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Women and Men #1
An Independent Woman
Juliana Holcott grew up poor in a joyless household. Only one person ever treated her kindly -- Nicholas Barre, the orphaned heir to the estate, who suffered equally at the hands of their indifferent guardians. But wild, rebellious Nick left home – and Juliana -- while both were still young, and Juliana never thought to see him again.
Forced to seek employment as a lady's companion, Juliana fears she'll never experience for herself what it's like to be young and merry and in love... until she spies Nicholas at a ball, all grown up and more handsome than ever.
Much sought after and newly come into his inheritance, Nick blithely risks society's wrath by befriending her, and when his innocent attentions cause her to lose her position, nobly offers her the only recompense he can – a marriage of convenience.
It now falls to Juliana to prove to the badly scarred Nick that he is capable of emotion. But how will she protect her beloved new husband when it becomes clear someone wants his title... badly enough to kill for it?
Forced to seek employment as a lady's companion, Juliana fears she'll never experience for herself what it's like to be young and merry and in love... until she spies Nicholas at a ball, all grown up and more handsome than ever.
Much sought after and newly come into his inheritance, Nick blithely risks society's wrath by befriending her, and when his innocent attentions cause her to lose her position, nobly offers her the only recompense he can – a marriage of convenience.
It now falls to Juliana to prove to the badly scarred Nick that he is capable of emotion. But how will she protect her beloved new husband when it becomes clear someone wants his title... badly enough to kill for it?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 28, 2006
51 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Candace Camp
121 books1,251 followersCandace Camp is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty books.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
August 9, 2020
This is a DNF for me. There is a lot of head jumping and it is a childhood friends to lovers story but I was just so disappointed in how it was set up. The heroine was so tentative in a boring way and the hero’s first thoughts that I read about were how he was sexually attracted to his childhood friend. It just seemed so shallow and I knew that the story wouldn’t hold me since I didn’t care for the characters at all.
May 4, 2014
Juliana and Nicholas were bffs back in the day; they haven't seen each other for 15 years. Due to Nicholas's attentions, Juliana gets fired, and they end up engaged. AND THEN, MURDER. And feelings, but those are less important because of MURDER.
1. This book is basically mediocre. A lot of the standard writing issues: more telling than showing; some repeated information; a reliance upon ridiculous metaphors that are mostly hilarity and nonsense.
One of the things that really bothered me, however, was the fact that 95% of this novel is told from Juliana's perspective. There is one chapter and a handful of POV switches to Nicholas's perspective. Which was...frustrating. Especially because the narrative from Nicholas's POV keeps hammering away at the fact that he's a ~bad dude and has done ~horrible things. But then it just goes away because it's HEA time, folks!
2. I didn't mind Juliana all that much. She had moments where I almost liked her, but most of the time I was merely tolerating her. UNTIL THIS, when she's wondering why Nicholas won't make sex with her:
3. Ahahah, what the hell was that murder mystery even.
1. This book is basically mediocre. A lot of the standard writing issues: more telling than showing; some repeated information; a reliance upon ridiculous metaphors that are mostly hilarity and nonsense.
One of the things that really bothered me, however, was the fact that 95% of this novel is told from Juliana's perspective. There is one chapter and a handful of POV switches to Nicholas's perspective. Which was...frustrating. Especially because the narrative from Nicholas's POV keeps hammering away at the fact that he's a ~bad dude and has done ~horrible things. But then it just goes away because it's HEA time, folks!
2. I didn't mind Juliana all that much. She had moments where I almost liked her, but most of the time I was merely tolerating her. UNTIL THIS, when she's wondering why Nicholas won't make sex with her:
Was it that she was not pretty enough? she wondered. Was her brown hair too straight, too thick, too ordinary? Or was it that her face was unexceptional, the eyebrows too straight, her nose and mouth pretty but not eye-catching?SERIOUSLY, GIRL. STFU. "OH MAN, is my STRAIGHT, THICK BROWN HAIR NOT ENOUGH?? ARE MY PRETTY NOSE AND MOUTH AND STRAIGHT EYEBROWS UNATTRACTIVE TO HIM?? NEVER MIND THE FACT THAT ALL OUR ENCOUNTERS THUS FAR HAVE BEEN INITIATED BY HIM, BUT I THINK MY BEAUTY THAT MEETS SOCIALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS ISN'T ENOUGH!!! LET ME TALK ABOUT IT SOME MORE!!"
3. Ahahah, what the hell was that murder mystery even.
October 19, 2010
This is my first Candace Camp and I picked it up because I have been on the hunt for A Hidden Heart for my mother. The other Candace Camp books didn't interest me, but the title intrigued me. This book was a fun, quick read, that had little history and the right amount of romance.
The selling point of this book is the description of Juliana and Nick. Admittedly, at the beginning I tired of Juliana's constant wondering "Will he remember me? Won't he remember me? What if I don't meet his expectations?" Given that she is an independent woman, having made her way for years as a lady's companion to nice (and not-so-nice) employers, that grated on my nerves a bit.
I adored the fact that Camp didn't have them jump into bed right away. This book is a great example of a romance which allows the characters to get to know one another as people, to discover their personalities, their complements and clashes, before any hanky-panky begins. Their grudging respect for one another even while pissed off is what kept me smiling and reading; it's what made them real for me.
Originally posted at my blog, http://worderella.com/2010/10/book-an...
The selling point of this book is the description of Juliana and Nick. Admittedly, at the beginning I tired of Juliana's constant wondering "Will he remember me? Won't he remember me? What if I don't meet his expectations?" Given that she is an independent woman, having made her way for years as a lady's companion to nice (and not-so-nice) employers, that grated on my nerves a bit.
I adored the fact that Camp didn't have them jump into bed right away. This book is a great example of a romance which allows the characters to get to know one another as people, to discover their personalities, their complements and clashes, before any hanky-panky begins. Their grudging respect for one another even while pissed off is what kept me smiling and reading; it's what made them real for me.
Originally posted at my blog, http://worderella.com/2010/10/book-an...
April 5, 2016
Francamente fue demasiado lento, las cosas pasaban cada mil años y soy de esas personas que les gusta que las cosas se digan sin tanto preámbulo. Aparte de que el asesino fue obvio a morir no me gusto. Los protagonistas decían no quererse pero s la de menos se besaban y la declaración de amor fue totalmente increíble, (no en buena forma) así que ñeeeee...
March 1, 2017
Kinda boring.
August 2, 2021
NB: Reviewer's note... After some reflection, I am reinstating the reviews I had deleted and will hold off on deleting the rest. I will link to an explanation at my blog page ASAP.
----------------
Yeah, I didn't care for this one. The way I would actually characterize this book would be 'all over the place' (I explain this below). I was pretty disappointed, honestly.
Good points:
Characterization: I didn't hate the two main characters. I liked that the main (female) character/heroine was independent and had made her own life in a man's world, rather than accept her family's 'generosity'. I liked the fact that she knew how to be a kind and compassionate person: for example, even though her aunt and other relatives were truly awful, she tried to get along with them as much as possible and did not want them thrown out of the house (i.e. the house which was now her husband's).
(I will mention in passing, in case things become confusing, that there are three sets of cousins. There are a brother and sister whose parents took in two other children who are cousins of the first two, with the latter two being the main male and female character. The main male and female character are not biologically related to each other, since the main female character was a relation of the mother while the main male character was a relation of the father. The four children were all raised together, however.)
The main (male) character was not unlikeable either: I liked that he initially wanted to marry the main female character/heroine because he cared about her and remembered that she had been the only person who had cared about him when they were children. The fact that he had inherited a lot of money and a title, hadn't made him forget what was really important, and I liked that he didn't let the power and prestige go to his head.
I also liked the fact that other secondary characters were written in such a way as to feel pretty real to the reader: for example I liked the fact that the female cousin of the two main characters, who had been raised to be the daughter of a rich family while the two main characters (who had been raised in the same house with her) were made to feel like poor relations, was shown to not be evil but simply somewhat thoughtless. She was also shown to have been lied to and manipulated by her brother (i.e. not a nice character).
So all in all, the characterization wasn't terrible where MOST characters were concerned, at least initially. (More on this below.)
World building/setting: In general, I do like historical romance, but I do have a complaint which is something is a frequent issue with historical romance novels, IMO. (More on this below.)
Plot: This was my biggest problem with this book. (More on this below.)
Bad points/constructive criticism:
Characterization: While most of the characters were well 'drawn', the main bad/evil person was just ridiculous. The plot also created issues regarding the believability of the relationship between the two main characters.
This also relates to the plot however, so I will discuss these issues in that section!
World building: As is all too frequently the case in romance novels, the setting was really quite thin in this book. In other words, there were relatively few details which would have painted a picture of what life was like at this time (i.e. 19th century England).
...How did people live during this time? How were things different from today? This is never really dealt with in any great detail. Among the few details offered are the fact that the main (female) character worked as a governess (i.e. for young ladies) and/or paid companion (i.e. in the case of elderly ladies). We know that she wears rather plain clothes. However, the details provided don't really paint a picture of life in the 19th century, or explain how that life differed from the way in which people live today (i.e. in 'western' countries).
(This information is out there, so I don't understand this. For example, here is a really good documentary on certain aspects of home life during the Victorian era: 'Hidden killers of the Victorian home'.)
Plot: Honestly, this was ridiculous.
The book starts with the two main characters meeting while the main (female) character is trying to make a living as a governess. Drama ensues when her employer doesn't want to understand that the main (male) character is interested in our main (female) character, rather than her daughter. She is fired/leaves said employment and accepts an offer of marriage from the main (male) character. Drama ensues when they travel to the estate that now belongs to the main (male) character, but which was where they spent miserable childhoods under the purview of their horrible aunt and uncle. At this point, already half the book or so has gone by. (Remember what I said about 'all over the place'? After this comes the murder plot...)
The uncle has been dead for a while now, but his shadow still lingers in his (horrible) son who was raised to think he would inherit the estate (i.e. he didn't, the heir was actually the main male character, despite being his being raised as the poor relation).
Beware of spoilers...
*
*
*
*
*
...Basically, the aunt of the two main characters was crazy and, despite the fact that her husband had been evil scum (and despite the fact that he had not been a good husband to her AT ALL), she decided to blame the main female character for her crap life because... the main character's mother had been raped by the dead husband years ago? And she hated the main male character too because of that. Or something. (Needless to say, this wasn't very clear to me, as a reader.)
So she killed her son for some reason (??) and then tried to kill the main female character and then revealed she had killed the main character's mother, years ago.
...Basically this all came out of left field, because relatively little had been said about this woman's feelings prior to the very end of the book, except to say that she blamed the main (female) character's dead mother for her husband's 'infidelity' (i.e. you should know that the creep in question had been raping the mother, who couldn't say anything because it would have resulted in her and her daughter being thrown out to live on the streets). Apparently the woman was also angry with her son, but this was only revealed at the end.
WHY she was so obsessed with a useless crap man like her dead husband (rather than, say, having taken a string of lovers) was never revealed. One can speculate that she may have been subjected to emotional and/or physical abuse by the man, which would have been a source of trauma (i.e. could she have developed a form of Stockholm syndrome?) but nothing is ever explained or shown regarding their relationship, beyond what I have already detailed, so this is pure speculation on my part. WHY she would have killed her (formerly) beloved son is also never really explained beyond stating that she was displeased with his ungrateful behavior. Or something. Since the aunt is the main 'bad guy/person' in the story, this all felt rather unbelievable. So this aspect of the characterization was not believable.
All I can say about this woman and plot line is...
Another problem with the plot is that all this mayhem took up quite a bit of space in the book, such that very little time was spent on the relationship between the two main characters. Basically, while trying to find the murderer they try to find time to get married, then to shag each other ('cause it's not easy to find time to shag when you're trying to find a really dumb killer and clumsy killer, is it?).
And.... that's it.
Basically, we were never shown WHAT these two characters had in common. As a reader I was told but never SHOWN what they shared, as a couple. We were told that they had grown up together, and a single flashback type of scene is shown where the main male character tells the main female character he is leaving the estate, he tells her he cares about her. An earlier scene where she befriends him when she arrives at the estate as a child is also shown. We are never shown what they have in common though, and are simply TOLD that they spent a whole lot of time together and were each other's only friend. When we meet them as adults, the book spends all its time detailing a ridiculous murder plot and getting the two characters into bed, but spends very little time showing WHY these two people would care for each other.
Me wanting to be done with this stupid plot was like...
----------------
Yeah, I didn't care for this one. The way I would actually characterize this book would be 'all over the place' (I explain this below). I was pretty disappointed, honestly.
Good points:
Characterization: I didn't hate the two main characters. I liked that the main (female) character/heroine was independent and had made her own life in a man's world, rather than accept her family's 'generosity'. I liked the fact that she knew how to be a kind and compassionate person: for example, even though her aunt and other relatives were truly awful, she tried to get along with them as much as possible and did not want them thrown out of the house (i.e. the house which was now her husband's).
(I will mention in passing, in case things become confusing, that there are three sets of cousins. There are a brother and sister whose parents took in two other children who are cousins of the first two, with the latter two being the main male and female character. The main male and female character are not biologically related to each other, since the main female character was a relation of the mother while the main male character was a relation of the father. The four children were all raised together, however.)
The main (male) character was not unlikeable either: I liked that he initially wanted to marry the main female character/heroine because he cared about her and remembered that she had been the only person who had cared about him when they were children. The fact that he had inherited a lot of money and a title, hadn't made him forget what was really important, and I liked that he didn't let the power and prestige go to his head.
I also liked the fact that other secondary characters were written in such a way as to feel pretty real to the reader: for example I liked the fact that the female cousin of the two main characters, who had been raised to be the daughter of a rich family while the two main characters (who had been raised in the same house with her) were made to feel like poor relations, was shown to not be evil but simply somewhat thoughtless. She was also shown to have been lied to and manipulated by her brother (i.e. not a nice character).
So all in all, the characterization wasn't terrible where MOST characters were concerned, at least initially. (More on this below.)
World building/setting: In general, I do like historical romance, but I do have a complaint which is something is a frequent issue with historical romance novels, IMO. (More on this below.)
Plot: This was my biggest problem with this book. (More on this below.)
Bad points/constructive criticism:
Characterization: While most of the characters were well 'drawn', the main bad/evil person was just ridiculous. The plot also created issues regarding the believability of the relationship between the two main characters.
This also relates to the plot however, so I will discuss these issues in that section!
World building: As is all too frequently the case in romance novels, the setting was really quite thin in this book. In other words, there were relatively few details which would have painted a picture of what life was like at this time (i.e. 19th century England).
...How did people live during this time? How were things different from today? This is never really dealt with in any great detail. Among the few details offered are the fact that the main (female) character worked as a governess (i.e. for young ladies) and/or paid companion (i.e. in the case of elderly ladies). We know that she wears rather plain clothes. However, the details provided don't really paint a picture of life in the 19th century, or explain how that life differed from the way in which people live today (i.e. in 'western' countries).
(This information is out there, so I don't understand this. For example, here is a really good documentary on certain aspects of home life during the Victorian era: 'Hidden killers of the Victorian home'.)
Plot: Honestly, this was ridiculous.
The book starts with the two main characters meeting while the main (female) character is trying to make a living as a governess. Drama ensues when her employer doesn't want to understand that the main (male) character is interested in our main (female) character, rather than her daughter. She is fired/leaves said employment and accepts an offer of marriage from the main (male) character. Drama ensues when they travel to the estate that now belongs to the main (male) character, but which was where they spent miserable childhoods under the purview of their horrible aunt and uncle. At this point, already half the book or so has gone by. (Remember what I said about 'all over the place'? After this comes the murder plot...)
The uncle has been dead for a while now, but his shadow still lingers in his (horrible) son who was raised to think he would inherit the estate (i.e. he didn't, the heir was actually the main male character, despite being his being raised as the poor relation).
Beware of spoilers...
*
*
*
*
*
...Basically, the aunt of the two main characters was crazy and, despite the fact that her husband had been evil scum (and despite the fact that he had not been a good husband to her AT ALL), she decided to blame the main female character for her crap life because... the main character's mother had been raped by the dead husband years ago? And she hated the main male character too because of that. Or something. (Needless to say, this wasn't very clear to me, as a reader.)
So she killed her son for some reason (??) and then tried to kill the main female character and then revealed she had killed the main character's mother, years ago.
...Basically this all came out of left field, because relatively little had been said about this woman's feelings prior to the very end of the book, except to say that she blamed the main (female) character's dead mother for her husband's 'infidelity' (i.e. you should know that the creep in question had been raping the mother, who couldn't say anything because it would have resulted in her and her daughter being thrown out to live on the streets). Apparently the woman was also angry with her son, but this was only revealed at the end.
WHY she was so obsessed with a useless crap man like her dead husband (rather than, say, having taken a string of lovers) was never revealed. One can speculate that she may have been subjected to emotional and/or physical abuse by the man, which would have been a source of trauma (i.e. could she have developed a form of Stockholm syndrome?) but nothing is ever explained or shown regarding their relationship, beyond what I have already detailed, so this is pure speculation on my part. WHY she would have killed her (formerly) beloved son is also never really explained beyond stating that she was displeased with his ungrateful behavior. Or something. Since the aunt is the main 'bad guy/person' in the story, this all felt rather unbelievable. So this aspect of the characterization was not believable.
All I can say about this woman and plot line is...
Another problem with the plot is that all this mayhem took up quite a bit of space in the book, such that very little time was spent on the relationship between the two main characters. Basically, while trying to find the murderer they try to find time to get married, then to shag each other ('cause it's not easy to find time to shag when you're trying to find a really dumb killer and clumsy killer, is it?).
And.... that's it.
Basically, we were never shown WHAT these two characters had in common. As a reader I was told but never SHOWN what they shared, as a couple. We were told that they had grown up together, and a single flashback type of scene is shown where the main male character tells the main female character he is leaving the estate, he tells her he cares about her. An earlier scene where she befriends him when she arrives at the estate as a child is also shown. We are never shown what they have in common though, and are simply TOLD that they spent a whole lot of time together and were each other's only friend. When we meet them as adults, the book spends all its time detailing a ridiculous murder plot and getting the two characters into bed, but spends very little time showing WHY these two people would care for each other.
Me wanting to be done with this stupid plot was like...
September 29, 2009
The synopsis makes this sound a bit more mystery laden then it is. The murder takes place about 2/3rds of the way in, before that the book is pretty much follows typical lines.
I enjoyed this book, I got through it in about 3 hours and even for a romance that's rather quick for me. It keeps up a slick pace, not slowing down after the intial chapter or so of obligatory flashbacks to how the two met, their childhood problems etc. I had some trouble grasping why the author felt she needed to tell us, many times, that Julianna was 'Independent'. Her actions were quite capable and she had proven that she was able to stand on her own feet with a respectable job.
Some minor quibbles with the above synopsis--her one cousin, Crandall, was definately a malicious boy, but her other, Serephina, was more selfish then cruel and did seem to be genuinely happy to see her again when they met once more. Nicholas was the primary suspect for all of two seconds, but with all the enemies the deceased had his was the most minor (and understandable) problem.
Julianna, as I mentioned earlier, is quite competent as a companion, but once Nicholas entered her life again she seemed to have forgotten much of the decorum and common sense she had learned in the 15 years hence. Nicholas for his part argues--both to Julianna and privately to himself--that he isn't a good man, that he's wicked, but he hadn't done anything horrendous. Especially not in light of what his Uncle and Cousin did on a routine basis. He smuggled, he did some espionage for the Crown, did a little whoring...all in all nothing wicked. The both of them were rather bland seperate from each other and marginally interesting when together because they were both convinced the other wanted nothing more then to be siblings! The passion was just sort of there, didn't really effect me.
The only other problem I had was that closer to the end I felt like the author tried to make the twist as off the wall as possible. I was truly interested in figuring out who had the deceased killed, but I was left feeling dissatisfied with the end result. It brought to light some disturbing family secrets that made little sense to be included.
Some of the secondary characters were interesting, though shortly lived. Julianna's friend Lady Scarborough was interesting and her servants and adopted children were all interesting sounding as well. I would have liked more about them, but sadly they left for Italy and that was the last of them. I liked Fiona, the younger daughter of Julianna's employer, but again she was gone as soon as Julianna left that family. The ones who stuck around--Nicholas's family--were standard 'evil relations'. Selfish, neglectful, jealous...
All in all I enjoyed the book and rec it if you want a romance that is mostly light and straight forward.
I enjoyed this book, I got through it in about 3 hours and even for a romance that's rather quick for me. It keeps up a slick pace, not slowing down after the intial chapter or so of obligatory flashbacks to how the two met, their childhood problems etc. I had some trouble grasping why the author felt she needed to tell us, many times, that Julianna was 'Independent'. Her actions were quite capable and she had proven that she was able to stand on her own feet with a respectable job.
Some minor quibbles with the above synopsis--her one cousin, Crandall, was definately a malicious boy, but her other, Serephina, was more selfish then cruel and did seem to be genuinely happy to see her again when they met once more. Nicholas was the primary suspect for all of two seconds, but with all the enemies the deceased had his was the most minor (and understandable) problem.
Julianna, as I mentioned earlier, is quite competent as a companion, but once Nicholas entered her life again she seemed to have forgotten much of the decorum and common sense she had learned in the 15 years hence. Nicholas for his part argues--both to Julianna and privately to himself--that he isn't a good man, that he's wicked, but he hadn't done anything horrendous. Especially not in light of what his Uncle and Cousin did on a routine basis. He smuggled, he did some espionage for the Crown, did a little whoring...all in all nothing wicked. The both of them were rather bland seperate from each other and marginally interesting when together because they were both convinced the other wanted nothing more then to be siblings! The passion was just sort of there, didn't really effect me.
The only other problem I had was that closer to the end I felt like the author tried to make the twist as off the wall as possible. I was truly interested in figuring out who had the deceased killed, but I was left feeling dissatisfied with the end result. It brought to light some disturbing family secrets that made little sense to be included.
Some of the secondary characters were interesting, though shortly lived. Julianna's friend Lady Scarborough was interesting and her servants and adopted children were all interesting sounding as well. I would have liked more about them, but sadly they left for Italy and that was the last of them. I liked Fiona, the younger daughter of Julianna's employer, but again she was gone as soon as Julianna left that family. The ones who stuck around--Nicholas's family--were standard 'evil relations'. Selfish, neglectful, jealous...
All in all I enjoyed the book and rec it if you want a romance that is mostly light and straight forward.
September 22, 2019
I really wanted to like this book, both because it combined historical romance and mystery (two of my favourite genres) and because the summary promised a prime 'second chance at love'/'girl you used to know' story (which is my Persuasion-loving ass' favourite romance trope). I was prepared to like this, and I did, sort of. There was some stuff that was really good. But there was also a bunch of stuff that was bad, so that the story ultimately was just was really kind of meh.
The heroine (whose name escapes me) and the hero (Nicholas)'s Traumatic Childhood is a central feature of the story. They were one another's only friends and the heroine sense of abandonment after Nicholas flees the Terrible Home when they are both still very young colours a lot of their earlier interactions, as well as deeply affecting her sense of self-worth and security. All of which are interesting and dynamic choices for a main character. But once the second half of the action begins and Nicholas and the Heroine return to the Terrible Home, Miss Camp seems to totally abandon all of these aspects of the heroine's character in exchange for a Nancy Drew pattern-card (I know I use Nancy Drew derogatorily in a lot of reviews, but I do love her. She just was also irritatingly perfect and was a completely static character.), which is frankly kind of boring. Indeed, most of the issues that the heroine had as a result of the Traumatic Childhood are completely abandon and the heroine spends most of the book being irritatingly empathetic to people, we have been informed, made her early life a nightmare. It's pretty boring and pretty unbelievable. (The hero's awareness of the Terrible Trauma and his desire not to be a dick just because he's now the one with the power is much more believable. But still.) The heroine's character growth during the second half of the book seems almost deliberately stunted; Clearly Miss Camp does not know how to write a scandal scene.
Perhaps because I recently read , I found the mystery and its solution pretty predictable and the execution clumsy.
The heroine (whose name escapes me) and the hero (Nicholas)'s Traumatic Childhood is a central feature of the story. They were one another's only friends and the heroine sense of abandonment after Nicholas flees the Terrible Home when they are both still very young colours a lot of their earlier interactions, as well as deeply affecting her sense of self-worth and security. All of which are interesting and dynamic choices for a main character. But once the second half of the action begins and Nicholas and the Heroine return to the Terrible Home, Miss Camp seems to totally abandon all of these aspects of the heroine's character in exchange for a Nancy Drew pattern-card (I know I use Nancy Drew derogatorily in a lot of reviews, but I do love her. She just was also irritatingly perfect and was a completely static character.), which is frankly kind of boring. Indeed, most of the issues that the heroine had as a result of the Traumatic Childhood are completely abandon and the heroine spends most of the book being irritatingly empathetic to people, we have been informed, made her early life a nightmare. It's pretty boring and pretty unbelievable. (The hero's awareness of the Terrible Trauma and his desire not to be a dick just because he's now the one with the power is much more believable. But still.) The heroine's character growth during the second half of the book seems almost deliberately stunted; Clearly Miss Camp does not know how to write a scandal scene.
Perhaps because I recently read , I found the mystery and its solution pretty predictable and the execution clumsy.
February 24, 2013
An Independent Woman written by Candace Camp and published by Harlequin was published in 2006. There are 397 pages.
Juliana Holcott and Nicholas Barre lived together as children, both were taken in by relatives due to dire circumstances. When Nicholas was sixteen he left and Juliana had to fend for herself. As adults ,Nicholas became the heir and Juliana became a paid companion. After years of apart the childhood friends are reunited. When Nicholas goes out of his way to spend time with his old friend, it causes Juliana to lose her job. Nicholas, never able to trust anyone other than Juliana, proposes to Juliana. But, the marriage would be platonic. At first the old friendship is comfortable as always, but Juliana finds herself attracted to Nicholas as a man, not just as a friend. Nicholas also begins to find himself dealing with new feelings for his old friend.
On the day of the wedding, with the only family they have in attendance, a murder is committed. Juliana and Nicholas must attempt to discover who committed the crime.
I loved this story. Childhood friends that leaned on each other are reunited and discover their love is much deeper than they realized.
Once the background is established, a murder is committed that is a real whodunit.
I must say that after reading several 2013 releases in historical romance, I am relieved to finally find a regency period historical romance novel that is done right. Thankfully, this novel was free of language that a lady would never use in this time period, the romance was sweet and the sexual content took place after the marriage, and no one was tied up or spanked.
Very refreshing!
Overall an A-
Juliana Holcott and Nicholas Barre lived together as children, both were taken in by relatives due to dire circumstances. When Nicholas was sixteen he left and Juliana had to fend for herself. As adults ,Nicholas became the heir and Juliana became a paid companion. After years of apart the childhood friends are reunited. When Nicholas goes out of his way to spend time with his old friend, it causes Juliana to lose her job. Nicholas, never able to trust anyone other than Juliana, proposes to Juliana. But, the marriage would be platonic. At first the old friendship is comfortable as always, but Juliana finds herself attracted to Nicholas as a man, not just as a friend. Nicholas also begins to find himself dealing with new feelings for his old friend.
On the day of the wedding, with the only family they have in attendance, a murder is committed. Juliana and Nicholas must attempt to discover who committed the crime.
I loved this story. Childhood friends that leaned on each other are reunited and discover their love is much deeper than they realized.
Once the background is established, a murder is committed that is a real whodunit.
I must say that after reading several 2013 releases in historical romance, I am relieved to finally find a regency period historical romance novel that is done right. Thankfully, this novel was free of language that a lady would never use in this time period, the romance was sweet and the sexual content took place after the marriage, and no one was tied up or spanked.
Very refreshing!
Overall an A-
January 25, 2020
a good read
The hero and heroine were childhood friends in a very toxic family environment. They meet years later. Juliana is a paid companion and Nick has inherited a title. There’s a forced marriage of convenience, a hero who thinks he is unworthy of love, a heroine who doubts that the hero will ever love her and a murder in which the identity of the killer isn’t a surprise. Although there isn’t anything new in the story line, it was well written, the main characters likable and interesting secondary characters.
The hero and heroine were childhood friends in a very toxic family environment. They meet years later. Juliana is a paid companion and Nick has inherited a title. There’s a forced marriage of convenience, a hero who thinks he is unworthy of love, a heroine who doubts that the hero will ever love her and a murder in which the identity of the killer isn’t a surprise. Although there isn’t anything new in the story line, it was well written, the main characters likable and interesting secondary characters.
May 26, 2016
Candace Camp always delivers. Her strong minded woman and protective and strong willed male characters never fail to enchant me. This book was no exception and I will be rereading this one in the future. There is always a strong plot line to her stories and insta-love is something you will not find in her books. It is for that reason she will always be a favorite.
July 7, 2022
4 stelline perché un finale striminzito dopo una bella storia mi ha deluso. Trama e personaggi interessanti, ma alcuni li ho trovati proprio odiosi, l'autrice è bravissima nel dare vita ai personaggi.
February 1, 2011
I hate to say it, but it was kinda boring...until the end when the mystery gets solved.
March 8, 2014
I liked it but the mystery felt a little random and wrapped up too nicely at the end.
February 26, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Candace Camp never disappoints.
April 28, 2022
I thought this was a good read about 2 friends learning about each other again.
May 18, 2022
The romance wasn't for me. It got boring at some point even though it was a quick easy read. I stayed to find out about the murder. 2/5, wouldn't read from this author again.
August 9, 2021
Finalmente ho letto il libro che avrei dovuto leggere per primo e devo dire che sono soddisfatta.
La trama (soprattutto per quel che riguarda le vicende sentimentali dei protagonisti) anche se svelata per gran parte nel retro copertina io l'ho trovata scorrevole e per niente noiosa. Come per quello precedente anche qui i protagonisti si trovano a risolvere un omicidio che purtroppo si dipana soprattutto nelle ultime pagine del romanzo lasciando invece la maggior parte all'evolversi della storia d'amore tra Nick e Juliana.
Entrambi si conoscono sin da bambini, cresciuti nella stessa casa e trattati in modo abominevole fino a quando Nick non decide di scappare (naturalmente per un motivo che verrà svelato in seguito) lasciando sola Juliana. Passano gli anni e finalmente si ritrovano ma quella che sembra un'amicizia d'infanzia si trasforma presto in passione e poi in amore. Il protagonista pur essendo l'erede di una fortuna ha dovuto lottare (si fa solo un breve accenno segno che non è di vitale importanza per l'evolversi della vicenda). Nonostante ciò non ha mai smesso di pensare a Juliana che a sua volta decide di lasciare quei parenti che la maltrattavano per lavorare come dama di compagnia nonostante il carattere indipendente che si ritrova.
Una storia delicata e struggente più che passionale infatti anche se i due protagonisti nutrono una certa attrazione ho trovato che passasse in secondo piano.
Questo romanzo offre qualche colpo di scena più eclatante rispetto al precedente è stato più ricco di suspense.
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi secondari hanno i loro pregi e i loro difetti ma non c'è nessuno che mi abbia colpito più degli altri questo perché la mia attenzione era tutta su Juliana e Nick. Non manca l'apparizione di Eleanor e il suo primo marito che proprio in quel periodo sta per partire per l'Italia a causa della malattia del marito.
Si legge tutta d'un fiato...
La trama (soprattutto per quel che riguarda le vicende sentimentali dei protagonisti) anche se svelata per gran parte nel retro copertina io l'ho trovata scorrevole e per niente noiosa. Come per quello precedente anche qui i protagonisti si trovano a risolvere un omicidio che purtroppo si dipana soprattutto nelle ultime pagine del romanzo lasciando invece la maggior parte all'evolversi della storia d'amore tra Nick e Juliana.
Entrambi si conoscono sin da bambini, cresciuti nella stessa casa e trattati in modo abominevole fino a quando Nick non decide di scappare (naturalmente per un motivo che verrà svelato in seguito) lasciando sola Juliana. Passano gli anni e finalmente si ritrovano ma quella che sembra un'amicizia d'infanzia si trasforma presto in passione e poi in amore. Il protagonista pur essendo l'erede di una fortuna ha dovuto lottare (si fa solo un breve accenno segno che non è di vitale importanza per l'evolversi della vicenda). Nonostante ciò non ha mai smesso di pensare a Juliana che a sua volta decide di lasciare quei parenti che la maltrattavano per lavorare come dama di compagnia nonostante il carattere indipendente che si ritrova.
Una storia delicata e struggente più che passionale infatti anche se i due protagonisti nutrono una certa attrazione ho trovato che passasse in secondo piano.
Questo romanzo offre qualche colpo di scena più eclatante rispetto al precedente è stato più ricco di suspense.
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi secondari hanno i loro pregi e i loro difetti ma non c'è nessuno che mi abbia colpito più degli altri questo perché la mia attenzione era tutta su Juliana e Nick. Non manca l'apparizione di Eleanor e il suo primo marito che proprio in quel periodo sta per partire per l'Italia a causa della malattia del marito.
Si legge tutta d'un fiato...
October 28, 2025
I like this authors writing style and humour, the characters often find themselves in hilarious situations but I do find these stories lacking in depth. This one took about three hours to read and was entertaining but perhaps not in the way that was intented. Julianna and Nicholas grow up as the poor relatives reliant on their uncle for support. Both leave home at a young age to make their way in the world but when Julianna finds herself homeless Nicholas asks her to marry him. The cousin that was so repulsive to them growing up has a gambling problem and owes money all over town as does his sister and then there is the friend who shows up in the middle of wedding celebrations and the outraged blacksmith who found the cousin trying to molest his wife. Lots of suspects as everybody hated the cousin but just who is guilty? The young couple of course realize that they are in love and presumably live happily ever after. I enjoyed the story but there is not enough in it for it to find a place on my bookshelf so off to the op shop it goes.
March 12, 2017
Somehow, I didn't like it as much as others by this author. The murder mystery part was pretty secondary to the plot, but that isn't unusual for a romance. The hero and heroine had a rough past, but they were likeable characters. i can't put my finger on anything in particular, it just seemed like it could be better. I will continue to read other works by this author because this is the first book I haven't really loved.
December 13, 2017
Interesting
Actually a study of a dysfunctional family during the Regency or Victorian period, maybe. It makes you wonder what the generation before was like , but is it clear study of how a parent's treatment of a child can warps them . Good plot, good character development.
Actually a study of a dysfunctional family during the Regency or Victorian period, maybe. It makes you wonder what the generation before was like , but is it clear study of how a parent's treatment of a child can warps them . Good plot, good character development.
February 3, 2020
The hero and heroine were childhood friends that meet years later when Juliana has become a paid companion and Nick in now a lord. This isn't a new story line and the mystery was easily guessed but the main characters likable. Overall, a quick enjoyable read.
January 25, 2018
Leído en Abril 2014
2.5 estrellas
:/
esperaba algo mejor de esta autora
2.5 estrellas
:/
esperaba algo mejor de esta autora
April 9, 2023
i really enjoyed this book. i enjoy the relationship between the hero and heroine. the mystery at the end was very good and kept me guess. this was a really good book
June 11, 2023
1.5 stars
May 11, 2024
Decently fun. Flew through it. Not my favourite by Camp, but still good.
October 22, 2025
Promising but ended abruptly and didn’t have much build up making the emotional payoff rather weak
March 14, 2019
Não sei qual ligação com o primeiro livro (Audácia) se é que tem alguma. Achei muito arrastado para uma leitura tão fácil e previsível. Juliana e Nicholas se conhecem desde crianças e só tinham um ao outro. Nicholas foge e se passa 15 anos ate que Juliana e ele se reencontrem. Juliana trabalha como dama de companhia numa casa nada agradável, num baile onde ela vai para ficar de olho na espevitada e fútil Clementine, ela reencontra Nicholas.
February 18, 2010
Had to read someone else's review to remember what the book was about!
Woman reconnects with a childhood friend many years later. He's now landed gentry and had been searching for her to fulfill a promise made when he left her behind. When he gets her fired, he decides the best he can do for her is marry her and take her home. Family life hasn't changed much, however, as they immerse themselves in the house that had shaped both their lives for ill or good. The man's cousin is killed on their wedding night and they have to sift through the many possible suspects to find the truth.
Woman reconnects with a childhood friend many years later. He's now landed gentry and had been searching for her to fulfill a promise made when he left her behind. When he gets her fired, he decides the best he can do for her is marry her and take her home. Family life hasn't changed much, however, as they immerse themselves in the house that had shaped both their lives for ill or good. The man's cousin is killed on their wedding night and they have to sift through the many possible suspects to find the truth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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