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Dark Persuasion
Historical Romance Best Seller -- Award-Winning Finalist in the Romance category of The 2012 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News -- Described by Night Owl Romance as, "Powerful, haunting, poignant and angst-filled. This is a fantastic read that will stay with you." Set in 1890 Victorian England, Dark Persuasion tells a romantic story of regret, restitution, and forgiveness between three individuals who are prisoners of their past. Rival brothers seek to win one woman in a fierce competition, each driven by different motives. Charlotte Grey has no idea of their identity or their sudden interest in courting a blind woman. When Patrick Rochester is the victor and wins her hand in marriage, he is haunted by grief over his complicity in Charlotte's blindness. Finally she falls in love and completely trusts him, but the revelation of his true identity threatens to destroy their relationship. In the end, Charlotte learns that love can be blind for everyone--even her.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2012
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421 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Hopkins
32 books99 followersAward Winning Author of Historical Romance, Historical Family Sagas, Gothic Romance, and Historical Fiction. Books available in eBook, Print, and Audio.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 18, 2024
Review from 2014
C for both content and narration.
While Dark Persuasion has an interesting premise and the potential to explore some of the darker emotions – guilt, jealousy, obsession – the book never overcomes a number of failures in its execution. It’s not a very “romantic” romance, and there is practically no chemistry between the leads. The characterisation of the hero lacks depth, and I found the heroine difficult to like, largely due to her treatment of the hero.
Charlotte Grey was blinded at the age of eight as the result of an unthinking, cruel act by a boy four years her senior. Ten years later, she meets two brothers at her come-out ball, Patrick and Rupert Rochester, who are as different from each other as chalk from cheese. Patrick is a quiet and rather serious young man, while Rupert is a cruel, conscienceless rake who wants nothing more than to irritate and best his brother in whatever he does.
So when Rupert sees Patrick taking an interest in Charlotte, he determines to seduce her. Never having been the subject of male attention before, Charlotte is easily taken in by Rupert’s gregarious and flirtatious manner, and instantly prefers him to his brother. In spite of her sister’s urge to be cautious, Charlotte is in the grip of her first infatuation, and dismisses Patrick as dull and humourless.
When Rupert shows his true colours, it’s left to Patrick to pick up the pieces. He loves Charlotte and wants to marry her so he can take care of her, but he shrinks from telling her the truth about the cause of her blindness. Instead, he confesses to her father, who afterwards gives Patrick his permission to ask Charlotte for her hand. She accepts his proposal, telling him bluntly that she does not love him and that she is only giving him her assent because she knows she is unlikely to receive another such offer.
I had a hard time determining just what Patrick saw in Charlotte other than her pretty face, and the fact of his desire to atone for his childhood brutality. One minute, he is seeing her for the first time in ten years, and the next, he is desperately in love with her, and there is no sense of an evolution of feeling. Patrick is very underwritten; we see him as a boy and then as a young man, but there is no real explanation as to how or why he changed from that irresponsible boy to the honourable man he is now.
I also didn’t care much for Charlotte as a heroine. While she certainly deserves admiration for the way she overcomes many of the difficulties facing her as a blind person, there are other aspects of her personality that make her a less than sympathetic character, not least of which is her poor treatment of Patrick. She never lets him forget he is not her first choice, and, because she never really talks to him about the help she will need to help her to acclimatise herself to new surroundings, blames him when he fails to take her blindness into account.
As for Rupert – he’s a character who is not so much verging on the edge of caricature as he is one who has been hurled off of it! All he needs is a cape (he already has the moustache!) to swirl about while emitting “muahahah!” and he’d be the perfect pantomime villain. The author drops hints throughout that the brothers had miserable childhoods, and the truth, when it finally comes is very nasty indeed. I understand that Ms Hopkins probably kept the revelation back in order to produce the greatest impact, but I can’t help feeling something more specific earlier on in the story would have thrown some much needed light on the deeply entrenched enmity between the brothers.
The writing, while not bad, is sometimes clumsy and unsophisticated; and the author’s overuse of adverbs, while it may not be especially noticeable in print, is, in audio, one of those “ticks” that is magnified to such an extent that it becomes very irritating very quickly. Nobody in the book ever simply “said” or “did” anything – they almost always “quietly uttered” or “rousingly responded”, and I confess that by the time I was half-way through the first chapter, I found myself listening out for it in much the same way one can’t avoid thinking of elephants the moment one is told NOT to think of them! And on a purely personal level, I prefer the construction [verb – adverb], so after eleven hours of being bombarded with it the “wrong way around”, I felt like my brain had been turned inside out.
Lorna Bennett is a narrator I have not come across before, and while she does a decent job overall with her narration, her character portrayals are less successful. Each of the characters is clearly differentiated, but the majority of the male voices are performed in the pretty much same register as the female ones, although they are given a harder edge and, in the case of Rupert, a deliberately unattractive, nasal quality. The exception is Patrick, who is pitched more deeply, with a softer timbre; but Ms Bennett’s portrayal is too monotonous to be attractive, and has the effect of making him sound more like Eeyore than a romantic hero. There are times when the text reveals him to have a dry sense of humour, yet those moments don’t come across in that way at all; he sounds exactly the same when he flirts with Charlotte as he does at other times. Her performance does improve towards the end, however, when Patrick is finally allowed to show more emotion.
The female characters are all portrayed well, and Ms Bennett also employs a few different, regional accents for some of the servants. Her best characterisation was of Edith, Charlotte’s maid, who was given a convincing Cockney-type accent.
I would certainly not rule out listening to Ms Bennett again as I think she has potential. She is clearly able to differentiate characters in appropriate ways, but needs to work a little more on finding a suitable way to portray the principal male in the story.
I also noted a number of issues relating to the production of this audiobook. At the very beginning, there is an audible background hum which persists through the first chapter, and which comes and goes throughout the book. In fact, the whole of the first chapter sounded as though it had been recorded in a bathroom, although fortunately, the acoustic is adjusted from chapter two onwards. There were also instances of very long breaks between chapters, making me wonder if the battery had run out on my mp3 player, and in a couple of chapters, several words had had their endings somehow chopped off. While I was planning to give Ms Bennett’s performance a B-, the production issues have to be taken into account when grading a narration, so I have lowered the grade accordingly.
C for both content and narration.
While Dark Persuasion has an interesting premise and the potential to explore some of the darker emotions – guilt, jealousy, obsession – the book never overcomes a number of failures in its execution. It’s not a very “romantic” romance, and there is practically no chemistry between the leads. The characterisation of the hero lacks depth, and I found the heroine difficult to like, largely due to her treatment of the hero.
Charlotte Grey was blinded at the age of eight as the result of an unthinking, cruel act by a boy four years her senior. Ten years later, she meets two brothers at her come-out ball, Patrick and Rupert Rochester, who are as different from each other as chalk from cheese. Patrick is a quiet and rather serious young man, while Rupert is a cruel, conscienceless rake who wants nothing more than to irritate and best his brother in whatever he does.
So when Rupert sees Patrick taking an interest in Charlotte, he determines to seduce her. Never having been the subject of male attention before, Charlotte is easily taken in by Rupert’s gregarious and flirtatious manner, and instantly prefers him to his brother. In spite of her sister’s urge to be cautious, Charlotte is in the grip of her first infatuation, and dismisses Patrick as dull and humourless.
When Rupert shows his true colours, it’s left to Patrick to pick up the pieces. He loves Charlotte and wants to marry her so he can take care of her, but he shrinks from telling her the truth about the cause of her blindness. Instead, he confesses to her father, who afterwards gives Patrick his permission to ask Charlotte for her hand. She accepts his proposal, telling him bluntly that she does not love him and that she is only giving him her assent because she knows she is unlikely to receive another such offer.
I had a hard time determining just what Patrick saw in Charlotte other than her pretty face, and the fact of his desire to atone for his childhood brutality. One minute, he is seeing her for the first time in ten years, and the next, he is desperately in love with her, and there is no sense of an evolution of feeling. Patrick is very underwritten; we see him as a boy and then as a young man, but there is no real explanation as to how or why he changed from that irresponsible boy to the honourable man he is now.
I also didn’t care much for Charlotte as a heroine. While she certainly deserves admiration for the way she overcomes many of the difficulties facing her as a blind person, there are other aspects of her personality that make her a less than sympathetic character, not least of which is her poor treatment of Patrick. She never lets him forget he is not her first choice, and, because she never really talks to him about the help she will need to help her to acclimatise herself to new surroundings, blames him when he fails to take her blindness into account.
As for Rupert – he’s a character who is not so much verging on the edge of caricature as he is one who has been hurled off of it! All he needs is a cape (he already has the moustache!) to swirl about while emitting “muahahah!” and he’d be the perfect pantomime villain. The author drops hints throughout that the brothers had miserable childhoods, and the truth, when it finally comes is very nasty indeed. I understand that Ms Hopkins probably kept the revelation back in order to produce the greatest impact, but I can’t help feeling something more specific earlier on in the story would have thrown some much needed light on the deeply entrenched enmity between the brothers.
The writing, while not bad, is sometimes clumsy and unsophisticated; and the author’s overuse of adverbs, while it may not be especially noticeable in print, is, in audio, one of those “ticks” that is magnified to such an extent that it becomes very irritating very quickly. Nobody in the book ever simply “said” or “did” anything – they almost always “quietly uttered” or “rousingly responded”, and I confess that by the time I was half-way through the first chapter, I found myself listening out for it in much the same way one can’t avoid thinking of elephants the moment one is told NOT to think of them! And on a purely personal level, I prefer the construction [verb – adverb], so after eleven hours of being bombarded with it the “wrong way around”, I felt like my brain had been turned inside out.
Lorna Bennett is a narrator I have not come across before, and while she does a decent job overall with her narration, her character portrayals are less successful. Each of the characters is clearly differentiated, but the majority of the male voices are performed in the pretty much same register as the female ones, although they are given a harder edge and, in the case of Rupert, a deliberately unattractive, nasal quality. The exception is Patrick, who is pitched more deeply, with a softer timbre; but Ms Bennett’s portrayal is too monotonous to be attractive, and has the effect of making him sound more like Eeyore than a romantic hero. There are times when the text reveals him to have a dry sense of humour, yet those moments don’t come across in that way at all; he sounds exactly the same when he flirts with Charlotte as he does at other times. Her performance does improve towards the end, however, when Patrick is finally allowed to show more emotion.
The female characters are all portrayed well, and Ms Bennett also employs a few different, regional accents for some of the servants. Her best characterisation was of Edith, Charlotte’s maid, who was given a convincing Cockney-type accent.
I would certainly not rule out listening to Ms Bennett again as I think she has potential. She is clearly able to differentiate characters in appropriate ways, but needs to work a little more on finding a suitable way to portray the principal male in the story.
I also noted a number of issues relating to the production of this audiobook. At the very beginning, there is an audible background hum which persists through the first chapter, and which comes and goes throughout the book. In fact, the whole of the first chapter sounded as though it had been recorded in a bathroom, although fortunately, the acoustic is adjusted from chapter two onwards. There were also instances of very long breaks between chapters, making me wonder if the battery had run out on my mp3 player, and in a couple of chapters, several words had had their endings somehow chopped off. While I was planning to give Ms Bennett’s performance a B-, the production issues have to be taken into account when grading a narration, so I have lowered the grade accordingly.
May 28, 2021
All The Right Moves💕
Victorian Romance 💕
This unusual Victorian Romance💕 novel has the romance💘 built on the back of Patrick🐺, a young man who as a child, pushed little neighbor Charlotte out of a tree and caused a head injury that blinded her. He and his brother Rupert were visiting their uncle's estate and didn't know her and never told anyone. She never knew them either, so it was assumed some village boys did it.
Patrick🐺 hides his shame and finally grows a conscience after he goes off to fight in Sudan. His younger brother, Rupert👺, goes the opposite way, he becomes a cynical rake.
Back from Sudan, its ten years later, and Patrick🐺 wants to make amends to Charlotte💃💋. He tells his uncle what happened all those years ago. He feels he must atone for his sin somehow, only Rupert👺 keeps getting in the way. Rupert👺 makes a cruel game of vying for Charlotte's attentions.
Charlotte💃 is falsely swayed by Rupert's👺 suave rakish attentions, even though her older sister and mother warn her off. She can't see that the awkward but handsome Patrick🐺 is the man who loves💘 her. She is blind in more ways than one....
Victorian Romance 💕
This unusual Victorian Romance💕 novel has the romance💘 built on the back of Patrick🐺, a young man who as a child, pushed little neighbor Charlotte out of a tree and caused a head injury that blinded her. He and his brother Rupert were visiting their uncle's estate and didn't know her and never told anyone. She never knew them either, so it was assumed some village boys did it.
Patrick🐺 hides his shame and finally grows a conscience after he goes off to fight in Sudan. His younger brother, Rupert👺, goes the opposite way, he becomes a cynical rake.
Back from Sudan, its ten years later, and Patrick🐺 wants to make amends to Charlotte💃💋. He tells his uncle what happened all those years ago. He feels he must atone for his sin somehow, only Rupert👺 keeps getting in the way. Rupert👺 makes a cruel game of vying for Charlotte's attentions.
Charlotte💃 is falsely swayed by Rupert's👺 suave rakish attentions, even though her older sister and mother warn her off. She can't see that the awkward but handsome Patrick🐺 is the man who loves💘 her. She is blind in more ways than one....
January 9, 2013
I’m not a big fan of authors who are upfront and state the history of central characters and how they are connected. This approach can be either hit or miss, but in the case of Dark Persuasion, Vicki Hopkins does an amazing job setting up the plot and it defiantly is needed to understand the particular actions of certain characters.
Charlotte Grey was a child when an accident left her blind and she’s surprised her aristocratic neighbors are interested in being her sponsors and hold a ball in her honor. At the ball she meets two brothers, Patrick and Rupert, who are different as night and day. Both will battle for her hand, but which brother will win her heart and can a wrong be rectified?
Hopkins does an excellent job with historical research. She introduces Braille to the point of having Rupert translate a letter he wrote to Charlotte. There’s also the mention of guide dogs and although the time period is 1890 (the first official use of guide dogs from my own personal research indicates they were first used during World War I in Germany), I can let it go because in literature prior to the 19th century, in a few texts, they mention the blind being guided by a dog. I’m not sure of the extent of actual guide dogs as we know it prior to the First World War and I’m not nitpicking on the historical aspects because as I stated Hopkins does a superb job. She also keeps to social etiquette of the time and the language used doesn’t sound too modern.
Characters are well developed and you can easily see how two brothers become rivals. At the heart of the novel is Charlotte’s blindness and although she can’t see the world around her, she believes she can trust her own instinct. She tries to be independent and her family allows her the freedom she wants, but also cautions her. Like most young women she truly believes she can read people and their intentions. Rupert talks to her and she likes that he’s interested in getting to know her, whereas Patrick doesn’t say anything to her, but he has a reason for keeping quiet and keeping her at a distance. She believes someone opening themselves is how to truly communicate with one another. Your heart breaks for her and all she lost. In one poignant scene, she wishes she could see the face of the man she married. And in another scene her husband doesn’t quite realize what it would be like to be married to a blind woman until Charlotte’s sister is sitting next to them at the wedding breakfast and she’s helping Charlotte eat. He looks down at her place setting and he sees pieces of food all over as she attempts to eat.
What I really liked about Dark Persuasion is that Hopkins gives us a villain, who in the end repents for his actions. Sure it’s not the way we would like him to do it, but he realizes his follies and tries to atone for the way he acted towards Charlotte. There’s a twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting, but overall it’s a satisfying read.
There is some history of abuse and if you are sensitive to particular situations you might not be comfortable reading this book. It’s not detailed, but it is mentioned and explained.
If you’re in a historical romance rut I highly recommend Dark Persuasion.
Please note: I received this book as a complimentary book won at LibraryThing and review appears on my blog, Literary, etc.
Charlotte Grey was a child when an accident left her blind and she’s surprised her aristocratic neighbors are interested in being her sponsors and hold a ball in her honor. At the ball she meets two brothers, Patrick and Rupert, who are different as night and day. Both will battle for her hand, but which brother will win her heart and can a wrong be rectified?
Hopkins does an excellent job with historical research. She introduces Braille to the point of having Rupert translate a letter he wrote to Charlotte. There’s also the mention of guide dogs and although the time period is 1890 (the first official use of guide dogs from my own personal research indicates they were first used during World War I in Germany), I can let it go because in literature prior to the 19th century, in a few texts, they mention the blind being guided by a dog. I’m not sure of the extent of actual guide dogs as we know it prior to the First World War and I’m not nitpicking on the historical aspects because as I stated Hopkins does a superb job. She also keeps to social etiquette of the time and the language used doesn’t sound too modern.
Characters are well developed and you can easily see how two brothers become rivals. At the heart of the novel is Charlotte’s blindness and although she can’t see the world around her, she believes she can trust her own instinct. She tries to be independent and her family allows her the freedom she wants, but also cautions her. Like most young women she truly believes she can read people and their intentions. Rupert talks to her and she likes that he’s interested in getting to know her, whereas Patrick doesn’t say anything to her, but he has a reason for keeping quiet and keeping her at a distance. She believes someone opening themselves is how to truly communicate with one another. Your heart breaks for her and all she lost. In one poignant scene, she wishes she could see the face of the man she married. And in another scene her husband doesn’t quite realize what it would be like to be married to a blind woman until Charlotte’s sister is sitting next to them at the wedding breakfast and she’s helping Charlotte eat. He looks down at her place setting and he sees pieces of food all over as she attempts to eat.
What I really liked about Dark Persuasion is that Hopkins gives us a villain, who in the end repents for his actions. Sure it’s not the way we would like him to do it, but he realizes his follies and tries to atone for the way he acted towards Charlotte. There’s a twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting, but overall it’s a satisfying read.
There is some history of abuse and if you are sensitive to particular situations you might not be comfortable reading this book. It’s not detailed, but it is mentioned and explained.
If you’re in a historical romance rut I highly recommend Dark Persuasion.
Please note: I received this book as a complimentary book won at LibraryThing and review appears on my blog, Literary, etc.
July 20, 2012
The story was very well written along with the story line. Definitely captivated my mind. Couldn't stop reading. Loved the ending especially with the unexpected twist towards the end where we found out about Peter and his brother's secret. I truly loved the ending. Lessons throughout the story along with forgiveness. One of the greatest stories I have ever read. Would love to read a second book to follow the ending. I applaud the writer who supported visual perception of the characters, details of the era, along with relating the story to life obstacles along with emotional aspects the obstacles bring and how we can learn from them. Truly a well written story!
May 31, 2013
They didn't know who each other was but one day in the forest, a 12-year-old bully pushed a 8-year-old tomboy off a tree. He fled to discover later that the impact of her fall blinded her. Move forward ten years, and we have a story of love and atonement. I really felt Patrick Rochester's remorse and admired Charlotte's desire to seek happiness. But. But, I think the author was seeking the reader's happiness a little too much. As a result, Rupert was just not a convincing character for me.
Still, a writer to keep an eye on.
Still, a writer to keep an eye on.
March 7, 2015
Somehow I didn't realize this was a young adult novel. Regardless, I found it interesting and engaging. I preferred the Phantom of Valetta to this, but still enjoyed it. The characters felt real until the last three chapters. The whole reconciliation was glossed over. I don't know if that's because of the Victorian time period and intentional or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2015
Charlotte Gray was blinded in childhood by two boys in a tree. Many years later those same two boys, now men, start courting her. All three have changed. Which of the young men will win her heart? Will she find a true love with either of the men? Can one forgive the person who has changed your life forever?
May 4, 2013
Purchased this morning and I haven't moved all day (skipping breakfast and lunch) until I finished the last page. Very well worth it! I didn't even realize there was a trailer until I finished the book. Now that I've seen it too I'm even more in love with Patrick.
May 23, 2021
ATONEMENT
Ten years ago, Patrick Rochester and his younger brother, Rupert, were instrumental in an accident that took Charlotte Gray's sight. Anger and pain filled their lives with the cruelty from their father. Only recently has Patrick confessed the part he and his brother played to his uncle. No one else knows. Blind, Charlotte has learned to have some independence, but she still relies on help. Marriage is something she doesn't seek for herself. Patrick's remorse is such he wishes to give atonement. A ball sponsored by his aunt and uncle for Charlotte's birthday and come out, leads to a continuing rivalry between he and Rupert. Where Patrick is losing his heart to Charlotte and wants marriage, Rupert is thinking of ways to destroy any relationship between them. Of course, Rupert can always reveal the secret. When Charlotte discovers the secret and leaves Patrick, he doesn't think he has a chance of winning her back. This was hard to read with very little upbeat in the plot until late in the book. After each page you just knew everything was going to blow up in Patrick's face, and it did. I was surprised and satisfied by the resolution and loved the epilogue.
Contains sensitive information on child abuse that may cause triggers.
Ten years ago, Patrick Rochester and his younger brother, Rupert, were instrumental in an accident that took Charlotte Gray's sight. Anger and pain filled their lives with the cruelty from their father. Only recently has Patrick confessed the part he and his brother played to his uncle. No one else knows. Blind, Charlotte has learned to have some independence, but she still relies on help. Marriage is something she doesn't seek for herself. Patrick's remorse is such he wishes to give atonement. A ball sponsored by his aunt and uncle for Charlotte's birthday and come out, leads to a continuing rivalry between he and Rupert. Where Patrick is losing his heart to Charlotte and wants marriage, Rupert is thinking of ways to destroy any relationship between them. Of course, Rupert can always reveal the secret. When Charlotte discovers the secret and leaves Patrick, he doesn't think he has a chance of winning her back. This was hard to read with very little upbeat in the plot until late in the book. After each page you just knew everything was going to blow up in Patrick's face, and it did. I was surprised and satisfied by the resolution and loved the epilogue.
Contains sensitive information on child abuse that may cause triggers.
May 27, 2021
Delightful read
I enjoyed reading this book more than what I thought I would. The setting is different from what I'm used to reading. Charlotte is blind and it was interesting to read how things were for her. The book starts when she was a child and how she lost her eyesight. Ten years have passed and Charlotte is now 18 and has returned home from school. At her birthday party, two brothers vie for her attention. Patrick is interested in her because he wants to make amends. Rupert, the younger brother, is only interested in her for one thing. Charlotte is attracted to one and finds the other to be a bore. She ends up marrying the one she is not interested in and feels that she could never love him. However, she ends up falling in love with her husband and is happy until the brother comes to visit. The truth about how she lost her eyesight is revealed and she is totally devastated. The brothers try everything to repair the damage that was done but it isn't until more secrets are revealed does she finally forgive both brothers. I liked the ending of the book because it brought the story to a nice close.
I enjoyed reading this book more than what I thought I would. The setting is different from what I'm used to reading. Charlotte is blind and it was interesting to read how things were for her. The book starts when she was a child and how she lost her eyesight. Ten years have passed and Charlotte is now 18 and has returned home from school. At her birthday party, two brothers vie for her attention. Patrick is interested in her because he wants to make amends. Rupert, the younger brother, is only interested in her for one thing. Charlotte is attracted to one and finds the other to be a bore. She ends up marrying the one she is not interested in and feels that she could never love him. However, she ends up falling in love with her husband and is happy until the brother comes to visit. The truth about how she lost her eyesight is revealed and she is totally devastated. The brothers try everything to repair the damage that was done but it isn't until more secrets are revealed does she finally forgive both brothers. I liked the ending of the book because it brought the story to a nice close.
May 24, 2021
I was intrigued by the concept of the book, and it must of held my attention somewhat (I finished it) but.....
It did not feel like there was enough to show Patrick falling in love with Charlotte. It did not feel like the main characters had any chemistry.
It was an ok read but probably the only one I will read.
It did not feel like there was enough to show Patrick falling in love with Charlotte. It did not feel like the main characters had any chemistry.
It was an ok read but probably the only one I will read.
June 7, 2021
An old fashioned romance, the reason I say that is it is very similar to those written in the 70's. A childhood accident changes three lives forever. Later they meet again with consequences.
July 17, 2021
Eh
Idk it was fine, nothing wonderful or amazing about it. Wasn't a huge fan that the guy who sexually assaulted her was magically forgiven. Some parts felt too cheesy
Idk it was fine, nothing wonderful or amazing about it. Wasn't a huge fan that the guy who sexually assaulted her was magically forgiven. Some parts felt too cheesy
April 30, 2013
Dark Persuasion
This story is about a women name Charlotte Grey who was blinded at the age of eight in a cruel accident that was the fault of an unknown cruel boy. The accident left Charlotte bitter at heart towards the unknown boy as she learns to adjust to the limitations of blindness while trying to be as independent as possible. The story commence ten years later when Lord and Lady Rochester took an interest in Charlotte's welfare by throwing her a coming out party. This was partially due to the fact that the accident occurred on their property. Two brothers bid for attention of Ms Grey affections. Each have secrets and an agenda of his own as to why they would seek the attention of a blind woman. Would love occur with one of them especially when those secrets are exposed?
I really had mix feelings about this book. While I love Vicki Hopkins as a writer. I really hate her heroines. This book at a fantastic story behind it but the delivery of this story was so flawed that it left me nothing but frustration as a reader.
The three main characters had serious issues that prevents them from having a love relationship. The heroine was too naive to be believe even though she was blind. She expected everyone around her to revolve around her while she remain the center of her universe. I could understand that if she never had the capacity to see but that was not the case with her. She was not only unable to see, she was blind towards how independent she really was, and blind towards her ability to determine one's true character. She refused to listen to family members around her who she had to rely on for years. Yet too many times she ask for them to be her eyes.
Patrick felt extreme guilt around causing the heroine to become blind. That guilt was the reason he pursued her into becoming his wife. So little was told about his background as to how he transform from the boy who pushed her causing blindness to the man who accepted responsibility for his actions no matter the price to his self happiness. I did not doubt that he wanted to love her and at the same time was not sure if he really did love her. I know he did not trust her or he would have came out with his secret. It was extremely frustrating.
Rupert was the Patrick's brother who grew from the concern little boy who cared about his brother to a man without remorse or love for anyone after his brother left him to go to military school. Rupert had struggles and issue of his own that he had to deal with. His intentions towards the heroine was more than clear. To use her sexually without taking responsibility for his actions. I felt in the beginning his character wasn't believable in that his intent to hurt those around him was all too clear. Usually people who live that way live in a partial state of denial over their actions at least to oneself. They still perform the act but they either deny that the act was really that bad or that they were that devious. He made no apologies for his actions. Yet at the same time he is hurt. His character has always felt as though he was abandoned.
I was over half way towards completion in reading this book when I really wanted to throw this book up against the wall. The book didn't start to redeem itself until the secret was out. The secret came out in a way that I didn't predict coming and it is one of the best scenes in the book. After that point book more than made up for all the frustration that I felt in the beginning. If the plot was not so intriguing I would have given it lower grade. All in all I gave it 4 stars.
This story is about a women name Charlotte Grey who was blinded at the age of eight in a cruel accident that was the fault of an unknown cruel boy. The accident left Charlotte bitter at heart towards the unknown boy as she learns to adjust to the limitations of blindness while trying to be as independent as possible. The story commence ten years later when Lord and Lady Rochester took an interest in Charlotte's welfare by throwing her a coming out party. This was partially due to the fact that the accident occurred on their property. Two brothers bid for attention of Ms Grey affections. Each have secrets and an agenda of his own as to why they would seek the attention of a blind woman. Would love occur with one of them especially when those secrets are exposed?
I really had mix feelings about this book. While I love Vicki Hopkins as a writer. I really hate her heroines. This book at a fantastic story behind it but the delivery of this story was so flawed that it left me nothing but frustration as a reader.
The three main characters had serious issues that prevents them from having a love relationship. The heroine was too naive to be believe even though she was blind. She expected everyone around her to revolve around her while she remain the center of her universe. I could understand that if she never had the capacity to see but that was not the case with her. She was not only unable to see, she was blind towards how independent she really was, and blind towards her ability to determine one's true character. She refused to listen to family members around her who she had to rely on for years. Yet too many times she ask for them to be her eyes.
Patrick felt extreme guilt around causing the heroine to become blind. That guilt was the reason he pursued her into becoming his wife. So little was told about his background as to how he transform from the boy who pushed her causing blindness to the man who accepted responsibility for his actions no matter the price to his self happiness. I did not doubt that he wanted to love her and at the same time was not sure if he really did love her. I know he did not trust her or he would have came out with his secret. It was extremely frustrating.
Rupert was the Patrick's brother who grew from the concern little boy who cared about his brother to a man without remorse or love for anyone after his brother left him to go to military school. Rupert had struggles and issue of his own that he had to deal with. His intentions towards the heroine was more than clear. To use her sexually without taking responsibility for his actions. I felt in the beginning his character wasn't believable in that his intent to hurt those around him was all too clear. Usually people who live that way live in a partial state of denial over their actions at least to oneself. They still perform the act but they either deny that the act was really that bad or that they were that devious. He made no apologies for his actions. Yet at the same time he is hurt. His character has always felt as though he was abandoned.
I was over half way towards completion in reading this book when I really wanted to throw this book up against the wall. The book didn't start to redeem itself until the secret was out. The secret came out in a way that I didn't predict coming and it is one of the best scenes in the book. After that point book more than made up for all the frustration that I felt in the beginning. If the plot was not so intriguing I would have given it lower grade. All in all I gave it 4 stars.
April 3, 2014
I have to admit I really didn’t like this book at first. The beginning seemed to drag out and I had a hard time liking Charlotte. Her behavior and cruelty to the hero seemed off to me. While my opinion of the heroine didn’t change much, I really enjoyed getting to know the hero. Patrick was sweet and sexy which, unfortunately, made me dislike Charlotte even more.
The author did an excellent job with character development and description. I could even get a sense of the fear Charlotte felt living in the world of darkness. The author’s ability to portray the three main characters from multiple angles left me enthralled.
Charlotte’s constant bitterness bothered me. Instead of enjoying what life gave her and the beauty that surrounded her, she constantly placed herself in the dark world she so morosely complained about.
In the end, Charlotte redeemed herself in my eyes by opening her own a bit to the horrifying world that others lived in. While I didn’t care for the heroine, the story was well written. Though, it held a lot of dark undertones, in the end I enjoyed this tale. I would not mind reading other stories by this author
The author did an excellent job with character development and description. I could even get a sense of the fear Charlotte felt living in the world of darkness. The author’s ability to portray the three main characters from multiple angles left me enthralled.
Charlotte’s constant bitterness bothered me. Instead of enjoying what life gave her and the beauty that surrounded her, she constantly placed herself in the dark world she so morosely complained about.
In the end, Charlotte redeemed herself in my eyes by opening her own a bit to the horrifying world that others lived in. While I didn’t care for the heroine, the story was well written. Though, it held a lot of dark undertones, in the end I enjoyed this tale. I would not mind reading other stories by this author
February 28, 2013
A decent story, although a little dry at times. Charlotte Gray, as a child climbs a tree to prove herself to two boys. When one pushes her off, her injuries include complete blindness.
Later, Patrick Rochester, a grown man changed from his angry, troubled ways as a child learns the consequences of his actions. He decides the best thing he can do is to marry her and take care of her. His brother, Rupert, remains in that hurt, dark childlish place and does everything he can to cause trouble for Patrick.
With time, Patrick and Charlotte grow happy in their marriage, even though Patrick keeps the secret of their first meeting from her. When Rupert lets it slip, they separate. Rupert, however, learning from his mistakes is an instrument in pulling them back together.
Later, Patrick Rochester, a grown man changed from his angry, troubled ways as a child learns the consequences of his actions. He decides the best thing he can do is to marry her and take care of her. His brother, Rupert, remains in that hurt, dark childlish place and does everything he can to cause trouble for Patrick.
With time, Patrick and Charlotte grow happy in their marriage, even though Patrick keeps the secret of their first meeting from her. When Rupert lets it slip, they separate. Rupert, however, learning from his mistakes is an instrument in pulling them back together.
March 24, 2016
Two boys are playing in the woods when they see a girl coming towards them. Before Patrick knows it he's pushed her off the tree which has left her blind. Years later, war weary he's still haunted by what he's done and determined to make it right. But when he falls in love with her everything changes. He'll need to win her from his rake brother, get her to marry him and all whilst hiding what he did.
This novel is a really twisted version of Douglas Sirk's Magnificent Obsession. There were sections that left me shocked, others cold and yet others made me smile. There was one big issue for me though: Patrick wasn't catering to her needs. Also Charlotte wasn't being open about her needs. I actually struggled to like her though some of the novel.
This novel is a really twisted version of Douglas Sirk's Magnificent Obsession. There were sections that left me shocked, others cold and yet others made me smile. There was one big issue for me though: Patrick wasn't catering to her needs. Also Charlotte wasn't being open about her needs. I actually struggled to like her though some of the novel.
December 17, 2012
I got this a while ago as a freebie. It happens in 1890 , I don't think I've ever read a HR that is historically exact but this seems to be just that.It's not flowery and takes into account the life style of those years. It's a bit angsty and harsh and the hero does a lot of groveling which I really like. I enjoyed reading it a lot.
June 23, 2012
I finished this last night, and it is probably my favourite book at the moment. Just lovely, the writing was fantastic and I love the story.
I wish I could give it more than 5*!
I wish I could give it more than 5*!
July 12, 2012
Storyline was very imaginative although a bit expected. Charachters were believable. Social etiquettes well researched. Annoyed by too many typos.
November 12, 2012
This was a pretty good book. Surprising twist at the end.
August 7, 2013
characters were kind of annoying and wishy-washy
January 8, 2015
I listened to the audio version and enjoyed the story quite a bit.
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