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Pride's Children #2
Pride's Children: Netherworld
Every decision he makes from here on will hurt someone .
Is his happiness even in the equation any more?
Pride’s NETHERWORLD, Book 2 of the trilogy, continues the epic saga—one day later.
In Book 1, Pride’s PURGATORY , rising Irish megastar Andrew O’Connell embarked on a beautiful friendship with reclusive author Dr. Kary Ashe , and committed to his stunning costar Bianca Doyle ’s directorial debut film Dodgson , a Lewis Carroll biopic.
He never imagined either would shatter the impenetrable wall he built between his professional and personal lives.
His future as a leading man depends on being an bankable obsession in the lives of the women he seduces, on and off screen.
But a past regret makes his gorge rise when offspring are on the way and he’s suddenly responsible for their very existence.
Book 2 of the Pride’s Children trilogy asks what are the risks—and obligations—of friendship?
~ ~ ~
On Night Talk in New York City, host Dana Lewiston craves the inside scoop Andrew shouldn’t give
“YOU, SIR, ARE on top of the world.”
“I am.” Mind, no Kary, no Dodgson.
“Two days ago, you finished Incident at Bunker Hill …”
When his principles clash with his opportunities and his women, Andrew has no idea what it will cost him—live on national television, he may be about to find out.
The contemporary mainstream love story continues—with consequences.
Is his happiness even in the equation any more?
Pride’s NETHERWORLD, Book 2 of the trilogy, continues the epic saga—one day later.
In Book 1, Pride’s PURGATORY , rising Irish megastar Andrew O’Connell embarked on a beautiful friendship with reclusive author Dr. Kary Ashe , and committed to his stunning costar Bianca Doyle ’s directorial debut film Dodgson , a Lewis Carroll biopic.
He never imagined either would shatter the impenetrable wall he built between his professional and personal lives.
His future as a leading man depends on being an bankable obsession in the lives of the women he seduces, on and off screen.
But a past regret makes his gorge rise when offspring are on the way and he’s suddenly responsible for their very existence.
Book 2 of the Pride’s Children trilogy asks what are the risks—and obligations—of friendship?
~ ~ ~
On Night Talk in New York City, host Dana Lewiston craves the inside scoop Andrew shouldn’t give
“YOU, SIR, ARE on top of the world.”
“I am.” Mind, no Kary, no Dodgson.
“Two days ago, you finished Incident at Bunker Hill …”
When his principles clash with his opportunities and his women, Andrew has no idea what it will cost him—live on national television, he may be about to find out.
The contemporary mainstream love story continues—with consequences.
- GenresFiction
540 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2022
4 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt
2 books62 followersAlicia Butcher Ehrhardt is hard at work on finishing and publishing the next novel in the Pride's Children trilogy, LIMBO. She moved to Davis, California, in 2018.
Follow her on Amazon or at https://PridesChildren.com to be informed when her next story is available.
She is always open to ARC requests - leave a comment at the books' site.
As a writer, she’s published traditionally in short story. She's been featured on Wattpad, where her story Too Late received 66K reads (Prequel to PURGATORY, the story is available at https://prideschildren.com/too-late-p...).
Her debut novel Pride's Children: PURGATORY was named 2021 Best Contemporary novel by Indies Today. A sample is available on GR, and Amazon, and you can read the first chapter on the Pride's Children site.
A voracious reader since beginning to read at three, she had always intended to write fiction, and, now retired, dedicates her whole life - when not spending time with her husband, family, and new retirement community - to exploring the concepts of integrity in relationships, and the psychological questions of why people do what they do and make the choices they make, including their life partners.
She has devoted the past twenty-some years to learning to write to the standards of the early classics she was steeped in, as she believes that messages in fiction must be surrounded by the utmost in quality entertainment, and that fiction is the most powerful tool we have for slipping through the barriers we put up around our hearts and our minds.
A homeschooler by accident when illness derailed her working life’s plan, her career-long commitment to the sciences aided in the development of three tech-oriented children with a love of language.
She is a former researcher and computational physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and the Johns Hopkins U. Applied Physics Laboratory. She holds a BS in physics from Seattle U., and an MS and PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the U. Wisconsin-Madison. A minor problem with her right eye kept her from fulfilling her ambition as an astronaut.
When she's not writing, you can find her enjoying the community's gardens and pools, or singing.
Discover more about her opinionated opinions and quirky writing methods on her writing blog, at https://liebjabberings.wordpress.com.
Follow her on Amazon or at https://PridesChildren.com to be informed when her next story is available.
She is always open to ARC requests - leave a comment at the books' site.
As a writer, she’s published traditionally in short story. She's been featured on Wattpad, where her story Too Late received 66K reads (Prequel to PURGATORY, the story is available at https://prideschildren.com/too-late-p...).
Her debut novel Pride's Children: PURGATORY was named 2021 Best Contemporary novel by Indies Today. A sample is available on GR, and Amazon, and you can read the first chapter on the Pride's Children site.
A voracious reader since beginning to read at three, she had always intended to write fiction, and, now retired, dedicates her whole life - when not spending time with her husband, family, and new retirement community - to exploring the concepts of integrity in relationships, and the psychological questions of why people do what they do and make the choices they make, including their life partners.
She has devoted the past twenty-some years to learning to write to the standards of the early classics she was steeped in, as she believes that messages in fiction must be surrounded by the utmost in quality entertainment, and that fiction is the most powerful tool we have for slipping through the barriers we put up around our hearts and our minds.
A homeschooler by accident when illness derailed her working life’s plan, her career-long commitment to the sciences aided in the development of three tech-oriented children with a love of language.
She is a former researcher and computational physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and the Johns Hopkins U. Applied Physics Laboratory. She holds a BS in physics from Seattle U., and an MS and PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the U. Wisconsin-Madison. A minor problem with her right eye kept her from fulfilling her ambition as an astronaut.
When she's not writing, you can find her enjoying the community's gardens and pools, or singing.
Discover more about her opinionated opinions and quirky writing methods on her writing blog, at https://liebjabberings.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 11, 2023
With this second volume of the trilogy, Ehrhardt continues her masterful exploration of modern human relationships. When I read the series opener, I went into it rather dubiously, without very high expectations. It proceeded to earn five stars, handily. (My review of that one is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... .) Going into this novel, it presented the opposite challenge: the expectations set by the first one were so high, I wasn't sure this reading experience would measure up. But I needn't have worried! This installment displays no slackening of the author's craftsmanship and storytelling skill. And unlike some middle books of trilogies that merely tread water while waiting for the denouement, this one advances the story arc in very significant ways.
My general comments about the style, quality and ethos of the first book apply with equal force to this one. And it follows the same main characters, unfolding more of the same tightly-knit plot; this is a trilogy that forms one story arc, rather than three episodic adventures. (So this book can't be read independently of the first, or used as the starting point for the trilogy; this is a series which has to be read in order, or you lose valuable comprehension of the characters and their situation.) That plot plays out against the backdrop of high-profile movie making; and the dynamics and procedures of a movie set, and the world of the actors and actresses, directors and producers, and the assorted (and often sleazy and self-serving) agents, critics, reporters/paparazzi and other hangers-on who orbit them has a strongly realistic feel. This is also true of the depiction of the literary world of highly successful authors and their agents --though, because of Kary's reclusive lifestyle (imposed by her CFS, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), we're not in that world as much. But the treatment isn't a superficial vicarious wallowing in the glitz and glamour of the milieu. Rather, it's a serious exploration of the (romantic, familial, friendly, etc.) relationships, challenges and moral choices of believable, flesh-and-blood characters whom the author makes very real to us.
We get even better acquainted with all three of our viewpoint characters here. The realism with which Kary is depicted probably owes a great deal to what I strongly suspect is a considerable infusion of Ehrhardt's own personality into the heroine. Both ladies are serious writers, empty nesters who've raised their kids (though at ca. 50-51, Kary's younger than the author), practicing Roman Catholics with a vocational background in the sciences --medicine in Kary's case and physics in the author's-- and suffer from CFS. But Andrew and Bianca, both of whom are profoundly different from Kary and from each other, are also developed so well they could walk off the page. All three have strengths and weaknesses, good points and flaws. (Self-centered, 24-karat sociopath Bianca, who could fairly be called our villain here, is the most flawed and least endowed with any positive qualities; but she does have a lot of discipline and a work ethic, albeit employed for self-glorifying purposes.) Geographical settings on three continents are developed well, and the author makes good use of chapter epigraphs and snippets from Kary's writing or bits from Andrew and Bianca's films for artistic purposes.
Five years elapsed between my reading of the two books. (They were published seven years apart.) In the interval, I'd forgotten the names and relationships of some of the secondary characters, so it took me a bit of time to get up to speed; but that was my problem (and a minor one), not the book's. As in the first book, Kary's sometimes seemingly off-sides dialogue (which sometimes confuses Andrew, and her friend Zoe, as well as this reader!) can be a challenge, and there were times with other people's dialogue where I felt I was missing something; but that's also a minor quibble. A slightly bigger one is the fact that when Kary does ethical reasoning, she comes to the right choices, but despite her Catholic faith, seems to do so solely on the basis of her own wants and perceptions, never with reference to Biblical commands or Christian moral tradition. But that's a realistic, though sad, commentary on modern "Christendom;" most church-going Catholics and Protestants today do make their day-to-day ethical decisions totally without reference to faith. :-( (And in her climactic moral decision at the book's end, where she actually does look to church teaching, IMO she comes down on solid theological ground, though that will be controversial for some readers.) Again, the content of the book is relatively free of issues; there's no really explicit sex (one scene comes close, with artistic reason, but stops short of being more explicit than it has to be), and bad language is restrained. (This volume does have a few more f-words than the first one, but they're all concentrated in two places.)
At 529 pages, this is a thick, meaty book that demands even more time commitment than the first book. But it's time that's well invested! Regardless of the fact that it doesn't come from Big Publishing and isn't touted by the critical clerisy, this series is a literary achievement of the first rank, and deserves to be reckoned as a significant work of 21st-century American fiction.
Note: This wasn't a review copy, but the author (who's a Goodreads friend) did donate a copy to the Bluefield Univ. library, where I work.
My general comments about the style, quality and ethos of the first book apply with equal force to this one. And it follows the same main characters, unfolding more of the same tightly-knit plot; this is a trilogy that forms one story arc, rather than three episodic adventures. (So this book can't be read independently of the first, or used as the starting point for the trilogy; this is a series which has to be read in order, or you lose valuable comprehension of the characters and their situation.) That plot plays out against the backdrop of high-profile movie making; and the dynamics and procedures of a movie set, and the world of the actors and actresses, directors and producers, and the assorted (and often sleazy and self-serving) agents, critics, reporters/paparazzi and other hangers-on who orbit them has a strongly realistic feel. This is also true of the depiction of the literary world of highly successful authors and their agents --though, because of Kary's reclusive lifestyle (imposed by her CFS, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), we're not in that world as much. But the treatment isn't a superficial vicarious wallowing in the glitz and glamour of the milieu. Rather, it's a serious exploration of the (romantic, familial, friendly, etc.) relationships, challenges and moral choices of believable, flesh-and-blood characters whom the author makes very real to us.
We get even better acquainted with all three of our viewpoint characters here. The realism with which Kary is depicted probably owes a great deal to what I strongly suspect is a considerable infusion of Ehrhardt's own personality into the heroine. Both ladies are serious writers, empty nesters who've raised their kids (though at ca. 50-51, Kary's younger than the author), practicing Roman Catholics with a vocational background in the sciences --medicine in Kary's case and physics in the author's-- and suffer from CFS. But Andrew and Bianca, both of whom are profoundly different from Kary and from each other, are also developed so well they could walk off the page. All three have strengths and weaknesses, good points and flaws. (Self-centered, 24-karat sociopath Bianca, who could fairly be called our villain here, is the most flawed and least endowed with any positive qualities; but she does have a lot of discipline and a work ethic, albeit employed for self-glorifying purposes.) Geographical settings on three continents are developed well, and the author makes good use of chapter epigraphs and snippets from Kary's writing or bits from Andrew and Bianca's films for artistic purposes.
Five years elapsed between my reading of the two books. (They were published seven years apart.) In the interval, I'd forgotten the names and relationships of some of the secondary characters, so it took me a bit of time to get up to speed; but that was my problem (and a minor one), not the book's. As in the first book, Kary's sometimes seemingly off-sides dialogue (which sometimes confuses Andrew, and her friend Zoe, as well as this reader!) can be a challenge, and there were times with other people's dialogue where I felt I was missing something; but that's also a minor quibble. A slightly bigger one is the fact that when Kary does ethical reasoning, she comes to the right choices, but despite her Catholic faith, seems to do so solely on the basis of her own wants and perceptions, never with reference to Biblical commands or Christian moral tradition. But that's a realistic, though sad, commentary on modern "Christendom;" most church-going Catholics and Protestants today do make their day-to-day ethical decisions totally without reference to faith. :-( (And in her climactic moral decision at the book's end, where she actually does look to church teaching, IMO she comes down on solid theological ground, though that will be controversial for some readers.) Again, the content of the book is relatively free of issues; there's no really explicit sex (one scene comes close, with artistic reason, but stops short of being more explicit than it has to be), and bad language is restrained. (This volume does have a few more f-words than the first one, but they're all concentrated in two places.)
At 529 pages, this is a thick, meaty book that demands even more time commitment than the first book. But it's time that's well invested! Regardless of the fact that it doesn't come from Big Publishing and isn't touted by the critical clerisy, this series is a literary achievement of the first rank, and deserves to be reckoned as a significant work of 21st-century American fiction.
Note: This wasn't a review copy, but the author (who's a Goodreads friend) did donate a copy to the Bluefield Univ. library, where I work.
March 15, 2023
Time to act like a grownup. Time to be an adult. Depressing thought.
Growing up is hard, especially when you’re an adult. And a success. Visibly so. Complex, believable inner dialogue. Who needs saving and how do they get it? Three point of view characters, folded timeline, occasional flashes back and forward. Insights into writing, movies, friends, family, and agents. Very cerebral, dare I say literary?
You can start rumors, but you can’t control them.
Talk about in media res. The book opens a third of the way into the story, literally. Being a single story cut in thirds by the publisher, this second installment tosses the reader into the flow with no character introduction or background. Read Pride's Children: Purgatory first. The closing, by no means the end, is sufficiently satisfying to keep readers hooked until the conclusion is published. A really big train wreck assured.
This is what writers did: they had imaginary conversations in their heads where they played all the parts.
Notes: One character’s accent borders on caricature, while everyone else has none. Both female characters are surrounded by support while the male is alone against the world. Even his agent hates him. Too many epigrams opening each chapter.
“It’s always hard to balance reality with what people think they know.”
Growing up is hard, especially when you’re an adult. And a success. Visibly so. Complex, believable inner dialogue. Who needs saving and how do they get it? Three point of view characters, folded timeline, occasional flashes back and forward. Insights into writing, movies, friends, family, and agents. Very cerebral, dare I say literary?
You can start rumors, but you can’t control them.
Talk about in media res. The book opens a third of the way into the story, literally. Being a single story cut in thirds by the publisher, this second installment tosses the reader into the flow with no character introduction or background. Read Pride's Children: Purgatory first. The closing, by no means the end, is sufficiently satisfying to keep readers hooked until the conclusion is published. A really big train wreck assured.
This is what writers did: they had imaginary conversations in their heads where they played all the parts.
Notes: One character’s accent borders on caricature, while everyone else has none. Both female characters are surrounded by support while the male is alone against the world. Even his agent hates him. Too many epigrams opening each chapter.
“It’s always hard to balance reality with what people think they know.”
November 25, 2022
Boundaries and choices, lives and limits…
It has been seven years since I read the first book in this trilogy so before opening ‘Netherworld’, I reread ‘Purgatory’. I am glad I did: I needed the immediacy of rereading to remind myself of the complexity of this story and to reacquaint myself with the three main characters and to appreciate the journey so far.
As I wrote about ‘Purgatory’, this is a complex and layered novel about three very different people, their lives and values, their relationships with each other and with others. While I continue to like two of the characters (Kary and Andrew) more than the third (Bianca), there are no clear-cut heroes or villains. Each of the characters is multi-dimensional, each becomes quite real to me as they make very human choices. Kary’s choices are complicated by the allowances she needs to make for life with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) while Bianca’s choices seem driven by her need to succeed, to overcome insecurity. Andrew becomes caught between doing what is ‘right’ and following his heart. Life, Ms Ehrhardt reminds us, is complex. Emotion and logic fence with each other, choices are rarely easy. Human expectations and limitations affect choices, and choices have consequences. And here I am, at the end of ‘Netherworld’ wondering what will happen next.
This is a slow-paced and complex story. It defies any attempt at easy classification. Yes, it contains elements of romance, but it is not primarily about romantic relationships. The story leads me into the character’s experiences, and I find myself wondering what would I do if I was Kary, or Andrew or Bianca in any of the situations they find themselves in? While I can rule out some choices (sorry, Bianca) other choices are more challenging. Life is like that.
Brava, Ms Ehrhardt! And now I wait for Book 3.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
It has been seven years since I read the first book in this trilogy so before opening ‘Netherworld’, I reread ‘Purgatory’. I am glad I did: I needed the immediacy of rereading to remind myself of the complexity of this story and to reacquaint myself with the three main characters and to appreciate the journey so far.
As I wrote about ‘Purgatory’, this is a complex and layered novel about three very different people, their lives and values, their relationships with each other and with others. While I continue to like two of the characters (Kary and Andrew) more than the third (Bianca), there are no clear-cut heroes or villains. Each of the characters is multi-dimensional, each becomes quite real to me as they make very human choices. Kary’s choices are complicated by the allowances she needs to make for life with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) while Bianca’s choices seem driven by her need to succeed, to overcome insecurity. Andrew becomes caught between doing what is ‘right’ and following his heart. Life, Ms Ehrhardt reminds us, is complex. Emotion and logic fence with each other, choices are rarely easy. Human expectations and limitations affect choices, and choices have consequences. And here I am, at the end of ‘Netherworld’ wondering what will happen next.
This is a slow-paced and complex story. It defies any attempt at easy classification. Yes, it contains elements of romance, but it is not primarily about romantic relationships. The story leads me into the character’s experiences, and I find myself wondering what would I do if I was Kary, or Andrew or Bianca in any of the situations they find themselves in? While I can rule out some choices (sorry, Bianca) other choices are more challenging. Life is like that.
Brava, Ms Ehrhardt! And now I wait for Book 3.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 22, 2023
The saga continues without skipping a beat. Author Ehrhardt has created three living, breathing characters, caught in webs of love, ambition, honesty, and deceit. Their journeys are outward and inward. Outward: they navigate the often treacherous world of Hollywood and the paparazzi, as scripts are written and movies are made. Inward: they cut through appearances to grapple with the unflattering truths about themselves. Reality is messy.
Netherworld is a deeply immersive character-study as fresh as today’s headlines. Beneath the glamor of high fashion and high finance are fragile people discovering themselves. Ehrhardt’s elegant prose is a surgical instrument cutting through layers of self-deception, revealing what is most authentic about the people to whom she has given birth. This is not an easy read, but it is a rewarding one. It is literary fiction at its finest.
Netherworld is a deeply immersive character-study as fresh as today’s headlines. Beneath the glamor of high fashion and high finance are fragile people discovering themselves. Ehrhardt’s elegant prose is a surgical instrument cutting through layers of self-deception, revealing what is most authentic about the people to whom she has given birth. This is not an easy read, but it is a rewarding one. It is literary fiction at its finest.
March 7, 2024
Even if you are a dedicated bookworm, discard the notion that you are going to rip through this novel in an evening. At nearly 700 pages (in my Kindle version), this is a vacation book, not a gentle way of passing an evening.
I almost called it a beach book, with the picture in my mind of a lawn chair under an umbrella, and a glass of lemonade to the side. However, the characters do some significant travel in the book (India, Ireland, and various locations in the US), and I think you will want to have a bit of that experience as well. So, my suggestion is that you book a cruise, accompanied by a trusted and devoted significant other, who will be willing to share you with this engrossing novel while your ship moves from port to port.
Andrew O'Connell is a hot Hollywood leading man, although perhaps 'medium warm' is a better description of his status. He has just filming a Revolutionary War epic, and has a contract for another film, but he is NOT in the very top tier of bankable stars. Should one of his films flop; should his reputation be marred by talk of a scandal; should certain influential people turn against him, and his star will no longer shine as brightly.
Bianca Doyle was Andrew's co-star, and is eager to add directing to her skill set. She has also developed a passion for Andrew, and fully intends to use her body to maneuver him into a proposal of marriage. To be specific, she not only intends to seduce him, she intends for said seduction to result in a pregnancy.
Kary Ashe is a former medical doctor, now pursuing a successful career as a writer. All other aspects of her life are impacted by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which prevents her from being able to carry out even the most routine home tasks without resorting to regular naps. Her attitude, which is unfailingly positive, also tends to shield others from the consequences of her illness.
There are sufficient points of conflict to make this an interesting read, but it's Kary's life with CFS that provides the flavor of the story for me. It's essentially an invisible disability, and that is a factor in such trivial items as where to park. In one passage Kary has decided to pick a handicapped parking space, in order to save steps (and thus her energy), but then has to consider whether she will be accosted by someone who has judged her as not 'looking disabled.'
Because she does husband her physical resources so carefully, almost ALL of Kary's interactions with other people take place when she is rested and comfortable. Unfortunately, this leads some to think that she is like that all the time, and that they can intrude at will, even to the point of ignoring her when she MUST end the conversation/interaction, because she is crashing.
This isn't written as an advocacy book; in the author's words, the plot is drawn from real life and the tabloids. To my way of thinking, that makes it the very best kind of advocacy for those suffering from CFS (or any other chronic and invisible affliction); it is almost clinically descriptive, and there isn't the slightest bit of “preachiness” to be found.
Go ahead: buy the book, then book the cruise. But, whether you get on a boat or not, plan to spend a good bit of time with these pages.
I almost called it a beach book, with the picture in my mind of a lawn chair under an umbrella, and a glass of lemonade to the side. However, the characters do some significant travel in the book (India, Ireland, and various locations in the US), and I think you will want to have a bit of that experience as well. So, my suggestion is that you book a cruise, accompanied by a trusted and devoted significant other, who will be willing to share you with this engrossing novel while your ship moves from port to port.
Andrew O'Connell is a hot Hollywood leading man, although perhaps 'medium warm' is a better description of his status. He has just filming a Revolutionary War epic, and has a contract for another film, but he is NOT in the very top tier of bankable stars. Should one of his films flop; should his reputation be marred by talk of a scandal; should certain influential people turn against him, and his star will no longer shine as brightly.
Bianca Doyle was Andrew's co-star, and is eager to add directing to her skill set. She has also developed a passion for Andrew, and fully intends to use her body to maneuver him into a proposal of marriage. To be specific, she not only intends to seduce him, she intends for said seduction to result in a pregnancy.
Kary Ashe is a former medical doctor, now pursuing a successful career as a writer. All other aspects of her life are impacted by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which prevents her from being able to carry out even the most routine home tasks without resorting to regular naps. Her attitude, which is unfailingly positive, also tends to shield others from the consequences of her illness.
There are sufficient points of conflict to make this an interesting read, but it's Kary's life with CFS that provides the flavor of the story for me. It's essentially an invisible disability, and that is a factor in such trivial items as where to park. In one passage Kary has decided to pick a handicapped parking space, in order to save steps (and thus her energy), but then has to consider whether she will be accosted by someone who has judged her as not 'looking disabled.'
Because she does husband her physical resources so carefully, almost ALL of Kary's interactions with other people take place when she is rested and comfortable. Unfortunately, this leads some to think that she is like that all the time, and that they can intrude at will, even to the point of ignoring her when she MUST end the conversation/interaction, because she is crashing.
This isn't written as an advocacy book; in the author's words, the plot is drawn from real life and the tabloids. To my way of thinking, that makes it the very best kind of advocacy for those suffering from CFS (or any other chronic and invisible affliction); it is almost clinically descriptive, and there isn't the slightest bit of “preachiness” to be found.
Go ahead: buy the book, then book the cruise. But, whether you get on a boat or not, plan to spend a good bit of time with these pages.
June 23, 2025
***Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you Alicia!***
This book was such a lovely complement to the first book in the series. We pick up right where we left off with Kary working on her latest book idea, a fantasy that is far outside of her comfort zone. Andrew is jet setting across the globe for role after role as he becomes the most sought after actor in the business. And Bianca is scheming, really stepping it up a notch from the last book.
I always quite enjoy the author’s writing style. The occasional insertions of the character’s inner thoughts is a nice touch. I’m not sure it would work in any other book but it works for this one. It provides a deeper insight into the character’s and why they’re doing what they are doing. The style might not be for everyone but it makes the story easy to digest.
My only complaint on this book is that the middle dragged a bit. It felt like we were waiting on something to happen. Based on the synopsis I knew what the “something” was. As a result it felt like it took forever to get there and since the plot has a bit of a lull at the same time it dragged the plot down a little.
But apart from that I was delighted by this book. Kary was frustratingly pragmatic, seemingly more so than in the first book. But it’s her defense mechanism and survival technique. But I desperately wanted her to just drop the walls for a moment. Andrew was so sweet and I find myself falling for him more with every book. Even though he was a bit of a knucklehead in this one, I’ll forgive him for it. While I felt like Bianca was a rather dull villain in the first one, she justified her villain title in this one. I really hope that karma visits her in the end.
Overall, this book was great. I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
This book was such a lovely complement to the first book in the series. We pick up right where we left off with Kary working on her latest book idea, a fantasy that is far outside of her comfort zone. Andrew is jet setting across the globe for role after role as he becomes the most sought after actor in the business. And Bianca is scheming, really stepping it up a notch from the last book.
I always quite enjoy the author’s writing style. The occasional insertions of the character’s inner thoughts is a nice touch. I’m not sure it would work in any other book but it works for this one. It provides a deeper insight into the character’s and why they’re doing what they are doing. The style might not be for everyone but it makes the story easy to digest.
My only complaint on this book is that the middle dragged a bit. It felt like we were waiting on something to happen. Based on the synopsis I knew what the “something” was. As a result it felt like it took forever to get there and since the plot has a bit of a lull at the same time it dragged the plot down a little.
But apart from that I was delighted by this book. Kary was frustratingly pragmatic, seemingly more so than in the first book. But it’s her defense mechanism and survival technique. But I desperately wanted her to just drop the walls for a moment. Andrew was so sweet and I find myself falling for him more with every book. Even though he was a bit of a knucklehead in this one, I’ll forgive him for it. While I felt like Bianca was a rather dull villain in the first one, she justified her villain title in this one. I really hope that karma visits her in the end.
Overall, this book was great. I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
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December 28, 2022Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt MS’73, PhD’78
Author
From the author:
What makes the world's most eligible bachelor jump when she wants him to?
Every decision he makes from here on will hurt someone.
Is his happiness even in the equation any more?
Pride’s Children: Netherworld, Book 2 of the trilogy, continues the epic saga — one day later.
In Book 1, Pride’s Children: Purgatory, rising Irish megastar Andrew O’Connell embarked on a beautiful friendship with reclusive author Dr. Kary Ashe, and committed to his stunning costar Bianca Doyle’s directorial debut film Dodgson, a Lewis Carroll biopic.
He never imagined either would shatter the impenetrable wall he built between his professional and personal lives.
His future as a leading man depends on being an bankable obsession in the lives of the women he seduces, on and off screen.
But a past regret makes his gorge rise when offspring are on the way and he’s suddenly responsible for their very existence.
Book 2 of the Pride’s Children trilogy asks what are the risks — and obligations — of friendship?
Author
From the author:
What makes the world's most eligible bachelor jump when she wants him to?
Every decision he makes from here on will hurt someone.
Is his happiness even in the equation any more?
Pride’s Children: Netherworld, Book 2 of the trilogy, continues the epic saga — one day later.
In Book 1, Pride’s Children: Purgatory, rising Irish megastar Andrew O’Connell embarked on a beautiful friendship with reclusive author Dr. Kary Ashe, and committed to his stunning costar Bianca Doyle’s directorial debut film Dodgson, a Lewis Carroll biopic.
He never imagined either would shatter the impenetrable wall he built between his professional and personal lives.
His future as a leading man depends on being an bankable obsession in the lives of the women he seduces, on and off screen.
But a past regret makes his gorge rise when offspring are on the way and he’s suddenly responsible for their very existence.
Book 2 of the Pride’s Children trilogy asks what are the risks — and obligations — of friendship?
December 7, 2022
Reviewing Book 1, I wrote, 'Elegant literary fiction which is also literate, modern, gripping, and extraordinarily entertaining, to label the subject matter a 'love triangle' would be like daubing the Taj Mahal with graffiti.' Having read Book 2, I have no reason to change my views on the description of Ehrhardt's writing, which falls not one iota below the extraordinarily high standard set by the first book. However, I must note that I had no idea then that part of the second book would actually be set at the Taj Mahal!
It is important to note that unlike most trilogies, this is not three separate stories tied together, but a single three-volume novel. The second book continues from the first without stopping to draw breath. We await the final volume with eager awe.
Alicia Ehrhardt continues the epic journey inside the hearts of Kary, Andrew and Bianca by turns, and her characters engage the reader with a grip which only increases as the (many) pages turn. once again, the plot is more than character-driven; there is a sense in which the plot is the characters.
The pace is still measured, moving in time with the emotions of the characters. The tension remains remarkable and is sustained throughout. Ehrhardt's writing has a fascinating unconscious beauty, without ever obtruding itself into the story.
I must recommend this novel extremely highly. If you are a regular reader of romance, then you need to be up for something very different from what commonly represents the genre. But, for readers who appreciate literary fiction with a profoundly experienced three-sided love story which never devolves into any kind of sentimentality, this is volume two of a great novel.
It is important to note that unlike most trilogies, this is not three separate stories tied together, but a single three-volume novel. The second book continues from the first without stopping to draw breath. We await the final volume with eager awe.
Alicia Ehrhardt continues the epic journey inside the hearts of Kary, Andrew and Bianca by turns, and her characters engage the reader with a grip which only increases as the (many) pages turn. once again, the plot is more than character-driven; there is a sense in which the plot is the characters.
The pace is still measured, moving in time with the emotions of the characters. The tension remains remarkable and is sustained throughout. Ehrhardt's writing has a fascinating unconscious beauty, without ever obtruding itself into the story.
I must recommend this novel extremely highly. If you are a regular reader of romance, then you need to be up for something very different from what commonly represents the genre. But, for readers who appreciate literary fiction with a profoundly experienced three-sided love story which never devolves into any kind of sentimentality, this is volume two of a great novel.
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