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Noah's Woman
Alone and afraid, Charity Gilbert slipped through the dark and twisted streets of Victorian London, never dreaming that ahead lay a life of luxury, a life of satin gowns and scented flowers and admirers vying for her favors.
Jason Desmond - To the talented artist she was an angel whose lush blonde beauty was just waiting to be immortalized on canvas.
Gregory Hamilton - Dissolute and manipulative, he saw Charity as a golden opportunity to destroy his most deadly enemy.
Noah Morgan - For the notorious ladies' man she was Aphrodite, goddess of love, the one woman whose mysterious and innocent allure he would never forget.
Jason Desmond - To the talented artist she was an angel whose lush blonde beauty was just waiting to be immortalized on canvas.
Gregory Hamilton - Dissolute and manipulative, he saw Charity as a golden opportunity to destroy his most deadly enemy.
Noah Morgan - For the notorious ladies' man she was Aphrodite, goddess of love, the one woman whose mysterious and innocent allure he would never forget.
393 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1997
About the author
Sylvie F. Sommerfield
35 books28 followersAka Sylvie Sommerfield.
In 1978, Sylvie Sommerfield's husband challenged her to write a "better" romance novel, than the ones she eagerly devoured. She accepted the challenge. And now the six-time grandmother has written many historical romance novels, which have sold into the millions of copies.
In fact, John Sommerfield had to retire from his successful career as an investment funds manager to run the business side of Sylvie F. Sommerfield Enterprises.
Some of her books, with western themes, all published by Zebra, include Moonlit Magic, Tame My Wild Heart, Captive Embrace, Savage Rapture, Savage Kiss, Wild Wyoming Heart and Autumn Dove.
In 1978, Sylvie Sommerfield's husband challenged her to write a "better" romance novel, than the ones she eagerly devoured. She accepted the challenge. And now the six-time grandmother has written many historical romance novels, which have sold into the millions of copies.
In fact, John Sommerfield had to retire from his successful career as an investment funds manager to run the business side of Sylvie F. Sommerfield Enterprises.
Some of her books, with western themes, all published by Zebra, include Moonlit Magic, Tame My Wild Heart, Captive Embrace, Savage Rapture, Savage Kiss, Wild Wyoming Heart and Autumn Dove.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 30, 2016
I can't do it, y'all. I can't abide this writing. It might be lol-worthy in terms of a bimbo adventure, but I can't make myself stick it out. The prose is so f'ing FLAT. It's lifeless, juvenile, & utterly one-dimensional -- by far the worst crime in romance as a genre. Overall, it comes off like a fifth grader's attempt at historical fiction with an occasional adult word (breast, seduction, nipple) thrown in for good measure. Every scene & conversation is given the same treatment as the ones before it; important and/dramatic bits are rushed through to share equal time with meandering fanfic-style drivel.
Nope. DNF. I can slaughter brain cells with better bad books, thx.
Nope. DNF. I can slaughter brain cells with better bad books, thx.
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February 11, 2019Glenda wanted what Randolph Hamilton had. His wife died giving birth to a daughter. Glenda had swept in as a widower with a 9 yr old son and charmed him. After they were married and her son adopted, she slowly killed Randolph with low doses of poison. Laura Dunham, a friend of Randolph and nurse to the child, had seen through Glenda and taken the child. She gave the child to Josine Gilbert. The girl was raised in the orphanage that Josine ran. Laura ran away to America telling Josine that Elliot Morgan had papers proving the identity of the child as Randolph Hamilton's daughter.
Glenda tried and failed to find the girl. She enlisted the help of Charles Brentwood who had also married a wealthy woman and killed her parents so that his wife, Jessica, was left to inherit their possessions. Glenda knew this and used it to gain his aid as he too slowly poisoned his own wife. This left Jessica unable to walk and sickly as she slowly died.
When Charity reached the age of 19, she and her best friend, Beth, were both given as indentured servants to Charles Brentwood. Charles had seen her at the orphanage and wanted her in his bed. He began contributing to the orphanage after learning that the girls were often hired out. He had plans for Charity. He gave her clothes and intended for her to be grateful enough to accept his attention. He tried to have sex with her after 3 months in his household attending his wife. Charity kicked him in the groin and both her and Beth ran away to live on the streets. They were found starving by Aimee. Aimee took them in and trained them to become thieves. She also introduced them to an artist, Jason Desmond. Jason painted but never seemed to finish anything until he met Beth. He painted a picture of her and finished it. Charity was surprised and agreed to sit for a painting with him once she saw a finished piece of his work. She made him promise not to ever sell it because she was afraid that Charles might see it and find her. Jason was painting her when Gregory Hamilton walked into his studio. He wanted the painting of Charity but Jason refused to sell it. Gregory waited and watched as Charity left Jason's apartment. He noticed she was poorly dressed and became even more curious about her.
Gregory had Charity watched by his servants and he learned what he could about her. Charity was unaware of just how much he learned. He soon showed up and started taking her out. They went to dinner and to the theater until she was convinced she was in love with him. He appeared distracted after having no contact with her for a week and told her that he was being blackmailed. Gregory played along and let her think it was her idea to steal some letters he wanted from Noah Morgan. He even agreed that they would marry after the threat of blackmail was removed.
Gregory put Charity and Beth up in a house near Noah's. She was invited to a ball that Gregory knew Noah would attend. Beth remained at home while Charity attended the ball and met Noah. Both Beth and Aimee were worried about what Charity had chosen to become a part of. Aimee had seen a vision of Charity becoming involved with 2 dangerous men. She saw fear, betrayal, pain, love and death in Charity's future.
Charity attended the masked ball but left before everyone removed their masks at midnight. Noah danced with her and then kissed her before she left. She couldn't get him out of her head and it was the same for Noah. He asked his current mistress, Anne Ferrier, for her name and she told him it was his new neighbor. Noah saw Charity a few days later when she was out riding. They began to spend time together. He invited her to a dinner party at his house attended by his mother, Sofia, and sister, Kat. They both noticed the way he looked at Charity and were happy to see that he had found someone he was truly interested in. Noah knew from his conversations with Charity and her questions that she had never been to London. Charity was beginning to feel conflicted over the opinions formed during her conversations with Gregory in regard to Noah. Noah had invited Gregory to the dinner party to watch their reaction to each other. Noah was suspicious of her background and recognized one of Charity's bodyguards.
Charity went to his house to spend the day with him, his family and his 8 yr old niece, Elizabeth. She was leaving when she was thrown from her horse. Charity pretended to be hurt worse than she was because she wanted to search his house for the letters she promised to steal for Gregory. Charity was in his study late at night when Noah walked in. He kissed Charity and he knew that it wouldn't take much to seduce Charity but he didn't want her to hate him later. He noticed a drawer half open but he was too distracted by his feelings for her to think much of it.
The more that Charity learned about Noah, the guiltier she felt about deceiving him about knowing Gregory. She was having trouble reconciling what Gregory had told her with the Noah she was getting to know. He asked her to go to London with him and his family. She agreed to go with Beth accompanying her. She was warned by both Noah's mother and sister that Noah acted differently in London. Charity searched the house a room a night but she didn't find what she was looking for. There was a room in the house that was once the study of Noah's father that remained locked. She decided that what she was looking had to be in that room.
Charity and Noah attended a ball together where Charity was introduced to the queen. Gregory attended with another woman. Charity was unsure how she felt about it but it wasn't jealousy. She had wanted to meet and talk with Gregory. She sent a note through one of Aimee's thieves. Charity didn't know that someone from the house was watching when she passed the note off.
Charity found the letters in the study and took them to Aimee. She and Aimee talked about Charity's relationship with Gregory and Noah. Aimee told Charity to follow her heart. Charity gave the letters to Aimee for safekeeping and went to see Jason. Beth was there with him and they told Charity that they were in love. Charity had been skeptical at first of their relationship but now that she was in love herself, she wasn't so critical. Beth and Charity returned to Noah's London house after Charity stopped by to see Gregory. He wasn't there so she left a note telling him that he no longer needed to worry about Noah blackmailing him because she had taken the letters. She also told him that she wasn't going to marry him.
When Charity had gone to see Jason, he told Charity that he had sold the painting he had done of her through a solicitor because he needed the money. Jason was actually a friend of Noah's and had sold the painting to him. Noah saw a portrait of Beth that Jason was working on and somewhere in the back of his mind thought he recognized her.
Noah had asked Charity to marry him but before accepting Noah's marriage proposal, Charity explained her background to him. She told him who she and Beth had come to live with Aimee and of her being a very good pickpocket. Noah told Charity that he still wanted to marry her. Charity had tried to hide it but Noah knew that she was also involved with Gregory but wanted her to admit it to him. He intended to see the destruction of her misplaced loyalty to Gregory. He wanted her trust but would not force it upon her.
Gregory's plans were to assassinate Charles Brandywine and see Douglas Van Buran take his place as advisor to the queen. Douglas' daughter, Eleanor, was a pawn in the game and Gregory agreed to marry her. He intended to set Charity up as his mistress. He altered his plans to see her giving up the letters containing the details of their treason after she was married. He was convinced that Charity would turn over the letters in exchange for keeping their relationship a secret.
Kat sensed that Charity was feeling nervous about getting married and had a talk with her before the ceremony. After listening to Charity tell Kat her background, Kat convinced Charity to ask Jason to give her away. They went to see Jason and then Kat went to have a talk with Noah. Noah told Kat that he knew about Charity and Gregory's relationship. He also knew that she had found the letters but had not yet given them to Hamilton. He wanted Charity to come to him to tell him rather than confront her with what he knew. Kat knew then just how much Noah loved Charity.
Beth and Jason were married in a quiet ceremony before Noah and Charity married. Noah took Charity to his family's hunting lodge to spend the next two weeks. While they were gone, Laura and her husband arrived from America to find the child she had left with Josine. Josine was in the hospital and they were told to see Charles Bentwood concerning the girls. Arthur disliked him immediately. They spoke briefly with Josine and asked about the girls but was told that they had run away after being indentured to Charles. She didn't know where Beth and Charity were.
Glenda held a meeting with her son, Gregory, Douglas Van Buran, and Noah's ex-mistress, Anne. They discussed their assassination plans and the location of the letters detailing their plans to kill Brandywine that Charity had taken from Noah.
Gregory wanted to get back at Charity while Anne wanted revenge for Noah leaving her. Glenda had plans of her own and went to see Charles Bentwood. She took Gregory with her and introduced Charles to Gregory as his father. She asked about Charity because she knew of his connection with the orphanage and that Charity had come from there. He hadn't kept up with the news to know that Charity had married Noah Morgan. Glenda told him to get the letters from Charity. She used the fact that she knew he was getting girls from the orphanage and having sex with them. Glenda wanted those letters.
Glenda had killed her husband to gain his inheritance. Charles had killed his both his in-laws and his wife to gain her inheritance. Gregory was a result of an affair he had with Glenda while he was married. He couldn't claim him as his son without it costing him his marriage and the money that came with her.
Noah and Charity returned home from their honeymoon while Charles Brentwood was watching from across the street. They had been invited to have lunch with Queen Victoria. Charles Brandywine was waiting to speak with Noah when they arrived. Noah explained to him that the letters had been decoded so the assassination plans would not be successful. He asked for patience while he waited for Charity to come to him and explain her involvement. He felt that she had been used by Gregory and wanted to hear it from her before any arrests were made. After lunch, the queen and Charles talked the situation over. Charles told the queen about the plan and parties involved. She wasn't completely surprised to learn who was involved and that they intended to kill both Charles Brandywine and Anne's husband as well as possibly Noah.
Charity snuck out early the next morning to get the letters back that she had left with Aimee. Charles confronted her as she was leaving and asked for the letters. She gave them to him and he told her he intended to make her his mistress in exchange for not telling her husband that they had slept together before their marriage. She allowed him to kiss her and agreed to meet him the next evening as she pickpocketed the letters back from him. She told Noah that she needed to talk with him as soon as she arrived home. She then gave him the letters and told him everything, including what Charles Brentwood had done and was still doing with the orphaned girls. She told him what Charles had expected of her also.
Noah surprised Charity by telling her that he knew of her relationship with Gregory. He explained that he and Jason had been friends for years and told her that he had purchased her portrait from him. They went to see Jason and Beth who were thrilled that the two of them had finally told each other the entire truth about themselves. Noah again saw the portrait of Beth and asked Jason secretly if he could take one of them home with him. He realized why he had recognized the portrait and wanted to take one home to make sure.
He went to see Charles Brentwood and threatened him to force him to leave the country. Charles packed up and left his house. As he was leaving the house, he ran into Laura and Andrew who recognized his resemblance to his father, Elliott. They explained to him who the were and who they were looking for. Noah went with them to see Josine who had returned to work now that she was out of the hospital. Noah invited all of them to have dinner with him along with Jason and Beth.
They all showed up and Noah explained to them all why they were there. He took them to see the portrait in his father's study of Beth's mother. He gave Beth a box of jewelry and a note from her father explaining how his death had occurred. Noah then asked them all to keep what they had learned quiet for a few more days. Over dinner he explained to them as much as he could about the assassination plot.
The plot was foiled and those involved were arrested. Beth was free to claim her inheritance and her name now that Glenda and Gregory were imprisoned. Noah was glad that everything was over. He went to see Charity who was supposed to be waiting in his carriage only to find her gone. He had no idea where she was or how to find her. Jason suggested going to see Aimee. She sent her group of thieves throughout the city to find Charity.
Charles had Charity kidnapped and was attempting to rape her when Noah showed up with Minnow. Charles knew he was in trouble when he saw the look on Noah's face. Charles was badly beaten by Noah and Minnow took his body to a ship that saw that he sailed far from London. He wouldn't be returning.
Noah and Charity celebrated their 2nd anniversary with another masked ball wearing the same outfits they wore when the first met. They had a son who was now six months old and sleeping peacefully.
Glenda tried and failed to find the girl. She enlisted the help of Charles Brentwood who had also married a wealthy woman and killed her parents so that his wife, Jessica, was left to inherit their possessions. Glenda knew this and used it to gain his aid as he too slowly poisoned his own wife. This left Jessica unable to walk and sickly as she slowly died.
When Charity reached the age of 19, she and her best friend, Beth, were both given as indentured servants to Charles Brentwood. Charles had seen her at the orphanage and wanted her in his bed. He began contributing to the orphanage after learning that the girls were often hired out. He had plans for Charity. He gave her clothes and intended for her to be grateful enough to accept his attention. He tried to have sex with her after 3 months in his household attending his wife. Charity kicked him in the groin and both her and Beth ran away to live on the streets. They were found starving by Aimee. Aimee took them in and trained them to become thieves. She also introduced them to an artist, Jason Desmond. Jason painted but never seemed to finish anything until he met Beth. He painted a picture of her and finished it. Charity was surprised and agreed to sit for a painting with him once she saw a finished piece of his work. She made him promise not to ever sell it because she was afraid that Charles might see it and find her. Jason was painting her when Gregory Hamilton walked into his studio. He wanted the painting of Charity but Jason refused to sell it. Gregory waited and watched as Charity left Jason's apartment. He noticed she was poorly dressed and became even more curious about her.
Gregory had Charity watched by his servants and he learned what he could about her. Charity was unaware of just how much he learned. He soon showed up and started taking her out. They went to dinner and to the theater until she was convinced she was in love with him. He appeared distracted after having no contact with her for a week and told her that he was being blackmailed. Gregory played along and let her think it was her idea to steal some letters he wanted from Noah Morgan. He even agreed that they would marry after the threat of blackmail was removed.
Gregory put Charity and Beth up in a house near Noah's. She was invited to a ball that Gregory knew Noah would attend. Beth remained at home while Charity attended the ball and met Noah. Both Beth and Aimee were worried about what Charity had chosen to become a part of. Aimee had seen a vision of Charity becoming involved with 2 dangerous men. She saw fear, betrayal, pain, love and death in Charity's future.
Charity attended the masked ball but left before everyone removed their masks at midnight. Noah danced with her and then kissed her before she left. She couldn't get him out of her head and it was the same for Noah. He asked his current mistress, Anne Ferrier, for her name and she told him it was his new neighbor. Noah saw Charity a few days later when she was out riding. They began to spend time together. He invited her to a dinner party at his house attended by his mother, Sofia, and sister, Kat. They both noticed the way he looked at Charity and were happy to see that he had found someone he was truly interested in. Noah knew from his conversations with Charity and her questions that she had never been to London. Charity was beginning to feel conflicted over the opinions formed during her conversations with Gregory in regard to Noah. Noah had invited Gregory to the dinner party to watch their reaction to each other. Noah was suspicious of her background and recognized one of Charity's bodyguards.
Charity went to his house to spend the day with him, his family and his 8 yr old niece, Elizabeth. She was leaving when she was thrown from her horse. Charity pretended to be hurt worse than she was because she wanted to search his house for the letters she promised to steal for Gregory. Charity was in his study late at night when Noah walked in. He kissed Charity and he knew that it wouldn't take much to seduce Charity but he didn't want her to hate him later. He noticed a drawer half open but he was too distracted by his feelings for her to think much of it.
The more that Charity learned about Noah, the guiltier she felt about deceiving him about knowing Gregory. She was having trouble reconciling what Gregory had told her with the Noah she was getting to know. He asked her to go to London with him and his family. She agreed to go with Beth accompanying her. She was warned by both Noah's mother and sister that Noah acted differently in London. Charity searched the house a room a night but she didn't find what she was looking for. There was a room in the house that was once the study of Noah's father that remained locked. She decided that what she was looking had to be in that room.
Charity and Noah attended a ball together where Charity was introduced to the queen. Gregory attended with another woman. Charity was unsure how she felt about it but it wasn't jealousy. She had wanted to meet and talk with Gregory. She sent a note through one of Aimee's thieves. Charity didn't know that someone from the house was watching when she passed the note off.
Charity found the letters in the study and took them to Aimee. She and Aimee talked about Charity's relationship with Gregory and Noah. Aimee told Charity to follow her heart. Charity gave the letters to Aimee for safekeeping and went to see Jason. Beth was there with him and they told Charity that they were in love. Charity had been skeptical at first of their relationship but now that she was in love herself, she wasn't so critical. Beth and Charity returned to Noah's London house after Charity stopped by to see Gregory. He wasn't there so she left a note telling him that he no longer needed to worry about Noah blackmailing him because she had taken the letters. She also told him that she wasn't going to marry him.
When Charity had gone to see Jason, he told Charity that he had sold the painting he had done of her through a solicitor because he needed the money. Jason was actually a friend of Noah's and had sold the painting to him. Noah saw a portrait of Beth that Jason was working on and somewhere in the back of his mind thought he recognized her.
Noah had asked Charity to marry him but before accepting Noah's marriage proposal, Charity explained her background to him. She told him who she and Beth had come to live with Aimee and of her being a very good pickpocket. Noah told Charity that he still wanted to marry her. Charity had tried to hide it but Noah knew that she was also involved with Gregory but wanted her to admit it to him. He intended to see the destruction of her misplaced loyalty to Gregory. He wanted her trust but would not force it upon her.
Gregory's plans were to assassinate Charles Brandywine and see Douglas Van Buran take his place as advisor to the queen. Douglas' daughter, Eleanor, was a pawn in the game and Gregory agreed to marry her. He intended to set Charity up as his mistress. He altered his plans to see her giving up the letters containing the details of their treason after she was married. He was convinced that Charity would turn over the letters in exchange for keeping their relationship a secret.
Kat sensed that Charity was feeling nervous about getting married and had a talk with her before the ceremony. After listening to Charity tell Kat her background, Kat convinced Charity to ask Jason to give her away. They went to see Jason and then Kat went to have a talk with Noah. Noah told Kat that he knew about Charity and Gregory's relationship. He also knew that she had found the letters but had not yet given them to Hamilton. He wanted Charity to come to him to tell him rather than confront her with what he knew. Kat knew then just how much Noah loved Charity.
Beth and Jason were married in a quiet ceremony before Noah and Charity married. Noah took Charity to his family's hunting lodge to spend the next two weeks. While they were gone, Laura and her husband arrived from America to find the child she had left with Josine. Josine was in the hospital and they were told to see Charles Bentwood concerning the girls. Arthur disliked him immediately. They spoke briefly with Josine and asked about the girls but was told that they had run away after being indentured to Charles. She didn't know where Beth and Charity were.
Glenda held a meeting with her son, Gregory, Douglas Van Buran, and Noah's ex-mistress, Anne. They discussed their assassination plans and the location of the letters detailing their plans to kill Brandywine that Charity had taken from Noah.
Gregory wanted to get back at Charity while Anne wanted revenge for Noah leaving her. Glenda had plans of her own and went to see Charles Bentwood. She took Gregory with her and introduced Charles to Gregory as his father. She asked about Charity because she knew of his connection with the orphanage and that Charity had come from there. He hadn't kept up with the news to know that Charity had married Noah Morgan. Glenda told him to get the letters from Charity. She used the fact that she knew he was getting girls from the orphanage and having sex with them. Glenda wanted those letters.
Glenda had killed her husband to gain his inheritance. Charles had killed his both his in-laws and his wife to gain her inheritance. Gregory was a result of an affair he had with Glenda while he was married. He couldn't claim him as his son without it costing him his marriage and the money that came with her.
Noah and Charity returned home from their honeymoon while Charles Brentwood was watching from across the street. They had been invited to have lunch with Queen Victoria. Charles Brandywine was waiting to speak with Noah when they arrived. Noah explained to him that the letters had been decoded so the assassination plans would not be successful. He asked for patience while he waited for Charity to come to him and explain her involvement. He felt that she had been used by Gregory and wanted to hear it from her before any arrests were made. After lunch, the queen and Charles talked the situation over. Charles told the queen about the plan and parties involved. She wasn't completely surprised to learn who was involved and that they intended to kill both Charles Brandywine and Anne's husband as well as possibly Noah.
Charity snuck out early the next morning to get the letters back that she had left with Aimee. Charles confronted her as she was leaving and asked for the letters. She gave them to him and he told her he intended to make her his mistress in exchange for not telling her husband that they had slept together before their marriage. She allowed him to kiss her and agreed to meet him the next evening as she pickpocketed the letters back from him. She told Noah that she needed to talk with him as soon as she arrived home. She then gave him the letters and told him everything, including what Charles Brentwood had done and was still doing with the orphaned girls. She told him what Charles had expected of her also.
Noah surprised Charity by telling her that he knew of her relationship with Gregory. He explained that he and Jason had been friends for years and told her that he had purchased her portrait from him. They went to see Jason and Beth who were thrilled that the two of them had finally told each other the entire truth about themselves. Noah again saw the portrait of Beth and asked Jason secretly if he could take one of them home with him. He realized why he had recognized the portrait and wanted to take one home to make sure.
He went to see Charles Brentwood and threatened him to force him to leave the country. Charles packed up and left his house. As he was leaving the house, he ran into Laura and Andrew who recognized his resemblance to his father, Elliott. They explained to him who the were and who they were looking for. Noah went with them to see Josine who had returned to work now that she was out of the hospital. Noah invited all of them to have dinner with him along with Jason and Beth.
They all showed up and Noah explained to them all why they were there. He took them to see the portrait in his father's study of Beth's mother. He gave Beth a box of jewelry and a note from her father explaining how his death had occurred. Noah then asked them all to keep what they had learned quiet for a few more days. Over dinner he explained to them as much as he could about the assassination plot.
The plot was foiled and those involved were arrested. Beth was free to claim her inheritance and her name now that Glenda and Gregory were imprisoned. Noah was glad that everything was over. He went to see Charity who was supposed to be waiting in his carriage only to find her gone. He had no idea where she was or how to find her. Jason suggested going to see Aimee. She sent her group of thieves throughout the city to find Charity.
Charles had Charity kidnapped and was attempting to rape her when Noah showed up with Minnow. Charles knew he was in trouble when he saw the look on Noah's face. Charles was badly beaten by Noah and Minnow took his body to a ship that saw that he sailed far from London. He wouldn't be returning.
Noah and Charity celebrated their 2nd anniversary with another masked ball wearing the same outfits they wore when the first met. They had a son who was now six months old and sleeping peacefully.
February 21, 2011
This book has been in my posession for over twelve years. I remember seeing it at a dollar store one day and picking it up by chance.
A four-star rating is for the classic plot and creation of the characters. I don't find this type of pull into days romance novels.
A four-star rating is for the classic plot and creation of the characters. I don't find this type of pull into days romance novels.
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