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Devil's Advocate
The past stood between them
Ten years ago marriage to Julius Morrell would have promised Luisa a golden, sunlit future, she loved him so much, Now it only guaranteed her sister's freedom and a future filled with uncertainty for Luisa.
For she was overwhelmed by memories too long denied... of Scotland on an eternal afternoon, of first love--the strongest and the best--and of things too painful to remember even now.
And Julius was blinded by thoughts of revenge that seemed to overshadow the silent promise they'd once shared.
Ten years ago marriage to Julius Morrell would have promised Luisa a golden, sunlit future, she loved him so much, Now it only guaranteed her sister's freedom and a future filled with uncertainty for Luisa.
For she was overwhelmed by memories too long denied... of Scotland on an eternal afternoon, of first love--the strongest and the best--and of things too painful to remember even now.
And Julius was blinded by thoughts of revenge that seemed to overshadow the silent promise they'd once shared.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1985
6 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa James
23 books41 followersaka Sally Beauman
Sally Kinsey-Miles graduated from Girton College, Cambridge (MA in English Literature) She married Christopher Beauman an economist. After graduating, she moved with her husband to the USA, where she lived for three years, first in Washington DC, then New York, and travelled extensively. She began her career as a journalist in America, joining the staff of the newly launched New York magazine, of which she became associate editor, and continued to write for it after her return to England. Interviewed Alan Howard for the Telegraph Magazine in 1970 in an article called 'A Fellow of Most Excellent Fancy'. (Daily Telegraph Supplement, May 29th.) Apparently a very long interview. The following year they met again, and the rest is history. After a long partnership Sally and Alan married in 2004. She has one son, James, and one grandchild.
Sally had a distinguished career as a journalist and critic, winning the Catherine Pakenham Award for her writing, and becoming the youngest-ever editor of Queen magazine (now Harper’s & Queen). She has contributed to many leading newspapers and magazines in both the UK and the USA, including the Daily Telegraph ( from 1970-73 and 1976-8 she was Arts Editor of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine), the Sunday Times, Observer, Vogue, the New York Times and the New Yorker. She also wrote nine Mills & Boon romances under the pseudonym Vanessa James, before publishing her block-buster novel Destiny in 1987 under her real name. It was her article about Daphne du Maurier, commissioned by Tina Brown, and published in The New Yorker in November 1993, which first gave her the idea for writing Rebecca de Winter’s version of events at Manderley – an idea that subsequently became the novel, Rebecca’s Tale. In 2000 she was one of the Whitbread Prize judges for the best novel category.
Sally Kinsey-Miles graduated from Girton College, Cambridge (MA in English Literature) She married Christopher Beauman an economist. After graduating, she moved with her husband to the USA, where she lived for three years, first in Washington DC, then New York, and travelled extensively. She began her career as a journalist in America, joining the staff of the newly launched New York magazine, of which she became associate editor, and continued to write for it after her return to England. Interviewed Alan Howard for the Telegraph Magazine in 1970 in an article called 'A Fellow of Most Excellent Fancy'. (Daily Telegraph Supplement, May 29th.) Apparently a very long interview. The following year they met again, and the rest is history. After a long partnership Sally and Alan married in 2004. She has one son, James, and one grandchild.
Sally had a distinguished career as a journalist and critic, winning the Catherine Pakenham Award for her writing, and becoming the youngest-ever editor of Queen magazine (now Harper’s & Queen). She has contributed to many leading newspapers and magazines in both the UK and the USA, including the Daily Telegraph ( from 1970-73 and 1976-8 she was Arts Editor of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine), the Sunday Times, Observer, Vogue, the New York Times and the New Yorker. She also wrote nine Mills & Boon romances under the pseudonym Vanessa James, before publishing her block-buster novel Destiny in 1987 under her real name. It was her article about Daphne du Maurier, commissioned by Tina Brown, and published in The New Yorker in November 1993, which first gave her the idea for writing Rebecca de Winter’s version of events at Manderley – an idea that subsequently became the novel, Rebecca’s Tale. In 2000 she was one of the Whitbread Prize judges for the best novel category.
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December 12, 2015
RE The Devil's Advocate - this is either a love it or hate it, the writing is very well done but even 30 years ago, I just couldn't get over the lack of action on the h's behalf from the H and I couldn't understand why the h would stay with him, so I wound up despising her too.
The plot of this one is blackmail marriage, the h's sister has been working for a law firm that belongs to the H's family, she has been embezzling money from the accounts and buying clothes, furs etc. The H does an audit and finds the missing money, the sister asks the h to intervene as she and the H have a bit of a history.
When the h was 15, she and the 22 year old H fell in love at the H's home in Scotland. The budding romance was destroyed when the H walked in on his brother attempting to rape the h. (The h's mum - who she did not know, she lived with her aunt-had an affair with the H's dad and broke up the marriage to the H's mum, they divorced but reconciled years later.) The brother hated the H and cornered the h and was violently attacking her, telling her she was just like her mum.
The H misinterprets the scene, thinking the h is with the brother willingly and walks out. The h gets away from the brother, but becomes very ill and manages to blank the whole think from her mind. (For me this is the first of the H's many, many failures - the brother had his hands around her neck and was shaking her around, she was FIFTEEN and the H walks out on that. What decent person does that when one of the people is a kid without any questions?)
Ten years on, the h has stayed single and chaste, the H is a big time lawyer and not. The H demands the h sleep with him to resolve the sister's situation. The h turns him down but then the sister tells the h she is preggers and has coerced a guy (supposedly the father) into marrying her. The sister begs her to fix things with the H. The sister has also been sleeping with the H's brother (who also works at the firm and is embezzling on a much grander scale) and it soon becomes clear that the brother has manipulated this entire situation to get to the h. The sister doesn't care who she pimps the h out too, she just wants her to fix things so she can go off and enjoy herself.
The h agrees to marry the H, but it is to be in name only. That goes out the window about two seconds after the wedding vows and there are some rapes interspersed with love scenes while the H and h honeymoon in Venice. This doesn't stop the H from canoodling with other women but in a very hypocritical way, the H never stops comparing the h in quite revolting terms to her mother calling her the "devil in flesh" and the other usual names associated with female promiscuity.
The whole thing culminates in the h being attacked (with attendant bruising and blood) AGAIN by the brother and the H walks in on it. He AGAIN blames the h in the most derogatory terms available, tells her he knows she bruises easily, (thus denying the attack) and walks out. The h is given a place to stay by one of the older ladies at the party and eventually seeks out the H for her groveling apology, which the H graciously accepts and explains he was only jealous. He also goes on to say that he knows his brother hates him but he had to cover up the embezzling to protect his dad - which confirms what the brother said too - he told the h during the attack that the H married her to keep her quiet.
The H sorta denies this by saying he was obsessed with the h for 10 years, and that he really lurves her yadda, yadda. The h falls at his feet, accepts all the blame and HEA.
I always have the deepest sense of revulsion when I read this book, it irks me when the h encourages everyone to walk all over her, it disturbs me that no one in this book who behaves badly has to account for their actions and their misdeeds are unaccounted for, and it really bother's me that a violent rapist gets off scot-free. The brother hated the H, wanted to destroy anything the H was around and I can't help but wonder how many other of the H's women (and he had a bunch) the brother attacked.
The H was pretty much useless for anything. He SAID a lot of things, was the biggest hypocrite in HPlandia by his actions, and yet he doesn't DO anything about the brother but send him off and send him an allowance. I will and have forgiven a lot for an HPlandia H, but this man should be banished from the HP universe for failure to be an actual H.
He is basically a wimp with a lot of rhetoric and like a lot of insecure men, he blames the h for his own failings and has to degenerate her character to bring her down to a level with his own. Why this h wants him, I don't know, but it does validate the theory that abused children may continue to seek out abusive relationships unless an appropriate intervention is done. Never in all my HPlandia adventures have I wanted to stage an intervention more.
The plot of this one is blackmail marriage, the h's sister has been working for a law firm that belongs to the H's family, she has been embezzling money from the accounts and buying clothes, furs etc. The H does an audit and finds the missing money, the sister asks the h to intervene as she and the H have a bit of a history.
When the h was 15, she and the 22 year old H fell in love at the H's home in Scotland. The budding romance was destroyed when the H walked in on his brother attempting to rape the h. (The h's mum - who she did not know, she lived with her aunt-had an affair with the H's dad and broke up the marriage to the H's mum, they divorced but reconciled years later.) The brother hated the H and cornered the h and was violently attacking her, telling her she was just like her mum.
The H misinterprets the scene, thinking the h is with the brother willingly and walks out. The h gets away from the brother, but becomes very ill and manages to blank the whole think from her mind. (For me this is the first of the H's many, many failures - the brother had his hands around her neck and was shaking her around, she was FIFTEEN and the H walks out on that. What decent person does that when one of the people is a kid without any questions?)
Ten years on, the h has stayed single and chaste, the H is a big time lawyer and not. The H demands the h sleep with him to resolve the sister's situation. The h turns him down but then the sister tells the h she is preggers and has coerced a guy (supposedly the father) into marrying her. The sister begs her to fix things with the H. The sister has also been sleeping with the H's brother (who also works at the firm and is embezzling on a much grander scale) and it soon becomes clear that the brother has manipulated this entire situation to get to the h. The sister doesn't care who she pimps the h out too, she just wants her to fix things so she can go off and enjoy herself.
The h agrees to marry the H, but it is to be in name only. That goes out the window about two seconds after the wedding vows and there are some rapes interspersed with love scenes while the H and h honeymoon in Venice. This doesn't stop the H from canoodling with other women but in a very hypocritical way, the H never stops comparing the h in quite revolting terms to her mother calling her the "devil in flesh" and the other usual names associated with female promiscuity.
The whole thing culminates in the h being attacked (with attendant bruising and blood) AGAIN by the brother and the H walks in on it. He AGAIN blames the h in the most derogatory terms available, tells her he knows she bruises easily, (thus denying the attack) and walks out. The h is given a place to stay by one of the older ladies at the party and eventually seeks out the H for her groveling apology, which the H graciously accepts and explains he was only jealous. He also goes on to say that he knows his brother hates him but he had to cover up the embezzling to protect his dad - which confirms what the brother said too - he told the h during the attack that the H married her to keep her quiet.
The H sorta denies this by saying he was obsessed with the h for 10 years, and that he really lurves her yadda, yadda. The h falls at his feet, accepts all the blame and HEA.
I always have the deepest sense of revulsion when I read this book, it irks me when the h encourages everyone to walk all over her, it disturbs me that no one in this book who behaves badly has to account for their actions and their misdeeds are unaccounted for, and it really bother's me that a violent rapist gets off scot-free. The brother hated the H, wanted to destroy anything the H was around and I can't help but wonder how many other of the H's women (and he had a bunch) the brother attacked.
The H was pretty much useless for anything. He SAID a lot of things, was the biggest hypocrite in HPlandia by his actions, and yet he doesn't DO anything about the brother but send him off and send him an allowance. I will and have forgiven a lot for an HPlandia H, but this man should be banished from the HP universe for failure to be an actual H.
He is basically a wimp with a lot of rhetoric and like a lot of insecure men, he blames the h for his own failings and has to degenerate her character to bring her down to a level with his own. Why this h wants him, I don't know, but it does validate the theory that abused children may continue to seek out abusive relationships unless an appropriate intervention is done. Never in all my HPlandia adventures have I wanted to stage an intervention more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2017
I’m a romance reader who doesn’t have a very romantic/idealized view of relationships. I read romance to see how conflict and problems are solved for one particular couple in a given set of circumstances. Which is why I prefer the high drama/conflict of HPs over fluffy, sweet romances.
This story has conflict in spades. It is beautifully written (seriously – those scenes set in Venice are gorgeous). And it addresses an age-old conundrum in sexual politics – the Madonna/whore dichotomy. What I mean by a conundrum is that to become a Madonna, you have to have sex (only the original Madonna managed motherhood without sex). How much a woman should enjoy sex, or trade on it, or use it to her advantage is where it gets confusing for women and men alike.
The author is overt with her religious imagery. The H/h view two different Madonnas in the art gallery in Venice. One looks just like the heroine. The other is of a father, a Madonna and suckling child seemingly at peace with lighting striking in the background.
The heroine in this story had a mother who broke up marriages – including the hero’s parents. She is the whore and her bad blood (ironically she died of leukemia) flows through the heroine’s veins. The heroine’s little sister at 20 is shaping up to follow in her mother’s footsteps – but she is pregnant and wants to marry, so will she be a Madonna then?
The heroine is a virgin, a martyr (the author calls the bruise on her hand a stigmata) and someone who has repressed a horrible memory of the hero and his brother for ten years. In fact, when she goes to the hero to beg for mercy for her little sister embezzling money from his family firm, she thinks he is his brother. I found that so odd since she had bright beautiful memories of the hero, her first love, when she was 15 and now, ten years later she didn’t recognize him?
She did and she didn’t. She conflated him with his evil brother because of the repressed memory. The last time she saw the hero, the brother was trying to rape her and the hero jealously thought it was consensual. Right after that horrible scene, the heroine found out her mother had a few months to live and she came down with a terrible fever that left her delirious. By force of will or self-protection she forgot all about this incident.
She conflates him with the brother because he shows no mercy to her or to her sister. Later on that night, when she goes to the hero’s house to plead for her sister, she realizes he had impersonated his brother. When asked why he did that he said he was playing “Devil’s Advocate.”
Devil’s Advocate to what? What contrarian’s point of view was he trying to figure out?
Neither the heroine or the reader understand what he’s saying until the very end when he explains that he wanted to finally listen to what really happened that day when the brother attacked her.
The hero is a prosecutor, used to judging and condemning suspects in court. Now he wants to play defense for the heroine but he isn’t clever enough to see that the heroine has suppressed that incident. She doesn’t think she has anything to feel guilty about (she never betrayed the hero with the brother) so the hero thinks she is like her mother. But he’s still crazy about her and he tries to put this supposed betrayal behind him.
It’s only in hindsight that the hero’s blow hot/blow cold behavior makes any kind of sense. We are on the emotional roller coaster with the heroine as he forces the heroine to marry him, as he discovers she is a virgin, as they spend time together in the very romantic city of Venice.
The heroine for her part, has also suppressed her love for the hero – or had conflated it with the danger she felt with his brother. This is only cleared up when she actually sees the brother again at her wedding and remembers everything (which she doesn’t tell the hero). Now that she has uncoupled the hero from the brother in her mind, she quickly and easily falls for the hero again even though he is at turns loving and then moody and angry. Love and danger are definitely conflated in her mind as well as sexual excitement.
So this is a mess. Our Devil’s Advocate hero is still judging the heroine – and he still follows the same pattern when he witnesses his brother mauling the heroine and thinks it’s consensual. He won’t listen and storms back to England, leaving the heroine alone in Venice.
Luckily, there is a rich old dowager “The Principessa” who takes her in and soothes her while the heroine tries to figure out what to do next. And here’s where there is yet another layer in this story. What married women have to say about marriage.
The first older married women introduced in the story is the younger sister’s prospective mother-in-law. She visits the heroine to get a sense of what the heroine thinks of her sister marrying. She knows of the sister’s reputation and that of their mother. She has a very pragmatic view, however. Marriage is a crapshoot - you can’t know until you’re in it how it’s going to work. Maybe the sister will settle down. Maybe not. But they should give it a try.
The second married woman to air her philosophy of marriage is The Principessa. She thinks that the heroine should tell the hero everything – about the brother, about her love for him.
'Then you should,' she said briskly. 'Dare a little. Is it so hard? No one else can do it for you—-and after all, what can happen? At worst, you get hurt. You get bruised.'
The heroine is understandably reluctant, since the hero was so awful to her when he left. I love that line about no one being able to do it for you, btw. This heroine needs to buck up.
The third married woman to help is the woman the h thought was an OW. But no, she is The Principessa’s granddaughter. The H arranged a ransom for her husband from some terrorists and she was grateful to him and that’s why she kissed him. Heroine didn’t know anything about it. This married woman thinks the heroine should approach the hero as if this is an ordinary quarrel and not the end of everything. (Basically – get over yourself).
And finally, some more religious imagery: the heroine visits a church again and for the second time the author quotes this line:
I am God… not slow to punish a fault, but at hand to aid those who waver…
The heroine does seek out the hero. She does explain her side of the story and they have a full chapter really talking. The hero does grovel. They have their HEA – but it’s hard won and understanding comes very, very late in the story.
The hero is not very likeable. The heroine is a wavering mass of jelly – especially at beginning with her odious sister. But my goodness, is this story compelling. Give it a whirl if you want to see how the author explored some of these issues. It might make you mad, but it will also make you think.
Rapey brother is "banished" from the kingdom - but never comes to any kind of justice. Be warned if you're looking for justice.
This story has conflict in spades. It is beautifully written (seriously – those scenes set in Venice are gorgeous). And it addresses an age-old conundrum in sexual politics – the Madonna/whore dichotomy. What I mean by a conundrum is that to become a Madonna, you have to have sex (only the original Madonna managed motherhood without sex). How much a woman should enjoy sex, or trade on it, or use it to her advantage is where it gets confusing for women and men alike.
The author is overt with her religious imagery. The H/h view two different Madonnas in the art gallery in Venice. One looks just like the heroine. The other is of a father, a Madonna and suckling child seemingly at peace with lighting striking in the background.
The heroine in this story had a mother who broke up marriages – including the hero’s parents. She is the whore and her bad blood (ironically she died of leukemia) flows through the heroine’s veins. The heroine’s little sister at 20 is shaping up to follow in her mother’s footsteps – but she is pregnant and wants to marry, so will she be a Madonna then?
The heroine is a virgin, a martyr (the author calls the bruise on her hand a stigmata) and someone who has repressed a horrible memory of the hero and his brother for ten years. In fact, when she goes to the hero to beg for mercy for her little sister embezzling money from his family firm, she thinks he is his brother. I found that so odd since she had bright beautiful memories of the hero, her first love, when she was 15 and now, ten years later she didn’t recognize him?
She did and she didn’t. She conflated him with his evil brother because of the repressed memory. The last time she saw the hero, the brother was trying to rape her and the hero jealously thought it was consensual. Right after that horrible scene, the heroine found out her mother had a few months to live and she came down with a terrible fever that left her delirious. By force of will or self-protection she forgot all about this incident.
She conflates him with the brother because he shows no mercy to her or to her sister. Later on that night, when she goes to the hero’s house to plead for her sister, she realizes he had impersonated his brother. When asked why he did that he said he was playing “Devil’s Advocate.”
Devil’s Advocate to what? What contrarian’s point of view was he trying to figure out?
Neither the heroine or the reader understand what he’s saying until the very end when he explains that he wanted to finally listen to what really happened that day when the brother attacked her.
The hero is a prosecutor, used to judging and condemning suspects in court. Now he wants to play defense for the heroine but he isn’t clever enough to see that the heroine has suppressed that incident. She doesn’t think she has anything to feel guilty about (she never betrayed the hero with the brother) so the hero thinks she is like her mother. But he’s still crazy about her and he tries to put this supposed betrayal behind him.
It’s only in hindsight that the hero’s blow hot/blow cold behavior makes any kind of sense. We are on the emotional roller coaster with the heroine as he forces the heroine to marry him, as he discovers she is a virgin, as they spend time together in the very romantic city of Venice.
The heroine for her part, has also suppressed her love for the hero – or had conflated it with the danger she felt with his brother. This is only cleared up when she actually sees the brother again at her wedding and remembers everything (which she doesn’t tell the hero). Now that she has uncoupled the hero from the brother in her mind, she quickly and easily falls for the hero again even though he is at turns loving and then moody and angry. Love and danger are definitely conflated in her mind as well as sexual excitement.
So this is a mess. Our Devil’s Advocate hero is still judging the heroine – and he still follows the same pattern when he witnesses his brother mauling the heroine and thinks it’s consensual. He won’t listen and storms back to England, leaving the heroine alone in Venice.
Luckily, there is a rich old dowager “The Principessa” who takes her in and soothes her while the heroine tries to figure out what to do next. And here’s where there is yet another layer in this story. What married women have to say about marriage.
The first older married women introduced in the story is the younger sister’s prospective mother-in-law. She visits the heroine to get a sense of what the heroine thinks of her sister marrying. She knows of the sister’s reputation and that of their mother. She has a very pragmatic view, however. Marriage is a crapshoot - you can’t know until you’re in it how it’s going to work. Maybe the sister will settle down. Maybe not. But they should give it a try.
The second married woman to air her philosophy of marriage is The Principessa. She thinks that the heroine should tell the hero everything – about the brother, about her love for him.
'Then you should,' she said briskly. 'Dare a little. Is it so hard? No one else can do it for you—-and after all, what can happen? At worst, you get hurt. You get bruised.'
The heroine is understandably reluctant, since the hero was so awful to her when he left. I love that line about no one being able to do it for you, btw. This heroine needs to buck up.
The third married woman to help is the woman the h thought was an OW. But no, she is The Principessa’s granddaughter. The H arranged a ransom for her husband from some terrorists and she was grateful to him and that’s why she kissed him. Heroine didn’t know anything about it. This married woman thinks the heroine should approach the hero as if this is an ordinary quarrel and not the end of everything. (Basically – get over yourself).
And finally, some more religious imagery: the heroine visits a church again and for the second time the author quotes this line:
I am God… not slow to punish a fault, but at hand to aid those who waver…
The heroine does seek out the hero. She does explain her side of the story and they have a full chapter really talking. The hero does grovel. They have their HEA – but it’s hard won and understanding comes very, very late in the story.
The hero is not very likeable. The heroine is a wavering mass of jelly – especially at beginning with her odious sister. But my goodness, is this story compelling. Give it a whirl if you want to see how the author explored some of these issues. It might make you mad, but it will also make you think.
Rapey brother is "banished" from the kingdom - but never comes to any kind of justice. Be warned if you're looking for justice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2022
3.5-star ***SPOILERS***
My 1st James book.
MEH & the GOOD:
Good emotion overall/dialogue/overall evocative writing. The romance developed & had some angst after 75% so the book was better & tighter towards the last 75%. Liked the full explanations H&h gave re: their misunderstandings & secret feelings & misjudgments in the end of the book so their HEA was believable & possible & somewhat excused H basically raping h on their 2nd day of marriage when he got mad at her. Liked H’s long-time obsession with h but not his quick & cruel judgment of her as being like her seductive mother. ok S chem. S scenes were described in a more general way & not overly detailed around 65%.
The BAD:
Writing wasn’t tight re: 25yo h's selective amnesia so was unclear until about 70% & thus made h’s character/emotions/romance seem bipolar. In a few scenes, h would declare that she was in love with H for years and then switch to being scared of him & not remembering him that clearly. What made it unromantic (and thus a half-star off) was h mistaking him for his brother, when she saw him again 10 years later. H wasn't masked or changed in his appearance. She saw him again clearly in his well-lit office. Yet, she confused him for his brother during their 30-minute meeting. What made it worse (and insulting to H) was that 20yo H was her BF from their summer in Scotland when she was 15yo and his younger brother almost raped her towards the end of that summer, if not for H coming in her room. H's bro was currently blackmailing her younger sis into an affair with him if she squealed re: the money both H's younger bro & h's younger sis were embezzling from H's dad’s firm’s elderly clients). h's trauma from H's bro almost raping her coupled with getting a phone call re: her mom's impending death & other stressors was a weak excuse for h's deliberate selective amnesia re: her romance with H. It made her look psychologically weak overall. H raped h the day after their wedding because he was mad & jealous.
Sexual History:
25yo h was a virgin on her wedding night with H. After the fallout of her brief summer fling with H when she was 15 & her fuzzy memory about it which she liked to keep fuzzy, she didn’t date & devoted her life helping her flashy younger sister out and working. 30Yo H was pleasantly surprised that h was still a virgin with him since she caught her in bed with her younger bro 10 years ago & thought they’d been secretly having an affair then while he was romancing her. H dated and smexxed many women in the past 10 years to get over h but it didn't work. He proposed an MOC with h with a promise of separate rooms & no touching but the promise was broken their wedding night.
My 1st James book.
MEH & the GOOD:
Good emotion overall/dialogue/overall evocative writing. The romance developed & had some angst after 75% so the book was better & tighter towards the last 75%. Liked the full explanations H&h gave re: their misunderstandings & secret feelings & misjudgments in the end of the book so their HEA was believable & possible & somewhat excused H basically raping h on their 2nd day of marriage when he got mad at her. Liked H’s long-time obsession with h but not his quick & cruel judgment of her as being like her seductive mother. ok S chem. S scenes were described in a more general way & not overly detailed around 65%.
The BAD:
Writing wasn’t tight re: 25yo h's selective amnesia so was unclear until about 70% & thus made h’s character/emotions/romance seem bipolar. In a few scenes, h would declare that she was in love with H for years and then switch to being scared of him & not remembering him that clearly. What made it unromantic (and thus a half-star off) was h mistaking him for his brother, when she saw him again 10 years later. H wasn't masked or changed in his appearance. She saw him again clearly in his well-lit office. Yet, she confused him for his brother during their 30-minute meeting. What made it worse (and insulting to H) was that 20yo H was her BF from their summer in Scotland when she was 15yo and his younger brother almost raped her towards the end of that summer, if not for H coming in her room. H's bro was currently blackmailing her younger sis into an affair with him if she squealed re: the money both H's younger bro & h's younger sis were embezzling from H's dad’s firm’s elderly clients). h's trauma from H's bro almost raping her coupled with getting a phone call re: her mom's impending death & other stressors was a weak excuse for h's deliberate selective amnesia re: her romance with H. It made her look psychologically weak overall. H raped h the day after their wedding because he was mad & jealous.
Sexual History:
25yo h was a virgin on her wedding night with H. After the fallout of her brief summer fling with H when she was 15 & her fuzzy memory about it which she liked to keep fuzzy, she didn’t date & devoted her life helping her flashy younger sister out and working. 30Yo H was pleasantly surprised that h was still a virgin with him since she caught her in bed with her younger bro 10 years ago & thought they’d been secretly having an affair then while he was romancing her. H dated and smexxed many women in the past 10 years to get over h but it didn't work. He proposed an MOC with h with a promise of separate rooms & no touching but the promise was broken their wedding night.
October 12, 2012
This was just awful and I loved almost every minute of it. It's one of those books that you could use as an example of everything wrong with older romance novels: sexism, spousal rape, slut-shaming, and other great s words. But it's got angst up the wazoo, supported by unusually good writing: the heroine-only pov is masterfully done, the love scenes are exquisite, and the end brings out such a great character arc for Luisa that I could almost forgive the fact that Julius doesn't suffer nearly enough to make up for what an asshat he was. A must read for Harlequin Presents fans.
July 12, 2024
Oh my heart. Freaking phenomenal. I’m forever indebted to my sweet GR friends for leaving this treasure on my feed!! And a good while since I’d taken an escape worth it’s time. Finally it ended but it whetted each and every insatiable tendon of my soul. What can I say.. I am jelly.
This is a seriously well written book with intense angst and very real characters. The chemistry of the MCs is burning and if you’re having a lonely day, it’d prolly burn you a little too. A bittersweet retelling of very passionate love from your past where you give away your heart to never really get it back.
The h is a sweet girl in charge of her spoiled 20 yr old sister. She’s taken for a ride when the sister comes to her for help after she plays around with the accounts at her workplace to steal some money. This workplace is run by their long standing wealthy family friends and there is ugly blood between the sisters and the boss. Eventually the h is left no choice but to go begging to them to let her vicious sister go free.
There is a huge spoiler (I was stunned) when the h realizes she’d been barking up the wrong tree all this while. She’s eventually at the mercy of the only man who hates her more than she could ever love him.
The H is the stuff of absolute dreams. He loves the h with a passion but can’t get over the past and so he must be ruthless in his pursuit of her. He plays dirty but he can barely take a step without unfurling and letting his deep passionate love for her take over.
There is much deception involved by their own families but I loved how the MCs don’t give up. They fight back until they’re back in each other’s arms... Was just so so good. Have to check mark all the dreamy boxes of my shelf. A keeper for life!!
Will also add - huge spoiler- that he marries her despite all, including the hostage exchange he was involved in, so if he lost on life, at least she’d be provided for. His wealth would protect her for life.
Think I’ve died and gone to heaven …
This is a seriously well written book with intense angst and very real characters. The chemistry of the MCs is burning and if you’re having a lonely day, it’d prolly burn you a little too. A bittersweet retelling of very passionate love from your past where you give away your heart to never really get it back.
The h is a sweet girl in charge of her spoiled 20 yr old sister. She’s taken for a ride when the sister comes to her for help after she plays around with the accounts at her workplace to steal some money. This workplace is run by their long standing wealthy family friends and there is ugly blood between the sisters and the boss. Eventually the h is left no choice but to go begging to them to let her vicious sister go free.
There is a huge spoiler (I was stunned) when the h realizes she’d been barking up the wrong tree all this while. She’s eventually at the mercy of the only man who hates her more than she could ever love him.
The H is the stuff of absolute dreams. He loves the h with a passion but can’t get over the past and so he must be ruthless in his pursuit of her. He plays dirty but he can barely take a step without unfurling and letting his deep passionate love for her take over.
There is much deception involved by their own families but I loved how the MCs don’t give up. They fight back until they’re back in each other’s arms... Was just so so good. Have to check mark all the dreamy boxes of my shelf. A keeper for life!!
Will also add - huge spoiler- that he marries her despite all, including the hostage exchange he was involved in, so if he lost on life, at least she’d be provided for. His wealth would protect her for life.
Think I’ve died and gone to heaven …
December 15, 2015
Fun old school HP. Here's another blind hero who is too stupid to figure out just what he's looking at. But that's the carousel that HPs revolve on. This has a bit of amnesia lite. The heroine has a bit of wilfull forgetfulness that drives the plot. Also the hero is a total asshat. Sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered.
October 16, 2012
If you love your Harlequin's to be filled with angst, intensity and passion, then this one might be for you. However, be forewarned that the hero makes two very dreadful, unforgivable mistakes. Mistakes, that in my opinion lessened him as a hero and made him not worthy of the heroine's love. ....To make matters worse, the big scene where he is supposed to grovel (and would have made everything all right for me) ended up with the heroine apologizing and doing all the groveling.
I think we all secretly love a "Knight in Shining Armor"....I know, I do. So I am always a bit disappointed in a romance, when the hero just doesn't make the grade. Which is why I settled on 3 stars rather than 5!
So if you think you can overlook this hero's mistakes, then I would highly suggest this page turner.
I think we all secretly love a "Knight in Shining Armor"....I know, I do. So I am always a bit disappointed in a romance, when the hero just doesn't make the grade. Which is why I settled on 3 stars rather than 5!
So if you think you can overlook this hero's mistakes, then I would highly suggest this page turner.
November 10, 2015
Wow what a great little story! It was a little much that his creepy brother kit kept trying to get with her. Also, how she was happy when he practically rapes her. However for passion and obsession it get a 5 star. The end were he says he want her to have his baby to feel it move. Omg I am butter and I am melting. Just a great original story.
October 12, 2020
The past stood between them
Ten years ago marriage to Julius Morrell would have promised Luisa a golden, sunlit future, she loved him so much, Now it only guaranteed her sister's freedom and a future filled with uncertainty for Luisa.
For she was overwhelmed by memories too long denied... of Scotland on an eternal afternoon, of first love--the strongest and the best--and of things too painful to remember even now.
And Julius was blinded by thoughts of revenge that seemed to overshadow the silent promise they'd once shared
Ten years ago marriage to Julius Morrell would have promised Luisa a golden, sunlit future, she loved him so much, Now it only guaranteed her sister's freedom and a future filled with uncertainty for Luisa.
For she was overwhelmed by memories too long denied... of Scotland on an eternal afternoon, of first love--the strongest and the best--and of things too painful to remember even now.
And Julius was blinded by thoughts of revenge that seemed to overshadow the silent promise they'd once shared
September 8, 2023
Not sure what to say. Excellent writing, developed characters, strong emotional connections.
Something to consider is that the h was 15 - 15! - when she met the H and they fell in love. He's been wracked with guilt because of her mother and anger because he thinks she slept with/made out wit his brother and probably other men. He had intended to marry her and part of his anger is that she dumped him. Guy! Wise up. A 15 year old girl rarely has the capability or maturity to truly love. Any of us that raised teenagers knows that the operative word is FICKLE. They can't commit to their lipstick much less to a guy to last all time.
This h did truly love and truly committed herself to H but she is the rarity that I doubt we see outside of fiction.
Dislike the H, a horrible man, eaten with guilt and determined to change love to hate, the selfish, never satisfied sister and mooching father, disgusting brother and the h who still loves H, wants to shield sister, gives last dime to user father and sister.
The h isn’t exactly a doormat but so injured and so responsible she can’t stop H and sister hurting her. She finally makes H stop, shut up and listen, but it takes over 175 pages to get there.
Please can we have HP where h inflicts tough love on whiny, demanding family?
Something to consider is that the h was 15 - 15! - when she met the H and they fell in love. He's been wracked with guilt because of her mother and anger because he thinks she slept with/made out wit his brother and probably other men. He had intended to marry her and part of his anger is that she dumped him. Guy! Wise up. A 15 year old girl rarely has the capability or maturity to truly love. Any of us that raised teenagers knows that the operative word is FICKLE. They can't commit to their lipstick much less to a guy to last all time.
This h did truly love and truly committed herself to H but she is the rarity that I doubt we see outside of fiction.
Dislike the H, a horrible man, eaten with guilt and determined to change love to hate, the selfish, never satisfied sister and mooching father, disgusting brother and the h who still loves H, wants to shield sister, gives last dime to user father and sister.
The h isn’t exactly a doormat but so injured and so responsible she can’t stop H and sister hurting her. She finally makes H stop, shut up and listen, but it takes over 175 pages to get there.
Please can we have HP where h inflicts tough love on whiny, demanding family?
August 24, 2012
I ended up liking this one a lot better than I thought. I would've even given it 5 stars if not for the inplausibility of one of the major premises of the book. The story is about an enabling h who's trying to save her sister from her own actions. She ultimately ends up in the clutches of the H, who happens to be part of a family that was caused hardships by the h's mother so there's a long standing family feud of sorts.
In addition to a lot of old grudges, there's a lot of angst and hostility as well as the ol' lack of communication that keeps things interesting. The story had some events that took me totally by surprise. Others I saw coming but it wasn't a bad thing, necessarily. I picked up on little cues from the H that fit with what was said in the end instead of coming out of left field, leaving us struggling to believe what he says as true, as is often the case. And everything was tied up nicely at the end...just look the other way when it comes to that little implausible plot point.
In addition to a lot of old grudges, there's a lot of angst and hostility as well as the ol' lack of communication that keeps things interesting. The story had some events that took me totally by surprise. Others I saw coming but it wasn't a bad thing, necessarily. I picked up on little cues from the H that fit with what was said in the end instead of coming out of left field, leaving us struggling to believe what he says as true, as is often the case. And everything was tied up nicely at the end...just look the other way when it comes to that little implausible plot point.
June 11, 2016
She was judged for the sins of her mother rather than her own character which was the exact opposite of her parents. She was kind, selfless and was taken advantage of by just about everyone. I couldn't believe how selfish her younger sister was or what a conniving creepy bastard her brother in law was but I didn't expect the husband to be such an idiot.
July 12, 2016
justin n luisa were both very much in love wid each other but each time, the evil other brother appeared n snatched their happiness away ! he hated them all n dat was his way of getting back at them!! justin also let their past taint the present. i mean he too was bitter n hated luisa's mother. but he fell in love wid their nemesis's daughter. poor luisa never got over him n after 10years, she was still a virgin or maybe it was the traumatic experience she had wid kit!? the book cud have been better. a lil more logic n some grovelling wud have made a world of difference! gud one neway, if u like ur books filled wid angst ;)
January 27, 2022
I guess it’s time to add a “rapey” shelf.
April 24, 2022
Well written but story did not work for me and I found the MC somewhat bland.
November 14, 2020
Pure vintage, yummy.
November 20, 2014
I liked it, I suppose. Not as angsty as I'd hoped (and I do love my angst). Since the hero was 22 and the heroine was only 15 when they fell in love and it ended soon after, I kinda think it was more on his shoulders that they were separated for 10 years. I mean, it would've helped if he wasn't so eager to see her as the skank that her mother was.
will-not-read
May 17, 2022The Devil's Advocate ... NOT a book I will ever read. I determined this from the reviews I read and I have to say, they turned my stomach at what nearly every other review said. This is something I cannot abide by and refuse to support any author who thinks this is considered even remotely to be "romantic". Rape is never EVER romantic.
August 14, 2013
This is extremely well written. The writing is extremely descriptive and elaborate. Hero was super cruel though and my heart broke for the heroine.
March 7, 2023
For me the writing style here wasn’t exactly the best nor consistent with the rest. Grammar syntax didn’t always flow right, too. Too wordy at times leaving a simple sentence & thoughts kind of strange. A lot could have been revised here, making a smooth read & clearer sentences for the best. Lost a star…
Moreover, it was obvious that the author attempted suspense, but too bad she mostly did not succeed. Instead of creating intrigue, she earned my growing impatient & frustration. VG kept hinting of a past relationship between MCs without fully giving us the fine details. That dragged on unnecessarily. Lost another star…
The story itself feel all over the place——-from present time to the brief, very brief but repeated mentions of their childhood relationship taking place in Scotland. So, basically, now the heroine ‘realized’ that she used to love the hero. Ok, now we know that too. Then what happened? We need significant details to feel for these lost souls. Her actions doesn’t comply with her words, same for him too. Colored me confused because the more I read the more tedious it only served. Neither party was nearly intriguing at this point, really.
As a reader, I expect to be invest, here I just couldn’t. Have VG curbed her suspense line early, it would helped give a base. Unfortunately, the angst, the chemistry was unlit. Lost another star, lost a thousand good feels!!!!
(Honestly, have I not read the reviews here prior to reading, I wouldn’t even know she had some slight memory loss. Actually, I still don’t know what the heroine suffers because I DNF. I believed holding on until 3/4 of the book, her condition & their past was still a mystery to the reader…)
Moreover, it was obvious that the author attempted suspense, but too bad she mostly did not succeed. Instead of creating intrigue, she earned my growing impatient & frustration. VG kept hinting of a past relationship between MCs without fully giving us the fine details. That dragged on unnecessarily. Lost another star…
The story itself feel all over the place——-from present time to the brief, very brief but repeated mentions of their childhood relationship taking place in Scotland. So, basically, now the heroine ‘realized’ that she used to love the hero. Ok, now we know that too. Then what happened? We need significant details to feel for these lost souls. Her actions doesn’t comply with her words, same for him too. Colored me confused because the more I read the more tedious it only served. Neither party was nearly intriguing at this point, really.
As a reader, I expect to be invest, here I just couldn’t. Have VG curbed her suspense line early, it would helped give a base. Unfortunately, the angst, the chemistry was unlit. Lost another star, lost a thousand good feels!!!!
(Honestly, have I not read the reviews here prior to reading, I wouldn’t even know she had some slight memory loss. Actually, I still don’t know what the heroine suffers because I DNF. I believed holding on until 3/4 of the book, her condition & their past was still a mystery to the reader…)
May 22, 2023
Come for VJs writing ability, stay for her lovely, romantic depiction of Venice, draw a bit of a veil over the creaky plot. The H, Julius is a swoon worthy barrister with lashings of cruelty if you like that vintage sort. Luisa, our self sacrificing, frozen h, product of a mother everyone throughout the story sucks their teeth over despite her much painted beauty, sister to a younger, selfish, easily led sister. She, Julius and his younger brother Kit have History. It's all a bit muddy (apparently she repressed a near rape, but this is only clear well into the story). Julius has never forgiven her from when he caught her seemingly in flagrante (like mother like daughter - not helped by mother having had a damaging affair with Hs father). Cue some office embezzlement and a forced marriage. This alternated between lavish scene setting and whackola emotional outbursts and culminated in melodrama and explanations that were a bit overblown for my taste. Nevertheless, a decent read.
March 8, 2025
I just down graded this book to 4 stars because after an overnight contemplation I could not move past the fact that the Hero treated the heroine unforgivably because he believed she had encouraged the brother. This is unbelievable as the Hero is supposedly highly intelligent and he knew that his brother was a cheat and a low life; the heroine was distraught, covered in blood and had obviously been assaulted. He was pretty dim-witted and dumb in his summations and reactions and his treatment of the heroine. Other than that this was a well-written story filled with angst and drama which I love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2023
Emotional, beautiful, romantic and angsty with a gorgeous but tortured hero ( of fantasy proportions) and his passion/hatred for the beautiful girl he fell in love with as a teenager but who he lost through the evil machinations of others. Specularly set in Venice.
March 16, 2019
This had potential but the h didn't have enough pride and the H was a stupid jerk while the groveling/makeup part was very unsatisfactory.
December 19, 2021
Troppo carino!!
November 12, 2023
Old reads
October 17, 2012
Yay -- I love an over-the-top angsty reunion story! It's true that the hero didn't quite grovel enough at the end given the terrible things he'd done, but I thought the author did a nice job along the way of letting us know how the hero felt. Some great gut-wrenching moments -- a little melodramatic, but I think I like that in an HP. Overall, I really liked this one!
July 25, 2015
26 روايات أحلام
نداء المستحيل، فانيسا جايمس
نداء المستحيل، فانيسا جايمس
Want to read
August 4, 2017Dear God having read some of the reviews below... no never want this book in my head. Yuck
Read
December 6, 2017El Abogado Del Diablo (Spanish Version)
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