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Captive Destiny
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN 0263728366.
Emma had to admit that she was curious.
Jordan had said the matter was one of life and death, but since she wouldn't agree to meet him she would never know.
Emma's hands trembled as she hung up the receiver, the familiar resentment she felt toward Jordan Kyle enveloping her. To ring her up like that - after all this time?
Well, thank goodness she had refused him. At least she'd shown him he couldn't drop her and then pick her up again when it suited him. Unfortunately, she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind...
Emma had to admit that she was curious.
Jordan had said the matter was one of life and death, but since she wouldn't agree to meet him she would never know.
Emma's hands trembled as she hung up the receiver, the familiar resentment she felt toward Jordan Kyle enveloping her. To ring her up like that - after all this time?
Well, thank goodness she had refused him. At least she'd shown him he couldn't drop her and then pick her up again when it suited him. Unfortunately, she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind...
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
11 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Anne Mather
798 books358 followersAnne Mather is the pseudonym used by Mildred Grieveson, a popular British author of over 160 romance novels. She also signed novels as Caroline Fleming and Cardine Fleming.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 7, 2017
Great. As if silk shirts weren't enough, the H has a suede suit. Ye gods, you Brits.
Continuing with the sartorial portion of our review, gentle readers, I don't even want to know what a "body shirt" is 'cause the H is wearing one.
Heaven help us all, I found an image of one. Damn you internet and Google search engine...
UPDATE: I don't know which is more appalling: the disclosure on page 164 that gobsmaks the h and me or black suede pants and black leather jerkin the H wears on page 168.
REVIEW
Honestly don't know what to say, but my heart pounded on a couple of occasions. Serious case of Molly, you in danger girl! If Anne Mather had sold this as a horror story, it would be a 4 star, hands down. This h is snakebit.
This plot was filled with one of the biggest collection of nasty, need to die characters as I have ever come across: the lying father of the H, the lying and distant mother of the h, the lying, criminal as well as abusive husband of the h. Surprisingly, the H is not included in the abusive category. Given the wardrobe choices listed above he's a Courvoisier, a dose of Brut, and two sideburns away from belting out After the Loving, but a bad guy he's not.
Bottom line, our h and H grew up together, kind of. He was older, but never had a real GF until the h turned 18. He was waiting for her to grow up. Sweet right. Yeah, unfortunately as with most humans, these two had parents. They would have been better off raised by wolves frankly. The h's father commits suicide, and suddenly the H is nowhere to be found. After a year or so, the h flops into a relationship with a dweeb then marriage. Another unfortunate incident, the fiancee with mommy issues that the h is thinking of kicking to the curb has an accident four days before the wedding and is paralyzed so she HAS to marry him.
A few years later, the H arrives and wants her to see his father who was always like an uncle to her. Hubby's not happy. Before she leaves for the islands, she finds out he was having an affair as late as the week of their wedding, and she's the one who gets slapped. The H brings along his piece of the week who happily tells the h she's pregnant. She's not.
At the island,
Back home in rainy England she finds out more. The H's dad dies and wants to leave her half his fortune. Guilt money. A visit to the attorney to deny it (she has somewhat of martyr complex) she finds out
It all winds up nicely as, unfortunately, the mother is forgiven and the horrible husband is paid off. Suffer, suffer, suffer.
The romance was secondary to the whole machinations of all the other evil ones here. Anne must have been in a cranky mood the week she wrote this. A few tweaks and Frankenstein would have a run for its money.
Continuing with the sartorial portion of our review, gentle readers, I don't even want to know what a "body shirt" is 'cause the H is wearing one.
Heaven help us all, I found an image of one. Damn you internet and Google search engine...
UPDATE: I don't know which is more appalling: the disclosure on page 164 that gobsmaks the h and me or black suede pants and black leather jerkin the H wears on page 168.
REVIEW
Honestly don't know what to say, but my heart pounded on a couple of occasions. Serious case of Molly, you in danger girl! If Anne Mather had sold this as a horror story, it would be a 4 star, hands down. This h is snakebit.
This plot was filled with one of the biggest collection of nasty, need to die characters as I have ever come across: the lying father of the H, the lying and distant mother of the h, the lying, criminal as well as abusive husband of the h. Surprisingly, the H is not included in the abusive category. Given the wardrobe choices listed above he's a Courvoisier, a dose of Brut, and two sideburns away from belting out After the Loving, but a bad guy he's not.
Bottom line, our h and H grew up together, kind of. He was older, but never had a real GF until the h turned 18. He was waiting for her to grow up. Sweet right. Yeah, unfortunately as with most humans, these two had parents. They would have been better off raised by wolves frankly. The h's father commits suicide, and suddenly the H is nowhere to be found. After a year or so, the h flops into a relationship with a dweeb then marriage. Another unfortunate incident, the fiancee with mommy issues that the h is thinking of kicking to the curb has an accident four days before the wedding and is paralyzed so she HAS to marry him.
A few years later, the H arrives and wants her to see his father who was always like an uncle to her. Hubby's not happy. Before she leaves for the islands, she finds out he was having an affair as late as the week of their wedding, and she's the one who gets slapped. The H brings along his piece of the week who happily tells the h she's pregnant. She's not.
At the island,
Back home in rainy England she finds out more. The H's dad dies and wants to leave her half his fortune. Guilt money. A visit to the attorney to deny it (she has somewhat of martyr complex) she finds out
It all winds up nicely as, unfortunately, the mother is forgiven and the horrible husband is paid off. Suffer, suffer, suffer.
The romance was secondary to the whole machinations of all the other evil ones here. Anne must have been in a cranky mood the week she wrote this. A few tweaks and Frankenstein would have a run for its money.
January 2, 2017
For two people who grew up together, loved each other from the first, and were planning to get married, it sure didn't take much to get the hero and heroine of Anne Mather's vomit-inducing Captive Destiny to walk away from each other WITHOUT A SINGLE WORD OF COMMUNICATION, for eight freaking years, during which she married an abuser and he sowed his wild oats with every floozie in town.
Basically, the H's dad is an asshat and the h's mom an evil bitch. Together, they managed to convince H to falsely believe that h was his half sister, the product of a secret adulterous affair between H's dad and h's mom. Naturally, H dumps her overnight without bothering to share this interesting bit of info. If it wasn't for H's dad suddenly wanting to make a death bed confession from fear that Satan's little trolls were ready to suck him down to his deserved resting place in hell, these two idiots would have never figured out the Great, Big, Terrible Misunderstanding.
Add in the catty OW, hostile mother-in-law, scheming, cheating, abusive husband, and a heroine who can't string two words together without stammering, and when she does, it is usually to just beg "More, please" and hold out her bowl to be filled with even more gooey globs of further humiliation than she has already been served with, and I was ready to fling my Kindle towards the wall.
Then, the hero concludes the story by saying that if they should both forgive her lying, evil mom who broke them up in the first place and if h gets pregnant soon, evil mum might even finally come around to accepting their marriage. Oh,boy, I can't wait for Grandma to get her claws on the future preciouses. Maybe she can convince h to lock them in the attic and feed them arsenic laced donuts, hmmmm?
*Kindle crashes into the wall*
Basically, the H's dad is an asshat and the h's mom an evil bitch. Together, they managed to convince H to falsely believe that h was his half sister, the product of a secret adulterous affair between H's dad and h's mom. Naturally, H dumps her overnight without bothering to share this interesting bit of info. If it wasn't for H's dad suddenly wanting to make a death bed confession from fear that Satan's little trolls were ready to suck him down to his deserved resting place in hell, these two idiots would have never figured out the Great, Big, Terrible Misunderstanding.
Add in the catty OW, hostile mother-in-law, scheming, cheating, abusive husband, and a heroine who can't string two words together without stammering, and when she does, it is usually to just beg "More, please" and hold out her bowl to be filled with even more gooey globs of further humiliation than she has already been served with, and I was ready to fling my Kindle towards the wall.
Then, the hero concludes the story by saying that if they should both forgive her lying, evil mom who broke them up in the first place and if h gets pregnant soon, evil mum might even finally come around to accepting their marriage. Oh,boy, I can't wait for Grandma to get her claws on the future preciouses. Maybe she can convince h to lock them in the attic and feed them arsenic laced donuts, hmmmm?
*Kindle crashes into the wall*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2021
After the implausibly noble Westcott family of Mary Balogh's latest series, I needed a break. I needed to read about a horrible family doing horrible things and my first thought was Anne Mather.
She did not disappoint.
There isn't one likeable or sympathetic character in the bunch. Just look at that cover. Hero smoking and scowling. Heroine in a bikini with eyes downcast - just like an alpha expects.
*Happy sigh*
I settled in to watch their antics. The story opens with the heroine trapped in an Ethan Frome situation. She is married to an abusive man in a wheelchair. Their marriage has never been consummated. Her hectoring mother-in-law is in and out all the time.
Why did she marry this prize?
Because she couldn't marry her true love, the hero, who brutally dumped her after her father went bankrupt and died by suicide. Their fathers were partners in a factory and now hero runs it on his own.
H/h meet up again when the hero asks the heroine to visit his dying father at his retirement villa in the Caribbean. Heroine agrees to go with H - even though her hubby is angry enough to hit her in the face and hero is bringing his girlfriend along.
*jaw drop*
Eventually the heroine finds out
H/h get their "HEA." Hero's father dies with a clear conscience. Heroine's mother never apologizes and heroine's husband
Well, my palate is cleansed from the sickly sweet Christmas celebrations of Mary Balogh. Although, I'm still coughing from the second-hand smoke.
She did not disappoint.
There isn't one likeable or sympathetic character in the bunch. Just look at that cover. Hero smoking and scowling. Heroine in a bikini with eyes downcast - just like an alpha expects.
*Happy sigh*
I settled in to watch their antics. The story opens with the heroine trapped in an Ethan Frome situation. She is married to an abusive man in a wheelchair. Their marriage has never been consummated. Her hectoring mother-in-law is in and out all the time.
Why did she marry this prize?
Because she couldn't marry her true love, the hero, who brutally dumped her after her father went bankrupt and died by suicide. Their fathers were partners in a factory and now hero runs it on his own.
H/h meet up again when the hero asks the heroine to visit his dying father at his retirement villa in the Caribbean. Heroine agrees to go with H - even though her hubby is angry enough to hit her in the face and hero is bringing his girlfriend along.
*jaw drop*
Eventually the heroine finds out
H/h get their "HEA." Hero's father dies with a clear conscience. Heroine's mother never apologizes and heroine's husband
Well, my palate is cleansed from the sickly sweet Christmas celebrations of Mary Balogh. Although, I'm still coughing from the second-hand smoke.
February 12, 2025
Where the hero thinks the heroine is his half sister since her mother, to get some sick revenge for her husband’s suicide and bankrupt, tells the hero, who’s in love with the heroine, that she had an affair with his father and the heroine is his sister.
He of course dumps her, she marries a man who has an accident and becomes impotent so she can’t even have some sex, and after eight years they both find out the truth, she’s not his half sister. This could have been solved with some blood test. But we wouldn’t have the book.
Ow drama, with the hero’s current tart always around, and ow drama for her husband too, since he has a secret child with another woman that he was screwing while engaged with the heroine.
Not AM best.
He of course dumps her, she marries a man who has an accident and becomes impotent so she can’t even have some sex, and after eight years they both find out the truth, she’s not his half sister. This could have been solved with some blood test. But we wouldn’t have the book.
Ow drama, with the hero’s current tart always around, and ow drama for her husband too, since he has a secret child with another woman that he was screwing while engaged with the heroine.
Not AM best.
owned-to-be-read
March 10, 2012Jordan had said the matter was one of life and death, but since she wouldn't agree to meet him she would never know. Emma's hands trembled as she hung up the receiver, the familiar resentment she felt toward Jordan Kyle enveloping her. To ring her up like that - after all this time? Well, thank goodness she had refused him. At least she'd shown him he couldn't drop her and then pick her up again when it suited him. Unfortunately, she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind...
July 25, 2019
Το ψέμα μιας ζωής...
March 3, 2025
I wish I can give no star
It’s a waste of time to read this
Novel
👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
It’s a waste of time to read this
Novel
👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
November 24, 2023
The modern tech world has killed two famous storyline plots of novels and soaps: the lost/stolen letter and the (unwelcome) surprise siblings. Today, no one writes letters anymore, so how can a letter that was never written be stolen? (A deleted text/email? in the cloud, of course!) And with DNA tests, if you're told that the one you love is your half-sibling, no problem proving it T or F.
Which is why you have to turn to old soaps or novels to find these gems of angst. Though this one wasn't much of a gem, with the phony brother/sister revelation gone on too long, an abusive marriage in the meantime, and the Mother from Hell who gets a free pass!
Not my cup of coffee! (I think I prefer a lost letter.)
Which is why you have to turn to old soaps or novels to find these gems of angst. Though this one wasn't much of a gem, with the phony brother/sister revelation gone on too long, an abusive marriage in the meantime, and the Mother from Hell who gets a free pass!
Not my cup of coffee! (I think I prefer a lost letter.)
May 18, 2016
3 1/2 - 3.75 stars - a good read but I felt sad for the main characters =(, September 19, 2008
MY THOUGHTS: Spoiler alerts! Avoid reading this review if you don't want to find out! Ok, the gist of the story is Emma and Jordan grew up together, their parents being best of friends and partners in a business. Although they grew up together, they loved each other very much and it was even assumed that they would marry each other. But out of the blue disaster struck. Emma's father committed suicide, Jordan's family bought out the business and the love affair terminated. Emma was shattered not understanding what happened, why their love affair ended, assumed Jordan only cared about her because of the business, etc. (And you know that's not true -_-) Emma ends up marrying David but a week before the wedding even though she was going to call it off, David gets into an accident and is disabled forever. So now Emma has no choice but to go through with the wedding even though she doesn't love David, and they can never have a true marriage. Yes, our poor heroine is stuck with a sucky man (who is EVIL!!!) caters to him, gets abused by him, she is with him for four!!! lonely years, is a virgin, etc. Anyway, after almost 8 years, Jordan calls her and asks her to see his dying father. (3 years separated from him, 4 years married to evil David) Emma is wondering why after all this time he has contacted her and of course Emma decides to go - because if she doesn't there is no story ^_^
Ok, after reading "Bond of Hatred" I had to get used to going back to reading an old HP written in 1978. The story was good but there wasn't much love scenes between them. There was definite angst and sadness and tragedy because I'm sure you have already guessed SPOILER: Jordan broke up with her because he thought they were half brother/ half sister. But he's loved her VERY VERY much! I hate it! I hate it when main characters waste so much time on a misunderstanding, sniff! I wish that was only the case but poor Emma got saddled with David (I hate him!) As for Emma's character I was a bit irritated by her. I just didn't understand why she didn't leave David. He was such a bastard! She found out something about him in the start/middle of the book and that would have been my way out. So I'm a little disappointed in her but I guess she has a good soul that she can't leave someone who seemingly lost everything. As for Jordan, I can't believe he didn't super check his facts. But then again when Emma marries David, I guess he thought it was a lost cause. But not to worry it is a happy ending. Thankfully, Jordan realises the truth, investigates and finds it all out you'll have to read the book so you can find out how he gets Emma back even though she's married =) This was a good read. I think I will keep it in my bookshelf even though there wasn't many juicy scenes to re-read again (since it was mostly angst, drama and sadness) Other books I re-read most of the times, this one I'll probably re-read 5 times a year.
MY THOUGHTS: Spoiler alerts! Avoid reading this review if you don't want to find out! Ok, the gist of the story is Emma and Jordan grew up together, their parents being best of friends and partners in a business. Although they grew up together, they loved each other very much and it was even assumed that they would marry each other. But out of the blue disaster struck. Emma's father committed suicide, Jordan's family bought out the business and the love affair terminated. Emma was shattered not understanding what happened, why their love affair ended, assumed Jordan only cared about her because of the business, etc. (And you know that's not true -_-) Emma ends up marrying David but a week before the wedding even though she was going to call it off, David gets into an accident and is disabled forever. So now Emma has no choice but to go through with the wedding even though she doesn't love David, and they can never have a true marriage. Yes, our poor heroine is stuck with a sucky man (who is EVIL!!!) caters to him, gets abused by him, she is with him for four!!! lonely years, is a virgin, etc. Anyway, after almost 8 years, Jordan calls her and asks her to see his dying father. (3 years separated from him, 4 years married to evil David) Emma is wondering why after all this time he has contacted her and of course Emma decides to go - because if she doesn't there is no story ^_^
Ok, after reading "Bond of Hatred" I had to get used to going back to reading an old HP written in 1978. The story was good but there wasn't much love scenes between them. There was definite angst and sadness and tragedy because I'm sure you have already guessed SPOILER: Jordan broke up with her because he thought they were half brother/ half sister. But he's loved her VERY VERY much! I hate it! I hate it when main characters waste so much time on a misunderstanding, sniff! I wish that was only the case but poor Emma got saddled with David (I hate him!) As for Emma's character I was a bit irritated by her. I just didn't understand why she didn't leave David. He was such a bastard! She found out something about him in the start/middle of the book and that would have been my way out. So I'm a little disappointed in her but I guess she has a good soul that she can't leave someone who seemingly lost everything. As for Jordan, I can't believe he didn't super check his facts. But then again when Emma marries David, I guess he thought it was a lost cause. But not to worry it is a happy ending. Thankfully, Jordan realises the truth, investigates and finds it all out you'll have to read the book so you can find out how he gets Emma back even though she's married =) This was a good read. I think I will keep it in my bookshelf even though there wasn't many juicy scenes to re-read again (since it was mostly angst, drama and sadness) Other books I re-read most of the times, this one I'll probably re-read 5 times a year.
April 29, 2015
Jordan and Emma have known each other their whole lives. Their fathers were best friends and business partners and even choose to live right across from each other. Emma's father has a terrible gambling habit, gets so deep into debt he goes bankrupt and when it all comes out, he commits suicide.. Jordan and Emma were dating at the time and even discussing marriage, but when it all went down Jordan just disappeared from her life, without even properly breaking up with her. The book opens 8 years after her fathers death with Jordan calling Emma and stirring up all the old feelings from the past.
I gave this 3 stars, but it's more like 2 1/2. The characters and plot follow the very predictable M&B pattern. The virginal h who never stopped loving the cold remote H, cruel relatives, and of course the beautiful slutty spiteful OW. There were really no surprises here or anything special to make this stand out. However if you're looking for an uncomplicated read by Anne Mather, that follows the old skool style, then I'd say this is a good choice.
I gave this 3 stars, but it's more like 2 1/2. The characters and plot follow the very predictable M&B pattern. The virginal h who never stopped loving the cold remote H, cruel relatives, and of course the beautiful slutty spiteful OW. There were really no surprises here or anything special to make this stand out. However if you're looking for an uncomplicated read by Anne Mather, that follows the old skool style, then I'd say this is a good choice.
January 25, 2016
A good read.
Emma and Jordan fell in love 8 years ago but allowed their fears of rejection and someone else's lies to pull them apart.
Now they are bought back together through a request. They say and do things to hurt each other as they try to protect their hearts. Their desire for each other is hard to resist but she is married and he is involved with someone.
Will the lies they believe finally be cleared?
This was an interesting plot line with other people's lies and selfishness taking a toll on Jordan's and Emma's love. Jordan was so afraid to tell her the lie he believed that he comes off either a wimp or a hero for trying to protect her. Emma really hides her head in the sand and is a weak idiot. She does finally find a backbone when confronted by her husband's lies.
A well written read, but sometimes Emma's wimpyness is hard to stomach.
Emma and Jordan fell in love 8 years ago but allowed their fears of rejection and someone else's lies to pull them apart.
Now they are bought back together through a request. They say and do things to hurt each other as they try to protect their hearts. Their desire for each other is hard to resist but she is married and he is involved with someone.
Will the lies they believe finally be cleared?
This was an interesting plot line with other people's lies and selfishness taking a toll on Jordan's and Emma's love. Jordan was so afraid to tell her the lie he believed that he comes off either a wimp or a hero for trying to protect her. Emma really hides her head in the sand and is a weak idiot. She does finally find a backbone when confronted by her husband's lies.
A well written read, but sometimes Emma's wimpyness is hard to stomach.
August 15, 2012
Read in February 2009.
Can't remember much of the book but my ratings have always been based on fairness and likability for me, so the book must have been fairly amazing for four stars to occur.
Can't remember much of the book but my ratings have always been based on fairness and likability for me, so the book must have been fairly amazing for four stars to occur.
Want to read
August 10, 2012Ingram? I will kill him
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