From the first moment Thea heard Liam’s sexy voice come over the radio, she began to fantasize about him being in her bed.
Unfortunately her reality is a cold, lonely bed and a controlling husband.
Thea has always dreamt of a fairy tale life. However, a selfless decision she made fifteen years ago has left her trapped in a loveless marriage.
When Malcolm Drake wants to play house with his latest mistress, he sends his wife, Thea, on a “Hall Pass”. Thea’s steamy fantasies might just become a reality after all.
Liam Pierce is a successful, young British singer who thinks his life is perfect...that is until he meets the beautiful, older Thea. Sensual sparks fly between them, causing Thea to feel alive again. The sexy, young man not only satisfies her physical desires, he stirs up her long buried dreams as well.
Just when Thea believes she can be free of Malcolm’s control, he commits a heinous act that will send her world crashing down.
Liam is a prince worthy of any fairy tale but can he help Thea fight her way out of the darkness?
Out of darkness and despair, true love prevails...
I loved this one, mainly because I can relate to Thea's character as I've been through her world as well. The story revolves around Thea,a 40 year old lady that is trapped in a marriage by her controlling and abusive husband Malcolm, a "man" 15 years older than her that loves to tear her down mentally, verbally, emotionally and eventually sexually as he's flaunting his wealth to get younger 20 years olds as mistresses throughout their "marriage" . Malcolm uses his wealth to secure a week in Hawaii for Thea with the young English stud musician named Liam at a charity event for the sole purpose of getting her out of their house so he can have his latest fling in their bed as well as show her that no one as young as Liam would want her find her attractive. That part of his plan backfires as sparks and passion between Liam and Thea ignite. The two fall hard for each other, despite the age difference, much to the dismay of Malcolm who beats and sexually assaults her as way to punish Thea during a confrontation at home. As the story unfolds, you see a beautiful transformation in Thea as she goes through the grieving process of the assault and finds the inner strength to be with Liam, who has to adjust and grow with her. As I said, I can relate to this tale and it had me crying a lot as I recalled my own personal experience with abuse but it didn't deter me from enjoying this story, if anything, it had me rooting for Thea the whole time. I highly recommend this one, bravo!
A tremendous Cinderella-style love story. If you love hot, steamy romance books you'll love this story! Thea is a forty year old woman trapped in an abusive marriage. Her husband Malcomn is a real ass. He cheats on her, manipulates and controls her and puts her down constantly. At the beginning of the story, Thea's behavior is that of an abused person. She mostly believes the terrible things her husband says about her. She has secret fantasies about finding a happily ever after but she's trapped and doesn't believe that can ever happen for her especially at her age. One night at a charity auction, Malcomn buys Thea a week long prize vacation for her to spend in Hawaii with famous British singer, Liam Pierce so that he can get her out of their house in order to entertain his newest mistress there. Thea has always had a thing for the handsome twenty five year old singer and loves his music. Lo and behold when they meet sparks fly between the two. A steamy romance ensues and they quickly fall in love. Liam restores Thea's self-confidence and helps her to see her value as a person and a woman. Believing she has a future with Liam, Thea files for divorce. When Malcomn finds out about the romance between Liam and Thea he causes all kinds of trouble for them. He goes so far as to kidnap Thea and holds her in their home against her will. The things he does to her are horrific. Will Liam be able to rescue Thea? Will they have a happily ever after? Or will Malcomn win? This is a great story for older readers who enjoy seeing a cougar find true love with a younger man. All in all it was just a good, simple heart-warming romance.
his begins as a fun and light hearted romp complete with a sexy leading man and lots of steamy scenes. The tale then delves into some more serious questions about abuse and the treatment of victims. It's heart warming to see the main characters learn grow and heal together.
Hall Pass For Life, written by Dorothea Lynne. A touching story of a woman, placing others before herself. Trying to do the right thing, only to find her life is not what she had planned it would ever be. Her husband verbally and mentally abuses her. He is controlling in far too many ways. Refuses to allow her to have a job, to earn her own money. With his constant affairs paraded before her; Malcolm’s latest conquest, he decides he wants his trophy wife out of his way and out of his house. Therefore, he organises a little holiday for his wife – a hall pass for her to have with a famous musician. I found what Thea has been through and went through at the hands of her husband, to be tragic. Hoping Thea safe passage and a better life with the new love of her life. The tragedy and not just the physical effects but also those of the mental and mind games Malcolm plays on Thea. Gives me body shivers of the bad kind, what any manipulating man can do to a woman. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hall Pass For Life and would recommend it, written by a superb author. From tragedy to freedom and love
Hall Pass For Life shows how the life choices Thea makes don’t always turn out the way she hopes for her future. There comes a point where self-preservation becomes more important than pleasing or protecting other people, especially family or friends. The title of this book says it is steamy and it was not kidding. When Thea finds her soulmate, the bond between them becomes intense and irresistible. It was heartbreaking to read the scenes where Thea’s husband has the mistaken idea that he owns her just because he agreed to help out her family in exchange for her marrying him.
This book touches on some deep topics such as spousal abuse, rape, and the guilt associated with these traumas. The author does a good job handling the tough scenes by adding in humor and realism. She makes a good point in pointing out that there are resources in place for people who find themselves in these terrible situations, there are people who help, along with the support system of good friends.
Moving romance with an ending that made me cry... happy tears. Technically this story has great pace, not rushed, not too slow. The story unfolds at a lovely leisurely pace that is comforting to read. It is well structured and written well. The touch on marriage abuse came as a surprise and was very well handled, not elaborating but revealing enough of the motives and pain that controlling marriages can sometimes have. Dealt with really well. But the overriding steamy, hot, loving relationship that the two main characters have carries you through the story so that you are rooting for them all the way.
I liked the premise of this book. It has a great story of a woman living in a domestic violence situation and coming out of it. It does a great job of showing the struggles of getting out of that situation and being able to move on and still be happy. This book held a lot of hope for people who may be in similar situations. I liked the story and the characters a lot and the romance scenes were well written.
This is a sweet love story. The author was able to bring to life the very real struggles that many women face in abusive relationships. I loved Thea’s perseverance. Even after being emotionally abused for years, she is still able to hold onto her hopes and dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and will be keeping my eyes on this author!
Sadly, this book touches on very real life situations that can occur in a loveless marriage between an insecure wife and a cruel and unfeeling husband. Yet, it brings hope into the story as the woman finds her strength and self love. I found it well written and the characters well developed. If you enjoy a good, steamy romance that hits on real life issues, this is a great read for you.
A hot little number with a bunch of twists that will keep you guessing. The romance is very well done and the someone gets hoist on their own thing. Yummy tale with a nice HEA. Great read.
Hall Pass for Life is so much more than a romantic tale. With characters you love to love and others you love to hate, it pulled me in right from the first page. Well done.
Stuck in a loveless and frankly horrific marriage, mid-life Thea Drake is whisked off to Hawaii for a charity gig: spending a week with the stupendously handsome singer, Liam Pierce. That turns out much better than either of them expect. Re-enter Malcolm, her complete jerk of a husband, who tries to ruin her life in every way possible. Between loathing Malcolm and rooting for Liam/Thea, this love story has fairy tale qualities but also deals sensitively with some difficult issues. A classic romance.
This is a sweet romance that deals with several dark issues. It takes the Cinderella story and a few other fairy tales and weaves them into a modern tale that deals with love, domestic abuse, and rape in a sensitive manner.
In this version, Prince Charming is a young singer and Cinderella is an older woman. The Evil Step mother is a controlling husband who later turns into the ogre in the castle. The sensitive social issues in the book were handled beautifully and the emotions people go through afterwards were raw and real.
I do have to wonder though, even a few of the paragraphs at the end, if there will be a sequel to this book. Something tells me the Evil Step mother may have been defeated, but she's not quite done yet
I'm sure that Dorothea Lynne is a good writer, and that there will be many who can enjoy this story. It's uncomplicated, with a lot of great sex scenes, vacation on Hawaii, and a gorgeous young lover. This book just isn't for me and I didn't make it to the end. But I'm a 57 year old woman and the time I enjoyed this kind of book is long gone.
This was a wonderful romance. Thea was the sweetest heroine and Liam was awesome. It was great to read about Thea finally coming into her own self-confidence. There is a lot of sex in this book but I didn’t mind it…they had a fun time! It really is a great story. Enjoy
Poor Thea she married an awful man who treated her so bad. I wanted to go through my book and strangle him. But when her verbal abusive husband pays a British singer, Liam to take her away for a get a way sparks start to fly between them two. Good read
Thea Drake is stuck in a loveless marriage, when her easy-to-despise husband sends her to Hawaii for his selfish reasons. Enter hot love interest Liam Pierce, there to turn the island get away into real paradise! Not even Malcolm can ruin this fairy tale! You will find this romance captivating!
Unhappily married Thea falls madly in love with Liam after her controlling, arrogant husband Malcolm sets her up with him as a ploy to get rid of her for a while. Liam unexpectedly finds he wants to spend the rest of his life with this beautiful older woman and gradually restores Thea's confidence in herself that Malcolm has spent years purposefully crushing.
The sex scenes between Thea and Liam are extremely frequent and they are written sensuously with clean language. As the story picks up about half way through, Malcolm pulls a stunt which could be a trigger for some readers, however it must be noted this topic and further references to it is dealt with very well and in a sympathetic and well written manner.
There is a slight twist near the end that hints certain chapters in Thea's life may not be entirely closed which could prove interesting in further books.
I personally found some of the sex scenes and accompanying speech between Thea and Liam repetitive, hence the 4 stars, but overall it is an easy read if you enjoy sweet and sensuous happy ever after fairy tale romances.
“Hall Pass for Life” is a sweet romance, which also deals with such important issues as domestic abuse, controlling relationships, and standing up for one’s happiness. Set predominantly in Hawaii and California, it features characters who are easy to root for. Thea and Liam were wonderful central characters, and Thea’s friend Erica with her spunky attitude won my heart right away as well. A wonderful read for all fans of the romance genre.
Thea’s story starts off like your typical contemporary romance, unhappy life and a new love interest coming along but with one distinction that she’s in her forties; something we don’t see very often in romance novels and it’s very refreshing. As you get comfortable reading about her week spent in Hawaii with the younger and handsome British singer Liam the author flips the story by 180 degrees. Her return back home and starting the dreadful process of divorcing her narcissistic psychopath husband turns the story from a fairytale to nightmare. The realistic aspect of domestic violence will give you chills and unfortunately the physical abuse is not unheard off. It should definitely come with a trigger warning and it made this book a tear jerker. Interesting tale with passionate moments and HEA but with a dark and twisted center this novel is definitely worth a read!
Hall Pass for Life is the first book by Dorothea Lynne I have read. This is a contemporary romance with a dark theme - a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage to an older man. Although he is happy to have multiple affairs during their marriage, he is insistent on controlling every aspect of her. This doesn't stop him from arranging for a week's getaway for her with a younger man so he can have his mistress in their home.
Thea has turned forty and has no idea where her life is going. Her husband, Malcolm, won't allow her to work, constantly criticises her, and yet isn't prepared to divorce her just yet - even though she is far too old for his tastes. Liam is a singer and is 25 years old. He isn't sure what to make of the arrangement, but for the amount of money being given to a charity, he will be friendly for the week.
Both Thea and Liam get more than they bargain for and will fight for their lives together, no matter what Malcolm throws at them.
I loved the premise of this story, although I don't particularly like first person, present tense, which is how this book is written. I found it to be quite confusing over who was speaking in places, and had to read further down to see who responded to figure it out. Personally speaking, I also found the constant nicknames and terms of endearment to be quite monotonous. Yes, it is cute occasionally, but to use them in 85% of the sentences... The only reason I can think of for the constant use was to help the reader know who was talking, which didn't always work when they weren't used.
The story itself moved along at a fair pace, albeit a bit jerky in places. Some of the words and actions of various characters didn't seem quite 'real', as though the timing was off slightly. I think this is a standalone book, although the ending has possibly been left open for a follow-up.
Anyway, for me, this book didn't quite hit the mark, although it was still a good story. I am absolutely positive that others will love this book, and devour every word. It just didn't work on all levels for me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books! Aug 10, 2018
That being said its probably someone else's type. For me it was an okay read. I personally am not into the whole steamy sex scenes. I could do without all that. I would have enjoyed this book more if it had less sex in it and the constant sex drive from the main characters and focused more on the plot itself. It was too lustful for me and I really could have done without the constant affairs. Again, that's my preference. If you don't like reading about lustful affairs and sex this book isn't for you. If you do like steamy sex scenes, cougar romance, and finding love unexpectedly and damn all vows of marriage and loyalty then dive right on into this, it will be one you enjoy.
Even though this is not my kind of book the author does a decent job at bringing some everyday struggles to light. A lonely housewife taken advantage of and mistreated by her controlling and abusive husband. It is something people can relate to that find themselves in a loveless marriage. Everyone deserves to find their true love no matter their age or situation they are in. I do like that concept in this story.
*note edited to remove constructive remarks that were sent to author for personal reference.
This was an engaging read. The author touches on a very important topic: an abusive relationship. The main female character had become the victim for years in her horrible marriage. But, eventually, she learns to open her heart, hoping for a second chance at love. But with her crazy husband, will love prevail?
To the world, Thea Drake has it all. She is married to a wonderfully rich man. She wants for nothing. But behind closed doors lies a sinister secret. Her husband is controlling and abusive, and over the last fifteen years, he has steadily destroyed Thea’s confidence.
As a young girl, Thea dreamed that she would meet her soul mate and have the fairytale life that she had often read about in books. But as she rapidly approaches her 41st birthday, she realises that it is too late. Her life would never be her own. It would never be how she wanted it to be. And then she met Liam…
This is one of those books where I have had to take a minute to think about what I have just read. Hall Pass For Life by Dorothea Lynne is not only a great romance, but it is also the story of one woman’s fight to escape an abusive marriage. Thea is one of those protagonists that you cannot help but admire, and I think she could very well be an inspiration to someone who is going through something similar and trying to find a way out. Without giving away any spoilers, Thea is at one point in the story completely broken, and as a reader, we experience all of the emotions with her. we can feel her pain, her hopes, and her fears. Thea’s character was very real in the telling. Kudos, Ms Lynne.
The story itself had a lovely gently flow to it. It is not a graph novel in its contents, the sex scenes are very sweet, but as I have already said, this is a very emotional book. I thought it was wonderfully executed.
I don’t have the words to express how much I loved this book. It was absolutely fabulous.
In Hall Pass For Life, we follow Thea, a forty-(one)-year old woman who has, due to sad circumstances in life, ended up in a less-than-happy, emotionally abusive marriage. Her husband arranges a surprise for her that ends up being the best thing that has ever happened and changes the course of her life. We start the journey from an improbable meeting of two hearts, a spark that turns into love despite difficulties. Throughout the book, I cheered for our Thea, glad to see her finding happiness at long last. She seems like a sweet person. Her fairytale underlines how it’s never too late to find someone who could reciprocate all the warmth and kindness that you radiate to the world, and see your worth. Personally, I thought the steamy scenes, of which there were plenty, could have been skimmed down a bit, but I vouched for Thea all the way--Go, girl! There were a lot of plot twists; after the mid-point, I would have been ready two wrap up the fairytale in a beautiful, happy ending. But these other themes that were developed were important ones to many women in real life. At the ending, I enjoyed how some ‘gray area’ people stepped up their game, and felt happy to see how things turned out. I think the take home message is lovely, and much of the mood/atmosphere absolutely sweet. Enjoyed this! I can imagine this book bringing a smile on many women’s lips. For that, I can recommend this book to all women who dream of finding true love, or wish to escape sorrows and suffering and dive into a heart-warming fairytale that can restore hope of a new beginning!
This romance started out with Thea, a forty year old woman married to a real jerk. To be blunt, one I wanted to pull from the book and slap like he'd done to her. Thea was more of a woman than her husband a man. I found her to be brave and putting herself last for her family, was the most honorable. She had married Malcolm when he approached her, offering her to help her family if she married him.
Malcolm became bored with his young wife. He had several affairs, which Thea had been fully aware of. One day Malcolm wants his home to himself and send Thea away for a week long vacation, which just so happens to Liam Pierce. I LOVE Liam! I love how he was so understand and kind with Thea.
Side note: I wish Dorothea Lynne would have ended the book different though. I would like to know if the husband ever attempted to reach out to Thea. Maybe an epilogue? Give the happy couple a baby that Thea wanted. Just putting that out there. Perhaps give Thea's best friend a book?
Dorothea Lynne’s Hall Pass for Life is an engaging romance that is hard to put down. Thea, a 40-year-old woman is trapped in an abusive marriage and has lost all confidence in herself. Her husband is a vile controlling man who wants her out of the house for a week so he can entertain a 22-year-old woman he is having an affair with. At a charitable event, he buys Thea a week in Hawaii with her favourite singer, Liam.
Liam is a sexy 24-year-old and the two fall instantly in love. They face a number of challenges as they navigate their relationship, especially as Thea tries to untangle herself from her loveless marriage.
I loved how the author wrote her characters, her careful handling of Thea’s reawakening under Liam’s care and love. It was a mature love story with lots of romance. Also notable – this book was extremely well-written and well-edited. A pleasure to read.
Thea Drake has been locked in a loveless marriage for 15 years to vicious, cheating, old, scumbag Malcolm. Although she doesn't love him, Thea feels duty- bound to stay with him because he helped her family financially.
At an auction, Malcolm uncharacteristically pushes a winning bid for Thea a vacation date with English singer Liam.
Thea realizes this is a ploy to get her out of the house so Malcolm can have playtime with his latest tart.
I won't spoil the rest. It's really good. I really like the best friend, Erica. The reader easily loves the protagonists and despises the vile Malcolm.
My only complaint with this book is that it is written in present tense. It's a personal preference and that is all.
The story of Thea and Liam is emotional heartfelt and tragic. Thea is a forty-year-old woman trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage. Liam is a 20 year old singer slash songwriter. Their story starts out when her husband donates a lot of money to a charity and sends Thea away on a vacation with Liam to Hawaii.
This book was well-written and caught my attention right away. It really gave me the feels. I can feel whatever emotion the characters we're experiencing from the deep love to the tragic happenings.
I give Hall Pass For Life four stars. There was parts where there was a lot of repeating, but other than that I'm in love with this story. I look forward to reading more by this author, and recommend this book to anyone 18 years and older.
Hot, Sexy but sweet This was a very well written book that kept me hooked till the last word. It wasn’t only a romance but it was full of suspense too. I liked the fact that the main character (Thea) was forty. I think many women could relate to her in more than one aspect (Not necessarily abusive marriages). This book has an empowering story about how Thea struggled to come out of the dark and find her fairy tale. I liked the chemistry between Thea and Liam a lot. The intimate scenes were steamy and hot but not repulsive. However, there was more to this book than the hot and steamy scenes. It was full of human emotions. I look forward to reading more from Dorothea Lynne.