What do you think?
Rate this book
Dark Lords and Dangerous Ladies #1
Love Forever After
Can a vicar’s daughter stop a vengeful Beast from destroying his enemies?
As a vicar’s daughter, quiet Penelope Carlisle is accustomed to living on the thin edge of poverty. She’s content with her small home and a friendly village—until a cloaked and crippled Beast rides into her orchard. Badly scarred in heart and soul, Viscount Graham Trevelyan has no use for love. He has a need for revenge and a child to protect. The compassionate innocent who doesn’t flee his fierce visage is the perfect mother his silent daughter needs.
Penelope understands the wisdom of a marriage of convenience to save her home. But how can she protect her heart from the gruff man who shows her kindness, only to keep her at a distance? And how long can Graham stay away from a courageous woman who dares tell him when he’s wrong—and threatens to desert him should he continue down his dangerous path?
As a vicar’s daughter, quiet Penelope Carlisle is accustomed to living on the thin edge of poverty. She’s content with her small home and a friendly village—until a cloaked and crippled Beast rides into her orchard. Badly scarred in heart and soul, Viscount Graham Trevelyan has no use for love. He has a need for revenge and a child to protect. The compassionate innocent who doesn’t flee his fierce visage is the perfect mother his silent daughter needs.
Penelope understands the wisdom of a marriage of convenience to save her home. But how can she protect her heart from the gruff man who shows her kindness, only to keep her at a distance? And how long can Graham stay away from a courageous woman who dares tell him when he’s wrong—and threatens to desert him should he continue down his dangerous path?
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 1990
About the author
Patricia Rice
160 books515 followersWith several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice writes emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances which have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards.
Her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after for good reason, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.
She also writes under the pen name Jamie Quaid
Her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after for good reason, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.
She also writes under the pen name Jamie Quaid
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Want to Read
July 1, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/30/2019)! 🎁
January 17, 2026
70% of the story could have been removed and this would have been a more clean and concise story. It rambled on far too long, so I skipped a whole chunk in the middle.
The twist was also extremely predictable and should have just been a feature of the MMCs POV and left to be a revelation for the FMC near the end.
The twist was also extremely predictable and should have just been a feature of the MMCs POV and left to be a revelation for the FMC near the end.
August 12, 2019
Absolutely perfect hero and heroine...perfectly Regency with just a smidge of Beauty and the Beast swirled in!
Want to Read
July 12, 2019**Kindle Freebie 6/28/19**
June 30, 2019
A descent into excuses for wrong
It is amazing the things we accept and the things we reject in a work of fiction. This book goes from beautiful artistry to a scramble to convince the reader that anyway the writer paints it we must accept. It goes from irresistible to what the hell? It's seeks to make agreeable what is not. But we are living in a world where even our politics has become works of fiction. We descend into depravity and yet want to save the planet for our children. Hmmm!!!
It is amazing the things we accept and the things we reject in a work of fiction. This book goes from beautiful artistry to a scramble to convince the reader that anyway the writer paints it we must accept. It goes from irresistible to what the hell? It's seeks to make agreeable what is not. But we are living in a world where even our politics has become works of fiction. We descend into depravity and yet want to save the planet for our children. Hmmm!!!
May 28, 2018
A bit of Beauty and the Beast
His Lordship is hiding a major secret. The little Baroness is hiding her love. When they come together in a marriage of convenience for the sake of his daughter they both find the truth is hard to kept hidden. Lots of twists and turns as the mystery of the scarred Lord Graham, his handsome American cousin, and the death of his first wife trouble our heroine as she attempts to make sense of what's happening. Different and enjoyable.
His Lordship is hiding a major secret. The little Baroness is hiding her love. When they come together in a marriage of convenience for the sake of his daughter they both find the truth is hard to kept hidden. Lots of twists and turns as the mystery of the scarred Lord Graham, his handsome American cousin, and the death of his first wife trouble our heroine as she attempts to make sense of what's happening. Different and enjoyable.
July 2, 2019
Rollicking daring-do combined with an annoying inability to communicate. If the two main characters had merely told each other what they thought and felt, the story would have been much simpler. Overall, a reasonable novel marred by some dreadful typos - words missing, or things like "he had rode". The story is a little over-complicated at times, but readers will be pleased to know it all works out in the end.
July 4, 2019
I was completely captivated with this story, but I must admit it was a little dark at times. I was getting a little worried about some of the interactions, until I figured out what was really going on, which almost had me go back and reread passages. Here is a lot of intrigue and betrayal underlying the romance and the story takes some very interesting twists and turns. Definitely not the usual historical romance!
July 11, 2019
Enchanting
It was refreshing to read a book with so much detail the characters were made real. Penny felt her person not appealing and I believe this allowed her a more independent attitude. Graham bent on having his way became so single minded he almost lost it all. But love and friendship triumphs in this rambling tale that is worth the trip.
It was refreshing to read a book with so much detail the characters were made real. Penny felt her person not appealing and I believe this allowed her a more independent attitude. Graham bent on having his way became so single minded he almost lost it all. But love and friendship triumphs in this rambling tale that is worth the trip.
January 30, 2025
Its been years since I have read this book. I have had it for decades but it is definitely one that I do a reread over the years. Something about it, even after all this time, captivates me. It's a nearly 25 year old book that I absolutely still obsess over all the time. Recently even got a coworker to give it a try, which is what made me think of it enough to come on here and write a review.
Read
January 3, 2026Na hora que a h beijou o "primo" e gostou eu entendi o "drama" e fiquei bem chateada. Devia ter largado o livro ali. Mas foi muito pior a hora que ela descobriu "ah, descobri que meu marido tentou me seduzir a ter um caso extraconjugal fingindo ser o primo dele, que legal" nem um pouquinho de revolta...
Read
June 25, 2019Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I loved this story. There was a time when I thought I had the story plot nailed, and then there was a twist. Superb job! A beautiful alternate version of Beauty and the Beast.
July 1, 2019
Action and suspense
This book had a lot of suspense and action that was wrapped aro the romance and marriage of convenience. It all comes together near the end along with a happy ever after.
This book had a lot of suspense and action that was wrapped aro the romance and marriage of convenience. It all comes together near the end along with a happy ever after.
July 2, 2019
Not great not bad, intriguing in the beginning. Was the heroine and whole world foolish enough to not recognize. Also felt the heroine was flip flopping between heroes. So couldn’t believe in romance. Hero’s big mystery became nerve wracking and long running by the last 25%
July 3, 2019
This was a very complex read. You had a story within a story. Penelope and Graham have their ups and downs with some twists and turns added in. Alexandra is a great addition to this tale and Pippin is also.
June 6, 2020
I’m trying to clean up my kindle a bit. I have a crap ton of books on it and finally got to working on this one. This is an historical take on beauty and the beast. I did enjoy the read a great deal.
September 11, 2020
This book was long but it was good. The final reveal drug out for so long it seemed very obvious by time it all came to light. The only thing surprising was that everyone hadn’t figured it out by now.
May 3, 2023
Delightful!
I read and laughed., sometimes sucking in my breath and hoping for rescue or capture. Then I wanted them to find love, live, and live happily ever after.
A fine novel by a very talented author.
I read and laughed., sometimes sucking in my breath and hoping for rescue or capture. Then I wanted them to find love, live, and live happily ever after.
A fine novel by a very talented author.
June 27, 2019
Complex
This story has complex characters who are so vibrant and interesting. It's a form of Beauty and the Beast in some ways, but it's also original. I really loved the story.
This story has complex characters who are so vibrant and interesting. It's a form of Beauty and the Beast in some ways, but it's also original. I really loved the story.
June 28, 2019
Kindle-Free-Bookbub interesting characters and a complex storyline that left me a little confused
June 29, 2019
More 3.5 stars
Romance, villainy, revenge something for everyone. Story where the main couple deserving of their HEA, has Shakespearian drama overtones, liked.
Romance, villainy, revenge something for everyone. Story where the main couple deserving of their HEA, has Shakespearian drama overtones, liked.
June 29, 2019
Nice historical ditty for a Summer's day
July 2, 2019
absolutely amazing read
July 2, 2019
This is a journey...
July 5, 2019
Wonderfully captivating,kept my interest till the end. Loved Penelope and Graham. Hope to see some of the other characters in the tale have their own story.
July 7, 2019
Good
This book is full of many different people who have secrets and things that brings dangers to there families and friends.
This book is full of many different people who have secrets and things that brings dangers to there families and friends.
July 13, 2019
A regency romance twist on beauty and the beast
August 4, 2019
Great read
October 27, 2019
I got bored in the middle and started skipping pages.
It started of promising but after a while I got confused and finally I just wanted to finish so I started to skip pages.
It started of promising but after a while I got confused and finally I just wanted to finish so I started to skip pages.
March 26, 2020
A wonderful Regency novel with a Beauty & the Beast mixed with Cinderella story, and a truly nasty villain. Lots of great supporting characters and plenty of mystery and intrigue. Excellent!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews