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Chapman/Jerrard #1
Dilemma in Paradise
Tamsyn fought down the surge of emotion
Grant Chapman was rich, powerful and dangerous. They said he took his pleasures where he pleased. Tamsyn felt almost as if she were destined to hate this man.
But why did he affect her so deeply? Right from their first meeting she'd been unreasonably afraid of him. Was it really only the spell of the South Sea island?
Tamsyn checked her thoughts abruptly. She was here temporarily to do a job. And besides there was John. Surely it wasn't possible to be engaged to one man and desire another. Or was she just fooling herself...?
Grant Chapman was rich, powerful and dangerous. They said he took his pleasures where he pleased. Tamsyn felt almost as if she were destined to hate this man.
But why did he affect her so deeply? Right from their first meeting she'd been unreasonably afraid of him. Was it really only the spell of the South Sea island?
Tamsyn checked her thoughts abruptly. She was here temporarily to do a job. And besides there was John. Surely it wasn't possible to be engaged to one man and desire another. Or was she just fooling herself...?
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
1 person is currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Robyn Donald
449 books149 followersRobyn Elaine Donald was born on 14 August 1940 in Northland, New Zealand. She was the oldest child in her family, and as a child, she thrilled her four sisters and one brother with bloodcurdling adventure tales, usually very like the latest book she'd borrowed from the library.
Robyn owes her writing career to two illnesses. The first was a younger sister's flu. She was living with her husband and Robyn and spent most of that winter acquiring, suffering, and recovering from various infections. One day she croaked that she had read everything on Robyn's bookshelves, so would Robyn please buy her something cheerful and sustaining. Robyn found three paperbacks- one Mills and Boon Modern Romance novel and a couple of other romances. Robyn read them, too, of course, and so enjoyed them she spent the next couple of years hunting down more Mills and Boon books. This was much more difficult then than it is today, so she decided to write her own, and for the following busy 10 years she wrote and hoped that one day she would finish a manuscript good enough that was good enough to send to a publisher.
The second illness was her husband's, and it was bad a heart attack. He was so young it terrified them all. While he was recovering, he suggested that Robyn finish the manuscript she was writing and send it off. It wasn't a perfect manuscript, but the doctor had said to humour her husband, so she finished the manuscript, edited it as best she could, and sent it off. Three months later, she was astounded to read a letter from the editor saying that if She made a few revisions they would buy her novel Bride at Whangatapu.
Published since 1977, Robyn sees her readers as intelligent women who insist on accurate backgrounds, so she spends time researching as well as writing.Robyn Donald sometimes thinks that writing is much like gardening. It's a similar process creating landscapes for the mind and emotions from the seeds of ideas and dreams and images. Both activities can also lead to moments of extreme delight, moments of total despair, and backache.Now Robyn lives in the Bay Islands. She continues writing, and also finds time for a very supportive husband, two adult children and their partners, a granddaughter and her mother, not to mention the member of the family that keeps her fit - a loud, cheerful, and ruthlessly determined "almost" Labradordog.
Robyn owes her writing career to two illnesses. The first was a younger sister's flu. She was living with her husband and Robyn and spent most of that winter acquiring, suffering, and recovering from various infections. One day she croaked that she had read everything on Robyn's bookshelves, so would Robyn please buy her something cheerful and sustaining. Robyn found three paperbacks- one Mills and Boon Modern Romance novel and a couple of other romances. Robyn read them, too, of course, and so enjoyed them she spent the next couple of years hunting down more Mills and Boon books. This was much more difficult then than it is today, so she decided to write her own, and for the following busy 10 years she wrote and hoped that one day she would finish a manuscript good enough that was good enough to send to a publisher.
The second illness was her husband's, and it was bad a heart attack. He was so young it terrified them all. While he was recovering, he suggested that Robyn finish the manuscript she was writing and send it off. It wasn't a perfect manuscript, but the doctor had said to humour her husband, so she finished the manuscript, edited it as best she could, and sent it off. Three months later, she was astounded to read a letter from the editor saying that if She made a few revisions they would buy her novel Bride at Whangatapu.
Published since 1977, Robyn sees her readers as intelligent women who insist on accurate backgrounds, so she spends time researching as well as writing.Robyn Donald sometimes thinks that writing is much like gardening. It's a similar process creating landscapes for the mind and emotions from the seeds of ideas and dreams and images. Both activities can also lead to moments of extreme delight, moments of total despair, and backache.Now Robyn lives in the Bay Islands. She continues writing, and also finds time for a very supportive husband, two adult children and their partners, a granddaughter and her mother, not to mention the member of the family that keeps her fit - a loud, cheerful, and ruthlessly determined "almost" Labradordog.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 23, 2018
So this is the story that kicked off Robyn Donald's Fala'isi island setting. I've seen this couple in some of her other stories, so I was interested in how they got together.
H/h were instantly attracted, but alas, heroine is engaged. The rest of the story is the heroine coming to terms with her feelings about
(a) her fiance (who is willing to pimp her out to the hero so his company can win a big construction contract)
(b)the rakish, inscrutable hero
(c) and what she'll do - or not do for love.
I'm so used to RD's heroes that I instantly knew he was smitten from the beginning and the worse he behaved, the deeper his feelings. But that's after reading dozens of her stories.
I don't know if the uninitiated would follow this hero's logic of letting the heroine think that he just wanted her as a mistress while he was engaged to someone else. It was a weird litmus test that the hero had to apologize for after the heroine fainted when she realized the woman he was introducing her to was engaged to someone other than the hero. Of course he was offended the heroine would think he would indulge in such dishonorable behavior, but he couldn't spell it out for her. Ah, the passive-aggressive alpha. RD perfected him.
The H/h didn't have that many scenes together, really. A lot of page time was spent with the heroine's observations about the island and its customs, the hero's family, her family, the OW, etc . . And that's okay. The love at first sight trope requires stumbling blocks and that's what RD did with this plot.
There's a sweet epilogue with the H/h on their wedding night (fade to black) and the morning after.
H/h were instantly attracted, but alas, heroine is engaged. The rest of the story is the heroine coming to terms with her feelings about
(a) her fiance (who is willing to pimp her out to the hero so his company can win a big construction contract)
(b)the rakish, inscrutable hero
(c) and what she'll do - or not do for love.
I'm so used to RD's heroes that I instantly knew he was smitten from the beginning and the worse he behaved, the deeper his feelings. But that's after reading dozens of her stories.
I don't know if the uninitiated would follow this hero's logic of letting the heroine think that he just wanted her as a mistress while he was engaged to someone else. It was a weird litmus test that the hero had to apologize for after the heroine fainted when she realized the woman he was introducing her to was engaged to someone other than the hero. Of course he was offended the heroine would think he would indulge in such dishonorable behavior, but he couldn't spell it out for her. Ah, the passive-aggressive alpha. RD perfected him.
The H/h didn't have that many scenes together, really. A lot of page time was spent with the heroine's observations about the island and its customs, the hero's family, her family, the OW, etc . . And that's okay. The love at first sight trope requires stumbling blocks and that's what RD did with this plot.
There's a sweet epilogue with the H/h on their wedding night (fade to black) and the morning after.
June 18, 2018
Great setting in the South Sea island of Fala’isi. The classy, plucky heroine from New Zealand goes there for work and ends up falling in love both with the island and its master, the cruel, arrogant Alpha hero.
It could have worked better for me if the hero was not so cruel and manipulative to the bitter end. Yes, naturally, we want our mean Alpha heroes to do lots of mean things to the heroine at the beginning but by the end, I for one want to see the jerk redeem himself. Didn't happen here, just the opposite.
It could have worked better for me if the hero was not so cruel and manipulative to the bitter end. Yes, naturally, we want our mean Alpha heroes to do lots of mean things to the heroine at the beginning but by the end, I for one want to see the jerk redeem himself. Didn't happen here, just the opposite.
March 4, 2022
I think I'm in a romance minority in that I love it when the h is already spoken for but gets knocked off course by a grand passion coup de foudre. RD has a couple of good ones in this trope. My favourite is Dark Fire with Flint and Aura but this one is also strong. He is such a bastard lol. Old school romantic writing (ie more landscape description and interesting minor characters, lots of interior monologue) and no sex scene but lots of sexual tension. The way the fiance basically pimps her out is pretty jaw dropping but if anyone can make it work RD can. If anyone has any good recs in this trope please hmu.
April 11, 2022
Stmargarets covers this thoroughly with her review. In fact I think I read this story after she commented on one of the other books about the mythical Fala’Isi Island near New Zealand.
This book didn’t keep me engaged as much as other RD books and the hero, although a grade A jerk, wasn’t the worst of her heroes. I mean how bad can one be when he obviously raided John Travolta’s wardrobe from Saturday Night Fever.
Ok here we go:
Hero: Grant Chapman, 30s-He is an alpha through and through he doesn’t mind lying or playing mind games to get what he wants, and he wants the engaged heroine.
Heroine: [image error]
Tamsyn is in her mid 20’s and is engaged to her boss. He is handsome. She is pretty. He is ambitious. She is supportive of his ambitions. They will get a nice house, have the required amount of children and she will end up an unsatisfied housewife who hides her cigarettes and twinkies then makes her husband a drink when he comes home after a hard day at the office. Eventually he will cheat on her to get ahead and she will engage in a torrid affair with the local tennis coach..basically another 70’s night time soap.
No, but seriously she is engaged to John because she thinks she loves him, but it is more of a comfort/suitable match for her. It is lust love at first sight for her when she meets the H, but she tries to deny the feelings and holds on to her engagement ring. Meanwhile the H keeps sneaking in kisses and innuendos. It doesn’t help that she is living with the H at his house with his grandma as a chaperone. It was unseemly for her to share the same hotel with her betrothed. She tells her fiance that she and the H kissed(leaving out details) Her fiance is ok with this. In fact he is hoping she can use her feminine wiles to find out if the H is leaning towards hiring his firm or how should he get the H on his side. At this point the heroine has my blessing to go ahead and kiss the H all she wants.
OM: John, Attractive but is very set on his career. There is no way he has an all consuming love for the h. She is decoration and if he can use her to get ahead he will. He leaves her days at a time to be wooed by the H. When she eventually breaks off the engagement in the last 1/3 of the book, he takes it like a champ. I mean I show more emotion when my husband picks up the wrong toilet paper at the store. He also could feel the heat generated by the h and H, so he knew his time was coming to an end. The best thing about John is that he is a source of jealousy for the H.
OW: Liz Holland is the gorgeous shallow type who would never be content to live on this tiny island. For some reason, she thinks the H is the only one for her and she goes after him with gusto and tries to intimidate the competition. She is a source of jealousy for the h, so that gives us a little angst.
OW2: She enters the race very late in the book. Her only purpose is to cause angst for the h(via the H’s machinations)and she is an unknowing participant.
As Stmargarets pointed out, the h and H have very little page time together. After the 1/2 way mark the h realizes she loves the H(huh?) but now has to hide her love away to avoid being a source of scorn from the H. This is where a lot of the angst comes in and this book isn’t very angsty for the most part.
Eventually the virgin h decides she will be whatever the H wants her to be. A little bit of the H is better than no H. The good news is the H loves her and everything else was a red herring. RD gives us a nice unofficial epilogue that is sweet.
Plus, the Chapman’s show up in future books several years down the line. People always comment on how Grant and Tamsyn look at each other and their love is something to aspire to. I first learned about them here Paradise Lost However, their son gets a book as well Virgin Bought and Paid For which I have not read yet.
This book didn’t keep me engaged as much as other RD books and the hero, although a grade A jerk, wasn’t the worst of her heroes. I mean how bad can one be when he obviously raided John Travolta’s wardrobe from Saturday Night Fever.
Ok here we go:
Hero: Grant Chapman, 30s-He is an alpha through and through he doesn’t mind lying or playing mind games to get what he wants, and he wants the engaged heroine.
Heroine: [image error]
Tamsyn is in her mid 20’s and is engaged to her boss. He is handsome. She is pretty. He is ambitious. She is supportive of his ambitions. They will get a nice house, have the required amount of children and she will end up an unsatisfied housewife who hides her cigarettes and twinkies then makes her husband a drink when he comes home after a hard day at the office. Eventually he will cheat on her to get ahead and she will engage in a torrid affair with the local tennis coach..basically another 70’s night time soap.
No, but seriously she is engaged to John because she thinks she loves him, but it is more of a comfort/suitable match for her. It is lust love at first sight for her when she meets the H, but she tries to deny the feelings and holds on to her engagement ring. Meanwhile the H keeps sneaking in kisses and innuendos. It doesn’t help that she is living with the H at his house with his grandma as a chaperone. It was unseemly for her to share the same hotel with her betrothed. She tells her fiance that she and the H kissed(leaving out details) Her fiance is ok with this. In fact he is hoping she can use her feminine wiles to find out if the H is leaning towards hiring his firm or how should he get the H on his side. At this point the heroine has my blessing to go ahead and kiss the H all she wants.
OM: John, Attractive but is very set on his career. There is no way he has an all consuming love for the h. She is decoration and if he can use her to get ahead he will. He leaves her days at a time to be wooed by the H. When she eventually breaks off the engagement in the last 1/3 of the book, he takes it like a champ. I mean I show more emotion when my husband picks up the wrong toilet paper at the store. He also could feel the heat generated by the h and H, so he knew his time was coming to an end. The best thing about John is that he is a source of jealousy for the H.
OW: Liz Holland is the gorgeous shallow type who would never be content to live on this tiny island. For some reason, she thinks the H is the only one for her and she goes after him with gusto and tries to intimidate the competition. She is a source of jealousy for the h, so that gives us a little angst.
OW2: She enters the race very late in the book. Her only purpose is to cause angst for the h(via the H’s machinations)and she is an unknowing participant.
As Stmargarets pointed out, the h and H have very little page time together. After the 1/2 way mark the h realizes she loves the H(huh?) but now has to hide her love away to avoid being a source of scorn from the H. This is where a lot of the angst comes in and this book isn’t very angsty for the most part.
Eventually the virgin h decides she will be whatever the H wants her to be. A little bit of the H is better than no H. The good news is the H loves her and everything else was a red herring. RD gives us a nice unofficial epilogue that is sweet.
Plus, the Chapman’s show up in future books several years down the line. People always comment on how Grant and Tamsyn look at each other and their love is something to aspire to. I first learned about them here Paradise Lost However, their son gets a book as well Virgin Bought and Paid For which I have not read yet.
February 8, 2021
Tamsyn fought down the surge of emotion.
Grant Chapman was rich, powerful and dangerous. They said he took his pleasures where he pleased. Tamsyn felt almost as if she were destined to hate this man.
But why did he affect her so deeply? Right from their first meeting she'd been unreasonably afraid of him. Was it really only the spell of the South Sea island?
Tamsyn checked her thoughts abruptly. She was here temporarily to do a job. And besides there was John. Surely it wasn't possible to be engaged to one man and desire another. Or was she just fooling herself...?
Grant Chapman was rich, powerful and dangerous. They said he took his pleasures where he pleased. Tamsyn felt almost as if she were destined to hate this man.
But why did he affect her so deeply? Right from their first meeting she'd been unreasonably afraid of him. Was it really only the spell of the South Sea island?
Tamsyn checked her thoughts abruptly. She was here temporarily to do a job. And besides there was John. Surely it wasn't possible to be engaged to one man and desire another. Or was she just fooling herself...?
October 11, 2021
Another Robyn Donald story that I am embarrassed to admit I enjoyed. The hero was awful - very manipulative, especially at the end, but crazy dom that he is, he needed to prove her ultimate submission to him. Maybe he is a distant ancestor of Christian Grey.
Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but damn, Robyn Donald can write riveting stories.
Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but damn, Robyn Donald can write riveting stories.
November 4, 2019
Appalling portrait of a wet noodle the author called woman. It's disturbing and disgusting thinking that lack of brain and professional behavior were considered to be traits of a heroine.
There's really nothing salvageable in this story
There's really nothing salvageable in this story
May 13, 2021
I must have read this book in the past. Some characters seemed familiar.
And it's pretty tame for Robyn Donald. I guess it's logical as it's one of her firsts.
The hero is an asshole towards the end of the story. But not like many of her heroes.
And it's pretty tame for Robyn Donald. I guess it's logical as it's one of her firsts.
The hero is an asshole towards the end of the story. But not like many of her heroes.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews