Опаловый соблазн

Jaded Gentleman #5

by Renee Bernard, Рене Бернард

Дариус Торн, всегда готов прийти на помощь любому из своих друзей. Но сердце свое он отгородил от остального мира стеной, которая оказалась не такой уж прочной, когда он ближе познакомился со спасенной им женщиной.
Леди Изабель Нидертон, не желая быть пешкой в руках постылого и жестокого мужа, решилась на дерзкий побег. Оставаясь под защитой Дариуса, она открыла в нем совершенно иного человека – страстного, честного и великодушного.
Но законы защищают права мужа, поэтому чтобы спасти Изабель, Дариусу потребовалось все его умение предвидеть ситуацию. В этой смертельной схватке он должен победить во имя любви…

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Victorian

320 pages, Hardcover

First published December 4, 2012

About the author

What in the world is a retired Navy chaplain’s daughter doing writing scorching hot historical romances and paranormal graphic novels? Renee Bernard is applying a great education from traveling all over the world to story telling and doing her best to keep her father proud. Truthfully, her father is her number one fan, even though he has sworn never to read a single word of her books (a vow he has kept to this day!) Nothing stops him from telling everyone he knows that his daughter is now a USA Today Bestselling author or from handing out bookmarks on the golf course. Love can make even a minister do strange things!

Renee Bernard is a freelance writer and host of “Canned Laughter and Coffee” on Readers Entertainment, as well as a contributor to Romantic Times BookReviews magazine. Renee currently lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California. (Note an interesting proximity to great wineries!)

Reviews

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in Renee Bernard’s highly addictive Jaded Gentleman series.

Darius Thorne is the second son of a dockworker and a fishmonger’s daughter whose drunkard of a father regularly beat his wife and children. Believing he is cursed to become just like his father, Darius pursues an entirely different life, totally immersing himself in scholarly pursuits. He has never let anyone get too close because he’s always been afraid that ‘blood will tell’ and he will hurt someone. His resolve is to be tested when he discovers a half-frozen woman lying in his garden, who obviously needs his help and protection.

After a whirlwind courtship, Lady Isabel, daughter of the Marquis of Penleigh, had fallen in love with the handsome Earl of Netherton. He swept off her feet with his tender and romantic gestures and her wedding day is filled with thoughts of their future happiness. Those thoughts are soon dispelled on her wedding night when she discovers her husband’s true depraved and sadistic nature. With no-one to help her and fearing for her life, she seizes the opportunity to escape on her beloved horse, Samson, with no money and only the clothes she is wearing. Riding until her horse becomes lame, she collapses from exhaustion, to be rescued by a man who offers her both his help and protection.

I totally fell for the shy, bespectacled, thoughtful, intelligent, scholarly Darius. I love how he cares for Isabel without knowing anything about her, not even her name. He recognises the signs of abuse and, seeing her wedding ring, knows exactly who is responsible and vows to protect her from harm.

Every fiber of his being felt protective of her, unwilling to think too far ahead of his improvised plan to simply provide her a haven until she’d recovered and a better solution could be found.

I really felt all Isabel’s pain and humiliation and understood why, however foolhardy it might seem, escape was her only option. The law provided little or no protection for a married woman and she was at the mercy of her husband, and his threats to have her committed to an asylum or worse were only too real. I like how Ms. Bernard highlights the plight of women during that time and it makes me realise just how lucky we are today.

Although a stranger, Darius’ sincerity and kindness make Isabel feel safe for the first time in months and instinctively she knows that she can trust him.

He’d said he’d not hurt her for all the world and it made no sense in the world she’d experienced to believe him. But there she was, sitting in front of his fire with her bare feet tucked into his lap, half frozen and miserable— and inexplicably feeling safe for the first time in months.

Gradually in the compassionate care of Darius and his housekeeper, Mrs MacFadden, Isabel’s physical and emotions scars heal but she is still lives in fear of her husband finding her. I love how Darius uses the game of chess to convince Isabel that she can be strong and command power, just like the White Queen on his chess board. I enjoyed the fanciful stories they both create around chess pieces as Darius teaches Isabel the intricacies of the game, but also the sense of the growing attraction between them.

“And you?” he asked, still holding her hand across the board. His gaze was steady, the green in his eyes deepening as the contact between them lingered.
M-me?” Isabel tried to regain her mental footing and ignore the sweet fire curling up inside of her.

If there were ever two people who were meant to be together, it is these two. They complement each other in so many ways but there seems an insurmountable obstacle in their way… Isabel’s husband. I love how Darius uses his intellectual prowess and puzzle solving skills to outmanoeuvre Netherton and achieve Isabel’s freedom. However, his plan takes him into dark underbelly of London and he is sickened by the vile things he discovers about Netherton. I love how Isabel helps to dispel his despair in a rather unusual way.

Darius has never allowed himself to fall in love fearing that he could turn out to be a monster just like his father and he would never subject Isabel to such a fate. He also believes that, as a lady of quality, she will be repelled by his humble origins. I love how Isabel makes him realise that his origins do not matter to her; she fell in love with the gentle, caring and intelligent man he is, and he could never be like his father.

I adore Darius’ housekeeper, Ms MacFadden, who is ‘like a kitten that spits and hisses but has no claws’, to quote Darius. In public, she and Darius’ driver and houseman, Hamish, are constantly at each other’s throats, but secretly they are carrying on a clandestine affair which Darius swears is like watching ‘the courtship of porcupines.’

The other members of the Jaded Gentleman make an appearance and I always enjoy seeing the close bond between them, forged during their imprisonment in India. I also like the genuine friendship that develops between Isabel and Caroline Blackwell, Ashe’s unconventional, American wife ( Seduction Wears Sapphires ).

The mystery surrounding the identity of their nemesis, the Jackal, and the exact nature of the sacred treasure is very much overshadowed by the romance in this book. I’m sure all will be revealed when I read Desire Wears Diamonds , the final book in the series.

MY VERDICT: Ms. Bernard pens an entertaining, romantic and sensual love story. With only one more book to go, I will be sorry to say goodbye to the Jaded Gentlemen.

Jaded Gentlemen series (click on the link below for more details):

https://www.goodreads.com/series/5927...


This review was first posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:

https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...

[Misfit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out very well and I was quickly engaged, particular our bookish, bespectacled hero protecting the heroine from her abusive husband. That said, it kind of dragged on too long about 2/3 of the way through with too much sex (and everyone wink-wink and not shocked at all they shared a room). It picked up at the end with the ebil baddie getting his dues, but for numerous typos and dropped words and characters with a bit too much modern mindset all around, I can't rate it higher. Still, not bad for a freebie.

[Preet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renee Bernard has outdone herself with Obsession Wears Opals. I couldn't help but gripped by this story. It felt as if it was way too short, coming in at around 300 pages. But's that just because it was just that good.

In this book, the hero, Darius Thorne, comes across a half frozen woman in his garden. The woman, Lady Isabel Netherton, is fleeing from an abusive husband. However, in no state to speak, she reveals nothing, and the astute Darius sensing something is wrong, promises he will keep her safe and asks for none of her secrets. He also decides to call her Helen, as she reminds him of Helen of Troy. And so their journey into falling in love with each other begins. However both "Helen" and Darius have large obstacles to cross before this can happen.

I fell in love with both Isabel and Darius. It was hard not too. Both are so sensitive and caring. And each is fighting their own demons and trying to stay noble and away from each other. I enjoyed watching and reading their journey. And the way Ms.Bernard turned chess into a tool for love and romance, and even seduction was absolutely brilliant!

I just loved this book. At no point in this story is anything predictable. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next, and couldn't. I think I read this book in record time and when I was finished, I felt as if I'd been put through the wringer. Domestic abuse was not the only aspect in this book that was hard hitting.

The rest of the Jaded also make appearances and it's great to see them in little bits and pieces. I am saddened that only Michael Rutherford's story remains. I am excited to see who his soul mate will be and I'm still wondering who the Jackal is and what the sacred treasure is. I'm sure we'll find out in t he next book. And hopefully Caroline will deliver a healthy baby. This must be one of the longest gestation periods in the history of mankind! Ms. Bernard has once again shown proven herself to be a writer of great magnitude. The Jaded will definitely keep you entertained!

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not read the previous books, and don't plan to.

What started out as a decent beginning quickly went downhill for me.

Instead of a lengthy and time consuming review I will point out what I liked and disliked

Liked:

-I Loved the hero. I am partial to nerdy scholarly beta's.
-I liked the first chess game they played together - it was unique and oddly seductive


Disliked:

-The use of the word "Sex" to describe the male & female anatomy
-Too much talking during loving scenes - it was distracting and ridiculous not cute and funny
-The underlying plot of relics and jewels. Not mentioned enough, or detailed, and just left hanging
-The heroine recovered from her abuse too swiftly
-Too many loose ends, holes and inconsistencies in the story (ex: why didn't Darius just include the horse in the terms for annulment?)
- I didn't care about most of the secondary characters
-The ending was tied up too fast and conveniently
-The hero's "tormented past" did not come off as tormented.
-Too much talking, not enough showing
-I felt no connection between the H & h
-It didn't even feel like a historical romance. I felt no sense of the times.

Content concerns:
Hero was a virgin
Never strayed or cheated
No OW
No Violence
Some cursing
Mention of lewd sex acts, BDSM etc. Never described
Rape. The heroine was raped by her evil 1st husband. Not detailed or described
The heroine was abused by evil 1st husband.
Adultery - but not really since the first husband had already been married before her without her knowledge

Overall I would not recommend. It bored me and I skimmed the last 35%

[melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

It’s tricky for white histrom writers to center a story on 19th c white British heroes and heroines while also acknowledging imperialism and integrating it into the plot. Most do it awkwardly and badly, such as in this book and I presume the rest of the series. Most, I strongly suspect, don’t give a flying fuck about the racist implications of the “an exotic jewel from ~exotic India~” plots they’re writing, especially when it seems the only Indians in the book are antagonists. The heroes’ wealth comes from colonial plundering, no matter how long they were held prisoner!

Our heroine was outright abused and raped by her husband (abuse we see on page during flashbacks!), suffering from ptsd, and after two days of being around the hero, she’s ok physically touching and kissing him?? The writing was awkward, the housekeeper and driver characters grating, the usual glaring error of the heroine washing her hair in the course of a normal bath, and excessive exclamation points! The flirting through chess was cute, but the pacing just tripped over itself.

I truly wanted to like this, since academic beta heroes are real catnip, but I’m starting to think I’ve scraped the bottom of the barrel of well-written, interesting, plot-driven romance, given how annoyed all of my most recent reads have made me.

Honestly as much as Kerrigan Byrne’s books annoy me in other, and yet sometimes similar ways, at least she had the hero of HER book deal with the abusive husband by shooting him between the eyes. Murder: in this case, it is absolutely a solution!

[Celestine]

DNF at 47%.

Book source: Amazon freebie.

[Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darius Thorne is supposed to return to London to confer with the Jaded, but he hasn't yet made his appearance -- and his friends are expecting him and are wondering what is keeping Darius in Scotland.

On a snowy, winter's day, a horse jumps over Darius's hedge wall, and breaches Darius's sanctuary. And the horse brought along a young woman.

Darius doesn't recognize who she is but he knows two things: one, he needs to see to her and, two, she has a wedding band on her finger.

As Darius, his housekeeper, and the stable master all tend to their surprise guests, more pieces of the puzzle fall into place -- and Darius knows he must protect this woman at all cost.

Isabel wakes up and finds herself in a strange place -- stranger still because, for the first time in a very long time, Isabel feels safe. Knowing what her husband was capable of, Isabel refuses to involve her saviors in her problems and keeps her secrets to herself. She is content to be known as "Helen" and Darius invites her to consider his home her Troy.

It is an imperfect metaphor for an imperfect situation, for they both know what happens to Troy because of Helen -- but Darius is determined to change history for the sake of Helen.

Of the members of the Jaded, very little is known of Darius Thorne, who has been in Scotland since the start of the series. What we know of him come from the third-person accounts of his friends. This lends an air of mystery to Darius' character and, like Isabel/Helen, we are unsure of him and his temperament when we first meet him in Chapter 1.

But, like Isabel/Helen, we discover a quiet, gentle, incredibly intelligent man who is unaware of his appeal to the opposite sex. And, like Isabel/Helen, we fall in love with him as we spend more and more time with him.

But Darius isn't a man to mythologize or romanticize. He isn't a perfect being -- like the other members of the Jaded, he has lived with and continues to be haunted by the two years he spent in captivity in India. He prefers the solitude of his studies and loves the life he has found in Scotland.

He has ordered his life like a carefully set-up chess game -- until Isabel/Helen enters it and complicates his situation.

Like the game of chess, Darius doesn't see Isabel/Helen's move as a set-back but a challenge to be considered and he formulates new tactics for her sake. I love how Darius thinks -- he always thinks two (or three) steps ahead before he makes a move and I love how analytical he is.

Isabel/Helen has always seen herself as a pawn. As her father's only daughter, her duty was to make an advantageous marriage. As her husband's wife, she was expected to suffer in silence and follow her vows to be dutiful and obedient. Being with Darius taught her that she wasn't anyone's pawn -- that she was the Queen and the most powerful piece in the chess game of her life.

The course of true love never did run smooth* --

These are two characters that truly, truly deserve the love that they found. Unfortunately, it is a love that comes with so many strings attached to it. Isabel/Helen is married and she is married to a peer, who is also a powerful and well-connected man. And Darius knows he cannot aspire for someone like Isabel/Helen, who (like her mythological counterpart) is destined to be a queen, whereas Darius's backgrounds are painfully humble and poor -- and he bears the trauma of his time in India.

But love conquers all -- and Darius and his truly brilliant, tactical mind find their way to true love. And when they do, it is rapturous.

Renee Bernard has redefined what makes a hero and heroine heroic -- Darius and Isabel would have been content to live quietly -- but, when adversity came their way, they rose above themselves and faced the challenge bravely. Darius taught Isabel chess and taught her to find the power she has long kept suppressed. Isabel taught Darius the beauty and peace of a shared life.

Obsession Wears Opals is another winner from Renee Bernard

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of "Obsession Wears Opals" and I am so thankful I did! I absolutely LOVED this book, and dare I say it is so far my favorite of the Jaded series, which mind you, is hard to actually admit, as I have loved them all.

If you ever thought a bookworm or scholar wasn't sexy, Darius Thorne, in "Obsession Wears Opals" will change your mind. AND might I add you will never look at the game of chess the same way again.

Renee Bernard's fifth book in the Jaded series delivers with all the spectacular excitement and sensual intense love as the previous books. Darius Thorne is a bookworm/scholar working on the puzzle the Jaded find themselves in, when he is distracted by a woman that has had her soul beaten from her, and Darius thus begins a new puzzle... Saving Isabel. If you’re looking for a story that isn’t the same old same old historical romance, I encourage you to read “Obsession Wears Opals”. You will not be disappointed, but empowered by Isabel and Darius, they are a pair not to ignore. AND...I can guarantee there is a moment in the book where you will say, “That’s a game changer!”.

I cannot mention the Jaded without talking about the BOYS! Every time I read about the Jaded, I feel like I’m walking into the Rowan’s Brownstone and enjoying the vibe in the room. I giggle when they banter, because you can feel the love and admiration these men have for one another. BONUS!...Their wives have formed the same kind of sentiment. It is one of my favorite things about the Jaded series, the bonds and love they have for all that is involved. You feel like you’re one of them.


***************
Re-read this book for a book club meeting and I love it just as much as I did the frist I read it. :) 5/8/2013

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obsession Wears Opals, Jaded Gentleman #5, by Renee Bernard
Grade: C+

“The love of books does not disqualify you as a husband.”

Lady Isabel Netherton grew up learning to be a lady so she could one day make a match worthy of her family’s name and position which she thought she made when she married Lord Netherton. Little did Isabel know that her husband’s taste ran dark and she soon found fairytale turned into the worst nightmare imaginable. Fearful that her life would soon be ended Isabel escaped and found herself in the company of Darius Thorne, a scholar and sweet man. Darius shows Isabel that not all men are evil and some can offer the fairy tale she always dreamed of.

Darius Thorne has spent most of the last few years trying to discover who is after him and his friends The Jaded, a group of men who were held prisoner in India together and found precious stones while there. Darius has spent his head in books most of his life and never had time for women but Isabel is a treasure he never expected. To set her free from her evil husband Darius will travel into the underworld of brothels to discover what he needs to free Isabel even if he can’t keep her for himself.

I didn’t enjoy this installment of the Jaded Gentlemen series as I had in the past but i still love the books and the characters. I have been eagerly awaiting Darius’s book since the beginning because who doesn’t love the shy, super intelligent guy? I did enjoy Darius and I loved how hard he fought to free Isabel even though he wasn’t planning on being with her afterwards. I didn’t like how low he thought of himself and I was very happy when Isabel told him how silly he was being about it.

Now Isabel wasn’t a character that I hated or loved. I feel that I tolerated her for Darius’s sake but never got her and found her to be annoying and contradicting at times. I do feel for her that she lived such a hellish life with her husband and I understood why she was so fearful of men but I felt that with Darius one second she was fearful of him and the next she was falling into his bed. I wish that the two would have taken more time for her to emotionally and mentally heal before starting their love affairs. I didn’t get how she got over everything so quickly and it really bothered me that after having amazing sex they have lengthy conversations about her husband and his evilness while basking in their afterglow.

I had some issues with the book but it wasn’t a horrible story it just didn’t hold my attention like others did. I can’t wait for the Michael’s book and hopefully find out who is after the Jaded once and for all!

[Melanie Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darius Thorne is a professor. A scholar. He's also a very handsome man. His life was quiet and full of education until the day she arrived. Nearly frozen and scared to death, Isabel turned Darius' world around in a matter of seconds. Feeling protective of her from the start, Darius soon learned Isabel was an abused woman. Signs of a fresh flogging on her back and the nightmares she had confirmed his suspicion. In no time at all, Darius had lost his heart to "Helen". He knew he shouldn't get so close, but she was everything he'd ever wanted in a woman. Helen was terrified of being found and receiving an even more severe punishment than the one she ran from. It takes time but she does learn to trust Darius and his staff. As with all good things, there is an end. Darius and Helen will fight for their love. They both only hope they can tame the beast who enters their loving world.

Renee Bernard really did an excellent job of incorporating the abuse into the story without making the story only about the abuse. I was amazed at the love, kindness and caring Helen receives from the people whose lives she is suddenly dumped into. You'll fall in love with Darius because he's that quiet, bookish type you saw in college or high school and wanted to approach but were afraid you'd scare him off. The characters are terrifically designed and fit this book in such a wonderful way. I highly recommend you check out this latest book in Renee Bernard's series "The Jaded Gentlemen". This book knocked me off my feet in a fantastic way!

I found no issues.

I gave this one 5 out of 5 books because as a former abused woman, I'd love to have been in Isabel's shoes where Darius is concerned.

[Jeanne Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hero painfully good, "heroine" painfully simpery. Love a nerdy guy (despite the stretch of him apparently being the perfect lover on his first try...) but I found her thoroughly unlikeable. The story about the gems and the international villain got thoroughly lost somewhere, despite having been the focus of much of the story. The weird sadist was a bizarre angle, though somehow, the particulars were only hinted at. The resolution of the story was only marginally related, and happened far too easily and quickly, given the difficulty it posed in the rest of the book. Even the weird PTSD she apparently suffered seemed to dissolve. After being brutally raped and abused by her husband, going catatonic at the drop of a hat, she shows zero hesitancy in getting naked and doing the deed with a stranger. Just full of disconnects.

I'm assuming there was a prior book. There certainly must be one after this because a crapload of loose ends were left dangling. Sadly, I can't make myself care enough to watch for them.

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by Renee Bernard that I've read. I really liked the feel and emotional charged characters of the book. The story begins when Darius Thorne finds a woman unconscious on his property and promptly takes her into his home. She has been beaten and is so cold, he's afraid she might perish. Living in Edinburgh, Darius is a scholar as well as a member of a circle of gentlemen known as the Jaded. He notices that his guest is very beautiful and very English. She also has a wedding band on her finger. The only conclusion is she belongs to someone else. Lady Isobel Netherton has escaped her abusive husband. But under the protection of Darius she finds an unexpected desire for the handsome man. She also discovers that she is tired of being a pawn She wants to find out the secrets of her husband's sexual nature and demand a divorce. Isobel and Darius begin their journey together in friendship and find a love worth more that any jewel.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What made this book different from many other historical romances is that the heroine is escaping an abusive marriage. We see snipets of it in her memories and dreams and how it's effected her. I really liked her and how Darious fought for her. Of course it was also great to see the other Jaded and their wives.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nobody wore opals!!

[AG Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book. I loved the bookish, scholarly gentlemen H. The other characters were likable, too, and the plot was done pretty well. But despite how much I liked it, there were some flaws I couldn't overlook in the rating.

For one thing, the h overcame her abusive past way too quickly. This is one of my pet peeves, but at least this author did show some continuing problems like nightmares. Also, the book needed more editing. The writing flowed well and I liked the author's style, but there were instances of wrong word choice, incorrect verb tense and verb agreement, etc. The errors did not confuse the reading at anytime or completely knock me out of the story, but they were there and frequently enough that I couldn't ignore them in rating the book.

So, just as on rare occasions when I am forced to give an objectively high rating on a book I didn't like, I loved this book but can't in good conscience give it higher than 3 stars. But, I'll say it again: I loved the book, and it's free right now.

Read more: http://romancebooklovers.freeforums.n...

[Wendy Tavenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful read! Isabel fled her abusive husband and ended up in Darius’s garden. When Darius finds her she’s almost frozen to death and after she is helped he finds out how serious her injuries are. Darius vows he will protect her. As the days go by and Isabel is recovering Darius sees the beauty inside and out. He vows to find a way to get her out of her marriage without being arrested. When he finally meets her husband by accident he vows again to do everything he can to take him down. A great novel with a twist I didn’t see coming.

[Sharon Eikenberry-Deary · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the ashes comes love

Isabel is riding for her life through the snow. Sampson can't carry her any long and she falls in a garden. A studious man finds her. Him and his housekeeper sees she was beaten. Through the days as she is healing she it is know her husband has done this. Darius is upset and as he working on a mystery he teaches her to play chess and she also becomes his assistant. What all the mountains they will climb. By and by will she be free of her evil husband

[MARIE MARUCCI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank goodness Isobel had the strength to run and landed where she did on Darius' estate. How cruel that toad of a husband of hers was -- although as we find out later, not really her legal husband!

Darius was such a gentle soul and so wise to search out the information to aid Isobel in breaking free from a determined death if she had stayed with that cruel man -- who does not deserve to have his name mentioned!!

I was also EXTREMELY disappointed that her OWN PARENTS were so cruel and turned their backs on their own flesh and blood. How self-centered!!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darius and Isabel. Scholarly hero and abused runaway wife. I felt that the book went along at a nice pace and then at about 2/3 it was cranked up to fast-forward. I loved Darius, Isabel I had no particular feeling for. I couldn't get invested in her. The descriptions of her abusive husband were very descriptive and made my skin crawl! The whole artifact/bad guy after the Jaded is getting worn. Each book in the series gives you a little taste with no resolution. I'm over it.

[Zena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never again play a game of chess without thinking of this amazing story! Wow!
It tells of abuse of women by one man and also of compassion and love by another with really great main characters.
It is a brilliantly written, fascinating concept, wonderful second chances tale, with strong supporting characters and above all, it is a very entertaining page turner.
Thanks Renee Bernard, I really enjoyed this story!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have now read two books in this series. They were both pleasant, had good character development and dialog, the romance aspect is nicely done and believable, but there just really isn't a lot of action plot-wise. Both books seemed a bit slow and lacked any sense of urgency and felt rather anti-climactic.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved this book, the storyline was engaging from the start, intrigue was afoot, and the Jaded were closing ranks. This story shows the ugly side of a twisted man and the pain inflicted on his bride. When she runs away and is found by Darius, his and her world are changed for the better. So happy for Darius.

[Margaret Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately

without realising I got this book from the free Kindle books and it is book 5 in the series. It was a good story to read but due to the fact that I had unknowingly not read the previous four books parts of it were quite bewildering i.e who actually were the Jaded. I can recommend this book but please don't make the same mistake as me.

[Penelope Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I just have a thing for intellectuals but Darius was absolutely one of my favorite heroes I've read in a long time. There's a lot of excellent hurt/comfort in this which I also enjoyed. The plot always kept moving and everything really came together in the end. Five stars. I'm probably adding this one to my re-read pile.

[Sally Hannoush · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book five of the series. It gives us a little bit of adventure while trying to solve a mystery.The romance was a long winding road to the happy ending. It was good tosee characters from prior books again. I think the next book will bring more danger on the way.

[Debbie Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL READ

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together. I can tell how deeply you love the characters by how much joy they project on these pages. It felt like I was one of the jaded myself. Thank you for an engrossing story, Danny Scott.

[Queen Talk Talk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a stand alone!

Even with the references to the other characters' history I truly enjoyed this book. Now that I have fallen in love with them I must read the other books.

[Barbara "Cookie" Serfaty Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsession Wears Opals (The Jaded Gentlemen, Book 5)

The love story of Darius and Isabel. Isabel in on the run from an abuse husband. She end up in Darius' garden with her horse, Samson. Wet and in trouble can she find sanctuary with Darius? Great story.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabel falls off her horse in Darius’ garden. He takes her in and protects her when he finds that someone has beaten her severely. The problem is , it was her husband. Now Darius finds himself in love with her. How can he free her from her cruel husband?

[linda p locklear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This like all of this series was a great read.