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Orphaned as a young girl, Anne Carstairs was taken in by her cruel, malicious relatives. She’s lived a lonely life at their Gladstone estate, but with a new earl coming, everything is changing. Anne has heard many rumors about him, but she is completely unprepared for him to be the most deeply seductive man she’s ever encountered. No sooner do they meet than he brushes her lips with a delicious kiss that leaves her wanting so much more…
As a boy, Jamieson Merrick was denied his inheritance and forced to work as a privateer on the high seas. Until years later, when Jamie discovers that he is the rightful heir to Gladstone. Now, as the new earl, he’s determined to claim what is his…including Anne Carstairs. Once he lays eyes on the petite beauty, he vows to take her to his bed and make her his own. She’s a pawn in his plan for revenge. But he never dreamed that revenge could be so sweet…
344 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 4, 2008
4 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Holt
92 books396 followersCHERYL HOLT is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon “Top 100” bestselling author who has published seventy novels.
She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.
Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is considered to be one of the masters of the romance genre. For many years, she was hailed as “The Queen of Erotic Romance”, and she’s also revered as “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.
She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans. Visit her website at www.cherylholt.com.
She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.
Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is considered to be one of the masters of the romance genre. For many years, she was hailed as “The Queen of Erotic Romance”, and she’s also revered as “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.
She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans. Visit her website at www.cherylholt.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 11, 2011
I deserve a trophy for finishing this craptastic novel.
Ever heard of a man being lead around by his cock???? well our vapid and weak heroine of the story is lead around by her vagina.
The hero of the story is an asshole of epic proportions. I think he is the biggest asshole in a romance story that I have ever read. To put a little cherry on the top of this wreck of a book - our asshole NEVER redeems himself.
I waited 344 torturous pages for our asshole to turn in a prince. Or at least turn into someone that I could maybe like one day.........40 yrs down the track....but no he started off an asshole and finished on pg 344 STILL BEING an asshole.
The whole story is basically this: The vapid, limp rag of a heroine would tell the Asshole NO NO NO NO he would then whisk her off to kiss her and she caved in, a little nipple rub and she would forgive him anything. Her legs spread so fast my eyes got whip lash.
Then after they have sex - things would go ok for about 10-30 pages. Then Asshole would do something particularly assholish and we would repeat the entire....NO NO NO.....nipple rub......YES YES YES scene.
Think things couldnt get any worse?????? WRONG!!!!!!!!!! about halfway through the book our asshole decides he cannot stand being happy so he is going to leave........without telling our vapid heroine...
He goes of to London for months while little miss limp rag lets her evil cousins back into the castle so they can make her life awful and blah blah blah I am sure your getting as bored as I am.
I hated the heroine/limp rag
I hated the hero/asshole
I hate the evil cousins (most pathetic baddies ever)
I hated the supporting cast
I hated the whole book
I am off to raid the pantry, I know I have some whiskey stashed at the back. I going to pour myself a hefty glass because I need it.
Ever heard of a man being lead around by his cock???? well our vapid and weak heroine of the story is lead around by her vagina.
The hero of the story is an asshole of epic proportions. I think he is the biggest asshole in a romance story that I have ever read. To put a little cherry on the top of this wreck of a book - our asshole NEVER redeems himself.
I waited 344 torturous pages for our asshole to turn in a prince. Or at least turn into someone that I could maybe like one day.........40 yrs down the track....but no he started off an asshole and finished on pg 344 STILL BEING an asshole.
The whole story is basically this: The vapid, limp rag of a heroine would tell the Asshole NO NO NO NO he would then whisk her off to kiss her and she caved in, a little nipple rub and she would forgive him anything. Her legs spread so fast my eyes got whip lash.
Then after they have sex - things would go ok for about 10-30 pages. Then Asshole would do something particularly assholish and we would repeat the entire....NO NO NO.....nipple rub......YES YES YES scene.
Think things couldnt get any worse?????? WRONG!!!!!!!!!! about halfway through the book our asshole decides he cannot stand being happy so he is going to leave........without telling our vapid heroine...
He goes of to London for months while little miss limp rag lets her evil cousins back into the castle so they can make her life awful and blah blah blah I am sure your getting as bored as I am.
I hated the heroine/limp rag
I hated the hero/asshole
I hate the evil cousins (most pathetic baddies ever)
I hated the supporting cast
I hated the whole book
I am off to raid the pantry, I know I have some whiskey stashed at the back. I going to pour myself a hefty glass because I need it.
April 22, 2023
DNFF (Did Not Fucking Finish), because dude. This was incredibly awful. The promo blurbs wax poetic on sexiness, steaminess, deep characterizations, erotic fantasies…but it’s all lies. LIES, I tell you! 😱 Multiple times I checked the inside cover, & each check I became more convinced they were discussing a different author, because those grandiose puff-piece heart emojis couldn’t possibly be describing the pile of stinky gutter slop I held before me.
Truly, I lack adequate words to describe this dreck. I couldn’t care less about the potential dub-con intimacy—I’m a hardened vet of vintage bodice-shredding goodness. No, what bothers me is everything else. The entire cast was beaten with a stupid stick. The writing was third grade level. The dialogue was illogical, flat, + anachronistic. The villains were obvious + lame. The primary couple was repulsive—she a spineless, oblivious shoescraper, he a shrill-yelling, arm-flailing ambulatory turd. If a true alpha’s theme song is AC/DC’s ‘Bad Boy Boogie,’ this guy’s theme would be…hell, I can’t even think of a song that’s insulting enough. He isn’t fit to lick Bad Boy Boogie’s boots. He isn’t even good enough for Jagger & Bowie’s abominable cover of ‘Dancing in the Street,’ whereas ‘Baby Shark’ is several years too mature for this infantile mimbo. STFU & get off my tbr.
Zero stars. ZERO, dammit! ☠️ I refuse to waste more of my life on this thing; not even for cheap comedic value will I subject my teeth to the grinding that will ensue in the next 200 pages. Goodbye & good riddance.
Truly, I lack adequate words to describe this dreck. I couldn’t care less about the potential dub-con intimacy—I’m a hardened vet of vintage bodice-shredding goodness. No, what bothers me is everything else. The entire cast was beaten with a stupid stick. The writing was third grade level. The dialogue was illogical, flat, + anachronistic. The villains were obvious + lame. The primary couple was repulsive—she a spineless, oblivious shoescraper, he a shrill-yelling, arm-flailing ambulatory turd. If a true alpha’s theme song is AC/DC’s ‘Bad Boy Boogie,’ this guy’s theme would be…hell, I can’t even think of a song that’s insulting enough. He isn’t fit to lick Bad Boy Boogie’s boots. He isn’t even good enough for Jagger & Bowie’s abominable cover of ‘Dancing in the Street,’ whereas ‘Baby Shark’ is several years too mature for this infantile mimbo. STFU & get off my tbr.
Zero stars. ZERO, dammit! ☠️ I refuse to waste more of my life on this thing; not even for cheap comedic value will I subject my teeth to the grinding that will ensue in the next 200 pages. Goodbye & good riddance.
January 30, 2015
This romance is one of the few that I have really enjoyed, while at the same time, feeling the hero to be utterly despicable. Only at the very end does he show some real compassion, and finally admit his true feelings to his heroine. The whole "hiding your true feelings" is in itself very common to romance heroes and heroines, but the thoroughly savage way in which this hero deported himself almost the entire length of the story had me seething. Ultimately, I don't think I was so happy when he finally saw the "light" and would have enjoyed the heroine being a little more spunkier and more skilled at revenge. The heroine definitely sacrifices and suffers, but the hero could have used a good dose of his own medicine. I can, at least, admit to this romance spurring some very intense emotions, and this is what made it so much fun to read.
August 22, 2009
I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't. Skip it.
January 11, 2021
Readable but disappointing erotic romance
3 stars
Jamieson Merrick and his twin brother Jack were hidden away at birth, denied their inheritance and forced to endure a tough and difficult life. Now they are back and Jamie is determined to get back what is rightfully his.
Orphaned Anne Carstairs has always been at the mercy of ruthless relatives and she's not sure that Jamie Merrick - now the Earl of Gladstone - is going to be much better.
Anne is just a pawn in Jamie's plans for revenge but he never guessed that she would be so alluring, so sweet and so tempting. But there are people that are less than pleased with the new earl that puts everyone in jeopardy.
I have always enjoyed Cheryl Holt's erotic romances but unfortunately this one really didn't hit the mark for me.
The characters weren't particularly endearing and it was hard to muster much enthusiasm for them. Jamie was your typical overbearing alpha male but he took a little too long to realise his true feelings for my liking. Anne was the biggest disappointment for me as I found her far too weak and spineless and she really let Jamie (and some other characters) walk all over her.
The book was also quite erotic but it wasn't as hot and spicy as many of Cheryl Holt's previous novels and, for me, was a let down in that sense. I also found the behaviour of some of the secondary characters was quite disturbing and made for some quite uncomfortable reading - not ideal for a romance novel.
Despite all its faults, Cheryl Holt's writing style makes her novels readable and easy to finish. It's not a book that I would read again but it's still worth 3 stars.
November 15, 2019
Not my thing.
I thought Jamie was an outright dick. There are lots of times when Anne said no to sex, and he just went ahead and did it anyway, , all because he saw her as his property. With that, it was hard to buy that Anne enjoyed the encounters at all, much less that she'd end up falling in love with him. Most egregious for me was
I have read and enjoyed romances with scenes of dubious consent, particularly historical ones from the 80s/90s. But those worked for me mostly because, despite the power imbalance in the beginning, both hero and heroine often gave as good as they got, and the sexual tension was from the struggle between them. In contrast, Anne was set up to be almost completely helpless. She'd yell and all, but then Even beyond her relationship with Jamie,
Worse, while in other books, the dubious consent was often in a single early scene, then the power dynamics end up shifting throughout the book, this book had that kind of scene happening time and again throughout at least two thirds of the book. So when Anne starts fighting back, it's hard to understand why she loves him that much.
I did like the secondary romance between Jack and Sarah, probably because they seemed more evenly matched, and Sarah seemed more capable of standing up to him than Anne did with Jamie.
Still, overall a quick and easy read. Fun in a soap opera-ish sort of way with all the melodramatic family subplots.
I thought Jamie was an outright dick. There are lots of times when Anne said no to sex, and he just went ahead and did it anyway, , all because he saw her as his property. With that, it was hard to buy that Anne enjoyed the encounters at all, much less that she'd end up falling in love with him. Most egregious for me was
I have read and enjoyed romances with scenes of dubious consent, particularly historical ones from the 80s/90s. But those worked for me mostly because, despite the power imbalance in the beginning, both hero and heroine often gave as good as they got, and the sexual tension was from the struggle between them. In contrast, Anne was set up to be almost completely helpless. She'd yell and all, but then Even beyond her relationship with Jamie,
Worse, while in other books, the dubious consent was often in a single early scene, then the power dynamics end up shifting throughout the book, this book had that kind of scene happening time and again throughout at least two thirds of the book. So when Anne starts fighting back, it's hard to understand why she loves him that much.
I did like the secondary romance between Jack and Sarah, probably because they seemed more evenly matched, and Sarah seemed more capable of standing up to him than Anne did with Jamie.
Still, overall a quick and easy read. Fun in a soap opera-ish sort of way with all the melodramatic family subplots.
March 21, 2020
This is really a 3.5. I can't give away why without giving the story away and for many people it's not a problem.
May 19, 2009
Jamieson Merrick has been newly installed as the Earl of Gladstone. He and his twin brother, Jackson, will arrive on the Gladstone estate and take over. It seems that Jamieson and Jackson are the black sheep of this family since their deceased father married their mother, a housemaid who died in childbirth, and he discarded the twins for a better marriage and left his sons to suffer horribly. Now Jamieson, being the first son and rightful heir, will take the estate over from his half-brother, Percy.
Anne Carstairs and her sister Sarah have lived at the Gladstone estate since their parents died. They are poor spinster cousins to Percy and his twin sister Ophelia. Anne believes she and Sarah will be tossed out by Jamieson because of his reputation as a murderer and a true villain. But Anne and Jamieson first meet by a stream, and before she can learn who he is, the strange man kisses her, leaving her flustered. She has no clue that he is the new earl, and when he goes to the house, Anne and her other relatives are in for quite a surprise. Jamie has an ultimatum, and that is he will marry either Anne, Sarah, or even his half-sister Ophelia. If Jamie doesn’t get what he wants, he will toss all three ladies, Percy, and his crazed mother, Edith, out on their ears. But since Jamie feels Anne and he had such a wonderful introduction, he will marry her on the morrow and not give one fig what she thinks.
Anne will fight tooth and nail, but when Jamie locks her in his bedroom and expects her to sleep with him, she can hardly refuse. And Jamie has more experience on his side, especially in the ways of physical pleasure. So, Anne will sacrifice herself for the happiness of the family, but it isn’t all that bad when Jamie shows her the joys of sex.
All too soon the honeymoon is over when Jamie is shot at and, even though Anne welcomes him in bed every night, she refuses to obey him. He tries his hardest not to fall for his wife despite her smile and body making him hunger for her love. But these two will never be truly happy, for Percy and Ophelia have plans, and those include the death of Jamie and Anne to get what they want.
If you have never read a Cheryl Holt novel, hold onto your hats because DOUBLE FANTASY is a Regency soap opera of epic proportions. My mind was spinning as this romance became more of a comedy than anything else. There is an openly incestuous relationship between Percy and Ophelia that is borderline sadomasochistic and includes their loony mother, who follows them screaming and ranting about them burning in hell. Anne’s beloved sister, Sarah, has a secret all too shocking, but that doesn’t stop her from being seduced by Jack. And even though Jamie is so against love, he still doesn’t mind having Anne any way he can.
Fans of Cheryl Holt will have a ball reading about murder, incest, and bawdy sex scenes. I could say I was shocked by the characters and their actions, but I found myself laughing, so no love is lost on my end. I would read DOUBLE FANTASY with some trepidation, but if you can put aside your shock over the way this motley crew of characters acts, you may have more fun than you think.
Anne Carstairs and her sister Sarah have lived at the Gladstone estate since their parents died. They are poor spinster cousins to Percy and his twin sister Ophelia. Anne believes she and Sarah will be tossed out by Jamieson because of his reputation as a murderer and a true villain. But Anne and Jamieson first meet by a stream, and before she can learn who he is, the strange man kisses her, leaving her flustered. She has no clue that he is the new earl, and when he goes to the house, Anne and her other relatives are in for quite a surprise. Jamie has an ultimatum, and that is he will marry either Anne, Sarah, or even his half-sister Ophelia. If Jamie doesn’t get what he wants, he will toss all three ladies, Percy, and his crazed mother, Edith, out on their ears. But since Jamie feels Anne and he had such a wonderful introduction, he will marry her on the morrow and not give one fig what she thinks.
Anne will fight tooth and nail, but when Jamie locks her in his bedroom and expects her to sleep with him, she can hardly refuse. And Jamie has more experience on his side, especially in the ways of physical pleasure. So, Anne will sacrifice herself for the happiness of the family, but it isn’t all that bad when Jamie shows her the joys of sex.
All too soon the honeymoon is over when Jamie is shot at and, even though Anne welcomes him in bed every night, she refuses to obey him. He tries his hardest not to fall for his wife despite her smile and body making him hunger for her love. But these two will never be truly happy, for Percy and Ophelia have plans, and those include the death of Jamie and Anne to get what they want.
If you have never read a Cheryl Holt novel, hold onto your hats because DOUBLE FANTASY is a Regency soap opera of epic proportions. My mind was spinning as this romance became more of a comedy than anything else. There is an openly incestuous relationship between Percy and Ophelia that is borderline sadomasochistic and includes their loony mother, who follows them screaming and ranting about them burning in hell. Anne’s beloved sister, Sarah, has a secret all too shocking, but that doesn’t stop her from being seduced by Jack. And even though Jamie is so against love, he still doesn’t mind having Anne any way he can.
Fans of Cheryl Holt will have a ball reading about murder, incest, and bawdy sex scenes. I could say I was shocked by the characters and their actions, but I found myself laughing, so no love is lost on my end. I would read DOUBLE FANTASY with some trepidation, but if you can put aside your shock over the way this motley crew of characters acts, you may have more fun than you think.
December 5, 2009
Anne Carstairs was a "spinster" living under the thumb of some nasty relatives. She was enjoying the routine of her boring little life. Then Jamie Merrick stepped in and turned everything upside down. He took over her home and her fate. He demanded that she marry him and refused to take no for an answer!
The drama continues with side stories of Anne's twisted cousins, her senile aunt, her sister, and Jamie's brother. It takes turns with incest, the frequent misuse of the words "fornication" and "impale". And a whole lot of "taboo" sex.
This one was okay for me. It held my attention, but in an almost laughable way. I kept reading to see how far it would go in it's imitation of a historical soap opera. Either way, it was amusing. And I finished it in a day.
I wouldn't suggest this one to a friend. But it was a quick easy read to fill the time when I wanted some mindless fluff.
The drama continues with side stories of Anne's twisted cousins, her senile aunt, her sister, and Jamie's brother. It takes turns with incest, the frequent misuse of the words "fornication" and "impale". And a whole lot of "taboo" sex.
This one was okay for me. It held my attention, but in an almost laughable way. I kept reading to see how far it would go in it's imitation of a historical soap opera. Either way, it was amusing. And I finished it in a day.
I wouldn't suggest this one to a friend. But it was a quick easy read to fill the time when I wanted some mindless fluff.
November 29, 2012
The hero was a douche, and the heroine was weak willed and loose.
I wanted to like Jamie. I really REALLY wanted to like Jamie. But he kept getting deeper and deeper into the douche-bag until I hated his ass. He's hot, but i still hate him.
And I kept waiting for... damn i forgot her name, that's how little she meant to me... whatever the heroine's name was, i kept waiting for her to get a backbone, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED! Then at the end, she almost develops a will of her own, then POW he says "wuv u" and she melts again.
I kind of like the "Douche-bag-turned-reformed-gentleman" stories, but this one was "Douche-bag-turns-douche-bag-turns-wtf?"
i still liked it, kinda, but i probably wont read it again.
I wanted to like Jamie. I really REALLY wanted to like Jamie. But he kept getting deeper and deeper into the douche-bag until I hated his ass. He's hot, but i still hate him.
And I kept waiting for... damn i forgot her name, that's how little she meant to me... whatever the heroine's name was, i kept waiting for her to get a backbone, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED! Then at the end, she almost develops a will of her own, then POW he says "wuv u" and she melts again.
I kind of like the "Douche-bag-turned-reformed-gentleman" stories, but this one was "Douche-bag-turns-douche-bag-turns-wtf?"
i still liked it, kinda, but i probably wont read it again.
August 11, 2013
Please don't waste a minute of your life on this book! If I could get the time I wasted reading this horrible book back I would! The heroine is a wuss, the 'hero' is an ass and the rest of the characters are also idiots. I like books where the hero starts unlikeable/asshole tendencies but this guy NEVER gets any better ... I did finish it, but only because it was like a train wreck I couldn't look away from! There are two characters in the book with any sense ... The crazy bat-loon mother (what does that tell you about the story!) and the hero's brother. Again, please don't waste your time!!!
July 26, 2008
Orphaned as a young girl, Anne Carstairs is taken in by her cruel relatives of the Gladstone estate.
Jamieson Merrick was denied his inheritance of Gladstone and makes his wealth as a privateer on the seas until he is discovered to be the rightful heir of Gladstone.
On his arrival he is determined to takes all that is owed to him including Anne. She's to be his pawn in his game of revenge, but he gets alot more than he bargained for....
Great read! I love Cheryl's books and I hope she keeps writing them. Word is that this may be her last historical erotic romance.
Jamieson Merrick was denied his inheritance of Gladstone and makes his wealth as a privateer on the seas until he is discovered to be the rightful heir of Gladstone.
On his arrival he is determined to takes all that is owed to him including Anne. She's to be his pawn in his game of revenge, but he gets alot more than he bargained for....
Great read! I love Cheryl's books and I hope she keeps writing them. Word is that this may be her last historical erotic romance.
December 25, 2019
Winner of the worst book I have ever read award! Rape is not sexy and has no place in romance novels. The male lead doesn't care at all about consent and not just in the bedroom There is also an incest subplot.
Pros:
N/A
Cons:
Rape
Incest
Irredeemable male lead
Female lead never grows a backbone
Pros:
N/A
Cons:
Rape
Incest
Irredeemable male lead
Female lead never grows a backbone
July 30, 2008
Jamie Merrick is at Gladstone to claim his inheritance. And with it he shall wed the spinster Anne Carstairs who grew up there. She has a choice to be his wife or leave penniless. Jamie has been denied his inheritance for years and while claiming his estate he will get his revenge with Anne as his pawn.
January 7, 2010
I will admit this is a horrible book, but it’s so crazy that you just can’t stop reading. The plot was truly ridiculous! I won’t even tell you all the crazy stuff that happens in this book, but if you have some time to spare and want to read a crazy drama filled soap opera, then this book is for you.
October 13, 2009
Couldn't finish it. Got pulled out of the story too many times for modern words/phrases and the beginning was cliche with her falling into the water in need of rescue. Also, the villain's name being Percy made me roll my eyes.
Read
August 25, 2010it was okay.
May 23, 2016
OMG this absolutely nothing about this "hero" worth liking. What a total asshat! When will authors get it in their heads that rape is not romantic. UGH!
Read
July 28, 2011Just as hot as past books, and just as nail-biting when you realize the herione's in danger.
July 23, 2013
Don't waste your time reading this, unfortunately I did.
Want to read
August 10, 2015Another good one!!!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews