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Defenseless
WHEN THE JURY IS OUT ON LOVE...
Beautiful Atlanta advertising executive Sonya Walters knew her sister's marriage was in trouble, but never in her wildest dreams did she expect the shocking news that would confirm her worst fears. Her brother-in-law had been murdered, and her sister Laura had been arrested for the crime. In desperation, Sonya turns to the one man who can clear her sister's name.
THE VERDICT IS IN THE HEART OF PASSION.
Handsome Dwayne Hamilton was the state's most seasoned criminal defense attorney. Despite an undeniable attraction, Sonya is determined to keep things professional...until she and Dwayne begin searching for the truth behind the tragedy, and uncover a tangled web of revenge and deception. Now, with each dangerous turn in the case, Sonya will find herself on trial--defenseless against Dwayne's seductive kisses, his tender words, and the powerful inner voice that dares her to fall in love....
Beautiful Atlanta advertising executive Sonya Walters knew her sister's marriage was in trouble, but never in her wildest dreams did she expect the shocking news that would confirm her worst fears. Her brother-in-law had been murdered, and her sister Laura had been arrested for the crime. In desperation, Sonya turns to the one man who can clear her sister's name.
THE VERDICT IS IN THE HEART OF PASSION.
Handsome Dwayne Hamilton was the state's most seasoned criminal defense attorney. Despite an undeniable attraction, Sonya is determined to keep things professional...until she and Dwayne begin searching for the truth behind the tragedy, and uncover a tangled web of revenge and deception. Now, with each dangerous turn in the case, Sonya will find herself on trial--defenseless against Dwayne's seductive kisses, his tender words, and the powerful inner voice that dares her to fall in love....
313 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 28, 1997
5 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Adrianne Byrd
60 books280 followersNational Best-selling author Adrianne Byrd has always preferred to live within the realms of her imagination where all the men are gorgeous and the women are worth whatever trouble they manage to get into. As an army brat, she traveled throughout Europe and learned to appreciate and value different cultures. Now she calls Georgia home.
Looking back, Adrianne believes her passion for writing began at the ripe old age of thirteen. It was also the age when she was introduced to romance novels by a most unlikely source: her fifteen-year old brother. The book was probably given to keep her out her brother’s hair, but it was a gift that changed her life.
In books, Adrianne found a way out of her awkward teenage years and into a world of fictional friends that would stay with her for a lifetime. It wasn’t long before her imagination took flight and she was writing her own love stories. Within a year, she completed her first book, which she vowed would never see the light of day.
Writing remained a hobby until 1994 when a co-worker approached her with an article on Romance Writers of America. Who knew there was an organization of women just like her? By 1996 she sold her first novel, Defenseless, to Kensington Publishing.
Her first release received rave reviews by Romantic Times and fans. Her other novels were consistently selected as the Magazine’s Top Pick. In 2001 Slam Jam nominated, Say You Love Me, for best romance. Her 2003 release Comfort of a Man won Romantic Times Best Multicultural Romance, Romance in Color’s Readers Choice Awards for Favorite Book, Favorite Hero, and Favorite Heroine; Shades of Romance’s Best/Arabesque Romance Book; Slam Jams Emma Award for Favorite Traditional Romance; Romance in Color’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Author of the Year, Book of the Year and Best BET/Arabesque Book. And lastly Comfort of a Man was a 2003 Georgia Romance Writers Maggie finalist for best Contemporary. In 2004 she released her first romantic suspense novel, If You Dare, with HarperCollins. In 2006 her novel Measure of a Man was nominated for Best Multicultural Romance while her Harper Torch novel Deadly Double was nominated for an Emma. In 2007 she won an eharlequin.com Joey Award.
In 2006 Adrianne along with fellow writer Niobia Bryant penned her first Urban Novel, DESPERATE HOODWIVES, writing as De'nesha Diamond. The book is set for release February 2008 from Simon and Schuster. For more information, visit http://www.deneshadiamond.com.
Ms. Byrd has been featured in many national publications, including Today’s Black Woman, Upscale, and Heart and Soul. She has also won local awards for screenwriting. For the future, she looks forward to continue creating characters that make people smile, laugh, and fall in love.
Looking back, Adrianne believes her passion for writing began at the ripe old age of thirteen. It was also the age when she was introduced to romance novels by a most unlikely source: her fifteen-year old brother. The book was probably given to keep her out her brother’s hair, but it was a gift that changed her life.
In books, Adrianne found a way out of her awkward teenage years and into a world of fictional friends that would stay with her for a lifetime. It wasn’t long before her imagination took flight and she was writing her own love stories. Within a year, she completed her first book, which she vowed would never see the light of day.
Writing remained a hobby until 1994 when a co-worker approached her with an article on Romance Writers of America. Who knew there was an organization of women just like her? By 1996 she sold her first novel, Defenseless, to Kensington Publishing.
Her first release received rave reviews by Romantic Times and fans. Her other novels were consistently selected as the Magazine’s Top Pick. In 2001 Slam Jam nominated, Say You Love Me, for best romance. Her 2003 release Comfort of a Man won Romantic Times Best Multicultural Romance, Romance in Color’s Readers Choice Awards for Favorite Book, Favorite Hero, and Favorite Heroine; Shades of Romance’s Best/Arabesque Romance Book; Slam Jams Emma Award for Favorite Traditional Romance; Romance in Color’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Author of the Year, Book of the Year and Best BET/Arabesque Book. And lastly Comfort of a Man was a 2003 Georgia Romance Writers Maggie finalist for best Contemporary. In 2004 she released her first romantic suspense novel, If You Dare, with HarperCollins. In 2006 her novel Measure of a Man was nominated for Best Multicultural Romance while her Harper Torch novel Deadly Double was nominated for an Emma. In 2007 she won an eharlequin.com Joey Award.
In 2006 Adrianne along with fellow writer Niobia Bryant penned her first Urban Novel, DESPERATE HOODWIVES, writing as De'nesha Diamond. The book is set for release February 2008 from Simon and Schuster. For more information, visit http://www.deneshadiamond.com.
Ms. Byrd has been featured in many national publications, including Today’s Black Woman, Upscale, and Heart and Soul. She has also won local awards for screenwriting. For the future, she looks forward to continue creating characters that make people smile, laugh, and fall in love.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 13, 2008
Pg.30: Their eyes locked and a lone tear trailed down Sonya's face.
Pg.87: She wiped a way a lone tear from her eyes and returned to the living room...
Pg.100: She wiped away the tears trickling down her face...
Pg.146: Sonya wiped away a stray tear...
This was a complete waste of time, Sonya infected all the characters with her ridiculous tears, so that at some point in this 313 page drama everyone had shed a tear or a million. These people have got to be the luckiest cast of characters i have ever read in a romantic suspense, i mean to escape a slew of supposedly hard core bad guys - and there were plenty - so many times unharmed...damn! what a wonderful world it would be where criminals can't actually commit any crimes, because their victims are always escaping. aahh! i couldn't flip the last page fast enough.
Dwayne was more a detective than a lawyer, the police department was useless, there was no real connection between Sonya and Dwayne, Laura's alleged murder case was put on a back burner for most of the book, while the plot shifted to a scavenger hunt-like fiasco, which quickly turned into a mess...oh! and there was more crying. The End, Enjoy!
Pg.87: She wiped a way a lone tear from her eyes and returned to the living room...
Pg.100: She wiped away the tears trickling down her face...
Pg.146: Sonya wiped away a stray tear...
This was a complete waste of time, Sonya infected all the characters with her ridiculous tears, so that at some point in this 313 page drama everyone had shed a tear or a million. These people have got to be the luckiest cast of characters i have ever read in a romantic suspense, i mean to escape a slew of supposedly hard core bad guys - and there were plenty - so many times unharmed...damn! what a wonderful world it would be where criminals can't actually commit any crimes, because their victims are always escaping. aahh! i couldn't flip the last page fast enough.
Dwayne was more a detective than a lawyer, the police department was useless, there was no real connection between Sonya and Dwayne, Laura's alleged murder case was put on a back burner for most of the book, while the plot shifted to a scavenger hunt-like fiasco, which quickly turned into a mess...oh! and there was more crying. The End, Enjoy!
October 8, 2009
This book reminds me of the show Snapped... On that show the spouse gets tired of their significant other somehow and murders him or her when they least expect it. That was how this book was. Sonja just got fed up with her husband and just killed him. The scary pert about it is, thhings like this happen in real life...
July 4, 2021
it was a good quick read
January 16, 2016
Okay...I've read several of Adrianne Byrd's books...and I have ENJOYED each and every one I've read to date...however, this is the first one I found myself wanting to skip a head throughout...it's a little slow-paced at times...that being said...for those who may not know this is a REPRINT of her earlier work...and her writing ability has DEFINITELY improved since this book...the heroine is quite ANNOYING in the beginning...but eventually she grows on you (a little...lol)...the rest of the cast is quite COLORFUL...and Ms. Byrd keeps you on the edge of your seat with the suspenseful twists and turns throughout...the romance between Dwayne and Sonya is sweet and sensual...definitely NOT the HOT & SPICY thrill I'm used to reading from Ms. Byrd.
June 17, 2011
This book was fantastic from start to finish. It had just the right amount of suspence with a sprinkle of romance. This book originally came out in 97, so its funny to read about the characters and their beepers, and dropping quarters in pay phones. It really is amazing how far we have come. Ms. Byrd does it again, she is truly an extremely gifted writer.
September 16, 2013
This was an awesome and very suspenseful story. I am glad that Dwayne was able to help Sonya see that all men are not like her very abusive father and brother-in-law! This story held my attention from start to finish trying to solve the ongoing action that led from one person to another. In the end, true love was deserved! I did however, wondered what happened to Gaetano and the coin?
October 8, 2009
sonja has a sister thats in a bad marrriage and her husband continues to beat on her and se got tired of it and stabbed her husband and she got was arrested for that crime, but sonya goesand final an attorney to help her siter get out of trouble.
June 4, 2013
Really disappointed in the characters and there was nothing between the two main characters. The heroine was not likable at all and the hero was just as unapproachable. I liked the daughter but the entire book left me unsatisfied and missing the two hours I lost on it.
October 7, 2015
Loved it!
Defenseless was a great read from the beginning to end. I love when I find books like this. The kind that you can't put down. I fell asleep with my kindle in my hand and woke up trying to get my read on. Great job!!
Defenseless was a great read from the beginning to end. I love when I find books like this. The kind that you can't put down. I fell asleep with my kindle in my hand and woke up trying to get my read on. Great job!!
May 20, 2016
At first I was really enjoying the book. It had plenty of twists and turns and it kept me guessing. But towards the end I started to lose my interest because too much was going on. I enjoyed the drama butt the ending really lost me and this one is not one of my favorites by Miss Byrd
November 24, 2009
What happened with this book?
November 17, 2011
Silly dialogue, ridiculous scenes, one unbelievable, twisty plot--but I'll admit, I was really entertained. 3 stars for that!
February 10, 2013
Not one I cared to finish.
January 11, 2012
this book shows alot of action woo u just dont unless u read some pages
March 3, 2013
loved it
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews