What do you think?
Rate this book
Un matrimonio inatteso
Stretta al suo peggior nemico... Quando il cancello della prigione si apre di fronte a lei, Beth Lazenby si ripromette di gettarsi il passato alle spalle. Quest'illusione dura però solo fino a quando non si trova nuovamente a tu per tu con lo spietato avvocato che ha contribuito alla sua ingiusta condanna di qualche anno prima. Ancora convinto della colpa di Beth, Stefano Conti resta di stucco quando la propria rabbia si trasforma in passione, e si scopre intenzionato a non lasciarsi scappare quella donna per nessuna ragione al mondo. Ma di fronte a una proposta di matrimonio che assomiglia più a un ordine che a una richiesta, riuscirà Beth a dimostrargli la propria innocenza?
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
64 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Baird
277 books258 followersJacqueline Baird was born on the 1st of April at home in a small village Northumbria, England, UK, where she raised. She went to the local village school, and later an all-girls' grammar school where she passed the University of Oxford General Certificate of Education in various subjects. On leaving school she joined the civil service in the then Post Office department.
She met her husband Jim, when she was only eighteen. Eight years later, after working as a hotel receptionist in a five-star hotel in Scotland and traveling abroad for a few years, she came home and married him. They still live in Northumbria and have two grown sons.
Her number one love is writing. She has always been an avid reader, and she had her first success as a writer at the age of eleven, when she won the first prize in the Nature Diary of the Year competition at school. But she always felt a little guilty because her diary was more fiction than fact. Apart from a spell as a hopeful painter in oils, when she actually did have a painting accepted for the Federation of Northern Artists' annual exhibition her real passion was for romance novels. When her sons went to school all day she thought she would try writing one. Jacqueline Baird's been writing for Mills & Boon since 1988, and she still gets a thrill every time a new book is published.
When Jacqueline is not busy writing she likes to spend her time traveling, reading and playing cards. She was a keen sailor until a knee injury ended her sailing days, but she still enjoys swimming in the sea. She visits a gym twice a week now and has made the surprising discovery that she gets some good ideas while doing the mind-numbingly boring exercises on the cycling and weight machines.
She met her husband Jim, when she was only eighteen. Eight years later, after working as a hotel receptionist in a five-star hotel in Scotland and traveling abroad for a few years, she came home and married him. They still live in Northumbria and have two grown sons.
Her number one love is writing. She has always been an avid reader, and she had her first success as a writer at the age of eleven, when she won the first prize in the Nature Diary of the Year competition at school. But she always felt a little guilty because her diary was more fiction than fact. Apart from a spell as a hopeful painter in oils, when she actually did have a painting accepted for the Federation of Northern Artists' annual exhibition her real passion was for romance novels. When her sons went to school all day she thought she would try writing one. Jacqueline Baird's been writing for Mills & Boon since 1988, and she still gets a thrill every time a new book is published.
When Jacqueline is not busy writing she likes to spend her time traveling, reading and playing cards. She was a keen sailor until a knee injury ended her sailing days, but she still enjoys swimming in the sea. She visits a gym twice a week now and has made the surprising discovery that she gets some good ideas while doing the mind-numbingly boring exercises on the cycling and weight machines.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 19, 2022
Reread-sadly still disappointing. Heroine has rocks in her head.
Original review:
Oh, dear. Talk about tepid. The set up was fine. Hero is a hot shot lawyer who put the framed-on-drug-charges heroine away for three years. She got out after 18 months, changed her name and hair color and went on with her life. Four years later she runs into the hero again at his half-brother's party. He doesn't remember her, but he's so attracted he dumps his fiance and runs a background check on her. He realizes who she is - so in order to keep his half-brother safe he threatens to expose her.
So far so good. Threats are good. Blackmail is better. Hatred and lust check and check.
And then . . .
Virgin heroine has sex with him - this is after two meetings and the hero being nothing but insulting. Sorry - no one has that much pull.
And here are the rest of the shocking events. All shocks are sarcastic.
Heroine is pregnant- shock.
Heroine doesn't want money or marriage from the H - shock.
Heroine marries hero - shock.
Heroine has miscarriage - shock
Heroine sends hero away - shock
Hero finds out heroine was innocent - double shock.
Hero grovels - I can't even be sarcastic shocked because his grovel was so lame.
Heroine forgives and is full of joy - shock.
Baby epilogue - shock.
I know I'm a jaded HP reader, but come on. Half of the fun is watching the heroine stand firm against a railroading alpha who has finally met his match. Not here - the heroine is a lamb to slaughter the minute she went to bed with him. She didn't even hold his guilt over his head at the end.
Usually JB can write a lot of intense emotions but not in this story. Even the drama of the miscarriage was understated. Guess I'll re-read some of her vintage stuff to get my angst and revenge fix.
Original review:
Oh, dear. Talk about tepid. The set up was fine. Hero is a hot shot lawyer who put the framed-on-drug-charges heroine away for three years. She got out after 18 months, changed her name and hair color and went on with her life. Four years later she runs into the hero again at his half-brother's party. He doesn't remember her, but he's so attracted he dumps his fiance and runs a background check on her. He realizes who she is - so in order to keep his half-brother safe he threatens to expose her.
So far so good. Threats are good. Blackmail is better. Hatred and lust check and check.
And then . . .
Virgin heroine has sex with him - this is after two meetings and the hero being nothing but insulting. Sorry - no one has that much pull.
And here are the rest of the shocking events. All shocks are sarcastic.
Heroine is pregnant- shock.
Heroine doesn't want money or marriage from the H - shock.
Heroine marries hero - shock.
Heroine has miscarriage - shock
Heroine sends hero away - shock
Hero finds out heroine was innocent - double shock.
Hero grovels - I can't even be sarcastic shocked because his grovel was so lame.
Heroine forgives and is full of joy - shock.
Baby epilogue - shock.
I know I'm a jaded HP reader, but come on. Half of the fun is watching the heroine stand firm against a railroading alpha who has finally met his match. Not here - the heroine is a lamb to slaughter the minute she went to bed with him. She didn't even hold his guilt over his head at the end.
Usually JB can write a lot of intense emotions but not in this story. Even the drama of the miscarriage was understated. Guess I'll re-read some of her vintage stuff to get my angst and revenge fix.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2015
I don't know what's wrong with me. I read this because it was advertised as a serious wallbanger. It was up until the halfway mark when they married and he was a decent husband and so forth. After that, it was pretty boring. I think my threshold for crazy has gotten way out of control. I either need counseling or I need to go off HPs for a while.
March 2, 2013
Worst. Hero. Ever.
If I could truly hate a fictional man, this'd be the one.
He steals over a year of her life by prosecuting her in a case where she was pretty obviously set up. When they see each other again, he's attracted to her, but threatens to ruin her life and the lives of INNOCENT people she cares for unless she stays away from his half-brother. Never mind that they weren't even dating or anything.
In the act of intimidation, he forces himself on her. Does she give in? Yes, but AFTER she tries to push him away several times. Pretty borderline - or beyond.
In his rush to take her, he not only finds out that she's a virgin, he also 'forgets' to use protection - so she ends up pregnant.
So now comes the blackmail... 'I'll sue for full custody if you don't marry me'. ugh.
After a miscarriage, they go their separate ways. He attends some sort of alumni dinner, where he finds out that the boy who set up the innocent teenage girl turned out to be guilty all along, and has now confessed to the dirty deed - almost 10 years later.
THEN this a-hole realizes she's not the horrible person he first knew, and he goes back to her - heart in hand. AND SHE TAKES HIM BACK!?
Ugh. I can't believe I read this whole book.
I'm sure it suits some readers, but definitely not me.
If I could truly hate a fictional man, this'd be the one.
He steals over a year of her life by prosecuting her in a case where she was pretty obviously set up. When they see each other again, he's attracted to her, but threatens to ruin her life and the lives of INNOCENT people she cares for unless she stays away from his half-brother. Never mind that they weren't even dating or anything.
In the act of intimidation, he forces himself on her. Does she give in? Yes, but AFTER she tries to push him away several times. Pretty borderline - or beyond.
In his rush to take her, he not only finds out that she's a virgin, he also 'forgets' to use protection - so she ends up pregnant.
So now comes the blackmail... 'I'll sue for full custody if you don't marry me'. ugh.
After a miscarriage, they go their separate ways. He attends some sort of alumni dinner, where he finds out that the boy who set up the innocent teenage girl turned out to be guilty all along, and has now confessed to the dirty deed - almost 10 years later.
THEN this a-hole realizes she's not the horrible person he first knew, and he goes back to her - heart in hand. AND SHE TAKES HIM BACK!?
Ugh. I can't believe I read this whole book.
I'm sure it suits some readers, but definitely not me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2015
Loved the angst and the chemistry between hero and heroine. My only problem was the ending was too short. They deserved more happiness after what they went through especially poor heroine!
June 30, 2021
Dnf @53% an absolute shitshow🥱
March 24, 2013
3.5 stars
Jane has been an innocent 19 y old when she was wrongly convicted to 3 y of prison as a drug dealer. Dante was the lawyer who presented her to the jury as a heartless femme fatale who uses her beauty to lure young men to their doom. But Jane is not a pushover. When she got out of prison, she continued with her life becoming Beth, a successful accountant in London.
8 years later, she has the misfortune of meeting Dante again and its not a surprise that she still hates him after all these years.Their attraction is instantaneous. But he thinks she is a gold-digger after his young brother' s money. A little investigation reveals to him who she really is.
Dante is arrogant and domineering when he is not a judgmental jerk . He uses blackmail and threats to get what he wants. Near the end, he has a not quite successful character transplantation. But I m glad to say that, when he discovers that all these years he had wronged Beth, he doesn't hesitate to grovel and ask for her forgiveness. But a little grovel at the end didn't help my sky- high blood pressure.. much.
Jane has been an innocent 19 y old when she was wrongly convicted to 3 y of prison as a drug dealer. Dante was the lawyer who presented her to the jury as a heartless femme fatale who uses her beauty to lure young men to their doom. But Jane is not a pushover. When she got out of prison, she continued with her life becoming Beth, a successful accountant in London.
8 years later, she has the misfortune of meeting Dante again and its not a surprise that she still hates him after all these years.Their attraction is instantaneous. But he thinks she is a gold-digger after his young brother' s money. A little investigation reveals to him who she really is.
Dante is arrogant and domineering when he is not a judgmental jerk . He uses blackmail and threats to get what he wants. Near the end, he has a not quite successful character transplantation. But I m glad to say that, when he discovers that all these years he had wronged Beth, he doesn't hesitate to grovel and ask for her forgiveness. But a little grovel at the end didn't help my sky- high blood pressure.. much.
July 16, 2014
I finished the book more than 48 hours ago and I still feel very conflicted.
September 15, 2025
Despite the title aggressive suggestion: the MMC is not ruthless brick of a man who confiscates the woman's freedom because he knows better than her. Sure he's a bit of an asshole, an alpha one but not a bulldozer.
Also: The title and blurb suggested that FMC was kinda bought or her virginity was compromised which was never the case. She slept with him willingly and married him within good reason.
The novel was more like Pride and Prejudice in a way because he was the lawyer who got her in prison for Drug Dealing (she was innocent) but couldn't prove it due to her young age and useless lawyer. So when they met years later they had simmering hatred and a lot of prejudice between them.
Checking the square of a Romance published between 2010 and 2019 in my Bingo Challenge.
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68⭕┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10⭕┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14⭕┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42⭕┃29⭕┃ 24┃92⭕┃ 82┃1⭕
100┃34⭕┃17⭕┃96┃43⭕┃49┃64⭕┃70┃15⭕┃38⭕
84┃31⭕┃ 62⭕┃7⭕┃21┃73┃28┃46⭕┃90┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74⭕┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58⭕
57⭕┃94┃ 16⭕┃56┃ 5⭕┃60⭕┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48⭕┃ 79⭕┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36⭕┃89⭕┃ 33⭕
71⭕┃19⭕┃ 39⭕┃66⭕┃ 55┃27⭕┃ 20⭕┃63┃ 11┃83
Also: The title and blurb suggested that FMC was kinda bought or her virginity was compromised which was never the case. She slept with him willingly and married him within good reason.
The novel was more like Pride and Prejudice in a way because he was the lawyer who got her in prison for Drug Dealing (she was innocent) but couldn't prove it due to her young age and useless lawyer. So when they met years later they had simmering hatred and a lot of prejudice between them.
Checking the square of a Romance published between 2010 and 2019 in my Bingo Challenge.
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68⭕┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10⭕┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14⭕┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42⭕┃29⭕┃ 24┃92⭕┃ 82┃1⭕
100┃34⭕┃17⭕┃96┃43⭕┃49┃64⭕┃70┃15⭕┃38⭕
84┃31⭕┃ 62⭕┃7⭕┃21┃73┃28┃46⭕┃90┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74⭕┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58⭕
57⭕┃94┃ 16⭕┃56┃ 5⭕┃60⭕┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48⭕┃ 79⭕┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36⭕┃89⭕┃ 33⭕
71⭕┃19⭕┃ 39⭕┃66⭕┃ 55┃27⭕┃ 20⭕┃63┃ 11┃83
March 11, 2019
Έχω διαβάσει και έχω διαβάσει χάλια βιβλία. Και δη χάλια άρλεκιν. Αλλά αυτό ήταν ένα από τα πιο trash άρλεκιν που έχω διαβάσει ever! Η αλήθεια είναι ότι είχα διαβάσει πολλές κριτικές για αυτό το βιβλίο πριν το διαβάσω. Και είπα αφού το βρήκα ας το διαβάσω για να δω πόσο χάλια είναι. Τελικά είναι τόσο χάλια.
Ο ήρωας μ*****ς με όλη την έννοια της λέξης. Όση εξωτερική ομορφιά έχει, τόσο μυαλό και ευγένεια του λείπουν του φίλου μας. Τι σόι δικηγόρος είναι αυτός και μάλιστα μεγάλο-δικηγόρος που δεν μελετάει καλά τα στοιχεία του και αντικειμενικά πριν καταδικάσει κάποιον; Να χαίρεσαι τα πτυχία σου αγόρι μου! 😒🤦♀️🤢 Μεγάλο-δικηγόροι της πλάκας.
Η ηρωίδα τραβάτε με και ας κλαίω. Ενώ ήξερε ότι δεν έπρεπε να κάνει κάποια πράγματα και να μείνει μακριά και να προχωρήσει την όμορφη ζωούλα της, αυτή στο τέλος κατέληγε να κάνει βλακείες (για να το πω πιο όμορφα). Τόσο αφελής, τόσο ηλίθια. 🤦♀️
P.S.: Ευτυχώς δεν το αγόρασα αυτό το βιβλίο και το βρήκα online γιατί τώρα θα τα έκλαιγα με μαύρο δάκρυ τα λεφτά μου.
Ο ήρωας μ*****ς με όλη την έννοια της λέξης. Όση εξωτερική ομορφιά έχει, τόσο μυαλό και ευγένεια του λείπουν του φίλου μας. Τι σόι δικηγόρος είναι αυτός και μάλιστα μεγάλο-δικηγόρος που δεν μελετάει καλά τα στοιχεία του και αντικειμενικά πριν καταδικάσει κάποιον; Να χαίρεσαι τα πτυχία σου αγόρι μου! 😒🤦♀️🤢 Μεγάλο-δικηγόροι της πλάκας.
Η ηρωίδα τραβάτε με και ας κλαίω. Ενώ ήξερε ότι δεν έπρεπε να κάνει κάποια πράγματα και να μείνει μακριά και να προχωρήσει την όμορφη ζωούλα της, αυτή στο τέλος κατέληγε να κάνει βλακείες (για να το πω πιο όμορφα). Τόσο αφελής, τόσο ηλίθια. 🤦♀️
P.S.: Ευτυχώς δεν το αγόρασα αυτό το βιβλίο και το βρήκα online γιατί τώρα θα τα έκλαιγα με μαύρο δάκρυ τα λεφτά μου.
November 30, 2016
Ella estuvo presa un año y medio porque unos narcos le pusieron una trampa. El abogado que la manda a la cárcel, no sólo por pruebas sino por puro prejuicio, es el protagonista de la novela.
*Sighs*
Por lo menos esta autora no decayó en ningún momento, sus heroínas siempre fueron esa mezcla de mujer que querés matar y a la vez le tenés lástima. Todo lo contrario a Lynne Graham, que viene en picada desde hace mucho.
Este tipo de historias, generalmente, terminan en Caso Cerrado o en Investigation Discovery. No puedo imaginar una protagonista que sufra tanto, el aborto del final es totalmente innecesario y las últimas páginas parecen hechas a las apuradas porque ya no quedaba espacio. Pésimo plot.
*Sighs*
Por lo menos esta autora no decayó en ningún momento, sus heroínas siempre fueron esa mezcla de mujer que querés matar y a la vez le tenés lástima. Todo lo contrario a Lynne Graham, que viene en picada desde hace mucho.
Este tipo de historias, generalmente, terminan en Caso Cerrado o en Investigation Discovery. No puedo imaginar una protagonista que sufra tanto, el aborto del final es totalmente innecesario y las últimas páginas parecen hechas a las apuradas porque ya no quedaba espacio. Pésimo plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2017
Initially, the plot sounded similar to The Judas Kiss with the h wrongly sent to prison after being set up as a drug dealer and the H was responsible for putting her away. I was rubbing my hands because this setup just screams with the promise of angst. That other book, the Judas Kiss, was seriously a trainwreck of crazy with a heroine completely obsessed with getting revenge. She got plastic surgery and went straight for him after her release; she made him fall in love with her and got engaged and then faked her abduction and torture to drive him crazy, LOL wow I'm remembering just how insane it was.
Anyway! This story was much more restrained, with the h moving on with her life and just trying to put everything behind her. TBH, I preferred this approach. She wasn't eaten up with bitterness or thoughts of revenge, she was practical and did very well for herself. It was a nice change from the usual Harlequin heroine who's down on her luck and needs the H to sweep her away into a life of luxury. Beth (Jane before she changed her name) is actually successful and living comfortably, having worked hard to erase her past and make a good life for herself. Yay, go girl! I liked this heroine a lot, her interactions with the H were measured and cautious. I didn't find her to be more of a pushover than necessary for the story to move along.
Dante was aite. I mean, he was a jerk because he was the lawyer who put our nice innocent girl behind bars for 3 years, but I thought he groveled pretty well after he found out, and I'm like a connoisseur of romance hero grovels, so you can trust me that it was decent. He wasn't overly hateable, relatively speaking compared to other Harlequin heroes.
The reason the book didn't get more stars is because first, even though he groveled nicely, I wish Beth made him work for it more. Would it kill ya to make him show some walk behind the talk? Second, I thought it ended too quickly. I was invested pretty heavily by the end, and then... It's like hitching a ride and getting rudely dropped off a few blocks away from my destination. It wrapped up nicely, I guess, with a pat little bow and all, but it was just too quick.
Lastly, it under-delivered on the angst. There were a couple of titillating hints of how Beth's prison time traumatized her, like her claustrophobia and how she ALMOST GOT SHANKED when she first got there, but nothing really developed on that end. I guess it makes sense cos she was trying to move on and not dwell, but it would've made some good emotional scenes and gotten Dante to really wallow in suffering. I'm here for the emotional wreckage, why would you skimp on such juicy material! :(
Anyway! This story was much more restrained, with the h moving on with her life and just trying to put everything behind her. TBH, I preferred this approach. She wasn't eaten up with bitterness or thoughts of revenge, she was practical and did very well for herself. It was a nice change from the usual Harlequin heroine who's down on her luck and needs the H to sweep her away into a life of luxury. Beth (Jane before she changed her name) is actually successful and living comfortably, having worked hard to erase her past and make a good life for herself. Yay, go girl! I liked this heroine a lot, her interactions with the H were measured and cautious. I didn't find her to be more of a pushover than necessary for the story to move along.
Dante was aite. I mean, he was a jerk because he was the lawyer who put our nice innocent girl behind bars for 3 years, but I thought he groveled pretty well after he found out, and I'm like a connoisseur of romance hero grovels, so you can trust me that it was decent. He wasn't overly hateable, relatively speaking compared to other Harlequin heroes.
The reason the book didn't get more stars is because first, even though he groveled nicely, I wish Beth made him work for it more. Would it kill ya to make him show some walk behind the talk? Second, I thought it ended too quickly. I was invested pretty heavily by the end, and then... It's like hitching a ride and getting rudely dropped off a few blocks away from my destination. It wrapped up nicely, I guess, with a pat little bow and all, but it was just too quick.
Lastly, it under-delivered on the angst. There were a couple of titillating hints of how Beth's prison time traumatized her, like her claustrophobia and how she ALMOST GOT SHANKED when she first got there, but nothing really developed on that end. I guess it makes sense cos she was trying to move on and not dwell, but it would've made some good emotional scenes and gotten Dante to really wallow in suffering. I'm here for the emotional wreckage, why would you skimp on such juicy material! :(
January 9, 2022
When I read the plot before reading the book itself, I thought she would be out for revenge. And I love a heroine-seeks-revenge trope.
But she wasn’t looking for revenge. Not even a hint of revenge. Very disappointing.
He blackmailed her and he insulted her, yet the next page she has sex with him. It was embarrassing how easy she was right after hearing all his insults and blackmail.
She didn’t put up a fight. Nothing. She said she hated him right before she went to bed with him. She let him get away with everything.
I’m a fan of Jacqueline Baird. I think this is the first time that I rate a HP of her with less than 3 stars.
But she wasn’t looking for revenge. Not even a hint of revenge. Very disappointing.
He blackmailed her and he insulted her, yet the next page she has sex with him. It was embarrassing how easy she was right after hearing all his insults and blackmail.
She didn’t put up a fight. Nothing. She said she hated him right before she went to bed with him. She let him get away with everything.
I’m a fan of Jacqueline Baird. I think this is the first time that I rate a HP of her with less than 3 stars.
April 12, 2022
She didn’t have a backbone but I liked the angst even if it was less than should be!
June 25, 2022
3.1 🌟 para El Valor de la Inocencia de Jacqueline Baird.
📖 La mayor parte del puntaje para esta novela está destinado al hecho de que se lee en una sentada. Es cierto que no tiene demasiadas páginas pero también le otorgo crédito a la autora por hacer, por lo menos, una historia bastante entretenida aunque a fin de cuentas sea muy absurda.
◾Los protagonistas son super planos y resultan muy poco interesantes como suele suceder en este tipo de libros, parecidos a algo que podrías encontrar en Wattpad un día cualquiera. Ya ni siquiera me acuerdo bien sus nombres y eso que leí el libro hace un par de días.
➡️ La trama avanza de manera bastante atropellada por el poco espacio para el desarrollo que tiene debido a sus limitados números de capítulos, algo que en última instancia puedo llegar a comprender. Aunque eso no signifique que me guste, obviamente. Lo bueno es que es muy dinámico todo, no hay tiempo para aburrirse en ninguna parte, honestamente.
➡️ Más de una vez tenía ganas de reírme y/o rodar los ojos por la conveniencia de un montón de situaciones y por la estupidez misma de los protagonistas. Ni hablar de los clichés. Sin embargo, ¿eso me impidió disfrutar la lectura? La verdad es que no. Soy totalmente conciente de lo que puedo esperar encontrar en estas historias. No tengo ningún tipo de pretenciones serias con ellas y lo único que busco es despejarme un poco y leer algo fácil de digerir y que se termine rápido. Si me remito a eso, entonces El Valor de la Inocencia cumple a la perfección con su cometido. Y yo decido quedarme con eso.
📖 La mayor parte del puntaje para esta novela está destinado al hecho de que se lee en una sentada. Es cierto que no tiene demasiadas páginas pero también le otorgo crédito a la autora por hacer, por lo menos, una historia bastante entretenida aunque a fin de cuentas sea muy absurda.
◾Los protagonistas son super planos y resultan muy poco interesantes como suele suceder en este tipo de libros, parecidos a algo que podrías encontrar en Wattpad un día cualquiera. Ya ni siquiera me acuerdo bien sus nombres y eso que leí el libro hace un par de días.
➡️ La trama avanza de manera bastante atropellada por el poco espacio para el desarrollo que tiene debido a sus limitados números de capítulos, algo que en última instancia puedo llegar a comprender. Aunque eso no signifique que me guste, obviamente. Lo bueno es que es muy dinámico todo, no hay tiempo para aburrirse en ninguna parte, honestamente.
➡️ Más de una vez tenía ganas de reírme y/o rodar los ojos por la conveniencia de un montón de situaciones y por la estupidez misma de los protagonistas. Ni hablar de los clichés. Sin embargo, ¿eso me impidió disfrutar la lectura? La verdad es que no. Soy totalmente conciente de lo que puedo esperar encontrar en estas historias. No tengo ningún tipo de pretenciones serias con ellas y lo único que busco es despejarme un poco y leer algo fácil de digerir y que se termine rápido. Si me remito a eso, entonces El Valor de la Inocencia cumple a la perfección con su cometido. Y yo decido quedarme con eso.
July 15, 2013
I found Dante to be overbearing in the extreme and Beth was a pushover.
March 21, 2013
it would have been a 5 star for me if there had been more groveling in the end. beth should have been depressed and not ready to take him back. that would have put him in his place and served him as a good lesson for jumping to conclusions and thinking cheaply of others. that apart, it was a formidable book..never got boring and had the right pace. cute one:-)
March 3, 2013
I did think this novel was well written and overall very good. However I feel the heroine gave in to the hero and let him takeover her life on one too many occasions because of fear. I like my heroines strong, so unfortunately this novel wasn't the best, for my personal preference.
May 4, 2017
Why did I stick with this one until the end? Why? This was time I will never get back and it was wasted on this blackmailing, sexist, asshole pig of a hero!
First, he helps get her sent to prison for something she obviously didn't do. Then he treats her like crap when he runs into her again, threatening her and the people she cares most about just so she will stay away from his brother. She agrees to move away so he will leave her alone, but he doesn't leave her alone! She tries to kick him out of her apartment and he won't leave! She tells him to leave her alone and not to touch her and he forces a kiss on her! She tells him to stop and he doesn't. I won't even call what happened sex (the word I'm looking for here is rape) because she clearly gave in because he was pressuring her, kept threatening and intimidating her. Afterwards, she again tells him to leave her alone and that she never wants to see him again.
Guess what? He doesn't listen to her then either! He tracks her down a few weeks later, demanding that she stop everything she's doing so she can take a pregnancy test. When it's positive, he coerces her into marriage, using the pregnancy and her past prison sentence as leverage over her. For some freaking reason, she says yes to this blackmailing excuse for a human being.
Later, she loses the baby, which she actually wanted and is understandably shocked, depressed, and she pushes him away. Finally, finally! He listens to what she says and he leaves her - to deal with her anger, disappointment, and grief at the loss of her child alone. Yeah, cause that's what you do when you really love someone - you leave them in the middle of a tragedy because you got butthurt that she wasn't letting you walk all over her anymore.
Anyway, after he leaves her, he finds out that she really, really was innocent of the crime she went to prison for (Can't just believe what your wife tells ya, huh? No, you gotta hear it from some random person at a conference, so it must be true!) and rushes to tell her how wrong and sorry he was for misjudging her and for all the time she spent in prison because of him, sorry for the way he treated her when he met her again, everything, blah, blah, blah he's so very sorry and he really, really loves her and he doesn't deserve her (damned straight!) and will she please, oh, please take him back? And she just looks at him and is like "ok".
And I'm like:
First, he helps get her sent to prison for something she obviously didn't do. Then he treats her like crap when he runs into her again, threatening her and the people she cares most about just so she will stay away from his brother. She agrees to move away so he will leave her alone, but he doesn't leave her alone! She tries to kick him out of her apartment and he won't leave! She tells him to leave her alone and not to touch her and he forces a kiss on her! She tells him to stop and he doesn't. I won't even call what happened sex (the word I'm looking for here is rape) because she clearly gave in because he was pressuring her, kept threatening and intimidating her. Afterwards, she again tells him to leave her alone and that she never wants to see him again.
Guess what? He doesn't listen to her then either! He tracks her down a few weeks later, demanding that she stop everything she's doing so she can take a pregnancy test. When it's positive, he coerces her into marriage, using the pregnancy and her past prison sentence as leverage over her. For some freaking reason, she says yes to this blackmailing excuse for a human being.
Later, she loses the baby, which she actually wanted and is understandably shocked, depressed, and she pushes him away. Finally, finally! He listens to what she says and he leaves her - to deal with her anger, disappointment, and grief at the loss of her child alone. Yeah, cause that's what you do when you really love someone - you leave them in the middle of a tragedy because you got butthurt that she wasn't letting you walk all over her anymore.
Anyway, after he leaves her, he finds out that she really, really was innocent of the crime she went to prison for (Can't just believe what your wife tells ya, huh? No, you gotta hear it from some random person at a conference, so it must be true!) and rushes to tell her how wrong and sorry he was for misjudging her and for all the time she spent in prison because of him, sorry for the way he treated her when he met her again, everything, blah, blah, blah he's so very sorry and he really, really loves her and he doesn't deserve her (damned straight!) and will she please, oh, please take him back? And she just looks at him and is like "ok".
And I'm like:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2016
I finished another book last night that was a bit icky in terms of the sexual sadism content. I really didn't want to go to bed with thoughts of abuse and rape in my head. So I picked up a quick fix, crappy romantic read to send me off into the land of nod thinking a little better about the world.
Well, it didn't quite work that way. The female lead in this was sentenced to 3 years of jail time for drugs. Convicted pretty much on the slyness of a cunning lawyer (although of course it was a set-up because in true form she was innocent and a virgin to boot as they always are!). She is released from jail, moves on with her life, gets a nice job, inherits a nice place and money from her dead cell mate (as always happens...so cliche right!). Anyway, she attends her next door neighbours BBQ and he just happens to be the brother of the lawyer (what is the chances?). Anyway silly girl loses virginity to sly lawyer totally forgetting for a minute that he robbed her of 3 years of her life. She gets pregnant. They get married. She swims out to sea to save a drowning girl. Loses baby, but shows him that she is a good person. He finds out she was framed for the drugs and she forgives him and they live happily ever after....whatever.
Me personally, I hold grudges. I would have totally destroyed that lawyer. Oh well. It did reset the images in my mind from sexual sadism to ways to destroy a lawyer and for the entertaining quick two hour read I give this 3 stars.
Well, it didn't quite work that way. The female lead in this was sentenced to 3 years of jail time for drugs. Convicted pretty much on the slyness of a cunning lawyer (although of course it was a set-up because in true form she was innocent and a virgin to boot as they always are!). She is released from jail, moves on with her life, gets a nice job, inherits a nice place and money from her dead cell mate (as always happens...so cliche right!). Anyway, she attends her next door neighbours BBQ and he just happens to be the brother of the lawyer (what is the chances?). Anyway silly girl loses virginity to sly lawyer totally forgetting for a minute that he robbed her of 3 years of her life. She gets pregnant. They get married. She swims out to sea to save a drowning girl. Loses baby, but shows him that she is a good person. He finds out she was framed for the drugs and she forgives him and they live happily ever after....whatever.
Me personally, I hold grudges. I would have totally destroyed that lawyer. Oh well. It did reset the images in my mind from sexual sadism to ways to destroy a lawyer and for the entertaining quick two hour read I give this 3 stars.
Read
March 1, 2015This book is frikking UNBELIEVABLE. the hero is an absolute jerk asshole mysogynist and the heroine keeps on "smiling" as he insults and puts her down and practically brands her a slut.
consider this:
"For a moment Beth was speechless and simply stared at him. ‘You would actually ruin Clive Hampton, a man respected by all who know him, simply because you think I am a criminal low-life after your brother and his money?’
‘I don’t have to think. I know you are an ex-con, and I know you used your considerable charms to get young Bewick under your spell. Now you are doing the same with Tony. He is infatuated by you. As for the money...I can’t be certain. But I do know Helen left you a house and a nice chunk of money. Maybe your talent for ensnaring men extends to females too.’ He shrugged his shoulders ‘Not my business. But Tony is. I stopped you once and I will again.’
He was so wrong that Beth couldn’t help but smile. ‘You make me sound like the Wicked Witch of the West,’ she quipped."
She "couldn't help" but fucking "smile" after page after page he insults her. And this goes on and on. Beth, the supposedly self-aware, independent accountant, is an simpering idiot and this type of heroine is present in almost ALL of Jacqueline Baird's books. Dante whatshisname is a TOTAL waste of space, like every other Baird hero. GAWD.
Zero stars. Totally. I'm going back to Sophie Weston.
consider this:
"For a moment Beth was speechless and simply stared at him. ‘You would actually ruin Clive Hampton, a man respected by all who know him, simply because you think I am a criminal low-life after your brother and his money?’
‘I don’t have to think. I know you are an ex-con, and I know you used your considerable charms to get young Bewick under your spell. Now you are doing the same with Tony. He is infatuated by you. As for the money...I can’t be certain. But I do know Helen left you a house and a nice chunk of money. Maybe your talent for ensnaring men extends to females too.’ He shrugged his shoulders ‘Not my business. But Tony is. I stopped you once and I will again.’
He was so wrong that Beth couldn’t help but smile. ‘You make me sound like the Wicked Witch of the West,’ she quipped."
She "couldn't help" but fucking "smile" after page after page he insults her. And this goes on and on. Beth, the supposedly self-aware, independent accountant, is an simpering idiot and this type of heroine is present in almost ALL of Jacqueline Baird's books. Dante whatshisname is a TOTAL waste of space, like every other Baird hero. GAWD.
Zero stars. Totally. I'm going back to Sophie Weston.
March 17, 2013
Dante believes that Beth is after his younger half-brother for money. He means to keep that from happening and it doesn’t hurt that he is attracted to her. Dante uncovers her secret. That he had prosecuted her – on a set-up – years earlier. He threatens Beth to get what he wants and even gets a little extra on the side. Not a quick get-away though as he is caught because of his failure to suit up!
Yes, it’s one of those books. It wasn’t bad, just don’t question some things because one has to wonder about some things that Dante says but claims he didn’t say or agree to especially when you can flip back and see that he clearly agreed to them. There was another thing that bothered me about this attorney as well. He needed to refresh his memory about her case and he does, but then at the end he has to call someone else to verify things – what? He was the one that prosecuted the case!
Threats and blackmail come out again for this superior attorney and, of course, Beth gives in because ….well she wants him at all costs, right? She is quick to forgive him and begin their HEA. It wasn’t a bad read as there was some great moments between the two of them, just don’t hang on to some of the things he says as he twists them to suit his own purpose!
March 10, 2014
4 1/2 stars I'll give to this Books. There was a moment when the story turned a bit tired and flat. But I love Beth. She did what she had to do and didn't looked like a victim. She was strong and very down to earth, so determined and powerful. One of the most wonderful heroines that I have the pleasure to read...
March 10, 2014
Por qué cinco, porque es de esas historias que te hacen ir en montaña rusa, quieres gritar, reír, llorar, volver a reír y suspirar cuando todo acaba, y aun así no dudarías en volver a subirte en ella, si, es una historia romántica pero es muy buena, quizás es un cliché Harlequin, dramas, amenazas, amor, odio, pero me encanto.
April 1, 2013
Four and a half stars. Usual HP story with new twist. But JB makes it work!
February 5, 2019
This book was okay. I rated it a 2 and 1/2 stars just because I really liked how it started.
The setup in the beginning was great. We as the readers, are introduce to our heroine Jane Mason (who later on changed her name to Beth Lazenby) who had been accused of smuggling drugs and supposedly entranced our Hero's client.
Our Hero, Dante Cannavaro was a piece of work. He was this arrogant, unapologetic, jackass lawyer, who first meet Jane at court and already decided there and then, that she was a manipulative witch. He took one look at her and condemn her on mere suspicion, because she was beautiful, that she was guilty. Granted, he was hot shot lawyer and his client was his boss's son, so he did what he had to do.
Jane was convicted and sent to prison. After finishing her sentence Jane was able to changed her name to Beth Lazenby and finally move on with her life.
They meet again and Dante immediately lust after her. Because she supposedly Dante's brother girlfriend he does a background check on her and finds out who she is. He blackmails her to stay away from little bro and gives her the 'I wanna fuck you' eyes.
They do end up sleeping together
and as a result, Beth gets pregnant.
They get married and to no one surprise, Dante is still an ass
I love stories where the MCs (hero or heroine) are accused or convicted of crime they didn't commit. I love it when their romantic partners has grovels and beg for forgiveness for their own stupidity. And boy, was Dante set up as an ass. I couldn't wait for Beth to kick him off his high horse.
Unfortunately, it never happened. Yes, Dante apologize in the end, but my gosh, he was such a dick throughout the whole book! I would have rated this book higher if Dante had grovel more and suffered for his dickish behaviors.
Honestly, I think the story would have been better if Beth didn't take Dante back and have him live the rest of his life by himself. The story could have been about self-worth or something, I don't know.
The setup in the beginning was great. We as the readers, are introduce to our heroine Jane Mason (who later on changed her name to Beth Lazenby) who had been accused of smuggling drugs and supposedly entranced our Hero's client.
Our Hero, Dante Cannavaro was a piece of work. He was this arrogant, unapologetic, jackass lawyer, who first meet Jane at court and already decided there and then, that she was a manipulative witch. He took one look at her and condemn her on mere suspicion, because she was beautiful, that she was guilty. Granted, he was hot shot lawyer and his client was his boss's son, so he did what he had to do.
Jane was convicted and sent to prison. After finishing her sentence Jane was able to changed her name to Beth Lazenby and finally move on with her life.
They meet again and Dante immediately lust after her. Because she supposedly Dante's brother girlfriend he does a background check on her and finds out who she is. He blackmails her to stay away from little bro and gives her the 'I wanna fuck you' eyes.
They do end up sleeping together
and as a result, Beth gets pregnant.
They get married and to no one surprise, Dante is still an ass
I love stories where the MCs (hero or heroine) are accused or convicted of crime they didn't commit. I love it when their romantic partners has grovels and beg for forgiveness for their own stupidity. And boy, was Dante set up as an ass. I couldn't wait for Beth to kick him off his high horse.
Unfortunately, it never happened. Yes, Dante apologize in the end, but my gosh, he was such a dick throughout the whole book! I would have rated this book higher if Dante had grovel more and suffered for his dickish behaviors.
Honestly, I think the story would have been better if Beth didn't take Dante back and have him live the rest of his life by himself. The story could have been about self-worth or something, I don't know.
February 13, 2022
Typical Harlequin lol!
The first part was good I admit: hate to love story, Jane/Beth was wrongly accused at 19 and sentenced to 3 years for drug smuggling but only served 18 months. She was able to turn her life around when she left jail and was a successful accountant 8 years later when the story starts.
Of course she is soooo gorgeous so when dark manly Dante meets her, he is shocked lol! Even with his vast experience of women, she was so different and unique and he ''had'' to have her (eyes roll)
Anyways, he ''had'' her and decided to marry her when she is pregnant.
And the story turns extremely Harlequin with some forced drama to tear them apart and bring them back. We even have the obligatory ''hero turned skinny and gaunt'' to show how he missed her so she will take him back -_-
3,5 stars. It was okay. I like how she challenged him, or at least tried at first. But of course, he was so virile and she couldn't resist -_-
And for a lawyer, he didn't seem to care about sexual consents. Yes the author made him say ''You want it?'' to kind of introduce consents but the way he would grab her and forcefully kiss her when she tried to fight her and eventually give in, I didn't like it...
The first part was good I admit: hate to love story, Jane/Beth was wrongly accused at 19 and sentenced to 3 years for drug smuggling but only served 18 months. She was able to turn her life around when she left jail and was a successful accountant 8 years later when the story starts.
Of course she is soooo gorgeous so when dark manly Dante meets her, he is shocked lol! Even with his vast experience of women, she was so different and unique and he ''had'' to have her (eyes roll)
Anyways, he ''had'' her and decided to marry her when she is pregnant.
And the story turns extremely Harlequin with some forced drama to tear them apart and bring them back. We even have the obligatory ''hero turned skinny and gaunt'' to show how he missed her so she will take him back -_-
3,5 stars. It was okay. I like how she challenged him, or at least tried at first. But of course, he was so virile and she couldn't resist -_-
And for a lawyer, he didn't seem to care about sexual consents. Yes the author made him say ''You want it?'' to kind of introduce consents but the way he would grab her and forcefully kiss her when she tried to fight her and eventually give in, I didn't like it...
November 6, 2025
Otro libro que no me decepciona de esta autora. Aquí nos encontramos con Beth Lazenby, una chica de 19 años acusada injustamente y esperando su sentencia en la corte. Ella quiso hacer de buena samaritana y llevó a dos chicos en su auto, pero ellos terminaron metiendo droga en su bolso y la condenaron un año y medio de cárcel. El protagonista masculino, Dante Cannavaro, es el implacable abogado de estos dos criminales. Ocho años después, Beth se reencuentra con Dante y comienza a sentir algo más que odio por él.
La historia avanza a buen ritmo y se lee rápido. Dante es cínico y arrogante, pero me gustó lo detallista que fue en la luna de miel. Beth es de carácter fuerte y apasionado y así mismo se enamora.
Una historia con giros inesperados, drama, angustia y sensualidad. Me hubiese gustado un epílogo más largo, pero fue un final dulce y merecido para ambos.
📖:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️: 🔥🔥🔥
La historia avanza a buen ritmo y se lee rápido. Dante es cínico y arrogante, pero me gustó lo detallista que fue en la luna de miel. Beth es de carácter fuerte y apasionado y así mismo se enamora.
Una historia con giros inesperados, drama, angustia y sensualidad. Me hubiese gustado un epílogo más largo, pero fue un final dulce y merecido para ambos.
📖:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️: 🔥🔥🔥
March 1, 2020
I think this book had too much in it. But the story was compelling. Innocent but set up sentence to jail heroine, engaged hero, hero's brother, remodeling, pregnancy, near drowning, just too much. But the hero, through out the entire book, thought she was guilty. Never for one second did he go 'hmm she seems like a really great person, maybe she was innocent....considering the people 'involved' are huge drug deals now....psh nah guilty!!!'. He is stupid and he moved the heroine around where he wanted like a doll. Then when she miscarries, 'you are gonna stay with me!' dude, she lost her baby, meaning she feels like she is losing you too. Chill. The heroine had no reason to love the hero, none. Think there is a good story in there but too stuff to be sure. Skip.
October 28, 2017
The story is about the heroine who is accused of a crime she didn't commit and the hero is the one prosecuting her and claiming her to be a 'femme fatale' ... just because of her looks god ! I hated the hero! He destroyed her life .. definitely not a trust worthy lawyer that's for sure ! And one of the parts I cringed out was when he was like while they were having sex 'oh your actually a redhead?' Along those lines .. honestly I don't understand the fascination made me thinking of that saying 'if the carpet matches the drapes' honestly at some points of the book I didn't understand why the heroine was dealing with this guy ; but hey love is blind definitely in this situation ...
December 16, 2019
The loses her virginity in an one night stand with the lawyer who had sent her to prison on drug smuggling charges a couple of years ago and of course classic Harlequin style falls pregnant. Seriously if that bit of soap opera isn't enough she gets married to him with a prenuptial agreement for joint custody as he blackmails her with sole custody. Highly recommend for readers who can suspend a lot of disbelief and like masochistic women.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews