Bliss River

by Thea Devine

DECADENCE — In the steamy Bliss River Valley of South Africa, a colony of aristocratic British citizens have given themselves over -- body and soul -- to a debauched and dissolute lifestyle. The stifling heat only intensifies their lust for every sin -- and for each other...

DECEPTION

Into this world of instant -- and intense -- gratification comes Charles Elliott, a man who walks a tightly controlled line between two worlds. His very presence stirs the air of the colony -- and the libidos of its devotees. Under the pretext of setting up a polo club in Bliss River Valley, Charles has put into motion a carefully conceived plan of revenge he has nurtured for years. And even Georgiana Maitland, with her knowing eyes and boundless capacity for passion, can't quench his thirst for vengeance...

DESIRE

Faced with Charles' blatant disregard, Georgiana uses every womanly weapon at her disposal to disarm him. But when a shocking murder rocks the colony and Charles becomes the prime suspect, he concocts a daring plot, taking her captive in order to escape. It's only a matter of time before he discovers just how willing a hostage Georgiana really is -- and how close he is to surrendering to her wanton touch...

Genres: Historical Romance, Erotica, Romance, South Africa, Africa

298 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

Thea Devine is the author of eighteen historical romances and four novellas, including her contributions to the Brava anthologies Captivated, Fascinated, and, most recently, All Through the Night. Devine lives with her husband of 35 years in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Susan (the other Susan) · Rating 1 out of 5]

If there were a drinking game where everybody tosses back a shot whenever Thea Devine says "nipples," her readers would all be dead of alcohol poisoning. Bliss River is an exception only in that it is quite possibly the most ridiculous, convoluted quasi-erotic story ever devised around nipples. If there were a star system for So-Bad-It's-Worth-Reading-For-Laughs, Bliss River would rate a solid 4.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK so being a devoted Devine fan I snatch up all her books, and will continue to whether in the end they are wonderful or not so. This book is not one of her better reads. It has wonderfully erotic sex but the plot is not so great. Come on, the Victorian era actually having a hedonistic cult? It would be more believable in this day in age. However it is fiction so I went with it, and even though the idea was absurd, Ms. Devine was still able to hold my attention. The idea of kissing cousins wasn't a wonderful idea either.

[Diane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Umm... pornography and impossible dialogue and situations strung together with the barest hint of a plot. Of course, fans aren't reading Thea Devine for literary content! This book happened to be face-out on a library shelf, and in needing new reading material I grabbed it, not knowing the author. I'm not against sexually explicit writing... just against really bad writing! I mean, really, really bad, to the point of being funny. Sigh.

[Pamela Burnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed better if they weren’t cousins! My opinion

[Ashleighloveland · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible terrible terrible, terrible terrible terrible. Really really terrible.

[Laurie Stoll · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not so much erotic as it is crude. If it wasn't for all the crudeness it does have a decent story line. It's hard to get past the crudeness of it though.

[Barbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

200 pages in and couldnt finish it

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

About the best I can say for this book is 'Meh'. Ridiculous.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars