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The Rival
Amidst whispers of treachery and murder, the Stanhope heir vanishes without a trace...
After Lionel De Vere's mysterious disappearance, Garrick De Vere becomes heir to an estate shrouded in scandal. Blackmailed by his powerful father into returning to England after a decade-long exile, Garrick finds himself forced into confronting the past and defending his innocence against those who wished to see him banished forever.
She dared to love the man all of London hated...
Lady Olivia Grey and her daughter both possess the shattering "gift" of sight, and it is this vision which drives Olivia from a loveless marriage directly into the heart of a bitter rivalry between two brothers, placing both herself and her daughter in jeopardy-as lies, secrets and ancient passions threaten to destroy everyone involved.
The were strangers and outcasts, thrown together by a past that would not die. Together they fought to expose a legacy of deceit and claim the love that defied their entire world.
After Lionel De Vere's mysterious disappearance, Garrick De Vere becomes heir to an estate shrouded in scandal. Blackmailed by his powerful father into returning to England after a decade-long exile, Garrick finds himself forced into confronting the past and defending his innocence against those who wished to see him banished forever.
She dared to love the man all of London hated...
Lady Olivia Grey and her daughter both possess the shattering "gift" of sight, and it is this vision which drives Olivia from a loveless marriage directly into the heart of a bitter rivalry between two brothers, placing both herself and her daughter in jeopardy-as lies, secrets and ancient passions threaten to destroy everyone involved.
The were strangers and outcasts, thrown together by a past that would not die. Together they fought to expose a legacy of deceit and claim the love that defied their entire world.
437 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 15, 1998
14 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Joyce
106 books1,300 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 21, 2009
A gripping read, but domestic violence, child abuse, incest, adultery, suicide, abduction, murder.... it did put you through the wringer a bit!
I felt it wasn't wrapped up as well as it could have been - some things left me feeling unsatisfied. A few inconsistencies - for example a character badly sprains or possibly breaks an ankle. This is a hindrance while it needs to be, but a few hours later it seems to be OK again.
If Olivia knew what she knew about her husband all along, I can't see why she didn't use it to her advantage earlier?
Gripping while it lasted, but I don't think I could read it again.
I felt it wasn't wrapped up as well as it could have been - some things left me feeling unsatisfied. A few inconsistencies - for example a character badly sprains or possibly breaks an ankle. This is a hindrance while it needs to be, but a few hours later it seems to be OK again.
If Olivia knew what she knew about her husband all along, I can't see why she didn't use it to her advantage earlier?
Gripping while it lasted, but I don't think I could read it again.
June 7, 2018
Another Brenda Joyce book i'm so horrified to see with such low rating and small reviews. just like House of Dreams and The Third Heiress, I read this 5-6 years ago and I definitely need to reread it to give justice to how complicated yet captivating this one is. So much details and so much mystery in one book.
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December 13, 2015Garrick De Vere and his brother, Lionel, were hunting with their father. Lionel at 14, did very well. Garrick at 12, hated hunting and didn't hit a single bird. The earl of Stanhope expressed his disappointment but Garrick wasn't concerned as he was not the heir, Lionel was. Garrick left the house during dinner due to the criticism and went to the neighboring property to walk around the ruins. Lionel followed him, they talked and Lionel tried to encourage Garrick. Lionel went home and Garrick followed a short time later. When he arrived at home, Lionel wasn't there and was never seen again. Garrick was now the heir and blamed for his murder.
Fourteen years later, Garrick was told that his father was dying and requested to come to London. His father had lied to get him there to announce his betrothal and to force Garrick to look at what he was inheriting. Garrick told his father that he wouldn't turn over anything so there was no use in him working on anything in London. All Garrick wanted to do was return to his home, Caedmon Crag. He did not like the London and the fact that he had left after being accused of raping Arlen's sister, Elizabeth. Garrick proclaimed that she was no innocent and their relationship wasn't rape.
Susan Layton was playing the harpsichord at the country home of Arlen and Olivia Grey, earl of Ashburn. Elizabeth always came with him and took over as hostess to any events at the country residence. Olivia and Arlen had daughter who was blind and Arlen never spoke of. Olivia kept Hannah with her at their country home and Arlen would visit only a month or two each year. Olivia and Hannah both had premonitions of things to happen occasionally. This time they sensed something was not quite right. They both determined that the unhappiness stemmed from Susan. After everyone had gone to bed, they both went to the lake on their property and noticed Susan walking into the water. She was trying to kill herself because her parents had engaged her to Garrick. Olivia pulled her out of the lake and kept her from killing herself. They found that she was afraid due to the rumors of Garrick killing his brother and him having been sent away from London after being accused of trying to rape someone. Olivia told Susan that she was wrong about Garrick and she needed to get to know him. She also knew that the relationship was a very bad idea. The two were not suited to each other.
Susan asked Olivia to go to London with her for the engagement and Olivia agreed. Garrick made one attempt to see Susan and was instantly drawn to Olivia. Susan was afraid of Garrick and it showed. The engagement party went no better so far as Susan's attitude toward Garrick and people were talking about Garrick's reputation behind his back. Olivia talked to her parents, who didn't like her. They were afraid and embarrassed of her premonitions. She hadn't seen them since they gave her away in marriage. Elizabeth made a point of letting Olivia know that she had been Garrick's lover eleven years previous. She had noticed Olivia watching Garrick. Elizabeth also mentioned to Arlen that he needed to watch Olivia due to her interest in Garrick. Arlen then ordered Olivia to return to their country home, Ashburnham. Arlen went to Elizabeth's home and was glad that the construction on her home was complete. Arlen was sleeping with his sister, Elizabeth.
Olivia headed home the day that Arlen told her to leave and they left late so they did not make it home. They stopped at Garrick's family home. Olivia wasn't concerned because Garrick was in London. Garrick had followed her though and he was there. She fell asleep and woke up to find Hannah missing. After Hannah was found, she said that she heard someone crying and she was trying to find her. Olivia put her back to bed. She then spent the rest of the night with Garrick. When they woke up, Garrick had received a note from his father in London informing him that Lionel had returned after being missing for fourteen years.
Garrick went back to London to meet Lionel but he was not convinced that it really was him. Arlen began to suspect that Garrick and Olivia were involved. He went to see his sister, Elizabeth, and she convinced Arlen that he was right. Arlen was jealous when she told him that she was having dinner with a Scotsman and wouldn't be going home with him. When he arrived, he beat Olivia and Hannah walked in on them.
Garrick come over to the house because Lionel was there. Garrick saw Olivia and tried to talk Olivia into leaving Arlen after seeing her bruising. Susan and her parents also came to visit. Susan was taken with Lionel. She and her father both tried to talk Garrick's father into breaking off the engagement between he and Susan. Susan's father wanted Susan to be engaged to Lionel because they assumed that he was the Stanhope heir.
They had dinner together and after dinner they both left from separate places in the house and Olivia followed Garrick into the garden. They were talking and Arlen saw them and started beating Garrick. The families separated them. Arlen followed Olivia to her room and Hannah started crying. Arlen discovered that Hannah had premonitions similar to Olivia. Arlen locked both of them in their rooms. Olivia escaped and took Hannah to where Garrick was. Lionel followed them. Arlen showed up a short time later. He challenged Garrick to a duel and stabbed him very badly in the side during the duel. Susan and her family arrived the following morning. Arlen took Olivia home, locked her in her room and sent Hannah to a sanitarium. Following Elizabeth's suggestion, he began administering laudanum to her. Olivia couldn't understand why she was so sleepy and having a hard time remembering things until Hannah's cat came into her room and ate some of her food. The cat fell asleep and Olivia knew that she was being poisoned.
Garrick remained at Caedmon Crag healing. He was then told that Lionel was his half brother. His father had been married before and his first wife had jumped out the attic window to his death. As he was healing, Lionel went to see Olivia and was making a pass at her. Olivia was still groggy at the time and didn't have the frame of mind to tell him to stop. She told him to sent Garrick to her. Lionel told her that Garrick was still healing from his wounds.
Lionel had seduced Susan and her father wanted them to marry now. The earl of Stanhope disagreed that they should marry but did call of the engagement to Garrick. Lionel told Garrick that he had seen Olivia and that she was fine and didn't ask about him at all. Garrick accused Lionel of not being his brother again and asked his mother to check on Olivia. She went to Ashburnham but Elizabeth was now pregnant and remaining at the house with Olivia. Olivia overheard Elizabeth telling Lady Stanhope that Olivia was ill and not receiving visitors.
The earl of Stanhope had declared Lionel as his son, no longer dead. Lionel was now the heir to Stanhope. Lionel was also Elizabeth's lover. Elizabeth told Lionel that she was tiring of her husband. Elizabeth also mentioned him being the father of her child but he told her it was probably Arlen's.
Olivia jumped out of her third story window that night to escape. She missed the tree and landed hard, spraining her ankle. She saw lights go on in her bedroom and then the rest of the house and knew that it had been discovered that she was missing. She ran into the woods and was not seen by Elizabeth as she was headed into town to tell Arlen. She arrived at Arlen's and told him that Olivia had escaped. He told her that he would find her at Bedlam. Elizabeth then went to see Lionel and told him the same thing. Lionel also went to Bedlam to confront Garrick and Elizabeth.
Garrick and Olivia arrived at Bedlam to get Hannah but Arlen was already there. Olivia told Arlen to let them have Hannah or she was going to tell everyone about his sleeping with his sister. They went into the asylum and got Hannah. They were almost out when he saw Lionel there waiting for him. He asked the guard if there was another way out and he was given a key to a back door. As they were leaving, Hannah told Garrick that his brother wanted to hurt her. Garrick was surprised to hear Hannah declare that it was indeed his brother.
The three of them headed back to Caedmon Crag. Lionel arrived soon after. Before he arrived, Garrick took Hannah into Lionel's room and asked if she could feel anything there. She could not but she ran outside. Lionel arrived and Hannah kept on to her destination. Garrick began fighting with Lionel and soon overtook him. Hannah yelled for them to stop and they went to find where she was. She told them where they would find Lionel's body. The next day, the earl had some people from the village dig there and Lionel's body was found. Lionel then told the earl that he was his son from a maid that he had gotten pregnant before he married Garrick's mother, Eleanor. His name was Richard Nelson. He hated the boys because he knew they were growing up where he was, having everything while he had nothing. He did not kill Lionel though. He knew nothing of his dying but chose to pretend as he had done as a child.
Eleanor was not there when the body was dug up so Garrick went to tell his mother. She gave him a diary. She told Garrick that he would find what happened to Lionel in the diary. The earl's first wife had a boyfriend that came after her. After finding her dead, he kidnapped Lionel to get back at the earl, thinking that Lionel was his second wife's child. He didn't know that Lionel was actually Meg's son. He sent a ransom note and Eleanor had torn it up. She wanted Garrick to get the love and attention that Lionel had received because he was her son. Eleanor did not realize that Lionel would be killed. She thought maybe he would be taken to Scotland and raised there. She started drinking when she realized the blame that had fallen on her son and how much she had hurt Garrick. She hated her life with her husband and felt that he was cruel to her too. After she gave the diary to Garrick, she turned around and jumped out the same window that the earl's first wife did and killed herself. Her funeral was three days later.
Garrick told his father that he was leaving, never to return. Arlen told Olivia that he was going to annul their marriage. Richard kept up the pretense of being Lionel and was going to marry Elizabeth. Garrick, Olivia and Hannah headed to America. Garrick's father told Garrick that he really did love him. He would see to it that Arlen kept his word to annul the marriage so that he and Olivia could get married.
Fourteen years later, Garrick was told that his father was dying and requested to come to London. His father had lied to get him there to announce his betrothal and to force Garrick to look at what he was inheriting. Garrick told his father that he wouldn't turn over anything so there was no use in him working on anything in London. All Garrick wanted to do was return to his home, Caedmon Crag. He did not like the London and the fact that he had left after being accused of raping Arlen's sister, Elizabeth. Garrick proclaimed that she was no innocent and their relationship wasn't rape.
Susan Layton was playing the harpsichord at the country home of Arlen and Olivia Grey, earl of Ashburn. Elizabeth always came with him and took over as hostess to any events at the country residence. Olivia and Arlen had daughter who was blind and Arlen never spoke of. Olivia kept Hannah with her at their country home and Arlen would visit only a month or two each year. Olivia and Hannah both had premonitions of things to happen occasionally. This time they sensed something was not quite right. They both determined that the unhappiness stemmed from Susan. After everyone had gone to bed, they both went to the lake on their property and noticed Susan walking into the water. She was trying to kill herself because her parents had engaged her to Garrick. Olivia pulled her out of the lake and kept her from killing herself. They found that she was afraid due to the rumors of Garrick killing his brother and him having been sent away from London after being accused of trying to rape someone. Olivia told Susan that she was wrong about Garrick and she needed to get to know him. She also knew that the relationship was a very bad idea. The two were not suited to each other.
Susan asked Olivia to go to London with her for the engagement and Olivia agreed. Garrick made one attempt to see Susan and was instantly drawn to Olivia. Susan was afraid of Garrick and it showed. The engagement party went no better so far as Susan's attitude toward Garrick and people were talking about Garrick's reputation behind his back. Olivia talked to her parents, who didn't like her. They were afraid and embarrassed of her premonitions. She hadn't seen them since they gave her away in marriage. Elizabeth made a point of letting Olivia know that she had been Garrick's lover eleven years previous. She had noticed Olivia watching Garrick. Elizabeth also mentioned to Arlen that he needed to watch Olivia due to her interest in Garrick. Arlen then ordered Olivia to return to their country home, Ashburnham. Arlen went to Elizabeth's home and was glad that the construction on her home was complete. Arlen was sleeping with his sister, Elizabeth.
Olivia headed home the day that Arlen told her to leave and they left late so they did not make it home. They stopped at Garrick's family home. Olivia wasn't concerned because Garrick was in London. Garrick had followed her though and he was there. She fell asleep and woke up to find Hannah missing. After Hannah was found, she said that she heard someone crying and she was trying to find her. Olivia put her back to bed. She then spent the rest of the night with Garrick. When they woke up, Garrick had received a note from his father in London informing him that Lionel had returned after being missing for fourteen years.
Garrick went back to London to meet Lionel but he was not convinced that it really was him. Arlen began to suspect that Garrick and Olivia were involved. He went to see his sister, Elizabeth, and she convinced Arlen that he was right. Arlen was jealous when she told him that she was having dinner with a Scotsman and wouldn't be going home with him. When he arrived, he beat Olivia and Hannah walked in on them.
Garrick come over to the house because Lionel was there. Garrick saw Olivia and tried to talk Olivia into leaving Arlen after seeing her bruising. Susan and her parents also came to visit. Susan was taken with Lionel. She and her father both tried to talk Garrick's father into breaking off the engagement between he and Susan. Susan's father wanted Susan to be engaged to Lionel because they assumed that he was the Stanhope heir.
They had dinner together and after dinner they both left from separate places in the house and Olivia followed Garrick into the garden. They were talking and Arlen saw them and started beating Garrick. The families separated them. Arlen followed Olivia to her room and Hannah started crying. Arlen discovered that Hannah had premonitions similar to Olivia. Arlen locked both of them in their rooms. Olivia escaped and took Hannah to where Garrick was. Lionel followed them. Arlen showed up a short time later. He challenged Garrick to a duel and stabbed him very badly in the side during the duel. Susan and her family arrived the following morning. Arlen took Olivia home, locked her in her room and sent Hannah to a sanitarium. Following Elizabeth's suggestion, he began administering laudanum to her. Olivia couldn't understand why she was so sleepy and having a hard time remembering things until Hannah's cat came into her room and ate some of her food. The cat fell asleep and Olivia knew that she was being poisoned.
Garrick remained at Caedmon Crag healing. He was then told that Lionel was his half brother. His father had been married before and his first wife had jumped out the attic window to his death. As he was healing, Lionel went to see Olivia and was making a pass at her. Olivia was still groggy at the time and didn't have the frame of mind to tell him to stop. She told him to sent Garrick to her. Lionel told her that Garrick was still healing from his wounds.
Lionel had seduced Susan and her father wanted them to marry now. The earl of Stanhope disagreed that they should marry but did call of the engagement to Garrick. Lionel told Garrick that he had seen Olivia and that she was fine and didn't ask about him at all. Garrick accused Lionel of not being his brother again and asked his mother to check on Olivia. She went to Ashburnham but Elizabeth was now pregnant and remaining at the house with Olivia. Olivia overheard Elizabeth telling Lady Stanhope that Olivia was ill and not receiving visitors.
The earl of Stanhope had declared Lionel as his son, no longer dead. Lionel was now the heir to Stanhope. Lionel was also Elizabeth's lover. Elizabeth told Lionel that she was tiring of her husband. Elizabeth also mentioned him being the father of her child but he told her it was probably Arlen's.
Olivia jumped out of her third story window that night to escape. She missed the tree and landed hard, spraining her ankle. She saw lights go on in her bedroom and then the rest of the house and knew that it had been discovered that she was missing. She ran into the woods and was not seen by Elizabeth as she was headed into town to tell Arlen. She arrived at Arlen's and told him that Olivia had escaped. He told her that he would find her at Bedlam. Elizabeth then went to see Lionel and told him the same thing. Lionel also went to Bedlam to confront Garrick and Elizabeth.
Garrick and Olivia arrived at Bedlam to get Hannah but Arlen was already there. Olivia told Arlen to let them have Hannah or she was going to tell everyone about his sleeping with his sister. They went into the asylum and got Hannah. They were almost out when he saw Lionel there waiting for him. He asked the guard if there was another way out and he was given a key to a back door. As they were leaving, Hannah told Garrick that his brother wanted to hurt her. Garrick was surprised to hear Hannah declare that it was indeed his brother.
The three of them headed back to Caedmon Crag. Lionel arrived soon after. Before he arrived, Garrick took Hannah into Lionel's room and asked if she could feel anything there. She could not but she ran outside. Lionel arrived and Hannah kept on to her destination. Garrick began fighting with Lionel and soon overtook him. Hannah yelled for them to stop and they went to find where she was. She told them where they would find Lionel's body. The next day, the earl had some people from the village dig there and Lionel's body was found. Lionel then told the earl that he was his son from a maid that he had gotten pregnant before he married Garrick's mother, Eleanor. His name was Richard Nelson. He hated the boys because he knew they were growing up where he was, having everything while he had nothing. He did not kill Lionel though. He knew nothing of his dying but chose to pretend as he had done as a child.
Eleanor was not there when the body was dug up so Garrick went to tell his mother. She gave him a diary. She told Garrick that he would find what happened to Lionel in the diary. The earl's first wife had a boyfriend that came after her. After finding her dead, he kidnapped Lionel to get back at the earl, thinking that Lionel was his second wife's child. He didn't know that Lionel was actually Meg's son. He sent a ransom note and Eleanor had torn it up. She wanted Garrick to get the love and attention that Lionel had received because he was her son. Eleanor did not realize that Lionel would be killed. She thought maybe he would be taken to Scotland and raised there. She started drinking when she realized the blame that had fallen on her son and how much she had hurt Garrick. She hated her life with her husband and felt that he was cruel to her too. After she gave the diary to Garrick, she turned around and jumped out the same window that the earl's first wife did and killed herself. Her funeral was three days later.
Garrick told his father that he was leaving, never to return. Arlen told Olivia that he was going to annul their marriage. Richard kept up the pretense of being Lionel and was going to marry Elizabeth. Garrick, Olivia and Hannah headed to America. Garrick's father told Garrick that he really did love him. He would see to it that Arlen kept his word to annul the marriage so that he and Olivia could get married.
January 30, 2021
This might be one of the more morally ambiguous romances that I've ever read. I don't think I've ever read a romance where the villains... got away with it? Were punished by getting all that their hearts wanted? Damn, Brenda Joyce was really experimenting with some of her works. I've been reading a few of Joyce's stand-alone romances from the 1990s and it's been very insightful to see how she was pushing boundaries.
In The Rival, you've got incestuous siblings, domestic violence, a mysterious heir who may or may not be who he says he is, and clairvoyance. If you're like me, and this is making you sit up a little straighter, The Rival is worth your time!
Garrick de Vere is the second son of the Earl of Stanhope. His eldest brother and heir to the earldom, Lionel, vanished without a trace when Garrick was 12. Garrick has now returned to London, after been away for a decade on Barbados, answering the summons of his father and discovering he has been betrothed to one lady Susan Layton. He is not happy about this turn of events. Garrick's father has never treated him well, favouring Lionel, and it had the effect on him of not giving a damn about his father, and not desiring to go along with his wishes. Unlike Lionel, who was not only good at the things his father cared about like shooting, but he was an obedient son.
Olivia is a clairvoyant countess whose husband is domestically violent towards her because of her abilities. All Olivia cares about is her daughter, Hannah. Hannah is blind and has the sight too. Olivia's paths cross with Garrick when she rescues his betrothed from a suicide attempt.
Garrick and Olivia share a forbidden passion, as Olivia is now friends with his betrothed. Part One of The Rival is not too out of the ordinary. The reluctant heir, the mousy betrothed, and the heroine caught in between her feelings for both of them, is very familiar in romance land.
It's Part Two and Part Three where things start to go off the rails and held my interest because Garrick and Olivia's plans are foiled by the villains a few times.
For me, I think the morally ambiguous ending went a little too far. I wish it was tempered by some retribution or balance for the villains who really got their hearts' desires in the end.
In The Rival, you've got incestuous siblings, domestic violence, a mysterious heir who may or may not be who he says he is, and clairvoyance. If you're like me, and this is making you sit up a little straighter, The Rival is worth your time!
Garrick de Vere is the second son of the Earl of Stanhope. His eldest brother and heir to the earldom, Lionel, vanished without a trace when Garrick was 12. Garrick has now returned to London, after been away for a decade on Barbados, answering the summons of his father and discovering he has been betrothed to one lady Susan Layton. He is not happy about this turn of events. Garrick's father has never treated him well, favouring Lionel, and it had the effect on him of not giving a damn about his father, and not desiring to go along with his wishes. Unlike Lionel, who was not only good at the things his father cared about like shooting, but he was an obedient son.
Olivia is a clairvoyant countess whose husband is domestically violent towards her because of her abilities. All Olivia cares about is her daughter, Hannah. Hannah is blind and has the sight too. Olivia's paths cross with Garrick when she rescues his betrothed from a suicide attempt.
Garrick and Olivia share a forbidden passion, as Olivia is now friends with his betrothed. Part One of The Rival is not too out of the ordinary. The reluctant heir, the mousy betrothed, and the heroine caught in between her feelings for both of them, is very familiar in romance land.
It's Part Two and Part Three where things start to go off the rails and held my interest because Garrick and Olivia's plans are foiled by the villains a few times.
For me, I think the morally ambiguous ending went a little too far. I wish it was tempered by some retribution or balance for the villains who really got their hearts' desires in the end.
June 3, 2019
Possible spoilers ahead- This takes place in 1746 and I couldn't get a feel for the timespan. Story was dragged out a little too long which made it a bit boring. Everything came to a head during the last few pages which made it seem like some last minute ideas were thrown together as a resolution. I wish it hasn't been so rushed.
I like Olivia. She's blonde and twenty-five or six and has been married to Arlen for nine years. He's abusive and can't stand her and won't acknowledge their blind daughter, Hannah. Most people outside of their servants don't even know she exists. He's also having an incestuous relationship with his younger sister, Elizabeth. I would have liked background information on both siblings but we didn't get any. Elizabeth is a true bitch and I like her. Aside from some abuse by Arlen towards Olivia, I don't dislike him.
Garrick is very likable. He's twenty-six with dark hair and skin. His father, Richard, doesn't seem to care much for him nor does Garrick care much for him. Garrick set his sights on rescuing an unhappy Olivia and they begin an affair but Arlen's not having it and sets out to punish her.
There's a person who turns out to be someone other than who they claim to be. I wouldn't have guessed who they really were.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2020
I really liked this book, although I can’t embrace it wholeheartedly. I found some of the themes disturbing. To be fair, I didn’t take off points because of personal bias.
The Rival is well written, and the plot is interesting. The characters were more than just automatons designed to drive the plot forward; they had depth. I really like both the female and male protagonists. I’m not sorry I read this book, but I won’t read it again. I’ll definitely seek out other books by Brenda Joyce.
The Rival is well written, and the plot is interesting. The characters were more than just automatons designed to drive the plot forward; they had depth. I really like both the female and male protagonists. I’m not sorry I read this book, but I won’t read it again. I’ll definitely seek out other books by Brenda Joyce.
June 22, 2010
Great story set in England in the 1800's. Both a mother and daughter have the ability to see into the future.
4.8 on a 5.0 scale.
4.8 on a 5.0 scale.
December 15, 2020
I enjoyed this book, it was very intriguing! I will have to read more of her books!
September 26, 2023
My rating: 1.5/5
November 1, 2023
Love love loved the story.
A mix of gothic suspense and passionate romance.
High stakes and great plot
Brenda Joyce is such a good story teller
A mix of gothic suspense and passionate romance.
High stakes and great plot
Brenda Joyce is such a good story teller
not-for-me
February 23, 2025Very uninteresting story. Skip for me.
September 21, 2012
It is 1760, West Sussex and Garrick De Vere is a man set to become heir to his father, the earl of Stanhope. As a child his older brother vanished and was long presumed dead. After ten long years of banishment to Barbados, Garrick is summoned home to take his rightful place in society. But society, and his fiance, view him as a murderer.
Lady Olivia Gray is married to hateful man and lives in seclusion at their country estate with her blind daughter. They both have the gift of sight, able to see the future, see ghosts. Olivia knows Garrick is innocent and the minute the two meet sparks fly.
After ten years, Garrick’s older brother and rightful heir, Lionel, returns home to take what is his. But is it really Lionel? Garrick doesn’t trust him although both of his parents welcome the prodigal son with open arms.
there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/200...
Lady Olivia Gray is married to hateful man and lives in seclusion at their country estate with her blind daughter. They both have the gift of sight, able to see the future, see ghosts. Olivia knows Garrick is innocent and the minute the two meet sparks fly.
After ten years, Garrick’s older brother and rightful heir, Lionel, returns home to take what is his. But is it really Lionel? Garrick doesn’t trust him although both of his parents welcome the prodigal son with open arms.
there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/200...
April 20, 2009
I rate this book as an 8 out of 10. It was a style of writing I enjoyed, easy to follow, story line moved quickly, I like that the author didn't get too hung up on scene and character descriptions to waylay the main story. It was easy to keep track of who was who without having to take notes (mental or otherwise). A nice, simple read that kept my attention from page one to the end. It was a book I didn't want to put down or have come to an end.
Secondhand store purchase.
Secondhand store purchase.
September 20, 2011
This book was impossible for me to put down. But not in the way I usually like. It was extremely draining for me because so many antagonists with such selfish or evil ends and personalities. Then the hero and heroine are both tortured characters. I would call this book turbulent. Honestly I haven't been in the mood to read since finishing it. It wore me out that much!
October 12, 2009
This is another decent romantic suspense. The only thing that could have made this 1760s book better, was the capitulation of the suspense that was evident in the story. More drama and detail would have made this a truly excellent book. Right now it is good, but not excellent.
March 18, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were complex and there were quite a few obstacles to overcome for the characters. I feel in love with Garrick and Olivia because the author made them so real. This was a story with romance and adventure and mystery in it.
March 16, 2011
I haven't read this in a while but I remember loving every bit of it. The story was good and I remember that I love, love, LOVED the ending. Need to read this again in the near future.
July 30, 2013
readable. I enjoyed it good way to pass 6 hours
February 16, 2015
Crazy awesome book!!
June 13, 2015
Excellent! Loved it! Absolutely loved Brenda Joyce...looking forward to reading more of her!
June 8, 2021
Fave!
Read in paperback and e-read. I really do enjoy this book. I just wish there more books like this one. As in seeing ghost's. Historical Romance on top. Yes!
Read in paperback and e-read. I really do enjoy this book. I just wish there more books like this one. As in seeing ghost's. Historical Romance on top. Yes!
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