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The Marriage Truce
Jenna is happy to be her cousin's bridesmaid, but she wishes someone had warned her that the best man is going to be Ross Grantham. The man she once exchanged marriage vows with- in the very same church! It's two years since she last saw him; two years since Ross betrayed their vows, Can they call a truce for the bride's sake?
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First published December 1, 2002
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About the author
Sara Craven
493 books266 followersAnne Bushell was born on October 1938 in South Devon, England, just before World War II and grew up in a house crammed with books. She was always a voracious reader, some of her all-time favorites books are: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë, "Gone With the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell and "The Code of the Woosters" by P. G. Wodehouse.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 11, 2016
I like this book a lot, I despise the h for most of the story, cause she is whiny little witch but I totally got why the H had a one night stand. This h marries a man who obviously loves her, but that isn't good enough for her. She makes him change his entire life to worship at her feet by making him buy her a house, continual complaints about the job he loves (and that he had when he met her,) and she was okay with basically manipulating him with the withholding of her charms if he did not bow down to her rule. Then she goes out and deliberately gets pregnant when she KNOWS he isn't ready to be a father yet. (She buries her b/c in the garden and then seduces the H.) They talked about kids and he said not yet, and she does it anyway cause she wants it and he can just lump it and like it- this h is always going to get her own way.
Almost every single reviewer goes on about the H having a one night stand after the h had frozen him out for months. Not one person comments on the fact that this h is a righteous bitch from the get go and then has the tackiness to blame everything on the H, disregarding her own juvenile and self-centered behavior. Technically, no one deserves to get cheated on, but this woman came real close to totally deserving it n my book, sadly it did not prove to help her get some integrity or character.
So the H slept with her roommate before he met the h? How on earth is that any of her business? It isn't, she and the H were not even a couple, yet that seems to get as much complaints as his one night stand. They divorced over the supposed "betrayal", which was good for the H, he had a lucky escape I think. Too bad he succumbs again in the end, but hopefully she will be a bit more thoughtful this time around.
Then when he gets shot and needs to recuperate, the h has a conniption cause his convalescence - from a serious GUNSHOT wound-- was interfering with her being at home around her family, he winds up staying with her aunt and the h can't handle him being a mile away. Then the H gets asked to sub as the best man in a wedding where the h is the bride's maid and she has hysterics - TWO YEARS after they divorced and even longer if you count how long she ignored him while they were married.
I was just praying for someone to slap this h silly with a skillet, cause she was OTT egocentric and a total narcissist, it was all ever only about her until the end when she finally grew her sorry rear up.
I still liked the book a lot tho, the H had the patience of a saint cause he really did love her. She just wasn't really worthy of it.
Almost every single reviewer goes on about the H having a one night stand after the h had frozen him out for months. Not one person comments on the fact that this h is a righteous bitch from the get go and then has the tackiness to blame everything on the H, disregarding her own juvenile and self-centered behavior. Technically, no one deserves to get cheated on, but this woman came real close to totally deserving it n my book, sadly it did not prove to help her get some integrity or character.
So the H slept with her roommate before he met the h? How on earth is that any of her business? It isn't, she and the H were not even a couple, yet that seems to get as much complaints as his one night stand. They divorced over the supposed "betrayal", which was good for the H, he had a lucky escape I think. Too bad he succumbs again in the end, but hopefully she will be a bit more thoughtful this time around.
Then when he gets shot and needs to recuperate, the h has a conniption cause his convalescence - from a serious GUNSHOT wound-- was interfering with her being at home around her family, he winds up staying with her aunt and the h can't handle him being a mile away. Then the H gets asked to sub as the best man in a wedding where the h is the bride's maid and she has hysterics - TWO YEARS after they divorced and even longer if you count how long she ignored him while they were married.
I was just praying for someone to slap this h silly with a skillet, cause she was OTT egocentric and a total narcissist, it was all ever only about her until the end when she finally grew her sorry rear up.
I still liked the book a lot tho, the H had the patience of a saint cause he really did love her. She just wasn't really worthy of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2012
This book does not even deserve 1 star.
Jenna and Ross Grantham have been divorced for two years. After she had a miscarriage, he had an affair. Now Jenna is the matron of honour for her cousin's wedding, and Ross is the best man.
I normally like stories involving broken marriages being reconciled, but this was awful. Jenna finds out that Ross only slept with the other woman once, and that's enough for her to forgive him, accept all the blame on herself, and agree to marry him again. Yuck. Ross' excuse for sleeping with another woman? She was kind to him. Jenna also finds out that Ross slept with her flatmate Natasha. His excuse for that one? "I found her in my room, stretched across the bed without a stitch on. She looked spectacular, and it seemed - churlish to disappoint her... When it was over I called the cab and she disappeared."
Double yuck. Don't bother reading this one.
Jenna and Ross Grantham have been divorced for two years. After she had a miscarriage, he had an affair. Now Jenna is the matron of honour for her cousin's wedding, and Ross is the best man.
I normally like stories involving broken marriages being reconciled, but this was awful. Jenna finds out that Ross only slept with the other woman once, and that's enough for her to forgive him, accept all the blame on herself, and agree to marry him again. Yuck. Ross' excuse for sleeping with another woman? She was kind to him. Jenna also finds out that Ross slept with her flatmate Natasha. His excuse for that one? "I found her in my room, stretched across the bed without a stitch on. She looked spectacular, and it seemed - churlish to disappoint her... When it was over I called the cab and she disappeared."
Double yuck. Don't bother reading this one.
November 22, 2016
Trigger: cheating hero.
An intense second chance story told from the PoV of the art gallery heroine, who has been divorced from the news reporter H for two years. They meet again because of a wedding. The heroine is her cousin's bridesmaid and the H gets roped into being best man. It's through the pre-wedding activities, under the eagle eye of the entire small Cornish town, that the H/h have to interact.
The H says right up front to the heroine - and everyone else who will listen - that his recent illness has made him reassess his life and he's going to marry again and have children. This is particularly painful for the h since she had a miscarriage early in their marriage and then the H cheated on her while on assignment. All she wanted was a home and family with him and now he's going to have that with someone else, while she has nothing. This was delicious angst - but of course he was talking about winning her back. (I could see it - but the author doesn't give us the H's PoV, which was very old school of her).
Also old school - having various characters chiming in that the heroine might not have been the easiest to be married to, etc. . . And the heroine finally admits to herself that she was making the H into the image she wanted, not the person he was. He of the never-apologize-never-explain school of communication just made matters worse as she got more and more clingy. Her ditching of the birth control pills was a final desperate act, that backfired in many ways.
Our H/h do reconcile only to have the heroine's flatmate and business partner show up in the middle of the night. Seems she had a one night stand before the H ever met the h and was stalking him throughout their marriage. She was so jealous, she caused the h's fall down the stairs and her subsequent miscarriage. For a finale she drove to Cornwall from London with a kitchen knife so she could finally get her man. So - yeah - some crazy OW goodness was the cherry on top of this angst sundae.
So the cheating? One time in a war zone after the h refused to have sex with him. He felt guilt from then on, but he compounded his problems by not explaining or apologizing. He later explains that he hurt the woman as well as his wife. Although I think he should have learned from the one-night-stand where he got a stalker who could have killed his wife. So yes- he screwed up big time.
And the trick pregnancy? Heroine was desperate to connect with the H and didn't communicate her feelings.
They both made mistakes but they suffered for their sins. It's just as well the H is 8 years older than the h - he needed to grow up just like she did.
An intense second chance story told from the PoV of the art gallery heroine, who has been divorced from the news reporter H for two years. They meet again because of a wedding. The heroine is her cousin's bridesmaid and the H gets roped into being best man. It's through the pre-wedding activities, under the eagle eye of the entire small Cornish town, that the H/h have to interact.
The H says right up front to the heroine - and everyone else who will listen - that his recent illness has made him reassess his life and he's going to marry again and have children. This is particularly painful for the h since she had a miscarriage early in their marriage and then the H cheated on her while on assignment. All she wanted was a home and family with him and now he's going to have that with someone else, while she has nothing. This was delicious angst - but of course he was talking about winning her back. (I could see it - but the author doesn't give us the H's PoV, which was very old school of her).
Also old school - having various characters chiming in that the heroine might not have been the easiest to be married to, etc. . . And the heroine finally admits to herself that she was making the H into the image she wanted, not the person he was. He of the never-apologize-never-explain school of communication just made matters worse as she got more and more clingy. Her ditching of the birth control pills was a final desperate act, that backfired in many ways.
Our H/h do reconcile only to have the heroine's flatmate and business partner show up in the middle of the night. Seems she had a one night stand before the H ever met the h and was stalking him throughout their marriage. She was so jealous, she caused the h's fall down the stairs and her subsequent miscarriage. For a finale she drove to Cornwall from London with a kitchen knife so she could finally get her man. So - yeah - some crazy OW goodness was the cherry on top of this angst sundae.
So the cheating? One time in a war zone after the h refused to have sex with him. He felt guilt from then on, but he compounded his problems by not explaining or apologizing. He later explains that he hurt the woman as well as his wife. Although I think he should have learned from the one-night-stand where he got a stalker who could have killed his wife. So yes- he screwed up big time.
And the trick pregnancy? Heroine was desperate to connect with the H and didn't communicate her feelings.
They both made mistakes but they suffered for their sins. It's just as well the H is 8 years older than the h - he needed to grow up just like she did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 6, 2018Read, forgot about it and re-read again; disliked it both times for worthless, waste of space toxic hero and heroine. Not to mention a best friend that falls in the category of with friends like these who needs enemies.
What I remember most is the h is bridesmaid for her cousin, and in her fury, pain, EMOTIONS about seeing the H makes the rehearsal and wedding all about her. The long-suffering cousin should have been the heroine.
In fairness to the author, no rating.
Oh, I see. Sara Craven.
What I remember most is the h is bridesmaid for her cousin, and in her fury, pain, EMOTIONS about seeing the H makes the rehearsal and wedding all about her. The long-suffering cousin should have been the heroine.
In fairness to the author, no rating.
Oh, I see. Sara Craven.
July 26, 2012
Normally I really don't mind this author's books, but this was an absolute waste of time. I'm an insomniac and this was one of those books I wasted a whole two hours I'd have spent reading something else! it was also one of those books that leave you depressed when you're done reading and utterly hopeless on the gullibility of some women.
like most Mills and Boons, the blame on the marriage's failure was put on the heroine. like WTF??! She wasn't the one who CHEATED on her spouse. The hero (well more like Zero) was a douchebag if you ask me. Total waste of time.
like most Mills and Boons, the blame on the marriage's failure was put on the heroine. like WTF??! She wasn't the one who CHEATED on her spouse. The hero (well more like Zero) was a douchebag if you ask me. Total waste of time.
July 7, 2020
3.5*
Away from SC's usual Greek alphacad routine. Both are British for one, and the power equation seems (seems) more equitable.
Divorced h/H, distantly related (through his stepmom) meet again when she comes home for her cousin/foster sister's wedding and the H, a dashing, war-hopping journalist is recuperating from an illness at his stepmother's place in the same village. I totally adore the h's aunt, uncle and cousin who are so protective of the h and so much 'on her side' - more than any h's family, I can recall.
So, we are fed tidbits here and there through flashbacks, on the reason behind their separation and the reality of it.
The H knew the h as an adolescent girl quite obviously crushing on him. Few years on, they meet in London, at the art gallery where she's started work. The fact that she's out of jailbait stage hits him and he hits on her instantly. Very short courtship and marriage. And trouble.
The h's workmate/roommate looms in the background as a dark specter and we can see the train-wreck a mile off but it takes the whole book to unravel the exact sequence of events.
There are times when the h annoyed me despite being in the right (most times) and I found myself in sympathy with the H till I started finding both of them tiresome and the founders of their own angst. Lies and lack of real communication, mismatched personalities, the h's need to grow up and the H's need to understand that marriage is not just a live-in situation with a ring but needs more work and acceptance. You can't keep that much independence in a couple situation.
The author lets the h run around in her self-righteous snit for much of the book till the H is given his so-what-if-I-did-THAT platform and the h is slightly but surely put in the wrong - or at least gets to share the blame. A pregnancy trap is WRONG but *major spoilers*
Away from SC's usual Greek alphacad routine. Both are British for one, and the power equation seems (seems) more equitable.
Divorced h/H, distantly related (through his stepmom) meet again when she comes home for her cousin/foster sister's wedding and the H, a dashing, war-hopping journalist is recuperating from an illness at his stepmother's place in the same village. I totally adore the h's aunt, uncle and cousin who are so protective of the h and so much 'on her side' - more than any h's family, I can recall.
So, we are fed tidbits here and there through flashbacks, on the reason behind their separation and the reality of it.
The H knew the h as an adolescent girl quite obviously crushing on him. Few years on, they meet in London, at the art gallery where she's started work. The fact that she's out of jailbait stage hits him and he hits on her instantly. Very short courtship and marriage. And trouble.
The h's workmate/roommate looms in the background as a dark specter and we can see the train-wreck a mile off but it takes the whole book to unravel the exact sequence of events.
There are times when the h annoyed me despite being in the right (most times) and I found myself in sympathy with the H till I started finding both of them tiresome and the founders of their own angst. Lies and lack of real communication, mismatched personalities, the h's need to grow up and the H's need to understand that marriage is not just a live-in situation with a ring but needs more work and acceptance. You can't keep that much independence in a couple situation.
The author lets the h run around in her self-righteous snit for much of the book till the H is given his so-what-if-I-did-THAT platform and the h is slightly but surely put in the wrong - or at least gets to share the blame. A pregnancy trap is WRONG but *major spoilers*
March 8, 2020
3/20
I read this early in my "cheating hero career phase" and judged very harshly, lol. Reading now I recognize that my hate was misplaced a bit. The angst this couple produces is off the charts, so read at you own discretion.😊
“She asked if she could use the bath¬room. She was gone for such a long time I thought she'd been taken ill. I found her in my room, stretched across the bed without a stitch on. She looked spectacular, and it seemed—churlish to disappoint her."
Excerpt From: Craven, Sara. “The Marriage Truce.” iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.
This comment from the "hero" was made AFTER the reconciliation scene. I mean, tell the love of your life how much you like her best friends body, why doncha.
I have got to stop taking these books personally. Even at the really weird and out of left field end, where he talks about her best friends "beautiful" and "spectacular" naked body looking "amazing" spread naked over his bed. Even when he says said best friend was a "spectacular lay", and this is at the end, after they had "made up". Even then. I really need to stop using quotation marks too, but her spectacular nude and amazing body made me do it, like how the heroine made him cheat. But, seriously, I need to stop taking these books personally, because really, she looked amazing and spectacular laying there naked on his bed with her beautiful body, I mean how could he resist? And this wasn't even his cheating "incident" either. I don't believe in their HEA because I'm sure there with be more beautiful, spectacular, nude amazing lays in his future, but this time time it'll be the butler that made him do it. Because really, that butler looked amazing lying naked across his bed with his spectacular body. I really need to stop taking these books personally. :-)
I read this early in my "cheating hero career phase" and judged very harshly, lol. Reading now I recognize that my hate was misplaced a bit. The angst this couple produces is off the charts, so read at you own discretion.😊
“She asked if she could use the bath¬room. She was gone for such a long time I thought she'd been taken ill. I found her in my room, stretched across the bed without a stitch on. She looked spectacular, and it seemed—churlish to disappoint her."
Excerpt From: Craven, Sara. “The Marriage Truce.” iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.
This comment from the "hero" was made AFTER the reconciliation scene. I mean, tell the love of your life how much you like her best friends body, why doncha.
I have got to stop taking these books personally. Even at the really weird and out of left field end, where he talks about her best friends "beautiful" and "spectacular" naked body looking "amazing" spread naked over his bed. Even when he says said best friend was a "spectacular lay", and this is at the end, after they had "made up". Even then. I really need to stop using quotation marks too, but her spectacular nude and amazing body made me do it, like how the heroine made him cheat. But, seriously, I need to stop taking these books personally, because really, she looked amazing and spectacular laying there naked on his bed with her beautiful body, I mean how could he resist? And this wasn't even his cheating "incident" either. I don't believe in their HEA because I'm sure there with be more beautiful, spectacular, nude amazing lays in his future, but this time time it'll be the butler that made him do it. Because really, that butler looked amazing lying naked across his bed with his spectacular body. I really need to stop taking these books personally. :-)
April 18, 2014
This is by far her worst book in my opinion!
April 30, 2012
Gah, the hero was a slut. I just need to put that out there! I couldn't believe how he acted and that the heroine even thought about taking him back. It was sad too cause how he confronted the heroine about what a fail their marriage was, he made it sound like cheating on the heroine with another woman was his fault. Yeahhh, I wanted to punt him..
March 9, 2009
THE WORST SC. HERO CHEATED.
March 24, 2023
I made the big huge mistake to think that since I’ve found a couple of books of this author that I liked, with both characters not unpleasant and a hero not manwhore and even celibate, I could read some other of her books and find the same.
Not this time.
The hero is awful and the heroine is not much better.
He’s a selfish narcissist and she’s a dependent passive aggressive that you can’t live with.
They have known forever and married even if she was young immature and very very insecure.
She lacked self confidence and was emotionally dependent on the older hero.
She had her dreams and didn’t care if the hero didn’t share them completely.
She wanted to change him and she wanted a different house, she wanted children while he wanted to wait some more.
She betrayed his trust when she stopped her pills without telling him and I hated this, a child must be a shared decision where it’s possible, and she definitely did what she wanted to do without caring about his feelings.
The hero is a selfish bastard who didn’t want to change anything in his life and wanted her to accept everything as it was.
Both refused to change a thing and to take into account the other’s feelings.
She got pregnant and lost her child, she thought he was cheating on her so she had no trust in him, and she got depressed for months after her miscarriage.
The hero cheated on her.
They got divorced and thank god for this they should have stayed this way.
Sadly two years later he’s back, he’s been sick and realized that now that he’s had his fill of women and freedom he’s quite ready to take a wife that can take care of him if he’s sick again.
He’s also ready to give her children in exchange of meals, laundry, and household.
Nice of him.
So he and the heroine start dating again and talk a lot, like adults this time, understanding that they are in love and they’ve always been.
Ok, I didn’t like it even if I know, it’s quite well written and developed.
But it’s the pov of the author I hated.
I can understand she’s from another generation and there were different beliefs and all but I simply don’t agree.
- men needs sex, women don’t and only can have sex with the man they love. Lies. Even one hundred years ago.
- this is a very old and wrong belief, that women had to tolerate their husbands cheating because men have needs and if a woman doesn’t deliver a man goes to another woman to get what he needs. Chauvinist and quaint.
- then there’s the hard matter of cheating.
Because the author wants us to believe that there was a reason for the hero’s cheating. And that is, the heroine had been blocking emotionally and physically the hero for months. So he went to have sex with his colleague who was kind and - let me be a bitch- horny.
And. This. Is. Wrong.
Not because the heroine poor thing was depressed because she lost her child, not because he was selfish and only thought for himself, not because he didn’t regret it enough and didn’t apologize when he admitted his guilt. No, I don’t care what his reasons are and what were his after cheating manners, the wrong thing is to try to find a reason for cheating.
Because there’s never a good reason for cheating and it’s always wrong because it means you have no honor, your word and commitment aren’t worth a thing.
And because the right question is not why did he cheat? But why some people cheat and others never cheat.
Because let me tell you from my decades of professional experience that some people will never, under no conditions even the most painful frustrating and hard, physically cheat on their partners. Maybe emotionally they could but physically they can’t.
It has to do with the way they view themselves and intimacy and the fact that they can’t be physically involved with two persons at the same time.
While other people don’t have this kind of issue and if they have the chance, either a marriage in trouble or a beautiful woman available, they cheat. Physically. They go all the way.
But some other people will never do. They will avoid all the chances to be tempted and even if they are tempted they can’t.
So the fact that the hero cheated is because he is one of those people who, in certain situations, use sex with another person as a way of coping and the heroine has to accept this if she wants to be with him again.
Of course he could do it again.
Maybe he won’t but he’s already done it and there’s some truth in the saying once a cheater always a cheater.
And I hated that the author wanted to persuade us that the heroine is to blame for his cheating. Honestly, go to hell.
And I found it very sad that she took him back because he wasn’t the right guy for her.
Another double standard that I hate. Because of course she was celibate while it’s not said if he was and since he couldn’t keep it in his pants even when he was married I suppose he wasn’t.
Not for me this time.
Not this time.
The hero is awful and the heroine is not much better.
He’s a selfish narcissist and she’s a dependent passive aggressive that you can’t live with.
They have known forever and married even if she was young immature and very very insecure.
She lacked self confidence and was emotionally dependent on the older hero.
She had her dreams and didn’t care if the hero didn’t share them completely.
She wanted to change him and she wanted a different house, she wanted children while he wanted to wait some more.
She betrayed his trust when she stopped her pills without telling him and I hated this, a child must be a shared decision where it’s possible, and she definitely did what she wanted to do without caring about his feelings.
The hero is a selfish bastard who didn’t want to change anything in his life and wanted her to accept everything as it was.
Both refused to change a thing and to take into account the other’s feelings.
She got pregnant and lost her child, she thought he was cheating on her so she had no trust in him, and she got depressed for months after her miscarriage.
The hero cheated on her.
They got divorced and thank god for this they should have stayed this way.
Sadly two years later he’s back, he’s been sick and realized that now that he’s had his fill of women and freedom he’s quite ready to take a wife that can take care of him if he’s sick again.
He’s also ready to give her children in exchange of meals, laundry, and household.
Nice of him.
So he and the heroine start dating again and talk a lot, like adults this time, understanding that they are in love and they’ve always been.
Ok, I didn’t like it even if I know, it’s quite well written and developed.
But it’s the pov of the author I hated.
I can understand she’s from another generation and there were different beliefs and all but I simply don’t agree.
- men needs sex, women don’t and only can have sex with the man they love. Lies. Even one hundred years ago.
- this is a very old and wrong belief, that women had to tolerate their husbands cheating because men have needs and if a woman doesn’t deliver a man goes to another woman to get what he needs. Chauvinist and quaint.
- then there’s the hard matter of cheating.
Because the author wants us to believe that there was a reason for the hero’s cheating. And that is, the heroine had been blocking emotionally and physically the hero for months. So he went to have sex with his colleague who was kind and - let me be a bitch- horny.
And. This. Is. Wrong.
Not because the heroine poor thing was depressed because she lost her child, not because he was selfish and only thought for himself, not because he didn’t regret it enough and didn’t apologize when he admitted his guilt. No, I don’t care what his reasons are and what were his after cheating manners, the wrong thing is to try to find a reason for cheating.
Because there’s never a good reason for cheating and it’s always wrong because it means you have no honor, your word and commitment aren’t worth a thing.
And because the right question is not why did he cheat? But why some people cheat and others never cheat.
Because let me tell you from my decades of professional experience that some people will never, under no conditions even the most painful frustrating and hard, physically cheat on their partners. Maybe emotionally they could but physically they can’t.
It has to do with the way they view themselves and intimacy and the fact that they can’t be physically involved with two persons at the same time.
While other people don’t have this kind of issue and if they have the chance, either a marriage in trouble or a beautiful woman available, they cheat. Physically. They go all the way.
But some other people will never do. They will avoid all the chances to be tempted and even if they are tempted they can’t.
So the fact that the hero cheated is because he is one of those people who, in certain situations, use sex with another person as a way of coping and the heroine has to accept this if she wants to be with him again.
Of course he could do it again.
Maybe he won’t but he’s already done it and there’s some truth in the saying once a cheater always a cheater.
And I hated that the author wanted to persuade us that the heroine is to blame for his cheating. Honestly, go to hell.
And I found it very sad that she took him back because he wasn’t the right guy for her.
Another double standard that I hate. Because of course she was celibate while it’s not said if he was and since he couldn’t keep it in his pants even when he was married I suppose he wasn’t.
Not for me this time.
January 30, 2018
Después de haberse divorciado, se vuelven a ver. Ella aún no lo odia, él aún la ama.
DETESTÉ A LA TIPA. En serio, era la cosa más irritante del mundo. Pero lo que más me gustó de este libro es el enfoque, el hecho de que dejen muy claro que una relación es de dos personas y que ambos tienen responsabilidades cuando una relación falla. Cómo él mismo dice, no se justifica por lo que hizo, pero desde hace meses que no era su esposa. Y ella, como siempre, se tomó todo tan a pecho, como si hubiese culpa de él que ella perdiera el bebé. Si ella no hubiese sido tan terca y lo escuchara más seguido, nada de eso hubiese pasado.
Y el plus con Natasha fue estupendo, realmente no me lo esperaba.
Me gusta mucho como escribe Sara. :3
DETESTÉ A LA TIPA. En serio, era la cosa más irritante del mundo. Pero lo que más me gustó de este libro es el enfoque, el hecho de que dejen muy claro que una relación es de dos personas y que ambos tienen responsabilidades cuando una relación falla. Cómo él mismo dice, no se justifica por lo que hizo, pero desde hace meses que no era su esposa. Y ella, como siempre, se tomó todo tan a pecho, como si hubiese culpa de él que ella perdiera el bebé. Si ella no hubiese sido tan terca y lo escuchara más seguido, nada de eso hubiese pasado.
Y el plus con Natasha fue estupendo, realmente no me lo esperaba.
Me gusta mucho como escribe Sara. :3
August 3, 2022
2.5 Stars
Another book not available in Kindle format that I had to read online.
Link to free book:
Internet Archive Library
**Ranty ramblings below with spoilers**
Strikes:
✖️A whole lot of telling and not nearly enough showing.
✖️Endless inner-monologuing, most of which I found boring, making me forget I was suppose to be feeling Jenna's angst. To be honest, all I wanted was for her to get to the nitty-gritty parts of the story. (I've become a very impatient reader.)
✖️I hated the way the flashbacks were written here. The back and forth between Jenna's memories and the present time, ruined the flow of the story.
✖️Ross and Jenna's relationship felt shallow. (see Strike #1)
✖️Jenna was a martyr, claiming several times that "Ross was the one and only man she would ever want." Said she was a "one-man woman" and that was 2 years after their divorce. I rolled my eyes. I wonder if he was celibate during the separation 🤔 I doubt it since he couldn't even keep in his pants while he was married.
✖️Ross was an idiot. I'll admit, Jenna was immature, but that's why I kind of excused the mistakes she made. She was young, naive, an idealist. Selfish? Perhaps, but it wasn't intentional. She wasn't egotistical. She wanted a house they could call home (not his bachelor pad), and fill it with their babies. Was she not suppose to want those things? And why was he reluctant and bitter to give them to her? I empathized with her and related to her feelings and reactions towards Ross. I blamed him. He was much older and experienced than Jenna; I wanted him to fix things! But he didn't communicate, just allowed things to get worse between them. And he was no alpha, because He. Let. Her. Go. Sooooo easily.
✖️Ross' excuses. He gave her many excuses for his behavior, but they didn't all make sense. I still can't figure out why he acted the way he did when she confronted him about the other woman. His responses were uncaring, unapologetic, even cruel. The question is why? He cheated, the least he could have done was apologize for that. He gave no explanations at all. Then 2 years later he decides he's finally ready to talk. And he basically blamed her for the cheating. Mmkay, douchebag.
✖️ Ross' cheating. I don't care that he was drunk and supposedly miserable. That scene at the airport with the OW didn't show me a man who looked regretful, and definitely not when Jenna confronted him.
✖️The entire story was told from Jenna's point of view, so I was only really invested in Jenna's feelings and her interpretations of situations. So, it was ridiculous for the author to suddenly--in one single scene-- portray Ross as the victim by having him explain his side of things. I wasn't convinced! I'm glad Jenna recognized her faults but I still think she was too quick to forgive him for his.
✖️Even if it happened before they became a couple, how can Ross think he didn't have to tell Jenna he slept with her best friend and business partner? I would want to know! Especially after the best friend became all fatal-attraction-crazy on them. Again, what an idiot.
✖️Please, PLEASE, no red silk robes for heroes.
✔️ I'm only giving this book credit for the angst I felt when the heroine discovered the hero in the airport with another woman. Fuuuuck 😱 That was delicious.
Another book not available in Kindle format that I had to read online.
Link to free book:
Internet Archive Library
**Ranty ramblings below with spoilers**
Strikes:
✖️A whole lot of telling and not nearly enough showing.
✖️Endless inner-monologuing, most of which I found boring, making me forget I was suppose to be feeling Jenna's angst. To be honest, all I wanted was for her to get to the nitty-gritty parts of the story. (I've become a very impatient reader.)
✖️I hated the way the flashbacks were written here. The back and forth between Jenna's memories and the present time, ruined the flow of the story.
✖️Ross and Jenna's relationship felt shallow. (see Strike #1)
✖️Jenna was a martyr, claiming several times that "Ross was the one and only man she would ever want." Said she was a "one-man woman" and that was 2 years after their divorce. I rolled my eyes. I wonder if he was celibate during the separation 🤔 I doubt it since he couldn't even keep in his pants while he was married.
✖️Ross was an idiot. I'll admit, Jenna was immature, but that's why I kind of excused the mistakes she made. She was young, naive, an idealist. Selfish? Perhaps, but it wasn't intentional. She wasn't egotistical. She wanted a house they could call home (not his bachelor pad), and fill it with their babies. Was she not suppose to want those things? And why was he reluctant and bitter to give them to her? I empathized with her and related to her feelings and reactions towards Ross. I blamed him. He was much older and experienced than Jenna; I wanted him to fix things! But he didn't communicate, just allowed things to get worse between them. And he was no alpha, because He. Let. Her. Go. Sooooo easily.
✖️Ross' excuses. He gave her many excuses for his behavior, but they didn't all make sense. I still can't figure out why he acted the way he did when she confronted him about the other woman. His responses were uncaring, unapologetic, even cruel. The question is why? He cheated, the least he could have done was apologize for that. He gave no explanations at all. Then 2 years later he decides he's finally ready to talk. And he basically blamed her for the cheating. Mmkay, douchebag.
✖️ Ross' cheating. I don't care that he was drunk and supposedly miserable. That scene at the airport with the OW didn't show me a man who looked regretful, and definitely not when Jenna confronted him.
✖️The entire story was told from Jenna's point of view, so I was only really invested in Jenna's feelings and her interpretations of situations. So, it was ridiculous for the author to suddenly--in one single scene-- portray Ross as the victim by having him explain his side of things. I wasn't convinced! I'm glad Jenna recognized her faults but I still think she was too quick to forgive him for his.
✖️Even if it happened before they became a couple, how can Ross think he didn't have to tell Jenna he slept with her best friend and business partner? I would want to know! Especially after the best friend became all fatal-attraction-crazy on them. Again, what an idiot.
✖️Please, PLEASE, no red silk robes for heroes.
✔️ I'm only giving this book credit for the angst I felt when the heroine discovered the hero in the airport with another woman. Fuuuuck 😱 That was delicious.
October 23, 2020
Both the h and the H are very nasty. They deserve each other.
After they are married, the h decides she wants a baby. Because she knows the H doesn’t want a baby yet, she secretly stops using birth control without telling him. That is nasty to trick someone into becoming a father and it is not fair to the baby too. A baby should be wanted by both parents.
She loses the baby because she falls from the stairs. After that she wants the H to sleep in the guest room and she acts cold to him.
He goes abroad for his work. When he comes back, she waits for him at the airport and then she sees him and a woman kissing.
He admits to her that he slept with that woman. But it was because their marriage was cold and because he was a bit drunk and bla bla.
I have been reading Harlequin Presents books for almost 40 years now. Never ever have I read about a H who actually really had sex with the other woman. Most of the times it didn’t happen or they only kissed or made out a little bit. But this married H did have sex with the other woman. All night long.
This was a shocker. Adultry always is. But instead of having sympathy for the grief of his wife who lost the baby she always wanted, he made it about him and his grief and her coldness.
Anyway, as if that isn’t enough, the H later on confesses that he slept with the h’s roommate and best friend before he met the h. I agree that the sexual past of your partner is his past and he should not have to tell you about all the women he ever slept with before he met you, but in this case it was her best friend and he should have told her about it.
The H makes it look as if he was tricked into having sex with the h’s best friend. Because she was laying in his bed and all.
This H always has his excuses ready for sleeping around. He had an affair because he was drunk. And he slept without the best friend because she was in his bed.
And oh yeah, with both women only happened one night. As if that makes it any better.
This book leaves you depressed after reading it.
After they are married, the h decides she wants a baby. Because she knows the H doesn’t want a baby yet, she secretly stops using birth control without telling him. That is nasty to trick someone into becoming a father and it is not fair to the baby too. A baby should be wanted by both parents.
She loses the baby because she falls from the stairs. After that she wants the H to sleep in the guest room and she acts cold to him.
He goes abroad for his work. When he comes back, she waits for him at the airport and then she sees him and a woman kissing.
He admits to her that he slept with that woman. But it was because their marriage was cold and because he was a bit drunk and bla bla.
I have been reading Harlequin Presents books for almost 40 years now. Never ever have I read about a H who actually really had sex with the other woman. Most of the times it didn’t happen or they only kissed or made out a little bit. But this married H did have sex with the other woman. All night long.
This was a shocker. Adultry always is. But instead of having sympathy for the grief of his wife who lost the baby she always wanted, he made it about him and his grief and her coldness.
Anyway, as if that isn’t enough, the H later on confesses that he slept with the h’s roommate and best friend before he met the h. I agree that the sexual past of your partner is his past and he should not have to tell you about all the women he ever slept with before he met you, but in this case it was her best friend and he should have told her about it.
The H makes it look as if he was tricked into having sex with the h’s best friend. Because she was laying in his bed and all.
This H always has his excuses ready for sleeping around. He had an affair because he was drunk. And he slept without the best friend because she was in his bed.
And oh yeah, with both women only happened one night. As if that makes it any better.
This book leaves you depressed after reading it.
July 9, 2017
A realistic look at the breakdown of a marriage.
I could understand why this book has mixed reviews. There is a thread of realism that you don't read every day in a HQ. The H comes across as a somewhat insecure man. He loves the h and he translates that into giving her whatever she wants while burying his own emotions. The h has a very specific dream (house, husband, 2.5 kids). And she presues this without caring about the H feelings. So, with a H who never stands up for himself and is very closed off and a h who doesn't really question, you have a disaster waiting to happen. So, while you still have the "evil outside forces" threading the marriage, at the end it went south due to the actions of couple, and no one else.
Trigger
All and all, I'd recommend it, :)
I could understand why this book has mixed reviews. There is a thread of realism that you don't read every day in a HQ. The H comes across as a somewhat insecure man. He loves the h and he translates that into giving her whatever she wants while burying his own emotions. The h has a very specific dream (house, husband, 2.5 kids). And she presues this without caring about the H feelings. So, with a H who never stands up for himself and is very closed off and a h who doesn't really question, you have a disaster waiting to happen. So, while you still have the "evil outside forces" threading the marriage, at the end it went south due to the actions of couple, and no one else.
Trigger
All and all, I'd recommend it, :)
August 8, 2020
This book has been one of the worst romance book I ever read. The hero was awful! I hate him! He didn't deserve the heroine. Poor girl :(
For books like this is why stopped to read this author. I still love her, she was one of my first Harlequin authors since 2007, but nowadays when I pick up a book by her I skimmed them very carefully :D
For books like this is why stopped to read this author. I still love her, she was one of my first Harlequin authors since 2007, but nowadays when I pick up a book by her I skimmed them very carefully :D
May 1, 2013
i'm usually a great fan of sara craven. unfortunately here, she totally lost it. the book was plain boring and the hero seemed like a cold fish
April 21, 2018
this book is so dumb. I can't stand it but eventually I never dnf a book. Soni read till the end. I want to burn down this book
nope
February 7, 2018Reading reviews(not many there btw. Not the authors best time I guess. Lol) I just hav one thing to say: ECA.. que livro horrível
July 9, 2023
3.5 stars for this interesting, but dated MIT tale.They definitely had multiple problems before the infidelity, perhaps partially due to age gap and h's immaturity.However, there was really no excuse for her lies and manipulation that led to a pregnancy that he was not ready for.As it turns out that neither was.There are several twists in the storyline that make for big spoilers.I won't give all the details here,but just feel the need clarify what I see a misleading in another review. He slept with the flatmate BEFORE they get together and was unaware of their friendship.Also, she did not choose to reconcile only because of her discovery that his infidelity was a one time thing.There were many complexities involved here making for a well conceived,complicated MIT and eventually a reconciliation saga.It was however disconcerting that the reconciliation was so swift after a such an intricately crafted slow burn retelling of the preceding events!
For me the dramatics ,flawed characters and morally grey areas made the tale more interesting so I fail to understand the negative rating arc!
MIT w manipulated pregnancy and loss of said pregnancy
Infidelity \H is a total ahole when confronted,but gives rationale and does apologize and beg for a re do ...but don't expect prolonged grovel since this portion of the tale is ACCELERATED
Evil,disgruntled, unstable ow w loads of "ow drama" and worse!
Second chance romance after 2 years divorced H has come to Jesus realizations after serious illness.
Slow burn w some suspenseful elements
For me the dramatics ,flawed characters and morally grey areas made the tale more interesting so I fail to understand the negative rating arc!
MIT w manipulated pregnancy and loss of said pregnancy
Infidelity \H is a total ahole when confronted,but gives rationale and does apologize and beg for a re do ...but don't expect prolonged grovel since this portion of the tale is ACCELERATED
Evil,disgruntled, unstable ow w loads of "ow drama" and worse!
Second chance romance after 2 years divorced H has come to Jesus realizations after serious illness.
Slow burn w some suspenseful elements
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2019
Read a long long time ago but saw this pop up and unfortunately remembered it because this Zero was such a douchebag. Thought it was perfectly okay to keep his playboy apartment, have his dangerous career, not want any signs of a family etc. but married a much younger very innocent girl he'd known for years and thought she would just go along with it all. She wanted a family and to move their life forward. But of course how dare she want that (eye roll) what a horrible woman for wanting a nice home and kids (eye roll). She had a miscarriage and this dirtbag instead of being there for his physically and emotionally scarred wife decided to play the "woe is me" card after a VERY SHORT PERIOD and stuck his adulterous dick in another woman. And once again, this bullshit story tries to pin the blame for his fucking around on the wife. Really?? What a joke. And that stepmother of his deserves a good hard bitch slap. If there is one thing that pisses me off is that everyone tries to justify and excuse when the adulterous asshole cheats!!!
Oh yeah, she only ever wanted him, so you guessed it, she was a virgin (eye roll) while he, although knowing she was "THE ONE" for years according to him still kept up his whoring ways for years until they accidently ran into each other again.
Oh yeah, she only ever wanted him, so you guessed it, she was a virgin (eye roll) while he, although knowing she was "THE ONE" for years according to him still kept up his whoring ways for years until they accidently ran into each other again.
August 13, 2016
Despite the typically absurdist plot that governs such stories, there was a streak of realism in this novel that I appreciated. Sure, the hero, Ross, does cheat on the heroine, Jenna, and it's discussed fleetingly and swept aside a tad too quickly in the denouement, but I'm wise enough that such things happen more often than not and the hero had enough self-awareness and shame to be believable. I think Craven gave them the right amount of physical and emotional torment to justify them getting back together again. In the hands of a lesser writer, the act of infidelity would have been unpardonable in the land of HEA.
Add in a mysterious psychotic force driving the couple apart and you've got a story full of WIN and occasional LOLs and frights.
Add in a mysterious psychotic force driving the couple apart and you've got a story full of WIN and occasional LOLs and frights.
October 23, 2013
Emotionally intense book with lots of angst, drama, batshit crazy OW and a cheater hero!
October 22, 2019
He fucked someone else then made her believe it was her fault.
Fuck off
Fuck off
September 8, 2020
Very immature heroine and an uncommunicative hero, bad combo, but decent angst riddled story.
January 8, 2020
He’d broken her heart!
Jenna is happy to be her cousin's bridesmaid, but she wishes someone had warned her that the best man is going to be Ross Grantham. Ross is the man she once exchanged marriage vows with – in the very same church! It's two years since she last saw him; two years since Ross betrayed their vows. The air between them crackled with fiery attraction. Can they call a truce for the bride's sake?
Jenna is happy to be her cousin's bridesmaid, but she wishes someone had warned her that the best man is going to be Ross Grantham. Ross is the man she once exchanged marriage vows with – in the very same church! It's two years since she last saw him; two years since Ross betrayed their vows. The air between them crackled with fiery attraction. Can they call a truce for the bride's sake?
October 15, 2022
Well now. I think I need to catch my breath after that ending. It all went a bit psycho.
This is a tough second chance story and there were things going on in the relationship and its failure that I I don't like but that are, I suppose, very real. The fact that I still really wanted their reconciliation is a testament to SCs writing. They were both differently at fault. I have no truck with women forcing a stealth pregnancy (not cool, no excuse ever) but then again, I'm also not cool with infidelity, even a ons in tough times. I'm glad both of them learned from their mistakes. Hopefully better luck next time. He certainly seems to be swearing off other women. Let's hope his words and deeds match up and he doesn't crack next time things get rocky.
This is a tough second chance story and there were things going on in the relationship and its failure that I I don't like but that are, I suppose, very real. The fact that I still really wanted their reconciliation is a testament to SCs writing. They were both differently at fault. I have no truck with women forcing a stealth pregnancy (not cool, no excuse ever) but then again, I'm also not cool with infidelity, even a ons in tough times. I'm glad both of them learned from their mistakes. Hopefully better luck next time. He certainly seems to be swearing off other women. Let's hope his words and deeds match up and he doesn't crack next time things get rocky.
avoid
February 28, 2021Decided to read this because I'm looking for something really angsty. I figure this cheating book wouldn't trigger me since h/H are both despicable.
h steals H's sperm to get preggers behind his back because it's perfectly ok to make someone a parent without their permission. This bitch then loses her stolen baby and shuts H out for months, and so he cheats on her. #Karma She deserved this and much more.
h steals H's sperm to get preggers behind his back because it's perfectly ok to make someone a parent without their permission. This bitch then loses her stolen baby and shuts H out for months, and so he cheats on her. #Karma She deserved this and much more.
August 7, 2020
Whatever way you slice it the hero is a POS. The heroine is not perfect, but the hero still cheated, he showed little remorse even years later. Also, he was an asshole from the get go, who does not tell their wife they had a fling with their best before they met? This woman was constantly in the heroine’s life, who would trust or respect a man like that?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2019
To boogenhagen, St Margaret’s, Naksed and Vintage
Yes I took the plunge...I was very wary about reading this book since I knew it had triggers.
Cheating hero, miscarriage, previous relationship w a BFF the heroine knew nothing about.
In my opinion, this last trigger is the hero’s biggest culpability. Even if his one night stand with her happened before his relationship with the heroine, he already knew this psycho woman was a stalker who made his life hell. The minute he knew the heroine, who was his girlfriend at the time was the flatmate of this woman, he should have warned her or at least as soon as they married. Then the heroine would have been on her guard. He knew that this OW was trying to destroy their marriage and in the end she is the one that causes the heroine to lose their baby.
This OW, was also the one poisoning the heroine’s mind against the hero so it all worked toward the breakdown of their marriage. The heroine was young and insecure but had she known about the past stalker actions of this woman, she may not have taken her seriously.
The couple were both at fault and needed to grow up. I don’t blame the heroine too much because she was just 20 years old. Everyone has expectations when they get married, hers were a bit juvenile but I don’t think it was anything too bad. Except when she got pregnant deliberately, but even in this, she was trying to use it as a means to bond with her husband. Since he was also so used to getting his way and would never explain things to her.
After her miscarriage, she had feelings of guilt and resentment, it’s natural that she was feeling this towards the husband who didn’t want the baby in the first place. Then when they did start sleeping together again, it was a bit awkward. Also she probably did it to save her marriage, but after a miscarriage, it’s kinda understandable that the libido is still not all there! And what does that hubby do... have another one night stand and when she catches him, he doesn’t even explain.
I would have divorced him as well.
It’s a very angsty read and despite the triggers, I did believe in his remorse. I liked that he sought out the heroine after 2 years, however in the time they were apart, he left her to the mercy of the psycho other woman who then even became her business partner! 🙄
This is more a rant than a review but it gets 4 stars anyway since it’s a very compelling read. Their final reconciliation takes place within a few days.
Yes I took the plunge...I was very wary about reading this book since I knew it had triggers.
Cheating hero, miscarriage, previous relationship w a BFF the heroine knew nothing about.
In my opinion, this last trigger is the hero’s biggest culpability. Even if his one night stand with her happened before his relationship with the heroine, he already knew this psycho woman was a stalker who made his life hell. The minute he knew the heroine, who was his girlfriend at the time was the flatmate of this woman, he should have warned her or at least as soon as they married. Then the heroine would have been on her guard. He knew that this OW was trying to destroy their marriage and in the end she is the one that causes the heroine to lose their baby.
This OW, was also the one poisoning the heroine’s mind against the hero so it all worked toward the breakdown of their marriage. The heroine was young and insecure but had she known about the past stalker actions of this woman, she may not have taken her seriously.
The couple were both at fault and needed to grow up. I don’t blame the heroine too much because she was just 20 years old. Everyone has expectations when they get married, hers were a bit juvenile but I don’t think it was anything too bad. Except when she got pregnant deliberately, but even in this, she was trying to use it as a means to bond with her husband. Since he was also so used to getting his way and would never explain things to her.
After her miscarriage, she had feelings of guilt and resentment, it’s natural that she was feeling this towards the husband who didn’t want the baby in the first place. Then when they did start sleeping together again, it was a bit awkward. Also she probably did it to save her marriage, but after a miscarriage, it’s kinda understandable that the libido is still not all there! And what does that hubby do... have another one night stand and when she catches him, he doesn’t even explain.
I would have divorced him as well.
It’s a very angsty read and despite the triggers, I did believe in his remorse. I liked that he sought out the heroine after 2 years, however in the time they were apart, he left her to the mercy of the psycho other woman who then even became her business partner! 🙄
This is more a rant than a review but it gets 4 stars anyway since it’s a very compelling read. Their final reconciliation takes place within a few days.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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