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Tabou: Patience
Jocelyn Russet and Patience Herrick. Two powerful, British-born American lesbians, fiery heiresses of different generations. Both coming of age at the same time. Are they destined for one another—or starcrossed? Follow their ten-year Odyssey in a sexy romp through the rollicking 1980s and 1990s. Discover how their fate turns on secret histories that bind the Russet and Herrick dynasties in business, politics and espionage. Meet an international cast of supporting characters who must all choose between love and duty in book one of the TABOU quintet.
488 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2011
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Stroh
6 books29 followersSuzanne Stroh hails from Michigan, where her family brewed Stroh’s beer for five generations. TABOU is her debut work of fiction.
Suzanne grew up on the shore of the Great Lakes in Grosse Pointe and attended University Liggett School a few classes behind novelist Jeffrey Eugenides; they shared the same inspirational teachers. She studied art history at Wellesley College and Newnham College, Cambridge. She lived in England, New York and Los Angeles, climbing mountains in Europe and the Americas, before settling with her family in the northern Virginia countryside.
Suzanne is currently translating Francesco Rapazzini’s 2004 biography of Élisabeth de Gramont (1875-1954) from French into English. She is also at work on a book of short stories and planning a new novel.
An accomplished screenwriter and film producer, Suzanne’s recent film credits include screenwriter of the African feature film OKA! (2012, dir. Lavinia Currier) and producer of the Cold War documentary MY GRANDFATHER WAS A NAZI SCIENTIST: Opa, von Braun and Operation Paperclip (2011, dir. Amy Gerber).
Suzanne grew up on the shore of the Great Lakes in Grosse Pointe and attended University Liggett School a few classes behind novelist Jeffrey Eugenides; they shared the same inspirational teachers. She studied art history at Wellesley College and Newnham College, Cambridge. She lived in England, New York and Los Angeles, climbing mountains in Europe and the Americas, before settling with her family in the northern Virginia countryside.
Suzanne is currently translating Francesco Rapazzini’s 2004 biography of Élisabeth de Gramont (1875-1954) from French into English. She is also at work on a book of short stories and planning a new novel.
An accomplished screenwriter and film producer, Suzanne’s recent film credits include screenwriter of the African feature film OKA! (2012, dir. Lavinia Currier) and producer of the Cold War documentary MY GRANDFATHER WAS A NAZI SCIENTIST: Opa, von Braun and Operation Paperclip (2011, dir. Amy Gerber).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 27, 2012
I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
I would rate this 3.5 stars for several reasons but since I can't give half stars on GR I rounded up to 4 because it is well written. However, its not a book for me. I'm not sure what category to put it in, but I would label it a Soap Opera. By the cover, and what I was told when it was offered to me, was that this is an erotica. But that I guess depends on your definition of erotica. There are a few hot sex scenes in this really long book but you could easily take them out and still have the same book.
This is the story of lesbian love, of a girl trying to find her identity, and find that the love of her life is a friend of her aunt. But in the process of weaving this story, there is also political intrigue, nazi war criminal, and secret tribunals. There are also high society drama and international jaunts. There is so much going on that at times it was hard to keep up. However, the story has been carefully woven together so that it does come together quite nicely. It is very well written, the characters are definitely unique and its quite a story. The writing style reminded me a lot of The Great Gatsby, it had a lot of the same qualities.
If you enjoy a good Soap Opera. If you like shows such as All My Children, One Life to Live, General Hospital, etc then this is the book for you. I would suggest this to those over 18 as there are a few sex scenes but they aren't overly graphic. Overall, I thought it was a good book and great for those that enjoy a good drama.
I would rate this 3.5 stars for several reasons but since I can't give half stars on GR I rounded up to 4 because it is well written. However, its not a book for me. I'm not sure what category to put it in, but I would label it a Soap Opera. By the cover, and what I was told when it was offered to me, was that this is an erotica. But that I guess depends on your definition of erotica. There are a few hot sex scenes in this really long book but you could easily take them out and still have the same book.
This is the story of lesbian love, of a girl trying to find her identity, and find that the love of her life is a friend of her aunt. But in the process of weaving this story, there is also political intrigue, nazi war criminal, and secret tribunals. There are also high society drama and international jaunts. There is so much going on that at times it was hard to keep up. However, the story has been carefully woven together so that it does come together quite nicely. It is very well written, the characters are definitely unique and its quite a story. The writing style reminded me a lot of The Great Gatsby, it had a lot of the same qualities.
If you enjoy a good Soap Opera. If you like shows such as All My Children, One Life to Live, General Hospital, etc then this is the book for you. I would suggest this to those over 18 as there are a few sex scenes but they aren't overly graphic. Overall, I thought it was a good book and great for those that enjoy a good drama.
July 6, 2013
Tabou is an ambitious (audacious?) quintet of books, the first of which is titled Patience and is a whirlwind of characters, plots and subplots that may leave you wondering: What have I gotten myself into? I consider myself fairly well-read and it is like nothing I’ve read before. To categorize this book into a predefined manufactured genre risks missing the point. Is it an erotic romance featuring two women? Yes. Is it a quasi-revisionist historical novel? Yes. Is it a dramatic mystery-spy novel rife with intrigue and Nazi-hunters? Yes. Is it as some reviewers suggest, a Soap Opera? No. To characterize it as such does the writing and effort put into the story an injustice. While the story may fit best into the lesbian romance genre, there is something for everyone in Tabou.
It is perhaps no mistake this first volume was titled Patience, for such is required of the reader. The author pointedly plants various subplots and makes introductions to major and minor characters throughout the book, yet the main thrust of the story features two women: Patience and Jocelyn. The two women are separated in age by twenty-six years, Patience being the elder and incidentally the same age as Jocelyn’s mother. The author plays out their first meeting and it is positively electric. Patience and our author however make us wait, rightfully so perhaps, but eventually rewards our patience in spades. That the two women will meet again later in the book is without question. The author effectively builds the tension and expectations leading up to that seminal moment.
The author’s notes at the outset let us know that time moves backward and forwards in the story. Take note. The index of characters at the end is quite helpful, but resist the temptation to read them overly much until after you’ve finished the book, there very well may be spoilers the author cautions. Throughout the book there are real and imagined allusions to the Edwardian and Belle Epoque eras, as well as to both well known and lesser known personalities of these eras. Most of the events in the book however occur during the 20th and 21st centuries. Again, patience is the operative word here. The payoff is a mind blow.
Bear in mind this is but the first of five books, which by all accounts are connected and woven together in stories and rediscovered memories. The author says: “Show me the legacy of a lesbian couple.“ This book begins to lay that out for us and suggests we will be treated to a wild ride featuring heaping portions of intrigue, drama, tears and eroticism.
It is perhaps no mistake this first volume was titled Patience, for such is required of the reader. The author pointedly plants various subplots and makes introductions to major and minor characters throughout the book, yet the main thrust of the story features two women: Patience and Jocelyn. The two women are separated in age by twenty-six years, Patience being the elder and incidentally the same age as Jocelyn’s mother. The author plays out their first meeting and it is positively electric. Patience and our author however make us wait, rightfully so perhaps, but eventually rewards our patience in spades. That the two women will meet again later in the book is without question. The author effectively builds the tension and expectations leading up to that seminal moment.
The author’s notes at the outset let us know that time moves backward and forwards in the story. Take note. The index of characters at the end is quite helpful, but resist the temptation to read them overly much until after you’ve finished the book, there very well may be spoilers the author cautions. Throughout the book there are real and imagined allusions to the Edwardian and Belle Epoque eras, as well as to both well known and lesser known personalities of these eras. Most of the events in the book however occur during the 20th and 21st centuries. Again, patience is the operative word here. The payoff is a mind blow.
Bear in mind this is but the first of five books, which by all accounts are connected and woven together in stories and rediscovered memories. The author says: “Show me the legacy of a lesbian couple.“ This book begins to lay that out for us and suggests we will be treated to a wild ride featuring heaping portions of intrigue, drama, tears and eroticism.
November 6, 2012
Tabou is the story of two influential families: the Russets and the Herricks. The story’s main focus is Patience Herrick and Jocelyn (Joss) Russet. This is the first novel of five in this family drama.
There are so many characters in this book that I am just going to focus on a couple of them. Patience Herrick is the heiress to a multimedia fortune. Joss Russet is the heiress to a brewing fortune. When these two meet there is an immediate attraction between them despite the age gap. At the time Joss was only sixteen, Patience did not want to begin an affair until Joss was older. Several years later the two come together again, time doing nothing to quell the attraction. I may interpret these characters differently than the author intended, but I saw Joss initially as still trying to come to terms with and explore her sexuality. She didn’t really come into her own until she met Patience. Patience struck me as a very experienced woman, but was always missing something where relationships were concerned. She also struck me as needing to be in control, and only with Joss would she relinquish a little bit of that.
Stroh has written a story I would describe as an epic. She did a wonderful job of mixing the Tabou world and the real world together into the timeline. She does not shy away from the erotic scenes in the book, which are steamy without being too over the top. The novel has a huge amount of characters and there was so much going on, I found myself confused several times, and I was grateful for the character index in the back. For me, this book doesn’t fall into the category of lazy afternoon read. There is so much to take in, and it requires attention or you could quickly find yourself a bit lost. Stroh leaves no stone unturned and writes with a vast amount of detail. Whether or not this is your style of read, there is no doubt as to Stroh’s talent.
**Reviewed by Teresa D. for ThatsErotica.com
There are so many characters in this book that I am just going to focus on a couple of them. Patience Herrick is the heiress to a multimedia fortune. Joss Russet is the heiress to a brewing fortune. When these two meet there is an immediate attraction between them despite the age gap. At the time Joss was only sixteen, Patience did not want to begin an affair until Joss was older. Several years later the two come together again, time doing nothing to quell the attraction. I may interpret these characters differently than the author intended, but I saw Joss initially as still trying to come to terms with and explore her sexuality. She didn’t really come into her own until she met Patience. Patience struck me as a very experienced woman, but was always missing something where relationships were concerned. She also struck me as needing to be in control, and only with Joss would she relinquish a little bit of that.
Stroh has written a story I would describe as an epic. She did a wonderful job of mixing the Tabou world and the real world together into the timeline. She does not shy away from the erotic scenes in the book, which are steamy without being too over the top. The novel has a huge amount of characters and there was so much going on, I found myself confused several times, and I was grateful for the character index in the back. For me, this book doesn’t fall into the category of lazy afternoon read. There is so much to take in, and it requires attention or you could quickly find yourself a bit lost. Stroh leaves no stone unturned and writes with a vast amount of detail. Whether or not this is your style of read, there is no doubt as to Stroh’s talent.
**Reviewed by Teresa D. for ThatsErotica.com
October 6, 2012
Although it took me some effort to get into, and the soap opera elements tried my patience in places, Tabou: Patience, Book 1 is a well-written tale with a enough elements to keep even the most jaded reader engaged. Suzanne Stroh has crafted a tale of lesbian love, family drama, and political intrigue that is high on drama and deep in complexities.
Jumping backward and forward in time (between the 60s and 90s) and place (USA, London, France, South America, Asia), the story draws upon a wide variety of historical personages (from Marlene Dietrich to Bill Clinton) to orient the reader in its pseudo-historical backdrop. I say pseudo-historical, because Suzanne admits herself that she played fast and loose with history, taking liberties with events, and drafting a timeline that parallels ours.
Patience is the story of Jocelyn Russet, a 20-something London-born heiress, transplanted to the posh landscape of Virginia. Half the story centres around her erotic affair with another woman, Patience Herrick, a tale of star-crossed lovers playing a game of romance that is too good to be true. The other half of the story centres around family histories and secrets, which may or may not play into the threats being levied against their respective business dealings.
The characterization is strong, and the romance works, despite (or perhaps because of) the high society drama with which they surround themselves. In terms of detail, the historical tidbits are fascinating, as is the geography of the world tour. If I had one issue with the book, it is definitely the dialogue, which often comes across as more soap opera than society drama. It takes a bit of work to follow all of the elements, especially with the leaps backward and forward through time, but if you have patience (no pun intended), it all comes together in the end.
As published on Bending the Bookshelf
Jumping backward and forward in time (between the 60s and 90s) and place (USA, London, France, South America, Asia), the story draws upon a wide variety of historical personages (from Marlene Dietrich to Bill Clinton) to orient the reader in its pseudo-historical backdrop. I say pseudo-historical, because Suzanne admits herself that she played fast and loose with history, taking liberties with events, and drafting a timeline that parallels ours.
Patience is the story of Jocelyn Russet, a 20-something London-born heiress, transplanted to the posh landscape of Virginia. Half the story centres around her erotic affair with another woman, Patience Herrick, a tale of star-crossed lovers playing a game of romance that is too good to be true. The other half of the story centres around family histories and secrets, which may or may not play into the threats being levied against their respective business dealings.
The characterization is strong, and the romance works, despite (or perhaps because of) the high society drama with which they surround themselves. In terms of detail, the historical tidbits are fascinating, as is the geography of the world tour. If I had one issue with the book, it is definitely the dialogue, which often comes across as more soap opera than society drama. It takes a bit of work to follow all of the elements, especially with the leaps backward and forward through time, but if you have patience (no pun intended), it all comes together in the end.
As published on Bending the Bookshelf
Read
October 19, 2012This book started out very eloquently but got lost in a whole lot of details that did not entice me into the story at all. I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to a good f/f style read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews