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Savage Obsession
A second baby-a second chance?
She'd been crazy to marry Charles Savage in the first place! And now, Beth was convinced that nothing-least of all her- would keep Charles from the woman he really loved.
Beth's marriage to Charles had effectively ended when she'd lost the child he so desperately wanted. There was no point in pretending she was still needed in his life. Especially when that other woman could offer him so much more-a son. His son?
Beth had reason to believe it was. Would her own pregnancy-which she discovered after she'd left Charles- even matter to him now?
She'd been crazy to marry Charles Savage in the first place! And now, Beth was convinced that nothing-least of all her- would keep Charles from the woman he really loved.
Beth's marriage to Charles had effectively ended when she'd lost the child he so desperately wanted. There was no point in pretending she was still needed in his life. Especially when that other woman could offer him so much more-a son. His son?
Beth had reason to believe it was. Would her own pregnancy-which she discovered after she'd left Charles- even matter to him now?
190 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1992
9 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Diana Hamilton
327 books74 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Diana Hamilton was born in a English town. Wanting to be a country child, her imagination came into play at an early age, transforming a neighbor’s tree into a forest, a hole in a stone wall into a gingerbread house, a gas puddle into a fairyland, complete with mountains, lakes and flower meadows. She loathed housework but made to do her share, to lessen the boredom, she told herself stories, in a very loud voice, featuring princesses and flower gardens, discovering that telling herself stories was almost as good as reading them in a book.
She loathed school with an equal passion and got through it by pretending to be somewhere else. Even so she left grammar school with respectable grades... And was sent to art college when she wanted to study to be a vet. This was nowhere as bad as it had seemed because it was there, at age 18, she first saw Peter. He had returned from two years’ active service in Korea to resume his studies, and Diana immediately fell in love with him.
Gaining a degree in advertising copywriting, Diana worked as a copywriter and married Peter. They moved to a remote part of Wales after the birth of their second child, Paul, when their daughter, Rebecca, was three years old. There, Diana enjoyed pony trekking and walking in the mountains; and her third child, Andrew, was born. Itchy feet brought them back to England to the beautiful county of Shropshire four years later and they have been there ever since, gradually restoring the rambling Elizabethan manor that Diana gave her heart to on sight, creating a garden out of a wilderness of nettles, brambles and old bedsteads.
In the mid-'70s Diana took up her pen again to write stories to read to her three children at bedtime. These were never offered for publication but the bug had bitten. Over the next 10 years she combined writing over 30 novels, published by Robert Hale of London, with bringing up her children, gardening and cooking for the restaurant of a local inn—a wonderful excuse to avoid the dreaded housework! In 1987 Diana realized her dearest ambition—the publication of her first Mills & Boon romance, Song in a Strange Land. She had come home. And that feeling persists to this day as, around 30 Harlequin/Mills & Boon romantic novels late, she was still in love with the genre.
Sadly, Diana Hamilton passed away on May 3, 2009, at her home in Shropshire, surrounded by her family. She will be sorely missed by her fans and everyone at Mills & Boon/Harlequin
Diana Hamilton was born in a English town. Wanting to be a country child, her imagination came into play at an early age, transforming a neighbor’s tree into a forest, a hole in a stone wall into a gingerbread house, a gas puddle into a fairyland, complete with mountains, lakes and flower meadows. She loathed housework but made to do her share, to lessen the boredom, she told herself stories, in a very loud voice, featuring princesses and flower gardens, discovering that telling herself stories was almost as good as reading them in a book.
She loathed school with an equal passion and got through it by pretending to be somewhere else. Even so she left grammar school with respectable grades... And was sent to art college when she wanted to study to be a vet. This was nowhere as bad as it had seemed because it was there, at age 18, she first saw Peter. He had returned from two years’ active service in Korea to resume his studies, and Diana immediately fell in love with him.
Gaining a degree in advertising copywriting, Diana worked as a copywriter and married Peter. They moved to a remote part of Wales after the birth of their second child, Paul, when their daughter, Rebecca, was three years old. There, Diana enjoyed pony trekking and walking in the mountains; and her third child, Andrew, was born. Itchy feet brought them back to England to the beautiful county of Shropshire four years later and they have been there ever since, gradually restoring the rambling Elizabethan manor that Diana gave her heart to on sight, creating a garden out of a wilderness of nettles, brambles and old bedsteads.
In the mid-'70s Diana took up her pen again to write stories to read to her three children at bedtime. These were never offered for publication but the bug had bitten. Over the next 10 years she combined writing over 30 novels, published by Robert Hale of London, with bringing up her children, gardening and cooking for the restaurant of a local inn—a wonderful excuse to avoid the dreaded housework! In 1987 Diana realized her dearest ambition—the publication of her first Mills & Boon romance, Song in a Strange Land. She had come home. And that feeling persists to this day as, around 30 Harlequin/Mills & Boon romantic novels late, she was still in love with the genre.
Sadly, Diana Hamilton passed away on May 3, 2009, at her home in Shropshire, surrounded by her family. She will be sorely missed by her fans and everyone at Mills & Boon/Harlequin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
April 19, 2023
4✨
This was a mix between angst and desire to slap the heroine for her obsession with the "" OW ""
This was a mix between angst and desire to slap the heroine for her obsession with the "" OW ""
February 13, 2018
Re Savage Obsession - Diana Hamilton takes us all to angst town on the angstyangst express with this one.
How much you like this one is going to be entirely dependent on your yen for angst versus your tolerance for utter and complete miscommunication - which at the end of it all, I am not so sure WAS miscommunication or just what DH had to pull out of her hat to provide a semi-believable HEA.
The story starts with the h, who has recently miscarried a very much wanted baby and is currently estranged from her local lordship husband, determining that her marriage is pretty much over.
She was only ever married to the H because she ran a business that does temporary staffing. The h
specialized in managing large-staffed domestic jobs and she is great at managing the H's estate and also because the H, who lost the obsession of his life when she took off for pastures new, needed a few heirs and spares and the h was local, cute and convenient.
Unfortunately for her, she fell in love with his local lordship H and his gunslinger eyes. Everyone, including her mother and the H's brother, has warned her about the H's obsession over the other woman, but she is either a fool or daredevil kinda girl - she isn't risk adverse anyways. The h figured his obsessive love will not be back for a good long while and time can fade a lot of things, so why not take a shot at building a marriage with a man who may never love her, but will be a good husband if she can give him the children he wants, especially because she loves him pretty madly.
Then there was an accident with a drunk driver and the h lost her baby. Her depression and grief are immense and the H kicked her out of the marital bedroom, under the guise that she needed her rest to recover on her own. Now the OW is back, ordering the staff and people about like the estate is her own home and more importantly, she has a male child that is a dead ringer for the H and he has been established in the h's nursery, that the h designed for her own child.
Now to be fair, the h is not the most emotionally stable person when this story starts. But the OW is a viscous tart and the h overhears her going on about how the pointless marriage was over and there is a child to acknowledge. Since even the housekeeper on the estate thinks the boy is the H's son, the h can't really be blamed for jumping to the conclusion she does. Especially later that night when the h comes across the H in his robe with his arm around the OW in her sexy little nightie, standing over the little boy and swearing he will accept him into the family.
(Certainly the H doesn't go out of his way to DO ANYTHING supportive- not even to the extent of expressing his own grief- or to explain his own personal view of things to the h, aside from one very bland apology for causing her pain. In fact, his disloyalty extends to taking the OW's side of things repeatedly over the h's - who is actually his wife, as he likes to remind her later on. So mis-communications are strife and rife from page one. )
The H asks the h to listen to him and OW's grand announcement the next day, (like it was some kind of big proclamation he had to royally pronounce,) but the h is done with being shunted to the side and being a lovesick fool and she wants to get her ducks in a row first. She puts the H and his big announcement off and goes to her old agency looking for a job. She finds a live in secretarial position in France and she jumps on the opportunity.
She goes back, ignores the H again when he wants to make his grand announcement and packs up to leave. She tells him she wants a separation prior to formal divorce finalization, as their marriage is pretty much over and it is off to France we go. The h is now working for a best-selling author, who is really admiring and a balm to her wounded soul. Then the H shows up and he wants to 'talk' to the h.
The h is reluctant, she just wants him gone and doesn't want her new job messed up, but she goes with him to talk and she tells him she overheard his study conversation. Wanting to save some self respect, she then tells the H that the OW is not the reason she wants a divorce, she just feels the marriage did not work out. Then the H rapes her, tho the h eventually responds, so you could call it a very forceful seduction in the HP way of things.
Later on after the big event, the H drops the h off at her job and she tells him to contact her solicitor for a divorce. The next day the h has a change of heart and she goes to look for the H. But the OW is there in all her nasty nematode slime pustule glory and there are words exchanged in which the OW strongly hints that she is a better match for the H - tho technically she doesn't come out and say that - it is pretty obvious what the woman means.
So the h is now really done and the writer is looking like a very good proposition for not only a long term job, but potential new suitor to boot. Except the h turns up preggers and she still loves the H. However the job with the writer is coming to an end and the writer is actually in the middle of a marriage proposal when the H shows up to interrupt it and drag the h off - as she is still his wife.
So the H and h end up in some dinky cabin in the French woods, where the h is sure the H is going to try and use allegations of the h's infidelity with the writer to whitewash his own renewed affair with the OW.
We get a little flashback where the h's father is feeling sorry for the H cause his OW left him and the village is gossiping about it and the h's mother is reminding him that it was sympathy gossip because it was obvious in the way the H acted that he was obsessed with the OW and he flaunted her in front of the village, repeatedly. So naturally the village feels sorry for their local leader when he got thwarted in his quest for true love.
The h wakes the next morning and the H is gone. When he comes back there is another forced seduction and then the H issues an ultimatum where she has to decide to return as his wife and they will forget the past couple of months or they will call it quits.
Since the h quite clearly told him she was done with being second best in his estimation and that he pretty much alienated her himself by not even touching her in the last months after the miscarriage, his ultimatum is kinda rude. Tho the H does claim he felt really guilty for the accident, as the h lost her spark in the aftermath.
The h figures that the OW walked out on him again and now she has to make another choice. This time tho, the h chooses to end things - she isn't a substitute and she has no intentions of being continually relegated to second status as she can see this thing with the OW coming and going is probably going to run and run and she has no intention of helping the H save face and going back to being his domestic help.
The h tells him that the accident wasn't his fault, but then the H figures out she is pregnant. He tells the h they aren't getting a divorce and the h says fine, she will go back to working and they will continue to have separate rooms, as it has now converted to a marriage in name only. Then the H asks who the father of the baby is and the h slaps him silly. (Apparently she couldn't reach the skillet.) Going on that response, the H is satisfied that she did not sleep with the writer and we all go back to the H's estate in England.
Where the h sets about distancing herself as much as possible from the H. She keeps up appearances, but she is really working hard to get over him and her big focus is her baby. She starts working again from home, goes off to London with her mum and redecorates the nursery again. Then the H catches her out one night sorting baby things and they end up sharing a bedroom again, but she is too preggers to lurve him up. Tho they do manage to establish a little truce and the H seems more caring than has done, the h figures it is because she is having his child.
Until the h is out walking on the estate and the OW comes roaring up and nearly runs the h over. She is remarkably blasée and insouciant about literally knocking the very pregnant h down and with a few more verbal digs at the h, she runs to start kissing the H and he certainly isn't pulling back. The h gets up and goes into the house, she is now in labor.
The H winds up taking her to hospital and on the way, in the middle of labor pains, she pretty much lets him have it about his duplicity with the OW and his son. The H is acting like he doesn't know what she is talking about, but the h is pretty far gone and the baby is getting ready to be born. The H turns out to be good labor coach and they have a little boy. Then the H comes back and the big explanations begin.
The H claims that he loves the h and that he thought she was obsessed with kids and that was why he said she could have gadziliions if she wanted, as he was wealthy enough to afford a rugby team and he wanted to turn the tide in his favor. (He has figured out that the h loves him back by now, so he is pretty draggy on the big explanations.)
He also claims that he felt guilty when the accident happened, as they weren't sure the h could have any more children and that his obsession with the OW was really all about keeping her away from his estranged younger brother.
He says that the OW's parents are long time family friends and the OW has a history of running through men, so they sent her to the H. He was worried his brother would get ensnared, apparently little bro had a crush on her, so he took the OW all over in an effort to make his brother think he would be poaching if he approached the OW.
Then his little brother got married and the OW took herself off to have an affair with the little brother right under his wife's nose. This was the limit for the H, supposedly he kicked her out and then he met the h and fell in love. Then the OW came back with the H's brother's son and wanted the H's help to reunite with his brother after the brother' wife died, which the H did and that was why the OW and he were in France. (The H also figured the h was upset about having a child in the house when she lost her own, but he did not know what to do about that.)
The H is also quick to put in that he wanted to see the h in France too, when he realizes that he has gone on about the OW and his brother and France. So the h believes that the H loves her in the euphoria of post child birth, even tho he NEVER told her he did, as the H claims all those big lurve mojo moments were proof of his love and not his lack of OW frustration. Then they get chided by the nurse to feed the baby for the big and supposedly mutually in love HEA.
This one is excellent on angst, but the misunderstandings were really too big, especially on the re-read, to really buy into the full HEA. I think the H WAS obsessed with the OW and he was in competition with his brother and he may have thought the child was his, until he figured out when the child was conceived.
The h, for all her self-doubt and worrying, wasn't blind or a fool and the H's turnaround was a bit too quick, especially his allowing the OW to hang all over him and his continually putting the OW above his wife. The OW was a nasty slime pustule and the only redeeming thing DH could come up with was that she was a good mother, tho we never see that.
Unfortunately, the H's supposed aversion to the OW doesn't hold up under examination of both his and her behavior - there is no explanation for her almost running the h over and knocking her down in that last bit of the book and no explanation of her comments or his allowing her to hang all over him.
The fact that the H apparently lost out to his younger brother was obviously a sticking spot with him, so I am not at all convinced that the h wasn't a poor second - but she does have the baby and for all his claims to the contrary, it was kinda an H protests too much situation to make me really believe his explanations.
Still the book is well done for dragging out the drama and the h is suitably despondent and miserable for most of it. So the story does make for a really great angsty angst trainwreck, we can be happy the h is happy and sometimes that is all you can ask for on the great wrecky angst rides through HPlandia.
How much you like this one is going to be entirely dependent on your yen for angst versus your tolerance for utter and complete miscommunication - which at the end of it all, I am not so sure WAS miscommunication or just what DH had to pull out of her hat to provide a semi-believable HEA.
The story starts with the h, who has recently miscarried a very much wanted baby and is currently estranged from her local lordship husband, determining that her marriage is pretty much over.
She was only ever married to the H because she ran a business that does temporary staffing. The h
specialized in managing large-staffed domestic jobs and she is great at managing the H's estate and also because the H, who lost the obsession of his life when she took off for pastures new, needed a few heirs and spares and the h was local, cute and convenient.
Unfortunately for her, she fell in love with his local lordship H and his gunslinger eyes. Everyone, including her mother and the H's brother, has warned her about the H's obsession over the other woman, but she is either a fool or daredevil kinda girl - she isn't risk adverse anyways. The h figured his obsessive love will not be back for a good long while and time can fade a lot of things, so why not take a shot at building a marriage with a man who may never love her, but will be a good husband if she can give him the children he wants, especially because she loves him pretty madly.
Then there was an accident with a drunk driver and the h lost her baby. Her depression and grief are immense and the H kicked her out of the marital bedroom, under the guise that she needed her rest to recover on her own. Now the OW is back, ordering the staff and people about like the estate is her own home and more importantly, she has a male child that is a dead ringer for the H and he has been established in the h's nursery, that the h designed for her own child.
Now to be fair, the h is not the most emotionally stable person when this story starts. But the OW is a viscous tart and the h overhears her going on about how the pointless marriage was over and there is a child to acknowledge. Since even the housekeeper on the estate thinks the boy is the H's son, the h can't really be blamed for jumping to the conclusion she does. Especially later that night when the h comes across the H in his robe with his arm around the OW in her sexy little nightie, standing over the little boy and swearing he will accept him into the family.
(Certainly the H doesn't go out of his way to DO ANYTHING supportive- not even to the extent of expressing his own grief- or to explain his own personal view of things to the h, aside from one very bland apology for causing her pain. In fact, his disloyalty extends to taking the OW's side of things repeatedly over the h's - who is actually his wife, as he likes to remind her later on. So mis-communications are strife and rife from page one. )
The H asks the h to listen to him and OW's grand announcement the next day, (like it was some kind of big proclamation he had to royally pronounce,) but the h is done with being shunted to the side and being a lovesick fool and she wants to get her ducks in a row first. She puts the H and his big announcement off and goes to her old agency looking for a job. She finds a live in secretarial position in France and she jumps on the opportunity.
She goes back, ignores the H again when he wants to make his grand announcement and packs up to leave. She tells him she wants a separation prior to formal divorce finalization, as their marriage is pretty much over and it is off to France we go. The h is now working for a best-selling author, who is really admiring and a balm to her wounded soul. Then the H shows up and he wants to 'talk' to the h.
The h is reluctant, she just wants him gone and doesn't want her new job messed up, but she goes with him to talk and she tells him she overheard his study conversation. Wanting to save some self respect, she then tells the H that the OW is not the reason she wants a divorce, she just feels the marriage did not work out. Then the H rapes her, tho the h eventually responds, so you could call it a very forceful seduction in the HP way of things.
Later on after the big event, the H drops the h off at her job and she tells him to contact her solicitor for a divorce. The next day the h has a change of heart and she goes to look for the H. But the OW is there in all her nasty nematode slime pustule glory and there are words exchanged in which the OW strongly hints that she is a better match for the H - tho technically she doesn't come out and say that - it is pretty obvious what the woman means.
So the h is now really done and the writer is looking like a very good proposition for not only a long term job, but potential new suitor to boot. Except the h turns up preggers and she still loves the H. However the job with the writer is coming to an end and the writer is actually in the middle of a marriage proposal when the H shows up to interrupt it and drag the h off - as she is still his wife.
So the H and h end up in some dinky cabin in the French woods, where the h is sure the H is going to try and use allegations of the h's infidelity with the writer to whitewash his own renewed affair with the OW.
We get a little flashback where the h's father is feeling sorry for the H cause his OW left him and the village is gossiping about it and the h's mother is reminding him that it was sympathy gossip because it was obvious in the way the H acted that he was obsessed with the OW and he flaunted her in front of the village, repeatedly. So naturally the village feels sorry for their local leader when he got thwarted in his quest for true love.
The h wakes the next morning and the H is gone. When he comes back there is another forced seduction and then the H issues an ultimatum where she has to decide to return as his wife and they will forget the past couple of months or they will call it quits.
Since the h quite clearly told him she was done with being second best in his estimation and that he pretty much alienated her himself by not even touching her in the last months after the miscarriage, his ultimatum is kinda rude. Tho the H does claim he felt really guilty for the accident, as the h lost her spark in the aftermath.
The h figures that the OW walked out on him again and now she has to make another choice. This time tho, the h chooses to end things - she isn't a substitute and she has no intentions of being continually relegated to second status as she can see this thing with the OW coming and going is probably going to run and run and she has no intention of helping the H save face and going back to being his domestic help.
The h tells him that the accident wasn't his fault, but then the H figures out she is pregnant. He tells the h they aren't getting a divorce and the h says fine, she will go back to working and they will continue to have separate rooms, as it has now converted to a marriage in name only. Then the H asks who the father of the baby is and the h slaps him silly. (Apparently she couldn't reach the skillet.) Going on that response, the H is satisfied that she did not sleep with the writer and we all go back to the H's estate in England.
Where the h sets about distancing herself as much as possible from the H. She keeps up appearances, but she is really working hard to get over him and her big focus is her baby. She starts working again from home, goes off to London with her mum and redecorates the nursery again. Then the H catches her out one night sorting baby things and they end up sharing a bedroom again, but she is too preggers to lurve him up. Tho they do manage to establish a little truce and the H seems more caring than has done, the h figures it is because she is having his child.
Until the h is out walking on the estate and the OW comes roaring up and nearly runs the h over. She is remarkably blasée and insouciant about literally knocking the very pregnant h down and with a few more verbal digs at the h, she runs to start kissing the H and he certainly isn't pulling back. The h gets up and goes into the house, she is now in labor.
The H winds up taking her to hospital and on the way, in the middle of labor pains, she pretty much lets him have it about his duplicity with the OW and his son. The H is acting like he doesn't know what she is talking about, but the h is pretty far gone and the baby is getting ready to be born. The H turns out to be good labor coach and they have a little boy. Then the H comes back and the big explanations begin.
The H claims that he loves the h and that he thought she was obsessed with kids and that was why he said she could have gadziliions if she wanted, as he was wealthy enough to afford a rugby team and he wanted to turn the tide in his favor. (He has figured out that the h loves him back by now, so he is pretty draggy on the big explanations.)
He also claims that he felt guilty when the accident happened, as they weren't sure the h could have any more children and that his obsession with the OW was really all about keeping her away from his estranged younger brother.
He says that the OW's parents are long time family friends and the OW has a history of running through men, so they sent her to the H. He was worried his brother would get ensnared, apparently little bro had a crush on her, so he took the OW all over in an effort to make his brother think he would be poaching if he approached the OW.
Then his little brother got married and the OW took herself off to have an affair with the little brother right under his wife's nose. This was the limit for the H, supposedly he kicked her out and then he met the h and fell in love. Then the OW came back with the H's brother's son and wanted the H's help to reunite with his brother after the brother' wife died, which the H did and that was why the OW and he were in France. (The H also figured the h was upset about having a child in the house when she lost her own, but he did not know what to do about that.)
The H is also quick to put in that he wanted to see the h in France too, when he realizes that he has gone on about the OW and his brother and France. So the h believes that the H loves her in the euphoria of post child birth, even tho he NEVER told her he did, as the H claims all those big lurve mojo moments were proof of his love and not his lack of OW frustration. Then they get chided by the nurse to feed the baby for the big and supposedly mutually in love HEA.
This one is excellent on angst, but the misunderstandings were really too big, especially on the re-read, to really buy into the full HEA. I think the H WAS obsessed with the OW and he was in competition with his brother and he may have thought the child was his, until he figured out when the child was conceived.
The h, for all her self-doubt and worrying, wasn't blind or a fool and the H's turnaround was a bit too quick, especially his allowing the OW to hang all over him and his continually putting the OW above his wife. The OW was a nasty slime pustule and the only redeeming thing DH could come up with was that she was a good mother, tho we never see that.
Unfortunately, the H's supposed aversion to the OW doesn't hold up under examination of both his and her behavior - there is no explanation for her almost running the h over and knocking her down in that last bit of the book and no explanation of her comments or his allowing her to hang all over him.
The fact that the H apparently lost out to his younger brother was obviously a sticking spot with him, so I am not at all convinced that the h wasn't a poor second - but she does have the baby and for all his claims to the contrary, it was kinda an H protests too much situation to make me really believe his explanations.
Still the book is well done for dragging out the drama and the h is suitably despondent and miserable for most of it. So the story does make for a really great angsty angst trainwreck, we can be happy the h is happy and sometimes that is all you can ask for on the great wrecky angst rides through HPlandia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2017
This is a second chance story that hinges on a big misunderstanding. I don't usually like that trope, but this story was very well done. The big mis (and the opening of the story) is the OW showing up with a toddler who looks just like the hero. The gossip in the community had been the hero was "obsessed" with the OW before marrying the heroine and her own mother warned her about it. The heroine is extra-sensitive because she is recovering from a miscarriage and the hero has moved her out of their bedroom "until she recovers."
The author kept this story moving along at a good clip, and she didn't let up on the angst. Although we don't have the hero's point of view, it was very clear that he loved the heroine and felt guilty about her miscarriage, so he didn't push to find out what she was really thinking. The car ride to the hospital was very well done. A believable second chance story.
The author kept this story moving along at a good clip, and she didn't let up on the angst. Although we don't have the hero's point of view, it was very clear that he loved the heroine and felt guilty about her miscarriage, so he didn't push to find out what she was really thinking. The car ride to the hospital was very well done. A believable second chance story.
February 13, 2012
Rating based on sentimental value. Pretty sure I've read it in 1993 when I was living w/ my bro & sista-in-law. Unemployed & bored, I devoured SIL's HP stash found in the garage. As I read this, I realized this was the same ol' gem I've been looking 4 all these yrs cuz I remember the plot & scenes. Of course back then I wasnt a book vulture yet & didnt keep a spreadsheet of books.
Hero married heroine 2 yrs ago cuz he thought she badly wanted kids, and vice versa. Heroine's mom & everyone else had given her the warning that he's getting hitched on a rebound. Besotted heroine had thought she'd be able to teach him to luv her. Then a drunk driver changed everything. Heroine suffers miscarriage @ 3 months gestation & is misdiagnosed : that's her only chance to carry a bun in her toaster. Hero flogs himself cuz he's in the driver seat when a drunk hit their vehicle. Heroine loses her grip on her self-worth, misguidedly thinks he doesnt touch her anymore cuz she's damaged goods. H/h become estranged & OW towing her li'l boy - allegedly the fruit of hero's loins - wreaks havoc on their already strained relationship. Heroine says enuff & buhbye. Hubby goes after her when she escapes to France & finds out she's preggers. I remember reading the scene when he inadvertently discovers she's preggers. She pours marmalade over her steak, the same habit she did during her doomed 1st pregnancy. The scene where H/h go thru baby clothes together also triggered fond memory of reading it yrs ago. Hero blackmails her to resume marriage & come home w/ him, but things are chillier than Antarctica until the bundle of joy pops out. Verra intense, angsty, flawed characters. POV is 99.9 % from heroine's. WE see glimpses of how he feels bout her but heroine drives herself batty w/ her resentment over hubby's alleged obsession for the motha of his child. Throughout the rocky marriage after miscarriage, their communication wires got disconnected. He has no idea that wife feels jealous of OW. He thinks the reason she gotta take a chill pill & dumps him is cuz of her pain seeing his OW's boy @ their home (installed in the nursery that was set up for their terminated baby). She doesn't have any inkling that he's been beating himself up as having been in the driver's seat when the fatal accident took the life of their baby. All the angst & heartache coulda been prevented if only Hero had told her up front the truth. Turns out, the OW is not the luv of his life & the kid is not his. The book has imperfections & a boatload of grief, but I was riveted nevahtheless. Opening up to 1 anotha isn't H/h's forte, hence 1 big mis after anotha. Hero also shows his uber jealous-possessive streak upon finding out heroine's new employer pops the question. She slaps him when he dares to question the paternity of her bun. We catch glimmers of his emotional state thru blink-and-U-miss reactions to her actions. I dunno wot it is bout the book. Mayhap cuz I luv miscarriage inducing perilous marriage theme, or that this book was the purrfect antidote after reading the most morbid, depressing, post-apocalyptic epic saga w/ no HEA on the horizon (it's actually there if U squint hard enuff ). Wotevah the hell it is, I friggin lurrve this classic heartbreaker. Alpha hero, bitchy OW, vulnerable heroine, plus a HEA capped by a sweet ejaculation by hero upon seeing wife nursing their NB - "My god - I think I'm jealous of my own son !". Valentine's just around the corner, so my mood is back to its normal less-blueish state B^{P
Hero married heroine 2 yrs ago cuz he thought she badly wanted kids, and vice versa. Heroine's mom & everyone else had given her the warning that he's getting hitched on a rebound. Besotted heroine had thought she'd be able to teach him to luv her. Then a drunk driver changed everything. Heroine suffers miscarriage @ 3 months gestation & is misdiagnosed : that's her only chance to carry a bun in her toaster. Hero flogs himself cuz he's in the driver seat when a drunk hit their vehicle. Heroine loses her grip on her self-worth, misguidedly thinks he doesnt touch her anymore cuz she's damaged goods. H/h become estranged & OW towing her li'l boy - allegedly the fruit of hero's loins - wreaks havoc on their already strained relationship. Heroine says enuff & buhbye. Hubby goes after her when she escapes to France & finds out she's preggers. I remember reading the scene when he inadvertently discovers she's preggers. She pours marmalade over her steak, the same habit she did during her doomed 1st pregnancy. The scene where H/h go thru baby clothes together also triggered fond memory of reading it yrs ago. Hero blackmails her to resume marriage & come home w/ him, but things are chillier than Antarctica until the bundle of joy pops out. Verra intense, angsty, flawed characters. POV is 99.9 % from heroine's. WE see glimpses of how he feels bout her but heroine drives herself batty w/ her resentment over hubby's alleged obsession for the motha of his child. Throughout the rocky marriage after miscarriage, their communication wires got disconnected. He has no idea that wife feels jealous of OW. He thinks the reason she gotta take a chill pill & dumps him is cuz of her pain seeing his OW's boy @ their home (installed in the nursery that was set up for their terminated baby). She doesn't have any inkling that he's been beating himself up as having been in the driver's seat when the fatal accident took the life of their baby. All the angst & heartache coulda been prevented if only Hero had told her up front the truth. Turns out, the OW is not the luv of his life & the kid is not his. The book has imperfections & a boatload of grief, but I was riveted nevahtheless. Opening up to 1 anotha isn't H/h's forte, hence 1 big mis after anotha. Hero also shows his uber jealous-possessive streak upon finding out heroine's new employer pops the question. She slaps him when he dares to question the paternity of her bun. We catch glimmers of his emotional state thru blink-and-U-miss reactions to her actions. I dunno wot it is bout the book. Mayhap cuz I luv miscarriage inducing perilous marriage theme, or that this book was the purrfect antidote after reading the most morbid, depressing, post-apocalyptic epic saga w/ no HEA on the horizon (it's actually there if U squint hard enuff ). Wotevah the hell it is, I friggin lurrve this classic heartbreaker. Alpha hero, bitchy OW, vulnerable heroine, plus a HEA capped by a sweet ejaculation by hero upon seeing wife nursing their NB - "My god - I think I'm jealous of my own son !". Valentine's just around the corner, so my mood is back to its normal less-blueish state B^{P
July 16, 2012
Highly charged and very intense HP read. As typical of the genre, I felt like I was watching a train wreck in slow motion and I had the incredible urge to stand up and slap both of them... But again, isn't this why we are all so addicted to these category romances???
Two years ago, Beth marries Charles Savage thinking he was marrying her on the rebound from a tumultuous affair gone wrong. Her family and friends warned her not to marry him. However, with youthful optimism and naiveté, Beth believes that her love is enough to make their marriage work. Flash forward two years later, and we find we are in the midst of turmoil caused from a car accident that leaves her with broken ribs, a miscarriage and a diagnosis that she may never have children again. Devastated by this news...(after all children and little Savage heirs were the only reason Charles ever married her)...she decides it is time to call it quits.
The book opens with a weekend business entertainment at their home..with the OW showing up with a 2 year old child that looks remarkably like Charles. Of course at this point, most married couples would just sit down to talk and work through their issues, but instead our heroine bolts.
Oddly enough for me, her reactions, misunderstanding, pain...felt very real. The rest of the story is how they hide their pain from each other, and how their pride really gets in the way of finding the HEA. Given this is an older HP, we never get Charles POV. But the author does a remarkable job in helping us to understand how much he really does love her and that something in poor's Beth's logic is very wrong.
I couldn't put this book down. I thought the writing was very well done. There were times that Beth's "poor woe is me attitude" did rub me the wrong way, but I could look past that due to the intensity of the read.
For those of you that like those older angst HP reads, this one is for you!
Two years ago, Beth marries Charles Savage thinking he was marrying her on the rebound from a tumultuous affair gone wrong. Her family and friends warned her not to marry him. However, with youthful optimism and naiveté, Beth believes that her love is enough to make their marriage work. Flash forward two years later, and we find we are in the midst of turmoil caused from a car accident that leaves her with broken ribs, a miscarriage and a diagnosis that she may never have children again. Devastated by this news...(after all children and little Savage heirs were the only reason Charles ever married her)...she decides it is time to call it quits.
The book opens with a weekend business entertainment at their home..with the OW showing up with a 2 year old child that looks remarkably like Charles. Of course at this point, most married couples would just sit down to talk and work through their issues, but instead our heroine bolts.
Oddly enough for me, her reactions, misunderstanding, pain...felt very real. The rest of the story is how they hide their pain from each other, and how their pride really gets in the way of finding the HEA. Given this is an older HP, we never get Charles POV. But the author does a remarkable job in helping us to understand how much he really does love her and that something in poor's Beth's logic is very wrong.
I couldn't put this book down. I thought the writing was very well done. There were times that Beth's "poor woe is me attitude" did rub me the wrong way, but I could look past that due to the intensity of the read.
For those of you that like those older angst HP reads, this one is for you!
September 16, 2020
"Savage Obsession" is the story of Beth and Charles.
Meh!
Heroine and hero have a tragic miscarriage, after which he moves out of their bedroom/ gives her space. She gets convinced that he is cheating on her/ back with his spiteful ex/ the ex's son is his by eavesdropping on a conversation. Ofcourse, instead of clarifying or confronting or fighting for her marriage, she fights with the hero and runs away. He chases her, they have wild sex, OM randomly falls for her, hero returns, she suddenly agrees to go back with him, pregnancy is discovered, and finally misunderstandings are cleared up after loads of drama.
Unlikable and childish heroine, idiotic silent hero, underwhelming plot and annoying characters. If you hate him and think he cheated on you, STOP HAVING SEX WITH HIM!
Didnt like it!
SWE
1.5/5
Meh!
Heroine and hero have a tragic miscarriage, after which he moves out of their bedroom/ gives her space. She gets convinced that he is cheating on her/ back with his spiteful ex/ the ex's son is his by eavesdropping on a conversation. Ofcourse, instead of clarifying or confronting or fighting for her marriage, she fights with the hero and runs away. He chases her, they have wild sex, OM randomly falls for her, hero returns, she suddenly agrees to go back with him, pregnancy is discovered, and finally misunderstandings are cleared up after loads of drama.
Unlikable and childish heroine, idiotic silent hero, underwhelming plot and annoying characters. If you hate him and think he cheated on you, STOP HAVING SEX WITH HIM!
Didnt like it!
SWE
1.5/5
March 4, 2019
Moral of the fable : "Showing your love is not enough, you should say it too" in case your partner is an idiot (and probably s/he is, especially if s/he lives in HPlandia).
September 30, 2013
The angst in this story was delicious. The heroine irritated me with her obsession and jealousy but she really loved the hero with all her heart. They were both faithful and 100% devoted to each other! I wish modern Harlequin authors wrote like that!
March 5, 2018
Beth is married to Charles, who wanted guest services and womb leasing. 3 months ago they had a car accident and Beth miscarried and now they sleep in different rooms and are miserable.
Then Zanna shows up with 2 year old Harry, and Beth overhears a conversation and is convinced that Harry is Charles’ son and now that Zanna is back, he’ll divorce Beth. Because Zanna is the love of his life and they had an obsessive love until Zanna up and left and broke his heart.
‘We have to talk about stuff, and Zanna has to be there,’ Charles says, but Beth doesn’t like talking. She likes assuming, and being miserable, and making up everyone’s motivations. And no one can talk to her if she isn’t there!
Beth is even more an idiot than the h of ‘Never A Bride’ and this whole set up is stupid. Hamilton isn’t a good writer, and does nothing to make this plot and these characters convincing. I’d like to be more sympathetic to Beth, and put all her nonsense down to her grief over the loss of her baby, but she’s difficult to like. Charles keeps trying to get her to sit down and talk like a rational adult, but Beth is a coward and would prefer to make up wild stories about why he’s still pursuing her when she’s already got it sorted in her head that he’s leaving her for Zanna and his child.
On the rare occasions when Charles manages to start a conversation she’ll say something snarky and then mentally congratulate herself on her sick burn. So tiresome.
I can’t believe I finished this, it’s bad.
Then Zanna shows up with 2 year old Harry, and Beth overhears a conversation and is convinced that Harry is Charles’ son and now that Zanna is back, he’ll divorce Beth. Because Zanna is the love of his life and they had an obsessive love until Zanna up and left and broke his heart.
‘We have to talk about stuff, and Zanna has to be there,’ Charles says, but Beth doesn’t like talking. She likes assuming, and being miserable, and making up everyone’s motivations. And no one can talk to her if she isn’t there!
Beth is even more an idiot than the h of ‘Never A Bride’ and this whole set up is stupid. Hamilton isn’t a good writer, and does nothing to make this plot and these characters convincing. I’d like to be more sympathetic to Beth, and put all her nonsense down to her grief over the loss of her baby, but she’s difficult to like. Charles keeps trying to get her to sit down and talk like a rational adult, but Beth is a coward and would prefer to make up wild stories about why he’s still pursuing her when she’s already got it sorted in her head that he’s leaving her for Zanna and his child.
On the rare occasions when Charles manages to start a conversation she’ll say something snarky and then mentally congratulate herself on her sick burn. So tiresome.
I can’t believe I finished this, it’s bad.
avoid
February 9, 2017he moves HER out of THEIR bedroom until she recovers from her miscarriage. Douche move if I have ever heard of one. If he had an ounce of sensitivity and decency, he'd have moved OUT HIMSELF. Though I do not understand why that would even be necessary to fucking begin with! No pun intended!
And you "forcefully seduce" (rape jumps to mind but since I'm never going to read this, I have no way of cross checking) your wife and you have the audacity of asking the parentage of the baby????? i shall not touch this book with a 100 meter pole if my life depended on it!
And you "forcefully seduce" (rape jumps to mind but since I'm never going to read this, I have no way of cross checking) your wife and you have the audacity of asking the parentage of the baby????? i shall not touch this book with a 100 meter pole if my life depended on it!
September 13, 2021
For an old/vintage book, this one was pretty good! But there are times, well, plenty of times, the heroine annoyed me. Her inner monologue about the same thing over and over grated on my nerves. Seriously, all those misunderstandings and heartaches could have been avoided if she'd only listen to Charles. But nope, she had this habit of jumping to conclusions that frustrated the hell out of me! Instead of talking things out, she automatically assumed things and ran away. I wouldn't say I liked that the author spent more time with the heroine's inner monologue than Beth and Charles talking.
But the chemistry between them was still there and off the charts, and the feelings are so well-drawn that it doesn't feel like a war zone despite them being at odds for much of the book. Overall, Savage Obsession was a bit emotional, angsty and fun read with happy-ever-after that made me sigh.
But the chemistry between them was still there and off the charts, and the feelings are so well-drawn that it doesn't feel like a war zone despite them being at odds for much of the book. Overall, Savage Obsession was a bit emotional, angsty and fun read with happy-ever-after that made me sigh.
February 5, 2017
ok -dumb shit
May 25, 2021
I read Boogenhagen’s fine review before reading the book. So I knew all the spoilers which prepared me for certain situations . I wonder at times if I do myself a disservice by reading spoilers ahead of time, yet again there are times that the spoilers help me appreciate the book more because I’m on alert. I felt in the case of this book, due to the premise, I needed the spoilers to take a chance.
“Nothing good was ever learned from eavesdropping, so mind your business and let others mind theirs. “
Maryrose Wood
OR come clean and open up a discussion about what you have heard and seen. (Unless you want a 190 page romance, then by all means ignore, sulk, run away)
This book is based on misunderstandings, missed/mis communication, mistakes, misdirects etc...
Here come my random thoughts,wonderings, etc which will include spoilers so 🛑 now....SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Charles(H) marries Beth(h). (Never thought to say the L word assumed she knew by his touches)🙄
Beth gets pregnant...gets in car accident while H is driving(not his fault) loses baby and possibly future babies.
SO, H moves the h into her own room so she can have space and he won’t crowd her with those touches he can’t control. Doesn’t tell her why....just assumes she would want it that way🤔🙄 Nothing says I’m there for you like kicking you out of the bedroom after the loss of a baby🤷🏻♀️
Meanwhile Ex Ow shows up at the house with 2 year old son who is spitting image of hero. She takes control, and moves her son into the unused nursery(glad to see sensitivity is alive and well in jolly old England)...
h overhears some pretty damning words between the H and ow that indicate he is a papa...he’s rid of a bad marriage...not to mention she sees them in the nursery..looking over the baby. H wearing short toweling robe with arm around slinky OW’s neglige...making more damning comments...by all means support the ow during her time of need, you stupid @&$@
The h runs away to a job in France. Doesn’t confront H...decides he is better off with his true love and their baby.
H comes after her 10 days later...jealous to see she is living with/working for a writer. Has sex with her on a forest walk. She seeks him out next day with hope...runs into ow who is rather nasty.
6 weeks later H comes back walks into a proposal of marriage to h by writer, then takes her with him to a secluded cabin. Realizes she is pregnant and takes her back home where they live pretty separate lives. Then 1 night they do a little bonding over the baby and he holds the heroine all night....Next morning, heroine is feeling optimistic.. only to be almost run over by the ow who is back(again) Ow says some nasty things...hero drives up and lets heroine kiss him and hang on him. h walks home and goes into early labor....
While H is taking her to hospital she tells him why he is such a slime ball...
While in hospital, H sets the h straight on a few things. She forgives him...and is ready to love him forever and ever!
It’s obvious H loves h...but his communication skills need help!
Not sure why ow was a bitch since she was in love with H’s brother. Maybe A ....she is an attention whore or B she was sticking up for hero whose wife abandoned him or C a combination of both...no matter what she should have been sensitive to the h’s loss
H should have been more forthcoming of his past since everyone in the village knew of his relationship with the OW...his relationship with the ow was a stupid idea(he admits this later)
This was full of angst! I like angst. No pov from H, but there were looks and gestures...there was some moments of humor that I barely caught.
“Nothing good was ever learned from eavesdropping, so mind your business and let others mind theirs. “
Maryrose Wood
OR come clean and open up a discussion about what you have heard and seen. (Unless you want a 190 page romance, then by all means ignore, sulk, run away)
This book is based on misunderstandings, missed/mis communication, mistakes, misdirects etc...
Here come my random thoughts,wonderings, etc which will include spoilers so 🛑 now....SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Charles(H) marries Beth(h). (Never thought to say the L word assumed she knew by his touches)🙄
Beth gets pregnant...gets in car accident while H is driving(not his fault) loses baby and possibly future babies.
SO, H moves the h into her own room so she can have space and he won’t crowd her with those touches he can’t control. Doesn’t tell her why....just assumes she would want it that way🤔🙄 Nothing says I’m there for you like kicking you out of the bedroom after the loss of a baby🤷🏻♀️
Meanwhile Ex Ow shows up at the house with 2 year old son who is spitting image of hero. She takes control, and moves her son into the unused nursery(glad to see sensitivity is alive and well in jolly old England)...
h overhears some pretty damning words between the H and ow that indicate he is a papa...he’s rid of a bad marriage...not to mention she sees them in the nursery..looking over the baby. H wearing short toweling robe with arm around slinky OW’s neglige...making more damning comments...by all means support the ow during her time of need, you stupid @&$@
The h runs away to a job in France. Doesn’t confront H...decides he is better off with his true love and their baby.
H comes after her 10 days later...jealous to see she is living with/working for a writer. Has sex with her on a forest walk. She seeks him out next day with hope...runs into ow who is rather nasty.
6 weeks later H comes back walks into a proposal of marriage to h by writer, then takes her with him to a secluded cabin. Realizes she is pregnant and takes her back home where they live pretty separate lives. Then 1 night they do a little bonding over the baby and he holds the heroine all night....Next morning, heroine is feeling optimistic.. only to be almost run over by the ow who is back(again) Ow says some nasty things...hero drives up and lets heroine kiss him and hang on him. h walks home and goes into early labor....
While H is taking her to hospital she tells him why he is such a slime ball...
While in hospital, H sets the h straight on a few things. She forgives him...and is ready to love him forever and ever!
It’s obvious H loves h...but his communication skills need help!
Not sure why ow was a bitch since she was in love with H’s brother. Maybe A ....she is an attention whore or B she was sticking up for hero whose wife abandoned him or C a combination of both...no matter what she should have been sensitive to the h’s loss
H should have been more forthcoming of his past since everyone in the village knew of his relationship with the OW...his relationship with the ow was a stupid idea(he admits this later)
This was full of angst! I like angst. No pov from H, but there were looks and gestures...there was some moments of humor that I barely caught.
September 3, 2015
Heroine and hero are married. Three months ago a drunk driver took out their car and caused the heroine to have a miscarriage.
Their marriage has drifted apart since then and they don't share a room.
The book opens with the heroine and hero having a house party and she finds out his ex, that left him and he married the heroine on the rebound, was back and staying at the house complete with small miniature hero boy-child.
He also wants the heroine to find a room for the other woman, and puts the child in the nursery that the heroine had set up for her child.
After the house party she leaves his sorry rear and goes to France to work.
The hero follows but basically always has the other woman in tow with him.
I liked it on my first time through, but second time it dragged a bit and I didn't like the hero siding and aligning himself with the other woman over the heroine.
Their marriage has drifted apart since then and they don't share a room.
The book opens with the heroine and hero having a house party and she finds out his ex, that left him and he married the heroine on the rebound, was back and staying at the house complete with small miniature hero boy-child.
He also wants the heroine to find a room for the other woman, and puts the child in the nursery that the heroine had set up for her child.
After the house party she leaves his sorry rear and goes to France to work.
The hero follows but basically always has the other woman in tow with him.
I liked it on my first time through, but second time it dragged a bit and I didn't like the hero siding and aligning himself with the other woman over the heroine.
April 10, 2012
This was a good, older, angsty HP. Emotional tension was good. Misunderstanding was pretty easy to guess, but still, led to a satisfying conclusion. But I'm noticing that I tend to like the 90s HPs, so maybe I'm biased.
Side note: what is with everyone IMMEDIATELY falling asleep after sex? The characters here had sex IN THE WOODS, ON THE GROUND, and then apparently "slept for hours" afterward. Really? You have sex with your estranged husband (which you'd regret afterward), and then go to sleep naked on pine needles for a few hours? Maybe I'm just missing on out HP-level sex, but I think I'd probably have the presence of mind to get up off the hard ground afterward.
Side note: what is with everyone IMMEDIATELY falling asleep after sex? The characters here had sex IN THE WOODS, ON THE GROUND, and then apparently "slept for hours" afterward. Really? You have sex with your estranged husband (which you'd regret afterward), and then go to sleep naked on pine needles for a few hours? Maybe I'm just missing on out HP-level sex, but I think I'd probably have the presence of mind to get up off the hard ground afterward.
January 16, 2016
This book is terrible, probably among the worst I have ever read; I simply couldn't help but give it all five stars.
The plot, well, it's not too important really, there were dozen-page stretches where my eyes glossed over the words without comprehending their meaning. All you need to know is the main characters are basically primates and the story is entirely predictable by page 27.
My guess is it took Diana Hamilton less than a week to write this, that the advance from her publisher covered one month's rent (if that). A bottle of scotch was maybe / probably involved.
This book will sting your eyes. It offends. I love it.
The plot, well, it's not too important really, there were dozen-page stretches where my eyes glossed over the words without comprehending their meaning. All you need to know is the main characters are basically primates and the story is entirely predictable by page 27.
My guess is it took Diana Hamilton less than a week to write this, that the advance from her publisher covered one month's rent (if that). A bottle of scotch was maybe / probably involved.
This book will sting your eyes. It offends. I love it.
January 6, 2019
The husband was an idiot. How could he not know that the whole village, and therefore including his wife, was wondering about his relationship with his ex. Even if in the end nothing happened between them, he put his wife in a humiliating position, he didn't even clear it with her if the ex could stay with them. When he married her, his house became her home too, it would have been common courtesy to inform her of a guest especially if it was your ex-girlfriend and her son.
He squired around the OW to keep her away from his brother, but still for all intents and purposes, he was actively dating her. He never tells his wife he loves her, and just assumes she knows because he makes love to her! What a jerk!
I gave it 4 stars because even if I was so mad at the character, I couldn't put the book down.
He squired around the OW to keep her away from his brother, but still for all intents and purposes, he was actively dating her. He never tells his wife he loves her, and just assumes she knows because he makes love to her! What a jerk!
I gave it 4 stars because even if I was so mad at the character, I couldn't put the book down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2015
You would think that your husbands very public and "obsessive" relationship with his ex would of come up in conversation in the course of getting to know him. Why didn't he tell her about Zanna before, ages before? And to still not tell her immediately when the viper arrives at their house with a miniature of him? And I wasnt convinced by the explanation...I have a scorpio moon;)
In spite of those logical questions, I thoroughly enjoyed all the hurt and the h determination to stick on the one track that her mind was speeding down(couldn't blame her though).
In spite of those logical questions, I thoroughly enjoyed all the hurt and the h determination to stick on the one track that her mind was speeding down(couldn't blame her though).
March 15, 2018
i loved loved loved this one!!
To be fair it needs a warning!!!! If misunderstandings...big ones.. that stretch for the entire length of the book is not your cup of tea this book is not for you.
I feel like in order to like this book you have to leave logic and grown up thinking at the door and again be ok with misunderstandings caused by them not communicating.
I like both of them. they both are kinda the same.. he is clueless and she is too afraid to face the situatian. He is a beta H.. a gentle one(kinda)and she too. she is a little insecure mouse.
and i cant forget about the angst.. loveeed it!!!!
To be fair it needs a warning!!!! If misunderstandings...big ones.. that stretch for the entire length of the book is not your cup of tea this book is not for you.
I feel like in order to like this book you have to leave logic and grown up thinking at the door and again be ok with misunderstandings caused by them not communicating.
I like both of them. they both are kinda the same.. he is clueless and she is too afraid to face the situatian. He is a beta H.. a gentle one(kinda)and she too. she is a little insecure mouse.
and i cant forget about the angst.. loveeed it!!!!
February 26, 2012
Beth overhears a very incriminating conversation b/w her hubby, Charles Savage, and his former lover. She believes that Charles did NOT marry her for love as he has never said the words. After a car accident and subsequent miscarriage, her husband hasn’t approached her for relations again. So now they are in a long “drought” and this ex shows up w/ a child that is the spitting image of her husband! Of course, he will want to be a father to the child and get the love of his life back to boot!!
I’m sorry, but Beth irritated me sometimes. She eavesdrops on something, won’t let her hubby and his “ex” explain, goes off on her own before he can “dump” her, and is just plain irritating! Of course it didn’t help that their home was called South Park. Every single time I heard that I thought of those little goofy characters from the cartoon and their brilliant ideas.
I could see both sides, but I just felt like she should have sat down for that conversation instead of running off. I would also like to know what are gunfighter eyes? This is said several times in describing Charles’ eyes and I found this amusing too.
They don’t talk but he wanted to yet she claimed she already knew all when she knew nothing she was going by all the rumors of Charles and OW and she obviously believed them. I have to say when he showed up and answered the OM that was completely unexpected and for a moment I wondered if Beth had said that. It was really nice though the way he showed up like that. That OW is a real POW she almost ran Beth down on her driveway and why was she in such a hurry? She was mean and nasty and she didn’t need to be. And seriously why didn’t anyone wonder if this accident didn’t bring about the labor? No one said anything. I think Beth should have spoken up as that would have put pay-dirt to this whole OW crappola! And the way Charles greeted her, really? I liked that she went off on him though . . . FINALLY!
Beth says OW is hateful and Charles says she can be but she has changed . . . um NO!! When? When did this nasty change?
I’m sorry, but Beth irritated me sometimes. She eavesdrops on something, won’t let her hubby and his “ex” explain, goes off on her own before he can “dump” her, and is just plain irritating! Of course it didn’t help that their home was called South Park. Every single time I heard that I thought of those little goofy characters from the cartoon and their brilliant ideas.
I could see both sides, but I just felt like she should have sat down for that conversation instead of running off. I would also like to know what are gunfighter eyes? This is said several times in describing Charles’ eyes and I found this amusing too.
They don’t talk but he wanted to yet she claimed she already knew all when she knew nothing she was going by all the rumors of Charles and OW and she obviously believed them. I have to say when he showed up and answered the OM that was completely unexpected and for a moment I wondered if Beth had said that. It was really nice though the way he showed up like that. That OW is a real POW she almost ran Beth down on her driveway and why was she in such a hurry? She was mean and nasty and she didn’t need to be. And seriously why didn’t anyone wonder if this accident didn’t bring about the labor? No one said anything. I think Beth should have spoken up as that would have put pay-dirt to this whole OW crappola! And the way Charles greeted her, really? I liked that she went off on him though . . . FINALLY!
Beth says OW is hateful and Charles says she can be but she has changed . . . um NO!! When? When did this nasty change?
January 18, 2014
Stupid, contrived misunderstanding that is toooooo drawn out.
January 25, 2019
Synopsis:
The story is about Beth Garner, who is in love with Charles Savage since her teenage years. She was briefly his temporary housekeeper. Whereas Charles married her only because she was suitable, convenient, especially after his so-called breakup with his obsession, Zanna Hall. That pretty much sums up the title. The book starts three years later, and only three months have passed since Beth suffered a miscarriage. In comes Zanna with a two-year-old kid, Harry, in tow. The kid's likeness to Charles is uncanny. Believing him to be Charles' son, a heartbroken Beth starts working for author William Templeton and lives in his house, without informing Charles. When he finds her there, they have a heated argument, a romp in the forest (just imagine!), which results in another pregnancy (err, is it safe?). Can they get back together, especially when Charles doesn't provide any explanations about his association with his ex.
Review:
'And this was going to be rape.'
I find this hard to digest, how can any author write like this? And then the next chapter begins with:
'But it wasn't rape. Of course it wasn't.
Well, 1993 was the year of publication. I hope that such a way of writing doesn't exist anymore, coz rape is rape, and there is no other way of saying/justifying it isn't!
An expression which I found very odd, the author referring Charles' eyes as gunfighter's grey eyes. Erm, gunfighter?
This book was nothing more than misunderstandings based on overheard conversations, not seeking clarification due to ego on both sides, as well as, complicated by an other woman's histrionics.
Except for one or two instances, I loved Beth's character. She gives as hard as she gets, not letting Charles ride roughshod over her. And they get their HEA then, though it’s a pity; they wasted more than a year to get there.
The story is about Beth Garner, who is in love with Charles Savage since her teenage years. She was briefly his temporary housekeeper. Whereas Charles married her only because she was suitable, convenient, especially after his so-called breakup with his obsession, Zanna Hall. That pretty much sums up the title. The book starts three years later, and only three months have passed since Beth suffered a miscarriage. In comes Zanna with a two-year-old kid, Harry, in tow. The kid's likeness to Charles is uncanny. Believing him to be Charles' son, a heartbroken Beth starts working for author William Templeton and lives in his house, without informing Charles. When he finds her there, they have a heated argument, a romp in the forest (just imagine!), which results in another pregnancy (err, is it safe?). Can they get back together, especially when Charles doesn't provide any explanations about his association with his ex.
Review:
'And this was going to be rape.'
I find this hard to digest, how can any author write like this? And then the next chapter begins with:
'But it wasn't rape. Of course it wasn't.
Well, 1993 was the year of publication. I hope that such a way of writing doesn't exist anymore, coz rape is rape, and there is no other way of saying/justifying it isn't!
An expression which I found very odd, the author referring Charles' eyes as gunfighter's grey eyes. Erm, gunfighter?
This book was nothing more than misunderstandings based on overheard conversations, not seeking clarification due to ego on both sides, as well as, complicated by an other woman's histrionics.
Except for one or two instances, I loved Beth's character. She gives as hard as she gets, not letting Charles ride roughshod over her. And they get their HEA then, though it’s a pity; they wasted more than a year to get there.
April 15, 2013
i absolutely hated the H at the begining of the book....as well as the slut Zanna in the story...no matter her being the OQ or not , she was a grade a B... the angst in this story was very good.
January 31, 2022
The h makes you feel so tired with her repeated refusals to communicate with him. And she’s obsessed with the OW.
What I like about him is that he is an alpha male, so he lays down the law for her. But he is not cruel, which is a shame, so she still gets away with all of her stupidity.
I don’t like the pregnancy trope. I think writers believe that all women want children, therefore being pregnant or wanting to get pregnant is what all female readers want to read about. I don’t.
Pregnancy is what nature does when you’re fertile and you have unprotected sex, so I don’t find it a romantic theme. Romance is what you do, not what nature does.
What spoiled this story the most, at least for me, was that the h is a b*tch. She calls a 2-year old child a “bastard”. She says that to his mother (the OW). I know the h was jealous, but I find it unforgivable to give an innocent young child such contempt.
What I like about him is that he is an alpha male, so he lays down the law for her. But he is not cruel, which is a shame, so she still gets away with all of her stupidity.
I don’t like the pregnancy trope. I think writers believe that all women want children, therefore being pregnant or wanting to get pregnant is what all female readers want to read about. I don’t.
Pregnancy is what nature does when you’re fertile and you have unprotected sex, so I don’t find it a romantic theme. Romance is what you do, not what nature does.
What spoiled this story the most, at least for me, was that the h is a b*tch. She calls a 2-year old child a “bastard”. She says that to his mother (the OW). I know the h was jealous, but I find it unforgivable to give an innocent young child such contempt.
January 27, 2022
La única forma de leer este libro es de manera irónica y tomarlo como una comedia.
A medida que pasaba las páginas en lo único que podía pensar era en que todo se podía solucionar si se sentarán a hablar entre ellos de verdad.
Ninguno de personajes tienen carisma, Beth era insoportable y no entendía que le veía a Charles Savage (alto apellido igual, lo único que me encantó) como para hacerlo tan irresistible, ¿el dinero tal vez? Es lo único que rescató.
Generalmente en estos libros siempre el segundo en discordia que lucha por el amor de la protagonista siempre es mí favorito, pero en este caso era un señor medio creepy bastante cuestionable.
Si lo querés leer para ver qué onda, decir Charles Savage todo el tiempo y quejarte hasta más no poder, es tu libro.
A medida que pasaba las páginas en lo único que podía pensar era en que todo se podía solucionar si se sentarán a hablar entre ellos de verdad.
Ninguno de personajes tienen carisma, Beth era insoportable y no entendía que le veía a Charles Savage (alto apellido igual, lo único que me encantó) como para hacerlo tan irresistible, ¿el dinero tal vez? Es lo único que rescató.
Generalmente en estos libros siempre el segundo en discordia que lucha por el amor de la protagonista siempre es mí favorito, pero en este caso era un señor medio creepy bastante cuestionable.
Si lo querés leer para ver qué onda, decir Charles Savage todo el tiempo y quejarte hasta más no poder, es tu libro.
March 21, 2020
A giant lack of communication on all parts.
January 22, 2019
La historia es bastante simple: Chica enamorada del chico desde adolescente, chico le propone casamiento luego de una "ruptura amorosa" un poco obsesiva por lo que es a entender el contexto, lo que la hace huir cuando esa mujer del pasado vuelve a aparecer en la vida de él. Mucho drama, mucha huida y poco diálogo entre los protagonistas, lo que lleva a hacer pesada la lectura por momentos. Al final, el amor antiguo no era tan así y había un trasfondo que no se conocía por lo cual, al ver todos los naipes en la mesa, el final es feliz.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2012
4 Stars! ~ When Beth married Charles Savage two years before, she knew he’d married her on the rebound and that all he truly wanted from their marriage were heirs and someone capable of running his home and organizing his very busy business social life. The whole community had known that the wealthy tycoon had been obsessed with the delectable and vivacious Zanna Hall, and that he’d been devastated when she’d left him. Even Beth’s mother just days before their wedding had asked her if she was sure, that marrying a man on the rebound could very well lead to heartache. But Beth was certain that armed with her own love she could teach Charles to love her. And she thought she was succeeding until a drunk driver collided head on with their car, causing her three month pregnancy to terminate, and the doctors to pronounce that it was highly unlikely that she would ever conceive again. Since returning home from the hospital, Beth found herself no longer sharing her husband’s bed and facing a future with a husband who no longer wished to touch her. That is, until Zanna returned with a two year old son that was clearly Charles’.
This story is told completely from Beth’s POV, we only get glimpses of what Charles is thinking. The grimaces and pain Beth is uncertain she sees in him, she immediately discredits as his feelings of pity for her. I really felt for Beth, because in her loss of her unborn child she lost much much more; her sense of self worth. In her wild imaginings, she couldn’t for one second conceive that her husband might still want her, esp. when he seemed no longer interested in even touching her. I loved that though we aren’t privy to Charles’ thoughts, his actions prove that he’s not ready to end his marriage and that he does have true feelings for his wife. Some may find that Beth is too self absorbed, but I thought she was a fairly accurate portrayal of a woman in tremendous pain trying to hold on to her pride, something she feels is all she has left. I loved how she stood up for herself, which sparked some deliciously passionate scenes. This is an intensely emotional, compelling lovestory. I read it in one sitting, and quickly went back to read it again!
This story is told completely from Beth’s POV, we only get glimpses of what Charles is thinking. The grimaces and pain Beth is uncertain she sees in him, she immediately discredits as his feelings of pity for her. I really felt for Beth, because in her loss of her unborn child she lost much much more; her sense of self worth. In her wild imaginings, she couldn’t for one second conceive that her husband might still want her, esp. when he seemed no longer interested in even touching her. I loved that though we aren’t privy to Charles’ thoughts, his actions prove that he’s not ready to end his marriage and that he does have true feelings for his wife. Some may find that Beth is too self absorbed, but I thought she was a fairly accurate portrayal of a woman in tremendous pain trying to hold on to her pride, something she feels is all she has left. I loved how she stood up for herself, which sparked some deliciously passionate scenes. This is an intensely emotional, compelling lovestory. I read it in one sitting, and quickly went back to read it again!
August 17, 2016
Reread. I wanted to laugh all through reading this book. It is hilarious, and not in a good way. This couple wasted a whole year being enstranged and missing out on the intimacy of sharing their first pregnancy because of both side's reticence to say what is on their mind. It is really ridiculous and sad.
I love a strong h that can say no to H, but I didn't like this one at all. We are in her head with the same refrain of oh he loves the ow over and over again and it gets so loud it starts being annoying, to be honest. I might not have been fair to her as I already know what is what hence of course finds her thoughts utterly ridiculous. What I really don't like is her inability to face up to what she thinks as reality and kept refusing to talk. Yes this is gonna hurt but my style is to do a quick bandaid rip so I guess her style just doesn't mash with mine. Her abrasiveness with the H also grinds on my nerves to be honest. He really never did anything wrong except in her head and a lot of things she did and said were really uncalled for to me.
I really liked the H initially as he kept taking the initiative to work things out. Halfway through, not sure what happened, but the pace totally stalled and things were just going by with both being miserable yet nothing resolved. I would have liked it more if he had kept trying. Other than that, poor H, really, as he would never have guessed what had gone wrong and the marriage would have been destroyed by their inability to be honest with each other.
This is an interesting one. While I didn't like the story much it explores honesty in a marriage. While I see how both got their hands tied and got into a whole tangle mess exactly because they never acknowledged their love, it makes one wonders how many modern day marriage also break down due to one or both parties' reluctance to be truthful, or how possible it is for 2 people to really honestly share everything they think.
I love a strong h that can say no to H, but I didn't like this one at all. We are in her head with the same refrain of oh he loves the ow over and over again and it gets so loud it starts being annoying, to be honest. I might not have been fair to her as I already know what is what hence of course finds her thoughts utterly ridiculous. What I really don't like is her inability to face up to what she thinks as reality and kept refusing to talk. Yes this is gonna hurt but my style is to do a quick bandaid rip so I guess her style just doesn't mash with mine. Her abrasiveness with the H also grinds on my nerves to be honest. He really never did anything wrong except in her head and a lot of things she did and said were really uncalled for to me.
I really liked the H initially as he kept taking the initiative to work things out. Halfway through, not sure what happened, but the pace totally stalled and things were just going by with both being miserable yet nothing resolved. I would have liked it more if he had kept trying. Other than that, poor H, really, as he would never have guessed what had gone wrong and the marriage would have been destroyed by their inability to be honest with each other.
This is an interesting one. While I didn't like the story much it explores honesty in a marriage. While I see how both got their hands tied and got into a whole tangle mess exactly because they never acknowledged their love, it makes one wonders how many modern day marriage also break down due to one or both parties' reluctance to be truthful, or how possible it is for 2 people to really honestly share everything they think.
January 5, 2025
If two people could at an Emmy award for their lack of communication in a book this couple would!
Both characters were unlikable but then again as you understand the story there is some compassion. Ultimately I did grow to like the FMC but never did warm up to the MMC.
Definitely a typical HARLEQUIN of the past and you know it’s a good story when your emotions are engaged.
Both characters were unlikable but then again as you understand the story there is some compassion. Ultimately I did grow to like the FMC but never did warm up to the MMC.
Definitely a typical HARLEQUIN of the past and you know it’s a good story when your emotions are engaged.
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