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愛は言葉にできず
あなたがわたしを抱くのは、
ただの執着？ それとも愛？
ジュリーはある事件に巻き込まれたことをきっかけに、
しばらく友人宅に身を寄せ、休養することになった。
処方された睡眠薬をのんで眠ろうとしたとき、
偶然訪ねてきた男性を見て彼女は我が目を疑った。
ザック！ 3年前から別居しているジュリーの夫だった。
結婚記念日の夜、嫉妬を募らせた夫に無理やり抱かれ、
ジュリーは失望とショックのあまり、翌朝家を出た。
本当は今でも愛しているのに、彼にはすでに新しい恋人がいるという。
茫然としながらも、彼女は睡眠薬のせいでそのまま眠ってしまう。
翌朝目覚めると、ベッドの隣にはザックが――。
ただの執着？ それとも愛？
ジュリーはある事件に巻き込まれたことをきっかけに、
しばらく友人宅に身を寄せ、休養することになった。
処方された睡眠薬をのんで眠ろうとしたとき、
偶然訪ねてきた男性を見て彼女は我が目を疑った。
ザック！ 3年前から別居しているジュリーの夫だった。
結婚記念日の夜、嫉妬を募らせた夫に無理やり抱かれ、
ジュリーは失望とショックのあまり、翌朝家を出た。
本当は今でも愛しているのに、彼にはすでに新しい恋人がいるという。
茫然としながらも、彼女は睡眠薬のせいでそのまま眠ってしまう。
翌朝目覚めると、ベッドの隣にはザックが――。
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1983
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,309 books914 followersI have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 14, 2019
Trainwreck alert!
This is a one star hero in a five star trainwreck. CM brings the drama and outrage as our punching bag journalist heroine encounters her estranged husband after a terrorist hostage ordeal. Heroine had left him on their first anniversary after the hero hit and raped her in a jealous rage. Journalist heroine quit her job at the hero’s paper and went to work for a rival. It’s been three years, she’s been dating a photographer (no sex) but H/h are still married.
There is so much bad behavior in this story, I don’t even know where to start. Hero is in a sexual relationship with another woman – whom he introduces to the heroine. The pinnacle of bad behavior occurs when all four of them (H, h, OM, OW) are invited to an overnight house party. Hero sneaks into the h’s room and has sex with the her, resulting in her pregnancy.
Heroine wasn’t going to tell the hero she was pregnant, but he eventually finds out after she faints all over the place. He is still a jerk during her pregnancy but is happy after she delivers the baby. Then he loses it again when he finds out from the doctor that this isn’t the h’s first pregnancy. She miscarried the night of the beating and rape. Hero starts drinking out of guilt. Heroine has to leave her hospital bed to go to hero because she’s worried about him. (Reviewer’s note: Pffft. Let ‘em stew. )
There’s no point in listing all the wrongs in this story because I’d just be rewriting it. It was written in 1983 when CM hadn’t gotten the memo that marital rape is a thing, that rape is traumatic and an act of violence, that the hero’s jealousy is a big red flag of continued domestic violence and a horrible home life. In 1983 this is “romance” because this hero was so in love and out of control with that emotion and he’s sorry now.
Nope, nope, nope.
Our ideas of romance may have evolved but it’s still a trainwreck in 2019. *can’t look away*
This is a one star hero in a five star trainwreck. CM brings the drama and outrage as our
There is so much bad behavior in this story, I don’t even know where to start. Hero is in a sexual relationship with another woman – whom he introduces to the heroine. The pinnacle of bad behavior occurs when all four of them (H, h, OM, OW) are invited to an overnight house party. Hero sneaks into the h’s room and has sex with the her, resulting in her pregnancy.
Heroine wasn’t going to tell the hero she was pregnant, but he eventually finds out after she faints all over the place. He is still a jerk during her pregnancy but is happy after she delivers the baby. Then he loses it again when he finds out from the doctor that this isn’t the h’s first pregnancy. She miscarried the night of the beating and rape. Hero starts drinking out of guilt. Heroine has to leave her hospital bed to go to hero because she’s worried about him. (Reviewer’s note: Pffft. Let ‘em stew. )
There’s no point in listing all the wrongs in this story because I’d just be rewriting it. It was written in 1983 when CM hadn’t gotten the memo that marital rape is a thing, that rape is traumatic and an act of violence, that the hero’s jealousy is a big red flag of continued domestic violence and a horrible home life. In 1983 this is “romance” because this hero was so in love and out of control with that emotion and he’s sorry now.
Nope, nope, nope.
Our ideas of romance may have evolved but it’s still a trainwreck in 2019. *can’t look away*
November 20, 2011
The title shoulda been Horror Unspoken. Despite the high-octane dwama, the un-PC-ness, the stalkerazzi hero, the faint-prone, career-oriented heroine dead-set on carving her own niche in male-dominated journalism world, the characters were not exactly the sharpest Xtians in the bible. Also hard to overlook CM's ignorance in terms of hospital d/c protocol @ the end. 2* cuz @ least trainwreck didn't bore me. There's nuffink worse than a blah HP.
Zach is a 1st-rate putz. Julie is TSTF (too stupid to fug). Add to the dwamedy : a bro-in-law out-of-sync w/ reality, U got yourself the unheralded 3 stooges.
Julie told Ben (Zach's bro) a portion of what triggered the collapse of her marriage 3 years ago : "So unnaturally angry that he raped me."
His no-brainer response : "He what ?" Ben thundered. "It can't be called rape between a man & his wife, Julie. If he made love to you in anger-----"
Her indignant rebuttal : "He didn't !"... "He hit me, he threw me on the floor and he -- he raped me."
So I take it, if Julie told Ben that she & Zach boned each otha doggie style & Zach only changed his underpants once in a blue moon, Ben wouldn't believe it either, would he ? Cuz after all, it's not the norm. It is what it is but thru’ Ben’s rose-tinted lenses, marital rape only happens in parallel universe.
A special shout-out to Zach. Thespian-wannabe all over HPlandia should take a lesson outta this Razzie winner. Mock contrition has so many shades that when Zach had a frog perpetually stuck in his windpipe - conglomerate that he was - he couldn't afford any OTC Halls drops. We're treated to endless expressions of his twisted lips & over-emotional state of mind. He rasped. He breathed raggedly. He groaned. His voice became husky. He drawled. He snapped. His voice was steely. He murmured. His voice hardened to anger. He scorned hardly. He told her harshly. He said grimly. A pulse beating erratically in his throat. He mocked. He taunted. His voice came through to her in a harsh concern. He told her roughly. He informed her arrogantly. His head was held @ a haughty angle. He rasped harshly. He gave a haughty inclination of his dark head. He accused. He swore. He told her stiltedly. He said dryly. He said in a strangled voice. A pulse beating jerkily @ his jaw. He scorned harshly. He agreed heatedly. His voice was self-derisory. He ground out. He sighed. He nodded arrogantly. He nodded enigmatically. He murmured softly. He drew in a deep breath. He greeted huskily. He drawled tauntingly. ... Drawled a deeply sarcastic voice. He promised huskily. He muttered. He returned icily. He cuttingly interrupted Steve. He attacked. He scowled. He pounced. A pulse beating erratically in his hard cheek. He choked. He repeated harshly. He repeated softly. He flushed. He said distantly. He gave a ragged sigh. A pulse beat erratically @ his jaw. He paled. He said bleakly. He rose agilely to his feet. He grimaced. He said behind her in a stage whisper. He said in a brisk voice. He asked huskily. He said tautly. He warned, dangerously soft. He said stubbornly. He told her throatily. He moaned. He repeated savagely. He stormed. He snapped curtly. He instructed curtly. He said tersely. He snapped angrily. He told her arrogantly. He said gruffly. He cut in angrily. He said raggedly. He echoed sharply. His cry came out hoarse. He said deeply. He said wearily. He said ruefully. He asked suspiciously. He added provocatively. Etc etc.
How could U not fall head over toes for this uber jealous-possessive, easily-provoked, super animated dreamboat, who's alternately grey & pale beneath his tan when the moment called for it (depends on the lighting & time of the month) ? He couldn’t believe heroine’s baby 3 years ago was his & current baby is also his. He got the total hero package. Zach is the ultimate poster boy for men’s PMS.
Typical of frail, quivering HP heroines w/ damaged childhood, Julie doesn’t have the constitution of tough-as-nail journalist, she faints upon reuniting w/ estranged hubby. She faints again when tripping over a tool during heated argument w/ Zach. She almost faints when assigned by boss to a press conference to cover Zack's magazine take-over. Our esteemed reporter heroine represents herself & her employer in flattering way by getting flustered while launching a series of trophy-winning volleys :
"Does the acquisition of this magazine mean you'll be spending more time out of England ?"
"Er -- but does this mean you'll be spending more time out of the country ?"
"Oh -- you haven't -- I mean, why should I care if you leave England ?"
"I hear you have plans to marry, Mr. Reedman, will this interfere with those plans @ all ?"
Boo yah ! Somewhere in ABC camp, Katie Couric wipes bullets of sweats off her clammy forehead that her cushion job isn't in jeopardy after all. Zach & Julie won't be featured on Baba Wawa's "Most fascinating imaginary peeps" episode anytime soon.
Both H/h have an oblivious Significant Otha that they're stringing along. Zach's adoring GF is not a venomous viper, just an arm candy. Julie's platonic friendship w/ poor Steve is driving him bonkers cuz he's desperate to get in her pants, but she says no way, Jose. Then he gets the bombshell that Julie's technically still hitched to Zach. Steve finally gets the message loud & clear that Julie’s just not that into him. He bows outta competition. Zach just happens to lurk around the corner, boinks the living nitelights outta her right after Julie / Steve's break-up. Wham bam thank U verra much. Zach bails out the next AM. On the otha side of spectrum, we're told later on that Zach's sensitivity chip is missing too, he cries out Julie's name when he's w/ GF, she dumps Zach cuz he's still hung up on Julie. He shows up everywhere Julie goes, pining away. Her initial resistance only lasts about 2 secs when he's in the vicinity. Nevermind that he's the same panty charmer who assaulted her 3 yrs ago. No memory lane revisited. Conveniently, after failed attempt to cover up the unexpected bun in her toaster (oh yeah he also accuses her of trying to get rid of it), career is no longer in her tunneled vision. Apparently preggers chicks + work weren't a desirable combo. Talk ‘bout character inconsistency.
Of course, it ain't a legit HP w/out the go-to "tell, not show" & repetitive, recycled-to-death, adjective-filled semi-purple prose & exaggerated method of speech delivery. We're told of the airplane hijack, we're told by Julie's BFF (who's married to Zach's bro & is ecstatic H/h are an item again), that Zach drank a lot after H/h went to splitsville. Housekeeper says hero locks himself in & seems to be drinking alcohol like there’s no tomorrow. I lost count the # of times Zach's malleable lips / mouth tightened & twisted, not in a normal way, in a bitterly fashion ! I wondered if his bearded Taco pecker was as flexible too, just saying.
Now the highlight of the twisted tale. Circa 1983, moms who just popped their NBs out via vaginal delivery, were allowed by cash-strapped insurance comp to overstay @ the maternity ward. The hysterical mom – in a panic mode ‘cuz hubby seemed to be avoiding her like the plague for unfathomable reason- was allowed to check out, escorted personally by the Obstetrician, w/out so much as AMA (Against Medical Advice) form. Forget the bundle of joy. The nurse could babysit 'till mom was ready to pick it back up. There's no such thing as child abandonment in Freakyville. The hero predictably had a meltdown & produced a twinge of fluids in his eyes @ the end, upon discovery she had the miscarriage 3 years ago the same nite as he raped her. Fascinatingly, bleeding heart heroine forgives him so easily w/out putting hubby thru' the wringer throughout the book. Love conquers all.
I know that romance is built upon contrivances, but really ? The loss of baby 3 years ago was merely an afterthought. And we're supposed to swallow @ the end that he starts stalking her again after 3yrs of dead silence, only cuz she's 1 of the hostages of an airplane siege & he's the unsung hero as the ransom money provider. Couples’ reunion statistics were boosted by terrorist attacks. Whodathunk ? Per her pattern of fainting spells, I was expecting fragile heroine to melt into a puddle of goo over his hair-melting, aaww-worthy revelation, but alas, CM ran outta pages.
Zach is a 1st-rate putz. Julie is TSTF (too stupid to fug). Add to the dwamedy : a bro-in-law out-of-sync w/ reality, U got yourself the unheralded 3 stooges.
Julie told Ben (Zach's bro) a portion of what triggered the collapse of her marriage 3 years ago : "So unnaturally angry that he raped me."
His no-brainer response : "He what ?" Ben thundered. "It can't be called rape between a man & his wife, Julie. If he made love to you in anger-----"
Her indignant rebuttal : "He didn't !"... "He hit me, he threw me on the floor and he -- he raped me."
So I take it, if Julie told Ben that she & Zach boned each otha doggie style & Zach only changed his underpants once in a blue moon, Ben wouldn't believe it either, would he ? Cuz after all, it's not the norm. It is what it is but thru’ Ben’s rose-tinted lenses, marital rape only happens in parallel universe.
A special shout-out to Zach. Thespian-wannabe all over HPlandia should take a lesson outta this Razzie winner. Mock contrition has so many shades that when Zach had a frog perpetually stuck in his windpipe - conglomerate that he was - he couldn't afford any OTC Halls drops. We're treated to endless expressions of his twisted lips & over-emotional state of mind. He rasped. He breathed raggedly. He groaned. His voice became husky. He drawled. He snapped. His voice was steely. He murmured. His voice hardened to anger. He scorned hardly. He told her harshly. He said grimly. A pulse beating erratically in his throat. He mocked. He taunted. His voice came through to her in a harsh concern. He told her roughly. He informed her arrogantly. His head was held @ a haughty angle. He rasped harshly. He gave a haughty inclination of his dark head. He accused. He swore. He told her stiltedly. He said dryly. He said in a strangled voice. A pulse beating jerkily @ his jaw. He scorned harshly. He agreed heatedly. His voice was self-derisory. He ground out. He sighed. He nodded arrogantly. He nodded enigmatically. He murmured softly. He drew in a deep breath. He greeted huskily. He drawled tauntingly. ... Drawled a deeply sarcastic voice. He promised huskily. He muttered. He returned icily. He cuttingly interrupted Steve. He attacked. He scowled. He pounced. A pulse beating erratically in his hard cheek. He choked. He repeated harshly. He repeated softly. He flushed. He said distantly. He gave a ragged sigh. A pulse beat erratically @ his jaw. He paled. He said bleakly. He rose agilely to his feet. He grimaced. He said behind her in a stage whisper. He said in a brisk voice. He asked huskily. He said tautly. He warned, dangerously soft. He said stubbornly. He told her throatily. He moaned. He repeated savagely. He stormed. He snapped curtly. He instructed curtly. He said tersely. He snapped angrily. He told her arrogantly. He said gruffly. He cut in angrily. He said raggedly. He echoed sharply. His cry came out hoarse. He said deeply. He said wearily. He said ruefully. He asked suspiciously. He added provocatively. Etc etc.
How could U not fall head over toes for this uber jealous-possessive, easily-provoked, super animated dreamboat, who's alternately grey & pale beneath his tan when the moment called for it (depends on the lighting & time of the month) ? He couldn’t believe heroine’s baby 3 years ago was his & current baby is also his. He got the total hero package. Zach is the ultimate poster boy for men’s PMS.
Typical of frail, quivering HP heroines w/ damaged childhood, Julie doesn’t have the constitution of tough-as-nail journalist, she faints upon reuniting w/ estranged hubby. She faints again when tripping over a tool during heated argument w/ Zach. She almost faints when assigned by boss to a press conference to cover Zack's magazine take-over. Our esteemed reporter heroine represents herself & her employer in flattering way by getting flustered while launching a series of trophy-winning volleys :
"Does the acquisition of this magazine mean you'll be spending more time out of England ?"
"Er -- but does this mean you'll be spending more time out of the country ?"
"Oh -- you haven't -- I mean, why should I care if you leave England ?"
"I hear you have plans to marry, Mr. Reedman, will this interfere with those plans @ all ?"
Boo yah ! Somewhere in ABC camp, Katie Couric wipes bullets of sweats off her clammy forehead that her cushion job isn't in jeopardy after all. Zach & Julie won't be featured on Baba Wawa's "Most fascinating imaginary peeps" episode anytime soon.
Both H/h have an oblivious Significant Otha that they're stringing along. Zach's adoring GF is not a venomous viper, just an arm candy. Julie's platonic friendship w/ poor Steve is driving him bonkers cuz he's desperate to get in her pants, but she says no way, Jose. Then he gets the bombshell that Julie's technically still hitched to Zach. Steve finally gets the message loud & clear that Julie’s just not that into him. He bows outta competition. Zach just happens to lurk around the corner, boinks the living nitelights outta her right after Julie / Steve's break-up. Wham bam thank U verra much. Zach bails out the next AM. On the otha side of spectrum, we're told later on that Zach's sensitivity chip is missing too, he cries out Julie's name when he's w/ GF, she dumps Zach cuz he's still hung up on Julie. He shows up everywhere Julie goes, pining away. Her initial resistance only lasts about 2 secs when he's in the vicinity. Nevermind that he's the same panty charmer who assaulted her 3 yrs ago. No memory lane revisited. Conveniently, after failed attempt to cover up the unexpected bun in her toaster (oh yeah he also accuses her of trying to get rid of it), career is no longer in her tunneled vision. Apparently preggers chicks + work weren't a desirable combo. Talk ‘bout character inconsistency.
Of course, it ain't a legit HP w/out the go-to "tell, not show" & repetitive, recycled-to-death, adjective-filled semi-purple prose & exaggerated method of speech delivery. We're told of the airplane hijack, we're told by Julie's BFF (who's married to Zach's bro & is ecstatic H/h are an item again), that Zach drank a lot after H/h went to splitsville. Housekeeper says hero locks himself in & seems to be drinking alcohol like there’s no tomorrow. I lost count the # of times Zach's malleable lips / mouth tightened & twisted, not in a normal way, in a bitterly fashion ! I wondered if his bearded Taco pecker was as flexible too, just saying.
Now the highlight of the twisted tale. Circa 1983, moms who just popped their NBs out via vaginal delivery, were allowed by cash-strapped insurance comp to overstay @ the maternity ward. The hysterical mom – in a panic mode ‘cuz hubby seemed to be avoiding her like the plague for unfathomable reason- was allowed to check out, escorted personally by the Obstetrician, w/out so much as AMA (Against Medical Advice) form. Forget the bundle of joy. The nurse could babysit 'till mom was ready to pick it back up. There's no such thing as child abandonment in Freakyville. The hero predictably had a meltdown & produced a twinge of fluids in his eyes @ the end, upon discovery she had the miscarriage 3 years ago the same nite as he raped her. Fascinatingly, bleeding heart heroine forgives him so easily w/out putting hubby thru' the wringer throughout the book. Love conquers all.
I know that romance is built upon contrivances, but really ? The loss of baby 3 years ago was merely an afterthought. And we're supposed to swallow @ the end that he starts stalking her again after 3yrs of dead silence, only cuz she's 1 of the hostages of an airplane siege & he's the unsung hero as the ransom money provider. Couples’ reunion statistics were boosted by terrorist attacks. Whodathunk ? Per her pattern of fainting spells, I was expecting fragile heroine to melt into a puddle of goo over his hair-melting, aaww-worthy revelation, but alas, CM ran outta pages.
March 18, 2019
It must be the change of seasons. Something in the air, because I can’t explain it, I really liked this one—almost loved it, actually, until the end. Carole Mortimer’s “Love Unspoken” is one of those infamously controversial Harlequin Presents where readers can’t stop talking about it, even though it’s not necessarily well-loved.
The book begins with the heroine, Julie, a jet-setting journalist, having been just released by terrorists who held her and fellow flight-mates hostage. She’s a little bruised when her boyfriend, Steve, shows up with concern. Julie and Steve have been dating for six months—by her own admission, some of the happiest she’s ever spent—but Julie, a mature gal in her mid-twenties just can’t make the jump from heavy petting to sex. She likes keeping Steve on a firm leash, while he pants for more from her, but she’s not giving him any biscuits! Steve knows Julie was involved with the Zack Reedman in the past, in fact, had a year-long affair with him, so could it be old feelings for him that hold her back?
Julie adamantly denies having any attachment to Zack, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It was no mere affair; Julie had been married to Zack for a year, a turbulent, passionate year, before they separated. She’s still married to Zack despite not having seen him in three years. But time is not on Julie’s side, because her best friend is married to Zack’s brother and invites her to spend some time convalescing at their home in the country.
Just co-incidentally it also happens to be the anniversary of Julie and Zack’s marriage, when who should show up unexpectedly, but Zack! Zack has been keeping himself quite busy with plenty of women and now seems to be on the verge of engagement to another woman. Divorce is now on the agenda, yet Zack can’t keep his hands off his ex. Julie, disgusted pushes him away, restating her hatred of him.
Zack’s brother demands to know just what happened to break up the couple. Zack was incredibly jealous and possessive and never appreciated Julie’s career, which kept her out of the country more often than at home. He always accused her of having affairs with her coworkers. On the night they split up for good, Julie got a call to fly out for a job. This is when Julie drops the bombshell: in a final rage, Zack beat and raped her, putting an end to their once loving relationship.
Zack and Julie act in a ridiculous manner as her pursues her, and she flees from him, while they both string along their significant others. But their crazy lust, er love, for each other won’t be denied, and they have a one-night stand together while said significant others are under the same roof with them—Julie’s guy is even the room adjoining hers!
Of course, this being the land of drama, that one night results in pregnancy. Julie does her best to hide the pregnancy from Zack, but he finds out anyway. Then he finds out that after she left him, she suffered a miscarriage. We’re well near the end of the book, but Zack hasn’t changed one bit and stopped being a jealous lout, because he falsely accuses Julie of hiding that secret because he wasn’t the baby’s father. What an a-hole, right?
Julie and Zack reunite platonically for the baby’s sake, she quits her job, and they settle in the country.
Finally, after having given birth to their child, Zack discovers one more truth: it was due to his violent rape of Julie that she miscarried their first child. Zack leaves his wife at the hospital, locks himself up in his study, drinking his miseries away, wallowing in self-pity. So Julie does the only thing she can, releases herself from the hospital early to run to Zack’s side. She reveals the last truth to him, that her father was a serial adulterer, driving her mother to an early death. That was the reason Julie always kept her self at a distance from Zack, because she never wanted to love as deeply as her mother did. Zack cries, she cries, and the two vow to spend their marriage together as one passionate affair.
Now why the hell did I like a book like this?
I can’t explain. The emotional ups and down were thrilling, with almost every chapter ending in a shocking cliffhanger where more information is revealed. I can understand why many readers would be turned off by the plot, and to be honest, when I had heard what the book was about, I wasn’t crazy about reading it. But something about it just worked for me. Like I said, it must be something perverse in the air that made me enjoy this. There is no real resolution to their problems. There’s no marriage counseling. No private counseling. No helpful aid from friends and family. Zack’s still jealous, still uses alcohol as a crutch, still potentially violent. And Julie is…well, Julie's clearly not all there, either, because she’s willing to overlook all those dangerous flaws because of true love.
What a horrible hero. What a horrible heroine. She’s a codependent user, and he’s a drunk abuser. They deserved each other and will no doubt have a very long, very rocky marriage where they make everyone miserable, including themselves, but will only be more miserable apart from one another. What a crazy mess. And I liked it.
4 ½ stars
The book begins with the heroine, Julie, a jet-setting journalist, having been just released by terrorists who held her and fellow flight-mates hostage. She’s a little bruised when her boyfriend, Steve, shows up with concern. Julie and Steve have been dating for six months—by her own admission, some of the happiest she’s ever spent—but Julie, a mature gal in her mid-twenties just can’t make the jump from heavy petting to sex. She likes keeping Steve on a firm leash, while he pants for more from her, but she’s not giving him any biscuits! Steve knows Julie was involved with the Zack Reedman in the past, in fact, had a year-long affair with him, so could it be old feelings for him that hold her back?
Julie adamantly denies having any attachment to Zack, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It was no mere affair; Julie had been married to Zack for a year, a turbulent, passionate year, before they separated. She’s still married to Zack despite not having seen him in three years. But time is not on Julie’s side, because her best friend is married to Zack’s brother and invites her to spend some time convalescing at their home in the country.
Just co-incidentally it also happens to be the anniversary of Julie and Zack’s marriage, when who should show up unexpectedly, but Zack! Zack has been keeping himself quite busy with plenty of women and now seems to be on the verge of engagement to another woman. Divorce is now on the agenda, yet Zack can’t keep his hands off his ex. Julie, disgusted pushes him away, restating her hatred of him.
Zack’s brother demands to know just what happened to break up the couple. Zack was incredibly jealous and possessive and never appreciated Julie’s career, which kept her out of the country more often than at home. He always accused her of having affairs with her coworkers. On the night they split up for good, Julie got a call to fly out for a job. This is when Julie drops the bombshell: in a final rage, Zack beat and raped her, putting an end to their once loving relationship.
Zack and Julie act in a ridiculous manner as her pursues her, and she flees from him, while they both string along their significant others. But their crazy lust, er love, for each other won’t be denied, and they have a one-night stand together while said significant others are under the same roof with them—Julie’s guy is even the room adjoining hers!
Of course, this being the land of drama, that one night results in pregnancy. Julie does her best to hide the pregnancy from Zack, but he finds out anyway. Then he finds out that after she left him, she suffered a miscarriage. We’re well near the end of the book, but Zack hasn’t changed one bit and stopped being a jealous lout, because he falsely accuses Julie of hiding that secret because he wasn’t the baby’s father. What an a-hole, right?
Julie and Zack reunite platonically for the baby’s sake, she quits her job, and they settle in the country.
Finally, after having given birth to their child, Zack discovers one more truth: it was due to his violent rape of Julie that she miscarried their first child. Zack leaves his wife at the hospital, locks himself up in his study, drinking his miseries away, wallowing in self-pity. So Julie does the only thing she can, releases herself from the hospital early to run to Zack’s side. She reveals the last truth to him, that her father was a serial adulterer, driving her mother to an early death. That was the reason Julie always kept her self at a distance from Zack, because she never wanted to love as deeply as her mother did. Zack cries, she cries, and the two vow to spend their marriage together as one passionate affair.
Now why the hell did I like a book like this?
I can’t explain. The emotional ups and down were thrilling, with almost every chapter ending in a shocking cliffhanger where more information is revealed. I can understand why many readers would be turned off by the plot, and to be honest, when I had heard what the book was about, I wasn’t crazy about reading it. But something about it just worked for me. Like I said, it must be something perverse in the air that made me enjoy this. There is no real resolution to their problems. There’s no marriage counseling. No private counseling. No helpful aid from friends and family. Zack’s still jealous, still uses alcohol as a crutch, still potentially violent. And Julie is…well, Julie's clearly not all there, either, because she’s willing to overlook all those dangerous flaws because of true love.
What a horrible hero. What a horrible heroine. She’s a codependent user, and he’s a drunk abuser. They deserved each other and will no doubt have a very long, very rocky marriage where they make everyone miserable, including themselves, but will only be more miserable apart from one another. What a crazy mess. And I liked it.
4 ½ stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2015
2.5 stars, really. It definitely had some WTF moments and was a constant drama-fest.
The h was a reporter who was determined to never be taken over by a man. She had an unhappy childhood where her mother desperately loved her father and he didn't return the feeling. She also feels that her birth pushed her father away from her mom. The, h is therefore determined not to give away that much of herself and to never marry and have children.
The H, Zack, decides they will marry and he's the stalker type, so he wears her down. Plus, she's in love with him, of course.
This is one of those old HPs that doesn't quite know what to do with a career woman. Basically they fall into 2 camps. Cold emotionless bitches and those hiding from RL (husband and kids) due to a bad childhood or some other angst.
The book begins 3 years after the couple separated (they were only together a year). We learn over the course of the story that the marriage failed because Zack was so crazy jealous over Julie's career and the fact that she often traveled with a male photographer. He reveals at one point that they only slept under the same roof 54 out of 365 days of that year together because she was always jetting off for a story.
Julie was always jetting off mostly because she feared intimacy and was going by the 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' philosophy.
There is a big blow-up on their first anniversary when she's called off on assignment. Zack is furious she's ditching their anniversary (I can get that), but he's also convinced she's sleeping with the photographer who'll be her partner on the trip (she wasn't).
He slaps and rapes her in a fit of jealous rage. The impression is given that this is violent and not the romance novel 'forced seduction' scenario. Afterwards, he falls on his knees and begs forgiveness, but she's done. She leaves and doesn't come back. Major spoiler:
The two remain secretly married, but never see one another for 3 years. She's just passively waiting for divorce papers while he's sleeping with other women and supposedly has found one he's thinking of marrying.
The heroine has a casual boyfriend and - surprising for the time this was written - she is actually aroused by the kissing/making out going on between them, but she won't let it go farther because she's terrified of relationships and still secretly in love with her husband.
The H/h meet up again after she is on a plane hijacked by terrorists. After seeing the drama on TV, the H is determined to get her back (we find out later he paid off the terrorists ransom demands).
The H weasels back into her life with the fake promise of a divorce. After that, he turns up everywhere.
Lots of drama in the chase with quite a bit of games being played on the hero's part. I felt really sorry for the woman he was supposedly marrying. She was terribly used. I also felt sorry for the guy Julie was dating, but I don't feel she used him as consciously and deliberately as the H used his gf.
Julie ends up pregnant after she and Zack have one night together and the divorce is called off.
I generally love a good train wreck, but this had some issues that kept it from a higher rating from me.
The first hurdle you have to get past is the old school bodice ripper vibe. If rape and domestic abuse are triggers, I wouldn't recommend this book at all. I admit to liking some of the old BRs, but this one did have a more realistic feel that was uncomfortable for me. The H's cycle of insane jealousy and obsessiveness followed by heavy drinking seems destined to blow up again in another violent episode. I'm not left with faith that all will be rosy on that front. Especially since he never seems to have any faith that the heroine isn't banging every dude she passes on the street when in reality she's only ever been with him.
Playing with the emotions of innocent 3rd parties is gross to me.
The end. Total fail. It just confirmed that the H was a weakling.
The h was a reporter who was determined to never be taken over by a man. She had an unhappy childhood where her mother desperately loved her father and he didn't return the feeling. She also feels that her birth pushed her father away from her mom. The, h is therefore determined not to give away that much of herself and to never marry and have children.
The H, Zack, decides they will marry and he's the stalker type, so he wears her down. Plus, she's in love with him, of course.
This is one of those old HPs that doesn't quite know what to do with a career woman. Basically they fall into 2 camps. Cold emotionless bitches and those hiding from RL (husband and kids) due to a bad childhood or some other angst.
The book begins 3 years after the couple separated (they were only together a year). We learn over the course of the story that the marriage failed because Zack was so crazy jealous over Julie's career and the fact that she often traveled with a male photographer. He reveals at one point that they only slept under the same roof 54 out of 365 days of that year together because she was always jetting off for a story.
Julie was always jetting off mostly because she feared intimacy and was going by the 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' philosophy.
There is a big blow-up on their first anniversary when she's called off on assignment. Zack is furious she's ditching their anniversary (I can get that), but he's also convinced she's sleeping with the photographer who'll be her partner on the trip (she wasn't).
He slaps and rapes her in a fit of jealous rage. The impression is given that this is violent and not the romance novel 'forced seduction' scenario. Afterwards, he falls on his knees and begs forgiveness, but she's done. She leaves and doesn't come back. Major spoiler:
The two remain secretly married, but never see one another for 3 years. She's just passively waiting for divorce papers while he's sleeping with other women and supposedly has found one he's thinking of marrying.
The heroine has a casual boyfriend and - surprising for the time this was written - she is actually aroused by the kissing/making out going on between them, but she won't let it go farther because she's terrified of relationships and still secretly in love with her husband.
The H/h meet up again after she is on a plane hijacked by terrorists. After seeing the drama on TV, the H is determined to get her back (we find out later he paid off the terrorists ransom demands).
The H weasels back into her life with the fake promise of a divorce. After that, he turns up everywhere.
Lots of drama in the chase with quite a bit of games being played on the hero's part. I felt really sorry for the woman he was supposedly marrying. She was terribly used. I also felt sorry for the guy Julie was dating, but I don't feel she used him as consciously and deliberately as the H used his gf.
Julie ends up pregnant after she and Zack have one night together and the divorce is called off.
I generally love a good train wreck, but this had some issues that kept it from a higher rating from me.
The first hurdle you have to get past is the old school bodice ripper vibe. If rape and domestic abuse are triggers, I wouldn't recommend this book at all. I admit to liking some of the old BRs, but this one did have a more realistic feel that was uncomfortable for me. The H's cycle of insane jealousy and obsessiveness followed by heavy drinking seems destined to blow up again in another violent episode. I'm not left with faith that all will be rosy on that front. Especially since he never seems to have any faith that the heroine isn't banging every dude she passes on the street when in reality she's only ever been with him.
Playing with the emotions of innocent 3rd parties is gross to me.
The end. Total fail. It just confirmed that the H was a weakling.
September 23, 2013
Eww heroine is a cheater and so is the hero! Disgusting! Also heroine is calling her unborn child a bastard and a bitch. What did I just read???!!!!
August 17, 2011
What an angst fest. I liked this one. Thanks for sending it my way Willaful. One of the things I enjoyed was the way that the author succeeded in portraying the hero's thoughts and feelings even though the entire story was told from the heroine's POV. For those who have a hot button on the issue, the story does revolve around the hero having raped the heroine 3 years ago. They were married at the time. He was in a jealous rage yada, yada. Well technically they are still married just having been separated for the last 3 years. boy did the author ever show you through his winces and paling/loss of color, and half stifled sentences that he was anguished/regretful over it.
Two minor things I didn't like were
Two minor things I didn't like were
March 14, 2024
Hero and heroine are married but separated for three years.
- he has n affair with a woman he wants to marry and he wants to divorce the heroine. It’s cheating since he is still married. He had other women before her.
- they separated because the hero raped the heroine and she lost her child, the hero won’t know until the end of the book and will feel guilty.
- the author thinks that it’s not rape if it’s between spouses, sadly the law gave her reason until the 80s, but it’s disgusting anyway. And the loss of her child as a traumatic consequence is swept under the carpet.
- the hero is awful, he expected his wife to give up her career and it seems she’s the one to blame for the demise of their marriage since you know, some have to stay at home, pregnant and barefoot.
- the hero has toxic masculinity. He is always right. He wants what he wants, or else.
It’s him or the highway.
To me it would be the latter.
So much chauvinism that I just can’t.
Oh. The cherry on the top. The hero and the heroine have sex again one memorable evening when they both are guest of his brother and his sister in law, with the heroine boyfriend and the hero’s mistress. Anddddd after that the hero keeps having sex with ow until he cries the heroine name during sex with ow, and she dumps him. So he proposes an affair to the heroine who’s been divorcing. No, sorry I just can’t.
- he has n affair with a woman he wants to marry and he wants to divorce the heroine. It’s cheating since he is still married. He had other women before her.
- they separated because the hero raped the heroine and she lost her child, the hero won’t know until the end of the book and will feel guilty.
- the author thinks that it’s not rape if it’s between spouses, sadly the law gave her reason until the 80s, but it’s disgusting anyway. And the loss of her child as a traumatic consequence is swept under the carpet.
- the hero is awful, he expected his wife to give up her career and it seems she’s the one to blame for the demise of their marriage since you know, some have to stay at home, pregnant and barefoot.
- the hero has toxic masculinity. He is always right. He wants what he wants, or else.
It’s him or the highway.
To me it would be the latter.
So much chauvinism that I just can’t.
Oh. The cherry on the top. The hero and the heroine have sex again one memorable evening when they both are guest of his brother and his sister in law, with the heroine boyfriend and the hero’s mistress. Anddddd after that the hero keeps having sex with ow until he cries the heroine name during sex with ow, and she dumps him. So he proposes an affair to the heroine who’s been divorcing. No, sorry I just can’t.
May 6, 2011
not my cup of tea. too much violence, too many unspoken words, a story not so coherent, charachters with no depth
March 19, 2019
I finally bit the bullet and read this book. To my surprise, it wasn’t bad at all and I quite liked it.
I know the Hero did something unforgivable that led to their separation, although for the whole story, even if we don’t get his point of view, the reader can clearly see that the Hero is just still so hung up on the heroine. Still so obsessed and jealous over her.
I liked that the heroine was a kick-ass career journalist and she didn’t let anyone stand in her way, not even the Hero. And she did give him a hard time for most of the book.
I know the Hero did something unforgivable that led to their separation, although for the whole story, even if we don’t get his point of view, the reader can clearly see that the Hero is just still so hung up on the heroine. Still so obsessed and jealous over her.
I liked that the heroine was a kick-ass career journalist and she didn’t let anyone stand in her way, not even the Hero. And she did give him a hard time for most of the book.
August 1, 2010
This is only the second book of the older Harlequins that I have read and so far I'm thinking that they just arnt for me. This one,like the other one that I read, takes place several years after the 'main event' that lead to the breakup of the marrige, so the emotions,imo, have dulled some what. When I read a book about the couples second chance, I want to read about them from the very begining of the realationship.I think that makes it a much more emotional read. Another thing that bothered me was that every time the H spoke, he 'rasped'. Made me think of an old smoker's voice. Not very sexy. One thing that I did like was the time period, it's not a historical it's a contemp. but it takes place in the '80's. In order to get information on how your friends and family are you either have to have a phone call or a letter delivered in the mail, you can't follow them on twitter or be friends on facebook.
February 18, 2012
Gosh, this book was SUPER emotional for me and had to deal with some even tougher topics. I was so messed up by the end of this book that I had trouble calming myself. I don't understand how Julie could forgive Zach for some of the things he did. Well POSSIBLY I could forgive but I never ever ever could forget. Just goes to show you, the character has WAY more depth and emotional forgiveness and well being than I do. I'd have killed Zach or ran away or screamed. Sometimes it was so frustrating but in the end I loved this book. It was well written, you related easily to the characters. At times you were in shock, it just varied SO much! It's a really good read, despite the bad things that occur in the book, I loved it and the ending. Forgiveness is the key to happiness apparently.
May 12, 2018
No no no no no!
Spineless TSTL h and a complete and utter horror of a H. He's not even a forced seduction kind of guy he's a give her a beating and rape her toad.
He also has other women while they are separated. Who wants to stay married to a prize like that? Yet despite other deluded women wanting in his pants he still tries to get into hers.
More fool her she lets him and of course ends up knocked up pffft cue utter ridiculous birth storyline and her chasing after him WTH? No no no he deserved to be alone forever I wanted to bleach my brain after this abomination. Worst H EVER!
Spineless TSTL h and a complete and utter horror of a H. He's not even a forced seduction kind of guy he's a give her a beating and rape her toad.
He also has other women while they are separated. Who wants to stay married to a prize like that? Yet despite other deluded women wanting in his pants he still tries to get into hers.
More fool her she lets him and of course ends up knocked up pffft cue utter ridiculous birth storyline and her chasing after him WTH? No no no he deserved to be alone forever I wanted to bleach my brain after this abomination. Worst H EVER!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2012
Eh, I didn't love this one. It started off well, but for whatever reason I just wasn't invested in the characters. There was barely any character development, and people like the OW Teresa were barely described at all. I didn't like either that both of them were basically cheating, and it sounded like he had sex with the OW even after seeing the heroine again. Others have warned too, but there is a full-on angry rape in the background of this one, but it isn't described in that much detail.
January 2, 2020
Still on my how bad can it be...
March 18, 2024
Zach is just stupidly obsessed and in love and I see no red flags in him (because I am color blind) 😌.
February 1, 2015
I'd say this was more a 2.5 half stars.. But I bumped it up instead of down just because I thought the plot was unusual.
H/h are in the newspaper business, secretly married but have been separated for a number of years. The book begins when the h is rescued from a hostage situation and goes to her sil to recover.
There were a number of things in this book that you usually don't find in HQ, especially the old school ones. Typically you see the H as the commitment phobic one who because of the past doesnt want any ties, but in this case its the h. She is a fiercely independent career woman who never wanted to marry and doesnt want kids. She thinks spending as little time as possible with her husband will keep their marriage fresh and she doesn't want kids because she doesn't want to share his attention with anyone.
The H is pretty typical old skool, he's a crazy possessive lunatic. He constantly thinks she's spreading her legs for any man in a 25 foot range and feels no qualms about grabbing her and calling her names. Oh and of course
And if that isn't enough drama for you, the h has a boyfriend who wants to marry her( no she's not having sex with him) and the H is engaged
This would have been a solid 3, just for being usual but of course the h sees the error of her ways, tosses away anything that made her unique and becomes the ultimate earth mother in the end. Plus I felt like the H never really became likeable or redeemed himself.
H/h are in the newspaper business, secretly married but have been separated for a number of years. The book begins when the h is rescued from a hostage situation and goes to her sil to recover.
There were a number of things in this book that you usually don't find in HQ, especially the old school ones. Typically you see the H as the commitment phobic one who because of the past doesnt want any ties, but in this case its the h. She is a fiercely independent career woman who never wanted to marry and doesnt want kids. She thinks spending as little time as possible with her husband will keep their marriage fresh and she doesn't want kids because she doesn't want to share his attention with anyone.
The H is pretty typical old skool, he's a crazy possessive lunatic. He constantly thinks she's spreading her legs for any man in a 25 foot range and feels no qualms about grabbing her and calling her names. Oh and of course
And if that isn't enough drama for you, the h has a boyfriend who wants to marry her( no she's not having sex with him) and the H is engaged
This would have been a solid 3, just for being usual but of course the h sees the error of her ways, tosses away anything that made her unique and becomes the ultimate earth mother in the end. Plus I felt like the H never really became likeable or redeemed himself.
May 8, 2020
"Love Unspoken" was an emotional,beautiful and exciting ride, full of heartbreak,second chances,jealousy,hate and a never-ending pure desperate love.
Zack and Julie are a couple that are married and have been living apart for three years.
Both of them have their lives,careers and their partners
but their hearts are still tangled together as ever.
I love both Zack and Julie.Their actions,emotions were too much for me and i understand both of them too well.I know that many would come to dislike Zack,he did after all struck and rape her mistaking that she has been cheating on him.But...
having possessive men in my family,he reminds me of my cousins...Zack Reedman is a man that lives and breathes his love for Julie.You see,that`s the special thing with alpha-males.They are so passionate that they can destroy everyone around them.
I enjoyed their journey.It was both hot and HELLUVA hot at the same time.Their love for each other is so beautiful.
Zack and Julie are a couple that are married and have been living apart for three years.
Both of them have their lives,careers and their partners
but their hearts are still tangled together as ever.
I love both Zack and Julie.Their actions,emotions were too much for me and i understand both of them too well.I know that many would come to dislike Zack,he did after all struck and rape her mistaking that she has been cheating on him.But...
having possessive men in my family,he reminds me of my cousins...Zack Reedman is a man that lives and breathes his love for Julie.You see,that`s the special thing with alpha-males.They are so passionate that they can destroy everyone around them.
I enjoyed their journey.It was both hot and HELLUVA hot at the same time.Their love for each other is so beautiful.
May 17, 2016
2007 review: So-so. Ok, I actually bought this book based on the review above.. I guess I should only buy a book if it has several positive reviews and not just one!
SPOILERS
The story was alright but somehow it just doesn't seem believable that the heroine (I think!) remained celibate for three years! But then again, maybe it is true since they say its easier for women to control their urges again. The hero I guess is alright. At least it is sweet that he never let go of the love he had for his "ex-wife". Also it's the first time I read a book wherein the hero actually "forced" the heroine! Maybe that's why I wasn't too thrilled with the book. Considering this was a Harlequin romance, I guess I thought the hero wouldn't be that "dark". Also the ending/resolving of conflicts seemed a little rushed and happened a couple of pages before the ending.
SPOILERS
The story was alright but somehow it just doesn't seem believable that the heroine (I think!) remained celibate for three years! But then again, maybe it is true since they say its easier for women to control their urges again. The hero I guess is alright. At least it is sweet that he never let go of the love he had for his "ex-wife". Also it's the first time I read a book wherein the hero actually "forced" the heroine! Maybe that's why I wasn't too thrilled with the book. Considering this was a Harlequin romance, I guess I thought the hero wouldn't be that "dark". Also the ending/resolving of conflicts seemed a little rushed and happened a couple of pages before the ending.
July 19, 2020
There are so many things wrong with this book. The H does the unthinkable to the h and it costs them their marriage. After that the h pours herself into work. The H after a while goes on and lives his life. Then after an attempted hijacking with the h in tow, and getting injured. They meet again. Then the real drama begins and truths come out!! It was full of heartbreak, angst filld drama. I did not like what caused them to be separated. Was not needed for the plot.
April 10, 2013
Terrible.
Abusive dangerous husband.
Abusive dangerous husband.
March 31, 2021
Very captivating book. Recommend it for people who like vintage HP’s.
5 stars. I never got bored while reading this.
The H is a hungry alpha male. He is jealous, obsessive, destructive, passionate. His love for her is all-consuming. Carole Mortimer is an outstanding writer and this book is another proof of her HP excellence.
This book is not for everyone. They are married. Three years before the book starts, he has slapped her and raped her after he found her in the arms of another man. And he has a girlfriend now with which he sleeps, while he is jealous of the platonic friend she goes out with. Double standards. So he’s definitely not a perfect man.
The h wasn’t overly annoying which is always a relief in a HP. Many h’s in HP’s are so unbearably stupid, this one isn’t. She does lead her platonic friend (who wants more from her) on, she lies to him that she feels nothing for the H and she doesn’t tell him the truth that she and the H are married. She doesn’t tell him because of selfish motives: she doesn’t want to lose her friend. So like the H, she is not perfect either.
So in my opinion they are both unsympathetic. But actually that made the book even better. There was kind of a balance between them.
She isn’t physically cruel to him (like he was three years before), but she was cold to him and sometimes mentally cruel whenever he tells her about his feelings for her. She did not let him come back to her just like that. After the rape he begged on his knees for forgiveness and she didn’t forgive him immediately which is good. He really has to work for it.
I therefore think they were more or less evenly matched. She is not just a weak doormat for this alpha male. They will have a fiery, passionate, lifelong marriage with lots of arguments, but also lots of love.
5 stars. I never got bored while reading this.
The H is a hungry alpha male. He is jealous, obsessive, destructive, passionate. His love for her is all-consuming. Carole Mortimer is an outstanding writer and this book is another proof of her HP excellence.
This book is not for everyone. They are married. Three years before the book starts, he has slapped her and raped her after he found her in the arms of another man. And he has a girlfriend now with which he sleeps, while he is jealous of the platonic friend she goes out with. Double standards. So he’s definitely not a perfect man.
The h wasn’t overly annoying which is always a relief in a HP. Many h’s in HP’s are so unbearably stupid, this one isn’t. She does lead her platonic friend (who wants more from her) on, she lies to him that she feels nothing for the H and she doesn’t tell him the truth that she and the H are married. She doesn’t tell him because of selfish motives: she doesn’t want to lose her friend. So like the H, she is not perfect either.
So in my opinion they are both unsympathetic. But actually that made the book even better. There was kind of a balance between them.
She isn’t physically cruel to him (like he was three years before), but she was cold to him and sometimes mentally cruel whenever he tells her about his feelings for her. She did not let him come back to her just like that. After the rape he begged on his knees for forgiveness and she didn’t forgive him immediately which is good. He really has to work for it.
I therefore think they were more or less evenly matched. She is not just a weak doormat for this alpha male. They will have a fiery, passionate, lifelong marriage with lots of arguments, but also lots of love.
July 10, 2012
One of Harlequin's very common themes surrounding marriage, misunderstandings and miscarriage. I loved the fact that the woman was independent and a career woman in this story rather than a doormat. I loved the chemistry within the two characters and I loved the hero even though he had forced himself on the heroine. He really does make it up in the end with her. He was a bit jealous and very possessive. So much so that he actually didn't want to have a child with her and didn't let any other man in her life to take a permanent basis. All in all, a perfect harlequin romance!
October 12, 2022
The H calling out to his girlfriend brings him to a realization that he is still in love with the wife he raped and never apologized or divorced. The h of course for the 3 years of separation after the rape continued to love and hate him and definitely didnt have any affair with anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2021
Story is good but personally I'd never let such an obsessive creep near me.
January 15, 2025
The intro is misleading, as it gives the impression that the h, Julie is a self-centered career woman who puts ambition before love, and that was not the case. She took her work seriously and enjoyed it, but the reasons for her marriage falling apart were very complex, both on her part and on that of the H, Zach.
In truth, these were two very troubled people who were in need of a lot of help. While it's true, therapy/meds are pushed too much today, in some cases they're really needed, and this couple definitely needed psychiatric help for all the issues they had.
They got married after knowing each other only one month, spent less than two months of that time together, as their jobs called for travel (newspaper business and Julie had to cover news stories at a moment's notice, in and out of the country) and when they weren't having sex they were arguing, both because Julie seemed too eager to take assignments that would mean being separated for weeks on end and because Zach was jealous of every man she worked with (news photographers she traveled with) and suspected her of cheating.
(NOTE: he meticulously counted all the days they actually spent together, while she seemed not to have a clue how few of them there were, what does that say about them both??? )
When the book starts, they've been separated (though not officially divorced) for several years, and both are involved with other people. Zach is seeing (and sleeping with) Teresa, who he's thinking about marrying, while Julie has been seeing Steve, doesn't talk about marriage (the guy didn't even know she was ever married to Zach, just that they had been lovers) and though they've shared some passionate kisses, she hasn't slept with him.
Because of their job situations (Zach was Julie's boss, as he owned the paper she worked for) they had decided to keep their marriage a secret. Also, Julie was ambiguous about the whole marriage idea, presumably due to her independence, but there was really a lot more to it than that.
Of course, the real reason Julie won't get naked with Steve is because she still loves Zach and as for him, he apparently called out Julie's name while having sex with Teresa, so that tells you something. (It was also - not surprisingly - the end of that relationship.)
You get the usual stuff: family trying to bring them back together (in this case, Zach's brother Ben and his wife Connie, whom Julie remained friends with), both Julie and Zach (consciously or not) trying to make the other jealous, both attempting to hide their true feelings, with a lot of anger/bitterness/hurt to be worked out.
But then, you get to a lot of painful truths. Both of them had problems with addiction: after they separated, Zach started drinking heavily and became borderline alcoholic, while Julie got way too dependent on sleeping pills. Then, you find out the real (HORRIBLE) reason they broke up. It wasn't because Zach thought Julie put her ambitions as a news reporter over their marriage, or because she was reluctant to even discuss having children, and it wasn't because Julie couldn't take his unreasonable jealousy or apparent wish for her to quit her job. It was because, on the evening of their first anniversary, Julie got a call for an assignment that she'd been hoping for but would have to leave right away, and the photographer was the guy Zach was suspicious of; they had words that led to a violent argument and Zach lost control and raped her!!!! (Not a forced seduction that turns to mutual passion, but a violent act that hurt both physically and emotionally!) He was miserable and filled with remorse afterward and begged her forgiveness, but the damage was done.
There were more revelations to come. Julie's talk about independence, not really wanting to get married,(claiming she'd have preferred living together), not being concerned about all the absences as it would "make the heart grow fonder", etc., all stemmed from her crappy childhood, with a father who was a serial cheater and a mother who was a serial dunce and kept forgiving him, only to get dumped yet again. She actually lost the will to live when he left for good, so it's easy to see why Julie would have a negative idea about love, marriage and giving up too much for a man.
Then, a conversation with an elderly woman she's interviewing reveals some more truths. She was a widow, who had one of those rare "once in a lifetime" loves, but she kept it from being all it could have been by refusing to have children, as she was afraid to share her husband's love, that she'd have less of his attention and she'd lose the romance and passion they had by becoming Mom and Dad. She realized too late how selfish that had been.
This makes Julie realize her reason for not wanting kids was pretty much the same. Despite her confidence on the job, in her personal life she was insecure. She had been afraid Zach would lose interest or get bored if they saw each other all the time so she took those long traveling assignments, hoping it would keep the romance alive, have him longing instead of yawning. And having children would mean sharing Zach's heart and she wanted it all to herself. Lots and lots of need for therapy here!
Not to mention after the rape, and that goes for BOTH of them!! Even husbands can be arrested for rape, but barring that, instead of becoming a dumb drunk, Zach should have gone for immediate psychiatric help. He was a grown man, not a college frat boy, so he should have realized how awful his actions were, that even if Julie were cheating, that didn't excuse his behavior. Kick her out, yes, divorce her, yes but rape her?????? NO!!!!
Worse, when Julie felt pressured by Ben to tell what really broke them up, (after first making a dumb remark about how it could be rape, if you're married) he became furious with his brother and confronted him, which made Zach angry at Julie, because his closeness with his younger brother was important to him and now that might be over. Well, if he had manned up from the start and confessed what he had done (difficult as that would have been) Ben would have been shocked and probably angry, but he would have given Zach credit for his honesty, at least, and maybe have talked him into getting help, instead of just assuming his drinking was because of the separation.
Even more "way-out-there" is something Julie says later on, when she's feeling bad for the strain between Zach and Ben. She actually claims (and this is a WTF!!! to end all WTF!!!s) that, under the same circumstances, if Ben had thought Connie had a lover, he might have reacted the same way!! Does that make any sense?????
Of course, there has to be something to connect these two again. That "something" is their desire getting the better of them, which results in Julie getting pregnant, which results in her keeping quiet about it, which results in Zach finding out and assuming she's planning to abort it, which results in his demanding they resume their marriage for the sake of the baby, even if it means keeping her under guard to make sure she doesn't sneak asway to a clinic, which results in Julie (who wants that baby more than anything) being angry, resentful, and snarky, which results in Zach being cold and aloof one minute, seemingly apologetic another, which results in,
well, read and find out, I've said too much already.
But I have to add this: and here's where the author goofed a bit. She had made it clear that Julie hadn't wanted kids, then revealed why, but then she throws in another shocker by adding that Julie had been pregnant when Zach raped her and then lost the baby! This was too much to be believable, because then she adds that Julie had planned to tell Zach on their anniversary as a "surprise present', when she got the call about the assignment that resulted in the whole mess. She had never told Zach about the miscarriage, but he does find out, in some of the most over-the-top scenes in the book.
These two have so much excess baggage that it's hard to believe in a HEA. The book's worth reading, but suspend credibility while you do.
In truth, these were two very troubled people who were in need of a lot of help. While it's true, therapy/meds are pushed too much today, in some cases they're really needed, and this couple definitely needed psychiatric help for all the issues they had.
They got married after knowing each other only one month, spent less than two months of that time together, as their jobs called for travel (newspaper business and Julie had to cover news stories at a moment's notice, in and out of the country) and when they weren't having sex they were arguing, both because Julie seemed too eager to take assignments that would mean being separated for weeks on end and because Zach was jealous of every man she worked with (news photographers she traveled with) and suspected her of cheating.
(NOTE: he meticulously counted all the days they actually spent together, while she seemed not to have a clue how few of them there were, what does that say about them both??? )
When the book starts, they've been separated (though not officially divorced) for several years, and both are involved with other people. Zach is seeing (and sleeping with) Teresa, who he's thinking about marrying, while Julie has been seeing Steve, doesn't talk about marriage (the guy didn't even know she was ever married to Zach, just that they had been lovers) and though they've shared some passionate kisses, she hasn't slept with him.
Because of their job situations (Zach was Julie's boss, as he owned the paper she worked for) they had decided to keep their marriage a secret. Also, Julie was ambiguous about the whole marriage idea, presumably due to her independence, but there was really a lot more to it than that.
Of course, the real reason Julie won't get naked with Steve is because she still loves Zach and as for him, he apparently called out Julie's name while having sex with Teresa, so that tells you something. (It was also - not surprisingly - the end of that relationship.)
You get the usual stuff: family trying to bring them back together (in this case, Zach's brother Ben and his wife Connie, whom Julie remained friends with), both Julie and Zach (consciously or not) trying to make the other jealous, both attempting to hide their true feelings, with a lot of anger/bitterness/hurt to be worked out.
But then, you get to a lot of painful truths. Both of them had problems with addiction: after they separated, Zach started drinking heavily and became borderline alcoholic, while Julie got way too dependent on sleeping pills. Then, you find out the real (HORRIBLE) reason they broke up. It wasn't because Zach thought Julie put her ambitions as a news reporter over their marriage, or because she was reluctant to even discuss having children, and it wasn't because Julie couldn't take his unreasonable jealousy or apparent wish for her to quit her job. It was because, on the evening of their first anniversary, Julie got a call for an assignment that she'd been hoping for but would have to leave right away, and the photographer was the guy Zach was suspicious of; they had words that led to a violent argument and Zach lost control and raped her!!!! (Not a forced seduction that turns to mutual passion, but a violent act that hurt both physically and emotionally!) He was miserable and filled with remorse afterward and begged her forgiveness, but the damage was done.
There were more revelations to come. Julie's talk about independence, not really wanting to get married,(claiming she'd have preferred living together), not being concerned about all the absences as it would "make the heart grow fonder", etc., all stemmed from her crappy childhood, with a father who was a serial cheater and a mother who was a serial dunce and kept forgiving him, only to get dumped yet again. She actually lost the will to live when he left for good, so it's easy to see why Julie would have a negative idea about love, marriage and giving up too much for a man.
Then, a conversation with an elderly woman she's interviewing reveals some more truths. She was a widow, who had one of those rare "once in a lifetime" loves, but she kept it from being all it could have been by refusing to have children, as she was afraid to share her husband's love, that she'd have less of his attention and she'd lose the romance and passion they had by becoming Mom and Dad. She realized too late how selfish that had been.
This makes Julie realize her reason for not wanting kids was pretty much the same. Despite her confidence on the job, in her personal life she was insecure. She had been afraid Zach would lose interest or get bored if they saw each other all the time so she took those long traveling assignments, hoping it would keep the romance alive, have him longing instead of yawning. And having children would mean sharing Zach's heart and she wanted it all to herself. Lots and lots of need for therapy here!
Not to mention after the rape, and that goes for BOTH of them!! Even husbands can be arrested for rape, but barring that, instead of becoming a dumb drunk, Zach should have gone for immediate psychiatric help. He was a grown man, not a college frat boy, so he should have realized how awful his actions were, that even if Julie were cheating, that didn't excuse his behavior. Kick her out, yes, divorce her, yes but rape her?????? NO!!!!
Worse, when Julie felt pressured by Ben to tell what really broke them up, (after first making a dumb remark about how it could be rape, if you're married) he became furious with his brother and confronted him, which made Zach angry at Julie, because his closeness with his younger brother was important to him and now that might be over. Well, if he had manned up from the start and confessed what he had done (difficult as that would have been) Ben would have been shocked and probably angry, but he would have given Zach credit for his honesty, at least, and maybe have talked him into getting help, instead of just assuming his drinking was because of the separation.
Even more "way-out-there" is something Julie says later on, when she's feeling bad for the strain between Zach and Ben. She actually claims (and this is a WTF!!! to end all WTF!!!s) that, under the same circumstances, if Ben had thought Connie had a lover, he might have reacted the same way!! Does that make any sense?????
Of course, there has to be something to connect these two again. That "something" is their desire getting the better of them, which results in Julie getting pregnant, which results in her keeping quiet about it, which results in Zach finding out and assuming she's planning to abort it, which results in his demanding they resume their marriage for the sake of the baby, even if it means keeping her under guard to make sure she doesn't sneak asway to a clinic, which results in Julie (who wants that baby more than anything) being angry, resentful, and snarky, which results in Zach being cold and aloof one minute, seemingly apologetic another, which results in,
well, read and find out, I've said too much already.
But I have to add this: and here's where the author goofed a bit. She had made it clear that Julie hadn't wanted kids, then revealed why, but then she throws in another shocker by adding that Julie had been pregnant when Zach raped her and then lost the baby! This was too much to be believable, because then she adds that Julie had planned to tell Zach on their anniversary as a "surprise present', when she got the call about the assignment that resulted in the whole mess. She had never told Zach about the miscarriage, but he does find out, in some of the most over-the-top scenes in the book.
These two have so much excess baggage that it's hard to believe in a HEA. The book's worth reading, but suspend credibility while you do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2019
WTF!
He really had a realtionship with the OW at the same time he slept with the h?
It’s one thing if he had an OW before he started up with the h (who is supposed to be the love of his life) again. I don't mind if the H isn’t celibate during the separation or flaunts the OW after meeting the h. But he better not be banging someone else at the same time he is purportedly* loving the h!
He even said to the h, quote:
“And when I cried out your name instead of hers one night…! She quite rightly told me to get out until I have you out of my system”
end quote.
This after he slept with the h. The last thing we hear of the OW is that she’s gone to America.
Now, I was expecting that we, the readers, would get an explanation and a neat ending regarding the other woman. But..
“And Teresa?” She teased lightly.
“a beautiful woman, but not you. Even when we were apart it was still you”
yeah right (rolling eyes franticly)
I bet OW dumped his a$$ when she discovered he was banging his soon to be ex wife.
She is obviously smarter then the h, who seems TSTL. Why else would she stay with a rapist and an obvious abuser?
(*Don’t know if I used that word right)
He really had a realtionship with the OW at the same time he slept with the h?
It’s one thing if he had an OW before he started up with the h (who is supposed to be the love of his life) again. I don't mind if the H isn’t celibate during the separation or flaunts the OW after meeting the h. But he better not be banging someone else at the same time he is purportedly* loving the h!
He even said to the h, quote:
“And when I cried out your name instead of hers one night…! She quite rightly told me to get out until I have you out of my system”
end quote.
This after he slept with the h. The last thing we hear of the OW is that she’s gone to America.
Now, I was expecting that we, the readers, would get an explanation and a neat ending regarding the other woman. But..
“And Teresa?” She teased lightly.
“a beautiful woman, but not you. Even when we were apart it was still you”
yeah right (rolling eyes franticly)
I bet OW dumped his a$$ when she discovered he was banging his soon to be ex wife.
She is obviously smarter then the h, who seems TSTL. Why else would she stay with a rapist and an obvious abuser?
(*Don’t know if I used that word right)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2024
"Love Unspoken" is the story of Julie and Zach.
Trigger warning:
Heroine is a journalist, who is escaping from a hijacking. She is in an non arduous relationship with her boss/ boyfriend, until we look into her past deeper.
Few years ago she was secretly married to her boss/ husband, until his jealousy/ possessiveness left her scarred for life. Now he is dating another woman, and back in her life, wanting her back..
An absolute roller coaster ride. I had a hard time forgiving the hero, who gets punished in the book, but not enough. He is remorseful, the more you hear about what happened and the consequences-the worse it gets especially if you mix it with his current verbal assault on the heroine. Does she forgive him? Yes. Should she forgive him? Im doubtful because he is exactly the jealous stalker that would murder her in reality. Im conflicted because the author attempted to make me sympathize with an abuser..
Unsafe
2/5
Trigger warning:
Heroine is a journalist, who is escaping from a hijacking. She is in an non arduous relationship with her boss/ boyfriend, until we look into her past deeper.
Few years ago she was secretly married to her boss/ husband, until his jealousy/ possessiveness left her scarred for life. Now he is dating another woman, and back in her life, wanting her back..
An absolute roller coaster ride. I had a hard time forgiving the hero, who gets punished in the book, but not enough. He is remorseful, the more you hear about what happened and the consequences-the worse it gets especially if you mix it with his current verbal assault on the heroine. Does she forgive him? Yes. Should she forgive him? Im doubtful because he is exactly the jealous stalker that would murder her in reality. Im conflicted because the author attempted to make me sympathize with an abuser..
Unsafe
2/5
March 27, 2018
I like most of Carole Mortimer's books, but this is one of the 10% I didn't like.
Julie accepts an invitation to stay in her best friend's house for a whole week after having a traumatic experience in a hijacked plane. She's a journalist who broke up with her husband, Zack, because of her career - or so we are led to believe at first before she meets him again and he starts demanding they have an affair while being married!!!!
GOD, Zack is a jealous husband who accuses Julie of infidelity, rapes her and then causes her to miscarry! Not a very good charactersto like. Nor was the heroine! She is pathetic!
Julie accepts an invitation to stay in her best friend's house for a whole week after having a traumatic experience in a hijacked plane. She's a journalist who broke up with her husband, Zack, because of her career - or so we are led to believe at first before she meets him again and he starts demanding they have an affair while being married!!!!
GOD, Zack is a jealous husband who accuses Julie of infidelity, rapes her and then causes her to miscarry! Not a very good charactersto like. Nor was the heroine! She is pathetic!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2019
SUPER emotional train wreck
December 31, 2021
Not my cup of tea. I didn’t like either MC. I found the heroine frustrating. She was leading the OM on , using him. It wasn’t OK. She didn’t seem tough to me. As for the H he was equally frustrating, in serious need of psychotherapy.
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