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Retribution
His intentions were definitely dangerous.
Laura didn't know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister—but she had no idea how to save herself.
Laura didn't know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister—but she had no idea how to save herself.
187 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 1981
2 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
261 books315 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 20, 2020
This one had a great heroine, humorous writing (especially the banter between the h and H), good character development, and a revenge plot that was cleverly and slowly revealed rather than dumped on the reader in a tedious infodump at the outset.
Laura Sloane is on a mission to drive notorious rake Sam Hilliard away from her flighty sister Annette before the scandal of their relationship gives their father an apoplexy.
Laura is extremely clever, witty, and observant. She deftly manipulates the nincompoops who form her highly dysfunctional family, not for sinister reasons but simply to save them from themselves. She is not a martyr though. In between episodes of cleaning up their messes, she safely retreats into her own life, one that she had created happily and independently for herself to live in. This is until Hilliard enters the picture and suddenly rocks her world.
I really liked the banter between them and the chemistry they had. Most of all, I liked their sense of humor, which is of course a reflection on CL's own brand of sophisticated wit. I really feel she is at her best when she does not take herself too seriously and writes these light, romantic comedies.
That is not to say that the story was all laughs. Beneath the shiny veneer, both the h and H have vulnerable sides and painful episodes in their respective pasts that have shaped them, but I love that CL does not take a hammer to the reader's head with all the angst. When she reveals a softer, more wistful side to her protagonists here, it is without a lot of fanfare and as such, all the more effective in obtaining our empathy towards them.
Retribution was overall an enjoyable read. I just wish the plot had not relied on SO many coincidental meetings. After all, the story takes place in London but the way the characters keep bumping into each other (at the zoo, at various restaurants, on the street), it seems more like they are residents of a small village in the English countryside. Also, not quite on board with the baddies of the book pretty much getting off scot-free. I am a vengeful, bitter blackheart and like my villains to get their comeuppance. Still, I would recommend Retribution for fans of CL.
Laura Sloane is on a mission to drive notorious rake Sam Hilliard away from her flighty sister Annette before the scandal of their relationship gives their father an apoplexy.
Laura is extremely clever, witty, and observant. She deftly manipulates the nincompoops who form her highly dysfunctional family, not for sinister reasons but simply to save them from themselves. She is not a martyr though. In between episodes of cleaning up their messes, she safely retreats into her own life, one that she had created happily and independently for herself to live in. This is until Hilliard enters the picture and suddenly rocks her world.
I really liked the banter between them and the chemistry they had. Most of all, I liked their sense of humor, which is of course a reflection on CL's own brand of sophisticated wit. I really feel she is at her best when she does not take herself too seriously and writes these light, romantic comedies.
That is not to say that the story was all laughs. Beneath the shiny veneer, both the h and H have vulnerable sides and painful episodes in their respective pasts that have shaped them, but I love that CL does not take a hammer to the reader's head with all the angst. When she reveals a softer, more wistful side to her protagonists here, it is without a lot of fanfare and as such, all the more effective in obtaining our empathy towards them.
Retribution was overall an enjoyable read. I just wish the plot had not relied on SO many coincidental meetings. After all, the story takes place in London but the way the characters keep bumping into each other (at the zoo, at various restaurants, on the street), it seems more like they are residents of a small village in the English countryside. Also, not quite on board with the baddies of the book pretty much getting off scot-free. I am a vengeful, bitter blackheart and like my villains to get their comeuppance. Still, I would recommend Retribution for fans of CL.
September 20, 2017
A quiet revenge story - if there is such a thing. The H/h are both self-contained people and the heroine prides herself on her control and on reading others. She's an artist/illustrator so her attention to detail serves her well.
The hero is a man-about-town computer superstar who has a grudge against the heroine's father. He first makes a play for the h's vain sister and then turns his attention to the heroine. They share a similar sense of humor and the heroine's intelligence doesn't make him run for the hills, so the heroine soon finds herself smitten. They each play hard to get, but when the h's father's company is within his grasp, the hero cracks and declares himself to the heroine. HEA
The plot is shop worn, but CL makes it fresh with her wry observations. There was a droll line about the heroine's sister collapsing on the couch after the effort of watching her sister clean her flat. I enjoyed her descriptions of the h's publisher and the author of a children's book she is commissioned to illustrate.
The heroine's plans to work after marriage and the hero's resignation to having his worst enemy as a father-in-law were in character and realistically described the "ever after" part of happily ever after.
Food watch: melon, whiting (a kind of fish) for starters. Salmon - lots of salmon - the h serves it a dinner party, the h's father has it for a starter. Dover Sole. A "bland" lemon mousse. Lots of coffee.
The hero is a man-about-town computer superstar who has a grudge against the heroine's father. He first makes a play for the h's vain sister and then turns his attention to the heroine. They share a similar sense of humor and the heroine's intelligence doesn't make him run for the hills, so the heroine soon finds herself smitten. They each play hard to get, but when the h's father's company is within his grasp, the hero cracks and declares himself to the heroine. HEA
The plot is shop worn, but CL makes it fresh with her wry observations. There was a droll line about the heroine's sister collapsing on the couch after the effort of watching her sister clean her flat. I enjoyed her descriptions of the h's publisher and the author of a children's book she is commissioned to illustrate.
The heroine's plans to work after marriage and the hero's resignation to having his worst enemy as a father-in-law were in character and realistically described the "ever after" part of happily ever after.
Food watch: melon, whiting (a kind of fish) for starters. Salmon - lots of salmon - the h serves it a dinner party, the h's father has it for a starter. Dover Sole. A "bland" lemon mousse. Lots of coffee.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2009
Laura, our heroine, is the smartest one in her family. She is asked by Daddy to prevent her sister from having an affair with too-attractive Simon Hillard, who has a vendetta against her family.
This is typical Charlotte Lamb from this period. Laura is described as a "delicate blonde" whose cool, willowy looks is in contrast to her dry remarks. She has never been tempted to shag a fellow until she meets Simon who is walking SEX! on legs. Simon is also a typical Lamb hero: short-tempered, sulky (in a sex-ay way, of course), slightly rude and prone to jealousy.
This is typical Charlotte Lamb from this period. Laura is described as a "delicate blonde" whose cool, willowy looks is in contrast to her dry remarks. She has never been tempted to shag a fellow until she meets Simon who is walking SEX! on legs. Simon is also a typical Lamb hero: short-tempered, sulky (in a sex-ay way, of course), slightly rude and prone to jealousy.
December 26, 2017
"Retribution" is the story of Laura and Simon.
When Laura's unrelenting father asks her to stop her younger sister Annette from going off to Paris with his ex employee and playboy Simon, Laura doesnt find anything wrong until she meets the brooding stranger, and he sets his sights instead on her!
As she succeeds in breaking up her sister with help of an admirer, she realizes Simon is pursuing her and soon, that he has a personal vendetta against her family..
An easy read with likable lead characters- it had minimal angst and bruising kisses. In the end I felt bad for Simon and hoped he had got some of his revenge (the reason was genuine but predictable), but I laud that he gave it all up for love.
Enjoyed it.
SWE
3/5
When Laura's unrelenting father asks her to stop her younger sister Annette from going off to Paris with his ex employee and playboy Simon, Laura doesnt find anything wrong until she meets the brooding stranger, and he sets his sights instead on her!
As she succeeds in breaking up her sister with help of an admirer, she realizes Simon is pursuing her and soon, that he has a personal vendetta against her family..
An easy read with likable lead characters- it had minimal angst and bruising kisses. In the end I felt bad for Simon and hoped he had got some of his revenge (the reason was genuine but predictable), but I laud that he gave it all up for love.
Enjoyed it.
SWE
3/5
August 19, 2015
Revenge story, turned into love affair. In all fairness it wasn't terrible. At times it was quite good.
June 3, 2020
A somewhat lightweight read from CL. In other hands, this probably would be angsty, but the heroine is cool-headed (for the most part) and very much in charge of her own destiny. Hero has a grudge against her family . He initially targets the h's half-sister but falls for the h pretty quickly, and they start to see one another, somewhat reluctantly. She's used her sense of humor and reserve to keep men at arm's length, so is startled and alarmed by her reaction to the H, who she knows has her father in his sights for revenge. She knows it's dangerous to keep seeing him, and she is trying to unravel the details of why he's out for blood, but she's falling in love and her usual defenses are failing.
The love story in this one didn't ring true to me--the H and h clearly are attracted to one another, but they only saw one another a handful of times and the HEA seemed rushed and unlikely. A decent outing from CL though: a H who was human and a heroine with a backbone. Well written and surprisingly not too dated (although they are wrangling over whether she will continue working after their marriage at the end--and she is determined that she will). Just OK but passed a pleasant hour or three with this one.
The love story in this one didn't ring true to me--the H and h clearly are attracted to one another, but they only saw one another a handful of times and the HEA seemed rushed and unlikely. A decent outing from CL though: a H who was human and a heroine with a backbone. Well written and surprisingly not too dated (although they are wrangling over whether she will continue working after their marriage at the end--and she is determined that she will). Just OK but passed a pleasant hour or three with this one.
May 5, 2022
This was a fairly solid book, but sadly there was no retribution dished out before the book ended, thus my inherent dissatisfaction. It was written in 1981, which surprised me, because there were so many elements that seemed like it should've been written closer to the 90s.
First, we have Laura, who's the daughter of a rich man but opts to live by herself and support herself with an actual career. It's even more amazing because she's not a secretary, and there are multiple actual scenes of her working, going to the park and the zoo to do research for her artwork. She also meets with her publisher, and another writer. It could've been that this career path is quite similar to the author's own line of work, but it was still refreshing to see a job other than secretary or assistant.
Laura is also a lot colder and more put-together than most of the other Harlequin heroines up to this point as well. She seemed to be observant and manages to make her unmanageable sister dance circles around her. The hero seemed to compare her to her nasty father quite a bit, and he can't make up his mind--he vacillates on her being her father's clone and also that she was a foundling. I guess he was pretty smitten, though there are not enough scenes depicting this.
What does happen is a lot of back and forth banter where Laura stands up for herself and no less than four coincidental meetings in the tiny, tiny hamlet of Londontown. The banter was enjoyable in the way that other Harlequin authors never quite succeed in, and the coincidences make me wonder whether this was supposed to be angst or fluff.
In the end, what Charlotte Lamb does is put the agency for attraction and lust squarely in the heroine's corner. Laura makes it clear that while she doesn't trust Simon, she is attracted to him, and that's okay too. As to that, Simon is attracted to her, but he also knows not to cross any consent lines. Charlotte Lamb makes it clear that this is her book of Feminism, and to accept no less than one's due. As to that, who said romance novels are trashy? Knowing that lust and love are completely separate issues is something that many, many, many romance novels completely gloss over and mix up. I'd recommend this for a young girl any day.
First, we have Laura, who's the daughter of a rich man but opts to live by herself and support herself with an actual career. It's even more amazing because she's not a secretary, and there are multiple actual scenes of her working, going to the park and the zoo to do research for her artwork. She also meets with her publisher, and another writer. It could've been that this career path is quite similar to the author's own line of work, but it was still refreshing to see a job other than secretary or assistant.
Laura is also a lot colder and more put-together than most of the other Harlequin heroines up to this point as well. She seemed to be observant and manages to make her unmanageable sister dance circles around her. The hero seemed to compare her to her nasty father quite a bit, and he can't make up his mind--he vacillates on her being her father's clone and also that she was a foundling. I guess he was pretty smitten, though there are not enough scenes depicting this.
What does happen is a lot of back and forth banter where Laura stands up for herself and no less than four coincidental meetings in the tiny, tiny hamlet of Londontown. The banter was enjoyable in the way that other Harlequin authors never quite succeed in, and the coincidences make me wonder whether this was supposed to be angst or fluff.
In the end, what Charlotte Lamb does is put the agency for attraction and lust squarely in the heroine's corner. Laura makes it clear that while she doesn't trust Simon, she is attracted to him, and that's okay too. As to that, Simon is attracted to her, but he also knows not to cross any consent lines. Charlotte Lamb makes it clear that this is her book of Feminism, and to accept no less than one's due. As to that, who said romance novels are trashy? Knowing that lust and love are completely separate issues is something that many, many, many romance novels completely gloss over and mix up. I'd recommend this for a young girl any day.
April 4, 2016
This is an old favourite which I have reread. The standout for me is the heroine who is a snarky, sharp woman whose family is emotionally detached from one another. The hero is hawtness but manages to only just step across the alpha into alphabrute territory - too many punishing kisses and referring to women as bitches was abit grating. However, he had some fab attributes and the grand grovel is superb.
September 26, 2011
another re-read from 30+ years ago, but this one i still enjoyed. the heroine has a backbone and a mouth and isn't afraid of apppearing as anything other than a intelligent woman who knows her own worth. the hero is taken aback by her and reluctantly becomes intrigued.
February 4, 2013
Good, basic older revenge-ish story. I liked the characters here -- the heroine was strong and had a decent head on her shoulders, and the hero couldn't help but follow her around despite his desire for revenge against her family. Easy read.
September 26, 2023
Giving it a 4 not so much for the romance (there wasn't quite enough of that) but for the sparkling sparring between the cool, wry self possessed h, Laura (a children's book illustrator and writer) and cool, wry manwhore H, Simon Hilliard, first seen making moves on her flighty sister. She is the only decent member of her family, essentially, and her father is a cold, remote bastard against whom the H has sworn vengeance. The H used to work for her father but is now a competitor. For my money a bit too much about boring shares and takeover plans but I guess that's the main plot driver. There's a couple of passionate kisses but that's it. CL did handily summarise complicated family relationships when the h's father is having surgery he may not survive:
"In times of personal crisis we always fall back on our idea if how we should behave, how we should feel, even when our feelings are instinctively taking that very path. The outward form of behaviour corresponds to society's belief in conventional patterns of action. The inner emotions usually mirror them. But when the inner emotion is lacking it is very hard to perform the rites society demands of us. We look for a response in ourselves to every major event of life from the death of someone in our family to the birth of a child, and we are always disturbed when the instinctive reaction does not match what we know is expected of us.
Laura went to bed late that night, torn emotionally between a sense of guilt and the constant memory of a relationship which could not produce any emotion stronger than regret."
I thought that was very well put.
A well written CL with excellent lead characters that just needed a tiny extra something to be perfect.
"In times of personal crisis we always fall back on our idea if how we should behave, how we should feel, even when our feelings are instinctively taking that very path. The outward form of behaviour corresponds to society's belief in conventional patterns of action. The inner emotions usually mirror them. But when the inner emotion is lacking it is very hard to perform the rites society demands of us. We look for a response in ourselves to every major event of life from the death of someone in our family to the birth of a child, and we are always disturbed when the instinctive reaction does not match what we know is expected of us.
Laura went to bed late that night, torn emotionally between a sense of guilt and the constant memory of a relationship which could not produce any emotion stronger than regret."
I thought that was very well put.
A well written CL with excellent lead characters that just needed a tiny extra something to be perfect.
January 17, 2023
I didn’t like the story line with two sisters chasing the same man. The h’s sister was seeing the H first. The h came meddling in between the H and her sister to break them up.
And his retribution was nothing. He wasn’t a lion with his prey, he was just a little kitten.
It was all tame and lame.
Meh.
And his retribution was nothing. He wasn’t a lion with his prey, he was just a little kitten.
It was all tame and lame.
Meh.
July 31, 2011
3.5 stars.
July 27, 2014
Everything was worth 3 stars. It's just that I didn't like how Simon kept admitting till the very end that he found Laura's sister very sexy. That makes me wonder if he would prove a faithful husband after a few years in their marriage...
February 25, 2021
CL always manages to ace these one word title stories, wow !!
The retribution is about the hero avenging an old injustice meted out to his sister. Simon works in an electronics firm, his friend and son of the company owner, charms his younger sister and dumps her. Not out of spite, but out of sheer cowardice. Because the big boss company owner ruthlessly cuts off that relationship. The girl is preggers, miscarries, and all that.
That wound is still festering in Simon's head. Its a few years since, he now owns a rival electronics firm of his own. And he is doing much better than the bad big boss. But success at business isn't enough for Simon. He wants to inflict a more personal damage.
So he chooses the tit for tat route. Starts going around with the big boss's younger daughter. That girl is no angel herself, bitchy self-absorbed, but quite a looker.
The big boss daddy is horrified and enlists the support of the only sane person in his whole family - Laura, his elder daughter, the heroine.
Laura rushes to ward off all evil from the little sister. But does it beautifully, tactfully. In the process, she meets Simon at a party. No subterfuge, both of them know the past score right from Day 1. Laura knows Simon is out for revenge, but doesn't know why. Simon knows right away that Laura is the bad guy's daughter. However, the wronged sister angle is revealed by Simon only in the story climax.
In spite of being at cross purposes, Laura and Simon cant help getting attracted to each other. Their reluctant acceptance of attraction and eventually love is the best part of the story. Laced with plenty of wry humour, sharp wit and sizzling chemistry, their relationship is a lovely read.
The author takes great care to build Laura's character as the cool, sassy, sweet girl who has a serious profession - she is a children's illustrator and cartoonist. The quirky aspects of her job and her innate intelligence is what draws Simon towards her.
Not much sexual content, but sufficient passion. Tough balance to achieve. CL does it admirably. I loved the read. 5 stars !
The retribution is about the hero avenging an old injustice meted out to his sister. Simon works in an electronics firm, his friend and son of the company owner, charms his younger sister and dumps her. Not out of spite, but out of sheer cowardice. Because the big boss company owner ruthlessly cuts off that relationship. The girl is preggers, miscarries, and all that.
That wound is still festering in Simon's head. Its a few years since, he now owns a rival electronics firm of his own. And he is doing much better than the bad big boss. But success at business isn't enough for Simon. He wants to inflict a more personal damage.
So he chooses the tit for tat route. Starts going around with the big boss's younger daughter. That girl is no angel herself, bitchy self-absorbed, but quite a looker.
The big boss daddy is horrified and enlists the support of the only sane person in his whole family - Laura, his elder daughter, the heroine.
Laura rushes to ward off all evil from the little sister. But does it beautifully, tactfully. In the process, she meets Simon at a party. No subterfuge, both of them know the past score right from Day 1. Laura knows Simon is out for revenge, but doesn't know why. Simon knows right away that Laura is the bad guy's daughter. However, the wronged sister angle is revealed by Simon only in the story climax.
In spite of being at cross purposes, Laura and Simon cant help getting attracted to each other. Their reluctant acceptance of attraction and eventually love is the best part of the story. Laced with plenty of wry humour, sharp wit and sizzling chemistry, their relationship is a lovely read.
The author takes great care to build Laura's character as the cool, sassy, sweet girl who has a serious profession - she is a children's illustrator and cartoonist. The quirky aspects of her job and her innate intelligence is what draws Simon towards her.
Not much sexual content, but sufficient passion. Tough balance to achieve. CL does it admirably. I loved the read. 5 stars !
October 25, 2025
So, spoiler alert (kidding not kidding):
There is no retribution in this book at all. No one is retributed in any way, shape, or form.
Well, except maybe the FMC's spineless brother who freaks out and THINKS retribution is coming, so there's maybe a smidge of a hint of possible retribution.
But really, no retribution. Namefail.
Pros:
FMC. LOOOOVE the FMC. She's actually intelligent, witty, funny, and is like written that way. Like, she and the MMC have some biting interactions where there's actually witty (dark witty, though not fun witty) things being said back and forth. And she is COOL. Cucumber's got nothing on her, she doesn't take a lot of crap from people, she doesn't spend lots of time wittering around, wringing her hands, getting herself into stupid situations and then doing nothing to fix them, etc.
She's shown as competent, on top of her game, and she just is in charge of her life, more or less.
Then the MMC comes in with all his agendas regarding retributions (don't worry. There is no actual retribution in this book) and battles of the wits between them and sexiness and speaking different languages and whatnot, and that shakes her world up a bit.
Feel like this book could have been fleshed out a little more; there are several sort of stunted sub plots/stories that don't go anywhere, like the Japanese family that she never got to meet again, the new writer she's going to work with who shows up and then goes away and that's it, we never get to find out if she's going to actually get paid for her new work, etc. Does her dad survive the operation? What's going to happen with the company? Etc...
It actually I think had the makings of a longer novel and maybe even a plot if there'd been room for all of it lol.
But it was overall enjoyable, even if we were deprived of retribution.
I have now added a needs-more-retribution tag just for this book.
There is no retribution in this book at all. No one is retributed in any way, shape, or form.
Well, except maybe the FMC's spineless brother who freaks out and THINKS retribution is coming, so there's maybe a smidge of a hint of possible retribution.
But really, no retribution. Namefail.
Pros:
FMC. LOOOOVE the FMC. She's actually intelligent, witty, funny, and is like written that way. Like, she and the MMC have some biting interactions where there's actually witty (dark witty, though not fun witty) things being said back and forth. And she is COOL. Cucumber's got nothing on her, she doesn't take a lot of crap from people, she doesn't spend lots of time wittering around, wringing her hands, getting herself into stupid situations and then doing nothing to fix them, etc.
She's shown as competent, on top of her game, and she just is in charge of her life, more or less.
Then the MMC comes in with all his agendas regarding retributions (don't worry. There is no actual retribution in this book) and battles of the wits between them and sexiness and speaking different languages and whatnot, and that shakes her world up a bit.
Feel like this book could have been fleshed out a little more; there are several sort of stunted sub plots/stories that don't go anywhere, like the Japanese family that she never got to meet again, the new writer she's going to work with who shows up and then goes away and that's it, we never get to find out if she's going to actually get paid for her new work, etc. Does her dad survive the operation? What's going to happen with the company? Etc...
It actually I think had the makings of a longer novel and maybe even a plot if there'd been room for all of it lol.
But it was overall enjoyable, even if we were deprived of retribution.
I have now added a needs-more-retribution tag just for this book.
October 30, 2021
It's okay. Simple story and a competent story telling. Key notes I took to try and build my shoddy attention span.
-Heroine gets sick, so hero comes in and gives her some stuff before he skedaddles.
-Sketching isn't quite quick to take a few minutes. Fastest sketch I made took me ten minutes. Those guys who can draw quick are build differently.
-Aw. A book in universe about animals. According to that in book author, Our heroine is a mongoose, so is our hero a snake?
Anyway. An okay read. I'm going to try and work on bulletin notes to help with my weird attention span.
-Heroine gets sick, so hero comes in and gives her some stuff before he skedaddles.
-Sketching isn't quite quick to take a few minutes. Fastest sketch I made took me ten minutes. Those guys who can draw quick are build differently.
-Aw. A book in universe about animals. According to that in book author, Our heroine is a mongoose, so is our hero a snake?
Anyway. An okay read. I'm going to try and work on bulletin notes to help with my weird attention span.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2020
Laura tries everything to keep Simon away from her sister, and thus thwart his revenge on her father. She doesn't know what the beef is between the two, but she's not willing to let her sister pay. They eventually fall in love, but he's too obsessed with his revenge to have time for finer emotions, so Laura leaves him. I loved this book, the heroine was funny and smart.
August 7, 2017
I can't believe this sh*t. <_<
June 26, 2019
I really, really like this heroine. She wins a few rounds, which is nice.
February 8, 2020
A very strong heroine who gave the hero well and good.
Loved that the hero couldn't carry on his revenge
Quick ending though.:)
Loved that the hero couldn't carry on his revenge
Quick ending though.:)
May 16, 2022
Believable plot and for once a decent Hero. He had completely justified reasons for his actions and her idiot family deserved it but he put her first at the end
July 3, 2024
Naksed's review says it all.
I should really give this 4.5 but you can't so I've given it a five. I absolutely loved it.
I am a big fan of Charlotte Lamb and this is one of her best.
I should really give this 4.5 but you can't so I've given it a five. I absolutely loved it.
I am a big fan of Charlotte Lamb and this is one of her best.
January 25, 2021
Είναι κάποια βιβλία που γράφονται με αρκετό χιούμορ, πέρα από το συναίσθημα που είναι ορατό στις σελίδες τους. Μια τέτοια ιστορία είναι το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο! Μου άρεσε πολύ, απλά θα ήθελα έναν καλύτερο επίλογο!
December 22, 2023
Updated: I reread this as a test because lately I've not enjoyed Charlotte Lamb's HPs as much as I used to. Originally this was a strong 4 star read for me, mostly because I enjoyed the h and the minor characters of h's sister and her beau were excellent. CL did not develop the H very well. He supposedly loves the h enough to drop all thoughts of vengeance yet he remains a cipher. There is strong sexual attraction but his comments imply far more that CL does not show us.
I'll leave the rating at 4 stars but this is not a top HP by any means. CL does an excellent job with setting, both outdoors in the Heath, at the zoo, and in h's home, even give us rich descriptions of restaurants. The setting helps make up for the scant character development of H and the fact that CL describes the h more than she shows her.
Original:
I really liked this one. The romance and family tensions both felt real and were emotionally engaging. The ending was a bit rushed though, and I suspect Simon ought to take over the company if it is to continue profitably.
The dialogue between her and everyone else was great with lots of humor. Ms. Lamb uses dialogue to create the story and drive the plot and characters and does it well. One of her best.
Reread. Still see ending is too rushed.
I'll leave the rating at 4 stars but this is not a top HP by any means. CL does an excellent job with setting, both outdoors in the Heath, at the zoo, and in h's home, even give us rich descriptions of restaurants. The setting helps make up for the scant character development of H and the fact that CL describes the h more than she shows her.
Original:
I really liked this one. The romance and family tensions both felt real and were emotionally engaging. The ending was a bit rushed though, and I suspect Simon ought to take over the company if it is to continue profitably.
The dialogue between her and everyone else was great with lots of humor. Ms. Lamb uses dialogue to create the story and drive the plot and characters and does it well. One of her best.
Reread. Still see ending is too rushed.
October 25, 2025
Retribution from 1981 is another of Charlotte Lamb's one word titles. It is the story of Laura and Simon, a London-based couple. Laura is an artist who illustrates books. Her father is a ruthless and unfeeling corporate tycoon who once employed Simon. Sometime in the past, he deeply angered Simon over a personal family matter, who then quit and started up on his own and dedicated himself to taking down the father's business. Then Simon meets Laura and falls in love. The story is centered on Simon's struggle to avenge his family vs his newfound love for his enemy's daughter.
Laura is one of CL's intelligent, self-sufficient blondes, and she is sensible, pragmatic and organized in her thinking. As such, she's more palatable to me than some of CL's dreamier and more clueless heroines. Simon is an alpha but maybe not one of CL's batshit crazy alphas. He's intense, but this story isn't about insane jealousy, off the charts obsession, etc. (For example, Frustration, which I also loved despite the hero being insane.) I really enjoyed Retribution. CL could write humor when she wanted to, and this one is filled with dry humor. There are multiple side characters whose storylines are very funny to read, particularly Declan (Laura's publisher) and a children's book author whose main character is a bat and for whom Declan contracts Laura to do the illustrations.
Five stars!
Laura is one of CL's intelligent, self-sufficient blondes, and she is sensible, pragmatic and organized in her thinking. As such, she's more palatable to me than some of CL's dreamier and more clueless heroines. Simon is an alpha but maybe not one of CL's batshit crazy alphas. He's intense, but this story isn't about insane jealousy, off the charts obsession, etc. (For example, Frustration, which I also loved despite the hero being insane.) I really enjoyed Retribution. CL could write humor when she wanted to, and this one is filled with dry humor. There are multiple side characters whose storylines are very funny to read, particularly Declan (Laura's publisher) and a children's book author whose main character is a bat and for whom Declan contracts Laura to do the illustrations.
Five stars!
February 1, 2016
I honestly liked the incites of the heroine and her clever perception. So intriguing! She's honest with herself and so sensitive in understanding her family's and others true nature, feelings and motives. I loved her maturity a lot and the the writer draw her character pretty nicely.
I gave this book 4 because of the hero, though. I was not that convinced that a person who was willing to go so far for his revenge for the reasons he explained would so easily drop out over night - not that he did, actually, as far as I gathered in the end! There's got to be more explanations to be written to make his love more believable.
I gave this book 4 because of the hero, though. I was not that convinced that a person who was willing to go so far for his revenge for the reasons he explained would so easily drop out over night - not that he did, actually, as far as I gathered in the end! There's got to be more explanations to be written to make his love more believable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2020
His intentions were definitely dangerous.
Laura didn't know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister—but she had no idea how to save herself.
Laura didn't know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister—but she had no idea how to save herself.
February 28, 2014
Not exactly my favorite.
Mostly because there's not enough angst. Revenge story where in the end they both fall in love. Quite typical to be honest but overall I liked. Just not my favorite. At some point Charlotte Lamb's style of writing is lack of wham-bam here and there.
So yeah, could be so much better.
Mostly because there's not enough angst. Revenge story where in the end they both fall in love. Quite typical to be honest but overall I liked. Just not my favorite. At some point Charlotte Lamb's style of writing is lack of wham-bam here and there.
So yeah, could be so much better.
Read
July 2, 2018His intentions were definitely dangerous.
Laura didn't know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister—but she had no idea how to save herself.
Laura didn't know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister—but she had no idea how to save herself.
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