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Caprice
Men adored her, women envied her
Caprice lived up to her name. A tantalizing, colorful butterfly, she was an unpredictable young beauty who kept everything hidden beneath the surface. No man had ever gotten close to her, and that was the way she wanted it.
Why, then, did her mind dwell on the handsome, enigmatic Pierce Langston? Why did he excite her... and frighten her?
Caprice knew the answer. It lay in his disturbing gaze, which seemed to see right through her; in his touch, which sent sensual shivers down her spine...
Caprice lived up to her name. A tantalizing, colorful butterfly, she was an unpredictable young beauty who kept everything hidden beneath the surface. No man had ever gotten close to her, and that was the way she wanted it.
Why, then, did her mind dwell on the handsome, enigmatic Pierce Langston? Why did he excite her... and frighten her?
Caprice knew the answer. It lay in his disturbing gaze, which seemed to see right through her; in his touch, which sent sensual shivers down her spine...
190 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1986
1 person is currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Carpenter
37 books44 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Amanda Carpenter (aka Thea Harrison) resides in northern California. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter.
She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. Her graduate degrees are in Philanthropic Studies and Library Information Science, but her first love has always been writing fiction. She's back with her paranormal Elder Races series under the pseudonym Thea Harrison.
Amanda Carpenter (aka Thea Harrison) resides in northern California. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter.
She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. Her graduate degrees are in Philanthropic Studies and Library Information Science, but her first love has always been writing fiction. She's back with her paranormal Elder Races series under the pseudonym Thea Harrison.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 26, 2016
Re Caprice - AC brings us another dreamily romantic coming of age love story with Caprice. The h is every bit of the capricious, whimsical creature that the title implies - the big question she has is does the name decide the personality or is the personality defining the name? That question isn't answered here, but I have to admit I never thought an HP could address the same nuances as Kafka's The Metamorphosis but with a guaranteed HEA - cause our protagonist doesn't die at the end and she never repels anyone, in fact people are quite drawn to her.
The story starts with the extremely elusive but wealthy, beautiful and seemingly shallow h being asked to attend an American Weekend House party at an acquaintance's New England Lodge. The h is blonde and very attractive, she has an industrialist father and a socialite mother, she has been to Vassar and graduated on the Dean's list, but really has been raised to get her M R S degree as she is not expected to work.
The h is often perceived to be a dumb blonde, but her very subtle manipulation of the girl who is supposed to be her best friend (and wants her to go to this house party,) shows this h is anything but dumb. However she does her best, even in her own thoughts, to play the social butterfly - it is really easy to dislike this h. She has no ambition, she likes clothes and likes wearing them and her father has promised her an annuity so she will never have to work for a living. She is very, very good a manipulating people and appearing the shallow, vacuous socialite type that HP h's love to loathe.
However all is not lost, AC introduces the h to the H at this house party and via a series of events over the weekend, the H gradually peels away the layers of the h's shallow existence and we see that there is a real and genuine person underneath. She does manage to help out a lovelorn friend when his proposal to another girl goes badly awry during the weekend and she also soundly trounces the younger brother of the H at tennis , who is a bit too handsy, doesn't want to take no for an answer and is maddeningly unresponsive to the h's BFF's attempts to get a date with him - and in the process makes her BFF see what a waste the younger brother would prove to be dating wise.
We see a more vulnerable side to the h when the H's younger brother is horsing around and pulls her under while swimming, and the h almost passes out in terror until the H rescues her. She is feeling a lot of intense emotions around the H, but with her parents distant and incompatible marriage as an example, the h is very wary of feeling anything for this H. He reminds her of her serious father and the h is always being told she resembles her socialite shallow mother. The h doesn't want to marry somebody and then wind up in the same situation as her parents in ten or twenty years time.
After the house party is over, the H shows up at the h's family home and a courtship ensues. The h has to determine if she is able to make a real change in herself, in order to be compatible with the H - whose own shallow mother told the H that the h wasn't a suitable wife for him because she was too flighty. (I had to laugh, cause really the h was raised to be the perfect businessman's wife, she knew how to give a dinner party and dress and do the right thing - if this wasn't AC, we would be looking at an HP MOC based on the h's inborn social talents alone. That isn't how this one goes tho.)
Finally after a LOT of internal monologue and naval gazing and a LOT of the h changing her clothes with detailed sartorial descriptions, the h reads Kafka's The Metamorphosis and postulates upon the nature of change. After the H and h go to a party where they seem to be distancing themselves from each other with surface social patter, the H tells the h he is leaving and it is her choice to go with him or not. The h flings caution to the winds, chases after the H and after they declare their mutual love and devotion and sample the joys of connubial bliss, the h has to decide to do a small wedding or a big affair - while keeping the wedding planning out of her mother's hands for the big HEA.
This is a book you will either love or hate, I liked it because this was practically a regency house party romance smacked right into HPLandia, and I liked the Kafka's comparison too. However nothing much happens in this story, there is really no big barrier to love or angst to overcome, so if you don't like slow dreamy romances with a ton of descriptive commentary, this will not be a great HPlandia offering.
The story starts with the extremely elusive but wealthy, beautiful and seemingly shallow h being asked to attend an American Weekend House party at an acquaintance's New England Lodge. The h is blonde and very attractive, she has an industrialist father and a socialite mother, she has been to Vassar and graduated on the Dean's list, but really has been raised to get her M R S degree as she is not expected to work.
The h is often perceived to be a dumb blonde, but her very subtle manipulation of the girl who is supposed to be her best friend (and wants her to go to this house party,) shows this h is anything but dumb. However she does her best, even in her own thoughts, to play the social butterfly - it is really easy to dislike this h. She has no ambition, she likes clothes and likes wearing them and her father has promised her an annuity so she will never have to work for a living. She is very, very good a manipulating people and appearing the shallow, vacuous socialite type that HP h's love to loathe.
However all is not lost, AC introduces the h to the H at this house party and via a series of events over the weekend, the H gradually peels away the layers of the h's shallow existence and we see that there is a real and genuine person underneath. She does manage to help out a lovelorn friend when his proposal to another girl goes badly awry during the weekend and she also soundly trounces the younger brother of the H at tennis , who is a bit too handsy, doesn't want to take no for an answer and is maddeningly unresponsive to the h's BFF's attempts to get a date with him - and in the process makes her BFF see what a waste the younger brother would prove to be dating wise.
We see a more vulnerable side to the h when the H's younger brother is horsing around and pulls her under while swimming, and the h almost passes out in terror until the H rescues her. She is feeling a lot of intense emotions around the H, but with her parents distant and incompatible marriage as an example, the h is very wary of feeling anything for this H. He reminds her of her serious father and the h is always being told she resembles her socialite shallow mother. The h doesn't want to marry somebody and then wind up in the same situation as her parents in ten or twenty years time.
After the house party is over, the H shows up at the h's family home and a courtship ensues. The h has to determine if she is able to make a real change in herself, in order to be compatible with the H - whose own shallow mother told the H that the h wasn't a suitable wife for him because she was too flighty. (I had to laugh, cause really the h was raised to be the perfect businessman's wife, she knew how to give a dinner party and dress and do the right thing - if this wasn't AC, we would be looking at an HP MOC based on the h's inborn social talents alone. That isn't how this one goes tho.)
Finally after a LOT of internal monologue and naval gazing and a LOT of the h changing her clothes with detailed sartorial descriptions, the h reads Kafka's The Metamorphosis and postulates upon the nature of change. After the H and h go to a party where they seem to be distancing themselves from each other with surface social patter, the H tells the h he is leaving and it is her choice to go with him or not. The h flings caution to the winds, chases after the H and after they declare their mutual love and devotion and sample the joys of connubial bliss, the h has to decide to do a small wedding or a big affair - while keeping the wedding planning out of her mother's hands for the big HEA.
This is a book you will either love or hate, I liked it because this was practically a regency house party romance smacked right into HPLandia, and I liked the Kafka's comparison too. However nothing much happens in this story, there is really no big barrier to love or angst to overcome, so if you don't like slow dreamy romances with a ton of descriptive commentary, this will not be a great HPlandia offering.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2020
"Caprice" is the story of Caprice and Pierce.
Well, that was weird.
Meet our flighty, indecisive, happy-go-lucky heroine, who hides her emptiness under a fake smile and beautiful face and personality. Born in a rich family, she has never lacked in anything- yet has no meaning to her life. On one such weekend getaways at a friend's mansion, she meets the hero, the friend's older brother who is brooding, serious and able to see through her mask. She basically takes him on a roller coaster ride, playing hot and cold and behaving callously, while he chases her across cities. She is extremely frivolous, even though the author tried to show her maturing a little, I feel she had a long way to go. Ending was extremely abrupt and unsatisfying.
Safe
2.75/5
Well, that was weird.
Meet our flighty, indecisive, happy-go-lucky heroine, who hides her emptiness under a fake smile and beautiful face and personality. Born in a rich family, she has never lacked in anything- yet has no meaning to her life. On one such weekend getaways at a friend's mansion, she meets the hero, the friend's older brother who is brooding, serious and able to see through her mask. She basically takes him on a roller coaster ride, playing hot and cold and behaving callously, while he chases her across cities. She is extremely frivolous, even though the author tried to show her maturing a little, I feel she had a long way to go. Ending was extremely abrupt and unsatisfying.
Safe
2.75/5
January 14, 2025
People grow, but to change...is something entirely different. It's like taking a leap sideways, leaving accepted patterns of behaviour, making people realise that their concept of you is no longer accurate. Think of what it would do to your life. It's an utterly terrifying thought.
So ponders the title character of Amanda Carpenter's Caprice, an unusually subdued and subtle Harlequin.The theme of the poor, little, rich girl who is trying to be herself for the first time may not appeal to a wide audience of HPlandia fans who expect a couple of kidnappings, blackmail schemes, and catfights to enliven the pages of their escapist romance books but if you are looking for something a little different, this neat little story might do the trick.
So ponders the title character of Amanda Carpenter's Caprice, an unusually subdued and subtle Harlequin.The theme of the poor, little, rich girl who is trying to be herself for the first time may not appeal to a wide audience of HPlandia fans who expect a couple of kidnappings, blackmail schemes, and catfights to enliven the pages of their escapist romance books but if you are looking for something a little different, this neat little story might do the trick.
July 11, 2012
Rating 2.5 stars
I found the h shallow & whimsical, she is 22, does nothing but spend money, doesn't seem to have any ambition and seems to have a split personality, happy one moment, angry the next, it seems like she had swinging moods. I didn't see how the her put up with her,she is happy one moment, freezing him out the next, she was immature & I didn't like her one bit. I kept hoping for a rational explanation for her behaviour, some trauma, something but zilch. She herself knows that she is a social butterfly with no depth and does nothing about it, the next moment she is reading philosophy, split personality alert! She needed professional help.
I found the h shallow & whimsical, she is 22, does nothing but spend money, doesn't seem to have any ambition and seems to have a split personality, happy one moment, angry the next, it seems like she had swinging moods. I didn't see how the her put up with her,she is happy one moment, freezing him out the next, she was immature & I didn't like her one bit. I kept hoping for a rational explanation for her behaviour, some trauma, something but zilch. She herself knows that she is a social butterfly with no depth and does nothing about it, the next moment she is reading philosophy, split personality alert! She needed professional help.
February 14, 2014
This was like a time capsule for me. No cell phones, no microwave and a 22 y/o heroine caught between the past and the future. Caprice has just graduated from college. She has no professional aspirations and doesn't know what to do with her life. She's been raised by a shallow socialite mom and a somewhat stern dad. Enter Pierce, who seems to be cut from the same cloth as dad.
This was a quick, old-fashioned story. For any reader below a certain age, it's really a historical romance, harkening to a time when girls from higher social stratus were expected only to marry well, and a 22 years old heroine didn't get her own YA romance but was expected to marry an older man.
I liked that the mom wasn't made out as evil, that Caprice had a good relationship with her brother and father and that she seemed sincerely attached to her friends. Her flightiness seemed forced, though. Pierce was thankfully not the steamroller alpha kind. The relationship came about too quickly, but overall I found it enjoyable.
This was a quick, old-fashioned story. For any reader below a certain age, it's really a historical romance, harkening to a time when girls from higher social stratus were expected only to marry well, and a 22 years old heroine didn't get her own YA romance but was expected to marry an older man.
I liked that the mom wasn't made out as evil, that Caprice had a good relationship with her brother and father and that she seemed sincerely attached to her friends. Her flightiness seemed forced, though. Pierce was thankfully not the steamroller alpha kind. The relationship came about too quickly, but overall I found it enjoyable.
October 17, 2012
Amanda has not disappinted me once. Each & every book is amazingly intense. Once you start it you can't put it down. Loved it..!
September 12, 2025
‘Don’t you see the qualities you have that come from both your parents? Irene is a very likable, shallow woman, and you’re not shallow at all. And I’m not your father. I’m not reticent. I need and desire your lightness, your jokes and laughter and inconsistencies. I want your soft understanding and quick retorts. If I wanted someone like myself, I could have found a woman and married her in New York. We would have lived a very serious, very quiet life, and I would have been left wondering what was missing. And in turn, I can offer you a steadiness and emotional security, because I’m not so careless as to let my affection and love for you fade. We’re different from each other; nobody disputes that. It isn’t bad to be different. It means we’ll argue. It means that sometimes we won’t understand each other. It means that we’ll live a richer, fuller life together than we would apart. You’re such a special person. Don’t leave my life out of fear.’
I now understand why this book isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Personally, I really enjoyed it. I would have given it five stars if the ending weren’t so abrupt. The story spans just two weeks, with a brief acquaintance, followed by two hectic trips from New York to Virginia, and a planned wedding.
I believe I understand the heroine’s perspective. In an era that often celebrates productivity, she may seem superficial and shallow. A beautiful, wealthy girl who loves parties, flirting, and playing with men - luring them and gently rejecting them when things start to get serious.
The hero is completely besotted and pursues her passionately, openly expressing his feelings.
‘He had made himself totally accessible and vulnerable. He had bared himself to her and showed his own desire without shame. He had taken the plunge alone, through the strength of his emotion, to make her see that though love was an unseen, unplundered depth, frightening and life changing, it could also be a wealth of comfort and sensation and total sharing.’
The h doesn’t play hot and cold, she’s simply terrified because she falls for him from the start, can’t resist him although she realizes that because of their differences there’s only heartbreak for her in the future.
’I am still afraid. I’m afraid of you, of myself, of our differences and the strange life we would be starting. I - want to say yes, but something always holds me back. What would happen ten years, twenty years later? Would we end up like my parents, tolerating each other but never being happy? Would you be like my father and lose all respect for me while I live through my days, going to parties and luncheons and feeling lonely?’
I now understand why this book isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Personally, I really enjoyed it. I would have given it five stars if the ending weren’t so abrupt. The story spans just two weeks, with a brief acquaintance, followed by two hectic trips from New York to Virginia, and a planned wedding.
I believe I understand the heroine’s perspective. In an era that often celebrates productivity, she may seem superficial and shallow. A beautiful, wealthy girl who loves parties, flirting, and playing with men - luring them and gently rejecting them when things start to get serious.
The hero is completely besotted and pursues her passionately, openly expressing his feelings.
‘He had made himself totally accessible and vulnerable. He had bared himself to her and showed his own desire without shame. He had taken the plunge alone, through the strength of his emotion, to make her see that though love was an unseen, unplundered depth, frightening and life changing, it could also be a wealth of comfort and sensation and total sharing.’
The h doesn’t play hot and cold, she’s simply terrified because she falls for him from the start, can’t resist him although she realizes that because of their differences there’s only heartbreak for her in the future.
’I am still afraid. I’m afraid of you, of myself, of our differences and the strange life we would be starting. I - want to say yes, but something always holds me back. What would happen ten years, twenty years later? Would we end up like my parents, tolerating each other but never being happy? Would you be like my father and lose all respect for me while I live through my days, going to parties and luncheons and feeling lonely?’
September 21, 2025
Thea Harrison has written two of my favorite romances of all time (Dragon Bound and Rage) and I mostly like this author, but some of her earlier books have a strangely forced arch sophistication that feels incredibly unnatural and pretentious. The h here is SUCH a lightweight brat and I really didn’t understand everyone being so attracted to her and putting up with her (aside from a couple mild gestures of friendship to some guys, I guess), particularly the H, though he’s not very interesting, either. Most of all, I just didn’t understand what the freaking problem was throughout the entire thing.
There are also peculiar and incessant references to her, her limbs, her clothes, her accessories, etc. being “slim,” as well as her gilt blonde hair and so on and so forth.
Problematic, putting on airs, and just flat out boring.
There are also peculiar and incessant references to her, her limbs, her clothes, her accessories, etc. being “slim,” as well as her gilt blonde hair and so on and so forth.
Problematic, putting on airs, and just flat out boring.
August 15, 2017
Available on open library.
The author wanted to portray the heroine as a complex young woman, but she just came of as a spoiled entitled bored rich girl. She is rude to her mother and the Hero.
The Hero is a besotted fool, I was glad that in the end he gave her an ultimatum.
The author wanted to portray the heroine as a complex young woman, but she just came of as a spoiled entitled bored rich girl. She is rude to her mother and the Hero.
The Hero is a besotted fool, I was glad that in the end he gave her an ultimatum.
January 31, 2022
Amanda Carpenter is a wonderful writer. However her romances are often character-driven rather than romance-driven and that causes them to fall a little flat to people expecting a romance. I enjoy the attention to character detail though.
May 18, 2020
Men adored her, women envied her
Caprice lived up to her name. A tantalizing, colorful butterfly, she was an unpredictable young beauty who kept everything hidden beneath the surface. No man had ever gotten close to her, and that was the way she wanted it.
Why, then, did her mind dwell on the handsome, enigmatic Pierce Langston? Why did he excite her... and frighten her?
Caprice knew the answer. It lay in his disturbing gaze, which seemed to see right through her; in his touch, which sent sensual shivers down her spine
Caprice lived up to her name. A tantalizing, colorful butterfly, she was an unpredictable young beauty who kept everything hidden beneath the surface. No man had ever gotten close to her, and that was the way she wanted it.
Why, then, did her mind dwell on the handsome, enigmatic Pierce Langston? Why did he excite her... and frighten her?
Caprice knew the answer. It lay in his disturbing gaze, which seemed to see right through her; in his touch, which sent sensual shivers down her spine
April 14, 2014
very archaic, very old-fashioned. i never saw what pierce fell in love wid. caprice was incredibly lucky 2 catch pierce! she was a total airhead, always playing theatricals n depending largely on her extraordinary beauty. i still rated it 3 stars bcoz who wud not like 2 be caprice!? she was rich n had men falling all over her! the book was enjoyable. a light n sweet read:-)
December 27, 2017
64-كابريس
روايات عبير الجديدة
كابريس هذا اسمها، المزاجية والتقلب طبيعتها. على الاقل هذا ما ظهر للاصدقاء والمعارف من تلك الفتاة الشقراء. ولكن تحت هذا الظاهر اللماع كان يوجد عمق من الاحاسيس حتى كابريس نفسها لم تكن تعرف ذلك، حتى التقت بكريس الشاب الاسمر الجذاب والذي استطاع ان يخترق حواجزها بشكل ما وهو يختلف عن جميع الرجال، حاولت كابريس ان تسيطر على الوضع ولكن يبدو ان لكريس افكارا اخرى.
روايات عبير الجديدة
كابريس هذا اسمها، المزاجية والتقلب طبيعتها. على الاقل هذا ما ظهر للاصدقاء والمعارف من تلك الفتاة الشقراء. ولكن تحت هذا الظاهر اللماع كان يوجد عمق من الاحاسيس حتى كابريس نفسها لم تكن تعرف ذلك، حتى التقت بكريس الشاب الاسمر الجذاب والذي استطاع ان يخترق حواجزها بشكل ما وهو يختلف عن جميع الرجال، حاولت كابريس ان تسيطر على الوضع ولكن يبدو ان لكريس افكارا اخرى.
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