Rivals by Janet Dailey

by Janet Dailey

Flame Bennett was a successful advertising executive, who owed part of her success to her mentor Malcolm Powell. Powell wanted more than just thanks, but Flame had fallen for brash and powerful real-estate mogul Chance Stuart. He wanted Flame at any cost, but his lover, opera diva, Lucianna Colton, was determined that he would never have her. But without their knowing it, the fate of Flame and Chance had been sealed by the past,and a century-old legacy of greed, adultery and murder, would reach out its hand from the grave to ensare them both....

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Mystery, Ebooks, Contemporary

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Janet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.

She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.

Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.

Reviews

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was extremely predictable and boring. Initially I was interested enough to keep going with it but as the pages wore on I kept wondering why I was subjecting myself to this drivel. Flame finds out her new husband Chance married her only to get her land or so she thinks. Her solution is to dump him and immediately jump in the sack with an old friend who has been lusting after her for years despite him being married, and use him and his money to get back at Chance. Real mature way to solve your problems... And then with 3 pages left in the book everything is magically okay, Flame has forgiven Chance and they live happily ever after. What absolute and total nonsense...

[Sarah Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I HATE it when you plow through 440 pages of multi-generational angst and back story, waiting to get back to the main plot, and suddenly, there's three pages left in the book, a million things to resolve, and the closest you get to a HEA is "There's always hope for us."

HATE THAT.

Plus, any book that has to rely on a character cheat sheet at the beginning is automatically dinged in my opinion. The writing isn't strong enough to introduce you to the characters on its own? Bad sign.

My grandmother said this was her favorite book ever. EVER.

[Lena Papanikolaou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5

[Christina Hewitt-Largo Christopoulou · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a nice read but I can only give it 4 stars because of a very limited suspense, the story dragging a bit in many places and because of how predictable it was. If we exclude these, it was a fun read. :)

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not like Flame she had no remorse for sleeping with a married man knowing it would hurt his wife,she lacked morals Chance deserved a better woman!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flame Bennett is the daughter of an upper class San Francisco family, who moves in the right circls and holds down a top job with an advertising company. Her chief client is Malcolm Powell, a multi millionaire who is forever trying to turn their professional relationship into a more personal one. When she meets another successful businessman, Chance Stuart at a social function, bells start to ring for both of them and they begin a torrid love affair. Chance is the presumed heir to a large ranch in Oklahoma, owned and run by his Aunt Hattie, an embittered old maid who hates the thought that, because of the wording of the family will, the ranch must pass to a blood relative. Chance is the son of her sister who married a man way beneath her socially, and because of this, Chance has always been the despised heir, even though he has become one of the top businessmen in the state. Chance has been secretly making plans for the day when he inherits the ranch, when he plans to flood the valley and house, turning it into a vast holiday complex. Flame and Chance marry after knowing each other for only a few weeks and it is only then that Chance realises that Flame has more claim to the ranch than he has. When Hattie discovers Flame's whereabouts, she poisons her mind with doubts and suspicions about Chance's true motive in marrying her. The plot thickens with many more dramas as befits a story with the principals named Flame and Chance, but it was a good, if guilty read!

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Low as my expectations were it fell beneath them. The gender performed in the book was regressive (men are hard, chiselled and tough, women welcome sexual harrassment and hate each other), the class in the book was horrible (basically you are only a real human being if you are a horrid capitalist) and the race didn't matter because everybody is white and we don't even ask where the competing "American dream" colonists got the "Cherokee strip" from.

The twist at the end was not just predictable but it gave me that sick feeling in my stomach. To me Chance and Flame and Malcolm are kind of Donald-Trump characters and I don't even wish to relate to them since to them I am an ant.

[Priscilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um livro que fez um certo sucesso por um motivo bem simples, a história é fácil de empatizar.

Flame e Chance se apaixonam rápida e violentamente, mas a heroína descobre uma antiga rivalidade que põe em cheque todo o relacionamento. Sua reação a traição é a vingança. Obviamente, Dailey escreve nos mínimos detalhes o despeito e a dor de Flame, buscando a empatia de qualquer um que já foi enganado em um relacionamento.

Os pequenos atos, os percalços, o amargor... são todos tão familiares que é possível passar por cima dos furos na trama e ignorar a ausência de desenvolvimento de Chance.

Leia a vontade, serve para alimentar aquela pequena chama mesquinha dentro do peito.

[Mary Mutti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Family Feud from the Grave

An amazing story of love scorned over a lifetime of history of hate and violence over land and a mansion that was built by previous generations embittered by greed .

[Neva Womack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. It is full of intrigue, love, lust, and excitement.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very smooth read, with a hint of mystery. Lots of buildup, but I think it’s worth it for the smile-worthy ending.

[Irene Hackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not one of my favorite works by Janet, but it kept me turning the pages.

[Lisa Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story!

[Kat Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

first read this book when i was in high school after finding it on my mothers book shelf i remember at the time falling in love with this book and wanting to be Flame Bennett, living in San Francisco and falling in love with a hot rich guy aka Chance Stuart. just recently i started going threw all my old books and thought i would re read some and picked this one up again and now that I'm older it just didn't have the same effect on me that it did when i was younger :( i still love the main characters but i HATE the end of the book!!!!!!!!!! wish the author would have taken it a little further.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must admit I saw the word 'romance' on the back and my expectations fell to the floor.

But my boyfriend's dad gave me this book to read and I knew he'd be asking me questions about it and so I swallowed my gag reflex and dove in.

I'd hate to admit it but after about 50 pages I got so caught up in the drama of the story line I soon forgot about the dreaded word on the back cover.

Not exactly the best book I've ever read. And yes it still did have a few sex scenes that made my blush while I was in the room reading by myself but overall it did way exceed my expectations.

Who knows maybe this book has broadened my horizons...?

[Marina Derosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was excellent. It was filled with drama and heartbreak and mystery and confusion. Both of these men trying to get with 'Flame' while she's competing against one of them with the other one at her side. But at first she loved the one she was competing with and working for the other. That has all changed after her loves Aunt barged in and ruined the whole thing. I think that they could of been well together, I really liked them together. It's unfortunate that they were turned against each other sporadically just because Flame was stubborn. She should of stayed with him instead of leaving him, it 'could' of costed her life.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got sidetracted shortly after starting this book, but it reads quickly and easily once you get into it. One of the better books of the many Dailey books I have read. As usual, she holds your attention, and despite the many books she has written,still manages to come up with some really interesting turn of events. I think anyone who enjoys this type romance novels will love this book. I enjoyed it.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Janet Dailey's Books. This book could of been a hole lot better.
Flame did not give Chance time to explain anything, she went from loving a person to Hate.
Most of it is revenge and then things change in the last few pages.

[Lorlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very predicatble romance. I had it on my shelf from a library book sale and needed a light read. Though I will say the writing is relatively decent. Interesting premise -- and of course the rich, handsome dude gets the girl.

[Cari Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Character's lineage was a little confusing and I didn't get it straightened out until page 400! But good plot and held my interest . A little predictable ending yet with a twist. Good summer read :)

[Cws]

F Dai