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Love Beyond Reason
The very sight of him made her weak with desire --- this "brother-in-law" she barely knew. What cruel fate drove her into his arms and tempted her to yield to his outrageous demands?
Jason Manning's arrogance knew no bounds. First he expected her to give him their orphaned niece, the child she had vowed to raise alone. Now he demanded that she marry him ... or lose the child in court! How could she trust another Manning? Yet how could she resist him? Katherine hated him with a burning passion ... yet her treacherous heart kept whispering "Yes!"
Jason Manning's arrogance knew no bounds. First he expected her to give him their orphaned niece, the child she had vowed to raise alone. Now he demanded that she marry him ... or lose the child in court! How could she trust another Manning? Yet how could she resist him? Katherine hated him with a burning passion ... yet her treacherous heart kept whispering "Yes!"
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1981
744 people are currently reading
2214 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Brown
343 books19.3k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
April 7, 2015
Maybe if I read it 30 years ago I might have enjoyed it more. Ms Brown's writing and plot lines sure have improved.
February 3, 2017
3.5 stars. I love. Love. Love. Sandra Brown, but her older books are crazy cheesy!! I giggled throughout this entire book and I don't think it was meant to be funny. The constant "combing, brushing, and racking fingers through his crisp chest hair" was hilarious. You'd think he was a bear he has so much chest hair. Hahaha. Oh and he wore "cut off jean shorts with a t shirt that had the midriff cut off to show off his taut stomach muscles" was also very funny.
April 6, 2017
3.5 Light Cheesy and Tropey Stars!
Enjoyed this older Sandra Brown Romance.
Only…he could have done a better job at the explanation on the ow situation.
But then angry alpha Hs don’t do explaining very well especially when…. "I'm too proud to have pleaded innocence when there wasn't even a crime.”
And no need too…when all you have to do is get in a tough-guy-on-a-burning-rig situation and watch her crawl!
Enjoyed this older Sandra Brown Romance.
Only…he could have done a better job at the explanation on the ow situation.
But then angry alpha Hs don’t do explaining very well especially when…. "I'm too proud to have pleaded innocence when there wasn't even a crime.”
And no need too…when all you have to do is get in a tough-guy-on-a-burning-rig situation and watch her crawl!
November 5, 2011
This book doesn't even deserve one star. This has to be one of the worst books that I've ever read in my life. I only kept reading it in the ridiculous (and futile) hope that it surely would have to get better at some point.I wanted to shoot myself between the eyes...this book was so BORING!!! If I had of known it was going to be all romance ...I would have NEVER purchased this book!! There was no suspense...no nothing...just two people thrown together ....I was just like SERIOUSLY! Definitely do not recommend this book!
March 31, 2020
Well, that book's title made me expect something completely different...
July 8, 2018
Un libro fácil de leer con una trama que te deja querer seguir para saber que pasara con los protas. Me enamoré de Jack pero a veces su cabezoneria me ponia de un humor terrible. Porque no explicaba y aclaraba las cosas. Digno ejemplo de la mayoria del comportamiento de los hombre. Me gusto mucho y la volveria a leer.
February 7, 2012
Rating 3.5
I enjoyed the book, the heroine grew up with a mother and a sister, frugally since her father died and then her younger sister got married to a rich man who abused her and died giving birth, Katherine runs with the baby knowing that is what her sister wanted, for her to raise her.
Few months later, Jace, her sister's brother-in-law shows up and doesn't go away, he's constantly helping but Katherine doesn't trust him in part because of what his brother did to her sister but she learns that he is different but doubts don't go away easily and then there is the fact that for the first time in her life she is attracted to a man.
They get married, he tells her that is their best chance of keeping the baby and they get to know each other before becoming intimate.
I enjoyed the book even though the heroine was bit of a drama queen with her conclusions sometimes.
I enjoyed the book, the heroine grew up with a mother and a sister, frugally since her father died and then her younger sister got married to a rich man who abused her and died giving birth, Katherine runs with the baby knowing that is what her sister wanted, for her to raise her.
Few months later, Jace, her sister's brother-in-law shows up and doesn't go away, he's constantly helping but Katherine doesn't trust him in part because of what his brother did to her sister but she learns that he is different but doubts don't go away easily and then there is the fact that for the first time in her life she is attracted to a man.
They get married, he tells her that is their best chance of keeping the baby and they get to know each other before becoming intimate.
I enjoyed the book even though the heroine was bit of a drama queen with her conclusions sometimes.
January 29, 2022
En español, Love beyond reason se ha traducido de dos formas: Cita con el destino y Más allá de la razón. Estamos ante una de las novelitas genéricas que publicó Sandra Brown en los años ochenta. Esta la sacó en noviembre de 1981, con el seudónimo de Rachel Ryan y fue el Candlelight Ecstasy Romance n.º 29. Katherine Adams (27) tiene que huir con su sobrina, un bebé huérfano, para que no se la quiten los abuelos paternos, ricos y poderosos. El hijo de estos, y tío paterno del bebé, Jason Manning dará con ella, y será cosa de amor (y lujuria) a primera vista. Acabará con un matrimonio de conveniencia. Me parece que es uno de los pocos harlequines ochenteros que aún son agradables de leer, asumiendo que saldrá más de una viejunez.
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
January 21, 2023
Buku ini emang buat selingan pas suntuk aja. Banyak adegan hawt-nya (dan memang ditonjolin di situ, ketertarikan fisik antar karakter).
Ceritanya ringan banget, sampai-sampai aku lupa kalau ini nggak bakal serumit tulisan genre suspense belio yang lain. Waktu baca blurb, kupikir bakal ada drama dengan keluarga Manning, ternyata cuma disebut sepintas lalu. Bahkan si pembawa konfliknya dari sumber lain. Agak kecewa sih, karena nggak ada ketegangannya, tapi ya udah, emang fokusnya nggak sesuai ekspektasiku.
Oh, aku agak gimanaaa gitu sama Jace. Dia emang perhatian dan tipe family man, tapi emosinya bikin ilfeel sometimes. Kayak beneran duh nggak bisa ditahan banget ya ini, bang? Kalo Kate ya tipe awalnya benci terus jadi demen gitu, deh. Kadang bikin gregetan, tapi kusuka karena tipikal cewek mandiri (sebelum Jace mendadak nginterupsi, ya).
Ceritanya ringan banget, sampai-sampai aku lupa kalau ini nggak bakal serumit tulisan genre suspense belio yang lain. Waktu baca blurb, kupikir bakal ada drama dengan keluarga Manning, ternyata cuma disebut sepintas lalu. Bahkan si pembawa konfliknya dari sumber lain. Agak kecewa sih, karena nggak ada ketegangannya, tapi ya udah, emang fokusnya nggak sesuai ekspektasiku.
Oh, aku agak gimanaaa gitu sama Jace. Dia emang perhatian dan tipe family man, tapi emosinya bikin ilfeel sometimes. Kayak beneran duh nggak bisa ditahan banget ya ini, bang? Kalo Kate ya tipe awalnya benci terus jadi demen gitu, deh. Kadang bikin gregetan, tapi kusuka karena tipikal cewek mandiri (sebelum Jace mendadak nginterupsi, ya).
December 21, 2024
I liked most of this story until the final conflict. I think Jace should have groveled a bit.
Overall, I thought this was a sweet older contemporary romance. I think this story was originally published in 1981, so please keep that in mind if you are picking this up. I completely understood Katherine's apprehension to dating Jace. I think that Jace was a bit too unapologetic for me. He never did anything truly bad, but I wish he was a bit more understanding to Katherine.
Overall, I thought it was pretty sweet.
Overall, I thought this was a sweet older contemporary romance. I think this story was originally published in 1981, so please keep that in mind if you are picking this up. I completely understood Katherine's apprehension to dating Jace. I think that Jace was a bit too unapologetic for me. He never did anything truly bad, but I wish he was a bit more understanding to Katherine.
Overall, I thought it was pretty sweet.
October 29, 2020
A reissue of one of Sandra Brown's early romances, written under the name Rachel Ryan. It's a bit dated, which she mentions herself in the forward. Nobody has a cell phone; they use a car bed for the baby and in one scene while riding in a jeep Katherine holds the baby in her lap; when Jace gifts Katherine with a fancy new typewriter she's over the moon. But the story still holds up well and was very enjoyable. Of course there's a big misunderstanding over the other woman, and that was the only time I got irritated. I wanted to yell at Katherine to stand up for herself and demand an explanation from Jace, and I wanted to yell at Jace to just be straight up with Katherine and don't just get mad at her for being mad at him for what she saw. But again, I still very much enjoyed the book and especially at the end I was racing through the pages to finish before going to sleep.
August 1, 2014
This was awwwwwful. It was almost hilariously bad, except there was nothing funny about it. In fact, I was enraged the majority of the time I was reading this. Maybe back in the early 80s this was considered sexy, romantic, whatever? Maybe I'm just too modern a woman to think that coercion, manipulation, verbal abuse, violence, and victimization are things to be desired in a relationship? Especially when there's a baby involved.
April 5, 2023
Pudo ser mejor, pero la verdad todo me pareció que sucedió muy rápido y sin trama en específico.
May 7, 2023
I skim the sex portions, so there wasn't much left of the book to read. Not my cup of tea. to say the least.
June 17, 2021
This isn't your average light & fluffy romance novel, this is a book with bite.
You need to read this!
You need to read this!
May 7, 2018
Dulu suka sekarang biasa, hahaha. Penilaian bisa berubah.
January 6, 2021
A second Brown written under Rachel Ryan book and another that bloke is horrid and awful and I can't stand him, which in real life it would end, but in these books, nope, oh he is also alluring and I can't help myself I'm falling for him blah, blah blah. Gosh the women in these books come across as hopeless drips. Is that intentional?
Sandra Brown #2
Sandra Brown #2
January 28, 2025
#părerea_Violetei
#recomandaredelectură
💛Dragoste mai presus de rațiune, Sandra Brown
256 pagini
💛Posibile spoilere,
💛Pentru a respecta ultima dorință a surorii ei, Katherine Adams își ia nepoțica de două luni, pe nume Allison și pleacă cât mai departe de familia Manning, familie care a adus numai suferință în viața lui Mary. Pentru a pune distanța între ea și puternica familie, Katherine se întoarce în orășelul copilăriei sale, unde simte că va fi în siguranță. Aici ea găsește sprijin în persoana vecinei sale Happy, iar în micul centru universitar își va găsi și un loc de muncă.
💛 După câteva luni de liniște, totul se schimbă în viața ei, deoarece la ușă îi bate însuși pericolul, în persona lui Jason Manning, fostul cumnat al surorii sale și pe care nu l-a cunoscut niciodată, acesta fiind plecat în Africa cu serviciul, fiind petrolist. Jason este frumos ca un zeu și îi face inima lui Katherine să bată așa cum nu a mai bătut până acum, dar este si foarte periculos, deoarece vrea custodia nepoatei sale.
💛Katherine încerca să lupte cu el, încerca să pună distanță între ei, încerca să o țină departe pe Allison, de unchiul ei, dar felul deschis al lui Jace, modul în care se integrează în viața lor, modul în care le protejează și le ajută, o face să capituleze în fața farmecului acestuia. Dar totul se va schimba când puternică familie Manning va pune pe urmele ei avocații, iar Katherine și Jace vor fi nevoiți să ia decizii radicale, decizii care le vor schimba cursul vieții.
💛De ce o caută Jace pe Katherine? Va reuși el să o convingă ca nu vrea decât să îi vină în ajutor? Va vedea Katherine dincolo de numele de familie a lui Jace? Ce propunere îi face el pentru a putea să o păstreze pe Alisson? Va reuși Katherine să își dea voie să fie fericită? Răspunsurile la întrebări, dar și cum se termină povestea celor doi, le veți descoperi voi.
💛Sanda Brown este o autoare pe care o citesc cu drag, atât poveștile ei vechi, cât și pe cele mai noi. Poveste de față poate pare simplă, dar nu e chiar așa, deoarece aduce pe tapet câteva teme dureroase: violența domestică, abuzul de putere, condiția femeii în acei ani, iar eroina acestui roman face față cu brio tuturor încercărilor. Jace este un bărbat cu un caracter puternic, un bărbat cu principii și un bărbat care știe să lupte cu toate armele pentru a obține ceea ce își dorește, iar întâlnirea cu Katherine va da savoare vieții lui.
Mie mi-a plăcut și mereu mă voi întoarce cu drag la romanele Sandrei.
#recomandaredelectură
💛Dragoste mai presus de rațiune, Sandra Brown
256 pagini
💛Posibile spoilere,
💛Pentru a respecta ultima dorință a surorii ei, Katherine Adams își ia nepoțica de două luni, pe nume Allison și pleacă cât mai departe de familia Manning, familie care a adus numai suferință în viața lui Mary. Pentru a pune distanța între ea și puternica familie, Katherine se întoarce în orășelul copilăriei sale, unde simte că va fi în siguranță. Aici ea găsește sprijin în persoana vecinei sale Happy, iar în micul centru universitar își va găsi și un loc de muncă.
💛 După câteva luni de liniște, totul se schimbă în viața ei, deoarece la ușă îi bate însuși pericolul, în persona lui Jason Manning, fostul cumnat al surorii sale și pe care nu l-a cunoscut niciodată, acesta fiind plecat în Africa cu serviciul, fiind petrolist. Jason este frumos ca un zeu și îi face inima lui Katherine să bată așa cum nu a mai bătut până acum, dar este si foarte periculos, deoarece vrea custodia nepoatei sale.
💛Katherine încerca să lupte cu el, încerca să pună distanță între ei, încerca să o țină departe pe Allison, de unchiul ei, dar felul deschis al lui Jace, modul în care se integrează în viața lor, modul în care le protejează și le ajută, o face să capituleze în fața farmecului acestuia. Dar totul se va schimba când puternică familie Manning va pune pe urmele ei avocații, iar Katherine și Jace vor fi nevoiți să ia decizii radicale, decizii care le vor schimba cursul vieții.
💛De ce o caută Jace pe Katherine? Va reuși el să o convingă ca nu vrea decât să îi vină în ajutor? Va vedea Katherine dincolo de numele de familie a lui Jace? Ce propunere îi face el pentru a putea să o păstreze pe Alisson? Va reuși Katherine să își dea voie să fie fericită? Răspunsurile la întrebări, dar și cum se termină povestea celor doi, le veți descoperi voi.
💛Sanda Brown este o autoare pe care o citesc cu drag, atât poveștile ei vechi, cât și pe cele mai noi. Poveste de față poate pare simplă, dar nu e chiar așa, deoarece aduce pe tapet câteva teme dureroase: violența domestică, abuzul de putere, condiția femeii în acei ani, iar eroina acestui roman face față cu brio tuturor încercărilor. Jace este un bărbat cu un caracter puternic, un bărbat cu principii și un bărbat care știe să lupte cu toate armele pentru a obține ceea ce își dorește, iar întâlnirea cu Katherine va da savoare vieții lui.
Mie mi-a plăcut și mereu mă voi întoarce cu drag la romanele Sandrei.
December 16, 2021
Really good. Katherine Adams vows never to fall into the idea of fairytale love after her sisters marriage to a wealthy aristocrat turns out to be a miserable disaster. Things get even worse when her sisters husband dies in a car accident with his mistress. The very same night mary dies during childbirth. From there on out Katherine is determined never to let any more Manning’s ruin her life. Katherine takes Mary’s daughter Allison and moves her to Texas to raise her. But just when she thinks she’s escaped the Manning’s. Her other brother in law Jason Manning comes to visit. She’d never met the man, he’d been working in Africa as a resident geologist. But now he’s currently running an oil rig in Texas right near Katherine. He makes it known that he wants to be apart of Allison’s life and he is nothing like his family. Now everywhere she looks Jace is there, and he is set on trying to help raise Allison. Things take a turn when the Manning’s want custody of Allison, and the only way to make sure Katherine gets to keep her is by marrying Jace. That way the Manning’s can’t take her away from their other son. Now they can live peacefully trying to raise the baby in their small Texas apartment. But despite their odd arrangements Katherine is stuck on never caring for a manning. But Jace makes that entirely too difficult.
Really cute as always. Can’t go wrong with a Sandra brown novel really. Really good vibes from this book. Very cozy and sweet. 10/10
Really cute as always. Can’t go wrong with a Sandra brown novel really. Really good vibes from this book. Very cozy and sweet. 10/10
May 5, 2018
Pembaca pasti dengan mudah merasakan simpati pada Kathrine yang harus mengambil alih pengasuhan keponakannya setelah adiknya meninggal. Dan dia harus menjauhkan anak itu dari keluarga Manning. Jadi ketika Jason Manning datang menemuinya, sikap defensif sudah pasti menjadi senjata Kat.
Novel ini menggunakan POV orang ketiga, tapi hanya melihat dari sisi Kat. Yang dituliskan hanya perasaan Kat saja, dan Kat yang dengan mudah menghakimi Jace. Selain itu latar belakang Jace tidak begitu jelas. Selain karakter Jace yang dewasa dan lembut, sulit memahami apa yang dilakukan Jace sampai dia sendiri yang mengatakannya.
Layout dan bahasa terjemahan yang (hampir) jadul sedikit mengganggu. But so far ceritanya lumayan.
Novel ini menggunakan POV orang ketiga, tapi hanya melihat dari sisi Kat. Yang dituliskan hanya perasaan Kat saja, dan Kat yang dengan mudah menghakimi Jace. Selain itu latar belakang Jace tidak begitu jelas. Selain karakter Jace yang dewasa dan lembut, sulit memahami apa yang dilakukan Jace sampai dia sendiri yang mengatakannya.
Layout dan bahasa terjemahan yang (hampir) jadul sedikit mengganggu. But so far ceritanya lumayan.
November 30, 2024
Typical Sandra Brown. 30 years ago, her books made me all glassy eyed and romantic. Now, not so much, but I still like the story.
Read
February 21, 2019Como a veces algunos lectores quieren saber sobre lo siguiente:
La verdad, tengo mis dudas con la etiqueta de "virgin-heroine" ... Porque por ahí menciona cierta experiencia que tuvo la heroina con un chico que me hizo dudar en poner de etiqueta "h-sex-experience-but-hymen-intact" ... Pero la autora es algo ambigua y de ahí que no sepa exactamente cuál de las dos etiquetas sería más acertada. Pero bueno.
La verdad, tengo mis dudas con la etiqueta de "virgin-heroine" ... Porque por ahí menciona cierta experiencia que tuvo la heroina con un chico que me hizo dudar en poner de etiqueta "h-sex-experience-but-hymen-intact" ... Pero la autora es algo ambigua y de ahí que no sepa exactamente cuál de las dos etiquetas sería más acertada. Pero bueno.
July 18, 2021
Easy read
June 18, 2018
Love Beyond Reason is one of Sandra Brown's oldies. There's no suspense, not much character depth and the plot is fairly predictable. Plus, having been published originally in the mid-90s, it is now a bit outdated. As Sandra Brown's older books go, though, this one is not one of the worst.
Katherine Adams has run away with her newborn niece to escape the Mannings - her sister's in-laws and who (along with their deceased son) she blames for her sister Mary's demise. Then Jason Manning (the baby's uncle) comes calling and after a few twists and turns they end up married to ensure custody of the child - because apparently Jason also believes his parents are not suitable guardians. Well, you can already guess how that marriage of convenience will end.
My main problem with the plot is the fact that Jason seems to have found Katherine very easily while his parents - so intent on getting custody of the baby and with lots of legal and financial backing, seem to be lagging behind. I would have expected them to haunt Katherine, to threaten her or at least to send someone over to confront her. While this obviously simplifies the plot, it also makes it unrealistic - because the people Katherine is running from don't seem to be making that much of an effort to find her.
Still, if you like simple, no-strings-attached romance novels and don't mind that this is an older book, Love Beyond Reason makes an OK, quick beach or poolside read.
Katherine Adams has run away with her newborn niece to escape the Mannings - her sister's in-laws and who (along with their deceased son) she blames for her sister Mary's demise. Then Jason Manning (the baby's uncle) comes calling and after a few twists and turns they end up married to ensure custody of the child - because apparently Jason also believes his parents are not suitable guardians. Well, you can already guess how that marriage of convenience will end.
My main problem with the plot is the fact that Jason seems to have found Katherine very easily while his parents - so intent on getting custody of the baby and with lots of legal and financial backing, seem to be lagging behind. I would have expected them to haunt Katherine, to threaten her or at least to send someone over to confront her. While this obviously simplifies the plot, it also makes it unrealistic - because the people Katherine is running from don't seem to be making that much of an effort to find her.
Still, if you like simple, no-strings-attached romance novels and don't mind that this is an older book, Love Beyond Reason makes an OK, quick beach or poolside read.
January 1, 2012
I read this book really fast and it was funny and really enjoyable read.
It's about two people who are brought together by the death of Katherine's sister and Jason's brother. They had a little baby girl, who Katherine is trying to protect from Jason's family, because she promised that to her dying sister. She had never met Jason and she thinks that he is just like the rest of his family heartless and mean, and when he comes and wants to take her niece she is really scared. But he is nothing like what she though of him, in the end they find a way to protect the little girl and be with her together and in the process they fall in love.
It's really beautifully written.
It's about two people who are brought together by the death of Katherine's sister and Jason's brother. They had a little baby girl, who Katherine is trying to protect from Jason's family, because she promised that to her dying sister. She had never met Jason and she thinks that he is just like the rest of his family heartless and mean, and when he comes and wants to take her niece she is really scared. But he is nothing like what she though of him, in the end they find a way to protect the little girl and be with her together and in the process they fall in love.
It's really beautifully written.
February 22, 2018
If your sister and her husband both die within days of each other leaving a premature baby behind, what would you do? Katherine took the responsibility of raising her sister’s baby seriously. So, however, did the brother of the baby’s father. The complications of providing a safe environment for baby Alison is central to this story. The book presents characters you love and a touching situation, but no complicated plot. It is what it is and I loved it.
October 13, 2008
Vintage Sandra Brown when she was using one of her early pseudonyms, Rachel Ryan. She has come a long way since she wrote this formulaic Harlequin romance, but it was a quick, light read, something I needed today!
October 9, 2013
Very little left to the imagination. Lacked suspense. Highly predictable.
January 1, 2017
Terminado de leer el 01/08/2009
January 6, 2017
Originally written in the early 80's....Frilly, flowery with an insipid h......Definitely not one on SB's best :(
Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews