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The Price Of Desire
USA Today bestselling author Jo Goodman delivers a deliciously wicked tale of forbidden desire that knows no limits.
Olivia Cole is devastated to learn that her ne'er-do-well brother has promised her to the operator of a London gaming hall as payment of his debts. Olivia accepts her fate-even if it means that her reputation will suffer from living among rogues and gamblers. But when she meets the sexy and mysterious Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, Olivia has more than just her good name to worry about--for he rouses in her wanton thoughts she's never dared entertain-until now.
Griffin wears the scars of his life on his striking face. Although he wants Olivia like no other woman before, he doesn't force her to share his bed-a difficult task considering how beautiful she is. But with each passing night, Griffin and Olivia's resolve weakens until finally they take their greatest gamble on one night of reckless pleasure.
Olivia Cole is devastated to learn that her ne'er-do-well brother has promised her to the operator of a London gaming hall as payment of his debts. Olivia accepts her fate-even if it means that her reputation will suffer from living among rogues and gamblers. But when she meets the sexy and mysterious Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, Olivia has more than just her good name to worry about--for he rouses in her wanton thoughts she's never dared entertain-until now.
Griffin wears the scars of his life on his striking face. Although he wants Olivia like no other woman before, he doesn't force her to share his bed-a difficult task considering how beautiful she is. But with each passing night, Griffin and Olivia's resolve weakens until finally they take their greatest gamble on one night of reckless pleasure.
439 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
71 people are currently reading
1119 people want to read
About the author
Jo Goodman
60 books479 followersTo find characters to illustrate my first family saga, I cut out models from the Sears catalogue. I was in fourth grade, but it was a start. In seventh grade I wrote a melodrama about two orphan sisters, one of whom was pregnant. There was also a story about a runaway girl with the unlikely name of Strawberry and one about mistaken identities and an evil blind date. My supportive, but vaguely concerned parents, sighed with relief when I announced I was going to write children's books. They bought me an electric typewriter and crossed their fingers, but somehow PASSION'S BRIDE came out. No one was really surprised.
I graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry and some notion that I would do marine research. Years of competitive swimming didn't help me anticipate seasickness. A career change seemed in order. I began working with adolescents and families, first as a childcare worker and later, after graduating from West Virginia University with a master's degree in counseling, as a therapist. I am currently the executive director of a child caring/mental health agency and find my work and my writing often compliment each other. One grounds me in reality and the other offers a break from it.
I graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry and some notion that I would do marine research. Years of competitive swimming didn't help me anticipate seasickness. A career change seemed in order. I began working with adolescents and families, first as a childcare worker and later, after graduating from West Virginia University with a master's degree in counseling, as a therapist. I am currently the executive director of a child caring/mental health agency and find my work and my writing often compliment each other. One grounds me in reality and the other offers a break from it.
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to-avoid
September 21, 2009From Beanbag:
"One of the things I hate the MOST in any fiction is the use of sexual abuse (particularly of children) as a gimmick. In this book, the extent of the abuse was not necessary for the story -- and in fact I couldn't believe the heroine being as free and easy in the sack with the hero if she truly had that background -- and the whole thing had a creepy, exploitative quality.
On top of that, two villains (a rapist and a child molester) go free because the two leads are just so far above it. So... because of their ability to 'move on', other women and children are at risk. Blarg."
"One of the things I hate the MOST in any fiction is the use of sexual abuse (particularly of children) as a gimmick. In this book, the extent of the abuse was not necessary for the story -- and in fact I couldn't believe the heroine being as free and easy in the sack with the hero if she truly had that background -- and the whole thing had a creepy, exploitative quality.
On top of that, two villains (a rapist and a child molester) go free because the two leads are just so far above it. So... because of their ability to 'move on', other women and children are at risk. Blarg."
March 9, 2010
The Price of Desire revolves around Olivia Cole and Griffin Wright-Jones. Griffin owns a hell where Olivia's brother, Anthony, has wracked up an enormous debt. When Griffin demands collateral until Anthony can pay the debt, Anthony is forced to give him a family heirloom. Through Anthony's selfishness and scheming Olivia ends up being given to Griffin as a marker. What follows is a journey of Olivia discovering her self-worth and learning how to trust someone.
It's always easier for me to be specific about the things that didn't work for me than the things that made me love a book. Bear with me as I try.
What I love about Jo Goodman's writing is the lyrical quality of the prose. As I read, the flow of the sentences takes on a cadence in my mind and pulls me through chapter after chapter. I find this is especially true in the way she writes dialogue. It has a certain rhythm that makes the pages turn quickly for me.
I'm definitely not an expert in any period of history, so I can't speak with any authority on how authentic everything was. However, I can certainly give my opinion as to how it felt for this reader. Everything felt authentic, especially how the characters spoke. The way they expressed themselves and the way they phrased things felt very antique. I don't mean that in a bad way, it was definitely a plus for me. There was never a moment where I stopped because something seemed weird about how the period was described. That happens to me sometimes. I feel compelled to google a fact because it seems so out of place.
Sometimes in a Romance book I either love the heroine or I love the hero. It rarely happens that I love both. I may like both, but I really only love one. That was not the case here. The way Olivia and Griffin were written made both of them strike a cord in me. I ended up feeling for both and enjoying them equally.
Olivia was such a mix of strength and vulnerability. I loved that about her. She was strong, but it was a quiet strength. She was very levelheaded and thought before she acted. Olivia was very self-contained. There were never any outbursts to give the reader or the characters in the book an obvious indication of how she felt. Because of that the reader and the characters are obliged to watch her and hope for more clues to figure out who she is as a person.
Griffin was more up front than Olivia, so it was easier to see who he was and what his motivations were. I didn't really enjoy his history with marriage, but I certainly understood it. I empathized with his circumstances and found his attitude toward them refreshing. Any character that has had a negative experience that impacted them but doesn't "woe is me" about it automatically earns points with me.
I didn't really enjoy the first love scene between Olivia and Griffin. It actually made me faintly uncomfortable. Having said that, I think the way it was done was spot on in regards to the characters. It gave me a lot of insight into Olivia and Griffin. I appreciate when a love scene actually shows me more about the inner workings of the characters. I enjoyed watching their relationship mature and how they grew together.
I didn't like how things were resolved with Elaine. That was the only part of the book that felt like it took the easy way out. I did however like the situation she left with Griffin. I was interested in what he would choose to do in regards to Nat. That's a hard situation to be in and I can honestly say I have no idea which way I would have gone on it.
I found the resolution, or the lack or resolution, with Olivia's family to be realistic. While I, living in the time I do, may think it is unfair and heinous things should be done to right the wrong, that wouldn't fit here. There isn't always a horrible future for villainous people. Sometimes there is no justice. I also like that Anthony stayed the same immature, selfish person throughout the book. I was glad that Olivia actually acknowledged his faults and learned she really couldn't depend on him. Too often the selfish family member suddenly reforms toward the end of the book for no discernible reason. It's very irritating.
This is a quiet book. We're never given info dumps or shown the character thinking very obvious thoughts like, "I love her/him". Until things are resolved through the characters the reader will have to pay attention to the actions of the characters to gauge their true feelings. Also, this is a very dark book in some aspects. Some readers may be turned off by that, so be warned.
It's always easier for me to be specific about the things that didn't work for me than the things that made me love a book. Bear with me as I try.
What I love about Jo Goodman's writing is the lyrical quality of the prose. As I read, the flow of the sentences takes on a cadence in my mind and pulls me through chapter after chapter. I find this is especially true in the way she writes dialogue. It has a certain rhythm that makes the pages turn quickly for me.
I'm definitely not an expert in any period of history, so I can't speak with any authority on how authentic everything was. However, I can certainly give my opinion as to how it felt for this reader. Everything felt authentic, especially how the characters spoke. The way they expressed themselves and the way they phrased things felt very antique. I don't mean that in a bad way, it was definitely a plus for me. There was never a moment where I stopped because something seemed weird about how the period was described. That happens to me sometimes. I feel compelled to google a fact because it seems so out of place.
Sometimes in a Romance book I either love the heroine or I love the hero. It rarely happens that I love both. I may like both, but I really only love one. That was not the case here. The way Olivia and Griffin were written made both of them strike a cord in me. I ended up feeling for both and enjoying them equally.
Olivia was such a mix of strength and vulnerability. I loved that about her. She was strong, but it was a quiet strength. She was very levelheaded and thought before she acted. Olivia was very self-contained. There were never any outbursts to give the reader or the characters in the book an obvious indication of how she felt. Because of that the reader and the characters are obliged to watch her and hope for more clues to figure out who she is as a person.
Griffin was more up front than Olivia, so it was easier to see who he was and what his motivations were. I didn't really enjoy his history with marriage, but I certainly understood it. I empathized with his circumstances and found his attitude toward them refreshing. Any character that has had a negative experience that impacted them but doesn't "woe is me" about it automatically earns points with me.
I didn't really enjoy the first love scene between Olivia and Griffin. It actually made me faintly uncomfortable. Having said that, I think the way it was done was spot on in regards to the characters. It gave me a lot of insight into Olivia and Griffin. I appreciate when a love scene actually shows me more about the inner workings of the characters. I enjoyed watching their relationship mature and how they grew together.
I didn't like how things were resolved with Elaine. That was the only part of the book that felt like it took the easy way out. I did however like the situation she left with Griffin. I was interested in what he would choose to do in regards to Nat. That's a hard situation to be in and I can honestly say I have no idea which way I would have gone on it.
I found the resolution, or the lack or resolution, with Olivia's family to be realistic. While I, living in the time I do, may think it is unfair and heinous things should be done to right the wrong, that wouldn't fit here. There isn't always a horrible future for villainous people. Sometimes there is no justice. I also like that Anthony stayed the same immature, selfish person throughout the book. I was glad that Olivia actually acknowledged his faults and learned she really couldn't depend on him. Too often the selfish family member suddenly reforms toward the end of the book for no discernible reason. It's very irritating.
This is a quiet book. We're never given info dumps or shown the character thinking very obvious thoughts like, "I love her/him". Until things are resolved through the characters the reader will have to pay attention to the actions of the characters to gauge their true feelings. Also, this is a very dark book in some aspects. Some readers may be turned off by that, so be warned.
November 18, 2021
There is far more to the book than meets the eye. This was my 3rd book of Ms. Goodman and I have enjoyed all of her books thus far. I do have to mention that this book does have triggers such as rape and sexual abuse. So, if you're troubled by these elements, then this book isn't for you.
Ms. Goodman has a way of creating her characters. I simply loved both of the main characters, Olivia and Griffin. They were definitely damaged, but have managed to find safety and acceptance in each other.
Griffin established a gaming hell in order to support his family. He had to provide for his 3 sisters' dowry and his mother's expenses. On top of that, he had to clear his late father's debt. He also married young and to an older woman and thought he was in love with his wife. His wife was apparently a nymphomaniac, so she basically shagged every man that she saw and Griffin was understandably scarred due to the experience. Despite his bad experience and his ill-advised association with one of the villains in the book, Mrs. Christie (his ex-mistress), he was actually a really decent guy. He came across as a cinnamon roll hero. He was very understanding and supportive towards Olivia.
Olivia, poor darling. My heart broke for her. She was sexually abused firstly by her own father, Lord Hadrien who happened to be a paedophile. The abuse continued when she was sent to a convent school and this was perpetrated by her own father and his circle of friends. This stopped when she got her period at 12 and she managed to run away when she was 18. Again, she suffered another sexual assault and had to apply to her brother for protection. What strike me the most about her was her resilience. She did not let things get her down and she did not play the victim. She made the best out of her situation. Of course, she had PTSD due to her trauma and this wasn't swept under the rug. I feel that Ms. Goodman is simply fabulous at writing strong female characters.
There were no big misunderstandings between the main characters and I greatly appreciate the lack of it in this book.
I understand some of the reviewer's disapproval when it comes to the villains' fate. The villains did not get their comeuppance especially in the case of Lord Hadrien. I wished he could have been beaten to a pulp, but there was a certain sense of realism to his fate. Conviction is even harder to come by nowadays when it comes to sexual assault cases and it was a million times harder back then where the laws were not even there to protect children and women. Furthermore, Lord Hadrien was a peer of the realm where he would have probably gotten away scot-free.
This was a thoroughly engrossing and a riveting read. This book definitely deserves a spot on my keeper shelf. It wasn't an easy read due to the dark element's presence in the book but definitely worth it.
Ms. Goodman has a way of creating her characters. I simply loved both of the main characters, Olivia and Griffin. They were definitely damaged, but have managed to find safety and acceptance in each other.
Griffin established a gaming hell in order to support his family. He had to provide for his 3 sisters' dowry and his mother's expenses. On top of that, he had to clear his late father's debt. He also married young and to an older woman and thought he was in love with his wife. His wife was apparently a nymphomaniac, so she basically shagged every man that she saw and Griffin was understandably scarred due to the experience. Despite his bad experience and his ill-advised association with one of the villains in the book, Mrs. Christie (his ex-mistress), he was actually a really decent guy. He came across as a cinnamon roll hero. He was very understanding and supportive towards Olivia.
Olivia, poor darling. My heart broke for her. She was sexually abused firstly by her own father, Lord Hadrien who happened to be a paedophile. The abuse continued when she was sent to a convent school and this was perpetrated by her own father and his circle of friends. This stopped when she got her period at 12 and she managed to run away when she was 18. Again, she suffered another sexual assault and had to apply to her brother for protection. What strike me the most about her was her resilience. She did not let things get her down and she did not play the victim. She made the best out of her situation. Of course, she had PTSD due to her trauma and this wasn't swept under the rug. I feel that Ms. Goodman is simply fabulous at writing strong female characters.
There were no big misunderstandings between the main characters and I greatly appreciate the lack of it in this book.
I understand some of the reviewer's disapproval when it comes to the villains' fate. The villains did not get their comeuppance especially in the case of Lord Hadrien. I wished he could have been beaten to a pulp, but there was a certain sense of realism to his fate. Conviction is even harder to come by nowadays when it comes to sexual assault cases and it was a million times harder back then where the laws were not even there to protect children and women. Furthermore, Lord Hadrien was a peer of the realm where he would have probably gotten away scot-free.
This was a thoroughly engrossing and a riveting read. This book definitely deserves a spot on my keeper shelf. It wasn't an easy read due to the dark element's presence in the book but definitely worth it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2021
I thought about how to write a review for this excellent book and couldn't come up with any way to do it justice. My friend Naksed, wrote an amazing review here that says everything I wanted to say, only much better.
This was a great page turner with a H/h that were both wounded warriors who became better for having known each other. The character growth was superb and the h/H are so good together. Their funny back and forth was so entertaining and by the end of the book I was completely satisfied.
Safety
This was a great page turner with a H/h that were both wounded warriors who became better for having known each other. The character growth was superb and the h/H are so good together. Their funny back and forth was so entertaining and by the end of the book I was completely satisfied.
Safety
October 19, 2008
I began reading Jo Goodman's books with her 'Compass Club' series about four regency rogues in need of taming. I became quite a fan of her wicked wit and intricate plotting. Her latest book, "The Price of Desire", is just as enthralling.
Olivia never really had a childhood. It was taken from her in a most cruel way and she's learned never to depend on anyone. So why her brother's actions, promising her to the owner of a gaming hell until he's able to pay his debts, hit her so hard is a mystery. But the owner of this gaming hell is a mystery also. He's handsome, even with his scar, and honorable, even as the owner of a hell, and kind, which may be the most frightening thing to Olivia of all.
Griffin is a peer who lives his life as he sees fit while still overseeing the requirements of his station. When Olivia's brother appears to have gone missing, he's not sure what to do. But it doesn't take him long to be fascinated by Olivia, and soon after that he's sure that no debt could equal her value in his life. But there are a few obstacles in his way: her past, his past, and a mystery surrounding a ring.
Goodman's books are almost overflowing with emotion--everything from humor to despair to love. Her stories have both breadth and depth and always leave me smiling.
Olivia never really had a childhood. It was taken from her in a most cruel way and she's learned never to depend on anyone. So why her brother's actions, promising her to the owner of a gaming hell until he's able to pay his debts, hit her so hard is a mystery. But the owner of this gaming hell is a mystery also. He's handsome, even with his scar, and honorable, even as the owner of a hell, and kind, which may be the most frightening thing to Olivia of all.
Griffin is a peer who lives his life as he sees fit while still overseeing the requirements of his station. When Olivia's brother appears to have gone missing, he's not sure what to do. But it doesn't take him long to be fascinated by Olivia, and soon after that he's sure that no debt could equal her value in his life. But there are a few obstacles in his way: her past, his past, and a mystery surrounding a ring.
Goodman's books are almost overflowing with emotion--everything from humor to despair to love. Her stories have both breadth and depth and always leave me smiling.
February 18, 2017
Olivia Cole does not react when she finds herself promised to Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, as his marker for her brother's £1000 debt. As Olivia adjusts to the hell and Griffin adjusts to Olivia, All The Secrets are exposed and they figure a way to a HEA, with pitstops in Angst, Trauma and Farce.
This is a very difficult book for me to rate because there were things I fucking LOVED; but there was also some Real World Shit that needs to be addressed.
1. Once Olivia and Griffin begin sharing their secrets with one another, there's so many lovely, quiet moments of comfortable domesticity that just thrilled my plebeian soul. Eventually they end up sharing a bedroom and the scenes of them just living together, moving around one another, was so disgustingly good. He moves her wardrobe into his room for her! She has a side of the bed! He's going to spend his life with her! Their routines and how they adjust them to fit one another and include one another and UGHHH. If the book were entirely moments like this, I would give it 6 stars and sob into my pillow every night in gratitude.
2. The Real World Shit is: a lot. Just so much. I'm going to put it all under a spoiler cut with the necessary trigger warnings shortly, but I want to state upfront my extreme ignorance and uncertainty of the subject matter. Because--it's a lot.
(I also want to note that this is ENTIRELY to do with Olivia's background. I have not touched on Griffin's history AT ALL, which is in itself A Thing as well but it is very much Traditional Romance nonsense as well as small potatoes in the context of Olivia's story.)
[trigger warning: child molestation/rape/incest]
That, I think, is where I struggle the most. To reconcile the horrors with the happy ever after. This bothers me because I can't say with any actual conviction that I know what the 'right' way to tell this story is. I can only share what I felt and that level of subjectivity is perhaps useless.
Overall, I'm rating this book 3.25 stars and recommending it with caution.
This is a very difficult book for me to rate because there were things I fucking LOVED; but there was also some Real World Shit that needs to be addressed.
1. Once Olivia and Griffin begin sharing their secrets with one another, there's so many lovely, quiet moments of comfortable domesticity that just thrilled my plebeian soul. Eventually they end up sharing a bedroom and the scenes of them just living together, moving around one another, was so disgustingly good. He moves her wardrobe into his room for her! She has a side of the bed! He's going to spend his life with her! Their routines and how they adjust them to fit one another and include one another and UGHHH. If the book were entirely moments like this, I would give it 6 stars and sob into my pillow every night in gratitude.
2. The Real World Shit is: a lot. Just so much. I'm going to put it all under a spoiler cut with the necessary trigger warnings shortly, but I want to state upfront my extreme ignorance and uncertainty of the subject matter. Because--it's a lot.
(I also want to note that this is ENTIRELY to do with Olivia's background. I have not touched on Griffin's history AT ALL, which is in itself A Thing as well but it is very much Traditional Romance nonsense as well as small potatoes in the context of Olivia's story.)
[trigger warning: child molestation/rape/incest]
That, I think, is where I struggle the most. To reconcile the horrors with the happy ever after. This bothers me because I can't say with any actual conviction that I know what the 'right' way to tell this story is. I can only share what I felt and that level of subjectivity is perhaps useless.
Overall, I'm rating this book 3.25 stars and recommending it with caution.
August 31, 2015
I liked it. Both characters were interesting, though Olivia's story is kind of tragic.
November 20, 2015
This was incredibly intense and had the most tortured heroine I've ever encountered in a Historical Romance. Jo Goodman is an excellent writer and she deftly pulls off what is essentially a rather depressing story. I like angst, but this might be too much for some.
I cared about both the hero and heroine a lot and grew very invested in their stories. My issue with this book was that so much of it was about the hero and heroine's separate stories, which seemed to overlap, more than they actually intertwined. I wish Olivia and Griffin, the hero and heroine, had needed to work together a bit more throughout the story. I feel like it was their troubled pasts that united them more than anything--I wish so much of the present day hadn't been given over to the both of them parsing their separate, troubled histories.
That said, there was real chemistry between the two characters and I liked them both a lot. They were three-dimensional people, to the point that this was almost more of a character study at times more than it was a straight up romance. I was okay with that. This is only my second Jo Goodman book, but she knows how to create characters I care about--people I want to see have a happy ending. Like This Gun for Hire, this book had a lotta heart.
I would rec this to fans of some of Meredith Duran's darker novels like Written on Your Skin and The Duke of Shadows. It's a rather quiet, slow-moving story, but the reward comes in the beautiful writing, the attention to detail, and characters who are fully-developed and, in my opinion, well worth reading about.
I cared about both the hero and heroine a lot and grew very invested in their stories. My issue with this book was that so much of it was about the hero and heroine's separate stories, which seemed to overlap, more than they actually intertwined. I wish Olivia and Griffin, the hero and heroine, had needed to work together a bit more throughout the story. I feel like it was their troubled pasts that united them more than anything--I wish so much of the present day hadn't been given over to the both of them parsing their separate, troubled histories.
That said, there was real chemistry between the two characters and I liked them both a lot. They were three-dimensional people, to the point that this was almost more of a character study at times more than it was a straight up romance. I was okay with that. This is only my second Jo Goodman book, but she knows how to create characters I care about--people I want to see have a happy ending. Like This Gun for Hire, this book had a lotta heart.
I would rec this to fans of some of Meredith Duran's darker novels like Written on Your Skin and The Duke of Shadows. It's a rather quiet, slow-moving story, but the reward comes in the beautiful writing, the attention to detail, and characters who are fully-developed and, in my opinion, well worth reading about.
October 5, 2010
**english review**
First of all, let me just say that despite this being an attractive cover, I think it’s wrong for this book. Don’t panic potential readers! You will most definitely get your steamy lovemaking scenes, just as these two half naked models caressing each other suggest, but there’s so much more to this book than the let’s-get-it-on parts that I think a less bodice-ripper-ish cover would have been appropriate.
Second. The same thing for the title, because “The Price of Desire” sounds way too tacky for this story. I’m sorry but it’s true. I know tacky titles are like a rule in historical romance but, again, for this one…*shakes her head in disapproval*
Now that I got this out of my chest, to the review.
This was an angst read. Angst mixed with more angst, a handful of self-pity, and a pinch of misery. I mean, poor, POOR Olivia! Her story kept making me want to curl up in a corner and cry until dehydration, and it all starts because her brother Alastair, loses a great amount of money gambling and until he pays the debt back, she has to go live with Griffin -the man Alastair owes the money to, as a guarantee. Now, I know that you historical romance enthusiasts are probably clapping your hands with joy and excitement at the prospect, but I can assure you this is the most heartwrenching situation. For the life of me, I couldn’t tell if this book was going to have a happy ending or not, and despite of what it may sound like at first, this isn’t just some funny, lighthearted Guy Buys Girl story, with a couple of silly lead characters -at all-, for there are some pretty dark and shocking themes in this book (child abuse, rape…), and when Olivia is placed in Griffin’s house, I couldn’t decide if I was pleased or sorry with it. Of course, once I realized he had good intentions towards her, my aching heart subsided a little. Nevertheless, Griffin aside, Olivia’s life story got to me like tiny and sharp blades of despair, and how could it not? She’s a young woman alone in a men’s world, who keeps being awfully treated by it, and the worst part is, there’s absolutely nothing she can do about it (-so frustrating!!).
Like I said before, one of the pluses of this book for me were the non-silly characters. You know when a lead couple makes you smile in the same measure they make you want to bang your head in the wall? And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing -it isn’t-, but after this book I found out that historical romance can still be entertaining even if it does not make you get a severe head concussion. I love how Olivia and Griffin are so mature and understand each other in an almost unnatural way -love it, and if I take the bedroom off the equation, I can honestly say they never once play games or act childishly just to provoke and hurt, or compete to see who is the most proud of the two. Never. Around each other they’re simply themselves, and it doesn’t matter what that implies. It was refreshing.
To finish, I want to praise Jo Goodman for her beautiful, classy, and extremely detailed writing style, and say that if I was given the choice, I would only change one tiny little thing in this book: the awkwardness of the couple’s first lovemaking scene. And not even the whole scene, just the beginning of it, for I’m certain that single paragraph embodies the true concept of a “WTH/WTF? Moment” (Olivia…what…are…you…doing…? Stop it! – she has issues).
Cuidado com o Dálmata - The Price of Desire
First of all, let me just say that despite this being an attractive cover, I think it’s wrong for this book. Don’t panic potential readers! You will most definitely get your steamy lovemaking scenes, just as these two half naked models caressing each other suggest, but there’s so much more to this book than the let’s-get-it-on parts that I think a less bodice-ripper-ish cover would have been appropriate.
Second. The same thing for the title, because “The Price of Desire” sounds way too tacky for this story. I’m sorry but it’s true. I know tacky titles are like a rule in historical romance but, again, for this one…*shakes her head in disapproval*
Now that I got this out of my chest, to the review.
This was an angst read. Angst mixed with more angst, a handful of self-pity, and a pinch of misery. I mean, poor, POOR Olivia! Her story kept making me want to curl up in a corner and cry until dehydration, and it all starts because her brother Alastair, loses a great amount of money gambling and until he pays the debt back, she has to go live with Griffin -the man Alastair owes the money to, as a guarantee. Now, I know that you historical romance enthusiasts are probably clapping your hands with joy and excitement at the prospect, but I can assure you this is the most heartwrenching situation. For the life of me, I couldn’t tell if this book was going to have a happy ending or not, and despite of what it may sound like at first, this isn’t just some funny, lighthearted Guy Buys Girl story, with a couple of silly lead characters -at all-, for there are some pretty dark and shocking themes in this book (child abuse, rape…), and when Olivia is placed in Griffin’s house, I couldn’t decide if I was pleased or sorry with it. Of course, once I realized he had good intentions towards her, my aching heart subsided a little. Nevertheless, Griffin aside, Olivia’s life story got to me like tiny and sharp blades of despair, and how could it not? She’s a young woman alone in a men’s world, who keeps being awfully treated by it, and the worst part is, there’s absolutely nothing she can do about it (-so frustrating!!).
Like I said before, one of the pluses of this book for me were the non-silly characters. You know when a lead couple makes you smile in the same measure they make you want to bang your head in the wall? And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing -it isn’t-, but after this book I found out that historical romance can still be entertaining even if it does not make you get a severe head concussion. I love how Olivia and Griffin are so mature and understand each other in an almost unnatural way -love it, and if I take the bedroom off the equation, I can honestly say they never once play games or act childishly just to provoke and hurt, or compete to see who is the most proud of the two. Never. Around each other they’re simply themselves, and it doesn’t matter what that implies. It was refreshing.
To finish, I want to praise Jo Goodman for her beautiful, classy, and extremely detailed writing style, and say that if I was given the choice, I would only change one tiny little thing in this book: the awkwardness of the couple’s first lovemaking scene. And not even the whole scene, just the beginning of it, for I’m certain that single paragraph embodies the true concept of a “WTH/WTF? Moment” (Olivia…what…are…you…doing…? Stop it! – she has issues).
Cuidado com o Dálmata - The Price of Desire
October 8, 2018
5 stars
Summary:
A great read and one of my favorites of 2011.
I adore Griffin - even though his life and occupation are far from that of an ideal hero, he is incredibly good. He is gentle and patient when it comes to Olivia, but not overprotective - he allows her a kind of freedom that most upper class women could only dream of.
Olivia is a woman whose childhood is truly horrific - the abuse she suffered could break a lot of people. And yet she managed to find an oasis for herself (and I'm not talking about her brother's house). The hell that Griffin runs becomes a home to her.
I liked their relationship - no drama, angst, misunderstandings. They are two people that life hasn't treated well that had the fortune to find each other. They were friends first, there was trust before they slept together.
There's just a tiny complaint I have: I wish that the some of the villains didn't get off so easy .
Summary:
Olivia Cole is devastated to learn that her ne'er-do-well brother has promised her to the operator of a London gaming hall as payment of his debts. Olivia accepts her fate-even if it means that her reputation will suffer from living among rogues and gamblers. But when she meets the sexy and mysterious Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, Olivia has more than just her good name to worry about--for he rouses in her wanton thoughts she's never dared entertain-until now.
Griffin wears the scars of his life on his striking face. Although he wants Olivia like no other woman before, he doesn't force her to share his bed-a difficult task considering how beautiful she is. But with each passing night, Griffin and Olivia's resolve weakens until finally they take their greatest gamble on one night of reckless pleasure.
A great read and one of my favorites of 2011.
I adore Griffin - even though his life and occupation are far from that of an ideal hero, he is incredibly good. He is gentle and patient when it comes to Olivia, but not overprotective - he allows her a kind of freedom that most upper class women could only dream of.
Olivia is a woman whose childhood is truly horrific - the abuse she suffered could break a lot of people. And yet she managed to find an oasis for herself (and I'm not talking about her brother's house). The hell that Griffin runs becomes a home to her.
I liked their relationship - no drama, angst, misunderstandings. They are two people that life hasn't treated well that had the fortune to find each other. They were friends first, there was trust before they slept together.
There's just a tiny complaint I have: I wish that the some of the villains didn't get off so easy .
April 6, 2011
This is my first Jo Goodman book, and I was definitely not disappointed. I will definitely have to snag more of her books.
Honestly, I am a bit shocked that I responded as well to this story as I did, because it has a couple of story points that don't normally play well to me. I am not sure that I can explain, at this point, why they didn't rub me as wrongly as they most often do. And I certainly can't go into it without getting into spoilers, so... just to be really brief and somewhat generic:
The premise of the story (as in, no more spoilers than you get by reading the blurb on the back cover) - this is usually not a story type that sits well with me. Yes, of course the bulk of the blame lies with whatever family member put the heroine into this situation, but the hero also starts off with a large black mark against him in my books. It is shameful for whatever douchebag relation of the heroine's to decide to trade her away in payment of his debt. It is only marginally less shameful for the hero to agree.
In this case, it just played out differently. I really - really - don't feel like Griffin took advantage. And let me tell you, this is a topic that I trend towards oversensitivity on. He wasn't happy to have her there. He largely set her into a room and tried to pretend she wasn't there, as much as he was able. He was suspicious that her brother was taking advantage of him (by assuming that Griffin would never take advantage of Olivia).
Much of the first half of the book had the hero and heroine dancing around each other, as they tried to figure each other out. I really loved being along for the ride, and it was great fun, spiked with some intense emotional moments.
The other bit that I tend to dislike in fiction is sexual abuse. I am not going to go into detail, in order to avoid spoilers. I would just like to have a more general conversation on the subject. The problem I have with it is that - more often than not - authors will use it for shock value, and then when it becomes inconvenient, they will choose to remove it as a factor. In that way, I don't feel that it is handled respectfully, more often than not. Also - this is a tangent, forgive me, but it is rooted in an argument that I had with someone recently - let me clarify why I don't like for it to be shrugged off by the character / author. It is because, in reality, it is not ever shrugged off. I know that books are not reality. I know they are a world of make-believe. But as someone who has dedicated a significant amount of her life volunteering at a battered women's shelter, I am also wary of expectations. So very many women think there is something wrong with them because they CAN'T just shrug it off. I cannot - will not - tolerate having that reinforced by "strong" heroines that suffer a rape and then move on with their lives after a brief cry. No, I don't want a wailing victim - nothing is served by the perception that one's life is over after an assault, either - but I do want recognition of the fact that healing takes work. It doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't make you weak if you need time.
Sorry for the tangent, but I felt I had to clarify, because I have been accused of wanting my heroines to be weak, co-dependent and emo. And that is so far from my mind that it is laughable.
Anyway. I felt that this book, on the other hand, largely handled it well (I have a couple of caveats... I will get to that). I feel like the author gave this subject the gravity it deserves, in terms of how it affected the characters. Further, I appreciated that the author gave weight to the fact that there are all kinds of abuse, and they are all equally unforgivable. All of these characters were hurt, and had every reason to be bitter, selfish, defensive or cold. Yet none of them were. They were all able to breathe, despite the past that could so easily suffocate them, and they all strove for something more in their lives. That made this book beautiful, to me.
Now for my caveats. I can't stand for there to not be some level of justice. This seems to particularly be common in HR - "winning" seems to mean moving on with your life. As in illigitimi non carborundum - "don't let the bastards get you down." I am all for turning the other cheek, but in my fiction I want some justice, dammit.
And that's why it gets 4 stars from me. Though I accept that it may not be entirely accurate in a historical sense, when it comes to my reading entertainment, there has to be some sense of justice or karma. There must be consequences to horrific behavior. In the end, it isn't really a complete HEA for me unless there is some balance to the world.
That aside, the story was a delight. I loved Olivia, loved Griffin. Loved the secondary cast, loved Nat. The emotional interplay between them as they figured each other out... it was beautiful. I loved that Griffin was the romantic one, while Olivia was pragmatic. I loved how smart they both were, how they figured things out even faster than I did. I really, really enjoyed the book. I look forward to multiple re-reads, as this one is certainly a keeper.
Honestly, I am a bit shocked that I responded as well to this story as I did, because it has a couple of story points that don't normally play well to me. I am not sure that I can explain, at this point, why they didn't rub me as wrongly as they most often do. And I certainly can't go into it without getting into spoilers, so... just to be really brief and somewhat generic:
The premise of the story (as in, no more spoilers than you get by reading the blurb on the back cover) - this is usually not a story type that sits well with me. Yes, of course the bulk of the blame lies with whatever family member put the heroine into this situation, but the hero also starts off with a large black mark against him in my books. It is shameful for whatever douchebag relation of the heroine's to decide to trade her away in payment of his debt. It is only marginally less shameful for the hero to agree.
In this case, it just played out differently. I really - really - don't feel like Griffin took advantage. And let me tell you, this is a topic that I trend towards oversensitivity on. He wasn't happy to have her there. He largely set her into a room and tried to pretend she wasn't there, as much as he was able. He was suspicious that her brother was taking advantage of him (by assuming that Griffin would never take advantage of Olivia).
Much of the first half of the book had the hero and heroine dancing around each other, as they tried to figure each other out. I really loved being along for the ride, and it was great fun, spiked with some intense emotional moments.
The other bit that I tend to dislike in fiction is sexual abuse. I am not going to go into detail, in order to avoid spoilers. I would just like to have a more general conversation on the subject. The problem I have with it is that - more often than not - authors will use it for shock value, and then when it becomes inconvenient, they will choose to remove it as a factor. In that way, I don't feel that it is handled respectfully, more often than not. Also - this is a tangent, forgive me, but it is rooted in an argument that I had with someone recently - let me clarify why I don't like for it to be shrugged off by the character / author. It is because, in reality, it is not ever shrugged off. I know that books are not reality. I know they are a world of make-believe. But as someone who has dedicated a significant amount of her life volunteering at a battered women's shelter, I am also wary of expectations. So very many women think there is something wrong with them because they CAN'T just shrug it off. I cannot - will not - tolerate having that reinforced by "strong" heroines that suffer a rape and then move on with their lives after a brief cry. No, I don't want a wailing victim - nothing is served by the perception that one's life is over after an assault, either - but I do want recognition of the fact that healing takes work. It doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't make you weak if you need time.
Sorry for the tangent, but I felt I had to clarify, because I have been accused of wanting my heroines to be weak, co-dependent and emo. And that is so far from my mind that it is laughable.
Anyway. I felt that this book, on the other hand, largely handled it well (I have a couple of caveats... I will get to that). I feel like the author gave this subject the gravity it deserves, in terms of how it affected the characters. Further, I appreciated that the author gave weight to the fact that there are all kinds of abuse, and they are all equally unforgivable. All of these characters were hurt, and had every reason to be bitter, selfish, defensive or cold. Yet none of them were. They were all able to breathe, despite the past that could so easily suffocate them, and they all strove for something more in their lives. That made this book beautiful, to me.
Now for my caveats. I can't stand for there to not be some level of justice. This seems to particularly be common in HR - "winning" seems to mean moving on with your life. As in illigitimi non carborundum - "don't let the bastards get you down." I am all for turning the other cheek, but in my fiction I want some justice, dammit.
And that's why it gets 4 stars from me. Though I accept that it may not be entirely accurate in a historical sense, when it comes to my reading entertainment, there has to be some sense of justice or karma. There must be consequences to horrific behavior. In the end, it isn't really a complete HEA for me unless there is some balance to the world.
That aside, the story was a delight. I loved Olivia, loved Griffin. Loved the secondary cast, loved Nat. The emotional interplay between them as they figured each other out... it was beautiful. I loved that Griffin was the romantic one, while Olivia was pragmatic. I loved how smart they both were, how they figured things out even faster than I did. I really, really enjoyed the book. I look forward to multiple re-reads, as this one is certainly a keeper.
September 17, 2020
So this was a great read...I felt it was long there was plenty of story to it and well written.
Griffin owned a Hell and was given Olivia as a marker for her brothers debt while gambling. He instantly put her up in his home and was drawn to look after her. I loved the tension between them and how they got together. there was great descriptions and although the hero and heroine didn't say until much later that they fell in love almost immediately, I felt certainly from Griffin's pov that he was very smitten.
Griffin was married and his wife had disappeared 6 years previous, he had a mistress when Olivia came on the scene but he was planning on ending the arrangement anyway and did so once Olivia arrived. The mistress does feature throughout the story. There is suspense over the wife and I kind of wished this was done differently..it was slightly anti climatic
I did really enjoy it but the ending was too long and the villain part was just ...I don't think it engaged me. there was enough story between the two MC's and the hurdles they had to overcome to be together.
Jo Goodman is an excellent writer and this won't disappoint.
Griffin owned a Hell and was given Olivia as a marker for her brothers debt while gambling. He instantly put her up in his home and was drawn to look after her. I loved the tension between them and how they got together. there was great descriptions and although the hero and heroine didn't say until much later that they fell in love almost immediately, I felt certainly from Griffin's pov that he was very smitten.
Griffin was married and his wife had disappeared 6 years previous, he had a mistress when Olivia came on the scene but he was planning on ending the arrangement anyway and did so once Olivia arrived. The mistress does feature throughout the story. There is suspense over the wife and I kind of wished this was done differently..it was slightly anti climatic
I did really enjoy it but the ending was too long and the villain part was just ...I don't think it engaged me. there was enough story between the two MC's and the hurdles they had to overcome to be together.
Jo Goodman is an excellent writer and this won't disappoint.
June 14, 2021
This was a really difficult review to write. I want to preface that up till 85% of this book, I was loving it. The premise, the mystery element, and the romance all worked for me. I'm not going to spend time talking about the positives as other reviews go into detail as to why Jo Goodman is an incredibly engaging writer.
It's rare that something happens toward the end that so thoroughly changes my rating. Content notes with detailed spoilery explanation/discussion are below.
Content Notes:
It's rare that something happens toward the end that so thoroughly changes my rating. Content notes with detailed spoilery explanation/discussion are below.
Content Notes:
May 9, 2016
4.5 Stars. This was a much darker romance emotionally then I have read from JG. Just as good, just a lot darker then what I expected. At first I was frustrated and impatient because I couldn't get a handle on our h/hs at all. Where they came from and how they arrived at where they were at in life. But eventually Jo brought it all out and you knew it was going to be bad, at least for sure on our heroine's part and it was....very bad. I loved our hero and glad that he was such a strong character that nothing that Olivia was going to reveal was going to shake him. Well worth the read.
August 10, 2015
How do I write a review of this book? I am uncertain. I do not recommend this book to romance novel readers. This book offers no excitement, no angst, not even lust.
I do however, recommend it for people who have a heart for love.
I started reading this book looking for romance. At 50% I realized there is no romance. This is a beautifully written story of a woman's journey to courage and self-discovery. Griffin is just along for the ride. If you approach it as you would a romance novel, you will be disappointed.
The only problem that I had was this book is realistic. So realistic that it offers no fantasy or escape.
I enjoy Jo Goodman's writing with great relish. She has such a way with words. Her style is rather wordy but I revel in them. I read every word 3 times before I let them pass. There is nothing explicit but her writing fully engages my imagination. A touch, a look, a smile, one step toward or away from each other. I see Griffin and Olivia, I mean, really see them, their hesitation, their reservation, their plunge of faith.
The story is extremely character-driven. Griffin and Olivia are two fantastic fictional characters with presence. I would not exactly call Griffin a tortured hero, even though under another writer's hand, he would definitely be painted as one . He suffered at fate's hand but took things in stride. Never a trace of anger and such a rock for Olivia. Olivia, with her tragic history , needed no hero. She was self-contained, self-sufficient in the spiritual sense, and so so dignified. My mental pictures for both are blurry at best, especially Griffin. At least the readers are told Olivia has green eyes and red hair. Other than a scar on the face, I cannot picture Griffin. But their personalities are so well drawn-out. A mental picture is really just "nice to have", not a must.
I can totally imagine that this book would be very boring for most readers. The romance is not romantic. Intimate scenes are mild. Griffin is not a sex-crazed animal who wanted to jump Olivia whenever she was near. He handled sex with Olivia as he would a china doll, because that is what Olivia is. He is also not overly possessive or protective. He lets Olivia be, but stands firmly always behind her. This journey must be made by Olivia alone, and it was done properly so.
The beauty of the book is that it is intense with an unwavering focus on the relationship between Griffin and Olivia. It is written with such artistry, full of hints and metaphorical excellence. Masterful use of language and a high demand on reader imagination. The chemistry is controlled but can be smelled a mile away. I don't know how Jo Goodman did it. This is "show us not tell us" at its best. A lot of the romance writers can definitely take a lesson here.
I am a voracious reader. I read extremely fast and have little patience with annoying characters and poorly-executed plots. I could read up to 3 to 4 full-length (more than 100000 words per book) romance novels on a free day. And I am severely challeged by this book. I cannot read more than 25% a day, because I need the time to savor the writing, to interprete, to imagine and to relish in Griffin and Oliva's journey toward peace.
After I got to the part where Olivia's past ordeal was disclosed, I had an urge to hold her hands, to tell her how much I respect her courage and grace, and how outraged I am at the suffering inflicted upon her. It pains me to see that she quietly endures the ugliness and possibly considers her past a humongous stain and herself soiled goods. I wanted to tell her that yes what was done to her is horrifying beyond my wildest imagination and yes it is dirty and evil of the offenders. But I see only pureness in her. Her silent triumph, her graceful purity kept the evil at bay. No wonder Griffin fell in love.
This book simmers. It asks for patience. I have always known that I am more drawn to the darker and deeper emotions of the human psyche. I love my fluffy romance stories, gallant knights on the white horses, tortured possessive heros in breeches. But it is stories like that of Griffin and Olivia, that truly truly resonates with me.
I do however, recommend it for people who have a heart for love.
I started reading this book looking for romance. At 50% I realized there is no romance. This is a beautifully written story of a woman's journey to courage and self-discovery. Griffin is just along for the ride. If you approach it as you would a romance novel, you will be disappointed.
The only problem that I had was this book is realistic. So realistic that it offers no fantasy or escape.
I enjoy Jo Goodman's writing with great relish. She has such a way with words. Her style is rather wordy but I revel in them. I read every word 3 times before I let them pass. There is nothing explicit but her writing fully engages my imagination. A touch, a look, a smile, one step toward or away from each other. I see Griffin and Olivia, I mean, really see them, their hesitation, their reservation, their plunge of faith.
The story is extremely character-driven. Griffin and Olivia are two fantastic fictional characters with presence. I would not exactly call Griffin a tortured hero, even though under another writer's hand, he would definitely be painted as one . He suffered at fate's hand but took things in stride. Never a trace of anger and such a rock for Olivia. Olivia, with her tragic history , needed no hero. She was self-contained, self-sufficient in the spiritual sense, and so so dignified. My mental pictures for both are blurry at best, especially Griffin. At least the readers are told Olivia has green eyes and red hair. Other than a scar on the face, I cannot picture Griffin. But their personalities are so well drawn-out. A mental picture is really just "nice to have", not a must.
I can totally imagine that this book would be very boring for most readers. The romance is not romantic. Intimate scenes are mild. Griffin is not a sex-crazed animal who wanted to jump Olivia whenever she was near. He handled sex with Olivia as he would a china doll, because that is what Olivia is. He is also not overly possessive or protective. He lets Olivia be, but stands firmly always behind her. This journey must be made by Olivia alone, and it was done properly so.
The beauty of the book is that it is intense with an unwavering focus on the relationship between Griffin and Olivia. It is written with such artistry, full of hints and metaphorical excellence. Masterful use of language and a high demand on reader imagination. The chemistry is controlled but can be smelled a mile away. I don't know how Jo Goodman did it. This is "show us not tell us" at its best. A lot of the romance writers can definitely take a lesson here.
I am a voracious reader. I read extremely fast and have little patience with annoying characters and poorly-executed plots. I could read up to 3 to 4 full-length (more than 100000 words per book) romance novels on a free day. And I am severely challeged by this book. I cannot read more than 25% a day, because I need the time to savor the writing, to interprete, to imagine and to relish in Griffin and Oliva's journey toward peace.
After I got to the part where Olivia's past ordeal was disclosed, I had an urge to hold her hands, to tell her how much I respect her courage and grace, and how outraged I am at the suffering inflicted upon her. It pains me to see that she quietly endures the ugliness and possibly considers her past a humongous stain and herself soiled goods. I wanted to tell her that yes what was done to her is horrifying beyond my wildest imagination and yes it is dirty and evil of the offenders. But I see only pureness in her. Her silent triumph, her graceful purity kept the evil at bay. No wonder Griffin fell in love.
This book simmers. It asks for patience. I have always known that I am more drawn to the darker and deeper emotions of the human psyche. I love my fluffy romance stories, gallant knights on the white horses, tortured possessive heros in breeches. But it is stories like that of Griffin and Olivia, that truly truly resonates with me.
August 7, 2009
Olivia Cole is living with her younger half-brother, Alastair. She is estranged from her father and has been on her own for a very long time. Alastair is quite the gambler and he owes Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge one-thousand pounds. Alastair does not have this money in hand to pay Breckenridge. Alastair pleads for more time to be able to secure the funds. Griffin gives Alastair a few days to come up with it, but takes the ring Alastair is wearing, which happens to be his father’s, as collateral until he returns. Alastair runs with his tail between his legs and does not return.
Griffin sends some men to Alastair’s house and there is Olivia. They take Olivia to Breckenridge, assuming she is Alastair’s wife. Breckenridge will keep Olivia at his gambling hell until Alastair comes back with the money. Olivia thinks all hope is lost because she doesn’t think Alastair will return, especially after she finds out that Alastair wrote a letter to Breckenridge stating that he is welcome to Olivia because she will reward Breckenridge in ways he cannot imagine. Basically Olivia’s brother has pimped her out. Breckenridge stores Olivia in one of his bedrooms until he can decide on what to do with this fragile looking young woman.
Olivia has been though many unspeakable horrors, and will survive, just like she has always done. Surprisingly, Breckenridge treats her well. He makes sure she eats, has clothes and gets exercise. Soon they come to an understanding. He even allows her to deal cards at his hell, after she shows him how skilled she is with a deck. Olivia decides she likes her new job and doesn’t mind living with Breckenridge. She even makes the next move and becomes his mistress. Breckenridge comes to adore Olivia, but she has secrets she won’t share with him. He wants to know everything about her and what she tells him shocks him to his very core. Not only does he have to come to terms about what happened to her when she was a child, but his wife, who left him, returns to London, Alastair’s ring goes missing, and someone wants to do some serious harm to Olivia.
The Price of Desire started out so very well. There is an excellent mystery about Olivia. She was an enigma and as the story progressed, we are given small pieces of her past. The building up to what Olivia is hiding is so well done, that when we find out, around the same time Breckenridge does, it is quite shocking. Olivia has gone through so much unrealistic abuse that it borders on a soap opera. I can handle one side of the sexual abuse, but the fact that it continues even after she leaves the one responsible for it, was just too much.
Griffin also had some out of the ordinary things happen to him and the majority of them were just too cliché to handle such as the evil skank mistress, the equally skank wife and the convenient long lost son that enters the picture. And if that weren’t bad enough, Griffin is caught in a mystery of the precious Cole ring, and trying to keep Olivia safe. He had more problems with Olivia under his roof and he was probably thinking it might have been a good idea to let bygones be bygones and forget about the money. At least the one thing he got was a bed partner in Olivia. But, I felt their sexual relationship was just too cool and polite between them to form any sort of bond or believe that these two have fallen in love with one another.
I did have high hopes for The Price of Desire, but in the long run it just didn’t deliver. The story was overrun with clichés and shocking acts that just didn’t ring true for me. At least there was no brother running around with a paint brush trying to paint a tree on his sister.
Griffin sends some men to Alastair’s house and there is Olivia. They take Olivia to Breckenridge, assuming she is Alastair’s wife. Breckenridge will keep Olivia at his gambling hell until Alastair comes back with the money. Olivia thinks all hope is lost because she doesn’t think Alastair will return, especially after she finds out that Alastair wrote a letter to Breckenridge stating that he is welcome to Olivia because she will reward Breckenridge in ways he cannot imagine. Basically Olivia’s brother has pimped her out. Breckenridge stores Olivia in one of his bedrooms until he can decide on what to do with this fragile looking young woman.
Olivia has been though many unspeakable horrors, and will survive, just like she has always done. Surprisingly, Breckenridge treats her well. He makes sure she eats, has clothes and gets exercise. Soon they come to an understanding. He even allows her to deal cards at his hell, after she shows him how skilled she is with a deck. Olivia decides she likes her new job and doesn’t mind living with Breckenridge. She even makes the next move and becomes his mistress. Breckenridge comes to adore Olivia, but she has secrets she won’t share with him. He wants to know everything about her and what she tells him shocks him to his very core. Not only does he have to come to terms about what happened to her when she was a child, but his wife, who left him, returns to London, Alastair’s ring goes missing, and someone wants to do some serious harm to Olivia.
The Price of Desire started out so very well. There is an excellent mystery about Olivia. She was an enigma and as the story progressed, we are given small pieces of her past. The building up to what Olivia is hiding is so well done, that when we find out, around the same time Breckenridge does, it is quite shocking. Olivia has gone through so much unrealistic abuse that it borders on a soap opera. I can handle one side of the sexual abuse, but the fact that it continues even after she leaves the one responsible for it, was just too much.
Griffin also had some out of the ordinary things happen to him and the majority of them were just too cliché to handle such as the evil skank mistress, the equally skank wife and the convenient long lost son that enters the picture. And if that weren’t bad enough, Griffin is caught in a mystery of the precious Cole ring, and trying to keep Olivia safe. He had more problems with Olivia under his roof and he was probably thinking it might have been a good idea to let bygones be bygones and forget about the money. At least the one thing he got was a bed partner in Olivia. But, I felt their sexual relationship was just too cool and polite between them to form any sort of bond or believe that these two have fallen in love with one another.
I did have high hopes for The Price of Desire, but in the long run it just didn’t deliver. The story was overrun with clichés and shocking acts that just didn’t ring true for me. At least there was no brother running around with a paint brush trying to paint a tree on his sister.
September 18, 2008
I gave this book 4 stars because I have a great ability to suspend disbelief.
I liked the hero and the heroine. The dialogue between them helped draw me into the book. I also liked the unconventional lives they both lived.
After finishing this book, as I reviewed the storyline in my head, I realized that the things that happened to these characters were outrageous. Two attempted rapes on the heroine, as well as a six year history of sexual abuse at a religious boarding school. A hero whose wife is missing, and then is conveniently discovered near the end of the book - along with the son he never knew he had?
I could probably go on and on - but the truth is, despite all of the improbable events piled on top of each other, something about this novel worked for me.
I liked the hero and the heroine. The dialogue between them helped draw me into the book. I also liked the unconventional lives they both lived.
After finishing this book, as I reviewed the storyline in my head, I realized that the things that happened to these characters were outrageous. Two attempted rapes on the heroine, as well as a six year history of sexual abuse at a religious boarding school. A hero whose wife is missing, and then is conveniently discovered near the end of the book - along with the son he never knew he had?
I could probably go on and on - but the truth is, despite all of the improbable events piled on top of each other, something about this novel worked for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2021
TW child sexual abuse
Very well written. Fantastic hero. What the poor heroine went through… I just can’t.
Very good romance but I will deduct one star (but would like to deduct five stars) for the poor ending, with ALL of the villains getting away and with the main horrible abuser just keep on doing what he does, no comeuppance?
Very well written. Fantastic hero. What the poor heroine went through… I just can’t.
Very good romance but I will deduct one star (but would like to deduct five stars) for the poor ending, with ALL of the villains getting away and with the main horrible abuser just keep on doing what he does, no comeuppance?
June 10, 2010
Olivia Cole has been given to Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge as a marker from her brother. Olivia’s younger brother Alistair was gambling in Breckenridge’s establishment and lost a large sum of money. While Alistair is trying to find the money, he gives his sister over to Cole to show his good intensions. Olivia, being the stoic character that she is, resigns herself to do her duty to her brother and accepts her situation.
Olivia is estranged from her family except for her brother. The reader does not know the reason for the estrangement at the beginning of the story. It is also obvious to the reader that she has suffered some form of abuse in her past. Griffin quickly catches on that there is more to Olivia than meets the eye. Olivia is as tight lipped as can be, but Griffin is persistent and wants to get to the bottom of her secrets. Griffin is highly intrigued by Olivia. His past relationships with women have been less than stellar and he has secrets of his own. Eventually, Griffin lays enough trust in Olivia to share his past and slowly Olivia reveals glimpses into hers.
Griffin is a great hero. Olivia arouses all of his protective instincts. Even though he has had bad relationships with women he never once doubts Olivia’s sincerity. That was one of the things I liked most. Even when other people were trying to twist the truth around he never once believed them. He knew Olivia was exactly was what she said she was and there was never any big misunderstanding. I will say though, that there was still quite a bit of drama to this story. Of course, I enjoy that sort of thing, but whoa, there were quite a number of villains to protect Olivia from. Griffin had his hands full with that, but he was quite the MAN and could handle it!
Another aspect of the story that I liked is that Griffin and Olivia spend a lot of time together talking about things. I enjoyed that the lead characters spent so much time together and that the plot centered around them, instead of the characters supporting the plot. Because they spent so much time together I could believe in their love for each other and that they have a relationship that will last.
Olivia is estranged from her family except for her brother. The reader does not know the reason for the estrangement at the beginning of the story. It is also obvious to the reader that she has suffered some form of abuse in her past. Griffin quickly catches on that there is more to Olivia than meets the eye. Olivia is as tight lipped as can be, but Griffin is persistent and wants to get to the bottom of her secrets. Griffin is highly intrigued by Olivia. His past relationships with women have been less than stellar and he has secrets of his own. Eventually, Griffin lays enough trust in Olivia to share his past and slowly Olivia reveals glimpses into hers.
Griffin is a great hero. Olivia arouses all of his protective instincts. Even though he has had bad relationships with women he never once doubts Olivia’s sincerity. That was one of the things I liked most. Even when other people were trying to twist the truth around he never once believed them. He knew Olivia was exactly was what she said she was and there was never any big misunderstanding. I will say though, that there was still quite a bit of drama to this story. Of course, I enjoy that sort of thing, but whoa, there were quite a number of villains to protect Olivia from. Griffin had his hands full with that, but he was quite the MAN and could handle it!
Another aspect of the story that I liked is that Griffin and Olivia spend a lot of time together talking about things. I enjoyed that the lead characters spent so much time together and that the plot centered around them, instead of the characters supporting the plot. Because they spent so much time together I could believe in their love for each other and that they have a relationship that will last.
December 9, 2012
I wanted to rate this higher because the writing was excellent. But in the end I could not because, man, could the heroine have been any more tortured? Given all the horrors that Jo Goodman heaped upon this poor woman I honestly would have understood if Olivia had thrown herself under the wheels of a runaway carriage to just end it all. I wouldn't have liked it, but I would have understood.
What saves this all is I liked the hero. He had a quirky kind of personality and a quiet strength. I liked that you could tell he was quietly falling in love with her very early on and remained unstintingly supportive of her and she worked through some of her past trauma. I also liked all the supporting characters in the gaming hell where Olivia finds herself unceremoniously living. They all take her under their wing, and give her more family than she's ever know. All the good parts made for a nice cushion as you learn through bits and pieces all the terrible stuff that happened to Olivia.
I need a fluffy chick lit or light romantic comedy chaser after this one.
What saves this all is I liked the hero. He had a quirky kind of personality and a quiet strength. I liked that you could tell he was quietly falling in love with her very early on and remained unstintingly supportive of her and she worked through some of her past trauma. I also liked all the supporting characters in the gaming hell where Olivia finds herself unceremoniously living. They all take her under their wing, and give her more family than she's ever know. All the good parts made for a nice cushion as you learn through bits and pieces all the terrible stuff that happened to Olivia.
I need a fluffy chick lit or light romantic comedy chaser after this one.
August 5, 2016
"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I'll never know."
- Groucho Marx
This story needs a punch line. How much suffering, trials and tribulations are enough? How much must one endure to qualify as a heroine? A long long time ago when movies began - around the 1913-14-15 - there were cliffhanging serial movies. A number of them involved heroines being tied to railroad tracks, hanging from cliffs, jumping from buildings, being lost in balloon - all of them being menaced by a villain or two. The Adventures of Kathlyn, The Hazards of Helen, What Happened to Mary, The Perils of Pauline. One of the things common to these serials, other than all of the stuff they had to go through, was that these women for the most part saved themselves. I think that is something that we in the 21st century have forgotten. We have the misconception that heroines in the early 20th were weak - that they needed a hero to save them. Well, in The Price of Desire there isn't any railroad track, no tall building, but gee willikers there is a long-suffering, stoic, angst-filled heroine. In fact she just may be one of the biggest Moaning Myrtles I've come across in a book in a lonnng time. She had more baggage dumped on her than even an Antonov An-225 Mriya could hold (big airplane). Upon completion of this book I really needed a good laugh or even a bad laugh. It was Groucho Marx time.
There may be spoilers ahead. Here's the plot line: Olivia's pinhead brother Alistair owes a huge gambling debt to Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge. Griffin is one of those aristocratic guys who owns a gambling hell. That happens a lot in Romanceland. Anyway, our worthless brother leaves his family heirloom emerald ring as a marker - then the marker disappears. Then he disappears, leaving behind a note bestowing Olivia as the marker. Enter our marker, aka Olivia.
Olivia is one cool customer. She goes to the gaming hell without too much hesitation. As far as Olivia is concerned the gaming hell offers more security than she had before. And, she has food. Thus begins the long long long journey toward a HEA for Olivia and Griffin. Let me tell you, it is quite an angst-filled trip we, the readers, are led down. Both Griffin and Olivia have secrets and problems. But Olivia's are overwhelming. They are overwhelming to Olivia and they were overwhelming to me. I would suggest that we didn't really need Griffin's past problems in this story because it was Olivia's past which the story revolved around.
Doom and gloom. I don't recall ever having read such a wounded creature as Ms. Goodman's Olivia. (And, I've read my share of Mary Balogh’s books.) While the story is filled with some remarkable writing and overall it is a very strong book, there were just too many problems dumped on Olivia. We no sooner learn one secret/problem than another is revealed. I found myself groaning, "Oh no, not another one." Just how much can one person suffer before it's tooo much? In my opinion there only needed to be one horrible occurrence in Olivia's past and that was the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. This trauma was painted very realistically; it was so very dramatic and Olivia's pain was very vivid. I didn't need additional damage done to her at the hands of others to make me have compassion for her. It was already there. The extra stuff which Ms. Goodman put Olivia through was overkill. For me all the extra ordeals weakened the story.
Poor forgotten Griffin. Griffin was a great hero - his story was just buried beneath Olivia's wreckage. He's everything one could want in a hero - understanding, strong, kind, decent, and of course, hot. Even though he's such a strong character, it's almost as if he plays second fiddle in the story. I wish there had been more focus on him; he was really quite adorable. He was a total alpha male character, however he just didn't know what to do with Olivia. He was all the time putting his foot in his mouth when he tried to communicate with her. He was an imperfect hero, which in my opinion made him perfect.
Weasels. There are lots and lots of odious villains in this story. Realistically I know that these guys would never get what they deserved but I really wanted them too. I thought Olivia forgave her blockhead brother waaayy tooooo fast but the real kicker was her father. Yes, her father got away with child molestation and the times being what they were I'm not sure anything else would have happened to him. HOWEVER, either she or Griffin should have stood up to this guy, warned others, done something - locked him away. I wasn't happy with the father solution.
Overall this is a strong character driven book with a lot of extra baggage which isn't needed. Besides all of the events that happened to our tortured heroine, there was a skanky mistress, a competing gambling hell villain, a philandering wife and a secret son. There were tooo many excess stories. Olivia's background story was all that was needed to make this a great story. It was all I needed. This had all the makings of a DIK if only a few things had been edited out. Some great writing and great characters - if only a little more focused. I do recommend this book although it comes with a caveat - you may need a Margarita and a Marx brother's movie after you’re done. You've been warned.
KaysBlog
This story needs a punch line. How much suffering, trials and tribulations are enough? How much must one endure to qualify as a heroine? A long long time ago when movies began - around the 1913-14-15 - there were cliffhanging serial movies. A number of them involved heroines being tied to railroad tracks, hanging from cliffs, jumping from buildings, being lost in balloon - all of them being menaced by a villain or two. The Adventures of Kathlyn, The Hazards of Helen, What Happened to Mary, The Perils of Pauline. One of the things common to these serials, other than all of the stuff they had to go through, was that these women for the most part saved themselves. I think that is something that we in the 21st century have forgotten. We have the misconception that heroines in the early 20th were weak - that they needed a hero to save them. Well, in The Price of Desire there isn't any railroad track, no tall building, but gee willikers there is a long-suffering, stoic, angst-filled heroine. In fact she just may be one of the biggest Moaning Myrtles I've come across in a book in a lonnng time. She had more baggage dumped on her than even an Antonov An-225 Mriya could hold (big airplane). Upon completion of this book I really needed a good laugh or even a bad laugh. It was Groucho Marx time.
There may be spoilers ahead. Here's the plot line: Olivia's pinhead brother Alistair owes a huge gambling debt to Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge. Griffin is one of those aristocratic guys who owns a gambling hell. That happens a lot in Romanceland. Anyway, our worthless brother leaves his family heirloom emerald ring as a marker - then the marker disappears. Then he disappears, leaving behind a note bestowing Olivia as the marker. Enter our marker, aka Olivia.
Olivia is one cool customer. She goes to the gaming hell without too much hesitation. As far as Olivia is concerned the gaming hell offers more security than she had before. And, she has food. Thus begins the long long long journey toward a HEA for Olivia and Griffin. Let me tell you, it is quite an angst-filled trip we, the readers, are led down. Both Griffin and Olivia have secrets and problems. But Olivia's are overwhelming. They are overwhelming to Olivia and they were overwhelming to me. I would suggest that we didn't really need Griffin's past problems in this story because it was Olivia's past which the story revolved around.
Doom and gloom. I don't recall ever having read such a wounded creature as Ms. Goodman's Olivia. (And, I've read my share of Mary Balogh’s books.) While the story is filled with some remarkable writing and overall it is a very strong book, there were just too many problems dumped on Olivia. We no sooner learn one secret/problem than another is revealed. I found myself groaning, "Oh no, not another one." Just how much can one person suffer before it's tooo much? In my opinion there only needed to be one horrible occurrence in Olivia's past and that was the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. This trauma was painted very realistically; it was so very dramatic and Olivia's pain was very vivid. I didn't need additional damage done to her at the hands of others to make me have compassion for her. It was already there. The extra stuff which Ms. Goodman put Olivia through was overkill. For me all the extra ordeals weakened the story.
Poor forgotten Griffin. Griffin was a great hero - his story was just buried beneath Olivia's wreckage. He's everything one could want in a hero - understanding, strong, kind, decent, and of course, hot. Even though he's such a strong character, it's almost as if he plays second fiddle in the story. I wish there had been more focus on him; he was really quite adorable. He was a total alpha male character, however he just didn't know what to do with Olivia. He was all the time putting his foot in his mouth when he tried to communicate with her. He was an imperfect hero, which in my opinion made him perfect.
Weasels. There are lots and lots of odious villains in this story. Realistically I know that these guys would never get what they deserved but I really wanted them too. I thought Olivia forgave her blockhead brother waaayy tooooo fast but the real kicker was her father. Yes, her father got away with child molestation and the times being what they were I'm not sure anything else would have happened to him. HOWEVER, either she or Griffin should have stood up to this guy, warned others, done something - locked him away. I wasn't happy with the father solution.
Overall this is a strong character driven book with a lot of extra baggage which isn't needed. Besides all of the events that happened to our tortured heroine, there was a skanky mistress, a competing gambling hell villain, a philandering wife and a secret son. There were tooo many excess stories. Olivia's background story was all that was needed to make this a great story. It was all I needed. This had all the makings of a DIK if only a few things had been edited out. Some great writing and great characters - if only a little more focused. I do recommend this book although it comes with a caveat - you may need a Margarita and a Marx brother's movie after you’re done. You've been warned.
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2022
The writing was beautiful but at times hard to follow which took away some of my enjoyment of the story. I also was mistaken about some of the themes involved in here so I was a little disappointed as I wanted to see how it would have been done in a historical romance novel as opposed to contemporary. Overall though I do have lots of highlights and it was a slow read for me but there was some beautiful writing that I mostly enjoyed.
July 25, 2011
Jo Goodman's _The Price of Desire_, which I enjoyed, is intense and dark, though depicts a very loving relationship between H/H. It is somewhat of a sequel to _If His Kiss is Wicked_, another Goodman book that I really enjoyed. If I have a criticism of the book it is that there are a number of plot twists involving abuse that both Olivia and Griffin experienced prior to their budding romance. The sharing of their burdens is initially heartfelt and compelling, unifies them against their enemies, and binds them to each other. But by the time all traumatic histories are revealed, it felt a bit melodramatic and overwhelming. Nevertheless, their sharing allows two solitary and emotionally scarred people to find love and security with each other. I especially enjoyed watching Griffin go through the process of uncovering Olivia's mysterious past as he falls deeply for her. Olivia's past trauma creates a barrier between them for much of the novel but it also empowers her in their relationship. And I have a tendency to like women characters who are emotionally injured because men who have to work hard to earn the woman's love and trust. And there's no doubt by the end of the novel that both Olivia and Griffin have earned their happiness with and trust in each other.
January 18, 2014
Okay so I really liked this story. It was slow but good.
The two main characters come out beautifully and are perfect for each other. The book has some pretty gruesome references to child sexual-abuse, pedophilia & incest. But all these are defining events for one of the characters. There are some light moments in the book which as per some other reviews appear incongruous with the history the characters carry, and maybe to some extent that is true; However, I would say that without these, the romance in the book might not have been very romantic, basically saying that I didn't mind that incongruity overly. The characters display a sense of maturity that is believable and endearing.
For me the highlight of the story was that it unfolded through the dialogue and not the narrative. The author does tend to go into elaborate descriptions of the scene and characters but this too I didn't mind much. For me it just helps paint the mental image better. There isn't much angst or fervor doing the rounds but rather simple love that is portrayed as much by actions as by thoughts or gestures. All in all it’s a good story.
Slow paced but I would recommend it.
The two main characters come out beautifully and are perfect for each other. The book has some pretty gruesome references to child sexual-abuse, pedophilia & incest. But all these are defining events for one of the characters. There are some light moments in the book which as per some other reviews appear incongruous with the history the characters carry, and maybe to some extent that is true; However, I would say that without these, the romance in the book might not have been very romantic, basically saying that I didn't mind that incongruity overly. The characters display a sense of maturity that is believable and endearing.
For me the highlight of the story was that it unfolded through the dialogue and not the narrative. The author does tend to go into elaborate descriptions of the scene and characters but this too I didn't mind much. For me it just helps paint the mental image better. There isn't much angst or fervor doing the rounds but rather simple love that is portrayed as much by actions as by thoughts or gestures. All in all it’s a good story.
Slow paced but I would recommend it.
January 8, 2018
Olivia Cole is devastated to learn that her ne'er-do-well brother has promised her to the operator of a London gaming hall as payment of his debts. Olivia accepts her fate-even if it means that her reputation will suffer from living among rogues and gamblers. But when she meets the sexy and mysterious Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, Olivia has more than just her good name to worry about--for he rouses in her wanton thoughts she's never dared entertain-until now. Griffin wears the scars of his life on his striking face. Although he wants Olivia like no other woman before, he doesn't force her to share his bed-a difficult task considering how beautiful she is. But with each passing night, Griffin and Olivia's resolve weakens until finally they take their greatest gamble on one night of reckless pleasure.
Goodman takes a harrowing dive with her characters and their pasts. None of her characters are saints but they are survivors and her heroines are true to themselves.
Goodman takes a harrowing dive with her characters and their pasts. None of her characters are saints but they are survivors and her heroines are true to themselves.
February 8, 2010
Sigh.
I just typed out a really long explanation of why I liked this book and really didn't like it at the same time. Then my browser closed unexpectedly and I don't have the wherewithal to rewrite it, so....
1st Jo Goodman
will read more
well-written
too much victimization of the heroine
multiple layers of victimization over a lifetime
unbelievable that she would not have more emotional fall-out
part of victimization was by hero at beginning of novel
couldn't believe that he didn't know his actions were wrong, not honorable
couldn't forgive hero or her brother
last two hundred pages were impossible to get through, I just wanted it to end.
Exhausting.
I just typed out a really long explanation of why I liked this book and really didn't like it at the same time. Then my browser closed unexpectedly and I don't have the wherewithal to rewrite it, so....
1st Jo Goodman
will read more
well-written
too much victimization of the heroine
multiple layers of victimization over a lifetime
unbelievable that she would not have more emotional fall-out
part of victimization was by hero at beginning of novel
couldn't believe that he didn't know his actions were wrong, not honorable
couldn't forgive hero or her brother
last two hundred pages were impossible to get through, I just wanted it to end.
Exhausting.
December 12, 2014
I think this part of the publisher's blurb says it all:
Although he wants Olivia like no other woman before, he doesn't force her to share his bed - a difficult task considering how beautiful she is.
Trashy read, high tension, alpha male who thinks he is being a "nice" guy by not raping the heroine. Hot sex that defies reality - really defies it. The Price of Desire delivers all your expectations for a historical m/f romance to waste your afternoon with. It's not exceptional - but for the reasons you are reading it, it is just right. Wrongly, wrongly right.
Although he wants Olivia like no other woman before, he doesn't force her to share his bed - a difficult task considering how beautiful she is.
Trashy read, high tension, alpha male who thinks he is being a "nice" guy by not raping the heroine. Hot sex that defies reality - really defies it. The Price of Desire delivers all your expectations for a historical m/f romance to waste your afternoon with. It's not exceptional - but for the reasons you are reading it, it is just right. Wrongly, wrongly right.
December 9, 2021
Wow. I was surprised at how much I loved this book. Jo Goodman has a distinctive writing style that I personally love so I think that's a big part of it. My first Goodman book was If His Kiss Is Wicked. I LOVED that book though I DETEST that title which had nothing to do with the story. The cover is awful too. ANYWAYS, while reading this book, it took me so long to realize that the minor character of "Mr. Gardner" in "The Price of Desire" was the main character in "If His Kiss is Wicked." It wasn't until I read "Restell" Gardner that it stuck (because of the unusual name of Restell). THEN it took me awhile to realize that the MC's gaming hell is this book is the same gaming hell that Restell visited with his wife in the first book. I'm not normally that slow...
While I think "If His Kiss is Wicked" is a definite 5 star read, TBH this book is just slightly under that. The main reason is that where the first book centered around the two main characters and their interactions and one mystery, this book had several mysteries that kept popping up. There was the mystery of exactly why the h acted the way she did and her relationship with her brother (it's not everyday someone agrees to be a "marker" so complacently). There was the mystery not only of her past and how it was impacting the present, her relationship with her family, the mystery of the "gentleman villain," the mystery of the former mistress of the H and oh, the disappearance of the H's wife many years prior. Too. Many. Mysteries.
They all get resolved but it was a little like running the hurdles where you think "ok, one hurdle, I mean mystery, down. X number still to go."
However, the characters were very engaging, the mystery(ies) were interesting enough to make you keep wondering and reading and it had a lot of very touching moments. Goodman excels, IMO, with her H's. They are so wonderful in their strength of character and love for the h's without being boring, a difficult accomplishment for most authors.
I would totally read about others who inhabit this world.
While I think "If His Kiss is Wicked" is a definite 5 star read, TBH this book is just slightly under that. The main reason is that where the first book centered around the two main characters and their interactions and one mystery, this book had several mysteries that kept popping up. There was the mystery of exactly why the h acted the way she did and her relationship with her brother (it's not everyday someone agrees to be a "marker" so complacently). There was the mystery not only of her past and how it was impacting the present, her relationship with her family, the mystery of the "gentleman villain," the mystery of the former mistress of the H and oh, the disappearance of the H's wife many years prior. Too. Many. Mysteries.
They all get resolved but it was a little like running the hurdles where you think "ok, one hurdle, I mean mystery, down. X number still to go."
However, the characters were very engaging, the mystery(ies) were interesting enough to make you keep wondering and reading and it had a lot of very touching moments. Goodman excels, IMO, with her H's. They are so wonderful in their strength of character and love for the h's without being boring, a difficult accomplishment for most authors.
I would totally read about others who inhabit this world.
May 8, 2019
I really loved this unexpectedly dark read. Fresh plot, compelling characters and impeccable dialogue. The trifecta is complete!!!
I usually don't like the plot line where the heroine is sold to the hero because a male family member is a degenerate gambler, but there were many surprises to Olivia Cole and to Viscount Breckenridge. Olivia is badass. This IS Olivia's story. The attempted rape and fire scene? Oh my gosh that was wild. I cheered for Olivia's final showdown against her biological father but I do question why he gets off scot-free in the end: happy endings mean unhappy endings for villains and he was not punished at all. Griffin is great and his backstory is incredibly gothic too. He is blessed with the most amazing one-liners, but to be fair, both Olivia and Griffin speak in the most cultured tones. I cannot praise Goodman's writing enough here. Goodman's buttery smooth cadence permeates the story, and the writing style's simple and unaffected elegance is so soothing to read.
I usually don't like the plot line where the heroine is sold to the hero because a male family member is a degenerate gambler, but there were many surprises to Olivia Cole and to Viscount Breckenridge. Olivia is badass. This IS Olivia's story. The attempted rape and fire scene? Oh my gosh that was wild. I cheered for Olivia's final showdown against her biological father but I do question why he gets off scot-free in the end: happy endings mean unhappy endings for villains and he was not punished at all. Griffin is great and his backstory is incredibly gothic too. He is blessed with the most amazing one-liners, but to be fair, both Olivia and Griffin speak in the most cultured tones. I cannot praise Goodman's writing enough here. Goodman's buttery smooth cadence permeates the story, and the writing style's simple and unaffected elegance is so soothing to read.
June 17, 2017
Yep. Loved it. Well, most of it. And although this books deserves a well thought-out review, I'm not in the mood to write one, so mine will be short.
Really liked the intelligence, subtle dry humor, the slow build-up of the relationship and the absence of main characters that seem to have no other thoughts than lust.
One thing I could have done without: the suspense plot with the gentleman villain. I solved that by fast forwarding the last 10% of the book.
I will definitely read more by Jo Goodman. However, for my next book I'll choose something fast paced, because although I loved the length of this book, and the subtle nuances, it seems I can only manage a little of it, and I now want a more immediate HEA.
Really liked the intelligence, subtle dry humor, the slow build-up of the relationship and the absence of main characters that seem to have no other thoughts than lust.
One thing I could have done without: the suspense plot with the gentleman villain. I solved that by fast forwarding the last 10% of the book.
I will definitely read more by Jo Goodman. However, for my next book I'll choose something fast paced, because although I loved the length of this book, and the subtle nuances, it seems I can only manage a little of it, and I now want a more immediate HEA.
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