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Blackmail
His only desire was to use her
That horrible damning letter! If Lee didn't become Gilles de Chauvigny's temporary wife he'd show it to her real fiancé.
That Gilles could disrupt her life so carelessly, so callously just to be rid of a too possessive mistress--outraged Lee, but she was powerless to stop him.
Then, later, she didn't want to, for she had fallen hopelessly in love with him. Hopelessly because his spurned lover vowed to have him back. Hopelessly because Gilles felt nothing for her.
That horrible damning letter! If Lee didn't become Gilles de Chauvigny's temporary wife he'd show it to her real fiancé.
That Gilles could disrupt her life so carelessly, so callously just to be rid of a too possessive mistress--outraged Lee, but she was powerless to stop him.
Then, later, she didn't want to, for she had fallen hopelessly in love with him. Hopelessly because his spurned lover vowed to have him back. Hopelessly because Gilles felt nothing for her.
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
13 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,125 books666 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
November 26, 2021
Setting: France, wine country
Heroine: at 16 had a crush on the 20-something hero. Her friend sent him a “obscene” letter that repelled him. Heroine has never lived down the humiliation nor has she opened her heart to another. However, she is long-distance engaged to a Boston Brahman who wants a guaranteed virgin for a wife.
Hero: has inherited the chateau, vineyards, and a taste for melodrama. He agreed to see the heroine’s wine buyer boss since he’s been keeping tabs on the heroine all of this time. He also has a neighbor OW to get rid of so he’ll blackmail the heroine into a marriage of convenience by threatening to show the obscene letter he’s kept under his pillow to her upright fiancé. They will divorce after six months of torturing her at his leisure.
Yes. This is the premise. Yes, this makes no sense. But I kept reading because the crazy kept on coming.
H/h marry. Hero takes her to Paris for a designer wardrobe and marvels at how such a beautiful facade could hide such an obscene mind. LOL Hero was so smitten/outraged/suffering from Madonna/whore syndrome that I kept wondering just what was in that letter.
There is major slut-shaming, one-time sex outdoors that leads to the heroine’s pregnancy and the hero’s guilt/remorse/need for more sex. Heroine is also emoting all over the place, but hero really wins the crazy-in-love award.
OW doesn’t do much except bring the heroine’s ex fiancé to a ball, trying to stir up trouble. Her servant manages to lock the heroine in the basement of the chateau for a fun black moment. OW does get a scolding from her father, so that’s a nice comeuppance as well.
This is vintage crazysauce, but of the lower simmer variety.
Heroine: at 16 had a crush on the 20-something hero. Her friend sent him a “obscene” letter that repelled him. Heroine has never lived down the humiliation nor has she opened her heart to another. However, she is long-distance engaged to a Boston Brahman who wants a guaranteed virgin for a wife.
Hero: has inherited the chateau, vineyards, and a taste for melodrama. He agreed to see the heroine’s wine buyer boss since he’s been keeping tabs on the heroine all of this time. He also has a neighbor OW to get rid of so he’ll blackmail the heroine into a marriage of convenience by threatening to show the obscene letter he’s kept under his pillow to her upright fiancé. They will divorce after six months of torturing her at his leisure.
Yes. This is the premise. Yes, this makes no sense. But I kept reading because the crazy kept on coming.
H/h marry. Hero takes her to Paris for a designer wardrobe and marvels at how such a beautiful facade could hide such an obscene mind. LOL Hero was so smitten/outraged/suffering from Madonna/whore syndrome that I kept wondering just what was in that letter.
There is major slut-shaming, one-time sex outdoors that leads to the heroine’s pregnancy and the hero’s guilt/remorse/need for more sex. Heroine is also emoting all over the place, but hero really wins the crazy-in-love award.
OW doesn’t do much except bring the heroine’s ex fiancé to a ball, trying to stir up trouble. Her servant manages to lock the heroine in the basement of the chateau for a fun black moment. OW does get a scolding from her father, so that’s a nice comeuppance as well.
This is vintage crazysauce, but of the lower simmer variety.
August 2, 2019
So I saw the words Penny Jordan and Blackmail and immediately went no-brainer, I’m reading this.
Then a few pages later, I saw that the Hero is French and almost DNFed.
Sorry, but I can’t do French or Swiss Heroes. Maybe it’s something to do with the food. Maybe I’ve got to like the cuisine before I like the Hero.
But then again, I am a sucker for English Heroes and let’s face it fish and chips/ sausage and mash? Wholesome but not exactly exotic. Guess that sexy, deep timbre in the accent makes up for it.
So this is how my mind reacts when I encounter Heroes from different geographical locations being a judgemental dickhead to the heroine.
French Hero: You slut!
Me: Oh shut up and go smell some blue cheese and catch some garden animals (snails and frog legs being French delicacies)
Swiss Hero: You slut!
Me: Oh shut up and go melt some cheese and call it dinner (as in Fondue and Raclette)
English Hero: You slut!
Me (perking up): Ooh, baby...Say it again but sloowwly.
Greek/Spanish/Italian Hero: You slut!
Me: Oh moussaka, paella, panna cotta, just take me now!
Yes, of course, I’m being silly and taking the mickey out of my French and Swiss friends. But it’s also kinda why this one gets 5 stars. I was so caught up in the story, I forgot that the Hero was French.
Backstory:
Girl, 16 meets Man, 22 one summer and falls in love. Girl is very shy and barely speaks to him. Man thinks she is a tender, beautiful rosebud and that it would be sacrilegious to pluck when she hasn’t even bloomed.
Then Hero receives a letter allegedly from Girl (but really from her friend who was trying to “help things along” for the infatuated h). He absolutely hits the roof.
So this is where I almost DNFed. I would never claim to be an expert on any culture. Silly jokes aside and speaking purely from a perspective based on personal experiences and observation, French men are generally romantic, gentle creatures, all about affection which is the real reason I find it hard to read about them in HPland.
For them, when it comes to matters of the heart, things happen. Well, mostly, sex happens. So to have a French Hero losing his shit over a 16-year old writing a lewd letter and judging her to have the morals of an alley cat was just a bit hard to stomach. Frankly, I just cannot imagine an angry, judgemental French man when it comes to sex.
And also, 16 is not exactly a show-stopper. I’m not saying French men are pervs and parents are enthusiastic about their daughters having sex, but it’s normal for them to buy condoms for their sons and start their girls on birth control pills. They know the sex is going to happen, they just want them to be prepared.
And as long as the girl is willing, a French man is only considered a jerk if he doesn’t make the love affair a pleasant, satisfying experience. Again, let me stress here: personal opinion.
So I was piqued for a while. What on earth could be in the letter to incur such a venomous reaction from a French man?
Especially when they meet up years later in the middle of what should have been a business dinner discussing the acquisition of his wines and he does a turn-around and blackmails her with that same letter!
He wants a name-only temporary marriage to her so that his mistress, who wants to become Queen of his Chateau, will back off.
Ahh… Don’t you just love these Heroes who can run successful vineyards, with titles to their names and servants to do their bidding but just can’t manage their over-zealous mistresses?
Said mistress’s father has a joint land running to the Hero and he wants it but doesn’t want to risk upsetting the father so has come up with this ingenious solution.
So he threatens to reveal the contents of the letter to her straight-laced fiancé who is distrustful, controlling, disapproving of her independence and takes a chauvinistic pride in her obvious chastity.
Well, obvious to all but the slut-shaming H, of course.
And she, who really should have told the H to take his frog-loving, matured-cheese-stinking hide elsewhere, simply succumbs to the blackmail.
For a while I was mystified. What was so bad in that letter that makes her go through with the marriage? I admit I obsessed over it longer than necessary. Descriptive anal sex? Fisting? Maybe she wanted to fist him?
Either way, I could only imagine since he religiously kept the letter, he probably got over his disgust and fantasized about it over the years. I foresee kink in the HEA.
So this H keeps hurling insults at her and taunting her that she wants him but that he will never want soiled goods. Honestly, the French would be the first to drag his judgemental ass to the stake.
But amazingly, I got sucked into the angst, forgot my bias and read the whole thing in one go few months ago. And have re-read it again recently and am still transported.
Hero is a typical 80s vintage nightmare; horrible, rough and rapey but totally redeemed himself later. Heroine was overwrought with unrequited love which was a little too melodramatic for my tastes but she maintained her English pride for the rest of the world so I liked her. There was spicy OW drama worth the page space: she was delightfully spiteful, bitchy and demented. I won't ruin it with details. And finally,
Perfect 80s vintage trainwreck, loved it. Highly recommend for PJ fans who like her older work :)
Then a few pages later, I saw that the Hero is French and almost DNFed.
Sorry, but I can’t do French or Swiss Heroes. Maybe it’s something to do with the food. Maybe I’ve got to like the cuisine before I like the Hero.
But then again, I am a sucker for English Heroes and let’s face it fish and chips/ sausage and mash? Wholesome but not exactly exotic. Guess that sexy, deep timbre in the accent makes up for it.
So this is how my mind reacts when I encounter Heroes from different geographical locations being a judgemental dickhead to the heroine.
French Hero: You slut!
Me: Oh shut up and go smell some blue cheese and catch some garden animals (snails and frog legs being French delicacies)
Swiss Hero: You slut!
Me: Oh shut up and go melt some cheese and call it dinner (as in Fondue and Raclette)
English Hero: You slut!
Me (perking up): Ooh, baby...Say it again but sloowwly.
Greek/Spanish/Italian Hero: You slut!
Me: Oh moussaka, paella, panna cotta, just take me now!
Yes, of course, I’m being silly and taking the mickey out of my French and Swiss friends. But it’s also kinda why this one gets 5 stars. I was so caught up in the story, I forgot that the Hero was French.
Backstory:
Girl, 16 meets Man, 22 one summer and falls in love. Girl is very shy and barely speaks to him. Man thinks she is a tender, beautiful rosebud and that it would be sacrilegious to pluck when she hasn’t even bloomed.
Then Hero receives a letter allegedly from Girl (but really from her friend who was trying to “help things along” for the infatuated h). He absolutely hits the roof.
So this is where I almost DNFed. I would never claim to be an expert on any culture. Silly jokes aside and speaking purely from a perspective based on personal experiences and observation, French men are generally romantic, gentle creatures, all about affection which is the real reason I find it hard to read about them in HPland.
For them, when it comes to matters of the heart, things happen. Well, mostly, sex happens. So to have a French Hero losing his shit over a 16-year old writing a lewd letter and judging her to have the morals of an alley cat was just a bit hard to stomach. Frankly, I just cannot imagine an angry, judgemental French man when it comes to sex.
And also, 16 is not exactly a show-stopper. I’m not saying French men are pervs and parents are enthusiastic about their daughters having sex, but it’s normal for them to buy condoms for their sons and start their girls on birth control pills. They know the sex is going to happen, they just want them to be prepared.
And as long as the girl is willing, a French man is only considered a jerk if he doesn’t make the love affair a pleasant, satisfying experience. Again, let me stress here: personal opinion.
So I was piqued for a while. What on earth could be in the letter to incur such a venomous reaction from a French man?
Especially when they meet up years later in the middle of what should have been a business dinner discussing the acquisition of his wines and he does a turn-around and blackmails her with that same letter!
He wants a name-only temporary marriage to her so that his mistress, who wants to become Queen of his Chateau, will back off.
Ahh… Don’t you just love these Heroes who can run successful vineyards, with titles to their names and servants to do their bidding but just can’t manage their over-zealous mistresses?
Said mistress’s father has a joint land running to the Hero and he wants it but doesn’t want to risk upsetting the father so has come up with this ingenious solution.
So he threatens to reveal the contents of the letter to her straight-laced fiancé who is distrustful, controlling, disapproving of her independence and takes a chauvinistic pride in her obvious chastity.
Well, obvious to all but the slut-shaming H, of course.
And she, who really should have told the H to take his frog-loving, matured-cheese-stinking hide elsewhere, simply succumbs to the blackmail.
For a while I was mystified. What was so bad in that letter that makes her go through with the marriage? I admit I obsessed over it longer than necessary. Descriptive anal sex? Fisting? Maybe she wanted to fist him?
Either way, I could only imagine since he religiously kept the letter, he probably got over his disgust and fantasized about it over the years. I foresee kink in the HEA.
So this H keeps hurling insults at her and taunting her that she wants him but that he will never want soiled goods. Honestly, the French would be the first to drag his judgemental ass to the stake.
But amazingly, I got sucked into the angst, forgot my bias and read the whole thing in one go few months ago. And have re-read it again recently and am still transported.
Hero is a typical 80s vintage nightmare; horrible, rough and rapey but totally redeemed himself later. Heroine was overwrought with unrequited love which was a little too melodramatic for my tastes but she maintained her English pride for the rest of the world so I liked her. There was spicy OW drama worth the page space: she was delightfully spiteful, bitchy and demented. I won't ruin it with details. And finally,
Perfect 80s vintage trainwreck, loved it. Highly recommend for PJ fans who like her older work :)
June 30, 2013
The heroine had a crush on the hero when she was 16. The hero rejects her first because she is too young and then because he thinks she is promiscuous. Now years later the heroine has moved on and is engaged to a young rich guy. While on a work trip she meets the hero again and he blackmails her into marrying him only for a few months. But a pregnancy complicates things for them.
Gilles and Lee had good chemistry and even though she was childish and immature and he was cruel he was also protective of her and you could tell he cared deeply for his convenient wife. The other woman was a sick bitch and the heroine's ex fiancé was a tool. I loved the hero defending his wife's honor and punching the shit out of that idiot.
Gilles and Lee had good chemistry and even though she was childish and immature and he was cruel he was also protective of her and you could tell he cared deeply for his convenient wife. The other woman was a sick bitch and the heroine's ex fiancé was a tool. I loved the hero defending his wife's honor and punching the shit out of that idiot.
August 21, 2014
Either delightfully appalling or appallingly sexist or simply appalling depending on your point of view.
The hero really was a piece of work who I'd simply have to murder in real life. He was incredibly sexist with practically medieval ideas on sex.
English heroine, Lee, first met the French hero when she was an idealistic 16yo. His aunt was her god mother and happened to live in England. Gilles came to spend time with the aunt while Lee was visiting for the summer. She found the 20-something hero fascinating and developed her first serious crush. He, however, seemed indifferent.
A cousin of hers, in a rather cruel prank, steals Lee's stationary and copies her handwriting to pen a very steamy and apparently quite crude love letter to Gilles "from Lee". Gilles freaks and is horribly offended, labeling her a dirty tramp.
Fast forward to the heroine being 22 and engaged. She hasn't seen Gilles since she was 16. She has a job as a wine buyer for a company that sells to supermarket chains and is brought along by her boss on a trip to France to convince some snooty vineyard owner to allow them to purchase what he considers inferior wine that will likely be tossed out. The assumption is that the inferior wine will be good by supermarket standards since the vineyard is known for producing great wines.
Guess who the snooty vineyard owner is? Gilles, of course.
Gilles sees this as a golden opportunity to get his mistress off his back and gain the vineyard owned by her father. His dubious plan is that if he marries someone else, then the land owner will give up his hopes of Gilles marrying his daughter and simply sell him the land vs him gaining it as a dowry. Obviously he can't marry the mistress since she is "soiled goods" - a widow who has been living it up since her husband's death.
Of course, he sees the h as soiled goods too, but she's unknown to the French and appears to be a nice, innocent, well-bred English girl. So he plans to marry her and then divorce her after 6 months, by which time he should have the land. All very fishy and likely unnecessary. Makes you wonder at his true motives.
Problem is, the h is already engaged. But that's no obstacle to Gilles who has saved the letter she supposedly wrote when she was 16 and threatens to show it to her fiance if she doesn't play along. Apparently she doesn't trust her fiance enough for him to believe it wasn't written by her.
Again, fishy. Why would you save a letter for six years if you were so disgusted by it?
So, the "fake" marriage convenes. Of course he eventually learns the "hard" way (sorry, I can't resist a stupid pun) that she is actually a virgin. There is some dubiousness to the consent both times they have sex pre-resolution, particularly the second time. Due to lack of detail and fade to black not sure whether to call the second time forced seduction or rape. I'm leaning toward forced seduction though.
Lots of misunderstanding about their feelings for each other, secrets, meddling ex-mistress, and jealousy going on before the HEA.
The hero really was a piece of work who I'd simply have to murder in real life. He was incredibly sexist with practically medieval ideas on sex.
English heroine, Lee, first met the French hero when she was an idealistic 16yo. His aunt was her god mother and happened to live in England. Gilles came to spend time with the aunt while Lee was visiting for the summer. She found the 20-something hero fascinating and developed her first serious crush. He, however, seemed indifferent.
A cousin of hers, in a rather cruel prank, steals Lee's stationary and copies her handwriting to pen a very steamy and apparently quite crude love letter to Gilles "from Lee". Gilles freaks and is horribly offended, labeling her a dirty tramp.
Fast forward to the heroine being 22 and engaged. She hasn't seen Gilles since she was 16. She has a job as a wine buyer for a company that sells to supermarket chains and is brought along by her boss on a trip to France to convince some snooty vineyard owner to allow them to purchase what he considers inferior wine that will likely be tossed out. The assumption is that the inferior wine will be good by supermarket standards since the vineyard is known for producing great wines.
Guess who the snooty vineyard owner is? Gilles, of course.
Gilles sees this as a golden opportunity to get his mistress off his back and gain the vineyard owned by her father. His dubious plan is that if he marries someone else, then the land owner will give up his hopes of Gilles marrying his daughter and simply sell him the land vs him gaining it as a dowry. Obviously he can't marry the mistress since she is "soiled goods" - a widow who has been living it up since her husband's death.
Of course, he sees the h as soiled goods too, but she's unknown to the French and appears to be a nice, innocent, well-bred English girl. So he plans to marry her and then divorce her after 6 months, by which time he should have the land. All very fishy and likely unnecessary. Makes you wonder at his true motives.
Problem is, the h is already engaged. But that's no obstacle to Gilles who has saved the letter she supposedly wrote when she was 16 and threatens to show it to her fiance if she doesn't play along. Apparently she doesn't trust her fiance enough for him to believe it wasn't written by her.
Again, fishy. Why would you save a letter for six years if you were so disgusted by it?
So, the "fake" marriage convenes. Of course he eventually learns the "hard" way (sorry, I can't resist a stupid pun) that she is actually a virgin. There is some dubiousness to the consent both times they have sex pre-resolution, particularly the second time. Due to lack of detail and fade to black not sure whether to call the second time forced seduction or rape. I'm leaning toward forced seduction though.
Lots of misunderstanding about their feelings for each other, secrets, meddling ex-mistress, and jealousy going on before the HEA.
November 17, 2016
I loved this story. Romance at it's best.
February 15, 2019
I enjoyed this gothic-infused* bodice ripper with a rat-bastard hero who barely redeems himself by the novel's end. Preventing the HEA from happening is Gilles' misperceptions of Lee, which he demonstrates by treating her abominably before and after sexy times. Okay, who am I kidding? All times.
It's not until Lee's life is threatened that she finally sees a glimpse of the tender lover she'd wished for. That's the one thing Lee could be grateful to the other woman for at least. Speaking of whom, I wanted the OW punished for all her evil doings but it didn't happen. I wanted blood but instead received wine—analogies, that is. Gilles is a winemaker after all. All's not lost though as the ending is as delicious as . . . wine!
*One hint being Lee's name which is the same as Edgar Allen Poe's gothic love poem, "Annabel Lee".
It's not until Lee's life is threatened that she finally sees a glimpse of the tender lover she'd wished for. That's the one thing Lee could be grateful to the other woman for at least. Speaking of whom, I wanted the OW punished for all her evil doings but it didn't happen. I wanted blood but instead received wine—analogies, that is. Gilles is a winemaker after all. All's not lost though as the ending is as delicious as . . . wine!
*One hint being Lee's name which is the same as Edgar Allen Poe's gothic love poem, "Annabel Lee".
June 11, 2020
Dubious blackmail - check!
Forced marriage - check!
Treacherous body syndrome--check!
One-shot impregnation - you betcha!
I'm surprised by all the high reviews for this one, since it seems to contain many of the elements that leave so many readers pulsating with rage with regard to vintage Harleys: slut-shaming on 11; a cold, cruel hero; rape during pregnancy; the jelliest of jellied heroines. Maybe it's the gothic-lite vibe and romantic chateau setting, complete with comte--not to mention patented PJ sponging (this time in the form of a pregnant oil massage)--that stir so many hearts? Who can say?
This ticked most of my boxes but didn't really rise to the level of heat and angsts it should have--entirely because I spent so much time wanting to smack the Polaner-All-Fruit Spreadable heroine. She doesn't even try to avoid being blackmailed into marriage, not even one little bit, despite being engaged to another man (whom she finally gets around to breaking off the engagement with via a letter after some time has passed). The blackmail itself is hilariously weak--a smutty letter to the hero written ostensibly by the heroine six year prior, when he 24 and she was 16. She didn't even write the letter. The scene should have gone like this:
Hero: Bwahahahaha my tarty beauty! Behold! The letter you wrote me, detailing all the sordid things you longed for me to do with your nubile, tarty 16-year old body six years ago!
Heroine: Oh, yeah, the letter. I didn't write that you know. It was my neighbor Sally, thinking she was funny.
Hero: Non! Non, fair false temptress! This letter, clearly in your handwriting, will be the death knell of your relationship with your staid Boston Brahmin! I can manage an international wine empire, but I quake in my riding boots at the thought of my neighbor's daughter's pursuit of me! Marry me or else!
Heroine, as she desolidifies into a pool of fruit-flavored liquid: Well, I suppose I have no choice.
Without even the slightest twinge or qualm, the heroine swaps her engagement ring for the centuries-old aristo-rific ginormous emerald and, next thing you know, she's in a marriage of convenience (his), sharing a bed but no mingling. That goes by the by pretty quickly--there's a hot grass-stain-free seduction scene when the booted siegneur comes upon his virgin bride in a shaded grove during a thunderstorm and chases all the unicorns away. Bullseye! She's preggers, and growing and glowing like a burgeoning grape (except for pale intervals of broken-heartedness). He rapes the grape at one point, and she is a little bitter afterward, quite understandably, but mainly because he doesn't love her and there's OW drama.
The evil housekeeper (in the employ of the evil OW) atManderley the chateau locks the preggers heroine, who has a fear of the dark, into the cellars. She is rescued by the hero, and from then there is a sea change--he keeps his hands off her and becomes protective and babycrazy. He's all proud of himself for being able to act "civilized" (she has a nightmare and he's comforting and cuddling and she haz a saaaaaddd because now he doesn't want her, mmmkay). She's hot and bothered by all his thin silk shirts that show the shadow of his manly chest hair but cannot congeal enough to form a blob sturdy enough to make any kind of moves on him (also: "slutty" behavior will not be tolerated in this book!).
The erstwhile fiance shows up (the OW is meddling), and is angry that he put a ring on it and didn't get any spreadable-fruit, whereas clearly the hero has impregnated the oozing grape with his pips. The ex-fiance says some harsh things and the hero punches him out and says he's been in lo-hove with the heroine since she was 16. She think he's just saving face but no, it's the truth, he tells her, he fell in love with her when she was just a little semisolid rose bud and was horrified and angry that the innocent h appeared to be a slutty-mcslut who wrote porny letters and yadda yadda, all he's done ever since has been for love, and love love love all you need is love, love is all you need, and babies! The End.
A good Rebecca-ish/lord of the manor tale with some hot scenes in wine country, a booted and brooding hero, and a jelly-like spreadable heroine. Enjoy for what it is. I did.
Forced marriage - check!
Treacherous body syndrome--check!
One-shot impregnation - you betcha!
I'm surprised by all the high reviews for this one, since it seems to contain many of the elements that leave so many readers pulsating with rage with regard to vintage Harleys: slut-shaming on 11; a cold, cruel hero; rape during pregnancy; the jelliest of jellied heroines. Maybe it's the gothic-lite vibe and romantic chateau setting, complete with comte--not to mention patented PJ sponging (this time in the form of a pregnant oil massage)--that stir so many hearts? Who can say?
This ticked most of my boxes but didn't really rise to the level of heat and angsts it should have--entirely because I spent so much time wanting to smack the Polaner-All-Fruit Spreadable heroine. She doesn't even try to avoid being blackmailed into marriage, not even one little bit, despite being engaged to another man (whom she finally gets around to breaking off the engagement with via a letter after some time has passed). The blackmail itself is hilariously weak--a smutty letter to the hero written ostensibly by the heroine six year prior, when he 24 and she was 16. She didn't even write the letter. The scene should have gone like this:
Hero: Bwahahahaha my tarty beauty! Behold! The letter you wrote me, detailing all the sordid things you longed for me to do with your nubile, tarty 16-year old body six years ago!
Heroine: Oh, yeah, the letter. I didn't write that you know. It was my neighbor Sally, thinking she was funny.
Hero: Non! Non, fair false temptress! This letter, clearly in your handwriting, will be the death knell of your relationship with your staid Boston Brahmin! I can manage an international wine empire, but I quake in my riding boots at the thought of my neighbor's daughter's pursuit of me! Marry me or else!
Heroine, as she desolidifies into a pool of fruit-flavored liquid: Well, I suppose I have no choice.
Without even the slightest twinge or qualm, the heroine swaps her engagement ring for the centuries-old aristo-rific ginormous emerald and, next thing you know, she's in a marriage of convenience (his), sharing a bed but no mingling. That goes by the by pretty quickly--there's a hot grass-stain-free seduction scene when the booted siegneur comes upon his virgin bride in a shaded grove during a thunderstorm and chases all the unicorns away. Bullseye! She's preggers, and growing and glowing like a burgeoning grape (except for pale intervals of broken-heartedness). He rapes the grape at one point, and she is a little bitter afterward, quite understandably, but mainly because he doesn't love her and there's OW drama.
The evil housekeeper (in the employ of the evil OW) at
The erstwhile fiance shows up (the OW is meddling), and is angry that he put a ring on it and didn't get any spreadable-fruit, whereas clearly the hero has impregnated the oozing grape with his pips. The ex-fiance says some harsh things and the hero punches him out and says he's been in lo-hove with the heroine since she was 16. She think he's just saving face but no, it's the truth, he tells her, he fell in love with her when she was just a little semisolid rose bud and was horrified and angry that the innocent h appeared to be a slutty-mcslut who wrote porny letters and yadda yadda, all he's done ever since has been for love, and love love love all you need is love, love is all you need, and babies! The End.
A good Rebecca-ish/lord of the manor tale with some hot scenes in wine country, a booted and brooding hero, and a jelly-like spreadable heroine. Enjoy for what it is. I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2022
This one had all the best and the worst of Penny Jordan of old.
-a misjudged very virgin very innocent heroine
-a chauvinist man with double standard
-severe TBS
- guilt, passion, VBM (very big misuderstandings)
-veeeeeeery eeeeeeeeevil ow
-teenage crush with teenage drama
and some more...
The heroine met the french hero when she was 16 and he was 25, his aunt is her godmother and he was on holiday in England.
The heroine's cousin payed a trick to the heroine and sent a hot letter to the hero signing with the heroine's name.
The hero was disgusted and horrified, because he was 25 and the heroine just a teenager.
He told as usual awful things to her and didn't believe when she told him she never wrote the letter.
A lil less dumb hero would have thought it was a joke, but this is pj oldie so the hero isn't able to put 2 and 2 together.
6 years later the heroine is engaged and works for a wine company, so she goes to France to visit a possible customer, a count who owns some vineyards and guess who's the lord of the manor?
The hero of course!
Just the first evening they are dining together wher ow turns up and the hero declares that he and the heroine are engaged and are going to marry in a couple of day.
The heroine loses her jaw.
When she and the hero are alone the hero candidly explains that he wants ow out of his hair and he blackmails the heroine to marry him or he will show her fiance the infamous letter (that he, like the creep he is, has kept for all these years).
The heroine, that doesn't trust very much her fiance, accepts the marriage in name only and to be annulled, and then begins the slut-shaming part, with the hero reminding her every second that she's only a slut and she disgusts him, while mauling and forcibly kissing her every other second.
And there is where I felt how old is this book.
Because the heroine accepts the double standard without a fuss, while after the 2000 a girl would have air- kicked his front teeth at his first insult.
The whole thing was ridiculous. I coulnd't even feel the angst, because it seems a book from 150 years ago.
Of course they eventually have sex together and the hero has this big revelation that she was innocent but he's not happy yet, because he thinks she only wanted to experiment sex, and then he had his guilt trip that lasts all the second part of the book.
The heroine, being a masochist pj heroine, is of course in love with the swine, and thinks he doesn't want her any more, so we have all those big misunderstandings that pj loves so much, where they look at each other, thinking oh how much I love her/him but he/she doesn't love me back, that are so fun and tiring at the same time.
The heroine is pregnant and doesn't tell him because she thinks he would only want her for the baby and then when he finds out she is, she turns into a jealous bitch, thinking that he only wants her child, and tells him some awful things that made me think that yes, the hero is a bastard sob, but he eventually has found his perfect match in this spiteful and non-maternal bitch.
Each one his own, they say.
There is also ow who is not only jealous of the heroine but also a criminal, and the heroine's housekeeper is her minion, so after some dirty tricks, the pair decides to get rid of the heavily pregnant heroine and the housekeeper locks her into the wine cellar.
The hero finds her traumatized but unharmed and instead of calling the police and have the ow framed, he decides to let her be.
That was really a let-down, because it wasn't a trick but a criminal act that coult have had consequences.
Eventually the dysfunctional couple declare their love, the hero was in love with her since she was 16 but was shocked by the letter, the heroine was shocked by his reaction but, since it is a PJ, the heroine couldn't have sex with anyone while the hero had it aplenty for both of them.
If you love old romance and are not very worried with politically correct, and if you're a PJ fan, coping with all her issues and double standards, this may be and interesting anf fun book.
-a misjudged very virgin very innocent heroine
-a chauvinist man with double standard
-severe TBS
- guilt, passion, VBM (very big misuderstandings)
-veeeeeeery eeeeeeeeevil ow
-teenage crush with teenage drama
and some more...
The heroine met the french hero when she was 16 and he was 25, his aunt is her godmother and he was on holiday in England.
The heroine's cousin payed a trick to the heroine and sent a hot letter to the hero signing with the heroine's name.
The hero was disgusted and horrified, because he was 25 and the heroine just a teenager.
He told as usual awful things to her and didn't believe when she told him she never wrote the letter.
A lil less dumb hero would have thought it was a joke, but this is pj oldie so the hero isn't able to put 2 and 2 together.
6 years later the heroine is engaged and works for a wine company, so she goes to France to visit a possible customer, a count who owns some vineyards and guess who's the lord of the manor?
The hero of course!
Just the first evening they are dining together wher ow turns up and the hero declares that he and the heroine are engaged and are going to marry in a couple of day.
The heroine loses her jaw.
When she and the hero are alone the hero candidly explains that he wants ow out of his hair and he blackmails the heroine to marry him or he will show her fiance the infamous letter (that he, like the creep he is, has kept for all these years).
The heroine, that doesn't trust very much her fiance, accepts the marriage in name only and to be annulled, and then begins the slut-shaming part, with the hero reminding her every second that she's only a slut and she disgusts him, while mauling and forcibly kissing her every other second.
And there is where I felt how old is this book.
Because the heroine accepts the double standard without a fuss, while after the 2000 a girl would have air- kicked his front teeth at his first insult.
The whole thing was ridiculous. I coulnd't even feel the angst, because it seems a book from 150 years ago.
Of course they eventually have sex together and the hero has this big revelation that she was innocent but he's not happy yet, because he thinks she only wanted to experiment sex, and then he had his guilt trip that lasts all the second part of the book.
The heroine, being a masochist pj heroine, is of course in love with the swine, and thinks he doesn't want her any more, so we have all those big misunderstandings that pj loves so much, where they look at each other, thinking oh how much I love her/him but he/she doesn't love me back, that are so fun and tiring at the same time.
The heroine is pregnant and doesn't tell him because she thinks he would only want her for the baby and then when he finds out she is, she turns into a jealous bitch, thinking that he only wants her child, and tells him some awful things that made me think that yes, the hero is a bastard sob, but he eventually has found his perfect match in this spiteful and non-maternal bitch.
Each one his own, they say.
There is also ow who is not only jealous of the heroine but also a criminal, and the heroine's housekeeper is her minion, so after some dirty tricks, the pair decides to get rid of the heavily pregnant heroine and the housekeeper locks her into the wine cellar.
The hero finds her traumatized but unharmed and instead of calling the police and have the ow framed, he decides to let her be.
That was really a let-down, because it wasn't a trick but a criminal act that coult have had consequences.
Eventually the dysfunctional couple declare their love, the hero was in love with her since she was 16 but was shocked by the letter, the heroine was shocked by his reaction but, since it is a PJ, the heroine couldn't have sex with anyone while the hero had it aplenty for both of them.
If you love old romance and are not very worried with politically correct, and if you're a PJ fan, coping with all her issues and double standards, this may be and interesting anf fun book.
February 4, 2022
Toxic. And draining and long and dark. The h and H are not very loving and rather vindictive and say vile things to each other. At least the H does and the h stands there in her tstl garb and doesn’t talk back to EXPLAIN what really happened ten years ago. Instead she lovingly accepts and owns her slut shaming like a queen and cries to herself in misery and walks about alone in a creepy castle with a housekeeper who has murderous intent.
I gave up on it several times until I decided to get it over with. The h and H are stuck up and don’t laugh or joke. There is closure, can’t really call it an HEA. The grovel and confessions come too late and tbh I’d walk by before seeing through their mess. Glad this got over.
I gave up on it several times until I decided to get it over with. The h and H are stuck up and don’t laugh or joke. There is closure, can’t really call it an HEA. The grovel and confessions come too late and tbh I’d walk by before seeing through their mess. Glad this got over.
June 3, 2011
Better than I expected, but not without it's pitfalls.
The heroine meets the hero again and he blackmails her into marrying him temporarily. His neighbor's daughter has been his mistress for a while now but wants to be his wife. He likes his neighbor and wants to buy his property from him, but he doesn't want the mistress stepping above her station.
The heroine agrees because the hero has a letter that her friend wrote, copying her handwriting and sending it to him as her, when she was 16. The letter apparently said a whole bunch of things she'd like to do with him.
At 16 she'd had a crush on him, and as it turns out, he was also crushing on her, despite his advanced years. He'd actually entertained thoughts of sleeping with her also, and claimed that it was only her innocence that held him back.
Either way they get married and one day wind up sleeping together, which is when he finds out she's still a virgin. The hero basically spent the whole book angry about one thing or another. The heroine spends most of the book in a form of depression because she wants his love but can't have it.
Surprisingly better than I thought it would be. There's a lot going on so the whole book isn't spent wallowing in hatred and self-pity. Gilles isn't completely horrible all the time so it's understandable how she could fall in love with him.
I did think the heroine tended to act more like an overemotional teenager than a 22 year old. Not that 22 is old, but it can be. It almost would have worked out better for me if she'd been 18 instead of 22. That would have explained her temperament a bit more. And no one ever says why the hero kept the letter for 6 years? A little strange. Also, why did the housekeeper instantly hate the heroine when she arrived? Some stuff was never explained, but I still wound up liking the book.
The heroine meets the hero again and he blackmails her into marrying him temporarily. His neighbor's daughter has been his mistress for a while now but wants to be his wife. He likes his neighbor and wants to buy his property from him, but he doesn't want the mistress stepping above her station.
The heroine agrees because the hero has a letter that her friend wrote, copying her handwriting and sending it to him as her, when she was 16. The letter apparently said a whole bunch of things she'd like to do with him.
At 16 she'd had a crush on him, and as it turns out, he was also crushing on her, despite his advanced years. He'd actually entertained thoughts of sleeping with her also, and claimed that it was only her innocence that held him back.
Either way they get married and one day wind up sleeping together, which is when he finds out she's still a virgin. The hero basically spent the whole book angry about one thing or another. The heroine spends most of the book in a form of depression because she wants his love but can't have it.
Surprisingly better than I thought it would be. There's a lot going on so the whole book isn't spent wallowing in hatred and self-pity. Gilles isn't completely horrible all the time so it's understandable how she could fall in love with him.
I did think the heroine tended to act more like an overemotional teenager than a 22 year old. Not that 22 is old, but it can be. It almost would have worked out better for me if she'd been 18 instead of 22. That would have explained her temperament a bit more. And no one ever says why the hero kept the letter for 6 years? A little strange. Also, why did the housekeeper instantly hate the heroine when she arrived? Some stuff was never explained, but I still wound up liking the book.
September 5, 2012
I stand by this book saying that it is one of the best and it's true, it is. I didn't love it but I did enjoy it greatly. The hero and heroine spark off of each other perfectly. The villain is an evil bitch who gets put in her place and we get a happy ending.
January 15, 2020
Gah this was awful and the H, Gilles is a truly vile human being with archaic sexual double standards. This isn't one of the many Penny Jordan reissues and no wonder. I remembered just enough of the details from when I first read it (when it came out) to know I had deeply disliked it.
This goes beyond dubious consent to unequivocal rape. There is no grovel or apology whatsoever, not that even that would make up for anything.
This goes beyond dubious consent to unequivocal rape. There is no grovel or apology whatsoever, not that even that would make up for anything.
September 3, 2017
"Blackmail" is the story of Giles and Lee, and is a OTT drama filled old school HQN story.
Lee is a happily engaged wine critic, but he life is turned upside down when her teenage love and tormentor Giles blackmails her to marry him, to drive a over indulgent mistress Louise away.
What we get is
-An angry, brooding hero
-A crazy in love helpless heroine who spends the whole book pushing him away and saying the wrong things
-Passionate lovemaking in unexpected circumstances
-Evil OW, housekeepers and shitty OM
-Loads of cruel words
-Sobbing dramatic heroine
It takes tragic almost disaster brings truths to surface and the couple to confess their undying love. One of those books where the H waits for the h to grow up, and I always respect those.
Ends it a super sweet HEA which makes the book a worth read.
Total roller coaster ride and LOVED it!
Safe
4.5/5
Lee is a happily engaged wine critic, but he life is turned upside down when her teenage love and tormentor Giles blackmails her to marry him, to drive a over indulgent mistress Louise away.
What we get is
-An angry, brooding hero
-A crazy in love helpless heroine who spends the whole book pushing him away and saying the wrong things
-Passionate lovemaking in unexpected circumstances
-Evil OW, housekeepers and shitty OM
-Loads of cruel words
-Sobbing dramatic heroine
It takes tragic almost disaster brings truths to surface and the couple to confess their undying love. One of those books where the H waits for the h to grow up, and I always respect those.
Ends it a super sweet HEA which makes the book a worth read.
Total roller coaster ride and LOVED it!
Safe
4.5/5
February 14, 2015
The hero thought the heroine was the biggest whore to walk the earth and let her know it every chance he got. An entertaining dickhead.
Of course, he finds out the first time they do it that she's really a virgin (or was) and she is suddenly worthy of his love.
Of course, he's a dickhead so he absolutely sucks at showing her that he loves her.
Of course, he finds out the first time they do it that she's really a virgin (or was) and she is suddenly worthy of his love.
Of course, he's a dickhead so he absolutely sucks at showing her that he loves her.
September 11, 2014
No time for a long review. Too bad. Nice wallbanger.
January 25, 2016
Simply horrible. I have read countless bad romances, but in this case I felt particularly sorry for the female protagonist. She was forced to marry a psychopath and a rapist.
January 27, 2022
I read it when I was very young and swooned. Shows how foolish one can be.
For that reason I still feel an emotional connect to this one.
There are slight Rebecca vibes with a horrible housekeeper who is actually devoted to the OW and makes the heroine do a faux pas. Or wasn’t that this book?
Hero is obsessed. Can’t make out why he didn’t go and find her and at least have an affair or something. Why so passive?
But once she lands up in his Chateau. He traps her and then like all PJ hero’s he’s quite abusive and cruel.
But as all readers agree. We love it for some reason.
So that’s what I remember of this book.
And the never forgotten lovemaking scene in the vineyard amidst a thunderstorm.
When he finds out she’s a virgin, instead of apologising and being worshipful etc, he comes up with some new accusation. Can’t remember what. By this time I think PJ had run out of ideas on how to prolong the story.
So he keeps being mean.
Rest I forget.
For that reason I still feel an emotional connect to this one.
There are slight Rebecca vibes with a horrible housekeeper who is actually devoted to the OW and makes the heroine do a faux pas. Or wasn’t that this book?
Hero is obsessed. Can’t make out why he didn’t go and find her and at least have an affair or something. Why so passive?
But once she lands up in his Chateau. He traps her and then like all PJ hero’s he’s quite abusive and cruel.
But as all readers agree. We love it for some reason.
So that’s what I remember of this book.
And the never forgotten lovemaking scene in the vineyard amidst a thunderstorm.
When he finds out she’s a virgin, instead of apologising and being worshipful etc, he comes up with some new accusation. Can’t remember what. By this time I think PJ had run out of ideas on how to prolong the story.
So he keeps being mean.
Rest I forget.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2023
Este libro es una locura, el protagonista es un desastre está todo el tiempo chantajeando y amenazando a la heroína de cosas que solo pasan en su cabeza, pero lo más desesperante es la heroína por Dios el "héroe" la amenaza, manipula, chantajea, ofende y se burla de ella todo el libro y ella ni pestañea o sea pero ni siquiera intenta escaparse, es demasiado aún así me reí mucho con este par.
August 6, 2021
Lo que encuentro risible una y otra vez en la historia es cuando él pregunta ¿Qué clase de hombre crees que soy? Obviamente nosotras sabemos la respuesta, quien no lo sabría con todo lo malo que hace con ella, arruina todos sus recuerdos importantes con sus acciones y palabras crueles y todavía sigue haciendo esa pregunta, menudo cretino, con toda la experiencia que se carga, encima se las da de hipócrita, exige que su mujer sea un ser dulce y virginal, gillipollas...
May 6, 2014
1982 and this is proper retro-Jordan Mills and Boon with a distinctive gothic tinge to the story.
The story is as follows: Lee, a modern woman with a job as a wine buyer for a large supermarket, goes on a business trip to a château to buy some specialist wine. When she gets there, wouldn’t you know it, the Count (La Comte) Gilles turns out to be a distant relative who she once made a fool out of herself over when she was 16. Her supposed mate at the time had forged a love letter from her to him and he had, since then, believed that she was just some little tart who was after him. Using this letter (which he has still kept under lock and key) he succeeds in blackmailing Lee into marrying him so that he can supposedly rid himself of a woman named Louise who has been making a nuisance of herself and pestering him to marry her.
This is where it comes unstuck a bit – The hero really is a nasty piece of work. He humiliates her, taunts her with her supposed failings, bullies her, imprisons her, blackmails her and practically rapes her in one very uncomfortable scene. However, by chapter five, she’s decided she’s in love with him although, of course, she can never, ever tell him this. Fortunately, by chapter 10, he’s found out and they live happily ever after.
The Gothicism comes in as Lee is imprisoned in the chateau; she really is the helpless heroine held captive, and indeed, consciously models herself on the wife of a previous count who kidnapped his bride (criminal tendencies obviously run in the family) and held her captive until she came to love him. Then there is the evil Louise and her cohort, the even-eviller housekeeper who actually does imprison Lee in the wine cellar. It was all very reminiscent of the Mysteries of Udolpho. Finally, Gilles is just too forbidding – Like the Count di Udolpho - he even rides a black stallion affectionately named “Satan”. However, what is interesting about this book is that the real terrors come with the realism that Jordan injects into her work. She implies that Lee has had an awful time with childbirth and doesn’t get over it all that well leading to a limiting of their sex life. It’s only an implication (this is a Mills and Boon after all) but one does really get the sense that Lee has suffered a lot and had been quite hard done by. There are also a couple of other things going on which are quite interesting. The first is the historical count’s story with his kidnapped bride. Gilles makes some quite enlightening comments about the French Revolution – it’s not that Jordan expresses an opinion or view on them, it’s rather that she doesn’t – a Mills and Boon has to please all readers, of course, so she probably felt unable to articulate her own views on this. Also, there are the comparisons drawn between Louise’s nubile body and Lee’s pregnant one – there are a few too many reassurances in there that being fat and having stretch marks is preferable to being lissom. That, I felt, really did illustrate the intended readership of the book.
Gilles picks up in the end of the book – he says something very romantic “You’ll never wake up anywhere ever again except in my arms.” Of course, given his past form (the rape and imprisoning etc) this could all too easily be construed as a threat.
The story is as follows: Lee, a modern woman with a job as a wine buyer for a large supermarket, goes on a business trip to a château to buy some specialist wine. When she gets there, wouldn’t you know it, the Count (La Comte) Gilles turns out to be a distant relative who she once made a fool out of herself over when she was 16. Her supposed mate at the time had forged a love letter from her to him and he had, since then, believed that she was just some little tart who was after him. Using this letter (which he has still kept under lock and key) he succeeds in blackmailing Lee into marrying him so that he can supposedly rid himself of a woman named Louise who has been making a nuisance of herself and pestering him to marry her.
This is where it comes unstuck a bit – The hero really is a nasty piece of work. He humiliates her, taunts her with her supposed failings, bullies her, imprisons her, blackmails her and practically rapes her in one very uncomfortable scene. However, by chapter five, she’s decided she’s in love with him although, of course, she can never, ever tell him this. Fortunately, by chapter 10, he’s found out and they live happily ever after.
The Gothicism comes in as Lee is imprisoned in the chateau; she really is the helpless heroine held captive, and indeed, consciously models herself on the wife of a previous count who kidnapped his bride (criminal tendencies obviously run in the family) and held her captive until she came to love him. Then there is the evil Louise and her cohort, the even-eviller housekeeper who actually does imprison Lee in the wine cellar. It was all very reminiscent of the Mysteries of Udolpho. Finally, Gilles is just too forbidding – Like the Count di Udolpho - he even rides a black stallion affectionately named “Satan”. However, what is interesting about this book is that the real terrors come with the realism that Jordan injects into her work. She implies that Lee has had an awful time with childbirth and doesn’t get over it all that well leading to a limiting of their sex life. It’s only an implication (this is a Mills and Boon after all) but one does really get the sense that Lee has suffered a lot and had been quite hard done by. There are also a couple of other things going on which are quite interesting. The first is the historical count’s story with his kidnapped bride. Gilles makes some quite enlightening comments about the French Revolution – it’s not that Jordan expresses an opinion or view on them, it’s rather that she doesn’t – a Mills and Boon has to please all readers, of course, so she probably felt unable to articulate her own views on this. Also, there are the comparisons drawn between Louise’s nubile body and Lee’s pregnant one – there are a few too many reassurances in there that being fat and having stretch marks is preferable to being lissom. That, I felt, really did illustrate the intended readership of the book.
Gilles picks up in the end of the book – he says something very romantic “You’ll never wake up anywhere ever again except in my arms.” Of course, given his past form (the rape and imprisoning etc) this could all too easily be construed as a threat.
September 19, 2015
I read this back when I was a teenager and lately had been thinking about it so I bought a used copy and reread it. Now, there are certain things that I wouldn't have done, but taking into consideration this book took place in the early 80s (heck, they didn't even have cellphones!) yeah...I had to give it some leeway. Overall I just really enjoyed it. Wish it had some from the H POV because I would've loved to get into his head, and I think the wrap up at the end was just an info dump, but again, it is an old book following different rules than there are now. Plus it's Harlequin, don't they always seem to get a pass of some sort. lol
September 4, 2020
Loved it.
All the elements of a classical PJ story can be found in here..... h falls in love with H when she is just a teenage, big terrible misunderstanding leading to H despise for her, grown-up h blackmailed by the H to merry him (for ridiculous reasons), betraying body syndrome, forced seduction with shocking revelation of h's "innocence", accidental (!?!?) hidden pregnancy, OW and all the usual drama-stuff.
Trainwreck - crazy jealous H - final HEA.
GREAT! 😉
All the elements of a classical PJ story can be found in here..... h falls in love with H when she is just a teenage, big terrible misunderstanding leading to H despise for her, grown-up h blackmailed by the H to merry him (for ridiculous reasons), betraying body syndrome, forced seduction with shocking revelation of h's "innocence", accidental (!?!?) hidden pregnancy, OW and all the usual drama-stuff.
Trainwreck - crazy jealous H - final HEA.
GREAT! 😉
Want to read
June 8, 2017"Intriga amorosa"
March 26, 2020
His only desire was to use her
That horrible damning letter! If Lee didn't become Gilles de Chauvigny's temporary wife he'd show it to her real fiance.
That Gilles could disrupt her life so carelessly, so callously just to be rid of a too possessive mistress--outraged Lee, but she was powerless to stop him.
Then, later, she didn't want to, for she had fallen hopelessly in love with him. Hopelessly because his spurned lover vowed to have him back. Hopelessly because Gilles felt nothing for her.
That horrible damning letter! If Lee didn't become Gilles de Chauvigny's temporary wife he'd show it to her real fiance.
That Gilles could disrupt her life so carelessly, so callously just to be rid of a too possessive mistress--outraged Lee, but she was powerless to stop him.
Then, later, she didn't want to, for she had fallen hopelessly in love with him. Hopelessly because his spurned lover vowed to have him back. Hopelessly because Gilles felt nothing for her.
November 17, 2016
El héroe extorsiona a la heroína con una carta que ella no escribió hace millones de años.
La verdad, la leí porque me gusta sufrir (?), pero hacía agua por todos lados. Es hasta demasiado fantasiosa para ser un Harlequin.
La verdad, la leí porque me gusta sufrir (?), pero hacía agua por todos lados. Es hasta demasiado fantasiosa para ser un Harlequin.
March 18, 2019
Senseless. Why he believes she doesn't want him, and in return she believes he can't love her???
Can't these writers find real reasons for angst?
Can't these writers find real reasons for angst?
March 18, 2020
Lee is an ambitious assistant and her latest mission with her boss took her to France where she met Giles, who is a relation to her godmother. When she was sixteen years old, she was deeply and one-sidedly in love with him, and when her older friend knew about that, she wrote an explicitly sexual letter to Giles on Lee's behave. Unfortunately, the sensual language in which the letter was written revolted Giles and for six long years he despised her and both of them kept their distance. Her mission now forced her to stay in Giles country house for three days and lee wanted to show him she was professional and no more an adolescent. Yet, Giles was not willing to forget nor forgive and thus blackmailed her to be his wife to get rid of his mistress even though he knew she was engaged to be married!!!
This book arose a lot of emotions inside me; the least of which is disgust. There are certain matters in this book no sane person would accept.
1. Giles blackmail Lee to marry him using a letter written by someone else long time ago and even though she knew her fiancee is a jealous guy, she should at least have attempted to explain the situation to him instead of not even giving him the right of the doubt and accepting the situation as it is, especially that she claimed to have loved him at first sight!
2. In the first chapter, we were told as readers that lee and her fiancee fell in love at first sight, yet later on we discover they were not welling to be flexible and meet half way. Lee wanted to be a career woman and disapproved of his lifestyle and parents, and he wanted her as a housewife! They didn't trust each other! What kind of love is that!
3. Giles confessed to have always loved Lee since she was sixteen. Yet, when he discovered she had hidden her pregnancy for three months, he virtually raped her and caused her physical scars. No sane lover would inflect such pain in a pregnant woman he "loved"!
4. Come on! Three months of hiding pregnancy from a man living so close to you? Your husband at that!!!! Unbelievable!!!
I always hinted at Penny Jordon's emphasis on the physical aspect of any relationship between her heroes, but this novel was too much! It left nothing to be believed in the emotional level! Twisted!
This book arose a lot of emotions inside me; the least of which is disgust. There are certain matters in this book no sane person would accept.
1. Giles blackmail Lee to marry him using a letter written by someone else long time ago and even though she knew her fiancee is a jealous guy, she should at least have attempted to explain the situation to him instead of not even giving him the right of the doubt and accepting the situation as it is, especially that she claimed to have loved him at first sight!
2. In the first chapter, we were told as readers that lee and her fiancee fell in love at first sight, yet later on we discover they were not welling to be flexible and meet half way. Lee wanted to be a career woman and disapproved of his lifestyle and parents, and he wanted her as a housewife! They didn't trust each other! What kind of love is that!
3. Giles confessed to have always loved Lee since she was sixteen. Yet, when he discovered she had hidden her pregnancy for three months, he virtually raped her and caused her physical scars. No sane lover would inflect such pain in a pregnant woman he "loved"!
4. Come on! Three months of hiding pregnancy from a man living so close to you? Your husband at that!!!! Unbelievable!!!
I always hinted at Penny Jordon's emphasis on the physical aspect of any relationship between her heroes, but this novel was too much! It left nothing to be believed in the emotional level! Twisted!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2024
2.5
PJ gothic-lite batshittery at its finest. Virginity fetish, pregnancy fetish, insane forced marriage of schizo french comte to supposed already engaged career woman based on a teen letter she didn't even write??! Toss in PJ trademark consumer fetish for interiors and label fashion and it's a full house. Gilles's hairy chest glowed Macron-esquely through his white shirts and the baby started kicking at about 3 weeks if this idiocy is to be believed. I normally like a French setting but this one passed me by.
PJ gothic-lite batshittery at its finest. Virginity fetish, pregnancy fetish, insane forced marriage of schizo french comte to supposed already engaged career woman based on a teen letter she didn't even write??! Toss in PJ trademark consumer fetish for interiors and label fashion and it's a full house. Gilles's hairy chest glowed Macron-esquely through his white shirts and the baby started kicking at about 3 weeks if this idiocy is to be believed. I normally like a French setting but this one passed me by.
June 21, 2023
Some of PJ Hs are worthy, when they are a caring, honorable and she have a few faithful H.
It has been a long time since I read this book, but I remember clearly that I hated and loathed the H in this book. He was a BIG FAT SCUMBAG, I think he was the only one of her heroes that I truly hated and are not redeemable in my eyes. Just for the basis of some misgivings that the h's friend did, a letter that the stupid friend wrote assuming the h identity.
Until now, when I remembered the way and the offensive things that the so called H said to the h, my blood boils. Gilles treated Lee like a dirty slut. Am I supposed to believe that he loved her since she were 16 years old the way he treated and insulted her? He slut shamed her in all the book until he took her virginity in the woods like a common whore. I hate the scene at the hotel when he touched her and said unforgivable ofensive insults, like he is soiled because he touched her, that she is the queen of the slut, and he felt dirty and needed a bath and a change in the bed. Did he looked himself in the mirror to see who is the king of the dirty whores, he should get tested for STD for bedding hundreds and thousands of sluts instead of insulting the virgin heroine this way. Did he treat his ladies buffet sample this way? Of course not, he treated the true whores like queens with pricey jewelrys and another expensive itens while the h just receive insults and contemps. The OW of this story, is his on-and-off paramour for many years and I doubt that he ever took a bath after having sex or felt dirt, if he took a bath with the OW probably was with him having another batch of sex, he never felt soiled by his first class harlots, he certainly felt very pleasured and loved each moment in the arms of the OWs. Am I supposed to believe that he loved the heroine after the way he feel about her? The OW that is the real queen of the whores that sleep with at least half of the richest guys in the world. The only person that have the right to feel soiled is the heroine to be touched by a SCUMBAG with STD, he is the true garbage. He should crawl in broken glass and I have wanted very much him to die of bleeding. He had tried to convince himself that the heroine is like another desirable woman, it is a BIG LIE because he NEVER insulted his tarts, if he considered her like his tarts he would like treat her like a prized mistress not the way he treated her like a dirt. He ony called Louise one time a bitch at the end of the book because she brought the h's former fiancée and he wasn't even insulting her just stating the obvious and did nothing to her after she had the heroined locked in the cellar.
If he feel that he should get clean for touching the heroine, the heroine should asked to rebuilt the chateau or buy another house, because I would feel soiled in staying in a place that he had sex with his former paramours, mostly in the same bed and room, and the heroine should make he bathe in fire, even fire is not enough to take off the slime in him. Not only that, but he employed a nasty person indicated by the OW to mistreat the heroine and put her in danger. And why the stupid heroine still try to protect Madame Le Bon, the villain that locked her in the cellar. She could be dead in the cellar if she wasn't found in time or badly ill or hurt.
And I don't think giving the emeralds earrings to the h is a great gesture, because they are heirloons, for me it just meant it is on loan until the future heir have it while he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions with his OWs.
He never apologized and felt sorry for the insults that he addressed to the heroine all this time. Sometimes I think the stupid and doormat heroines deserved the Hs that they so much loved. I don't see anything worth to love them, unless the heroines are masochists and like to be treated like dirt and be insulted and slut-shamed every time by the bastards of the Hs. The hs have no pride. Lee have no pride concerning Gilles even all the insults and slut-shaming she wants him badly. She should have choosed the OM, he treat her well until he thought that she cheated on him, and she did cheated on him with a double-standard whore bastard. The stupid heroine not only accept the insults eagerly in my view from the H, but she get angry when the OM started to insult her, he didn't even insult 1% what the H had insulted her. She got angry because Drew bought her virginity with an engagement ring but she never felt one bit of rage when the H throw all the vile insults on her. At least she returned the OM ring and break off the engagement but she took time to do that. I was mad of her because she put two measures, she allowed the H to treat her like dirty and she didn't let the OM vent a little on her, she wanted to wipe the OMs words, but she never even thought in wiping the insults hurled from the H. And why the Queen of Tramps always call the heroine the slut instead of going to see a mirror. The OWs mostly of the times get scott-free and the heroines is the only one to get punished in the books by the awful heroes and his tarts. The slut OW and her accomplice did not get any punishment as always. I bet if the heroine were dead, he still would do nothing to the OW using some lame excuse like a scandal but for me is mainly that they do not care for the heroines and he will go to this way whoring until the end of times. And I bet if he didn't met the heroine again in the end he would have married the evil OW, they deserved each other in my opinion. And he only stopped his insults after he took her virginity and deemed her worth of his false love, if she weren't a virgin he still would treat her like trash, if I were in her place I would take suicide just to get free of him or a smarter thing would be divorce him and take him to the cleaners, it is always done by the OWs of this world. The hs should start to behave like the OWs, because they are the only ones really treasured by the Hs and OMs. And I think the OM feelings for her is more honest. What a double standards that the H didn't like that she had past lovers when he himself had hundreds/thousands, if he felt that way why don't became a mon instead of whoring, it is because he is a bastard that cannot go without sex with his whores and the h should stay isolated in a tower?
It has been a long time since I read this book, but I remember clearly that I hated and loathed the H in this book. He was a BIG FAT SCUMBAG, I think he was the only one of her heroes that I truly hated and are not redeemable in my eyes. Just for the basis of some misgivings that the h's friend did, a letter that the stupid friend wrote assuming the h identity.
Until now, when I remembered the way and the offensive things that the so called H said to the h, my blood boils. Gilles treated Lee like a dirty slut. Am I supposed to believe that he loved her since she were 16 years old the way he treated and insulted her? He slut shamed her in all the book until he took her virginity in the woods like a common whore. I hate the scene at the hotel when he touched her and said unforgivable ofensive insults, like he is soiled because he touched her, that she is the queen of the slut, and he felt dirty and needed a bath and a change in the bed. Did he looked himself in the mirror to see who is the king of the dirty whores, he should get tested for STD for bedding hundreds and thousands of sluts instead of insulting the virgin heroine this way. Did he treat his ladies buffet sample this way? Of course not, he treated the true whores like queens with pricey jewelrys and another expensive itens while the h just receive insults and contemps. The OW of this story, is his on-and-off paramour for many years and I doubt that he ever took a bath after having sex or felt dirt, if he took a bath with the OW probably was with him having another batch of sex, he never felt soiled by his first class harlots, he certainly felt very pleasured and loved each moment in the arms of the OWs. Am I supposed to believe that he loved the heroine after the way he feel about her? The OW that is the real queen of the whores that sleep with at least half of the richest guys in the world. The only person that have the right to feel soiled is the heroine to be touched by a SCUMBAG with STD, he is the true garbage. He should crawl in broken glass and I have wanted very much him to die of bleeding. He had tried to convince himself that the heroine is like another desirable woman, it is a BIG LIE because he NEVER insulted his tarts, if he considered her like his tarts he would like treat her like a prized mistress not the way he treated her like a dirt. He ony called Louise one time a bitch at the end of the book because she brought the h's former fiancée and he wasn't even insulting her just stating the obvious and did nothing to her after she had the heroined locked in the cellar.
If he feel that he should get clean for touching the heroine, the heroine should asked to rebuilt the chateau or buy another house, because I would feel soiled in staying in a place that he had sex with his former paramours, mostly in the same bed and room, and the heroine should make he bathe in fire, even fire is not enough to take off the slime in him. Not only that, but he employed a nasty person indicated by the OW to mistreat the heroine and put her in danger. And why the stupid heroine still try to protect Madame Le Bon, the villain that locked her in the cellar. She could be dead in the cellar if she wasn't found in time or badly ill or hurt.
And I don't think giving the emeralds earrings to the h is a great gesture, because they are heirloons, for me it just meant it is on loan until the future heir have it while he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions with his OWs.
He never apologized and felt sorry for the insults that he addressed to the heroine all this time. Sometimes I think the stupid and doormat heroines deserved the Hs that they so much loved. I don't see anything worth to love them, unless the heroines are masochists and like to be treated like dirt and be insulted and slut-shamed every time by the bastards of the Hs. The hs have no pride. Lee have no pride concerning Gilles even all the insults and slut-shaming she wants him badly. She should have choosed the OM, he treat her well until he thought that she cheated on him, and she did cheated on him with a double-standard whore bastard. The stupid heroine not only accept the insults eagerly in my view from the H, but she get angry when the OM started to insult her, he didn't even insult 1% what the H had insulted her. She got angry because Drew bought her virginity with an engagement ring but she never felt one bit of rage when the H throw all the vile insults on her. At least she returned the OM ring and break off the engagement but she took time to do that. I was mad of her because she put two measures, she allowed the H to treat her like dirty and she didn't let the OM vent a little on her, she wanted to wipe the OMs words, but she never even thought in wiping the insults hurled from the H. And why the Queen of Tramps always call the heroine the slut instead of going to see a mirror. The OWs mostly of the times get scott-free and the heroines is the only one to get punished in the books by the awful heroes and his tarts. The slut OW and her accomplice did not get any punishment as always. I bet if the heroine were dead, he still would do nothing to the OW using some lame excuse like a scandal but for me is mainly that they do not care for the heroines and he will go to this way whoring until the end of times. And I bet if he didn't met the heroine again in the end he would have married the evil OW, they deserved each other in my opinion. And he only stopped his insults after he took her virginity and deemed her worth of his false love, if she weren't a virgin he still would treat her like trash, if I were in her place I would take suicide just to get free of him or a smarter thing would be divorce him and take him to the cleaners, it is always done by the OWs of this world. The hs should start to behave like the OWs, because they are the only ones really treasured by the Hs and OMs. And I think the OM feelings for her is more honest. What a double standards that the H didn't like that she had past lovers when he himself had hundreds/thousands, if he felt that way why don't became a mon instead of whoring, it is because he is a bastard that cannot go without sex with his whores and the h should stay isolated in a tower?
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