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Le Prix de l'innocence
-Si je t'ai fait rentrer de France aussi vite, ma fille, c'est pour une bonne raison: dés demain paraîtra dans la gazette l'annonce de tes fiançailles avec le duc de Rockinston.
Mise devant le fait accompli, Veneta se rebelle. Seule sa tante parvient à l'apaiser:
- Cette union est une chance pour toi et, de toute façon; tu ne peux t'y soustraire. Alors débrouille-toi pour que ton époux tombe amoureux de toi.
- mais comment ?
- Prouve-lui que tu n'es pas l'une de ces oies blanche exaspérantes, séduis-le, intrigue-le ! Bref, fait-lui comprendre que tu es unique.
Beau programme ! Mais Veneta ne sait rien du duc, à part qu'il est follement séduisant et qu'il collectionne les aventures avec des femmes mariées. Pour rivaliser avec ces beautés expérimentées, Veneta devra miser sur ses propres atouts: sa jeunesse et son innocence....
Mise devant le fait accompli, Veneta se rebelle. Seule sa tante parvient à l'apaiser:
- Cette union est une chance pour toi et, de toute façon; tu ne peux t'y soustraire. Alors débrouille-toi pour que ton époux tombe amoureux de toi.
- mais comment ?
- Prouve-lui que tu n'es pas l'une de ces oies blanche exaspérantes, séduis-le, intrigue-le ! Bref, fait-lui comprendre que tu es unique.
Beau programme ! Mais Veneta ne sait rien du duc, à part qu'il est follement séduisant et qu'il collectionne les aventures avec des femmes mariées. Pour rivaliser avec ces beautés expérimentées, Veneta devra miser sur ses propres atouts: sa jeunesse et son innocence....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published September 30, 1999
About the author
Barbara Cartland
1,066 books853 followersBorn in 1901, Barbara Cartland started her writing career in journalism and completed her first book, Jigsaw, when she was just 24. An immediate success, it was the start of her journey to becoming the world’s most famous and most read romantic novelist of all time. Inspiring a whole generation of readers around the globe with her exciting tales of adventure, love and intrigue, she became synonymous with the Romance genre. And she still is to this day, having written over 644 romantic fiction books.
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 16, 2023
This book is an obvious tribute to Frederick Worth, the 19th century couturier. His work and name is mentioned at least 30 times in the book.
Story - We have another one of BC's selfish rakes, in need of rescue from a murderous cuckolded husband. So, his solution is to find a fresh miss, marry her and deflect the gossip and the duel. Only the said 18 yo fresh-from-convent miss is more managing and cunning than Machiavelli himself.
BC has done this many a time before. Thankfully, we don't begin in the ow's boudoir with her naked, lolling and pouting in bed while the laconic H is putting back his shirt and saying (or thinking) his goodbyes.
The mcs fail to make me connect with them or their story. There's too much telling and setting up of the scenes that there's nothing left to enjoy. The h hits the ground running with her ploy of making her new husband fall in love with her - a man she meets only at the wedding. There's no curiosity, wariness, shyness or checking out of each other but a scene to scene description. I did not feel any personal connection between the two. The h is out to impress him with her worldliness, her intelligence and grasp of politics and languages etc. (They even taught Arabic at this French convent? FGS!) while he looks like a fool with his jaw probably falling off all the while at her sangfroid.
And if her such attributes do not win you over, she also daringly and single-handedly saves his life - making him so grateful that he professes undying. love. Fin.
My knowledge of such things may come from HRs only but I'm sure it's not a done thing for a gentleman to formally introduce his wife to a 'famous' courtesan/former lover and then carry on a conversation, with her throwing innuendos of their past liaison... Bad taste, in any case.
And why doesn't BC have had Annes, Marys or Beths as her h? \Why only Portias, Venetias, Aramintas, Pandias, etc. :/
My first ever romance, as a 14 yo, was a BC and I remember being so enthralled. And I think I gobbled up all that the local library had to offer before diverting to HPs/MBs. While I accepted BC's account of her hs being 'pure' and 'innocent' then, now I only find them wily, scheming and overly smug. And the Hs are unprincipled rakes who are brash and brave only till they get an angry husband at their tails.
TBH, the blurbs of her books still reel me in.
Story - We have another one of BC's selfish rakes, in need of rescue from a murderous cuckolded husband. So, his solution is to find a fresh miss, marry her and deflect the gossip and the duel. Only the said 18 yo fresh-from-convent miss is more managing and cunning than Machiavelli himself.
BC has done this many a time before. Thankfully, we don't begin in the ow's boudoir with her naked, lolling and pouting in bed while the laconic H is putting back his shirt and saying (or thinking) his goodbyes.
The mcs fail to make me connect with them or their story. There's too much telling and setting up of the scenes that there's nothing left to enjoy. The h hits the ground running with her ploy of making her new husband fall in love with her - a man she meets only at the wedding. There's no curiosity, wariness, shyness or checking out of each other but a scene to scene description. I did not feel any personal connection between the two. The h is out to impress him with her worldliness, her intelligence and grasp of politics and languages etc. (They even taught Arabic at this French convent? FGS!) while he looks like a fool with his jaw probably falling off all the while at her sangfroid.
And if her such attributes do not win you over, she also daringly and single-handedly saves his life - making him so grateful that he professes undying. love. Fin.
My knowledge of such things may come from HRs only but I'm sure it's not a done thing for a gentleman to formally introduce his wife to a 'famous' courtesan/former lover and then carry on a conversation, with her throwing innuendos of their past liaison... Bad taste, in any case.
And why doesn't BC have had Annes, Marys or Beths as her h? \Why only Portias, Venetias, Aramintas, Pandias, etc. :/
My first ever romance, as a 14 yo, was a BC and I remember being so enthralled. And I think I gobbled up all that the local library had to offer before diverting to HPs/MBs. While I accepted BC's account of her hs being 'pure' and 'innocent' then, now I only find them wily, scheming and overly smug. And the Hs are unprincipled rakes who are brash and brave only till they get an angry husband at their tails.
TBH, the blurbs of her books still reel me in.
September 17, 2019
The Duke has got into trouble by sleeping with a married woman. Yawn! Is that all they did back then??? So he asks the other Duke for his daughters hand in marriage. She is in a convent in France and they have never met. She decides to dress herself up in Worth gowns so that he wants her. He was a manwhore of course and I hate that. They marry go off to Paris for a honeymoon and they try to get to know one another. They haven't gone into the Divine yet either. The married ladies husband wants to kill him too. They get back to England and go to his estate and the next day his horse comes back without him. She hears him calling of course and saves him and then they go into the big divine. I loved how the got rid of demented murderous husband. Wasps!!! This was a good BC but I wish when they were in Paris they hadn't run into his old lovers. No drama but come on, I don't want to see another woman drooling over my new husband. Just sat no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2022
Not bad... won’t do a summary and pretty much Dame Cartland’s books are very cookie cutter anyway.
What’s unique about this is that it’s at more than the 50% mark before the Hero and heroine even meet, at their pre-arranged wedding.
Also, the author did a good job at portraying the Hero as a bit of a mama’s boy in that he was worried about the situation he found himself in, so he runs to his mama. 😁 He definitely was not the blasé alpha type who would have sneered at the cuckolded husband. Well actually his future father in law, also was instrumental in helping him out of his conundrum.
Once again a truly perfect heroine, beautiful, intelligent and accomplished, who manages to make the Hero fall in love with her.
I kinda wonder about an author who writes these absolutely perfect heroines and then decides to give them husbands who are adulterous reprobates! Maybe, for once, can’t she at least rile against her fate!!...Like...”why do I get the loser!”😭
Oh well...
What’s unique about this is that it’s at more than the 50% mark before the Hero and heroine even meet, at their pre-arranged wedding.
Also, the author did a good job at portraying the Hero as a bit of a mama’s boy in that he was worried about the situation he found himself in, so he runs to his mama. 😁 He definitely was not the blasé alpha type who would have sneered at the cuckolded husband. Well actually his future father in law, also was instrumental in helping him out of his conundrum.
Once again a truly perfect heroine, beautiful, intelligent and accomplished, who manages to make the Hero fall in love with her.
I kinda wonder about an author who writes these absolutely perfect heroines and then decides to give them husbands who are adulterous reprobates! Maybe, for once, can’t she at least rile against her fate!!...Like...”why do I get the loser!”😭
Oh well...
May 29, 2023
Scandal, adultery and an angry husband has to be avoided if the Duke of Rockinston, one of the most handsome and charming bachelors in London, is to keep his family honour and his preserve his place at the centre of Society.
With the furious Earl of Darran hot on his heels, the Duke narrowly escapes complete social ruin after being discovered leaving the home of the lovely Countess at three o’clock in the morning. Unable to convince the Earl that their liaison was nothing more than innocent friendship, the only way the Duke can save his family from scandal, and the Countess from an unpleasant divorce, is by announcing his engagement to someone else as quickly as possible.
Aware that any number of London’s debutants would jump at the opportunity, but already bored by their vacuous company, the Duke decides to approach his great friend the Duke of Lynbrook to ask for the hand of his beautiful daughter, Venetia. She has everything he is looking for in a wife – renowned beauty, a good family and most importantly having spent the last three years in a Convent school in Paris she will be completely ignorant of his reputation as a rake.
There is just one flaw to his magnificent plan. Venetia and he have never met, and are most certainly not in love with each other.
Undeterred by this minor detail, Venetia is summoned home by her father, the newspapers are informed and the wedding date set for two weeks time. But neither man has considered how Venetia might feel about their master plan. The Duke of Rockinston may be a charming, wealthy adventurer, but Venetia has always assumed that the man she marries will be her perfect match and is astounded to discover that she is expected to marry a complete stranger.
With the Earl still seeking revenge and the elusive Duke away in Scotland until the day of his wedding, will Venetia comply? And if she does, can this marriage of convenience possibly make either the husband or wife happy? With only a fortnight to the big day, Venetia must use all of her exceptional intelligence to work out a way to make a marriage, conceived in desperation, become a love story with a happy ending for everyone.
With the furious Earl of Darran hot on his heels, the Duke narrowly escapes complete social ruin after being discovered leaving the home of the lovely Countess at three o’clock in the morning. Unable to convince the Earl that their liaison was nothing more than innocent friendship, the only way the Duke can save his family from scandal, and the Countess from an unpleasant divorce, is by announcing his engagement to someone else as quickly as possible.
Aware that any number of London’s debutants would jump at the opportunity, but already bored by their vacuous company, the Duke decides to approach his great friend the Duke of Lynbrook to ask for the hand of his beautiful daughter, Venetia. She has everything he is looking for in a wife – renowned beauty, a good family and most importantly having spent the last three years in a Convent school in Paris she will be completely ignorant of his reputation as a rake.
There is just one flaw to his magnificent plan. Venetia and he have never met, and are most certainly not in love with each other.
Undeterred by this minor detail, Venetia is summoned home by her father, the newspapers are informed and the wedding date set for two weeks time. But neither man has considered how Venetia might feel about their master plan. The Duke of Rockinston may be a charming, wealthy adventurer, but Venetia has always assumed that the man she marries will be her perfect match and is astounded to discover that she is expected to marry a complete stranger.
With the Earl still seeking revenge and the elusive Duke away in Scotland until the day of his wedding, will Venetia comply? And if she does, can this marriage of convenience possibly make either the husband or wife happy? With only a fortnight to the big day, Venetia must use all of her exceptional intelligence to work out a way to make a marriage, conceived in desperation, become a love story with a happy ending for everyone.
June 24, 2023
A Virgin Bride is one of the first BC titles I have read so far that shows the hero and heroine getting married in a huge society wedding ceremony and showing some of the thought and planning that goes into one. Unfortunately for Venetia this was an arranged marriage to the Duke of Rockinston, a man she had never met and would not meet until their wedding day.. Thankfully her godmother was there to advise her and appeal to her intellectual mind to see it as a challenge that she could work to her advantage. If Venetia's widowed father, the Duke of Lynbrook, had been really cruel to her she would have considered running away like so many other BC heroines have done. But both Dukes had been friends for years. Lynbrook was trying to help his friend out of a bad situation and at the same time was delighted to have him as a son-in-law. Venetia had no say in the matter and little time to get used to the idea.
During their honeymoon Venetia quickly shows Rock that she is not a shy and simple young bride. Rock is amazed at how intelligent and well read she is. We can see that they are becoming friends and that they intellectually challenge each other. But we are not as privy to their emotions, which is a weakness in this story. Normally BC gives us their inner thoughts about their growing atraction or where they were enotionally moved and surprised by the other. It is when Venetia saves Rock towards the end that we finally get to see them express their feelings. I enjoyed the details in this book--just wanted more emotion from the couple.
I was pleased to see the use of the original cover from The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl, one of my favorite Francis Marshall paintings. Here we actually get to see some emotion on the hero's face. Most of the time Marshall's heroes tend to look alike, but this was a different expression. It looks like he is stunned to see his bride for the first time.
During their honeymoon Venetia quickly shows Rock that she is not a shy and simple young bride. Rock is amazed at how intelligent and well read she is. We can see that they are becoming friends and that they intellectually challenge each other. But we are not as privy to their emotions, which is a weakness in this story. Normally BC gives us their inner thoughts about their growing atraction or where they were enotionally moved and surprised by the other. It is when Venetia saves Rock towards the end that we finally get to see them express their feelings. I enjoyed the details in this book--just wanted more emotion from the couple.
I was pleased to see the use of the original cover from The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl, one of my favorite Francis Marshall paintings. Here we actually get to see some emotion on the hero's face. Most of the time Marshall's heroes tend to look alike, but this was a different expression. It looks like he is stunned to see his bride for the first time.
August 9, 2017
Al igual que lo otros libros de Barbara Cartland que he leído, al ser del mismo formato, son pequeños y la historia tiende ir un poco rápida, desconozco si la autora maneja obras mas largas o sin solo historias cortas.
Esta historia trata sobre Maxine, una chica que ha pasado su últimos años en un colegio de monjas, y que ahora a regresado a Inglaterra para su presentación a Sociedad, y la han dejado a cargo de su tía Dorothy, la cual no esta muy convencida con tener que presentarla, y aparte que a ojos de Maxine su tía la lleva a fiestas con personas que se comportan de una forma extraña o eso piensa ella, ya que es muy inocente.
En si la historia es predecible, desde que lees la escena que viene como sinopsis en la contraportada del libro. Aunque he de admitir que si me gusto un poco. Harry (aunque sea el clásico soltero que es buen partido), porque Maxine en momentos me desespera. no me cae mal, pero si llega en momentos a desesperarme. el motivo es que no es inocente, es mensa. Por mucho que pongan que fue que se crió en un colegio de monjas, se me hace de mas, que no supiera ciertas cosas, y aparte de que a todos les encanta su inocencia.
Tubo muchas ocasiones en las que le pudo suceder algo malo o mas grave de lo que paso y no fue así, pero por suerte. y la verdad no aprendió mucho de ello. Porque esperaba mas de su cambio con lo que se supone que vivió, no vi un crecimiento en el personaje. me gusto el final, la pareja esta bien, pero creo que el personaje de Maxine le falto aprender, lo veo igual que al principio de la historia.
Otra de las cosas que no me gusto, es que en algunas partes de la historia, como por ejemplo de unas fiestas muy extrañas, te las menciona,pero no te esclarece de que se tratan o si tienen mucho que ver en la trama, supongo que es para hacer notar los bajos mundos, o lo malo de la sociedad, y que los seres queridos de Maxine no se diera cuenta de que existía, pero se me hace, que falta esa información. es solo como decirte es que es malo, y tu preguntas, porque? y solo te responden que es malo y punto, no preguntes. Y así se lo dicen a ella, con otras palabras, pero es eso.
La historia no es mala, me entretuvo bastante, pero no esperen mucha trama en ella.
Esta historia trata sobre Maxine, una chica que ha pasado su últimos años en un colegio de monjas, y que ahora a regresado a Inglaterra para su presentación a Sociedad, y la han dejado a cargo de su tía Dorothy, la cual no esta muy convencida con tener que presentarla, y aparte que a ojos de Maxine su tía la lleva a fiestas con personas que se comportan de una forma extraña o eso piensa ella, ya que es muy inocente.
En si la historia es predecible, desde que lees la escena que viene como sinopsis en la contraportada del libro. Aunque he de admitir que si me gusto un poco. Harry (aunque sea el clásico soltero que es buen partido), porque Maxine en momentos me desespera. no me cae mal, pero si llega en momentos a desesperarme. el motivo es que no es inocente, es mensa. Por mucho que pongan que fue que se crió en un colegio de monjas, se me hace de mas, que no supiera ciertas cosas, y aparte de que a todos les encanta su inocencia.
Tubo muchas ocasiones en las que le pudo suceder algo malo o mas grave de lo que paso y no fue así, pero por suerte. y la verdad no aprendió mucho de ello. Porque esperaba mas de su cambio con lo que se supone que vivió, no vi un crecimiento en el personaje. me gusto el final, la pareja esta bien, pero creo que el personaje de Maxine le falto aprender, lo veo igual que al principio de la historia.
Otra de las cosas que no me gusto, es que en algunas partes de la historia, como por ejemplo de unas fiestas muy extrañas, te las menciona,pero no te esclarece de que se tratan o si tienen mucho que ver en la trama, supongo que es para hacer notar los bajos mundos, o lo malo de la sociedad, y que los seres queridos de Maxine no se diera cuenta de que existía, pero se me hace, que falta esa información. es solo como decirte es que es malo, y tu preguntas, porque? y solo te responden que es malo y punto, no preguntes. Y así se lo dicen a ella, con otras palabras, pero es eso.
La historia no es mala, me entretuvo bastante, pero no esperen mucha trama en ella.
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