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Desire & Fire #1
Sleeping Desire
Sara had run away from Alex Stevenson's demands of unquestioning love, but her amnesia made her forget her year away from him...
Until she saw the woman who had caused the break up of their marriage. Then shatteringly, everything fell back into place and she saw the caring and protestations of love were all part of the plan to make her stop their divorce. Her parents were in on that too constantly trying to bring them together.
All of them treated her like a child - they didn't seem to realise that the pain and hurt of the past year had made her grow up into a confident woman, sure of what she wanted...but was she so sure of not wanting Alex?
Until she saw the woman who had caused the break up of their marriage. Then shatteringly, everything fell back into place and she saw the caring and protestations of love were all part of the plan to make her stop their divorce. Her parents were in on that too constantly trying to bring them together.
All of them treated her like a child - they didn't seem to realise that the pain and hurt of the past year had made her grow up into a confident woman, sure of what she wanted...but was she so sure of not wanting Alex?
186 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1985
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
261 books322 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
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February 8, 2016
RE Sleeping Desire - So if revenge, blackmail and seekrit babies are the pillars of HPlandia - Amnesia is the arch that supports those endeavors. If an HP author is in doubt about how to make an HP more entertaining, add a little amnesia to the mix and the story is a surefire winner.
Amnesia is a very useful tool for any HP traveler, it allows twins to take over their siblings lives, badly behaving H's to behave even more badly and have the prefect excuse which earns the h's instant forgiveness, and it allows an author to lock two divorcing spouses into a small cottage for a few days and work towards marital reconciliation.
CL goes with the latter, although I have to warn those of you who hate interfering family tropes now - you need to warn your lavender haired trolls to rev up those bus engines. In this one, family interference abounds.
The story starts with the 24 year old copywriter h lunching with her soon to be fiance. They are discussing her divorce, the fiance is pushing the h to pressure the H into selling the marital cottage so she can get a large divorce settlement. We get our first clue that this fiance may not be all that when it seems he is more intent on the h coming out of the divorce with money, rather than empathizing with her that the H is deliberately delaying things, to her intense frustration.
(Considering the cottage in question was the H's before they married, I thought the fiance showed quite a bit of gall. English divorce law is pretty clear on property owned before marriage and the H doesn't have to sell it at all or give the h a dime from it. Only income earned during the marriage is eligible and as the H was a big time director, she would have gotten a percent of his earnings during the marriage as a matter of course. Plus she had a job and was paying her own way, so I am already not liking this guy, and it put me off the h a bit too.)
The fiance also invites the h to spend the weekend in Holland with him, he has a business trip and the h is more than welcome. The h can't attend because she is engaged to meet with her parents over the weekend, it is their anniversary lunch. The family is very close, in contrast to the H who is an orphan, so attendance is pretty much mandatory.
The h is divorcing the H due to an accusation of infidelity. He told the h he was on a business trip to Singapore for his next film and that the was going alone. He was not alone on that trip, he took his man-eating secretary with him. The OW's hubby had hired a private detective and the PI got enough evidence and photos to prove the wife was having an affair with the H. There were rooms with connecting doors, the staff asserted the OW was in the H's room of an evening, and the wife confessed she was in the love with the H and had indeed been sleeping with him.
The husband kindly presented this evidence to the h at the marital home, while awaiting his divorce to come to trial. The h questioned the H regarding the matter and he basically told her if she loved him, she would trust him. The h did not take that well at all. She packed her bags and returned to the parental home, refusing to speak to the H or see him at all.
Then the family decided that the h needed to be reconciled. They told her these things happened, they were sure it was only one time, and the poor H, whom was a family favorite because of his charm and fame, should be accepted back by the h with open arms and understanding.
(Understanding what? I always ask during this book. That the H is happy isolating the gullible h in a remote cottage while he travels the world making movies and time with other ladies? 'Cause he wants the satisfaction of controlling the h, but may be having to step out on the wild side now and again cause a man has needs and the actress/secretary/script girl offered and the months on location are lonely?)
The h doesn't want to hear it. There is no excuse for infidelity in her book and since her family is not her, she finally takes the crucial step out of childhood and moves to London. She gets a flat, a job and files for divorce. The family continues to nag on her, especially her mum and dad, but the h is mostly equitable about it, she is now 80 miles away from the Romney Marsh in London and she knows her family loves her, really.
The h is doing well in her job, but life in London can be very lonely and then she meets the OM. He is everything the H isn't to her mind. Quiet, calm, loving and sharing and most importantly, he wants to have children. This h has a yen for nest building in a huge way and wants little eggs to put in that nest.
The H categorically refused to have kids and the h wasn't even allowed to bring it into the conversation. In fact the H refused to allow the h to do a lot of things. She couldn't have a job, she had to read books he gave her, she had to dress a certain way and her opinion was never consulted or considered.
The H controlled everything the h did and pumped her for the tiniest detail of her day, even when he was away - which was a lot. The H never reciprocated by sharing anything about himself or his activities, and the affair accusation, with the complete lack of explanation - just a "if you love me, you will trust me", pretty much sent the h into nuclear destruction mode.
In her mind the marriage is done and dusted and she is ready to move on. There is still the parental luncheon to go to though and the h thinks she might check on the sale of the cottage while she is there. The H never stays overnight apparently and even though it was the marital home, CL lets us know that he hardly spent anytime there. This does make one wonder what kinda marriage this was, and things are not looking rosy for the H seeing the h any time soon at this point.
After the family luncheon, with the usual praises for the H and his noble suffering, the implication being that the h is a cold-hearted villain in contrast, the h decides to go check on the cottage. From the guilty looks on the parent's faces, the h quickly deduces that the whole thing is a set up to get the h and H together. The h is furious, they are her family and are supposed to be supporting her, she is the betrayed one and yet the H is getting all the sympathy. She packs up and leaves for the London train, her family is a bunch of misguided fools for believing in the H more than her.
The train crashes and the h gets a head injury. She drifts in and out of consciousness for a bit, but when she is fully aware, she has the hospital call the H. In her confusion and shock, she has forgotten the affair and the last year. She thinks she is has only blanked a few days. The H appears and he seems very concerned.
He takes her home and tries to sex her up, but she is pretty frightened about the memory loss and her head is really hurting. The H and h spend a companionable night together with some kissing but no sex and the next day the h hears her father telling the H "it is unethical", but her dad leaves before she sees him and she doesn't understand the context. The H does his best to keep her in bed and away from the radio or newspapers, the h is worrying about her memory loss but the H keeps patting her on the head and telling her not to.
Matters explode when the OW shows up on the cottage doorstep, ostensibly to deliver a movie script from her boss - the movie mogul the H directs movies for. The h hears the OW talking provocatively to the H and the H sounding desperate to get rid of her. Her memory returns in a burst and she is livid.
The H tries to keep her in the cottage by turning off the phone, taking her clothes and hiding the car keys. The h steals his tracksuit and sneaks out of the house and gets a ride to her parents with the mailman. The h's dad sends the H off when he tries to see the h, then he takes her back to the hospital. The OM calls while the h is getting ready to go and we find out that he will be returning to see the h after her accident.
The h checks out fine and upon her return to her parent's home, she is greeted by the H's movie mogul boss. The h's mum is overwhelmed by his charm and insists the h see him. Movie Mogul then tells the h that the H's work is suffering, she has to take him back and be his devoted doormat. The h is looking at him like he has two heads. MM goes on to explain that the affair never happened, the H had the OW transferred to his office as soon as soon as he figured out what she was up to.
Supposedly the OW was looking to trade up in the husband department and thought the H was a good choice. The H was slow to catch on but had the OW transferred as soon as he realized. He would have fired her, but the OW is good at her job and he knew MM would be able to handle her as he is very happily married.
MM goes on to explain that the H had a deprived childhood as an orphan in an orphanage. It is the h's job to unconditionally believe him and do as he says no matter what he does or doesn't say or do. MM needs the H directing films and it is her job to blindly worship him so he can do that. The h does wonder if his wife is that kind of doormat too, but she graciously bids MM adieu and starts her CL style psychoanalysis of the H and his lifestyle.
(Whether you believe the preceding or not is entirely dependent on your own rosy glowometer and how many adult glow inducing beverages you have consumed up to this point. On one hand, the explanation does make some sense. The OW got into manhunting mode, staged the whole thing in an effort to free herself up to move on the H and the H was busy with work and did not clue in until the bomb had dropped.
On the other hand, the H was not naive or unintelligent, he had done the lady buffet and he liked the sophisticated types. He had to read the situation before it got as far as it did. Why did he tell the h he was going on his trip alone? How did the detective get enough dates and times of furtive meetings and pictures to convince a divorce court of adultery? Why was the OW not outright fired?
She destroyed the H's marriage and irregardless of how good she was as a secretary, she massively lied and can't be trusted. Unless of course she wasn't lying and her outright dismissal would have given her grounds for a lawsuit against the H and the movie company.)
Anyway such speculation becomes pointless, cause the h herself decides it doesn't matter. She is willing to believe the H did not cheat, but the result of her psychoanalysis is that the H had to control everything and dictate everything and she wasn't allowed to have her own choices. She decides she is a woman not a dog and she won't come to heel anymore.
Then the OM shows up and it isn't a good time for the h. She feels guilty for spending the night in the same bed as the H and she gets irritated when the OM criticizes her hometown. The h is beginning to realize that she did the exact same thing with the OM as she did with the H. She repressed part of herself to accommodate him and she clung to his side to handle the pain of her marriage breaking up. In short the h is realizing she dated the OM on the rebound.
The H happens by at this point and a fist fight with the OM on the village square ensues. The H taunts the OM and then hits him. The h is disgusted with both of them, the OM almost knocked her down in his excitement to take on the H, plus he told the H that he and OM should go have lunch and "discuss the divorce settlement civilly"-- without including the h. She decides to remove herself from the whole scene, which is avidly being watched by a cat and the entire street is plastered to their front windows.
The H throws her over his shoulder and then puts her into his car and takes off. The h is furious and shouting and then notices the OM is chasing them down. Car chasing ensues until they all wind up on the beach at the marital cottage. The OM is charging the H, the h is appalled and the H throws the OM into the sea. The h tells the H she won't be marrying the OM but she won't be staying with him either. She believes him about the adultery but she can't be the one doing all the giving in the relationship and he can't open up and share or even allow any room for negotiation.
The OM takes her home and the h breaks it off with him. Then her mum starts nagging again and the h tells her off too. The next morning the H comes in while the h is home alone and confesses that he needs her. He is illegitimate, his mum got pregnant without naming the father and her parents kicked her out. She died right after he was born and the grandparents put him in an orphanage. He hated the orphanage and when he found his grandparents, they refused to acknowledge him.
He kept running away until he was old enough to get a job in TV. Then his career began and he was happy until he met the h. He fell in love with her and her close family, and wanted her to only live for him cause it made him feel secure. He doesn't want a child because it would take to much attention away from him.
The h thinks about it and admits she loves him too, she will delay the baby issue, they need to work on sharing and the H is not to test her love by not explaining things. The H agrees to try and he also agrees to discuss where they will live and her job. They wind up in bed and the passion is as good as ever and another HPlandia HEA is achieved again.
This is one of those variable books, satisfaction varies on reader tolerance for interfering family members, rosy glasses on the subject of infidelity or at least being okay with the h being okay with it, and whether or not the perennial Amnesia trope works for you.
I did like how the h finally took a stance and I did like how the H rather movingly tried to make room for the h to have a say in things too. I believed the HEA, but as always, mileage varies and this book may just miss the mark for other people who aren't crazy CL fangirls like I am.
Amnesia is a very useful tool for any HP traveler, it allows twins to take over their siblings lives, badly behaving H's to behave even more badly and have the prefect excuse which earns the h's instant forgiveness, and it allows an author to lock two divorcing spouses into a small cottage for a few days and work towards marital reconciliation.
CL goes with the latter, although I have to warn those of you who hate interfering family tropes now - you need to warn your lavender haired trolls to rev up those bus engines. In this one, family interference abounds.
The story starts with the 24 year old copywriter h lunching with her soon to be fiance. They are discussing her divorce, the fiance is pushing the h to pressure the H into selling the marital cottage so she can get a large divorce settlement. We get our first clue that this fiance may not be all that when it seems he is more intent on the h coming out of the divorce with money, rather than empathizing with her that the H is deliberately delaying things, to her intense frustration.
(Considering the cottage in question was the H's before they married, I thought the fiance showed quite a bit of gall. English divorce law is pretty clear on property owned before marriage and the H doesn't have to sell it at all or give the h a dime from it. Only income earned during the marriage is eligible and as the H was a big time director, she would have gotten a percent of his earnings during the marriage as a matter of course. Plus she had a job and was paying her own way, so I am already not liking this guy, and it put me off the h a bit too.)
The fiance also invites the h to spend the weekend in Holland with him, he has a business trip and the h is more than welcome. The h can't attend because she is engaged to meet with her parents over the weekend, it is their anniversary lunch. The family is very close, in contrast to the H who is an orphan, so attendance is pretty much mandatory.
The h is divorcing the H due to an accusation of infidelity. He told the h he was on a business trip to Singapore for his next film and that the was going alone. He was not alone on that trip, he took his man-eating secretary with him. The OW's hubby had hired a private detective and the PI got enough evidence and photos to prove the wife was having an affair with the H. There were rooms with connecting doors, the staff asserted the OW was in the H's room of an evening, and the wife confessed she was in the love with the H and had indeed been sleeping with him.
The husband kindly presented this evidence to the h at the marital home, while awaiting his divorce to come to trial. The h questioned the H regarding the matter and he basically told her if she loved him, she would trust him. The h did not take that well at all. She packed her bags and returned to the parental home, refusing to speak to the H or see him at all.
Then the family decided that the h needed to be reconciled. They told her these things happened, they were sure it was only one time, and the poor H, whom was a family favorite because of his charm and fame, should be accepted back by the h with open arms and understanding.
(Understanding what? I always ask during this book. That the H is happy isolating the gullible h in a remote cottage while he travels the world making movies and time with other ladies? 'Cause he wants the satisfaction of controlling the h, but may be having to step out on the wild side now and again cause a man has needs and the actress/secretary/script girl offered and the months on location are lonely?)
The h doesn't want to hear it. There is no excuse for infidelity in her book and since her family is not her, she finally takes the crucial step out of childhood and moves to London. She gets a flat, a job and files for divorce. The family continues to nag on her, especially her mum and dad, but the h is mostly equitable about it, she is now 80 miles away from the Romney Marsh in London and she knows her family loves her, really.
The h is doing well in her job, but life in London can be very lonely and then she meets the OM. He is everything the H isn't to her mind. Quiet, calm, loving and sharing and most importantly, he wants to have children. This h has a yen for nest building in a huge way and wants little eggs to put in that nest.
The H categorically refused to have kids and the h wasn't even allowed to bring it into the conversation. In fact the H refused to allow the h to do a lot of things. She couldn't have a job, she had to read books he gave her, she had to dress a certain way and her opinion was never consulted or considered.
The H controlled everything the h did and pumped her for the tiniest detail of her day, even when he was away - which was a lot. The H never reciprocated by sharing anything about himself or his activities, and the affair accusation, with the complete lack of explanation - just a "if you love me, you will trust me", pretty much sent the h into nuclear destruction mode.
In her mind the marriage is done and dusted and she is ready to move on. There is still the parental luncheon to go to though and the h thinks she might check on the sale of the cottage while she is there. The H never stays overnight apparently and even though it was the marital home, CL lets us know that he hardly spent anytime there. This does make one wonder what kinda marriage this was, and things are not looking rosy for the H seeing the h any time soon at this point.
After the family luncheon, with the usual praises for the H and his noble suffering, the implication being that the h is a cold-hearted villain in contrast, the h decides to go check on the cottage. From the guilty looks on the parent's faces, the h quickly deduces that the whole thing is a set up to get the h and H together. The h is furious, they are her family and are supposed to be supporting her, she is the betrayed one and yet the H is getting all the sympathy. She packs up and leaves for the London train, her family is a bunch of misguided fools for believing in the H more than her.
The train crashes and the h gets a head injury. She drifts in and out of consciousness for a bit, but when she is fully aware, she has the hospital call the H. In her confusion and shock, she has forgotten the affair and the last year. She thinks she is has only blanked a few days. The H appears and he seems very concerned.
He takes her home and tries to sex her up, but she is pretty frightened about the memory loss and her head is really hurting. The H and h spend a companionable night together with some kissing but no sex and the next day the h hears her father telling the H "it is unethical", but her dad leaves before she sees him and she doesn't understand the context. The H does his best to keep her in bed and away from the radio or newspapers, the h is worrying about her memory loss but the H keeps patting her on the head and telling her not to.
Matters explode when the OW shows up on the cottage doorstep, ostensibly to deliver a movie script from her boss - the movie mogul the H directs movies for. The h hears the OW talking provocatively to the H and the H sounding desperate to get rid of her. Her memory returns in a burst and she is livid.
The H tries to keep her in the cottage by turning off the phone, taking her clothes and hiding the car keys. The h steals his tracksuit and sneaks out of the house and gets a ride to her parents with the mailman. The h's dad sends the H off when he tries to see the h, then he takes her back to the hospital. The OM calls while the h is getting ready to go and we find out that he will be returning to see the h after her accident.
The h checks out fine and upon her return to her parent's home, she is greeted by the H's movie mogul boss. The h's mum is overwhelmed by his charm and insists the h see him. Movie Mogul then tells the h that the H's work is suffering, she has to take him back and be his devoted doormat. The h is looking at him like he has two heads. MM goes on to explain that the affair never happened, the H had the OW transferred to his office as soon as soon as he figured out what she was up to.
Supposedly the OW was looking to trade up in the husband department and thought the H was a good choice. The H was slow to catch on but had the OW transferred as soon as he realized. He would have fired her, but the OW is good at her job and he knew MM would be able to handle her as he is very happily married.
MM goes on to explain that the H had a deprived childhood as an orphan in an orphanage. It is the h's job to unconditionally believe him and do as he says no matter what he does or doesn't say or do. MM needs the H directing films and it is her job to blindly worship him so he can do that. The h does wonder if his wife is that kind of doormat too, but she graciously bids MM adieu and starts her CL style psychoanalysis of the H and his lifestyle.
(Whether you believe the preceding or not is entirely dependent on your own rosy glowometer and how many adult glow inducing beverages you have consumed up to this point. On one hand, the explanation does make some sense. The OW got into manhunting mode, staged the whole thing in an effort to free herself up to move on the H and the H was busy with work and did not clue in until the bomb had dropped.
On the other hand, the H was not naive or unintelligent, he had done the lady buffet and he liked the sophisticated types. He had to read the situation before it got as far as it did. Why did he tell the h he was going on his trip alone? How did the detective get enough dates and times of furtive meetings and pictures to convince a divorce court of adultery? Why was the OW not outright fired?
She destroyed the H's marriage and irregardless of how good she was as a secretary, she massively lied and can't be trusted. Unless of course she wasn't lying and her outright dismissal would have given her grounds for a lawsuit against the H and the movie company.)
Anyway such speculation becomes pointless, cause the h herself decides it doesn't matter. She is willing to believe the H did not cheat, but the result of her psychoanalysis is that the H had to control everything and dictate everything and she wasn't allowed to have her own choices. She decides she is a woman not a dog and she won't come to heel anymore.
Then the OM shows up and it isn't a good time for the h. She feels guilty for spending the night in the same bed as the H and she gets irritated when the OM criticizes her hometown. The h is beginning to realize that she did the exact same thing with the OM as she did with the H. She repressed part of herself to accommodate him and she clung to his side to handle the pain of her marriage breaking up. In short the h is realizing she dated the OM on the rebound.
The H happens by at this point and a fist fight with the OM on the village square ensues. The H taunts the OM and then hits him. The h is disgusted with both of them, the OM almost knocked her down in his excitement to take on the H, plus he told the H that he and OM should go have lunch and "discuss the divorce settlement civilly"-- without including the h. She decides to remove herself from the whole scene, which is avidly being watched by a cat and the entire street is plastered to their front windows.
The H throws her over his shoulder and then puts her into his car and takes off. The h is furious and shouting and then notices the OM is chasing them down. Car chasing ensues until they all wind up on the beach at the marital cottage. The OM is charging the H, the h is appalled and the H throws the OM into the sea. The h tells the H she won't be marrying the OM but she won't be staying with him either. She believes him about the adultery but she can't be the one doing all the giving in the relationship and he can't open up and share or even allow any room for negotiation.
The OM takes her home and the h breaks it off with him. Then her mum starts nagging again and the h tells her off too. The next morning the H comes in while the h is home alone and confesses that he needs her. He is illegitimate, his mum got pregnant without naming the father and her parents kicked her out. She died right after he was born and the grandparents put him in an orphanage. He hated the orphanage and when he found his grandparents, they refused to acknowledge him.
He kept running away until he was old enough to get a job in TV. Then his career began and he was happy until he met the h. He fell in love with her and her close family, and wanted her to only live for him cause it made him feel secure. He doesn't want a child because it would take to much attention away from him.
The h thinks about it and admits she loves him too, she will delay the baby issue, they need to work on sharing and the H is not to test her love by not explaining things. The H agrees to try and he also agrees to discuss where they will live and her job. They wind up in bed and the passion is as good as ever and another HPlandia HEA is achieved again.
This is one of those variable books, satisfaction varies on reader tolerance for interfering family members, rosy glasses on the subject of infidelity or at least being okay with the h being okay with it, and whether or not the perennial Amnesia trope works for you.
I did like how the h finally took a stance and I did like how the H rather movingly tried to make room for the h to have a say in things too. I believed the HEA, but as always, mileage varies and this book may just miss the mark for other people who aren't crazy CL fangirls like I am.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2021
As usual, very well written.
The heroine has been married to the hero for 4 years.
She was 19 when they married, he 33.
He treated her like a trophy wife, left her in a cottage while he worked and travelled and prevented her to be herself.
He refused to have children.
He refused to let her work.
Eventually his PA’s husband asked for divorce because he had proof that his wife had an affair with the hero and she didn’t deny.
So the heroine left and asked for a divorce.
One year later she’s a different woman.
She has a job, lives alone and has a boyfriend who is ready to marry her and have a family.
One day she has an accident and loses her memory and of course thinks she’s still married to the hero.
The hero has his chance to have her back.
He always denied he had an affair with ow but never explained.
They have two days of blessing then when the heroine sees ow she remembers everything and after a row she goes back to her parents.
After some days a friend of the hero goes to see her and tells him that the hero fired ow immediately after the heroine left him. He never had an affair with her.
She understands that even if she believes him, she can’t go back to be the person she was before. When the hero explains his background she understands and accepts to go back to him.
They will try to solve his problems, one at a time.
The hero was cray cray.
He had so many abuses during his childhood that I wouldn’t recommend him to any woman.
He was twisted and traumatized and needs therapy.
This is a case that could be similar to what happens in real life.
The hero wasn’t a cruel man, he was a person who had a hard past and found a sweet and innocent woman and wanted her for himself.
He was afraid that if they had children he would have lost her love.
He was jealous and possessive of her.
I appreciated the heroine because she grew up and recognized what she wanted and what was wrong with him. No Uber happy ending because the heroine understands she will have a hard work with the hero and maybe they won’t have children.
Nice book, very well written as usual. Very good introspection and character definition (but was Ms Lamb a psychologist?) some of her remarks deserves a standing ovation.
The heroine has been married to the hero for 4 years.
She was 19 when they married, he 33.
He treated her like a trophy wife, left her in a cottage while he worked and travelled and prevented her to be herself.
He refused to have children.
He refused to let her work.
Eventually his PA’s husband asked for divorce because he had proof that his wife had an affair with the hero and she didn’t deny.
So the heroine left and asked for a divorce.
One year later she’s a different woman.
She has a job, lives alone and has a boyfriend who is ready to marry her and have a family.
One day she has an accident and loses her memory and of course thinks she’s still married to the hero.
The hero has his chance to have her back.
He always denied he had an affair with ow but never explained.
They have two days of blessing then when the heroine sees ow she remembers everything and after a row she goes back to her parents.
After some days a friend of the hero goes to see her and tells him that the hero fired ow immediately after the heroine left him. He never had an affair with her.
She understands that even if she believes him, she can’t go back to be the person she was before. When the hero explains his background she understands and accepts to go back to him.
They will try to solve his problems, one at a time.
The hero was cray cray.
He had so many abuses during his childhood that I wouldn’t recommend him to any woman.
He was twisted and traumatized and needs therapy.
This is a case that could be similar to what happens in real life.
The hero wasn’t a cruel man, he was a person who had a hard past and found a sweet and innocent woman and wanted her for himself.
He was afraid that if they had children he would have lost her love.
He was jealous and possessive of her.
I appreciated the heroine because she grew up and recognized what she wanted and what was wrong with him. No Uber happy ending because the heroine understands she will have a hard work with the hero and maybe they won’t have children.
Nice book, very well written as usual. Very good introspection and character definition (but was Ms Lamb a psychologist?) some of her remarks deserves a standing ovation.
September 21, 2017
Boogenhagen has written an excellent review, as always, so I won't belabor the plot points. This is a second chance story. H/h broke up a year before because the director hero was named in a divorce suit by his secretary and the hero won't defend himself to the heroine. He thinks if she loved him she should trust his word.
Everyone in her world seems to think so, too including her family and the hero's boss. So she flees to London from the quaint seaside town she had lived in before and after her marriage. She immediately has a rebound relationship (no sex) with a fussy, prim OM - the exact opposite of her husband.
When the heroine is in a train accident and hits her head, the authorities call her husband. He immediately realizes she has amnesia and takes her back to their seaside cottage like she's never left. Unfortunately there are no clothes there and the hero doesn't have good answers. They share a bed, but no sex. The heroine's memory comes rushing back when she sees the OW dropping off a script for the hero.
There's a fisticuffs scene with the hero and OM, which is amusing. And the heroine finally tells off her interfering mother.
I liked that she believed him about the OW and still wasn't sure if she wanted to continue her marriage. She had grown up a lot in a year and she didn't want things to go back to the way they were.
I thought they were on the right track to a deeper more satisfying marriage. The truth will always set you free - even if you have your eyes opened that you're married to a man child. I thought the idea that they may never have children was interesting. She really did get how damaged the hero was.
This sounds kind of depressing, but it's not. The descriptions of the land and the seashore were lovely. And I enjoyed the wry conversation where the OM was on the side of Cromwell and the heroine was all for King Charles. A little English history humor.
Everyone in her world seems to think so, too including her family and the hero's boss. So she flees to London from the quaint seaside town she had lived in before and after her marriage. She immediately has a rebound relationship (no sex) with a fussy, prim OM - the exact opposite of her husband.
When the heroine is in a train accident and hits her head, the authorities call her husband. He immediately realizes she has amnesia and takes her back to their seaside cottage like she's never left. Unfortunately there are no clothes there and the hero doesn't have good answers. They share a bed, but no sex. The heroine's memory comes rushing back when she sees the OW dropping off a script for the hero.
There's a fisticuffs scene with the hero and OM, which is amusing. And the heroine finally tells off her interfering mother.
I liked that she believed him about the OW and still wasn't sure if she wanted to continue her marriage. She had grown up a lot in a year and she didn't want things to go back to the way they were.
I thought they were on the right track to a deeper more satisfying marriage. The truth will always set you free - even if you have your eyes opened that you're married to a man child. I thought the idea that they may never have children was interesting. She really did get how damaged the hero was.
This sounds kind of depressing, but it's not. The descriptions of the land and the seashore were lovely. And I enjoyed the wry conversation where the OM was on the side of Cromwell and the heroine was all for King Charles. A little English history humor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2021
Probably it deserves 3 stars but after disaster of recent HPs, I increased the rating.
avoid
December 20, 2021Self note
Cheating, avoid. Author cop out.
Case of logic says he did cheat, all evidence showed that he did fool around with ow during their marriage, but author says he didn’t at the end to give the MCs a HEA.
If you only show evidence that he did cheat, without any evidence that he didn’t, then well he did to a reader. Author did the same in the Runaway Wife. 🙄
(H told the h/wife he was traveling alone for work (like always).
But he was traveling with his Maneater PA.
The ow husband hired a Private investigator and found the H cheating with his wife/pa.
They were using a suite with connecting doors.
The ow was there at night.
How did the PI obtain pictures and furtive dates of meeting between them to convince a divorce court of adultery? 🙄).
Where’s evidence or excuses of how he couldn’t have cheated?
Avoid.
Read Boogenhagens excellent spoiler review for more info.
Cheating, avoid. Author cop out.
Case of logic says he did cheat, all evidence showed that he did fool around with ow during their marriage, but author says he didn’t at the end to give the MCs a HEA.
If you only show evidence that he did cheat, without any evidence that he didn’t, then well he did to a reader. Author did the same in the Runaway Wife. 🙄
(H told the h/wife he was traveling alone for work (like always).
But he was traveling with his Maneater PA.
The ow husband hired a Private investigator and found the H cheating with his wife/pa.
They were using a suite with connecting doors.
The ow was there at night.
How did the PI obtain pictures and furtive dates of meeting between them to convince a divorce court of adultery? 🙄).
Where’s evidence or excuses of how he couldn’t have cheated?
Avoid.
Read Boogenhagens excellent spoiler review for more info.
January 26, 2020
"Sleeping Desire" is the story of Sara and Alex.
Aww, poor H.
Our h and H were happily married, until the h is told by an acquaintance that her husband is having an affair. He's a passionate brooding guy who is pretty closed up about his emotions, and asks her to trust him when confronted. She leaves him after getting some proof, realizes all she was doing was servitude, and decides to go out with her lawyer.
A year later, she returns to their town only to get into an accident and lose her memory. Last thing she remembers their marriage, and the H whisks her away into their home. However, seeing OW jolts her back into reality, and she goes back to her Mata-Hari self. But this time the H would not let her go.
I mean the whole issue would have been solved if the couple communicated with each other. I felt bad for the H, and the h kissing OM made me icky.
SWE
3/5
Aww, poor H.
Our h and H were happily married, until the h is told by an acquaintance that her husband is having an affair. He's a passionate brooding guy who is pretty closed up about his emotions, and asks her to trust him when confronted. She leaves him after getting some proof, realizes all she was doing was servitude, and decides to go out with her lawyer.
A year later, she returns to their town only to get into an accident and lose her memory. Last thing she remembers their marriage, and the H whisks her away into their home. However, seeing OW jolts her back into reality, and she goes back to her Mata-Hari self. But this time the H would not let her go.
I mean the whole issue would have been solved if the couple communicated with each other. I felt bad for the H, and the h kissing OM made me icky.
SWE
3/5
February 22, 2018
"Sleeping Desire" are a second-chance love-story between a married couple who both realizes the problems that destroyed their marriage.
Being married to the Dynamic Hero,the arrogant Movie-Star Alex Stevenson,Sara Stevenson strives for him to write on the divorce papers so she can marry the safe OM.But on a accident she gets amnesia and thats where Alex takes advantage to see if his wife still loves him...
While there aren`t that many interactions with Alex,Charlotte still managed to create him as the most alive character in the whole book.God how i just LOVE his character!He didn`t give a shit and had the attitude of "What are you gonna do about it",love how he showes his contempt shamelessly towards the OM.He couldn`t stand the guy,haha.But i was still glad that Sara realized the real faults in their marriage and that it wasn`t about the OW.By the way the Hero NEVER cheats on his heroine,even during separation.He truly and madly loves her,and it is clear that he can`t live without her.
Charlotte Lamb never fails to amaze me,and "Sleeping Desire" are simply another entertainment that deserves a 5-star.!
Being married to the Dynamic Hero,the arrogant Movie-Star Alex Stevenson,Sara Stevenson strives for him to write on the divorce papers so she can marry the safe OM.But on a accident she gets amnesia and thats where Alex takes advantage to see if his wife still loves him...
While there aren`t that many interactions with Alex,Charlotte still managed to create him as the most alive character in the whole book.God how i just LOVE his character!He didn`t give a shit and had the attitude of "What are you gonna do about it",love how he showes his contempt shamelessly towards the OM.He couldn`t stand the guy,haha.But i was still glad that Sara realized the real faults in their marriage and that it wasn`t about the OW.By the way the Hero NEVER cheats on his heroine,even during separation.He truly and madly loves her,and it is clear that he can`t live without her.
Charlotte Lamb never fails to amaze me,and "Sleeping Desire" are simply another entertainment that deserves a 5-star.!
August 28, 2022
This is a second chance story with a brooding, alpha male H who does not want to give up on his failed marriage with the h. She left him because she thought - based on the flimsiest of evidence - that he had cheated on her.
The book is from 1985. So no one night stands and no oops-pregnancies in this story. And they don’t have children together. What a relief. What a nice change from the contemporary HP’s.
Today’s HP’s are all the same with their emphasis on sex with dumb adults who don’t use protection or birth control while hopping each other like bunnies. And after that they’re surprised they’re pregnant. 🙄
5 stars.
The book is from 1985. So no one night stands and no oops-pregnancies in this story. And they don’t have children together. What a relief. What a nice change from the contemporary HP’s.
Today’s HP’s are all the same with their emphasis on sex with dumb adults who don’t use protection or birth control while hopping each other like bunnies. And after that they’re surprised they’re pregnant. 🙄
5 stars.
July 24, 2012
I read this because I was a similar age to the heroine in the year this book was published - 1985. I wanted to see what a category love story of my era would say about those years and whether it resonated with my memory of the times. I also wondered what I would think of it in 2012.
Sara has left her husband but a bout of amnesia after she is involved in a railway accident together with family interference brings them together again. This was very much a story about a young woman finding herself and owning that person. I was really intrigued that it involved subtly working out her differences from her mother and the choices each has made in life. This is beautifully bought out in a scene about clothing and what each woman is comfortable to wear; not each other's clothes. It was also about a marriage in trouble because the partners are not able to talk honestly with each other. On Sara's part it is her youth and uncertainty that started this pattern. On Alex's part it is because he feels deeply unlovable. Reaching across this divide means not just opening up but being vulnerable - a very difficult thing for Alex. I found it fascinating that the ending doesn't resolve the tension around having children. Sara is ready but Alex, for deep and relevant psychological reasons, is not. Their marriage is still a work in progress and rather than the static thing it was which broke them apart will change with them. Alex is a broken but forceful alpha type and Sara is the Lady of Shalott recovering from her Laura Ashley dream.
Reading in 2012 this does feel like a book from a different time. The way people communicate and connect without mobile phones or the internet matters to the plot and I think makes for different reactions e.g. the work world is very separate from Alex's home world and the lack of modern communication devices enables him to keep this separation going. There are distinct male and female roles and expectations in play as well. I remember this but also wonder if it is reinforced by the author being of a generation before mine.
Sara has left her husband but a bout of amnesia after she is involved in a railway accident together with family interference brings them together again. This was very much a story about a young woman finding herself and owning that person. I was really intrigued that it involved subtly working out her differences from her mother and the choices each has made in life. This is beautifully bought out in a scene about clothing and what each woman is comfortable to wear; not each other's clothes. It was also about a marriage in trouble because the partners are not able to talk honestly with each other. On Sara's part it is her youth and uncertainty that started this pattern. On Alex's part it is because he feels deeply unlovable. Reaching across this divide means not just opening up but being vulnerable - a very difficult thing for Alex. I found it fascinating that the ending doesn't resolve the tension around having children. Sara is ready but Alex, for deep and relevant psychological reasons, is not. Their marriage is still a work in progress and rather than the static thing it was which broke them apart will change with them. Alex is a broken but forceful alpha type and Sara is the Lady of Shalott recovering from her Laura Ashley dream.
Reading in 2012 this does feel like a book from a different time. The way people communicate and connect without mobile phones or the internet matters to the plot and I think makes for different reactions e.g. the work world is very separate from Alex's home world and the lack of modern communication devices enables him to keep this separation going. There are distinct male and female roles and expectations in play as well. I remember this but also wonder if it is reinforced by the author being of a generation before mine.
July 18, 2019
Good one actually, somewhat realistic too.
Its about falling in love first, without realizing how deep is their need for each other. The first flush of love fades and their marriage starts to fall apart. The misunderstanding about an OW is only an excuse, the fissures are much deeper.
Alex is a beleaguered orphan, carrying horrid scars of rejection and loneliness from his childhood. So when he falls for a sweet innocent Sara, he is desperate to hold on to her at any cost. He acts ultra possessive, keeps her heavily cossetted. He is a successful film director now, his job takes him around the world, but he is always insecure about his young little wife.
Sara on the other hand wants to be treated like an adult. She wants Alex to share his mental agony with her, but he is too scarred to talk about it.
Result ?? She gets frustrated and walks out of the marriage, files for divorce. She even finds a dumbo OM for a while. Now this is one hell of a rude shock to Alex. But fate (and the convenient Amnesia trope) plays a part and Sara forgets only the walking out + divorce part !!!!!!
Now Sara is back with Alex for a while and he plays all the dirty tricks in the book to keep her with him. He even throws the OM out, and colludes with her parents to get her back.
Only in the last few pages, Sara's parents and Alex realize where they are going wrong. All that Sara is asking for is to be treated as an equal. Talk, share your insecurities, give as well as take, that's all she wants. Finally, the penny drops for Alex, and he stops treating her like a fragile piece of China. And instead learns to treat her as a life partner, lover, and friend.
What else can she ask for ? She gets it all, and he gets her back. End of story.
Quite good. Not nail biting good, or pulse racing good. Just good. 3 stars.
Its about falling in love first, without realizing how deep is their need for each other. The first flush of love fades and their marriage starts to fall apart. The misunderstanding about an OW is only an excuse, the fissures are much deeper.
Alex is a beleaguered orphan, carrying horrid scars of rejection and loneliness from his childhood. So when he falls for a sweet innocent Sara, he is desperate to hold on to her at any cost. He acts ultra possessive, keeps her heavily cossetted. He is a successful film director now, his job takes him around the world, but he is always insecure about his young little wife.
Sara on the other hand wants to be treated like an adult. She wants Alex to share his mental agony with her, but he is too scarred to talk about it.
Result ?? She gets frustrated and walks out of the marriage, files for divorce. She even finds a dumbo OM for a while. Now this is one hell of a rude shock to Alex. But fate (and the convenient Amnesia trope) plays a part and Sara forgets only the walking out + divorce part !!!!!!
Now Sara is back with Alex for a while and he plays all the dirty tricks in the book to keep her with him. He even throws the OM out, and colludes with her parents to get her back.
Only in the last few pages, Sara's parents and Alex realize where they are going wrong. All that Sara is asking for is to be treated as an equal. Talk, share your insecurities, give as well as take, that's all she wants. Finally, the penny drops for Alex, and he stops treating her like a fragile piece of China. And instead learns to treat her as a life partner, lover, and friend.
What else can she ask for ? She gets it all, and he gets her back. End of story.
Quite good. Not nail biting good, or pulse racing good. Just good. 3 stars.
January 20, 2018
Their dreamworld had crumbled
Alex, always the strong, dominant personality in their marriage, had refused to admit his affair. Instead, he'd demanded Sara's unquestioning trust as proof of her love, without any demonstration of love in return.
Even now after a year apart, Alex wanted Sara to forget the solicitor's letters and divorce proceedings and come back to him. Then, quite suddenly, she did...
And while the pain of their separation lay locked in the recesses of her mind, Alex seized the opportunity - and Sara - to reawaken her desire.
Alex, always the strong, dominant personality in their marriage, had refused to admit his affair. Instead, he'd demanded Sara's unquestioning trust as proof of her love, without any demonstration of love in return.
Even now after a year apart, Alex wanted Sara to forget the solicitor's letters and divorce proceedings and come back to him. Then, quite suddenly, she did...
And while the pain of their separation lay locked in the recesses of her mind, Alex seized the opportunity - and Sara - to reawaken her desire.
April 26, 2020
I can't even finish it. The hero isn't even in the story! He's a horse's ass too. His wife hands him a portfolio of proof of his affair and all he says is that it's lies. That's it. Now, how many cheating men say that? Uh, all of them.
The heroine is an idiot. What kind of wife stays in the country while her husband does just as he likes?
The heroine is an idiot. What kind of wife stays in the country while her husband does just as he likes?
September 23, 2011
another re-read from the 80's which didn't hold up as well under the stress of time. the heroine just seemed loud and no one listened to her, even her folks and especially the hero, her estranged husband. it also featured the dreaded trope amnesia, though it was a rather short case of it.
July 7, 2024
A story about a damaged man whose horrible childhood has left him needing totally unquestioning trust and an inability to talk about how he feels and what he needs, and a naive young woman who marries him then leaves because she thinks he's had an affair. She lurches into a rebound engagement with a man who she thinks is the complete opposite then an accident causes a brief temporary amnesia which makes her look at things completely differently. She realises her fiance is not what she thought he was and that whether or not her husband, who she actually still loves, had an affair is not the main issue.
I'm giving this book five because I think the questions raised within it are really interesting and the quality of the writing is great. (Sorry so many quotes about the appalling Peter but CL really does conjure up a wonderful image of him through her writing.)
"The little ginger cat sat up with alert ears and front paws together, the Oriental gaze of his bright eyes riveted on the car, looking for all the world like a miniature Sphinx with the white dust of an English road substituting for lone and level sands."
"He wanted a life as placid and neat as the sort of garden he would have; with billiard-table green lawns and unblemished flower beds in which no weeds would grow."
"Those slow, calm, conservative qualities had been what she thought she wanted and were now what made her teeth clench."
" He was a man who liked life comfortable and easy, the soil of his mind too shallow to allow anything to put down deep roots."
" Mrs Calthorpe said, making an effort to be friendly. It was a pity her struggle showed."
" 'I don't like your tone' he told Alex coldly and Alex laughed. 'I don't like your suit, but I was too polite to say so'."
I'm giving this book five because I think the questions raised within it are really interesting and the quality of the writing is great. (Sorry so many quotes about the appalling Peter but CL really does conjure up a wonderful image of him through her writing.)
"The little ginger cat sat up with alert ears and front paws together, the Oriental gaze of his bright eyes riveted on the car, looking for all the world like a miniature Sphinx with the white dust of an English road substituting for lone and level sands."
"He wanted a life as placid and neat as the sort of garden he would have; with billiard-table green lawns and unblemished flower beds in which no weeds would grow."
"Those slow, calm, conservative qualities had been what she thought she wanted and were now what made her teeth clench."
" He was a man who liked life comfortable and easy, the soil of his mind too shallow to allow anything to put down deep roots."
" Mrs Calthorpe said, making an effort to be friendly. It was a pity her struggle showed."
" 'I don't like your tone' he told Alex coldly and Alex laughed. 'I don't like your suit, but I was too polite to say so'."
July 23, 2023
And yet again, I've read a book that had potential for being so much better and didn't live up to it.
The biggest flaw was the usual trope of the h/wife, Sara believing the H/husband, Alex cheated on her and - naturally - packs up and leaves, despite his denials. And in this case, there wasn't any eyewitness evidence (however misleading), instead it was supposed proof provided by the OW's soon-to-be-hubby, an obviously vindictive jerk who got a kick out of telling Sara. (He should have gotten a kick in his crummy ass!) Soon it's a move from a seaside cottage to a flat in London, a job, a new boyfriend (the OM, Peter, as different from Alex as could be - big surprise there- whom she hasn't slept with, also no surprise) and a divorce that she can't wait for, if only Alex would stop dragging his feet about the sale of the cottage where they lived!
Actually, that's how the book starts, with Sara and Peter talking about the divorce, then you get the story of the marriage in bits and pieces, including the fact that Sara was an innocent 19 when she met movie director Alex, light years ahead of her in age (33), not to mention experience. she worked on a local village paper and was sent to interview him, and it didn't take long for them to be married, though it was hardly a typical union. Alex wanted Sara separate from his show biz life, wanted her all to himself in their cottage, away from the outside world, without anything, not even his past, touching their corner of it, hardly ever took her anywhere (and when he did, she felt way out of her league), didn't want her working even part-time, despite his having to be away and leaving her alone a lot, telling her how to dress, what to read, etc. and would NOT even discuss having children. Even without the OW drama, this marriage was headed for disaster, as sooner or later the little girl was going to grow up.
Though she was still in little girl mode for a time, hence her packing up and leaving, like a petulant child (children lock themselves in their room and refuse to talk, or attempt to run away, child-like wives run off and refuse to talk to estranged husbands) and all her thoughts of killing him shooting him, choking him, etc., not to mention her numerous declarations that she HATED him, don't exactly rank high on the adult scale.
As for Alex, did he really think keeping most of his life a closed book from Sara, refusing to speak about this, that, or the other thing, telling her NO CHILDREN AND THAT'S THAT (or words to that effect) without a discussion, wanting to keep his wife perpetually 19 and isolated from the rest of the world besides her family, confiding somewhat in her mother and father but not at all in her, and dismissing her accusations about the OW by just saying, trust me and believe in me, that's all I need to hear and you need to know, is the basis for a happy and healthy marriage??? HELL NO!!
Where the book weakens, is in the author not taking opportunities she gave the story, like Sara's first job as a cub reporter. Why didn't she pursue that career when they separated? (Where did this sudden love of advertising come from, not to mention a job handed to her on a silver platter, very unrealistic.) It could have made for some good situations, like Sara having to interview Alex, be part of his world through her career (hardly any time was given to his career as a famous director, more's the pity), make her get to know him better, as well as make him see she was much more self-confident and assured, much more a woman, and could have taken he story from there.
Instead, she opts for temporary amnesia, which was dumb, as it didn't last long enough to have any significance, except to make Sara realize she was kidding herself about no longer being attracted to Alex. Ms. Lamb wasted a great chance, to have them live together again, have Alex tell her they were estranged but he wanted another chance at their marriage, have Sara (still without her memory of the past year) decide to stay as they gradually start over, though wary about what will happen when her memory returns, etc.
Instead, a visit from the conniving OW brings it all back at once, and so much time is wasted in silly arguments (including ones with her mother, who can be both caring and annoying as hell), denial, introspection (way too damn much of it) and some very funny scenes where Alex and Peter all but fight a duel, and a crazy car chase, followed by another encounter that ends with one man looking ridiculous (and I don't think I have to tell you who that man is)!
Then, it seems like Sara has a revelation about everything (a bit of a talk with Alex's boss, head of the studio, helped; there again, Alex opened up to him a bit, while shutting Sara out of everything), including how she used Peter to try and forget Alex, denied her real feelings for him, had allowed herself during her marriage to be less of a person than a doll (sort of like Nora to Alex's Torvald), and allowed Alex to keep her from growing up. She's honest with him, then he does the same, and FINALLY tells her all about his past, his crappy childhood, how he needed someone to love him, how he wanted to keep Sara all to himself out of a need to be loved that couldn't include children, because they'd not only take her attention from him (as would her having a job, despite his work keeping him away for weeks, maybe months at a time) but might make him resentful of their kids having the happy childhood he was deprived of, in short, all his troubles and fears,, which made her want to really love him now, as a woman not a girl, but as a woman, she realized it wouldn't be an easy task and may mean not having children if he couldn't get past his fears.
He treated her wrong, but she allowed him to do it. He wanted her to stay 19 all the time, but she agreed to that. He wanted her to love and trust him unconditionally, but she couldn't do that while he held so much of himself back. They both were dependent and needy, each in their own way, and - also each in their own way - they both had not fully committed to their marriage, and they both had issues to work out.
It was a HEA with reservations, but too much time was wasted with hem being apart, so the getting back together was rushed and felt phony, so did the hot sex (in her parents' house, with Mom getting home any minute, not inducive to an orgasm, unless you're WEIRD), so like I said before, lots of wasted potential here.
One more thing: if that sexy, lacy nightgown wasn't Sara's, whose was it?
The biggest flaw was the usual trope of the h/wife, Sara believing the H/husband, Alex cheated on her and - naturally - packs up and leaves, despite his denials. And in this case, there wasn't any eyewitness evidence (however misleading), instead it was supposed proof provided by the OW's soon-to-be-hubby, an obviously vindictive jerk who got a kick out of telling Sara. (He should have gotten a kick in his crummy ass!) Soon it's a move from a seaside cottage to a flat in London, a job, a new boyfriend (the OM, Peter, as different from Alex as could be - big surprise there- whom she hasn't slept with, also no surprise) and a divorce that she can't wait for, if only Alex would stop dragging his feet about the sale of the cottage where they lived!
Actually, that's how the book starts, with Sara and Peter talking about the divorce, then you get the story of the marriage in bits and pieces, including the fact that Sara was an innocent 19 when she met movie director Alex, light years ahead of her in age (33), not to mention experience. she worked on a local village paper and was sent to interview him, and it didn't take long for them to be married, though it was hardly a typical union. Alex wanted Sara separate from his show biz life, wanted her all to himself in their cottage, away from the outside world, without anything, not even his past, touching their corner of it, hardly ever took her anywhere (and when he did, she felt way out of her league), didn't want her working even part-time, despite his having to be away and leaving her alone a lot, telling her how to dress, what to read, etc. and would NOT even discuss having children. Even without the OW drama, this marriage was headed for disaster, as sooner or later the little girl was going to grow up.
Though she was still in little girl mode for a time, hence her packing up and leaving, like a petulant child (children lock themselves in their room and refuse to talk, or attempt to run away, child-like wives run off and refuse to talk to estranged husbands) and all her thoughts of killing him shooting him, choking him, etc., not to mention her numerous declarations that she HATED him, don't exactly rank high on the adult scale.
As for Alex, did he really think keeping most of his life a closed book from Sara, refusing to speak about this, that, or the other thing, telling her NO CHILDREN AND THAT'S THAT (or words to that effect) without a discussion, wanting to keep his wife perpetually 19 and isolated from the rest of the world besides her family, confiding somewhat in her mother and father but not at all in her, and dismissing her accusations about the OW by just saying, trust me and believe in me, that's all I need to hear and you need to know, is the basis for a happy and healthy marriage??? HELL NO!!
Where the book weakens, is in the author not taking opportunities she gave the story, like Sara's first job as a cub reporter. Why didn't she pursue that career when they separated? (Where did this sudden love of advertising come from, not to mention a job handed to her on a silver platter, very unrealistic.) It could have made for some good situations, like Sara having to interview Alex, be part of his world through her career (hardly any time was given to his career as a famous director, more's the pity), make her get to know him better, as well as make him see she was much more self-confident and assured, much more a woman, and could have taken he story from there.
Instead, she opts for temporary amnesia, which was dumb, as it didn't last long enough to have any significance, except to make Sara realize she was kidding herself about no longer being attracted to Alex. Ms. Lamb wasted a great chance, to have them live together again, have Alex tell her they were estranged but he wanted another chance at their marriage, have Sara (still without her memory of the past year) decide to stay as they gradually start over, though wary about what will happen when her memory returns, etc.
Instead, a visit from the conniving OW brings it all back at once, and so much time is wasted in silly arguments (including ones with her mother, who can be both caring and annoying as hell), denial, introspection (way too damn much of it) and some very funny scenes where Alex and Peter all but fight a duel, and a crazy car chase, followed by another encounter that ends with one man looking ridiculous (and I don't think I have to tell you who that man is)!
Then, it seems like Sara has a revelation about everything (a bit of a talk with Alex's boss, head of the studio, helped; there again, Alex opened up to him a bit, while shutting Sara out of everything), including how she used Peter to try and forget Alex, denied her real feelings for him, had allowed herself during her marriage to be less of a person than a doll (sort of like Nora to Alex's Torvald), and allowed Alex to keep her from growing up. She's honest with him, then he does the same, and FINALLY tells her all about his past, his crappy childhood, how he needed someone to love him, how he wanted to keep Sara all to himself out of a need to be loved that couldn't include children, because they'd not only take her attention from him (as would her having a job, despite his work keeping him away for weeks, maybe months at a time) but might make him resentful of their kids having the happy childhood he was deprived of, in short, all his troubles and fears,, which made her want to really love him now, as a woman not a girl, but as a woman, she realized it wouldn't be an easy task and may mean not having children if he couldn't get past his fears.
He treated her wrong, but she allowed him to do it. He wanted her to stay 19 all the time, but she agreed to that. He wanted her to love and trust him unconditionally, but she couldn't do that while he held so much of himself back. They both were dependent and needy, each in their own way, and - also each in their own way - they both had not fully committed to their marriage, and they both had issues to work out.
It was a HEA with reservations, but too much time was wasted with hem being apart, so the getting back together was rushed and felt phony, so did the hot sex (in her parents' house, with Mom getting home any minute, not inducive to an orgasm, unless you're WEIRD), so like I said before, lots of wasted potential here.
One more thing: if that sexy, lacy nightgown wasn't Sara's, whose was it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2020
minor spoilers ahead
a big fat okay to be honest, it's not bad, but it probably isn't something i would remember all that much.
The ending was a bit too quick, or well it was barely an ending, it was more like a HFN, we didn't get a wrap up on it and i'm not even talking about an epilogue. There was this guy she was with, and the ending was really just the main characters actually resolving their problems while getting back together but she never actually breaks up with the dude, and he's supposed to be her fiancee and shit lol
a big fat okay to be honest, it's not bad, but it probably isn't something i would remember all that much.
The ending was a bit too quick, or well it was barely an ending, it was more like a HFN, we didn't get a wrap up on it and i'm not even talking about an epilogue. There was this guy she was with, and the ending was really just the main characters actually resolving their problems while getting back together but she never actually breaks up with the dude, and he's supposed to be her fiancee and shit lol
February 25, 2022
I enjoy reading Charlotte Lamb. She could had easily written a great classic. The potential was always there. I don't know her private life and I don't know what prevented her from getting out of HQ light weight premises (not that I don't love them to death) and really write something longer and more memorable for next generations. Sigh....
As for this particular book. It was good the only thing is as usual CL was just warming up and HQ page limit was already up. Hence, H and h was together only on two occasions in total of about twenty pages only.!
As for this particular book. It was good the only thing is as usual CL was just warming up and HQ page limit was already up. Hence, H and h was together only on two occasions in total of about twenty pages only.!
May 31, 2022
nos encontramos a Sara una mujer que esta en pleno divorcio con Alex un hombre que es director de cine, la razon por la que Sara quiere divociarse de Alex es por que este la engaño con su secretaria, pero un accidente causa que Sara pierda la memoria, y le da la oportunidad a Alex de volver a conquistarla.
July 4, 2023
"Η Παρεξήγηση" - Σάρλοτ Λάμπ, Συλλογή 677
December 17, 2024
Okay book. He was far too old for her and didn't want a partner as much as a pet. Understandable given the complete emotional desert of his childhood and he sort of gets it by the end.
Read
August 27, 2025The hero had so much potential, but it kinda went down here and there. But a nice read still the same.
February 26, 2022
This a sad book, the HEA makes it into a romance. This was a second chance story, like most HQN's a lack of communication, misunderstandings, and insecurities are the root of this couples issues. This is a story about sustaining love, of learning to trust your soul mate with all your memories and your heart. Achieving this gets you your HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
April 20, 2012
Titre vf : L'année oubliée
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