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The Dark Side of Desire
She could run . . . but she couldn't hide.
No longer the shattered teenager who had left Thornley vowing never to return, Rebecca Shaw had come to terms with the legacy of Jay Lorence's betrayal and had built a new life on HER terms. But her mother needed her now--and nothing could keep Rebecca from going home.
Ten years melted in Jay's embrace; his kiss reopened old wounds and ignited forgotten temptations. Every instinct warned her to run before her hard-worked-for peace and stability came crashing down.
Rebecca had a new life--one she had no intention of letting Jay invade. But keeping a man like Jay at arm's length was next to impossible--especially when it wasn't what she really wanted to do.
No longer the shattered teenager who had left Thornley vowing never to return, Rebecca Shaw had come to terms with the legacy of Jay Lorence's betrayal and had built a new life on HER terms. But her mother needed her now--and nothing could keep Rebecca from going home.
Ten years melted in Jay's embrace; his kiss reopened old wounds and ignited forgotten temptations. Every instinct warned her to run before her hard-worked-for peace and stability came crashing down.
Rebecca had a new life--one she had no intention of letting Jay invade. But keeping a man like Jay at arm's length was next to impossible--especially when it wasn't what she really wanted to do.
189 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
15 people are currently reading
892 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Reid
387 books637 followersHi, my name is Michelle Reid and I’ve been writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon for the last twenty years, and the crazy part about it is that I only realised it had been twenty years while updating this page!
So, hang on for a minute while I take this huge milestone in....
Twenty years with almost forty books published or in the pipeline ... I know it isn’t a great average when compared with some authors but it sounds pretty good to me!
So what was I doing twenty years ago before I wrote books? Well, I did the all of the usual things, like growing up and attending school, finishing at secretarial college, which I hated, then spent the next several years wandering aimlessly from job to job. Eventually I met my husband, we married and produced two daughters who then grew up and between them presented us with two gorgeous grandsons and one beautiful granddaughter. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Somewhere in between my girls growing up and the grandchildren arriving on the scene, I started writing. To this day I don’t know why, unless it was a natural progression from my never being without a book close by—often several—because books have always been an important part of my life for as far back as I can recall.
So, I started to write, by hand at first, scribbling short stories in notebooks which never saw the light of day. At some point I discovered Mills & Boon Romance books and that was pretty much it for me. I’d found my new love, as in reading romantic fiction and inevitably writing it too.
So twenty years on and almost forty books on, here I am still writing and still loving it!
So, hang on for a minute while I take this huge milestone in....
Twenty years with almost forty books published or in the pipeline ... I know it isn’t a great average when compared with some authors but it sounds pretty good to me!
So what was I doing twenty years ago before I wrote books? Well, I did the all of the usual things, like growing up and attending school, finishing at secretarial college, which I hated, then spent the next several years wandering aimlessly from job to job. Eventually I met my husband, we married and produced two daughters who then grew up and between them presented us with two gorgeous grandsons and one beautiful granddaughter. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Somewhere in between my girls growing up and the grandchildren arriving on the scene, I started writing. To this day I don’t know why, unless it was a natural progression from my never being without a book close by—often several—because books have always been an important part of my life for as far back as I can recall.
So, I started to write, by hand at first, scribbling short stories in notebooks which never saw the light of day. At some point I discovered Mills & Boon Romance books and that was pretty much it for me. I’d found my new love, as in reading romantic fiction and inevitably writing it too.
So twenty years on and almost forty books on, here I am still writing and still loving it!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
April 9, 2012
I am one sick puppy. Yes, I am.
Why, you ask?
Because I am unable to not like these angsty reads. The secret babies, the cruel heroes, the nasty other women! Oh! How titillating! :)
In real life, if somebody told me…’Well, my ex, the one I suspect asked me to have an abortion after calling me a whore, made me remember why I fell in love with him-but then he told me it was all a plot to make me give him his son. He then proceeded to touch me sexually, and I had to surrender to him.’..i would say-lady, the guy brainwashed AND raped you! Let’s kill the bastard!
In the Harlequin la-la land, I love these kind of plots and bask in the disturbing goodness of it all!
Why, you ask?
Because I am unable to not like these angsty reads. The secret babies, the cruel heroes, the nasty other women! Oh! How titillating! :)
In real life, if somebody told me…’Well, my ex, the one I suspect asked me to have an abortion after calling me a whore, made me remember why I fell in love with him-but then he told me it was all a plot to make me give him his son. He then proceeded to touch me sexually, and I had to surrender to him.’..i would say-lady, the guy brainwashed AND raped you! Let’s kill the bastard!
In the Harlequin la-la land, I love these kind of plots and bask in the disturbing goodness of it all!
December 12, 2017
Re The Dark Side of Desire - Michelle Reid does the emo wrecki angstfest trainwreck in this one and in that respect, this book is an HP classic.
I vacillate a lot on this one, it never fails to keep me enthralled, but I almost always have to do some drywall repair after I re-read it. I just can't seem to help the gut wrenching reaction I always have when I read this book, so for that alone, I give it high marks.
The premise of this one is that the h is 26 and a budding English version of Coco Chanel. She designs and manufactures clothing for ladies. She also has a very select couture line that is rather sought after. When the book opens, the h spies an ad in the personal columns claiming her estranged mother is ill and looking for her.
Since it has been ten years and a lot of emotional damage since the h has last seen her mother, the h is of two minds about going. Filial duty wins in the end and the h makes the long trek from London to Yorkshire via the train.
We learn that the h's backstory is that when she was 15 and the daughter of the housekeeper to the Local Lord of the Manor, she fell in love with his 22 year old son, the heir apparent. When she was 16, the Young Scion of the Manor seduced her. They had a torrid teenage affair, with the Young Scion shagging the h in the off hours, while he escorted the Local Witchy Landed Beauty around the rest of the time. As the H's father was the Lordly Domineering Sort, the H was too much a wimp to stand up to his dad and too much a cad to leave the h alone.
Supposedly he loved the h, tho that never prohibited him from calling her a tart when she decided that if the H could date the Local Witchy Landed Girl and escort her to all the big society events, she could go to the local village dance with the Rugger Player Local lad. So after all the fights, jealousy and lurving it up during the summer, the H had to go to America to do a sort of internship for a year. He swore that when he came back, he and the h would be together always.
As these things go in wild teen love affairs, the precautions the H might or might not have taken did not work. The h turned up preggers and her mother, the housekeeper, and the H's father conspired together to drive the h out of the village and gave her money to terminate the pregnancy.
The h's mother, who was looking for social advancement via the marrying your social betters method of upward mobility, was fine with the h lurving it up with the H if it meant she would be Lady or Bit on the Side of the Local Manor Lord. However, when the H's father refused to acknowledge that the h was carrying his grandson and instead spread it about that the h would tumble any passing semi-attractive man, the mother refused to support the h cause she valued her job and her local top servant status, much more than her supposedly wild child, and the woman kicked the h out, told her to go abort her child and never come back.
The h, who had tried to contact the H via a letter that she foolishly gave to the Local Witchy Landed girl to mail, never got a response except when the H's father called her in to pay her off and the h assumed the H was just using her for summer amusement. At 16 she took herself off to London and built herself a clothing empire, cursing the name of all those who abandoned her and gave birth to a lovely young man named Kit, who is now nine.
Once the h gets to Yorkshire, the H is there to judge her and verbally flog her for leaving her mother alone for the last ten years. The H seems to be under the impression that the h was a promiscuous tart before she left to go have a termination, cause she was up the duff from all her promiscuity and then just never came back.
The h's mother, who knows the truth and to keep in the H's good graces has never bothered to explain things, is now ill with a broken hip, a stroke and pneumonia and of course the H wants to lavish all kinds of care on his benevolent and loving family retainer, while despising and berating her ungrateful tart of a daughter. (MR gives us H POV in this one, so we get a good line on his thinking.)
The H decides that the h will stay with him, all the better to berate her according to his schedule. When the H and h arrive at the H's manor, the Witchy Landed OW is there to greet them and the h assumes they are married. She figures the H and OW deserve each other, cause they are both user loser slime swillers. The h calls her son to check in and it is the H's turn to be suspicious that the h has a better man than him in her life and one that she is totally devoted to.
The boiling awareness and tension between the H and h only increases. The h is despairingly aware that proximity to the H brings on that old black magic feelin', while the H gets violent with a punishing kiss and realizes the h is repulsed by him. Both try to contain themselves and the h goes on with trying to make arrangements for her business and her mother's care.
Then the h's mother has a little manipulation drama in the guise of a panic attack. She claims that she feels really horrible for driving the h away and that she can't stand the guilt of forcing the h to terminate her child.
( I call it manipulation rather than a true attack of conscience because the woman conveniently waits until the H arrives to have her little crise de nerfs. I suspect that the h's mother was probably aware of where and WHO the h was, as the h was a rising fashion star and had been publicized. I also suspect that the mother knew the h was utterly and totally in love with the H and would never have terminated his child.
The mother knew she couldn't work anymore, so she took a calculated risk to force a confession from the h about her child. The mother knew the H would be all over that and demand at least partial custody, but would more likely marry the h to get full control of his child. Thus via more manipulation, she could secure a future for herself as the grandmother of the new heir apparent. Trust me, any woman who could speak and act like this woman did was more than greedy enough to do it too. -- It really is a brilliant piece of writing. )
The H overhears the entire thing and when he confronts the h, she accuses him of rejecting his responsibility in favor of a check and send off, only she puts in pretty crude terms and the H slaps her. She apologizes, and neglects to advise the H that his father had told her the H got her letter and denied all responsibility. The H immediately makes plans to seize his son.
He bullies the h into marriage by threatening to sue for full custody and a forced seduction and as per the Standard HP Rule Book, the h doesn't consult a solicitor, she just caves and eventually agrees to marry the H.
(Tho to be fair, the h thinks the H is regretting rejecting her with the baby, plus she knows her son wants a father, so being kinder than the H or her mother or the H's father, she decides to give the H a chance to be a dad. The h even goes so far as to do the gallant thing and diverts her son's anger to her by taking the blame for the long separation, when Kit looks like he is going to reject the H.)
The H also wants physical recompense for all the h has supposedly put him thru and big time lurve passion tensions wrap the Manor Master Suite in a lot of purple haze. The h's yearning and chaste body totally betrays her, but her heart is still hardened against the H, even tho she loves him and always has. She can't survive a second abandonment and so she maintains a mental distance, much to the H's displeasure. The h still believes the H deliberately ignored her letter years earlier and when the H tries to argue about it, she explains that she knows the H got it because his father told her he did.
It is a very shocked H who realizes that his own father gave the h the money for a termination and sent her off. The H had been told it was the Local Rugger lad that got the h into trouble, but when the h describes everything in specific detail, the H admits defeat and asks the h what she wants to do. She says she will marry him because it is what her son wants, and she will do her best to fake the happy marriage bit, but the H is never to mention the past and the H thinks it is an excellent time to employ some softer seduction techniques which the h cannot resist.
The h also has to deal with sharing her son, and she does her best to reassure Kit that both his parents love and want him and that love only gets greater for the sharing. However in her own heart, she hates that she is still so affected by the H, cause the years of living with blame and accusations and doubts have taken their toll and she feels that this kind of love is the dark side of desire.
The h's mother is now in seventh heaven and the H is happy because, as he laughingly tells the h, as long as the h is in his bed keeping him satisfied, he can dump the Local Witchy OW. The H proves he has good dad instincts as well. He gets all of Kit's things moved to his new rooms at the manor, so Kit has familiar surroundings. The H also throws a big party soon after everyone settles in, to introduce his son to some of the local lads so that he has friends before he has to start a new school.
The h isn't too enthused about the party, but she and the H are lurving it up every night and the H seems determined to make her love him again. The H even makes sure she has space for a clothing studio as the h has split her business into mass market and couture clothing and she will do the couture end of it from her new home.
(I have to confess, this h was pretty tough on her end of the declaring I love you stakes, the H realizes that he really, really messed up and that the h is not the easy pushover she was the first time. He readily confesses that he loves her after he hears the whole story, but the h is a much longer hold out. Then again, she got the worst end of that situation and the H is smart enough to realize it, so he attempts to earn her love back.)
How the H does that is by having this party. He invites the Rugger Local Lad and his lovely wife, who was one of the h's friends in the old days and the two of them are soon are happily chatting away like rediscovered BFF's. Since Rugger Local Lad is a very nice man and knew that the Local Witchy OW was the one spreading the rumors that the h had been carrying his child, the H has a heads up and plans to socially destroy the OW.
The OW shows up to the party and swans around, trying to create more mischief. When that fails and people follow the H's cue to start shunning her, she corners the H in his study and admits that she did not mail the h's letter to the H. She gave it to the H's father instead and lied and said the h was a tart and that Rugger Lad's baby was being used to trap the H. The h overhears all this and it is confirmed by Rugger Lad, so the h knows the H was telling the truth and he never slept with or wanted the OW.
Later, the OW has slunk off to the mists of HP and elderly pet food billionaire oblivion, Kit has made some new friends and the h can finally put her full trust and love in the H. He tells the h he came back after two months and spent years searching for her and even hit his own father, when the father told him lies about the h.
Finally the H had to give up in defeat and reluctantly took his place in the family firm, then his father died and the h's mother got ill and the h finally returned to resolve her past, so we can all have a happy resolution with forgiveness all around -except for the banished OW.
The end of the story is the H and h down by their favorite spot by the river, reaffirming their love and a pink sparkly HEA for a really angsty but satisfying HPlandia outing.
This is a roller coaster of angst and redemption. The H starts out horribly but manages to mostly redeem himself in the end. I do seriously wonder at the mother, but she seems contrite enough and the h is happy and the H finally obviously loves her - tho he seemed really quick to believe the h was tarting about and I can't help but wonder just how involved he really was with the OW all those years ago. The age difference at the start is a bit of problem too, but kinda necessary to make the story work, so I just shuddered and went with it.
This book's real brilliance is that MR gives us a very valid reason for the seekrit baby trope. With all the h is put through, it is incredibly difficult to fault her for not trying to reconnect with the H and her mother until serious illness forces her to. That the h does go back, when many would not, shows how kind and caring and pure at heart our incredibly forgiving h really is, MR is very convincing about a blameless h in this one.
So MR achieves almost the impossible, she absolves a woman who breaks an HPlandia cardinal rule and hides the existence of a child from an H when he is not marrying another woman, yet MR manages to keep the h close to HPlandia sainthood and maintains standard HP h innocence and purity while she does it. You don't find that in an everyday HP outing and this book is on the required HP reading list because of it.
I vacillate a lot on this one, it never fails to keep me enthralled, but I almost always have to do some drywall repair after I re-read it. I just can't seem to help the gut wrenching reaction I always have when I read this book, so for that alone, I give it high marks.
The premise of this one is that the h is 26 and a budding English version of Coco Chanel. She designs and manufactures clothing for ladies. She also has a very select couture line that is rather sought after. When the book opens, the h spies an ad in the personal columns claiming her estranged mother is ill and looking for her.
Since it has been ten years and a lot of emotional damage since the h has last seen her mother, the h is of two minds about going. Filial duty wins in the end and the h makes the long trek from London to Yorkshire via the train.
We learn that the h's backstory is that when she was 15 and the daughter of the housekeeper to the Local Lord of the Manor, she fell in love with his 22 year old son, the heir apparent. When she was 16, the Young Scion of the Manor seduced her. They had a torrid teenage affair, with the Young Scion shagging the h in the off hours, while he escorted the Local Witchy Landed Beauty around the rest of the time. As the H's father was the Lordly Domineering Sort, the H was too much a wimp to stand up to his dad and too much a cad to leave the h alone.
Supposedly he loved the h, tho that never prohibited him from calling her a tart when she decided that if the H could date the Local Witchy Landed Girl and escort her to all the big society events, she could go to the local village dance with the Rugger Player Local lad. So after all the fights, jealousy and lurving it up during the summer, the H had to go to America to do a sort of internship for a year. He swore that when he came back, he and the h would be together always.
As these things go in wild teen love affairs, the precautions the H might or might not have taken did not work. The h turned up preggers and her mother, the housekeeper, and the H's father conspired together to drive the h out of the village and gave her money to terminate the pregnancy.
The h's mother, who was looking for social advancement via the marrying your social betters method of upward mobility, was fine with the h lurving it up with the H if it meant she would be Lady or Bit on the Side of the Local Manor Lord. However, when the H's father refused to acknowledge that the h was carrying his grandson and instead spread it about that the h would tumble any passing semi-attractive man, the mother refused to support the h cause she valued her job and her local top servant status, much more than her supposedly wild child, and the woman kicked the h out, told her to go abort her child and never come back.
The h, who had tried to contact the H via a letter that she foolishly gave to the Local Witchy Landed girl to mail, never got a response except when the H's father called her in to pay her off and the h assumed the H was just using her for summer amusement. At 16 she took herself off to London and built herself a clothing empire, cursing the name of all those who abandoned her and gave birth to a lovely young man named Kit, who is now nine.
Once the h gets to Yorkshire, the H is there to judge her and verbally flog her for leaving her mother alone for the last ten years. The H seems to be under the impression that the h was a promiscuous tart before she left to go have a termination, cause she was up the duff from all her promiscuity and then just never came back.
The h's mother, who knows the truth and to keep in the H's good graces has never bothered to explain things, is now ill with a broken hip, a stroke and pneumonia and of course the H wants to lavish all kinds of care on his benevolent and loving family retainer, while despising and berating her ungrateful tart of a daughter. (MR gives us H POV in this one, so we get a good line on his thinking.)
The H decides that the h will stay with him, all the better to berate her according to his schedule. When the H and h arrive at the H's manor, the Witchy Landed OW is there to greet them and the h assumes they are married. She figures the H and OW deserve each other, cause they are both user loser slime swillers. The h calls her son to check in and it is the H's turn to be suspicious that the h has a better man than him in her life and one that she is totally devoted to.
The boiling awareness and tension between the H and h only increases. The h is despairingly aware that proximity to the H brings on that old black magic feelin', while the H gets violent with a punishing kiss and realizes the h is repulsed by him. Both try to contain themselves and the h goes on with trying to make arrangements for her business and her mother's care.
Then the h's mother has a little manipulation drama in the guise of a panic attack. She claims that she feels really horrible for driving the h away and that she can't stand the guilt of forcing the h to terminate her child.
( I call it manipulation rather than a true attack of conscience because the woman conveniently waits until the H arrives to have her little crise de nerfs. I suspect that the h's mother was probably aware of where and WHO the h was, as the h was a rising fashion star and had been publicized. I also suspect that the mother knew the h was utterly and totally in love with the H and would never have terminated his child.
The mother knew she couldn't work anymore, so she took a calculated risk to force a confession from the h about her child. The mother knew the H would be all over that and demand at least partial custody, but would more likely marry the h to get full control of his child. Thus via more manipulation, she could secure a future for herself as the grandmother of the new heir apparent. Trust me, any woman who could speak and act like this woman did was more than greedy enough to do it too. -- It really is a brilliant piece of writing. )
The H overhears the entire thing and when he confronts the h, she accuses him of rejecting his responsibility in favor of a check and send off, only she puts in pretty crude terms and the H slaps her. She apologizes, and neglects to advise the H that his father had told her the H got her letter and denied all responsibility. The H immediately makes plans to seize his son.
He bullies the h into marriage by threatening to sue for full custody and a forced seduction and as per the Standard HP Rule Book, the h doesn't consult a solicitor, she just caves and eventually agrees to marry the H.
(Tho to be fair, the h thinks the H is regretting rejecting her with the baby, plus she knows her son wants a father, so being kinder than the H or her mother or the H's father, she decides to give the H a chance to be a dad. The h even goes so far as to do the gallant thing and diverts her son's anger to her by taking the blame for the long separation, when Kit looks like he is going to reject the H.)
The H also wants physical recompense for all the h has supposedly put him thru and big time lurve passion tensions wrap the Manor Master Suite in a lot of purple haze. The h's yearning and chaste body totally betrays her, but her heart is still hardened against the H, even tho she loves him and always has. She can't survive a second abandonment and so she maintains a mental distance, much to the H's displeasure. The h still believes the H deliberately ignored her letter years earlier and when the H tries to argue about it, she explains that she knows the H got it because his father told her he did.
It is a very shocked H who realizes that his own father gave the h the money for a termination and sent her off. The H had been told it was the Local Rugger lad that got the h into trouble, but when the h describes everything in specific detail, the H admits defeat and asks the h what she wants to do. She says she will marry him because it is what her son wants, and she will do her best to fake the happy marriage bit, but the H is never to mention the past and the H thinks it is an excellent time to employ some softer seduction techniques which the h cannot resist.
The h also has to deal with sharing her son, and she does her best to reassure Kit that both his parents love and want him and that love only gets greater for the sharing. However in her own heart, she hates that she is still so affected by the H, cause the years of living with blame and accusations and doubts have taken their toll and she feels that this kind of love is the dark side of desire.
The h's mother is now in seventh heaven and the H is happy because, as he laughingly tells the h, as long as the h is in his bed keeping him satisfied, he can dump the Local Witchy OW. The H proves he has good dad instincts as well. He gets all of Kit's things moved to his new rooms at the manor, so Kit has familiar surroundings. The H also throws a big party soon after everyone settles in, to introduce his son to some of the local lads so that he has friends before he has to start a new school.
The h isn't too enthused about the party, but she and the H are lurving it up every night and the H seems determined to make her love him again. The H even makes sure she has space for a clothing studio as the h has split her business into mass market and couture clothing and she will do the couture end of it from her new home.
(I have to confess, this h was pretty tough on her end of the declaring I love you stakes, the H realizes that he really, really messed up and that the h is not the easy pushover she was the first time. He readily confesses that he loves her after he hears the whole story, but the h is a much longer hold out. Then again, she got the worst end of that situation and the H is smart enough to realize it, so he attempts to earn her love back.)
How the H does that is by having this party. He invites the Rugger Local Lad and his lovely wife, who was one of the h's friends in the old days and the two of them are soon are happily chatting away like rediscovered BFF's. Since Rugger Local Lad is a very nice man and knew that the Local Witchy OW was the one spreading the rumors that the h had been carrying his child, the H has a heads up and plans to socially destroy the OW.
The OW shows up to the party and swans around, trying to create more mischief. When that fails and people follow the H's cue to start shunning her, she corners the H in his study and admits that she did not mail the h's letter to the H. She gave it to the H's father instead and lied and said the h was a tart and that Rugger Lad's baby was being used to trap the H. The h overhears all this and it is confirmed by Rugger Lad, so the h knows the H was telling the truth and he never slept with or wanted the OW.
Later, the OW has slunk off to the mists of HP and elderly pet food billionaire oblivion, Kit has made some new friends and the h can finally put her full trust and love in the H. He tells the h he came back after two months and spent years searching for her and even hit his own father, when the father told him lies about the h.
Finally the H had to give up in defeat and reluctantly took his place in the family firm, then his father died and the h's mother got ill and the h finally returned to resolve her past, so we can all have a happy resolution with forgiveness all around -except for the banished OW.
The end of the story is the H and h down by their favorite spot by the river, reaffirming their love and a pink sparkly HEA for a really angsty but satisfying HPlandia outing.
This is a roller coaster of angst and redemption. The H starts out horribly but manages to mostly redeem himself in the end. I do seriously wonder at the mother, but she seems contrite enough and the h is happy and the H finally obviously loves her - tho he seemed really quick to believe the h was tarting about and I can't help but wonder just how involved he really was with the OW all those years ago. The age difference at the start is a bit of problem too, but kinda necessary to make the story work, so I just shuddered and went with it.
This book's real brilliance is that MR gives us a very valid reason for the seekrit baby trope. With all the h is put through, it is incredibly difficult to fault her for not trying to reconnect with the H and her mother until serious illness forces her to. That the h does go back, when many would not, shows how kind and caring and pure at heart our incredibly forgiving h really is, MR is very convincing about a blameless h in this one.
So MR achieves almost the impossible, she absolves a woman who breaks an HPlandia cardinal rule and hides the existence of a child from an H when he is not marrying another woman, yet MR manages to keep the h close to HPlandia sainthood and maintains standard HP h innocence and purity while she does it. You don't find that in an everyday HP outing and this book is on the required HP reading list because of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2022
Oh, lots of angst here for you angst lovers as H/h were victims of forces in their family and community, which were beyond their control. I can't rate if higher because of the extremely young age of the heroine when she was sexually involved with the university grad hero. 16 might be legal, but it doesn't show the hero in a good light. It certainly didn't show the h's housekeeper mother in a good light when she said she knew about the affair, but was hoping her daughter could one day end up lady of the manor.
Instead, she's kicked out of the house, given money for an abortion, and told to never come back by the H's lord of the manor father and her own mother. I would have stayed away, too. The story opens when the heroine reads the personal ads and sees that her mother is ill and asking for her. She leaves her business and nine year-old son in London and heads up to Yorkshire.
The rest of the story concerns how the H/h find out the truth and learn to trust each other all over again.
Dramatic stuff, but I wasn't feeling the romance as the family saga, the betrayals of friends and the power of gossip in a small community took over the narrative. The h hadn't been with anyone since and it never really came up with the H- so they certainly kept the home fires burning for each other. I thought the mother was forgiven way too fast, but I guess the stroke was her comeuppance. I think I would have liked an epilogue in this one - a few years down the road with the h's business doing well, the hero interacting as a family man - and maybe another baby or two.
Instead, she's kicked out of the house, given money for an abortion, and told to never come back by the H's lord of the manor father and her own mother. I would have stayed away, too. The story opens when the heroine reads the personal ads and sees that her mother is ill and asking for her. She leaves her business and nine year-old son in London and heads up to Yorkshire.
The rest of the story concerns how the H/h find out the truth and learn to trust each other all over again.
Dramatic stuff, but I wasn't feeling the romance as the family saga, the betrayals of friends and the power of gossip in a small community took over the narrative. The h hadn't been with anyone since and it never really came up with the H- so they certainly kept the home fires burning for each other. I thought the mother was forgiven way too fast, but I guess the stroke was her comeuppance. I think I would have liked an epilogue in this one - a few years down the road with the h's business doing well, the hero interacting as a family man - and maybe another baby or two.
June 21, 2012
This is Michelle Reid at her finest. We have a secret baby plot, an uncompromising father who sets the heroine up to abort his own grandchild, an evil evil OW who manipulates and destroys everything that gets in her way, a mother who turns her back on her child to uphold an antiquated class system, and above all a love that transcends everything.
Phew....It does not get better than this.
Phew....It does not get better than this.
December 18, 2017
By reading "The Dark Side of Desire" i have come to realize this...this is my ABSULUTE FREAKING FAVOURITE BOOK BY REID!!!I love this one far more than i loved "The Ultimate Betrayal","Bellini Bride" and "Sicilian Seduction".
His hands took hold of her again, tugging her around to face him, tall and dark, the power of his attraction hammering down on her senses, their mutual anger, their disdain of the other, their mutual exchange of insults adding an awareness of a different kind, and she shuddered in bitter rejection of it.
'Take your hands off me,' she commanded tightly. 'I can't bear you to touch me!'
'Well, isn't that too bad?' he sneered, pulling her even closer to him so that she felt the burning heat emanating from his angry frame. 'Because it's retribution time, Rebecca, and I am going to take my due!'
This one was a exciting,entertaining,intense angsty read...but so beautiful and hearbreaking!
Rebecca Shaw "Becky" describes as a exotic gypsy beauty,which i just LOVED.She had been a wild and untamed child and always made trouble after herself.The fact that the hero was the heir to the mansion her mother was a maid in,intruged me very much...
Jason Lorence "Jay" are a hero...i enjoyed VERY VERY VERY MUCH to know of.WHOA what a intense Alpha-male,even as a young 23 year man,he openly expressed his undying love to the adventurious and beautiful Rebecca and was a very possessive and jealous and demanding lover.
WOW,WHAT AN INTENSE HERO!!!
But a great deception caused by the people around them made them misunderstand each other and they haven`t seen each other over 10 years.
Michelle Reid made a classic of this one.Jays and Beckys love for each other were a extraordinary one,and love the way how Reid intensify every word in this romance.Their chemistry were a beautiful one...and their blistering passionate nature made them so beautiful..both of them,together.I love and adore every scene with them.The angst was so worth everything...Jasons determined mind and his stubborness and arrogance just swooned me,he did it all to make her love him again..(and oh did she always love him!!!Just love a hero of a Fighter...
What a great angsty romance...i just love Romance,and this book with it all just made my day.My favourite book by Michelle Reid,will never forget this 5-star read..!
His hands took hold of her again, tugging her around to face him, tall and dark, the power of his attraction hammering down on her senses, their mutual anger, their disdain of the other, their mutual exchange of insults adding an awareness of a different kind, and she shuddered in bitter rejection of it.
'Take your hands off me,' she commanded tightly. 'I can't bear you to touch me!'
'Well, isn't that too bad?' he sneered, pulling her even closer to him so that she felt the burning heat emanating from his angry frame. 'Because it's retribution time, Rebecca, and I am going to take my due!'
This one was a exciting,entertaining,intense angsty read...but so beautiful and hearbreaking!
Rebecca Shaw "Becky" describes as a exotic gypsy beauty,which i just LOVED.She had been a wild and untamed child and always made trouble after herself.The fact that the hero was the heir to the mansion her mother was a maid in,intruged me very much...
Jason Lorence "Jay" are a hero...i enjoyed VERY VERY VERY MUCH to know of.WHOA what a intense Alpha-male,even as a young 23 year man,he openly expressed his undying love to the adventurious and beautiful Rebecca and was a very possessive and jealous and demanding lover.
WOW,WHAT AN INTENSE HERO!!!
But a great deception caused by the people around them made them misunderstand each other and they haven`t seen each other over 10 years.
Michelle Reid made a classic of this one.Jays and Beckys love for each other were a extraordinary one,and love the way how Reid intensify every word in this romance.Their chemistry were a beautiful one...and their blistering passionate nature made them so beautiful..both of them,together.I love and adore every scene with them.The angst was so worth everything...Jasons determined mind and his stubborness and arrogance just swooned me,he did it all to make her love him again..(and oh did she always love him!!!Just love a hero of a Fighter...
What a great angsty romance...i just love Romance,and this book with it all just made my day.My favourite book by Michelle Reid,will never forget this 5-star read..!
June 15, 2014
It seems as though I automatically reach for the really intense and dramatic Harlequin Presents books when I need to escape in a book. "The Dark Side of Desire" is definitely a book of that caliber.
Rebecca and Jay learn that you can only run from a painful past for so long. Rebecca had excellent reasons for leaving the small village she'd lived her whole life, the man who she adored so much. She was driven away by ugly lies and collusions of people who didn't want her and Jay to be together. She worked hard to raise a healthy, happy son and build a life for herself, determined never to look back. Until she sees an announcement that her mother is sick and they are looking for her in the paper. Reluctantly, she returns, and Jay is there at the train station waiting for her. Like a living nightmare, every intense emotion and memory comes back to her. She believes she hates him, and in her mind has plenty of reason to do so, but that intense love of her youth had never died.
To her surprise, Jay seems to hate her just as much, but he's also still very much obsessed with her, and from the beginning, seems to want her back. But for Rebecca, there is too much water under the bridge, especially when Jay believes something really horrible about her. And then he finds out about their son. Wow, Jay's reaction packed a punch. I don't like secret baby books much, because I don't like the idea of the hero not knowing he has a child so long. In this case, I don't blame the heroine because of the circumstances. But that is probably one of the most memorable reactions I've read thus far.
This book is super intense and passionate and emotional. You can't help but feel for both Rebecca and Jay. Jay really has this powerful hate/love thing going for Rebecca. I didn't like when he slapped her, but otherwise, I think he mostly treated her very well (other than a couple of nasty things he says to her). He was definitely obsessed with Rebecca. It makes you wonder how he managed to stay away from her for ten long years. Jay had a way of using his sexuality to affect/manipulate Rebecca. I guess on one level that is a pet peeve of mine (I don't like manipulative characters/people), but it didn't bother as much because it's obvious how deeply in love and susceptible to Rebecca he was.
I was kind of iffy about him seducing a sixteen-year-old as a twenty-three year old. I know the age of consent is lower in Europe and there are plenty of teens having sex in the US, but it still made me cringe. I think it helps that Rebecca seemed mature for her age, but still.
I liked how much Kit, their son was in the book. I think anytime a book is about a family with kids, the kids should have a significant role in the book. I don't believe in making children plot points in a story.
I liked how Rebecca had to face her mother and learn to forgive her mother for something that she did that was very wrong. It wasn't as hard as one would expect, because Rebecca had always wanted to have a close relationship with her mother, but her mother was old fashioned and chained by her antiquated societal beliefs. It was good to see them mend fences.
I liked the way the supposed OW was dealt with, especially her poisonous lies and character assassination of Rebecca. While Jay's father wasn't alive to deal with his part in the situation, I think that otherwise, the past situation was laid to rest in a satisfactory way.
In my mind, this is classic Michelle Reid. An emotionally intense and passionate read that sucks you in. There is nothing tepid about the rocky and passionate relationship between Rebecca and Jay, and for a good escapist read, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Rebecca and Jay learn that you can only run from a painful past for so long. Rebecca had excellent reasons for leaving the small village she'd lived her whole life, the man who she adored so much. She was driven away by ugly lies and collusions of people who didn't want her and Jay to be together. She worked hard to raise a healthy, happy son and build a life for herself, determined never to look back. Until she sees an announcement that her mother is sick and they are looking for her in the paper. Reluctantly, she returns, and Jay is there at the train station waiting for her. Like a living nightmare, every intense emotion and memory comes back to her. She believes she hates him, and in her mind has plenty of reason to do so, but that intense love of her youth had never died.
To her surprise, Jay seems to hate her just as much, but he's also still very much obsessed with her, and from the beginning, seems to want her back. But for Rebecca, there is too much water under the bridge, especially when Jay believes something really horrible about her. And then he finds out about their son. Wow, Jay's reaction packed a punch. I don't like secret baby books much, because I don't like the idea of the hero not knowing he has a child so long. In this case, I don't blame the heroine because of the circumstances. But that is probably one of the most memorable reactions I've read thus far.
This book is super intense and passionate and emotional. You can't help but feel for both Rebecca and Jay. Jay really has this powerful hate/love thing going for Rebecca. I didn't like when he slapped her, but otherwise, I think he mostly treated her very well (other than a couple of nasty things he says to her). He was definitely obsessed with Rebecca. It makes you wonder how he managed to stay away from her for ten long years. Jay had a way of using his sexuality to affect/manipulate Rebecca. I guess on one level that is a pet peeve of mine (I don't like manipulative characters/people), but it didn't bother as much because it's obvious how deeply in love and susceptible to Rebecca he was.
I was kind of iffy about him seducing a sixteen-year-old as a twenty-three year old. I know the age of consent is lower in Europe and there are plenty of teens having sex in the US, but it still made me cringe. I think it helps that Rebecca seemed mature for her age, but still.
I liked how much Kit, their son was in the book. I think anytime a book is about a family with kids, the kids should have a significant role in the book. I don't believe in making children plot points in a story.
I liked how Rebecca had to face her mother and learn to forgive her mother for something that she did that was very wrong. It wasn't as hard as one would expect, because Rebecca had always wanted to have a close relationship with her mother, but her mother was old fashioned and chained by her antiquated societal beliefs. It was good to see them mend fences.
I liked the way the supposed OW was dealt with, especially her poisonous lies and character assassination of Rebecca. While Jay's father wasn't alive to deal with his part in the situation, I think that otherwise, the past situation was laid to rest in a satisfactory way.
In my mind, this is classic Michelle Reid. An emotionally intense and passionate read that sucks you in. There is nothing tepid about the rocky and passionate relationship between Rebecca and Jay, and for a good escapist read, I wouldn't have it any other way.
January 1, 2022
It would have been 4 stars for the angst, but I gave 3 because I couldn’t get past the fact that she was 16, and he 23, that she was fatherless and that her mother was the hero’s governess.
All this means a relationship up/down where he holds all the power. And he should have known better.
The heroine was 16 when the hero basically seduced her and had sex with her for all his summer holidays.
Yes, his holidays, since she was working as a maid in ow’s house.
And in her free time he shagged her, while partying with ow because the heroine is no good enough to be seen with.
Prince Charming isn’t he.
Then, promising her everlasting love, he flies to America for one whole year. Yes, he’ll be back and yes, they will marry, he says.
But.
The heroine is pregnant and she writes the hero.
After some days his father calls her, basically calls her a slut and gives her a cheque to abort the child because his son told him the baby is not his and he does want to be bothered with her.
What a darling couple( of bastard sob).
Her mother. Her mother was the worst.
Because when your 16 year old fatherless child is pregger because that swine of your boss’ son carelessly impregnated her without an ounce of consideration for the fact that both mother and daughter were his employees and then to be cared for, not used for his filthy pleasures, then discarded when no more useful, she should have been a pillar of strength for her teenage daughter and she should have smashed the face of her boss with - for example- the iron bucket of water she used to clean his floor for daring insult a girl not of age while his bastard son was away enjoying himself.
And what does she do?
She tells her daughter to have a termination and to go away.
She basically sends away her teenage pregnant daughter.
Please call the social worker.
And the lawyer because there are reasons to incriminate the sob hero of abuse or rape, since the girl was neglected and 16!
Ok, I’m being a drama queen.
But my god couldn’t MR at least make the heroine 18????
Or 17 and a half…
Whatever.
Thank god the girl has guts and she soon becomes a fashion stylist with a flourish business and she gives birth to a wonderful son, all alone, with the help of some friends and of her intellect and spirit.
Ten years later her w***e of a mother is ill and she decides to go back and see her.
And that is where I almost crashed my kindle on the wall.
Why? But why????
She was the worst mother alive and you go back to her?did she care about you when you were alone pregnant and 16?
Ok, ok.
She finds the hero who is now an angry prick and he slut shames her and throws accusations at her for being the worst daughter alive.
Looks like mother from hell and his father told him she went away to terminate another man’s child and nobody saw her since.
A girl of 16???
The man has no brains (and no balls)
There’s still ow, whom the hero never married, but she’s still hanging around the hero like a jackal on a carcass.
There are nasty moments between hero and heroine because of many misunderstandings.
He thinks she left him and went to terminate their child, she thinks he asked his father to get rid of her and their child.
Unfortunately there’s also the old sexual chemistry that I find disgusting especially when there is so much hate and contempt between two people. But this is also MR’s signature.
Body seems disconnected from mind.
Meh.
The heroine fails me when she immediately forgives her sick mother and promises she will live with her.
Why????
I understand that maybe after so many years the heroine wants closure and so is willing to forgive and forget all the evil she received from her mother but I can’t understand why she should want her in her life.
It’s not necessary to live with people who hurt us.
You can forgive them but then you send them on their way.
It’s called moving on and surviving.
Soon we understand that both hero and heroine were deceived.
The heroine sent the letter but she gave her to ow to post it because it was raining. The poor naive idiot heroine.
So of course ow never posted it and she went straight to hero’s father to tell him the heroine was pregnant with om’s child and she wanted to pass it as the hero’s.
The hero came back from USA because he couldn’t get in touch with heroine and they all lied to him.
He tried to find her but he wasn’t able. So he simply thinks she didn’t want him and his child.
The heroine doesn’t tell him he has a child, not immediately.
Eventually the hero finds out the truth and all is well.
He marries the heroine, is happy with their son and that bitch of heroine’s mother and ow is sent out of everybody’s life.
Ok, the angst was good, the book was good, the hero and the heroine were both victims of their parents and ow.
Ow was delusional because the hero never even touched her in ten years, and all she did was for nothing.
He was stuck with heroine’s memories and so she was.
Their son was lovely and cute and there’s a very moving scene where he talks to his mother revealing all his doubt and anxiety about his newly discovered father.
MR is very good at this.
The hero was a whimp.
He failed the heroine and used her carelessly.
Not an alpha man at all.
The heroine was good until she got back to her town, where she regressed to a former and more stupid self, suffering from tbs and lack of calcium.
The celibacy is not so clear, for him.
She of course was celibate as a nun but it seems that he didn’t move on either because there are hints that it’s been so long, that she moves some sense he didn’t remember having and most of all because he never helped himself with ow who was basically living with him, so I think he was celibate too.
At least he wasn’t a womanizer.
(But he had sex with a 16 yo girl, my god!)
All this means a relationship up/down where he holds all the power. And he should have known better.
The heroine was 16 when the hero basically seduced her and had sex with her for all his summer holidays.
Yes, his holidays, since she was working as a maid in ow’s house.
And in her free time he shagged her, while partying with ow because the heroine is no good enough to be seen with.
Prince Charming isn’t he.
Then, promising her everlasting love, he flies to America for one whole year. Yes, he’ll be back and yes, they will marry, he says.
But.
The heroine is pregnant and she writes the hero.
After some days his father calls her, basically calls her a slut and gives her a cheque to abort the child because his son told him the baby is not his and he does want to be bothered with her.
What a darling couple( of bastard sob).
Her mother. Her mother was the worst.
Because when your 16 year old fatherless child is pregger because that swine of your boss’ son carelessly impregnated her without an ounce of consideration for the fact that both mother and daughter were his employees and then to be cared for, not used for his filthy pleasures, then discarded when no more useful, she should have been a pillar of strength for her teenage daughter and she should have smashed the face of her boss with - for example- the iron bucket of water she used to clean his floor for daring insult a girl not of age while his bastard son was away enjoying himself.
And what does she do?
She tells her daughter to have a termination and to go away.
She basically sends away her teenage pregnant daughter.
Please call the social worker.
And the lawyer because there are reasons to incriminate the sob hero of abuse or rape, since the girl was neglected and 16!
Ok, I’m being a drama queen.
But my god couldn’t MR at least make the heroine 18????
Or 17 and a half…
Whatever.
Thank god the girl has guts and she soon becomes a fashion stylist with a flourish business and she gives birth to a wonderful son, all alone, with the help of some friends and of her intellect and spirit.
Ten years later her w***e of a mother is ill and she decides to go back and see her.
And that is where I almost crashed my kindle on the wall.
Why? But why????
She was the worst mother alive and you go back to her?did she care about you when you were alone pregnant and 16?
Ok, ok.
She finds the hero who is now an angry prick and he slut shames her and throws accusations at her for being the worst daughter alive.
Looks like mother from hell and his father told him she went away to terminate another man’s child and nobody saw her since.
A girl of 16???
The man has no brains (and no balls)
There’s still ow, whom the hero never married, but she’s still hanging around the hero like a jackal on a carcass.
There are nasty moments between hero and heroine because of many misunderstandings.
He thinks she left him and went to terminate their child, she thinks he asked his father to get rid of her and their child.
Unfortunately there’s also the old sexual chemistry that I find disgusting especially when there is so much hate and contempt between two people. But this is also MR’s signature.
Body seems disconnected from mind.
Meh.
The heroine fails me when she immediately forgives her sick mother and promises she will live with her.
Why????
I understand that maybe after so many years the heroine wants closure and so is willing to forgive and forget all the evil she received from her mother but I can’t understand why she should want her in her life.
It’s not necessary to live with people who hurt us.
You can forgive them but then you send them on their way.
It’s called moving on and surviving.
Soon we understand that both hero and heroine were deceived.
The heroine sent the letter but she gave her to ow to post it because it was raining. The poor naive idiot heroine.
So of course ow never posted it and she went straight to hero’s father to tell him the heroine was pregnant with om’s child and she wanted to pass it as the hero’s.
The hero came back from USA because he couldn’t get in touch with heroine and they all lied to him.
He tried to find her but he wasn’t able. So he simply thinks she didn’t want him and his child.
The heroine doesn’t tell him he has a child, not immediately.
Eventually the hero finds out the truth and all is well.
He marries the heroine, is happy with their son and that bitch of heroine’s mother and ow is sent out of everybody’s life.
Ok, the angst was good, the book was good, the hero and the heroine were both victims of their parents and ow.
Ow was delusional because the hero never even touched her in ten years, and all she did was for nothing.
He was stuck with heroine’s memories and so she was.
Their son was lovely and cute and there’s a very moving scene where he talks to his mother revealing all his doubt and anxiety about his newly discovered father.
MR is very good at this.
The hero was a whimp.
He failed the heroine and used her carelessly.
Not an alpha man at all.
The heroine was good until she got back to her town, where she regressed to a former and more stupid self, suffering from tbs and lack of calcium.
The celibacy is not so clear, for him.
She of course was celibate as a nun but it seems that he didn’t move on either because there are hints that it’s been so long, that she moves some sense he didn’t remember having and most of all because he never helped himself with ow who was basically living with him, so I think he was celibate too.
At least he wasn’t a womanizer.
(But he had sex with a 16 yo girl, my god!)
June 17, 2017
It says a lot about an author's writing when there is a couple of major things I hate about the book and it still ends up with a 4 star.
Heroine is 16. I hate this with such venom that I could puke, collect it and imagine throwing it violently at the H. Unless he was 18/19, then ok, I can get with the program. Hormones. Youth. Got it. But he's NOT. He's about 23. And worse, we find out later in the story that her mum kind of guessed thier sexual relations and so did the nice gardener but instead of enlisting him on the sex offender directory, all kept quiet because he's from some high class family and all in all, kind of a decent guy. Worst of all, he's had inappropriate feelings for her for a long time. He kisses her roughly and fondled her boobs in a fit of jealous rage when she was just 15!
So I almost chucked the book but thought what the heck, I'll read the whole thing then crucify the book in my review. But now look who's eating humble pie. By the end of the book, you can tell the Hero is no sexual predator just blindly in love, and boy, does he redeem himself. In my eyes, anyway.
Won't ruin it with too many details so I'll just say there is a series of dramatic events and misunderstandings that ends with her leaving while pregnant with his child and staying away for 10 years not informing a single soul that she's had the baby. But now her mother is taken ill so she needs to come back to the scene of her humilation. She's resentful of everyone who abandoned her at her time of need. But slowly everything unravels and the painful process of forgiving begins for Rebecca, Jay, our dear hero (see how I've changed my tune) and her own mother as the truth unfolds.
Second thing I disliked was the time period. 10 years apart means an older child which means you can't gloss it over, and I hate angst when it involves children. I'd prefer them out of the drama. But to Reid's credit, she captures the untidiness of it all quite well.
But I had mixed feelings about the slap he gave her. 10 years was a long time to be parted from his son and yes, she had never intended to tell him so part of me cheered on behalf of all the heros who didn't get to slap the stupid heroines who didn't tell of their baby for the dumbest reasons. But on the other hand, Rebecca was justified for her snippy attitude so I disliked that she took it without so much as a murmur.
I loved how Jay was so tortured about not knowing of his son and immediately wanted to hear his son's voice and straightaway went to see him as soon as he knew of his paternity. Also liked how Jay confessed his love way before Rebecca did and understood how they had all let her down and gave her time to heal.
Read this for a strong, likeable heroine and a nice comprehensive storyline.
Heroine is 16. I hate this with such venom that I could puke, collect it and imagine throwing it violently at the H. Unless he was 18/19, then ok, I can get with the program. Hormones. Youth. Got it. But he's NOT. He's about 23. And worse, we find out later in the story that her mum kind of guessed thier sexual relations and so did the nice gardener but instead of enlisting him on the sex offender directory, all kept quiet because he's from some high class family and all in all, kind of a decent guy. Worst of all, he's had inappropriate feelings for her for a long time. He kisses her roughly and fondled her boobs in a fit of jealous rage when she was just 15!
So I almost chucked the book but thought what the heck, I'll read the whole thing then crucify the book in my review. But now look who's eating humble pie. By the end of the book, you can tell the Hero is no sexual predator just blindly in love, and boy, does he redeem himself. In my eyes, anyway.
Won't ruin it with too many details so I'll just say there is a series of dramatic events and misunderstandings that ends with her leaving while pregnant with his child and staying away for 10 years not informing a single soul that she's had the baby. But now her mother is taken ill so she needs to come back to the scene of her humilation. She's resentful of everyone who abandoned her at her time of need. But slowly everything unravels and the painful process of forgiving begins for Rebecca, Jay, our dear hero (see how I've changed my tune) and her own mother as the truth unfolds.
Second thing I disliked was the time period. 10 years apart means an older child which means you can't gloss it over, and I hate angst when it involves children. I'd prefer them out of the drama. But to Reid's credit, she captures the untidiness of it all quite well.
But I had mixed feelings about the slap he gave her. 10 years was a long time to be parted from his son and yes, she had never intended to tell him so part of me cheered on behalf of all the heros who didn't get to slap the stupid heroines who didn't tell of their baby for the dumbest reasons. But on the other hand, Rebecca was justified for her snippy attitude so I disliked that she took it without so much as a murmur.
I loved how Jay was so tortured about not knowing of his son and immediately wanted to hear his son's voice and straightaway went to see him as soon as he knew of his paternity. Also liked how Jay confessed his love way before Rebecca did and understood how they had all let her down and gave her time to heal.
Read this for a strong, likeable heroine and a nice comprehensive storyline.
September 7, 2011
I like this book just for the novelty of it.
The heroine is the housekeepers daughter, she and the boss's son start something up. Of course he has to date the neighbor and take her to all the events because he can't take the heroine. For one thing she's too young..16? to his 20.
His father wants him to start from the bottom up in the company so he goes to America for a year to do just that. The heroine finds out she's pregnant and writes to him. What follows is so stupid that it can only happen in a book because people in real life are NEVER that stupid. Anyway, the heroine is hauled up before the hero's father who tells her he's heard from his son that she's claiming to be pregnant with his child. But he knows that she's been ho-ing her way through the village and it's not his kid. So he gives her money for an abortion and kicks her out. Her mother tells her to take the money and leave because she never wants to see her again.
Heroine takes the money, leaves, does not have an abortion, goes to London and becomes homeless. Then she manages to get some money and start up her own business which becomes successful. Years later there's a letter in the paper asking her to call home because her mother is sick.
So the book starts with the heroine going home, but hiding her son away, to see her sick mother who'd kicked her out.
What I loved about the book is how horrible everyone was. How the heroine didn't land on her feet, she struggled, she was homeless etc. The only thing that could have shocked me more is if the heroine had to resort to prostitution. It would have worked in this book for me.
The heroine is the housekeepers daughter, she and the boss's son start something up. Of course he has to date the neighbor and take her to all the events because he can't take the heroine. For one thing she's too young..16? to his 20.
His father wants him to start from the bottom up in the company so he goes to America for a year to do just that. The heroine finds out she's pregnant and writes to him. What follows is so stupid that it can only happen in a book because people in real life are NEVER that stupid. Anyway, the heroine is hauled up before the hero's father who tells her he's heard from his son that she's claiming to be pregnant with his child. But he knows that she's been ho-ing her way through the village and it's not his kid. So he gives her money for an abortion and kicks her out. Her mother tells her to take the money and leave because she never wants to see her again.
Heroine takes the money, leaves, does not have an abortion, goes to London and becomes homeless. Then she manages to get some money and start up her own business which becomes successful. Years later there's a letter in the paper asking her to call home because her mother is sick.
So the book starts with the heroine going home, but hiding her son away, to see her sick mother who'd kicked her out.
What I loved about the book is how horrible everyone was. How the heroine didn't land on her feet, she struggled, she was homeless etc. The only thing that could have shocked me more is if the heroine had to resort to prostitution. It would have worked in this book for me.
April 1, 2014
Good angsty story but it really needed an epilogue. Plus hero lost 10 years of his sons life. I wanted to seem them bonding accepting and loving each other. I felt that Kit never accepted his father and that was kind of sad. Bittersweet book.
December 22, 2017
I just love this book. I just reread it and gave it a higher score. I was just so glad that he never slept with Olivia the snake. I really hated the hero when he found out about his son and was so mean to her. He actually hit her and that was inexcusable. I understand why he was angry but it was just so awful. And then at the end, he said he knew that the baby wasn't Joe's but he treated her like he didn't know. That was confusing. I did like that he really really loved her and let her know that he did eventually. Way before she said it to him too. I loved when they went back to the river where they fell in love at the end to reaffirm their love. That was an AHHHH moment for me. It really was a great story.
Unfortunately, this book reminded me about another book I had read about a couple looking for their son and going back to the place where they had made love the first time and the little boy was there. Now I have to try and remember the name. Drats.
Unfortunately, this book reminded me about another book I had read about a couple looking for their son and going back to the place where they had made love the first time and the little boy was there. Now I have to try and remember the name. Drats.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2025
4.5 - 5 stars!
Ay, dios mio!
What an emotional rollercoaster that was!
And I loved every bit of it.
That book was like an angsty 30-year-old Spanish telenovela on steroids, all 3000 episodes squeezed into 195 pages.
And we have it all here.
A secret love affair between a well-educated and coming from the upper class future heir to the manor and the family business and a maid's underage daughter? ✔
An evil meddling of a despicable OW who always wanted in the hero's pants that results in the couple's separating for 10 years? ✔
A secret child the hero learns about after a decade of being lied to? ✔
A hero slapping a heroine? ✔>
Secrets, betrayal, evil family members? ✔✔✔
And last but not least, all the misunderstandings explained so our lovebirds can finally be together? Plus, some good grovel from the hero? ✔✔
All in all, I gotta admit I inhaled it in one sitting because the angst level is perfect and it's clear that these two not only have loved each other forever but also belong together and should never be separate.
It was a great read.
And it probably should be somewhere around 4 stars but when I think of the level of my entertainment it's gotta be 5.
Hence my rating.
Ay, dios mio!
What an emotional rollercoaster that was!
And I loved every bit of it.
That book was like an angsty 30-year-old Spanish telenovela on steroids, all 3000 episodes squeezed into 195 pages.
And we have it all here.
A secret love affair between a well-educated and coming from the upper class future heir to the manor and the family business and a maid's underage daughter? ✔
An evil meddling of a despicable OW who always wanted in the hero's pants that results in the couple's separating for 10 years? ✔
A secret child the hero learns about after a decade of being lied to? ✔
A hero slapping a heroine? ✔>
Secrets, betrayal, evil family members? ✔✔✔
And last but not least, all the misunderstandings explained so our lovebirds can finally be together? Plus, some good grovel from the hero? ✔✔
All in all, I gotta admit I inhaled it in one sitting because the angst level is perfect and it's clear that these two not only have loved each other forever but also belong together and should never be separate.
It was a great read.
And it probably should be somewhere around 4 stars but when I think of the level of my entertainment it's gotta be 5.
Hence my rating.
December 14, 2024
I’m reading it again and the mother’s cruelty strikes me more this time. What kind of mother abandons her own teenaged child when she’s pregnant?
The way the mother and the Lord of the manor (boss) called and talked to the heroine. On deeper thought it seems to me that the mother was that man’s mistress.
He was sleeping with his housekeeper but not ready to marry her. Why else would the housekeeper’s child run about freely with the master’s son otherwise?
The heroine rode the horses and played/hobnobbed with the hero.
The hero accords the mother some respect too.
Very horrible selfish woman basically.
*******
Jay is the son of the Lord of the manor. Becky is the housekeeper’s daughter. There is disparity in their ages.
He has had her under his wing since she was quite small. Accepting her hero worship as his due.
Till she is in her teens and he sees her kissing the local lothario. A wave of anger comes over him. How could she go to anyone else. She belongs to him perhaps? He shouts at her for being promiscuous and promptly kisses her.
A year later, the girl is still sixteen mind you, they become lovers. They are in love and it’s all very heady and joyous till he leaves for America asking her to wait for him.
Becky finds that she’s pregnant. She writes a letter to Jay which is intercepted by the other woman. At other woman’s machinations, Jay’s father calls Becky and gives her a cheque and tells her to get lost. Becky’s mother is too weak to either stand up for her or to leave with her daughter. She chooses herself rather than her own child.
Ten years later the mother is sick. Jay puts in a notice in the papers. Becky sees it and comes back. They both find they are still attracted to each other. He is still single. Becky is having phone conversations twice a day with a man named Kit .
Jay is jealous. Jay is scared Becky will walk out on him again.
I wish I was reading this book again for the first time. The way this man loves this woman. Or she him. Mind blowing.
Anyway. They sort it all. Other woman is questioned at end by Jay for having taken away ten years from both their lives. All ends well.
Quite well written. Who could have written it better? Why me of course!!!
Anyway if you love angsty romances which have a borderline taboo relationship. The girl is a nymphette and the man older. This one is for you.
The way the mother and the Lord of the manor (boss) called and talked to the heroine. On deeper thought it seems to me that the mother was that man’s mistress.
He was sleeping with his housekeeper but not ready to marry her. Why else would the housekeeper’s child run about freely with the master’s son otherwise?
The heroine rode the horses and played/hobnobbed with the hero.
The hero accords the mother some respect too.
Very horrible selfish woman basically.
*******
Jay is the son of the Lord of the manor. Becky is the housekeeper’s daughter. There is disparity in their ages.
He has had her under his wing since she was quite small. Accepting her hero worship as his due.
Till she is in her teens and he sees her kissing the local lothario. A wave of anger comes over him. How could she go to anyone else. She belongs to him perhaps? He shouts at her for being promiscuous and promptly kisses her.
A year later, the girl is still sixteen mind you, they become lovers. They are in love and it’s all very heady and joyous till he leaves for America asking her to wait for him.
Becky finds that she’s pregnant. She writes a letter to Jay which is intercepted by the other woman. At other woman’s machinations, Jay’s father calls Becky and gives her a cheque and tells her to get lost. Becky’s mother is too weak to either stand up for her or to leave with her daughter. She chooses herself rather than her own child.
Ten years later the mother is sick. Jay puts in a notice in the papers. Becky sees it and comes back. They both find they are still attracted to each other. He is still single. Becky is having phone conversations twice a day with a man named Kit .
Jay is jealous. Jay is scared Becky will walk out on him again.
I wish I was reading this book again for the first time. The way this man loves this woman. Or she him. Mind blowing.
Anyway. They sort it all. Other woman is questioned at end by Jay for having taken away ten years from both their lives. All ends well.
Quite well written. Who could have written it better? Why me of course!!!
Anyway if you love angsty romances which have a borderline taboo relationship. The girl is a nymphette and the man older. This one is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2017
“ The Dark Side of Desire” is the story Rebecca and Jay.
The book involves a teenage couple madly in love, separated for years by lies of evil family and friends and reuniting by circumstances in a whirl of passion.
I really liked all the three characters- Rebecca, Jay and Kit. There is so much love and angst- but very justifiable.
Yeah there’s a slap scene and loads of “bitch” but his anger was justifiable. On the other hand, the heroine was a strong successful lady.. well until she was overwhelmed by passion.
There is a good deal of drama and crazy ow, but all is solved in the end.
Also liked that Kit had a say in things.
Safe?
4/5
The book involves a teenage couple madly in love, separated for years by lies of evil family and friends and reuniting by circumstances in a whirl of passion.
I really liked all the three characters- Rebecca, Jay and Kit. There is so much love and angst- but very justifiable.
Yeah there’s a slap scene and loads of “bitch” but his anger was justifiable. On the other hand, the heroine was a strong successful lady.. well until she was overwhelmed by passion.
There is a good deal of drama and crazy ow, but all is solved in the end.
Also liked that Kit had a say in things.
Safe?
4/5
October 1, 2011
Awesome read. As a teen, Rebecca loves Jay, and she believes he returns her love. After he leaves the country on business, she finds herself pregnant, and writes to him. The letter is stolen by jealous Olivia, and Rebecca is ultimately forced to leave home and have her baby alone.Ten years go by before the two lovers meet again. With Olivia is still around, trying to cause harm again,trying to re-start the rumors
Jay-Rebecca both truly loved each other but manipulations,lies n deceit destroyed their love and along with their love Rebecca even lost her only close relative her mother when her mother finds out she is pregnant with Jay's child she choses her loyalty over her motherhood,Rebecca is shattered n she leaves but she builds a new life for herself
The book was good the only thing that disturbed me was the violent reaction of Jay when he finds out he has a son n he is so angry he bitter he calls Rebecca"Bitch" n says lots of aweful hurtful things
Anyways by the end everything is sorted out and i blame somewhat Jay whatever happened before 10 years
Recommend it
Jay-Rebecca both truly loved each other but manipulations,lies n deceit destroyed their love and along with their love Rebecca even lost her only close relative her mother when her mother finds out she is pregnant with Jay's child she choses her loyalty over her motherhood,Rebecca is shattered n she leaves but she builds a new life for herself
The book was good the only thing that disturbed me was the violent reaction of Jay when he finds out he has a son n he is so angry he bitter he calls Rebecca"Bitch" n says lots of aweful hurtful things
Anyways by the end everything is sorted out and i blame somewhat Jay whatever happened before 10 years
Recommend it
June 9, 2014
This was another good, angsty MR HP. The hero wasn't an asshat in this, which is often the case. He certainly acted like one at times, but it was clearly not his true nature. All the conflict/misunderstanding was the result of the manipulations of others. The poor h was put through the ringer. Lots of angst and I did like how the H handled the situation once he realized that she'd never betrayed him. Still, I'm not sure how he couldn't find her as he claimed he'd tried to do during the 10yrs she was supposedly "missing". The author could have at least had the h living under an assumed name or something like that. It's not like England is a giant country. Anyway, that's just a small quibble.
I still think her mother was a POS and too easily forgiven. You don't kick out your pregnant 16-yr-old and leave her to the mercy of the world just to save your own comfortable existence.
I still think her mother was a POS and too easily forgiven. You don't kick out your pregnant 16-yr-old and leave her to the mercy of the world just to save your own comfortable existence.
May 4, 2015
4.5 stars
Michelle Reid's books are either a big hit or a giant miss for me. This one hit almost all I wanted except a public humiliation of the OW. Well written, likable, well developed characters, sound plot. good amount of angst.
Michelle Reid's books are either a big hit or a giant miss for me. This one hit almost all I wanted except a public humiliation of the OW. Well written, likable, well developed characters, sound plot. good amount of angst.
November 14, 2016
Ridiculous and stupid. Oh, and there's the fact that the hero gets the heroine pregnant when she is 16 and he is 23 years old. In the Western world he would be considered a pedophile.
Want grosser than that? Consider the fact that he had been sticking his tongue down her throat since she was 15 and he was 22!!!!!
As for the storyline it was completely and utterly implausible, unbelievable and just plain stupid. Home girl finds out that she is pregnant while the hero is away in America. She writes a letter to the hero telling him that she is pregnant and gives the letter to her enemy to mail, huh??!!
The bitch enemy who happens to be in love with the hero, and treats the heroine like an uneducated peasant. Of course she never mailed the letter -- like I couldn't see that coming from 10,000 miles away.
Anyways, The heroine runs away and only returns home 10 years later when her mother becomes sick.
I won't even bother detailing the rest it was so predictable and lame and contrived. Don't waste your time or your money.
Want grosser than that? Consider the fact that he had been sticking his tongue down her throat since she was 15 and he was 22!!!!!
As for the storyline it was completely and utterly implausible, unbelievable and just plain stupid. Home girl finds out that she is pregnant while the hero is away in America. She writes a letter to the hero telling him that she is pregnant and gives the letter to her enemy to mail, huh??!!
The bitch enemy who happens to be in love with the hero, and treats the heroine like an uneducated peasant. Of course she never mailed the letter -- like I couldn't see that coming from 10,000 miles away.
Anyways, The heroine runs away and only returns home 10 years later when her mother becomes sick.
I won't even bother detailing the rest it was so predictable and lame and contrived. Don't waste your time or your money.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2013
Still on a reunion binge at the moment. I love this story of young love betrayed and the strength of that love even after ten years apart.
Jay and Rebecca were young lovers at the opposite end of the social divide, he the favoured son and she the housekeepers daughter. The machinations of those around them tore them apart and left them both bitter and angry.
When they meet again, that emotion explodes, but cannot hide the strong attraction they still feel. When Rebecca's long held secret is revealed, it becomes a weapon for Jay to get Rebecca exactly where he wants her.
I loved this story which had all the emotional buttons and a beautiful happy ending.
Jay and Rebecca were young lovers at the opposite end of the social divide, he the favoured son and she the housekeepers daughter. The machinations of those around them tore them apart and left them both bitter and angry.
When they meet again, that emotion explodes, but cannot hide the strong attraction they still feel. When Rebecca's long held secret is revealed, it becomes a weapon for Jay to get Rebecca exactly where he wants her.
I loved this story which had all the emotional buttons and a beautiful happy ending.
October 14, 2013
Full Review at The Dark Side of Desire (Paperback)
October 13, 2012
This was a fairly entertaining read. At least 3.5 stars rounded up if not a firm 4.
The h, Rebecca, is the lowly housekeeper's daughter who grows up coming in second to the rich and snotty employers of her parents. The H, Jay, is the snots' emotionally neglected son who looks past the h's lower status and falls in love with her and they have a secret summer of love when she's 16 and he's 23. (FYI, we're not to be horrified by the statutory rape angle. It's a non-issue here ;D).
The very minute he is sent to America by his father, the h turns up pregnant and thinks she has been deserted by the H to face this alone, not to mention everyone is accusing her of spreading it around and just pinning someone else's baby on the H. The h is sent out of town on a rail with a big fat check and a demand from everyone, including her mother, to abort the baby and never return. The way it was played, nobody could blame the h for hitting the road and never looking back.
Ten years fly by and like all lucky teen mothers, the h has made a famous success of herself. Having disappeared from the face of the earth, nobody from her previous life has any way to contact her but to put a notice in the paper begging her to return because her mother is on her last leg.
Then there's the ensuing reunion and all the drama of figuring out how the past occurred. The H's ballistic melt-down when he first finds out about his son (who happens to be the spitting image of him, thus putting aside any doubts of the child's parentage) and his drive to put things right and be a family was highly entertaining. I also enjoyed the uber evilness of the lying and conniving OW who gets her legs publically cut out from underneath her at the end to our satisfaction. No irritating understanding and forgiveness in this one, no siree!
So, this one come highly recommended as just a good story without too many dark themes...other than the slap by the H during his freakout and the huge age difference between them when she was a tender teen. Despite those little tidbits, H actually comes across as a good guy who you could tell still loved the h, which more than compensates for any annoying slips in character by the H, so do feel free to enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2021
I pulled this one off the pile as part of my Old/Vintage HP Binge today. And I'm glad that I did. It has all the elements that make the older HP books packed a mighty punch! The anger, the angst, and the passion all sucked me in that I read it in one sitting - to the point that I've forgotten about my lunch. I was completely moved, and my heart broke while reading this love story of Jay and Rebecca. Their love for each other radiates off the pages even after ten long years. The Dark Side of Desire was a beautiful story about second chances, doing what’s best for you and your family, love, and forgiveness. It was full of raw emotion and left me with a smile on my face.
June 28, 2020
She could run . . . but she couldn't hide.
No longer the shattered teenager who had left Thornley vowing never to return, Rebecca Shaw had come to terms with the legacy of Jay Lorence's betrayal and had built a new life on HER terms. But her mother needed her now--and nothing could keep Rebecca from going home.
Ten years melted in Jay's embrace; his kiss reopened old wounds and ignited forgotten temptations. Every instinct warned her to run before her hard-worked-for peace and stability came crashing down.
Rebecca had a new life--one she had no intention of letting Jay invade. But keeping a man like Jay at arm's length was next to impossible--especially when it wasn't what she really wanted to do.
No longer the shattered teenager who had left Thornley vowing never to return, Rebecca Shaw had come to terms with the legacy of Jay Lorence's betrayal and had built a new life on HER terms. But her mother needed her now--and nothing could keep Rebecca from going home.
Ten years melted in Jay's embrace; his kiss reopened old wounds and ignited forgotten temptations. Every instinct warned her to run before her hard-worked-for peace and stability came crashing down.
Rebecca had a new life--one she had no intention of letting Jay invade. But keeping a man like Jay at arm's length was next to impossible--especially when it wasn't what she really wanted to do.
June 12, 2021
Re read 2021
March 21, 2017
He hit her... and she apologized!?!?
April 14, 2023
Lawd. We have another one that I would have really enjoyed... except for all the physical violence.
That's a hard no for me and always takes off at least a star. Quiddit old-skool published-30-years-ago romance novels! Quiddit.
Excepting that, this would have been a pretty decent novel. I actually felt like Jay truly loved Rebecca. And despite all the "traitorous body" and "punishing kisses" stuff that is to be expected with these books, Rebecca gave him a pretty good run for his money.
Years ago, Jay and Rebecca fell in love. There's a squicky age difference, with him at 23 and her at 16, and after he leaves for some sort of ephemeral further education in America, she finds out she's preggers. She's convinced that Jay knows about the baby (and really, some critical thinking should have come into play here and put at least a few doubts in her head somewhere along the way) and is told by his father to "get rid of it." We have early 90s anti-choice hand-wringing (there's a lot of "you killed your child" language), resulting in a Sekret Behbey, and okay, I'll allow this one. She thinks Jay knew and paid her to abort the baby, so for once I'm okay with the trope.
The thing was, this could have all been resolved with a few conversations midway through the book. The people/events that broke them up were all heavily reliant on the two of them not talking and these two sure did play into those hands.
So there I was, chugging along, enjoying all the crazysauce and silly melodrama, when after finding out that he has a kid out there, Rebecca makes an angry comment about their son being the result of a pump-and-dump (I can't remember the exact words she used), and Jay hauls off and slaps her.
A few minutes later, he makes her call the son he never knew about and she does it, because she's afraid he'll hit her again.
Sigh.
If the author had never done that, I could have kind of gotten behind this couple and would have given this book four stars, in spite of the squicky teenage age difference and the delicate-as-a-house-of-cards reason for their estrangement. Rebecca wasn't a pushover and made Jay work to win her back when she believed he had betrayed her years ago. Jay hadn't actually betrayed her, but decided to work to win her back anyway, because he actually had loved her years ago.
But you know...
That's a hard no for me and always takes off at least a star. Quiddit old-skool published-30-years-ago romance novels! Quiddit.
Excepting that, this would have been a pretty decent novel. I actually felt like Jay truly loved Rebecca. And despite all the "traitorous body" and "punishing kisses" stuff that is to be expected with these books, Rebecca gave him a pretty good run for his money.
Years ago, Jay and Rebecca fell in love. There's a squicky age difference, with him at 23 and her at 16, and after he leaves for some sort of ephemeral further education in America, she finds out she's preggers. She's convinced that Jay knows about the baby (and really, some critical thinking should have come into play here and put at least a few doubts in her head somewhere along the way) and is told by his father to "get rid of it." We have early 90s anti-choice hand-wringing (there's a lot of "you killed your child" language), resulting in a Sekret Behbey, and okay, I'll allow this one. She thinks Jay knew and paid her to abort the baby, so for once I'm okay with the trope.
The thing was, this could have all been resolved with a few conversations midway through the book. The people/events that broke them up were all heavily reliant on the two of them not talking and these two sure did play into those hands.
So there I was, chugging along, enjoying all the crazysauce and silly melodrama, when after finding out that he has a kid out there, Rebecca makes an angry comment about their son being the result of a pump-and-dump (I can't remember the exact words she used), and Jay hauls off and slaps her.
A few minutes later, he makes her call the son he never knew about and she does it, because she's afraid he'll hit her again.
Sigh.
If the author had never done that, I could have kind of gotten behind this couple and would have given this book four stars, in spite of the squicky teenage age difference and the delicate-as-a-house-of-cards reason for their estrangement. Rebecca wasn't a pushover and made Jay work to win her back when she believed he had betrayed her years ago. Jay hadn't actually betrayed her, but decided to work to win her back anyway, because he actually had loved her years ago.
But you know...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2023
Sweet and predictable. I was happy to catch a MR I recall not having ever read (maybe). Trust her to write the most consummate alphas that order you around until you’re that puddle of mush.
This was high on angst but not its intensity. Turns out that on second chance, the H is still a lover and still hasn’t moved on from the h. There wasn’t much of a chase or setting things right even with the great divide between the lordly H and his maid who’s the h.
Jay has been in love with his maid’s daughter for the longest time. They pretty much hung out together - growing up in the same house and all- and he makes all those sweet promises to her before being shipped to the US by his discerning father for obvious reasons. He leaves the h preggers. She tries to contact him but is sent packing with lies and a fat check. She’s heart broken and even her mother who’s still employed at the mansion refuses to accept this grievous sin as served to her.
The h has no option but to take the money and make a run. Ten years down and she’s never returned, single or even as a single mom. There’s a newspaper add summoning her to the H’s castle cuz her mother is now in poor health.
Their second chance is sweet and easy. The h isn’t utterly bitter and the H is all but beyond his bearings to have the love of his life come home. There’s a tyrannosaurus of an elephant in the room.
The H is still quite accepting of what he’s missed out on ten years and there’s a quick and sweet HEA. Ideally I’d have wanted him to be more aggressive and unforgiving before he rolled. Easy reading!
This was high on angst but not its intensity. Turns out that on second chance, the H is still a lover and still hasn’t moved on from the h. There wasn’t much of a chase or setting things right even with the great divide between the lordly H and his maid who’s the h.
Jay has been in love with his maid’s daughter for the longest time. They pretty much hung out together - growing up in the same house and all- and he makes all those sweet promises to her before being shipped to the US by his discerning father for obvious reasons. He leaves the h preggers. She tries to contact him but is sent packing with lies and a fat check. She’s heart broken and even her mother who’s still employed at the mansion refuses to accept this grievous sin as served to her.
The h has no option but to take the money and make a run. Ten years down and she’s never returned, single or even as a single mom. There’s a newspaper add summoning her to the H’s castle cuz her mother is now in poor health.
Their second chance is sweet and easy. The h isn’t utterly bitter and the H is all but beyond his bearings to have the love of his life come home. There’s a tyrannosaurus of an elephant in the room.
The H is still quite accepting of what he’s missed out on ten years and there’s a quick and sweet HEA. Ideally I’d have wanted him to be more aggressive and unforgiving before he rolled. Easy reading!
April 27, 2013
4 1/2 Stars ~ Not yet 17, Rebecca had fallen in love with Jay, 23. They'd grown up together on Jay's family estate - she's the housekeeper's daughter. Having completed his university, Jay's home and they share a glorious summer before he must start working for the family firm but in America. Vowing that after his year away, he'll be back to marry her, Jay leaves. But he's gone barely a week when Becky discovers she's pregnant and so she writes him a frantic letter to come home to her. A week after her letter is posted, she's called to see Jay's father who informs her that Jay called him and asked him to deal with her little problem. The father claimed that Jay doubted the child was his as it was well known she'd carried on with another man and many others too. Giving her money, he insists Becky leave, get rid of the baby and never return. When Becky is told the same from her own mother, she has no recourse but to leave. It's now 10 years later and Rebecca's friend discovers an odd ad in the newspaper. Someone is searching for Rebecca Shaw from Yorkshire as her mother is gravely ill. Though she fearful of opening up the past wounds, Rebecca is compelled to go to her. The last person she wants to see again is Jay, who after his father died several years ago, became the master of the estate and has been looking after her mother. Rebecca's mother has had a mild stroke but during the episode had fallen and broken her hip which became complicated by pneumonia. She's beside herself with guilt and wants Rebecca's forgiveness, believing she had forced her daughter to have an abortion. When she becomes distraught, Rebecca reveals to her mother that she didn't do it and that she has a healthy happy nine-year-old grandson. Of course, Jay overhears this revelation and demands to know if the child is his. He's furious that his child has been kept from him and denies ever receiving a letter from her. But Rebecca hits him hard when she tells him he's lying because then how did his father know what the letter said if not from him. Hit with another betrayal, Jay realizes all that had been done to Rebecca and that he was the one that would have to work to earn her love.
This is one of those angsty wrongfully accused love stories that I adore. Ms. Reid's heroines are usually strong women who have to fight hard to make their way. Rebecca is an admirable woman who made a name for herself as a dress designer while raising her son alone. Through Rebecca's flash back memories it's obvious Jay has always loved his Becky and it is easy to see how tortured he is now knowing he'd been so terribly betrayed by his own father. The scenes where the past is revealed are emotionally intense and build up to a very satisfying HEA.
This is one of those angsty wrongfully accused love stories that I adore. Ms. Reid's heroines are usually strong women who have to fight hard to make their way. Rebecca is an admirable woman who made a name for herself as a dress designer while raising her son alone. Through Rebecca's flash back memories it's obvious Jay has always loved his Becky and it is easy to see how tortured he is now knowing he'd been so terribly betrayed by his own father. The scenes where the past is revealed are emotionally intense and build up to a very satisfying HEA.
April 9, 2014
This one was just so so for me. Somehow I didn't care about the angst quite as much as I have with other MR books. I think because a lot of it was based on miscommunication. Even at the end the story dragged on because the heroine didn't want to tell the hero that his father was the one who sent her away. She had no real reason for that, no reason to try to protect the hero from this knowledge. It just hadn't been set up to be any big deal about the dad and the heroine should have been able to see that the payoff would have been much greater than keeping the secret justified. Oh well. There was at least a sufficient amount of groveling. Although the way that the hero set up the OW made no sense at all. Invite her to a party to show that she was persona non grata? Nope crazy. Hmmm.
October 5, 2017
It was a good one..I really felt too bad for the heroine..She was just 16 & nobody was by her side..Most of all her own mother, inspite of knowing the truth didn't care..Also, in the flashback, hero wanted her not to go with any boy but why did he go with another girl..Ok, even if I understand he could 't take heroine with him due to his father, there was no need for him to go..He could have avoided..Hypocrite..Anyway, other than that it was not his fault what happened with her as we come to know later..Gosh! The way he becomes desperate for his child & how he slaps her...It was a change to see hero do that..But, I didn't like the way he threatened her take their child away, also the seduction.Mostly, I didn't like the 10 year gap..It was way too much..
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