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Rachel
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Mar 22, 2015 03:58PM
Thanks so much RF!!! I can't wait to see how he grovels to get her back :)
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Well the whole story is a groveling of sorts, but not really. He's the sexy, seductive, irreverent type. At first all he wants to do is to help make things easier for her. He wasn't thinking about getting her back; he thinks she would have nothing to do with him, and he's right. He feels terrible about what he did and knows there is nothing that can make up for it. As the story plays along you get a good idea of how difficult his life was after he split from the h. He was only twenty and woefully unprepared to take up the responsibilities of the dukedom; the financial ruin was just icing on the cake. There is a strong sexual pull between them, so there are a few hot kisses, but always she pulls back.
There's a subplot relating to smuggling. The H is in the area on an assignment for the Home Office. The h is involved in smuggling...yes, she's a lady smuggler! LOL That's how she makes the money she needs to pay their bills. Anyhow, the law gets involved and so there is a rush to marry in order to protect her with his name and title. But, because he knows there's no way she'll go for it, he comes up with the idea to get them caught in a compromising position. By this time he's already in love with her, but knows that that will only make things worse if he tells her.
Oh my, the night before the wedding he practically jumps her bones. He went to get the special license, which ends up taking him practically all day. He's in a hurry to get back because he knows the h very well, and knows that more than likely she's ready to back out. He expects she will want to tell him the wedding if off, so he comes up with the idea to seduce her, once again. Basically, he storms the castle has the poor woman out of her mind with passion and takes advantage. Sigh
Anyhow, if you like the idea of this one, there is another that's kinda similar that I read a couple of weeks ago. It's a contemporary romance though. The title is For Love of Charley. In that book the H and h were in love. It's so romantic when you hear about how and when they go together. The H is poor and the h is the ward of a wealthy uncle. They dated for two years during their teens, but the uncle hates the H. One night the H proposes and takes her virginity. When he gets home the uncle is there waiting for him, threatens him, and forces him to leave town. For ONE WHOLE YEAR the H writes to the h several times a week and tries to call her, but never gets any response. Whenever he calls someone else always answers the phone and she doesn't get any messages and her uncle hides the letters. After that time the H comes to the realization that the uncle is right; he has nothing to offer her. Should he and the h marry they'd have to live in poverty. So he decides that he is going to make something of himself and then go back for her. TEN YEARS later he shows up. He's rich and he's ready to get his woman back.
The most amazing thing about this book is the H's utter devotion to the h, even while they were apart. There is no mention of him being with other women; casually or otherwise. On the one hand I find that hard to believe; sexy, gorgeous, virile man with no sex for ten years?? But on the other hand, he's so utterly devoted to the h the entire ten years that I can't see him having sex with anyone else. Well, it's never mentioned, except in one scene where the h is trying to figure out who might be trying to kill the H. She supposes that it could be an ex-girlfriend/spurned lover situation. She says he must have dated other women during the time they were apart, and the h's cousin says to her, "why? you didn't?" So it's left up to the reader I guess to decide.
All I know is that the ENTIRE time the H is away all he lives for is to go back to the h. During the years he keeps tabs on her and he even ups his plan to return by a year when he thought she might be getting close to another guy. He didn't want to wait and take a chance of losing her to someone else. The only thing I didn't care for about the book is that it was a little lacking in details, but then it's short, about 130-140 pages, so I guess that's not surprising.
When the H shows back up the h is royally pissed off, of course. The H has an uphill battle to win her back. He doesn't come right out and say that's why he's back because he knows if he does that will only push her away further. So, he pretends he's back for business. About two years earlier he had purchased 50% of the h's business when she needed capital to do some expansion project. Of course SHE doesn't know that THE H is her business partner...he used his company name. LOL
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Thanks so much RF!!! I can't wait to see how he grovels to get her back :)"Well the whole story is a groveling of sorts, but not really. He's the sexy, seductive, irreverent type...."
Wow thanks for that information RF! I am going to add that one when I want a shorter book to read because I like the sound of that one as well. A devoted hero = my pot of gold! :D
You have recommended some great ones to me!!! Thank you! I take it Lucian is much better?
Mod
Well the whole story is a groveling of sorts, but not really. He's the sexy, sed..."
You're welcome. BTW FOR LOVE OF CHARLEY is written by the same author that wrote What Price Paradise. I think you read that book, but I can't remember what you said about it. If I remember correctly there was something you didn't particularly like. I'll be honest, I read the blurb and from that alone there's a lot I don't like...the fifteen year separation and the fact that the h had married another man, even though it was probably because she was pregnant with the H's baby.
I didn't particularly care for the ten year separation in FOR LOVE OF CHARLEY either. I prefer that the H and h not be apart for such extended periods of time, but it does work for some stories. In CHARLEY it was necessary because there H needed a realistic amount of time to go from rags to riches. I think you're gonna love that one, Rachel. The story emphasis that everything he does is for love of Charley...business he started the money he's made, all of it, for Charley! Anyhow, its super romantic and beyond safe! LOL
Yes, Lucian is back to normal. Thanks for asking. My little boy is so precocious and precious. He's my heart! LOL My daughter would be so jealous if she read this. I can hear her now, "you like Lucian better." LOL
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Thanks so much RF!!! I can't wait to see how he grovels to get her back :)"Well the whole story is a groveling of sorts, but not really. He'..."
RF - Yes, I did read What Price Paradise. I honestly cannot remember many details about that book. I remember it was extremely sad. I do remember her being pregnant and miscarrying and carrying that around for years and the hero never knew. I remember when she comes back to town, she sees the hero is now a single father right? It was a very depressing book. I rated it 4 stars and that was when I wasn't as picky as I am now. I can't remember how "safe" that book was though in terms of the hero having a love interest when the heroine gets back to town .... Shoot, wait, I am talking about THE SWEET GUM TREE now WHAT PRICE PARADISE ... I read both of them LMAO - in WHAT PRICE PARADISE there really wasn't much of a separation, but what really upset me was that the hero and heroine have a one night stand when he broke up with his on/off again fiancee (who was a biotch and snob). He has this one night with her because he has secretly admired her from afar and then acts like nothing happened after. It's not until she ends up pregnant that he does something about it. He even goes back to the fiancee until he figures out she is pregnant. I just didn't ever feel his love for the heroine. That was my biggest thing. And from the moment the book starts it's "safe" but I am SURE he slept with his fiancee after screwing the heroine for that one night when they were on break and that makes me mad. We will never know. Not romantic to me.
I am okay with a separation as long as it's present day for majority of the book. I cannot stand having to read several chapters of them being apart. LOL I am really liking the sound of FOR LOVE OF CHARLEY and I think I'll like it.
I am one of two sisters so I know all about that - "You like Sarah or Leah better than me." LMAO
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Well the whole story is a groveling of sor..."
LOL. Yes it's the same. You hate me. You like Lucian better. They are both a mess!
I too was getting the two books confused. Yes WHAT PRICE was about the h getting pregnant when the H was in the middle of yet another break up with his fiancee. Ugh! I never read either of those two. I read Second Time Around. You and I discussed that book and you had some issues with the storyline, but I loved it. That's when you mentioned that you'd read SWEET GUM and WHAT PRICE because they are by the same author. I looked them up. I didn't like the sound of either one. I like the author's writing style, but I didn't like the synopses of those books.
It's funny how our reading choices change as we mature isn't it? I remember reading books years ago that I loved but would never read today because of points in the story that I wouldn't tolerate now. Anyhow I'm headed to bed now. Early up in the morning and I think I'm coming down with a virus. I just hope it's not the flu Lucian had last week. Ugh. Gnite!
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Thanks so much RF!!! I can't wait to see how he grovels to get her back :)"Well the whole story is a g..."
OMG you poor thing! Taking care of a sick baby all week and now momma is sick! I hope you don't end up with the flu either!!!
I just was thinking about SECOND TIME AROUND. I would consider it, but do you remember if the separation takes up a lot of the book? And I can't remember, but the hero moved on as well as the heroine? If the start of the book is them being reunited, I might consider it :)
Goodnight honey! We will talk more later!
Mod
Wel..."
Yes when the story begins the h has just down up to crash some charity event because she's been trying to get in touch with the H to tell him their divorce isn't legal. Seeing her brings back feelings he's been trying to butt in the face years they've been separated...remember he thought she filed for divorce when he was in a coma. They both are engaged...his engagement however is bogus; it's just top keep his father off his back. The fiancee is of perfect lineage, but she's gay. LOL. The h is engaged to a nice man who really loves her, but with whom she's never been intimate. She thinks she loves him, and she does, but eventually figures out she's never been in love with him. I think the main attraction is that he loves her son and will make a great dad.
The h ands H talk that night she crashes the party. She asks him to go to Vegas and get a quickie divorce. He says he'll talk to his lawyers. When he does they tell him that's not gonna work...too much financial stuff involved. That's when he finds out he has a son. His father kept that fact from him and forged his name signing away custody!!. Can u believe it? He immediately goes to see the boy. When he arrives and he and the h talk that's when a few truths come out...1. The h didn't try tip hide his sin from him. She thought he knew about the boy, 2. Neither of them filled for divorce; they each thought the other had. The dad filed and forged everything while the H was in a coma. When the H realized that the h never wanted the divorce he forces her to give the marriage a three month trial. He wants his family back.
The problem is that they have major trust issues now because they've spent five years thinking the other did them wrong. Plus she thinks she loves this other guy. The other guy doesn't cause any real issues in the story. Everyone acts like adults. Once she and the h agree to try she stops seeing the fiance other than professionally. The H even asks her to take off her engagement ring and wear her wedding ones. They do make an honest attempt at the marriage, although it's a little iffy at first.
It's a very sweet story. The biggest drawback is that neither of them tried to speak directly to each other during the divorce preceding but went through the dad. But the night the H had his car accident he had left the h ands was returning to Chicago. They had fought and she thought he'd left her and the marriage. As for the H, well he was in a coma so that took care of that. LOL. Plus when he finally awoke he was wheelchair bound for months and couldn't take care of himself.
In the story, the h finds out that when he woke up he kept asking for her and insisting that they were keeping her from him. When he was told she had filed for divorce he fell into a depression. He wouldn't speak, wouldn't eat. Poor baby. That made me a little teary eyed. I couldn't imagine the betrayal a person would feel if something like that really happened. A lesser person would probably give up and die. When you meet him in the beginning of the book you quickly realize that he's never gotten over her and he's just been existing. I hated his father! I don't know how a man could be so cruel to his own flesh and blood. Oh they do do a couple of flashbacks to show how they first met etc. That was super cute. And the way they met when she was 14 and he 18 was hilarious!!
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Thanks so much RF!!! I can't wait to see how he grovels to get he..."Is it ever mentioned whether or not the hero become a man whore or anything? I mean he has this bogus engagement, which doesn't concern me OBVIOUSLY because she is gay LOL but what about other sexual partners? This is actually sounding promising! :D
NOW GO TO BED LOL!!!!! I'll keep talking forever!
Mod
Haha I'm just as bad. I do need to go to bed. LOL
Okay other women. He's from a super wealthy family so he's in the papers all the time. Every time he's seen with a woman they write it up, but he tells the h it's not as many women as the press makes it out to be; there haven't been many. He and the h talk about it. He tells her that between all the surgeries on his leg, (he's had seven in the five years the last one being only six months earlier) the intensive therapy, and his job as CEO of the family pharmaceutical company he hasn't had time, even if he wanted to whore around. He tells her that the night they, he and the h, had sex it had been a long time since he'd had sex with anyone. So no man whore, but definitely had other sexual partners. However the poor man did think he was divorced. LOL
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Thanks so much RF!!! I can..."Okay that makes me really happy actually LOL I can deal if he moved on and it's in the past, but not if he becomes a whore. I think I may read this book too!! Maybe I will actually like 1 or 2 books from her :) Thanks honey!!!!
I WOULD have liked her to move on too, but at least she moved on emotionally even though not sexually yet. I always hate when it's one sided.
Mod
Yes but she was a virgin and had only ever slept with the H. Sex and love go hand in hand for her I think. It's one of the things that make the H sure she never loved the other guy otherwise she would have slept with him.
FYI the H's fiancee is not an issue in the story. She's history!! I forgave the sleeping with other women because he thought himself divorced. But that's not an issue either, although the couple do discuss it. But wait until you read it and as you get to know him you start to realize that after she left him--so he thought--he wasn't really living. Just going through the motions. So sad. That's why I couldn't understand the father at all. Who doesn't want their kid to be happy? He was a snob and a asshole!
You're welcome! Now I'm really going to bed! Night night!! Work tomorrow?
Freaking bastard!!! I'm gonna go to bed too now lol!! No work tomorrow! I just have one appointment and I have to cook but hopefully I'll get in lots of reading!!! :)Are you off as well?
Mod
Are you off as well?"
I stay at home with the kids now; no job. So I'm NEVER off!!!
Omg lol!!!! I always said I can never be a stay at home mom. I think I'd kill myself lol!!! God bless you honey!!!! The job that has sucky pay and never ends!!!!!
Mod
It ain't easy, that's for sure. But it will be worth it...so I'm told! LOL I didn't think I'd be the stay at home type either, and it's hard. But I know the kids love having me at home, and maybe in the long run it will make a difference. Sometimes I question the wisdom of our decision, but my husband still think we did the right thing. My little one starts kindergarten this fall and I'll be able to look into going back to work then. I'm looking forward to that, and I'm not. I'm torn. LOL
Mod
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HIS LADY PEREGRINE is a novella; it's listed at 83 pages. It is the 5th book in Ms. Hartman's LOVE BIRDS series. The h and H share a love of anything related to birds--the H's family thinks he's crazy because of his intense love of birds. LOL Anyhow, the H has a slight problem when it come's to courting the h, there is another woman who, for whatever reason, believes him to be her long lost husband! I never heard of that plot device before.
MISS MOSELEY THE MATCHMAKER is about a h who is a matchmaker, of course. Then the man that she is secretly in love with asks her to help him make a match. To add to the plot there is a second man who arrives on the scene, a "reserved gentleman who makes her question what she really wants." So, who is the H? I could tell you if you like, or you could read the book for yourselves. Up to you. ROTFL
ROMEO AND JULIET is the Vampire Werewolf twist on the class Shakespearean play. LOL The year is 2099, the play New York City; two great families, one werewolf, the other vampire. I'm sure you can guess the rest. :-)
WAR LEADER is described as being a part of a three part series. However, book 2 is said to be a standalone, so it seems that book one is a complete book, but the story about other people in the War Leader's life continues in books 2 and 3. FYI, I didn't find a "book 3", but I did find a book that is titled WAR LEADER'S DAUGHTER, so presumably that is the third book in the series. The character featured in book 2 is not the H of book 1, which is what leads me to conclude that each book is a standalone.
FYI it's a medieval set romance set during the time of William's invasion of England. I can't tell who the h is because on the one hand the War Leader is given the Kind's niece's hand in marriage, but he discovers that she's slept with another man and is pregnant by him. The other man is the H's squire so the H must marry the ho in order to prevent his squire from being put to death for treason. Sigh There is another young woman who intrigues the H and who has a crush on him. Is she the h? I don't know. Did the H really marry the King's niece? Again, I don't know. It's a full length novel with over 400 pages. The plot sounds pretty complicated and I'm sure that the HEA will not be an easy one to achieve.
LEGACY OF DARKNESS is a dark, gothic type romance. The h is taken in by distant relatives. The castle is one of those dark, gothic places with weird noises during the night and that is shrouded in mystery. There are two men; uncle and nephew. The nephew, the earl is described as being kind, but there's a secret. The uncle is charming and seductive, but he too has secrets. The big question is, who is the villain of the piece, and who is the hero. One reviewer says this is not a book to read at nigh;, it was that scary! Another says this is the only non-vampire romance book that she's read in a long time where she can honestly say she didn't miss the fangs. Sounds intriguing! I may just have to read this next, because I am in the mood for something different. This book is only about 160 pages; not too long.
TEXAS YANKEE: HONEYMOON is a sequel to TEXAS YANKEE: HOMECOMING. We've had HOMECOMING on a previous freebie list in the past. It is the continuing story of the H and h in HOMECOMING.
BRIDE OF THE SHINING MOUNTAINS is about a h who is being auctioned off and the H who buys her out of sympathy. There's a lot of excitement it this book, it seems like. There is someone who is intent on keeping the couple apart, even to the point of committing murder. Then there is the plot angle that involves the H returning to his hometown to solve his brother's murder, in which he has been implicated. The plot is extremely similar to that of Rafe's Redemption, which I read and enjoyed. Only in that book the H was implicated in the murder of his stepfather--I think. I mean the two books are almost identical right down to the fact that both hs are dark haired, and both Hs are in the fur-traders business while hiding out. However, BRIDE OF SHINING it looks like the H and h get married from the beginning--at least that's the way it seems.
THE WARRIOR'S REWARD is by Samantha Holt. She is a favored author of mine. The plot is involved so I decided to copy and paste the details here instead of trying to decipher them myself. FYI, this is a new book; no reviews so far. Here's the book description..,
Following the failure of the rebellion, Wales is a desperate country. As is the illegitimate son of the Prince of Wales, Ieuan. He is forced to travel from Wales to England to take part in a joust in a bid to get close to a woman—the famed Treasure of Tynewell.
He soon discovers Rosamunde de Lacy certainly lives up to her name. And seems as pampered and as innocent as he thought she’d be. Nevertheless, Ieuan needs her dowry to help rebuild his castle and bring back prosperity to his people. But will such a delicate treasure be able to survive the harsh and dangerous lands of Wales?
After being fairly charmed by the rough knight and his chivalrous ways, Rosamunde might have been receptive to a courtship from the Welshman. But she certainly never intended to be betrothed to him within days of meeting him. Unfortunately, Rosamunde is left with little choice but to marry the warrior who doesn’t seem nearly so charming now he’s secured her hand.
While Ieuan plans to rebuild his siege-scarred castle, Rosamunde has plans of her own. Wales might be barbaric and her husband even more so, but she’s determined to prove herself as something more than a prize to be won.
With danger abound and her husband hiding his parentage—one that might see him hung as a traitor—can either of them see each other as something more than a barbarian and a princess? Will they even survive the tense political climate long enough to see eye to eye?
That's it for today, ladies. I'll talk to y'all later!
Thanks RF I grabbed quite a few o them off of today's list. Don't ask me when I'll get to them. I stopped at the library again today. LOL. Kate I tried looking for the Julia London book you suggested and they didn't have it in stock so I ordered it. I also got out a couple of hers that I need to check out a little more. One is called The Hazards of Hunting a Duke and the other is Highlander in Love.
I'm glad everyone is chatting and discovering some grea books. I only had to work until 1 today and tomorrow. I am really digging NSAS. It picked up like I hoped and he just got shot with an arrow.
Mod
Kate I tried looking for the Julia London book you sugge..."
Oh I'm so glad to hear that NEVER SEDUCE is getting better for you, EB. I knew it would once you got past the slow part. I finished A BELATED BRIDE last night and now I'm at a loss as to what to read next. I might read that Holt freebie that was on our list today. I usually like her stuff and I'm not really in the mood for anything specific so...
Those people at the library must know you by name by now. ROTFL I hear you about constantly getting books and never knowing when you'll have time to read them, but our moods vary so much that it makes sense to have them on hand just in case. And they are free so even if you never read them, no big loss, right?
I think I read something by Holt too and liked it too. I snagged that one too. I like Hartman too she writes clean romances and there are always cats in her books. I got the dark book too it looked different. We shall see. Devil takes a bride was done by Gaelen Foley too and had Lizzy in it. It was a good read. It was in her Knoght series and was awesome
Hey ladies! I am just dropping in to say hello! I am trying to get through this three part serial series so I can move on to one of the other books on my list LOL!!! So sorry I am not talking as much today! I have work for the next four days too :( so I have to get a lot of reading in today!! LOL
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I got the same books off the freebie list that you did, EB. Plus I already had WAR LEADER, although I'm not sure I'll read that one. I'm going to have to give it a good once through first because I'm not really feeling the whole having to marry another woman theme. Umm
I also already had MISS MOSELEY and I picked up a copy of the MOUNTAIN BRIDE one. I really liked RAFE'S REDEMPTION which has a similar theme, although it's by a different author. You know I like my westerns with sexy cowboys from time to time. LOL
Hi Rachel! Get your reading in while you can. Which serial novel are you reading? Don't you just hate it when you're stuck reading a book you can't wait to finish? Not that it's bad, but you really want to move on to another? My husband thinks I'm crazy when I insist on finishing the one book before going to the other. He says why bother, it's not like it's a job where I HAVE to finish it. LOL
Reading Fanatic wrote: "OMG! Judith McNaught is going digital!! Yay! I just discovered that three of Ms. M's books are now available in digital format. She is one of my all time favorite authors and I have been bemoan..."RF! I have read a few of JMN books and I have a few on my TBR list. Not all of hers are "safe" for me so I have to skip some like Paradise and Once and Always. But I have read A Kingdom of Dreams and Something Wonderful. I have to say that SW was hard to read at times even though it was "safe". I only read that one because someone told me that it will SEEM like he slept with his mistress towards the beginning of their marriage but he really didn't or I would have never made it through lol. I have several more on my list to read by her - Whitney, My Love, Almost Heaven, Perfect, Tender Triumph and I am unsure about this one ... Until You. Anyhow I read the first two I mentioned not that long ago too! So they are fresh in my mind LOL
I KNOW! It's not that it's bad, I like it, but serials are so short so you are ready for the next one and hoping that it's fantastic! LOL Havoc, Obliterate, and Mend is the series I am reading. It's CR with a single parent - the hero has a 5 year old son. I haven't seen the child much in the first installment, so I am hoping for more :)
Hi Rachel. I know work is such an inconvience to our reading lives. Lol I don't think ever read your digital lady. It is cool that some of the old book are being digitally upgraded. I'm still keeping my paperbacks though. Omg did I tell you guys I ended buying CA's Annie's Song and Forever. Anyhow now that I know what magic she works i decided I'd get them. I got them in paperback so I got two at the same price as just the one. It eased the pain of parting with my GC money. Lol I'm such a tight wad.
Elizabeth wrote: "Hi Rachel. I know work is such an inconvience to our reading lives. Lol I don't think ever read your digital lady. It is cool that some of the old book are being digitally upgraded. I'm still keepi..."Haha! I just ADORED Annie's Song! SO SO good! I need to look into Forever and see how that goes. The ones you have been reading by CA have been safe though? No other women or anything right? I remember us talking about one of them and you were still reading the other one.
Mod
I'll tell you the truth, Rachel. JMN's books are not easy to read. The first book I ever read by her was WHITNEY MY LOVE. I picked up a hardcover copy on a great sale at BN years ago; I still have that book. The ups and downs that go on between the couple is enough to make you seasick. The scene where they consummate their relationship is borderline rape...he was jealous because he thought she'd taken a lover, which she hadn't. He was not gentle. When he realized that she was a virgin and he was wrong, he was sorry and confessed to her what he had thought. She got mad because she hadn't realized that that was the reason he'd slept with her. He was very remorseful, but she wanted to leave him so he let her go. Up to that point, she was being forced to marry him. There are other issues before the couple finally get their happy time and marry, but even then there is yet another problem before they FINALLY get the HEA.
I absolutely loved ONCE AND ALWAYS; Jason is the quintessential tortured hero. He was extremely difficult to live with and I felt very sorry for Victoria at times, but Jason had a LOT of baggage! In that book too there is a borderline rape scene when it comes to consummating the marriage. I say borderline because it was not gentle in any way, and if I remember correctly he forced her, at least in the beginning. But that is an epic romance.
SOMETHING WONDERFUL is one of my all time favorite books. I loved Jordan and Alex. As with most of JMN's heroes, however, Jordan was not an easy man to deal with. However, I think that may have been on of her "milder" books. LOL
UNTIL YOU is the story that follows WHITNEY. The H in that book is brothers with the H in WHITNEY. UNTIL YOU is not as tumultuous, but it's not an easy read either. As a matter of fact I wanted to bash Stephen over the head a few times. The plot included some borderline dumb twists...at least I thought. The h and H meet when he kills her charge's fiance by accident. He goes to meet their ship so he can be the one to tell the woman about her fiance's death. Unknown to the H the fiancee had run off because she didn't want to marry her fiance. LOL Anyhow, the h is left to tell the fiance that his future bride ran off. She gets injured before she and the H can speak. When the h awakens she has no memory, but the H thinks she is the fiancee of the man he killed. He nurses her back to health then somehow the plan for him to marry comes up. I think because she was alone with no family and in a foreign country; she is American.
Anyhow, she gets her memory back right before the wedding and runs off; I forget exactly why, but I think the dumb reasoning is that he will think she's been lying about her memory all along or something along those lines. It didn't really make a whole lot of sense. Stephen is crushed when she ran out on him; he already had trust issues with women before her. From that point on the story is about trying to get the two back together. And let me tell you, she has to jump through hoops before they get back together. Oh and the scene where they sleep together and he takes her innocence...I would not read that today. Bear in mind that I read this book a loooooong time ago. Anyhow, he takes her innocence and then acts like a cad afterwards. If I remember correctly he offered her carte blanche after that. I wanted to kill him!!! That being said, JMN is an excellent writer so it's a good book, just not easy to read at times. Her books are definitely NOT light and fluffy or even feel good.
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "OMG! Judith McNaught is going digital!! Yay! I just discovered that three of Ms. M's books are now available in digital format. She is one of my all time ..."I have a few friends that recommended the "safer" books to me by JMN and Whitney, My Love was one of them. That is the one where the hero is trying to "woo" her because he is totally into her, but she is interested in another man. And even though she is constantly trying to throw herself at the other man, he still wants her. Until he FINALLY lets her go because he has no hope for a future with her. He forces a marriage between them by threatening her family or something I think. It had something to do with money. He does move on when they are separated but it's not in your face from what I'm told. And when she comes back, he throws her out or something or am I getting this one confused?? LMAO
I am going to skip Once and Always because I KNOW that it's not safe for me to read. He does sleep with other women or another woman in that book and it's brought to your attention. I can't deal with that.
Until You - I am unsure about. I can get over the physical stuff but what is turning me off of that one is in your synopsis you mention that the HEROINE is the one that has to do the chasing and for ONCE I want one of her heroes to put up a fight and fight for his woman damn it LOL So I might skip that one. I am hoping he doesn't turn into a man whore when she runs. Ugh Maybe I should skip it!
Mod
No you are exactly right about WHITNEY. He gave her father a crap-load of money; 100,000 thousand pounds which back then was a bloody fortune, and all so that he could marry her. She knows nothing about the arrangement. I believe the H met her while they were both in France then came home and approached her father about the marriage. The father summons her home and she thinks she's still in love with this guy Phillip who she's always "loved." It's really school girl rubbish, but you know how that is.
The H pretends to be a member of the gentry, no one knows he's really a duke. He woos the h, or tries to. She is very difficult; extremely feisty and not the least bit impressed with him and all about the other guy. Of course there is an attraction but she's an innocent and probably doesn't really understand what that's all about. When she finds out about the secret engagement she is FURIOUS!!!! From then the gloves come off. LOL She certainly was not an easy conquest.
Eventually she begins to soften towards the H, but he gets suspicious that she's having an affair, I think with the original rival, Phillip, but I could be wrong. The truth is that at this point the h is happy to marry the H, but he blows it with the consummation then confessing that he took her because he thought she'd been unfaithful. She was devastated; at that point she wanted to be done with him. He felt so horrible that he agreed to let her go even though he was in love with her at that point.
Eventually they do try for a reconciliation, but again due to misunderstanding it falls apart. He gets engaged to another woman; he's a duke and MUST marry. When he brings the fiancee home to let his family know about the arrangement, the h is there. Long story short, the engagement lasts all of five minutes. Even though men couldn't break a betrothal in those days, he did! It helps that the engagement had only been agreed upon that night and had not as yet been announced.
But even after the happy couple marry, there is yet ANOTHER disagreement that results in them separating. I mean those two are a pain in the ass. I loved the book, but read it again? I'm not sure about that! It's another epic romance and definitely worth the read, but it's heavy!
Umm I don't remember Jason sleeping with any other women in ONCE AND ALWAYS. Of course it's been a long time since I read it. He was married before to a greedy hussy who treated him like crap. The heifer died, but so did his young son. He's had a HORRIBLE childhood! He doesn't trust women AT ALL. The h gets through his hardened exterior, but she is engaged to another man in America. In the beginning of the book she is certain her fiance will come for her. He was away when her family died and she and her sister were sent to England. Anyhow, the only reason she agrees to marry the H is because after a while she hadn't heard from her fiance and her guardian--the H's uncle/father--tricked her into it. He pretended he was dying and this was his dying wish. LOL The H knew they were being set up but he wanted to marry the h.
I'm almost positive there were no women after he and the h got together. He doesn't even LIKE women for God's sake! LOL
The thing with UNTIL YOU is that Stephen is so wonderful in WHITNEY and then in UNTIL he's a completely different person. I think that was sort of explained because he inherited an earldom and then became a target for marriage minded women and they hounded him, so he develops an issue with women. I think that was it. As for the chasing Sherry had to do some chasing. SHE was the one who abandoned HIM on their wedding day!!
I wish I could remember all the circumstances, but for some reason she was sure he would believe that she had tricked him. That made no damn sense because SHE wasn't the one who claimed to be the other woman. When she woke up and couldn't remember who she was, HE was the one who told her she was the engaged woman. Then she thought that Stephen must be her fiance because he was so concerned about her. The doctor told him not to tell her that her fiance had died because there was concern that it would be too much of a shock for her. It could be that another character, who was a friend of the H's of sorts, had convinced that her best bet was to leave, but I can't remember. I have both WHITNEY and UNTIL YOU in hardcopy at my Mom's. I'll ask her to send them to me so I check them out. I can't stand it when I can't remember something. LOL
I didn't hate the chasing so much, because she wasn't blatant about it. His sister in law, from WHITNEY was helping the h, as well as the hs from a couple of other JMN books. What I didn't like is how hard Stephen was on her. And I HATED the way he was with her after he took her virginity. That's a big issue for me. Don't sleep with a h if you don't have honorable intentions, not in my HRs. I don't care about that in the CRs, but HRs are set in different times and that was a big issue for women back then.
Whoa those sound brutal RF. It surprises me that she is one of your favorites. Now I know we both like our erotica's but I think the husband being brutal is a no go for me. Beatrice Small wrote one where the h and her husband had to live within the palace and serve as a lady in waiting for the queen. The king however had other ideas for her. Let's just say her husband was sent off on an errand and the king used secret tunnels. When he lets her husband in on their affair the two of them had at her repeatedly. She got away and was saved by another man bit it was sad bc there were kids involved and the husband last name Leslie went on in other books much older then the h and was writen as a H. I have a love hate relationship with BS. Her book hellion you would hate Rachel bc the h waits for husband and when he doesn't return hoes in search. He had his memory wiped out by this potion and had taken up with another woman. The h then had to go in undercover and she gets seduced by this wizard who is brother to the girl that's now with the H. It was a crazy book but hers usually are.
Mod
And you say MY books sound brutal, EB? ROTFL Bear in mind though that I read these books umpteen years ago. I much less tolerant nowadays. I don't think I'd read WHITNEY or UNTIL YOU again. I don't think I could read ONCE AND ALWAYS either, but SOMETHING WONDERFUL? Definitely!
In WHITNEY the couple just had too many misunderstandings because they are both bullheaded and wouldn't communicate. The less than gracious sexual encounter I could live with I think...I can't remember the details. But in UNTIL YOU? I hated the carte blanche offer after he took her innocence. If that were me and I had a knife I think I'd stab his ass!!
Elizabeth wrote: "Whoa those sound brutal RF. It surprises me that she is one of your favorites. Now I know we both like our erotica's but I think the husband being brutal is a no go for me. Beatrice Small wrote one..."OMG RF! In Whitney, I thought they just had the one separation, where he lets her go after the sex incident, then he has to find the other wife. I don't know anything about them being separated like two more times! Lord, help me! What happens? I am wondering if it is still I'll be able to get over or not .... I didn't realize their relationship was so back and forth. I am not crazy about my MCs spending majority of the book apart :(
Once and Always - I'm pretty sure he does have sex with a mistress or prostitute or something. My friend recently did a re-read and KNOWS how I am and told me to not read that one. I don't want to read Paradise because too much of the book is spent with them being apart and that's not my idea of romance.
Still very unsure about Until You LOL! Kingdom of Dreams were amazing though - now that's an awesome hero!
EB - OMG there is no WAY i'll like that one LOL!!!!!!!
BS gets worse than what I said which is why I don't read much about her sex slave books. I have read some don't get me wrong but it's been along time and one of the last I read was from the Hectar series and the h was immortal but the H was not. I hate that but she does that a lot to her H, kill them off I mean. She tends to kill off the parents too, brutally. The one series I really enjoyed was her books using the channel on it. Like most series there were books that I did not care for.
Elizabeth wrote: "BS gets worse than what I said which is why I don't read much about her sex slave books. I have read some don't get me wrong but it's been along time and one of the last I read was from the Hectar ..."Oh my lord LOL That is terrible! Death in romance is not something I like at all, but if it's going to happen, I have to know beforehand to prepare myself. Even still, I rarely read a romance that doesn't have an HEA.
Mod
Ummm Let me think, WHITNEY they are together when he is trying to woo her. She then finds out who he really is and that they are engaged. She is pissed, but he wont let her go. Eventually there is the "you're cheating" thing they have sex and separate. The first reconciliation occurs at a friend's wedding. They don't get a chance to talk but I think he was holding her from behind and they seem in sync with one another. Then something happens between the church and the reception and there's a misunderstanding. I can't remember what!!! Argh It's going to drive me nuts! So that was a failed reconciliation. They never got together there so there's still only the one separation. Then she decides she's going to get her man. It might have been right after the wedding, not sure. When she gets to his house his brother lets her in and allows her to stay. The H had never told his family about her; it never got to that point, but the brother remembered one night the H had gotten drunk and talked about Whitney with the green eyes. That was after they broke up--he was a mess!
The scene where the H brings home the fiance. That was a mess. The brother (loved Stephen in this book) goads her on to make the H angry. The mother is in on it too. Finally the H loses it and pretty much drags her from the dining table. The reconciliation scene is very sweet. SHE has to go to HIM, because he just can't take being rejected again. It's so nice to bring a man to his knees. Honestly the story should have ended there, but after they marry they are very happy. Then there is a misunderstanding, they fight and I think she leaves him. Ends up she was at his mother's house. But they were apart for a few days. So it's TWO separation, the second one is a minor, and the first reconciliation was only an attempt at it, but it never panned out. I can't remember how long they were separated. I don't think the story dragged while they were apart, it might have skipped over most of the time that there were apart.
I LOVED KINGDOM OF DREAMS too. That was an awesome book. It's one of the ones that's available in digital format now.
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Whoa those sound brutal RF. It surprises me that she is one of your favorites. Now I know we both like our erotica's but I think the husband being brutal is a no go..."Okay that helps and the second separation, where she goes to his mother's house, he goes after HER that time or what? I get why she had to go to him the first time. That's understandable. Do you remember how long they are separated for the first time? Like when he lets her go?
Mod
Oh hell yes he goes after her. The problem is he had no idea where to find her and finally after days he decides to check with his mother! ROTFL He realized he was a dickhead right after she left. He found something and came to a ridiculous conclusion and got angry and said something mean and she left. She's no shrinking violet let me tell you.
And after he let her go the first time, HE did go after her. Like I said I can't remember the circumstances surrounding the attempt at a reconciliation, but it was at a friend's wedding. Something happened, or she said something, that made him think she didn't care. He was already so heartbroken over losing her I think this just pushed him over the edge. It was only after that that he finally gave up and decided he needed to find a wife. He really does love Whitney and it's beautiful because he's a very hard man and has women tossing themselves at him right left and center and SHE brings him to his knees. Imagine paying that much money so that he could marry her?
I don't know how long they were separated the first time; it could have been a few weeks, or even months. Definitely NOT years. And I think the story skipped over a lot of that time, so you're not bogged down reading page after page with the two apart. I'm going to Skype my Mom in a few minutes. I'm going to ask her to send my damn book!!
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Whoa those sound brutal RF. It surprises me that she is one of your favorites. Now I know we both like our erotica's but I th..."LMAO!!! Do that and fill in the gaps for me before I read it! I feel much better after talking to you about it! I might be messaging you while reading due to my death by angst LOL!!! I am glad she isn't a shrinking violet. I am also glad that the "betrothal" was a fleeting moment. I am finding it very hard to believe that he slept with anyone else in the entire book. If he is THAT head over heels for the heroine and only really moves on after that wedding scene, I just don't see it.
Mod
I don't think he did sleep with anyone else. Not in WHITNEY. He courts the five minute fiancee I think, but you know how their courtships went. He probably picked her out of a line up and said "she'll do" and that was that. LOL I'm being facetious of course. Haha
But you said you thought was the H in ONCE AND ALWAYS that slept with another woman. That was Jason. I don't remember him sleeping with anyone else either. My mom found three JMN books, but not WHITNEY. :-( She says she'll keep looking. I'm positive I saw that damn book at her house when I was there last summer!!
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Whoa those sound brutal RF. It surprises me that she is one of your favorites. Now I k..."LOL!!! I can ask my friend about Once and Always to be sure, but she specifically told me not to read that one because of a mistress or SOMEONE he sleeps with after meeting the heroine. So it must have either been when she leaves or maybe when she just gets on the ship? I don't know. Some men during that time that hated women especially, screwed just to screw and were very derogatory towards the women they did mess with. That's what I've noticed anyway.
But I'll start with Whitney, My Love. I have a feeling I'll like it better than Something Wonderful, only because I felt that that hero should have groveled WAY more, in my opinion of course - although it was good and SAFE hehehehe
Mod
LOL There's no ship in ONCE AND ALWAYS. The h is from America and does arrive by ship, but that's at the beginning of the story. They don't separate at all. I think we're starting to confuse one book with another. ROTFL
UNTIL YOU is the book with the amnesic h. She too traveled from America to England via ship.
Yes, please ask your friend who Jason slept with and when? He might have been seeing someone when she first came to live with him and his father/uncle, but I don't remember that. There was nothing between him and the h at that point. She's the only person who EVER argues with him. LOL I am being facetious when I say that Jason doesn't like women, but he certainly doesn't trust them. But he has good reason not to. His wife was horrible and he suffered horribly at the hands of his crazy mother. He even has whip scars all over his back.
Omg lmao!!! You are right! I am confusing those two books so let me ask my friend about this one! :)
Mod
LOL.
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Omg lmao!!! You are right! I am confusing those two books so let me ask my friend about this one!LOL."
I asked my friend, but in the meantime, I found this in a review so maybe this might spark a memory???
" If that description of their terrible wedding night made you want to gag, choke, cry, and murder Jason, the actual scene is even worse. Anyway, the show must go on! So Victoria wakes up resolved to divorce Jason - and he refuses - so after he storms away, she leaves to deliver left-over wedding food to a nearby orphanage. Only, she winds up going to the house of a Captain who Jason is very good friends with. And, keeping with the theme of violent men, he forces her to tell him why she demanded a divorce from Jason. After her whole story comes pouring out, the Captain tells her Jason's life story of a brutal past and, being the kind person she is, Victoria sets out to make amends. Only, that never works out. Jason ignores her and instead departs to his mistress - which even gets put in the papers! - and makes Victoria jealous. So Victoria bans him from his mistress and tries to seduce him, but he doesn't realize she's seducing him until FINALLY after pages and pages of ANGST and sexual tension and stupid longing they have sex. And Jason leaves her expensive jewelry. And continues to do so until Victoria leaves for the city for four days, instead of the two Jason requested. So Jason, in a fit of anger (seeing the recurring theme of ANGER and VIOLENCE here?) finds her in London, forces her to have sex with him, and the two return back to their mansion. "
The question is - was it only to make her jealous or did he really sleep with this mistress???
Mod
LOL."
I asked my friend, but in the meantime, I found this..."
Yes I remember this. Everything she says here is true, but of course each reader will interpret it differently. I cannot remember the deal with the mistress. Damn!
Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Reading Fanatic wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Omg lmao!!! You are right! I am confusing those two books so let me ask my friend about this one!LOL."
I asked my friend, but in the meantim..."
Well honestly, I can get past all of that minus the mistress LMAO!!!! That is the only thing stopping me from reading that book. I asked a friend who has read these books multiple times to see what that is all about. At first I thought a friend told me, but actually I read this review and that's where I saw the mistress business.
Mod
I don't remember exactly what set Jason off the night of their wedding, but I know that part of it is that she drank too much and felt sick. He thought she meant she was sick at having to do the deed with him, or something like that. It was a mess. I didn't like that wedding night scene at all.
Reading Fanatic wrote: "It's true that the wedding night is bad. I told you it was borderline rape...I can't remember how much force was involved, but he was not gentle. She was an innocent. Yes the next day the friend..."It sounds horrendous! You must have read many her HR and not her CR?
Romance Spoiler Review Lovers
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (other topics)Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (other topics)
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