I guess. It was slow. There’s pages of her walking around. The trees. The road that curves to the right. More trees. They meet. Some talk and they’re rolling in the hay. Great! Finally some interaction? No, misguided reader!! That’s enough! Now let’s talk about the concert. The clarinet. The room.
And I didn’t feel the chemistry. They can’t keep their hands off each other and have sex three times. And barely interact between them. I think it was three times. I skimmed.
I also thought that her sister acted very unnatural. Nice lady but didn’t feel real. Most of the book felt forced.
Maybe not my thing.
And I didn’t feel the chemistry. They can’t keep their hands off each other and have sex three times. And barely interact between them. I think it was three times. I skimmed.
I also thought that her sister acted very unnatural. Nice lady but didn’t feel real. Most of the book felt forced.
Maybe not my thing.
July 31, 2021
2 Stars
I will write a review when I finish my finals
I will write a review when I finish my finals
December 29, 2015
Very different harlequin considering it was written in 1984. The H is partially blind so naturally has issues, the h has just broken up with a long time boyfriend who didn't marry her. So between them neither one seems prepared to start a committed relationship although there is a strong attraction between them and they succumb to their sexual desires each time they are together. They somehow muddle through all the issues and get their HEA after a few months separation in between.
August 28, 2018
Ho letto questo libro prima in italiano con il titolo "Non chiamarlo amore" e poi in lingua originale almeno una volta l'anno. Lo adoro, adoro lo scorbutico Adam e l'artistica Lenore e anche i personaggi collaterali hanno il loro spessore. facevo a meno della mamma che compare all'ultimo solo per criticare Lenore e fare paragoni tra le sorelle.
E' ovviamente una scrittura datata, il romanzo è dei primi anni 80, però è una bella storia,
E' ovviamente una scrittura datata, il romanzo è dei primi anni 80, però è una bella storia,
May 21, 2020
Enjoyed the story and the characters.
SYNOPSIS:
Lenore had gone to Maine to rebuild her life after a love affair ended badly. There she found the half-blind Adam Jonson, who was even more bitter and mistrustful of people than Lenore herself. The electrifying passion that flared between them frightened her. Once the infatuation burned itself out, would Adam return to his former girlfriend, leaving Lenore more desperately unhappy than ever?
SYNOPSIS:
Lenore had gone to Maine to rebuild her life after a love affair ended badly. There she found the half-blind Adam Jonson, who was even more bitter and mistrustful of people than Lenore herself. The electrifying passion that flared between them frightened her. Once the infatuation burned itself out, would Adam return to his former girlfriend, leaving Lenore more desperately unhappy than ever?
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews