What do you think?
Rate this book
Delanza Family #2
Poslije nevinosti
Lijepa dvadesetogodišnja Sofie O’Neill prihvaća činjenicu da će ostati usidjelica zbog toga što je u djetinjstvu doživjela nezgodu nakon koje šepa te vjeruje da nijedan muškarac ne može voljeti ‘bogalja’. Unatoč tomu hrabro se nosi sa životom, potpuno se posvećujući umjetnosti i slikarstvu.
Na jednoj raskošnoj zabavi u Newport Beachu, 1901.godine, privlačan tamnokos muškarac, Edward DeLanza, zapazi Sofie kako sama stoji u kutu. Unatoč njezinoj skromnoj sivoj haljini, biva privučen njezinom zlaćanom kosom i jantarnim očima. Budući da nikada u životu nije sreo ženu poput nje, ostaje istinski zaprepašten kada mu Sofie prizna da se ne namjerava udati, već da želi živjeti samo za slikarstvo.
Nedugo potom, tijekom jednog izlaska; Sofie podliježe Edwardovu šarmu, podaje mu se i gubi nevinost. Prestrašena i zbunjena poplavom strasti koju je toga dana osjetila, Sofie bježi u Pariz, kako bi nastavila studij slikarstva. Očajan, Edward kreće u potragu za njom, jer od te mlade hrabre djevojke neustrašivog duha želi mnogo više od kratkog susreta. Odlučan je izliječiti je i učiniti svojom… sada… i zauvijek.
Na jednoj raskošnoj zabavi u Newport Beachu, 1901.godine, privlačan tamnokos muškarac, Edward DeLanza, zapazi Sofie kako sama stoji u kutu. Unatoč njezinoj skromnoj sivoj haljini, biva privučen njezinom zlaćanom kosom i jantarnim očima. Budući da nikada u životu nije sreo ženu poput nje, ostaje istinski zaprepašten kada mu Sofie prizna da se ne namjerava udati, već da želi živjeti samo za slikarstvo.
Nedugo potom, tijekom jednog izlaska; Sofie podliježe Edwardovu šarmu, podaje mu se i gubi nevinost. Prestrašena i zbunjena poplavom strasti koju je toga dana osjetila, Sofie bježi u Pariz, kako bi nastavila studij slikarstva. Očajan, Edward kreće u potragu za njom, jer od te mlade hrabre djevojke neustrašivog duha želi mnogo više od kratkog susreta. Odlučan je izliječiti je i učiniti svojom… sada… i zauvijek.
542 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
23 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Joyce
106 books1,298 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
October 5, 2022
I really love Brenda Joyce. Reminiscent of The Finer Things (turn of the century, separation with heroine blossoming, pregnancy, angst). Love the parallels between the two couples. So much more to say. Angst is good.
RTC!!!
*Oct. 4, 2022 Update*
Reading After Innocence reaffirmed how much I love Brenda Joyce but also confusingly I may be into soap operas?!
Brenda Joyce's plots feel like she's been inspired by daytime television plots, especially in the couple B plotlines.
But hey.
I am not complaining.
The Rival remains the most experimental of her works that I've to read. Incest but also a villainous couple that get their HEA (excuse me what). Here, I want to highlight couple B is the heroine's estranged mom and dad. Her mom is a beautiful woman who cares about economic stability and social status while her father scorns her mom. They have a weird relationship that is never resolved by the end but implied to end like Gone With The Wind... and I no longer believe Scarlett got her man Rhett.
The overall plot hits the same notes as The Finer Things and the angst is GOOD in this one. I generally am not bothered by misunderstandings if it is written in a way where it's obvious that they could have that conversation. Here, they could have had any one of the characters say what they were thinking...
And this is how I know I am a Brenda Joyce stan. Because I saw that it could be annoying for others, but I still enjoyed the angst that resulted from it.
So yes. Big misunderstandings are my pet peeve when the couple never addresses the thing head-on or when they do, they still choose to behave the same way.
It usually makes for boring reading.
But here? I’ll allow it.
Heroine is a painter who has been convinced she is a freak but actually only has a barely discernible limp. Her beautiful mother is overprotective. Excellent mother-daughter dynamic here - complicated but full of love.
Heroine meets an adventurer type making love to one of the guests at her mother’s house party. Unbeknownst to her, he also sees her too. Meetcute alert! Literally. The hero is attracted to the heroine watching, so much so that he is able to get it in action when before he was going to pass on the outdoors tumble.
When H+h meet, sparks fly. One meeting leads to another and they are caught in a storm, of course.
So what happens after innocence?
The main misunderstanding is that they both misinterpret each other’s words. He thinks she does not love him so she does not want to be with him. He gets real insecure that she does not want to marry him, even though she has his baby. She dislikes him that much that she'd do the impractical thing?! Meanwhile, she thinks he could never be loyal to her and she does not want to go through the heartache that her mother did with her father.
Essentially, she has feelings for him which is why she refuses to be with him. He thinks she doesn't have feelings for him, which is why she refuses his hand.
I loved to see the heroine blossom as a painter in France, the hero’s jealousy, the diamond sex scene -oof. And of course that swoon ending.
RTC!!!
*Oct. 4, 2022 Update*
Reading After Innocence reaffirmed how much I love Brenda Joyce but also confusingly I may be into soap operas?!
Brenda Joyce's plots feel like she's been inspired by daytime television plots, especially in the couple B plotlines.
But hey.
I am not complaining.
The Rival remains the most experimental of her works that I've to read. Incest but also a villainous couple that get their HEA (excuse me what). Here, I want to highlight couple B is the heroine's estranged mom and dad. Her mom is a beautiful woman who cares about economic stability and social status while her father scorns her mom. They have a weird relationship that is never resolved by the end but implied to end like Gone With The Wind... and I no longer believe Scarlett got her man Rhett.
The overall plot hits the same notes as The Finer Things and the angst is GOOD in this one. I generally am not bothered by misunderstandings if it is written in a way where it's obvious that they could have that conversation. Here, they could have had any one of the characters say what they were thinking...
And this is how I know I am a Brenda Joyce stan. Because I saw that it could be annoying for others, but I still enjoyed the angst that resulted from it.
So yes. Big misunderstandings are my pet peeve when the couple never addresses the thing head-on or when they do, they still choose to behave the same way.
It usually makes for boring reading.
But here? I’ll allow it.
Heroine is a painter who has been convinced she is a freak but actually only has a barely discernible limp. Her beautiful mother is overprotective. Excellent mother-daughter dynamic here - complicated but full of love.
Heroine meets an adventurer type making love to one of the guests at her mother’s house party. Unbeknownst to her, he also sees her too. Meetcute alert! Literally. The hero is attracted to the heroine watching, so much so that he is able to get it in action when before he was going to pass on the outdoors tumble.
When H+h meet, sparks fly. One meeting leads to another and they are caught in a storm, of course.
So what happens after innocence?
The main misunderstanding is that they both misinterpret each other’s words. He thinks she does not love him so she does not want to be with him. He gets real insecure that she does not want to marry him, even though she has his baby. She dislikes him that much that she'd do the impractical thing?! Meanwhile, she thinks he could never be loyal to her and she does not want to go through the heartache that her mother did with her father.
Essentially, she has feelings for him which is why she refuses to be with him. He thinks she doesn't have feelings for him, which is why she refuses his hand.
I loved to see the heroine blossom as a painter in France, the hero’s jealousy, the diamond sex scene -oof. And of course that swoon ending.
December 6, 2017
Started out so promising, but went downhill for these reasons.
1. Likable protagonists who turned annoying, 'cause stupidity.
2. Too much focus on secondary characters with little payoff (Sofie's parents). The time placed on them could have been better served to flesh out Edward and Sofie's relationship.
3. Strong sexual tension that resulted in tepid love scenes.
4. The final resolution and discussion was much too brief to be convincing. Sofie needed to grovel for her stupid ways, but was totally let off the hook! No. Edward had to approach Sofie instead, who'd instigated the majority of the problems between them.
This was my first Brenda Joyce romance. Although disappointed, I will try reading at least one more before deciding if her writing is for me.
1. Likable protagonists who turned annoying, 'cause stupidity.
2. Too much focus on secondary characters with little payoff (Sofie's parents). The time placed on them could have been better served to flesh out Edward and Sofie's relationship.
3. Strong sexual tension that resulted in tepid love scenes.
4. The final resolution and discussion was much too brief to be convincing. Sofie needed to grovel for her stupid ways, but was totally let off the hook! No. Edward had to approach Sofie instead, who'd instigated the majority of the problems between them.
This was my first Brenda Joyce romance. Although disappointed, I will try reading at least one more before deciding if her writing is for me.
October 20, 2016
(Review in Swedish)
En TOPP-BRA ROMANTISK HISTORISK BOK jag sent kommer att glömma.
Vem vill inte ha het attraktion med följande oförglömlig kärlek,med en stark och intensiv alpha-hjälte?Svaret är INGEN!!!
Från början var jag urless på hjältinnan,Sophie O`Neil,som var en blek och lugn konstnär som ständigt...bara irriterade mig.Hon var rätt så jobbig efter att ha skandlöst sett hjälten för första gången,diamantsmugglaren Edward Delanza ha sex med hennes granne mitt framför henne.Huhu,vilken pinsam situation (särskilt om detta händer i början av 1900-talet,Edward såg henne till och med,MUHAHAHA)
Sophie föll för honom GENAST efter det (instalove kan vi kalla det för) och inte så långt efter blir han också attraherad av henne. Men historien tar fart när de lär känna varandra,och han vill plötsligt att hon ska öppna ögonen och se sig om i världen.
Edward gillade jag...väldigt mycket.Han var både stark inåt och utåt,och så passionerad som en äkta man kan vara och så fort han blev förälskad i Sophie föll han ner på knä.
Sophie gillar jag mycket mer efter halva boken,då hon blir starkare och vågar stå upp för sig själv inför sin mamma,och följa sina drömmar.
Men det finns också en annan karaktär jag totalt föll för.Sophies pappa som alla tror är död,den ökända Jake O`Neil.Man lär känna honom genom Sophies mammas tankar,som fortfarande inte har glömt honom.Där man ser hur han som ung var,en personlighet som liknar Edwards.Och jag kunde bara tänka:WOW,vilken man alltså.Han kan verkligen förföra kvinnor med sin machoaktiga attityd.Sedan får man också läsa ur hans eget perspektiv,hur han följer sin dotter Sophie,och inte vågar visa sig för henne.Hans ord,personlighet och hur han tänkte....jag bara FÖLL FÖR HONOM!
Hans djävulska charm var svår att motstå.
Det var ett härligt slut,och jag grät till och med lite grann vid slutet,det var bara så vackert!
En TOPP-BRA ROMANTISK HISTORISK BOK jag sent kommer att glömma.
Vem vill inte ha het attraktion med följande oförglömlig kärlek,med en stark och intensiv alpha-hjälte?Svaret är INGEN!!!
Från början var jag urless på hjältinnan,Sophie O`Neil,som var en blek och lugn konstnär som ständigt...bara irriterade mig.Hon var rätt så jobbig efter att ha skandlöst sett hjälten för första gången,diamantsmugglaren Edward Delanza ha sex med hennes granne mitt framför henne.Huhu,vilken pinsam situation (särskilt om detta händer i början av 1900-talet,Edward såg henne till och med,MUHAHAHA)
Sophie föll för honom GENAST efter det (instalove kan vi kalla det för) och inte så långt efter blir han också attraherad av henne. Men historien tar fart när de lär känna varandra,och han vill plötsligt att hon ska öppna ögonen och se sig om i världen.
Edward gillade jag...väldigt mycket.Han var både stark inåt och utåt,och så passionerad som en äkta man kan vara och så fort han blev förälskad i Sophie föll han ner på knä.
Sophie gillar jag mycket mer efter halva boken,då hon blir starkare och vågar stå upp för sig själv inför sin mamma,och följa sina drömmar.
Men det finns också en annan karaktär jag totalt föll för.Sophies pappa som alla tror är död,den ökända Jake O`Neil.Man lär känna honom genom Sophies mammas tankar,som fortfarande inte har glömt honom.Där man ser hur han som ung var,en personlighet som liknar Edwards.Och jag kunde bara tänka:WOW,vilken man alltså.Han kan verkligen förföra kvinnor med sin machoaktiga attityd.Sedan får man också läsa ur hans eget perspektiv,hur han följer sin dotter Sophie,och inte vågar visa sig för henne.Hans ord,personlighet och hur han tänkte....jag bara FÖLL FÖR HONOM!
Hans djävulska charm var svår att motstå.
Det var ett härligt slut,och jag grät till och med lite grann vid slutet,det var bara så vackert!
August 27, 2021
Na-stress ako kay mareng Suzanne at pareng Jake mga siszt and they're not even the main characters. I could care less about them they were so infuriating, especially Suzanne. They didn't need their own storyline tbh. 😩 My irritation for them ultimately overpowered my enjoyment.
March 15, 2022
След невинноста на Бренда Джойс много ми харасе от самото начало.
Тяхната първа среща така необичайна до самия епилог, в който роних сълзи. Трудно се отделях от книгата, но при всичко, което съм чела на Бренда, след 1/2 от сюжета, просто не те пускат от вихъра си.
В тази книга обожавам начина, по който бяха описани картините на Софи и особено тези, в които е нарисуван Едуард.
Харесах много образа на Софи, как беше навряна в черупка, която постепенно се разтвори, за да диша.Тя не беше обичайна героиня и това много ме привлече към образа ѝ. Много харесах и Едуард с неговата енергия за живота, посветен само на забавленията му, добре възпитан и състрадателен, но с не особено добра слава.
И в двата главни героя имаха по нещо уникално, което ги направи запомнящи се.
Тяхната първа среща така необичайна до самия епилог, в който роних сълзи. Трудно се отделях от книгата, но при всичко, което съм чела на Бренда, след 1/2 от сюжета, просто не те пускат от вихъра си.
В тази книга обожавам начина, по който бяха описани картините на Софи и особено тези, в които е нарисуван Едуард.
Харесах много образа на Софи, как беше навряна в черупка, която постепенно се разтвори, за да диша.Тя не беше обичайна героиня и това много ме привлече към образа ѝ. Много харесах и Едуард с неговата енергия за живота, посветен само на забавленията му, добре възпитан и състрадателен, но с не особено добра слава.
И в двата главни героя имаха по нещо уникално, което ги направи запомнящи се.
April 28, 2016
Udjem ja tako u kafic poslije procitane knjige (ove jelte) ... i narucim kamilicu ...ono..da saperem oci napacene ...
July 24, 2017
Leído en Enero 2010
September 7, 2016
Wonderful Turn of the Century Romance in the Art World,
Joyce has a real winner in this one!
Can you imagine what it would be like to have a disability such that you thought you'd never find love? And, wouldn't it be worse if your mother confirmed this fear by keeping you at home and sheltered? In this second in the 2-book Delanza series, we meet Sophie O'Neill, who is lame from having fallen down a flight of stairs as a child, but who is also a sensitive, gifted artist.
Set in 1901 in New York and Paris (with a few scenes in Africa), the story begins in Newport Beach (think Atlantic Ocean) as houseguests of Susanne Ralston are gathering for a weekend party. Her daughter (by her first marriage), Sophie, a budding artist, is sketching on the beach when she sees a man she wants to paint. Unbeknownst to her, it is Edward Delanza, the wealthy diamond smuggler and rake who has just returned from Africa. As Sophie watches, the man makes love to a woman, right there on the sand. Sophie is unaware Edward has seen her. Fascinated by the girl he believes to be 18 (she is 20), Edward thinks to redeem himself by being kind to the young woman who has never come out of her shell. But he is more than fascinated and when she returns to New York City for her art classes, he follows her.
Suzanne, Sophie's mother, is an interesting and dominating secondary character. She fears Edward is just like her first husband, that handsome rake Jake O'Neill whom she fell for at age 15, and so she tries very hard to keep them apart. It's a story within a story that you will find fascinating.
I reviewed SECRETS, the first book in this 2-book series and only gave it 3 stars because it had story issues. I do think if you want to see more of Edward, you should read it first. But this book really outshines it.
AFTER INNOCENCE is an intriguing, well-told love story set in the world of art at the turn of the century. Joyce describes the life of the artists in Paris, the Impressionists who are changing the face of art. It's also the coming of age of a young woman who has great depth of character.
Joyce does unrequited love well and you will feel for Sophie as she makes the tough decision to deny the man she wants insisting on love. She confronts the trials of life and rises magnificently above all that she faces. In real life, Edward would never persist in his pursuit of her. Ah, but this is romance! We love it.
I highly recommend this story.
This is related to Joyce's Bragg Saga (see list below):
Innocent Fire, June 1988 (Derek Bragg and Miranda)
Firestorm, November (1988 Storm Bragg and Brett)
Violet Fire, May 1989 (Rathe Bragg and Grace
Dark Fires, June 1991 (Nicholas Bragg and Jane)
The Fires of Paradise, April 1992 (Lucy Bragg and Shoz)
Scandalous Love, November 1992 (Nicole Bragg Shelton and Hadrian)
Secrets, April 1993, 7th in the Bragg saga and 1st in the 2-book Delanza Series, (Regina Bragg Shelton and Slade Delanza)
After Innocence follows Secrets (Edward Delanza and Sophie)
Joyce has a real winner in this one!
Can you imagine what it would be like to have a disability such that you thought you'd never find love? And, wouldn't it be worse if your mother confirmed this fear by keeping you at home and sheltered? In this second in the 2-book Delanza series, we meet Sophie O'Neill, who is lame from having fallen down a flight of stairs as a child, but who is also a sensitive, gifted artist.
Set in 1901 in New York and Paris (with a few scenes in Africa), the story begins in Newport Beach (think Atlantic Ocean) as houseguests of Susanne Ralston are gathering for a weekend party. Her daughter (by her first marriage), Sophie, a budding artist, is sketching on the beach when she sees a man she wants to paint. Unbeknownst to her, it is Edward Delanza, the wealthy diamond smuggler and rake who has just returned from Africa. As Sophie watches, the man makes love to a woman, right there on the sand. Sophie is unaware Edward has seen her. Fascinated by the girl he believes to be 18 (she is 20), Edward thinks to redeem himself by being kind to the young woman who has never come out of her shell. But he is more than fascinated and when she returns to New York City for her art classes, he follows her.
Suzanne, Sophie's mother, is an interesting and dominating secondary character. She fears Edward is just like her first husband, that handsome rake Jake O'Neill whom she fell for at age 15, and so she tries very hard to keep them apart. It's a story within a story that you will find fascinating.
I reviewed SECRETS, the first book in this 2-book series and only gave it 3 stars because it had story issues. I do think if you want to see more of Edward, you should read it first. But this book really outshines it.
AFTER INNOCENCE is an intriguing, well-told love story set in the world of art at the turn of the century. Joyce describes the life of the artists in Paris, the Impressionists who are changing the face of art. It's also the coming of age of a young woman who has great depth of character.
Joyce does unrequited love well and you will feel for Sophie as she makes the tough decision to deny the man she wants insisting on love. She confronts the trials of life and rises magnificently above all that she faces. In real life, Edward would never persist in his pursuit of her. Ah, but this is romance! We love it.
I highly recommend this story.
This is related to Joyce's Bragg Saga (see list below):
Innocent Fire, June 1988 (Derek Bragg and Miranda)
Firestorm, November (1988 Storm Bragg and Brett)
Violet Fire, May 1989 (Rathe Bragg and Grace
Dark Fires, June 1991 (Nicholas Bragg and Jane)
The Fires of Paradise, April 1992 (Lucy Bragg and Shoz)
Scandalous Love, November 1992 (Nicole Bragg Shelton and Hadrian)
Secrets, April 1993, 7th in the Bragg saga and 1st in the 2-book Delanza Series, (Regina Bragg Shelton and Slade Delanza)
After Innocence follows Secrets (Edward Delanza and Sophie)
October 2, 2016
I have spent so many days, if not weeks trying to remember the name of this book.
It became a sort of obsession to get to read it again and when I did, I devoured it :D
Historical romance? They do no wrong. That's my happy place. The decadent, forbidden place where rakes are ravishingly handsome, the Lady is either a spinster or an essentric. Their beautiful story entwining and building something magical.
I love it all. :D
It became a sort of obsession to get to read it again and when I did, I devoured it :D
Historical romance? They do no wrong. That's my happy place. The decadent, forbidden place where rakes are ravishingly handsome, the Lady is either a spinster or an essentric. Their beautiful story entwining and building something magical.
I love it all. :D
November 9, 2019
I'm a very great fan of The deWarrene Dynasty series. Took me a while to figure out this book part in the series. This book was long, my reading was dragging and I found it boring until I skipped pages to the end.
December 13, 2016
Brenda Joyce je 'kraljica' ljubavnih romana :)
September 5, 2016
Dosadno za poludit a nikad zavrsiti s citanjem.
July 11, 2020
A fantastic book written by Brenda Joyce set in the turn of the 20th century. This is my second favourite novel by this author after the Promise of the Rose. My only misgiving, hence 4 stars not 5, is that halfway in the story telling, I felt that Edward was lost somehow. I appreciated the new setting but too many subplots were ruining the flow of the love story. Regardless, this will be put on my all-time favourite shelf because it is definitely a keeper.
July 15, 2011
I read this book a year ago and I don’t feel like re-reading so please understand if I get some details wrong in the synopsis.
Sofie got a twisted her ankle as a child that never healed properly and thus was determined to be lame by her mother. She was fine with the fact that her “disability” kept the boys away because she had her passion for arts. Then Sofie meets Edward Delanza at a gathering and is shyly attracted to him. Surprisingly for Sofie, Edward also seems to be intrigued by her and decides to spend more time with her. The two fall in love but as Edward is unwilling to admit his love for Sofie, she decides to escape when she finds herself pregnant with Edward’s child. When Edward finally finds out about the baby, he goes to Sofie only to find that she no longer needs him.
I remember the story is well written and I finished it in just a little over one day. I loved Sofie's shy character in combination with Edward's dark characteristics. The end when Sofie and Edward finally get together is very heart warming and I felt that they had really found true love.
I didn’t like Sofie’s mother who I thought was just border-line crazy, but other than that this is an above average romance novel.
Sofie got a twisted her ankle as a child that never healed properly and thus was determined to be lame by her mother. She was fine with the fact that her “disability” kept the boys away because she had her passion for arts. Then Sofie meets Edward Delanza at a gathering and is shyly attracted to him. Surprisingly for Sofie, Edward also seems to be intrigued by her and decides to spend more time with her. The two fall in love but as Edward is unwilling to admit his love for Sofie, she decides to escape when she finds herself pregnant with Edward’s child. When Edward finally finds out about the baby, he goes to Sofie only to find that she no longer needs him.
I remember the story is well written and I finished it in just a little over one day. I loved Sofie's shy character in combination with Edward's dark characteristics. The end when Sofie and Edward finally get together is very heart warming and I felt that they had really found true love.
I didn’t like Sofie’s mother who I thought was just border-line crazy, but other than that this is an above average romance novel.
January 21, 2010
I just finished this book and found it a quick read. It was in a series of sorts on a particular family. The story opens with the main female lead sketching on beach when she spies an intimate encounter between a family friend and an unknown male. This being the beginnings of the 1900s and she an innocent it has an effect on her. It takes it through the next years of her life, with a man she loves/hate, her selfish mother, desire to paint in Paris, and social scandal. The story ends with a wedding that was expected, but the journey there was an emotional journey. It was good “popcorn” read as the first in this series was and was an entertaining read.
March 30, 2014
I Loved it! The setting was very original ( New York in 1890's) -- Sophie is the daughter of a socialite in New York. However, she is considered odd by many ( she wants to be an artist and never marry) and she also has a limp . Our hero is the charming Edward Delanza , a wealthy bachelor that works as a diamond miner . Edward approaches Sophie after noticing her being largely ignored at her mothers party and decided to befriend her . Sophie had seen him in a rather shocking manner , earlier, and thought him handsome . There begins a very engrossing story about a girl who thought herself plain and the hero that showed her just how brightly she could shine .
November 10, 2009
(2.5 Stars) Like many of Joyce's books, I found "After Innocence" enjoyable enough, but not spectacular. Joyce is capable of creating compelling stories and characters, but she has a tendency to go off on tangents which she later fails to develop. Instead of focusing on the relationship between the hero and heroine, she devotes a lot of time to the back stories of the supporting characters, most of which are never developed fully, and later abandoned. If she could narrow her scope a bit and be a little less "ambitious" I think that her books would be amazing.
August 6, 2018
I hate reviewing books that I don't finish- doesn't seem fair to the author. However, this one just bugged me. In my defense, I did love the beginning & I read over half ...but that's when things took a turn. I'm not sure I can pinpoint what exactly bothers me so about the turn of events, other than it kinda, sorta took a weird, dark turn. The h is so insecure that it’s almost off-putting…and again, it’s not fair for me to judge this book because I didn’t finish it, so for all I know it ended with a bang. Maybe when I get my head in the right space I can re-read and give a better review.
August 26, 2009
This is one of those books, though I don't reread over and over and over, I hold to my breast as a keeper - the memory of it was just so special to me. Of course I was much younger when I first read it, but I have since read it over and still love the dynamic of Sofie and Edward. The fact that this great manly man Edward falls so hard for the quiet and totally alone Sofie was awesome to watch. I love it when those guys go a little crazy!
April 24, 2023
This may have been a 4☆ except for the fact that A) I feel like we didn’t really learn that much about Edward as a person, which is unfortunate, because he’s interesting; and B) I could not possibly have cared less about Sofie’s parents. If the parental side plot had been replaced with info on, y’know, the other main character, this would’ve been better.
May 8, 2014
I really loved this book, I read it in one night. I just hope the writer writes a book about Jake and Suzanne. Those two characters were very interesting!
November 28, 2023
3 Estrellitas. El libro realmente está bien, pero tiene muchos de esos clichés machistas de los años 80 y 90 que hoy día no pueden pasarse por alto, y eso es lo malo de este tipo de novelas, que no te dejan disfrutar de ellas al 100%.
Brenda Joyce nos lleva al Nueva York de 1901, Sofie O'Neil es una joven de familia privilegiada. Siendo niña, el día en que su madre le dice que su padre, un estafador irlandés, ha muerto en una cárcel inglesa, Sofie huye y cae escaleras abajo rompiéndose el tobillo. Desde entonces, Sofie ha llevado una vida muy protegida, coja y excéntrica, su sobreprotectora madre no deja de machacarla haciéndole ver que es una tullida sin encanto, que con esa actitud jamás se va a casar y no la va a querer nadie.
Sofie se refugia en su pintura. Desde joven empezó a tener dotes para el arte y sabe que esa será su vida. Dado que su vida social es mínima entre la alta sociedad neoyorquina, su madre le deja estudiar arte en una academia.
Esta historia empieza en el verano de 1901. Sofie está pasando el fin de semana en Newport, donde su madre y su padrastro están dando una fiesta. Entre los invitados se halla un hombre atractivo y enigmático, Edward Delanza; un hombre en quien Sofie no dudará en pintar o dibujar, y que la atraerá más de lo que jamás hizo cualquier persona.
Edward Delanza es un canalla, un libertino y un vividor que ha pasado gran parte de su vida en Sudáfrica, trabajando en la extracción de diamantes. Edward lleva una vida privilegiada gracias al comercio de diamantes y no le falta ninguna mujer en sus brazos. Por tanto, en el momento en que conoce a Sofie, esta mujer supondrá un reto para él.
Sofie no es como las demás jóvenes. Sí, se siente atraída por él, y hasta puede ser presa fácil, pero Sofie es un tímido conejito que se oculta tras su pintura y las advertencias de su madre. A Edward no le importa que cojee, para él, Sofie es una mujer hermosa y con un gran talento para la pintura, y lo que planea Edward es que Sofie se libere de sus estrictas cadenas familiares y vuele libre allá donde su talento la lleve.
El problema entre ellos es que su atracción es muy profunda. La madre de Sofie no le deja que vea a Edward, pero las circunstancias harán que ambos se hallen y deseen más de lo debido y Sofie se queda embarazada. Gracias a esa nueva autoestima que Sofie está descubriendo, sabe que no se casará sin amor, y así se lo hará saber a Edward. Cuando se familia descubra su embarazo, su madre la enviará a París para tapar el escándalo y solo podrá volver a Nueva York sola. En París se le abrirá un nuevo mundo donde perfeccionará su arte y vivirá de él.
Pero con Edward las cosas son distintas. Él no planeaba enamorarse de Sofie, y ahora no puede vivir sin ella. Por eso, cuando se entere de su secreto no dejará de perseguirla hasta que sea suya.
Más o menos esto es lo que dice el libro, e incluso la sinopsis, que te cuenta a partir de la mitad del libro. Está muy bien escrito, y engancha. El problema, como he dicho ahí arriba, son los clichés machistas; hay un par de escenas horribles que a mi entender sobraban. No, os desvelo que no hay violación y él no la pega, pero si son algo violentas y la autora no tenía que haber llegado a ello. Por desgracia Edward es un hombre muy de su época, es guapo y está acostumbrado a conseguir lo que quiere, por eso Sofie se convierte en un reto, porque ella no será tan fácil de ganar como pensaba.
Lo que más me ha gustado es la evolución de Sofie, de ser apenas un tímido conejito en quien nadie se fija, hasta ser una mujer fuerte e independiente, capaz de vivir por sí misma y de resolver sus propios problemas.
Sin duda el libro tendría mayor valoración si no fuera por esos clichés machistas, pues la ambientación está muy bien hecha, y hasta la vida bohemia en París entre ese ambiente impresionista y postimpresionista está muy logrado.
Ahora me quedé con las ganas de saber qué ha sido de Lisa, la hermanastra de Sofie, y su huida del marqués inglés con quien sus padres plantean casarla. Quien sabe, quizás me lea su historia dentro de no mucho.
Brenda Joyce nos lleva al Nueva York de 1901, Sofie O'Neil es una joven de familia privilegiada. Siendo niña, el día en que su madre le dice que su padre, un estafador irlandés, ha muerto en una cárcel inglesa, Sofie huye y cae escaleras abajo rompiéndose el tobillo. Desde entonces, Sofie ha llevado una vida muy protegida, coja y excéntrica, su sobreprotectora madre no deja de machacarla haciéndole ver que es una tullida sin encanto, que con esa actitud jamás se va a casar y no la va a querer nadie.
Sofie se refugia en su pintura. Desde joven empezó a tener dotes para el arte y sabe que esa será su vida. Dado que su vida social es mínima entre la alta sociedad neoyorquina, su madre le deja estudiar arte en una academia.
Esta historia empieza en el verano de 1901. Sofie está pasando el fin de semana en Newport, donde su madre y su padrastro están dando una fiesta. Entre los invitados se halla un hombre atractivo y enigmático, Edward Delanza; un hombre en quien Sofie no dudará en pintar o dibujar, y que la atraerá más de lo que jamás hizo cualquier persona.
Edward Delanza es un canalla, un libertino y un vividor que ha pasado gran parte de su vida en Sudáfrica, trabajando en la extracción de diamantes. Edward lleva una vida privilegiada gracias al comercio de diamantes y no le falta ninguna mujer en sus brazos. Por tanto, en el momento en que conoce a Sofie, esta mujer supondrá un reto para él.
Sofie no es como las demás jóvenes. Sí, se siente atraída por él, y hasta puede ser presa fácil, pero Sofie es un tímido conejito que se oculta tras su pintura y las advertencias de su madre. A Edward no le importa que cojee, para él, Sofie es una mujer hermosa y con un gran talento para la pintura, y lo que planea Edward es que Sofie se libere de sus estrictas cadenas familiares y vuele libre allá donde su talento la lleve.
El problema entre ellos es que su atracción es muy profunda. La madre de Sofie no le deja que vea a Edward, pero las circunstancias harán que ambos se hallen y deseen más de lo debido y Sofie se queda embarazada. Gracias a esa nueva autoestima que Sofie está descubriendo, sabe que no se casará sin amor, y así se lo hará saber a Edward. Cuando se familia descubra su embarazo, su madre la enviará a París para tapar el escándalo y solo podrá volver a Nueva York sola. En París se le abrirá un nuevo mundo donde perfeccionará su arte y vivirá de él.
Pero con Edward las cosas son distintas. Él no planeaba enamorarse de Sofie, y ahora no puede vivir sin ella. Por eso, cuando se entere de su secreto no dejará de perseguirla hasta que sea suya.
Más o menos esto es lo que dice el libro, e incluso la sinopsis, que te cuenta a partir de la mitad del libro. Está muy bien escrito, y engancha. El problema, como he dicho ahí arriba, son los clichés machistas; hay un par de escenas horribles que a mi entender sobraban. No, os desvelo que no hay violación y él no la pega, pero si son algo violentas y la autora no tenía que haber llegado a ello. Por desgracia Edward es un hombre muy de su época, es guapo y está acostumbrado a conseguir lo que quiere, por eso Sofie se convierte en un reto, porque ella no será tan fácil de ganar como pensaba.
Lo que más me ha gustado es la evolución de Sofie, de ser apenas un tímido conejito en quien nadie se fija, hasta ser una mujer fuerte e independiente, capaz de vivir por sí misma y de resolver sus propios problemas.
Sin duda el libro tendría mayor valoración si no fuera por esos clichés machistas, pues la ambientación está muy bien hecha, y hasta la vida bohemia en París entre ese ambiente impresionista y postimpresionista está muy logrado.
Ahora me quedé con las ganas de saber qué ha sido de Lisa, la hermanastra de Sofie, y su huida del marqués inglés con quien sus padres plantean casarla. Quien sabe, quizás me lea su historia dentro de no mucho.
April 13, 2025
Sofie limps due to an accident she had in her childhood years. Her own mother is selfish. Unlike Slade's father in Secrets who was after what he thought was best for his son, Suzanne is using her daughter in an attempt to get back at Sofie's father, Jake O'Neil. Sofie's a painter, and due to her cripple, though Edmund loathes to terms it so, she decides to devote her life to art, not focus on love or marriage and think very low of herself... until she meets Edward.
A western almost-knight in shining armor.
Edward instantly senses that Sofie is treated rather as a recluse and an unwanted liability among her own circle, and he instantly jumps into her defense and champions her. I knew I liked him from Secrets; he did play a major selfless part in lessening the strife between his brother and sister-in-law and bringing them back together, regardless of the fact that their marriage would rule him out of solely inheriting Miramar.
Edward proposes to Sofie halfway through the story, but she rejects his proposal three times as she feels that it comes from a sense of duty and not of love. This lack of esteem comes from her mother as the latter's insecurity and hatred of her father taint her daughter's life. * insert picture of Rapunzel's Mother Gothel *
The things keeping this book from getting 5 stars are the partially unrequited side stories (Sofie's parents - Suzanne deserves retribution - and Lisa's as well) and the fact that it takes WAY TOO long for Sofie to keep her false prejudice aside.
A western almost-knight in shining armor.
Edward instantly senses that Sofie is treated rather as a recluse and an unwanted liability among her own circle, and he instantly jumps into her defense and champions her. I knew I liked him from Secrets; he did play a major selfless part in lessening the strife between his brother and sister-in-law and bringing them back together, regardless of the fact that their marriage would rule him out of solely inheriting Miramar.
Edward proposes to Sofie halfway through the story, but she rejects his proposal three times as she feels that it comes from a sense of duty and not of love. This lack of esteem comes from her mother as the latter's insecurity and hatred of her father taint her daughter's life. * insert picture of Rapunzel's Mother Gothel *
The things keeping this book from getting 5 stars are the partially unrequited side stories (Sofie's parents - Suzanne deserves retribution - and Lisa's as well) and the fact that it takes WAY TOO long for Sofie to keep her false prejudice aside.
May 13, 2019
Sofie, an aspiring debutant to the art world, has her fair share of the tortured heroine checklist. For one, her mother is callous and materialistic, constantly berating her for her unseemly limp and her eccentric paintings. She’s also fallen in immediate love with the notorious rake Edward, a man who’s made his fortune by the diamond trade. Both try to refuse their attraction but are helpless to it; when these passions reach a boiling point, it’s not long until it all comes burning down.
The scandal! Sofie is an interesting historical heroine because she’s so contrary. She’s a female artist, was compromised before marriage, and insists on not marrying at all for that matter. Edward admires her and wishes she’d be set free from the the constraints of her mother. They click. Romance is there. Plot is there, but a woefully long case of miscommunication.
Would recommend/re-read/keep on my shelf.
The scandal! Sofie is an interesting historical heroine because she’s so contrary. She’s a female artist, was compromised before marriage, and insists on not marrying at all for that matter. Edward admires her and wishes she’d be set free from the the constraints of her mother. They click. Romance is there. Plot is there, but a woefully long case of miscommunication.
Would recommend/re-read/keep on my shelf.
June 8, 2018
Have read 1000's of romance & erotica during the last 50 years-
This is one of my keepers
Got me on so many levels- great Heat, Chemistry, Seduction & Sex
coupled with an actual STORY- by an a great story teller
Loved that the heroine has a physical disability- how she strived to overcome it- and the lengths she went to to be an artist
Irregardless of same:
He found her
found her and chased...
Therein lies the magic
Oh!
forgot to add: secondary characters: her divorced parents have HOT-HOT-HOT gig going as well- their story could have been a book by itself
This is one of my keepers
Got me on so many levels- great Heat, Chemistry, Seduction & Sex
coupled with an actual STORY- by an a great story teller
Loved that the heroine has a physical disability- how she strived to overcome it- and the lengths she went to to be an artist
Irregardless of same:
He found her
found her and chased...
Therein lies the magic
Oh!
forgot to add: secondary characters: her divorced parents have HOT-HOT-HOT gig going as well- their story could have been a book by itself
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 23, 2023
A book with every classic HR trope, but executed with so little enthusiasm it falls flat entirely. Since Joyce was barely interested enough in the book to bother writing it with any degree of the skill I know she has, I won't bother dignifying it with a proper review.
December 12, 2022
This book was just... such a drag. It is cliché. You know what is going to happen before it happens, it is just a matter of when. The entire plot hinges on the fact that neither half of the couple will say "I love you," dragging out misadventures and hijinks where both of the characters are convinced that the other does not love him or her. That is pretty much the entirety of this book. Also the (spoilers) dead parent coming back from the grave subplot was such a mess of a soap opera.
May 11, 2023
3 1/2 stars, I would have rated higher because it is a good story and well written, however I did not enjoy most of it. This is solely a personal preference and not a reflection of the book itself. There was alot of tension and many issues to be resolved and mysteries to be solved, I just could not enjoy it. I don’t like roller coasters and this book was quite a ride. There was the HEA but still so much unresolved it was totally unsatisfying.
June 7, 2019
Ahead of Their Time
The characters in this story were very complex. They grabbed the reader's emotions, some positively and others negatively. There were several plot twists that surprised me too. I very much enjoyed reading this story.
The characters in this story were very complex. They grabbed the reader's emotions, some positively and others negatively. There were several plot twists that surprised me too. I very much enjoyed reading this story.
June 27, 2018
Lovely romantic novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews