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十二カ月の花嫁
The Devil's Pawn by Yvonne WhittalCould Cara's love cancel the debt?"Marry me, and your father can have twelve months more on his loan." Vince Steiner's insolent, faintly sensuous smile told Cara she was as much an object of desire to the South African construction magnate as she was the daughter of the man he despised.Cara knew nothing of her father's dealings with the Steiner family. She only knew that her new husband's heart seemed to have little room for love.Yet somewhere behind Vince's harsh unrelenting exterior, Cara glimpsed a man who might someday need more than a pawn in a deadly game of revenge.
Paperback Bunko
First published December 1, 1984
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About the author
Yvonne Whittal
56 books81 followersYvonne Whittal was born and raised in South Africa, the setting of most of her romances. She started writing stories at a young age, but didn't really get serious about writing until after she married and had children. She got many rejection letters from publishers, until a friend who loved romances gave her to encouragement to continue.
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December 1, 2015
Re The Devil's Pawn - there aren't too many books in HPlandia that can out wreck this one. All angst junkies take notice, cause YW did the wrecki-angst in spades and it is a rollercoaster of a read. TDP is probably the closest one will get in HPlandia to a choose your own adventure book.
The believability of the HEA is entirely dependent on the reader's personal outlook, cynics will find much to amuse themselves with in this one, and those who have a more rosy glasses attitude (or an adult beverage or six beforehand,) can find enough evidence to support their side as well.
I vacillate on this one a lot, that more than anything is one of the reasons I think this should be one of the higher rated books in the HP lineup. Milage always varies tho, so grab your rose tinted specs, cuddle up to your favorite vino or throw a couple extra big pillows on the wall across the room. This one is for certain going to be a bumpy ride.
The story starts with the h being told that her father owes a gigantic debt to a certain man who over the past year has been randomly showing up at the same social events the h goes to. He seems to be silently stalking her and he makes her very uncomfortable. The h is an nice, reserved and quietly compassionate young lady - she is also a librarian, so while she appears meek and mild, no one ever wants to rile her by messing with the books, cause she has a bite that can pierce metal.
The father tells the h that unless he can get more time to pay on the huge loan he owes this man, her mother's beloved home will have to be sold and the family will be bankrupt. The dad feels sure that he will get a local firm's big construction contract which will allow him to pay off the loan. At this point, the man himself offers the h's dad more time if the h will marry him for a year to be his whipping boy and toy. The h feels certain there is some deep animosity between the two men, but neither will discuss it. So the h, to save her mother strain, stress and the trauma of losing her lifestyle, gives into the blackmail and agrees to marry the H.
It becomes apparent from the first night of the marriage where the H exults in raping the virgin h, that this man has some serious demons and some serious rage. The h does her best to fight him off, but he has his wicked way and while she verbally gives all to defend her own, it is really her inner reserve that the H mistakes as haughtiness that saves her from outwardly appearing to be too damaged. The reader only know's differently because the h has such intense inner musings and this man with his mad lovemaking skillz is driving her insane with internal conflict between rage and longing.
She feels herself falling in love based on his physical prowess at night,
(and at this point I wanted her address to send her an intimate electronic device catalog to help her get over this fixation,)
but the H is truly, truly despicable and cruel during the day. He humiliates and belittles her at every turn, she tries to offer sympathy when he tells her his parents are both dead and he savages her.
The h also overhears an argument with his sister about exacting revenge from the h and her father, so the h has some clues that some terrible past deed has been hidden. This mystery and the H's abusive behavior during the day scares and worries the h so much that eventually she confronts her father about the past.
Dear old dad avoids and deflects as much as he can, but the first really significant blow the h absorbs is realizing how weak and self-serving her father really is when he tells her that he was responsible for an injury done to the H in the past and refuses to tell the h's mum about what is going on. The h realizes it isn't to shelter her mum from hardship, but to protect her father's own ego and she has been sacrificed for her father's egocentric narcissism - sadly she is stuck and she is physically enraptured by the H so she knows nothing good is going to be happening at any time in the next year.
Her illusions about her father are fully shattered and this is beginning of the h's fall. The next huge blow comes from her husband, who invites his mistress to spend the weekend with him and the h. The mistress is an expensive sorta skank and pretty rude to the h.
The h tolerates it with a certain reserved hauteur, but the H decides to sleep in the mistress's room that night and takes off for his private cottage with the mistress the next day. (here is where the book hits the wall every time, I finally wised up and put some padding out when I reread this.)
The h was invited to the cottage tête-à-tête, but luckily she had to work and refused to skip her shift, or she probably would have been forced to sip tea while the H and mistress got it on.
She attempts to spend the night at her parent's home but the H comes and drags her back and she sends him off to his mistress's bed - the H can't believe she would think that he would be the kind of man who would do that in front of his wife - she has no problem firing back that he is exactly the kind of man to do that and plus he was at his private lurve nest all day and he doesn't deny he was shagging it up.
Then, (and here is where I routinely don a crash helmet to bang my OWN head against the wall,) the h winds up sinking into a morass of hurt feelings and pretty much begs the H to lurve her up. The h manages to pass it off later as late night nerves and physical hormones and the H forces her to participate in the big mistress send off the next afternoon where it is made perfectly clear the H is continuing his amorous pursuits. The h walks away to read a book and the H tries to get a rise out of her again, she plays it cool though --so score one little point for the h.
The big contract is awarded and guess who got it, (hint, it isn't the h's dad.) The H, in a repulsive show of domination, forces his sister and the h to drink to his success. The h modifies the toast to hoping the H's need for vengeance is satiated. The sister tries to convince the h that she needs to care for and help her psycho brother, but the h gets a call from her mum that her father has collapsed and is in hospital.
The h confronts the H and he explains that his vengeance is meted out because 18 years earlier his father had sub-contracted a building being done by the H's dad. There wasn't sufficient steel for the structure and two men died and people were injured. The H's dad had pointed out there wasn't enough but the h's dad denied there was a problem. In court the H's dad got blamed and as a result the H's dad committed suicide.
The h realizes her dad is weak but to her knowledge, her dad had always been honest in business and she points out that there must have been some horrible mistake. Either way, she rages at the H that he would not drive her father to put a gun to his head, even though he hated his father for not fighting back. She goes to the hospital where her mum explains that she knows everything, is disappointed in the h's mocking of marriage and that she will help her husband start over.
The mum also explains that the accident years before was an error in accounting, the right amount of steel had been ordered but a mix-up occurred and it was not all delivered. The dad had tried to find the H to put things right, but they had disappeared so he left it alone. He did not try to stop the H's revenge because he felt he deserved it (and apparently was happy that it was his daughter taking the brunt of it, not him).
The h meets the H upon exiting the room and finally tells him she has had enough and she is leaving. She starts packing to leave when the sister comes in to her room and it is strongly hinted that the sister will forcibly restrain her to keep her in the house. Apparently the sister feels it is up to the h to fix the obession of the H.
At this point the H shows up, explains he believes the mum and is going to make amends to her father. The h doesn't care, she is leaving and also leaving town after her dad recovers. The H offers to help her find a job and the use of his city apartment, she refuses and continues to pack. The H sorta panics but he needs to go make amends to the dad, he asks the h to wait til he gets back, (and in another head banging moment,) the h does.
When the H returns he then sorta apologizes, kinda begs the h to stay and tells the h he lurves her and explains that he only invited the mistress to make the h jealous - the mistress supposedly just came to visit to tell the H about her new fiance. The h confesses she loves the H back and HEA.
Now I have to confess that a lot of my pleasure comes from reading this book when I am in a cynical deviant mood and rewriting the ending. I have had hours of guilty enjoyment doing this and my favorite make my own ending actually goes a bit like this:
The h gets to the hospital only to find her father has died. The mum explains the situation and then collapses and sadly she too dies, she just can't bear to be parted from her husband. The H shows up and tries to apologize but the h leaves and goes to pack. The sister does physically attack the h to keep her from leaving and the h calls the police and has the sister arrested for assault. As the sister is a doctor, when she is convicted of bodily harm she loses her hospital privileges and has to go to overseas to Africa to work as a doctor there helping poor tribesmen with ebola.
The h, after arranging the funeral and selling all her families belongings to pay the H back, files for divorce and cites adultery and names the mistress as co-respondent, the mistress is served the summons as she and her fiance are rehearsing for their wedding.
The fiance is appalled that she has been sleeping with a married man and the details will be discussed in open court, he leaves her at the altar. The notoriety from the staff testifying that the H shacked up with the mistress just down the hall from the room his wife was in greatly devalues her wealthy man mistress prospects.
She is now infamous and wealthy men don't like public accusations of infidelity and don't like mistresses who are so widely known as marriage wreckers. She is forced into more and more demeaning liaisons, until her looks fade and she winds up in state assisted living, a broken, drug addicted woman with a fatal social disease.
During the divorce trial, it also comes out that the H used some dubious business practices to drive a fairly respected businessman to his death. Since he made a lot of enemies in his climb to the top, a combination of ruthless competitors and government corruption investigations cause him to lose all he has worked for.
In a final event just after the H has been informed he is bankrupt and a prison sentence for corruption is likely, he shoots himself in his study - just as his dad did years before.
The h decides to apply for a job as a librarian in New Zealand, as she needs a fresh start after all the past losses. She meets a former World Cup rugby captain who falls madly in love with her, treats her like an enthroned queen and she happily marries him and has 2 cats, 2 kids and one dog and a blissful HEA.
Like I said earlier, this really can be a great choose your own outcome HP. May everyone have very happy reading, no matter what side of the rosy glow or passionate revenge side you fall on.
The believability of the HEA is entirely dependent on the reader's personal outlook, cynics will find much to amuse themselves with in this one, and those who have a more rosy glasses attitude (or an adult beverage or six beforehand,) can find enough evidence to support their side as well.
I vacillate on this one a lot, that more than anything is one of the reasons I think this should be one of the higher rated books in the HP lineup. Milage always varies tho, so grab your rose tinted specs, cuddle up to your favorite vino or throw a couple extra big pillows on the wall across the room. This one is for certain going to be a bumpy ride.
The story starts with the h being told that her father owes a gigantic debt to a certain man who over the past year has been randomly showing up at the same social events the h goes to. He seems to be silently stalking her and he makes her very uncomfortable. The h is an nice, reserved and quietly compassionate young lady - she is also a librarian, so while she appears meek and mild, no one ever wants to rile her by messing with the books, cause she has a bite that can pierce metal.
The father tells the h that unless he can get more time to pay on the huge loan he owes this man, her mother's beloved home will have to be sold and the family will be bankrupt. The dad feels sure that he will get a local firm's big construction contract which will allow him to pay off the loan. At this point, the man himself offers the h's dad more time if the h will marry him for a year to be his whipping boy and toy. The h feels certain there is some deep animosity between the two men, but neither will discuss it. So the h, to save her mother strain, stress and the trauma of losing her lifestyle, gives into the blackmail and agrees to marry the H.
It becomes apparent from the first night of the marriage where the H exults in raping the virgin h, that this man has some serious demons and some serious rage. The h does her best to fight him off, but he has his wicked way and while she verbally gives all to defend her own, it is really her inner reserve that the H mistakes as haughtiness that saves her from outwardly appearing to be too damaged. The reader only know's differently because the h has such intense inner musings and this man with his mad lovemaking skillz is driving her insane with internal conflict between rage and longing.
She feels herself falling in love based on his physical prowess at night,
(and at this point I wanted her address to send her an intimate electronic device catalog to help her get over this fixation,)
but the H is truly, truly despicable and cruel during the day. He humiliates and belittles her at every turn, she tries to offer sympathy when he tells her his parents are both dead and he savages her.
The h also overhears an argument with his sister about exacting revenge from the h and her father, so the h has some clues that some terrible past deed has been hidden. This mystery and the H's abusive behavior during the day scares and worries the h so much that eventually she confronts her father about the past.
Dear old dad avoids and deflects as much as he can, but the first really significant blow the h absorbs is realizing how weak and self-serving her father really is when he tells her that he was responsible for an injury done to the H in the past and refuses to tell the h's mum about what is going on. The h realizes it isn't to shelter her mum from hardship, but to protect her father's own ego and she has been sacrificed for her father's egocentric narcissism - sadly she is stuck and she is physically enraptured by the H so she knows nothing good is going to be happening at any time in the next year.
Her illusions about her father are fully shattered and this is beginning of the h's fall. The next huge blow comes from her husband, who invites his mistress to spend the weekend with him and the h. The mistress is an expensive sorta skank and pretty rude to the h.
The h tolerates it with a certain reserved hauteur, but the H decides to sleep in the mistress's room that night and takes off for his private cottage with the mistress the next day. (here is where the book hits the wall every time, I finally wised up and put some padding out when I reread this.)
The h was invited to the cottage tête-à-tête, but luckily she had to work and refused to skip her shift, or she probably would have been forced to sip tea while the H and mistress got it on.
She attempts to spend the night at her parent's home but the H comes and drags her back and she sends him off to his mistress's bed - the H can't believe she would think that he would be the kind of man who would do that in front of his wife - she has no problem firing back that he is exactly the kind of man to do that and plus he was at his private lurve nest all day and he doesn't deny he was shagging it up.
Then, (and here is where I routinely don a crash helmet to bang my OWN head against the wall,) the h winds up sinking into a morass of hurt feelings and pretty much begs the H to lurve her up. The h manages to pass it off later as late night nerves and physical hormones and the H forces her to participate in the big mistress send off the next afternoon where it is made perfectly clear the H is continuing his amorous pursuits. The h walks away to read a book and the H tries to get a rise out of her again, she plays it cool though --so score one little point for the h.
The big contract is awarded and guess who got it, (hint, it isn't the h's dad.) The H, in a repulsive show of domination, forces his sister and the h to drink to his success. The h modifies the toast to hoping the H's need for vengeance is satiated. The sister tries to convince the h that she needs to care for and help her psycho brother, but the h gets a call from her mum that her father has collapsed and is in hospital.
The h confronts the H and he explains that his vengeance is meted out because 18 years earlier his father had sub-contracted a building being done by the H's dad. There wasn't sufficient steel for the structure and two men died and people were injured. The H's dad had pointed out there wasn't enough but the h's dad denied there was a problem. In court the H's dad got blamed and as a result the H's dad committed suicide.
The h realizes her dad is weak but to her knowledge, her dad had always been honest in business and she points out that there must have been some horrible mistake. Either way, she rages at the H that he would not drive her father to put a gun to his head, even though he hated his father for not fighting back. She goes to the hospital where her mum explains that she knows everything, is disappointed in the h's mocking of marriage and that she will help her husband start over.
The mum also explains that the accident years before was an error in accounting, the right amount of steel had been ordered but a mix-up occurred and it was not all delivered. The dad had tried to find the H to put things right, but they had disappeared so he left it alone. He did not try to stop the H's revenge because he felt he deserved it (and apparently was happy that it was his daughter taking the brunt of it, not him).
The h meets the H upon exiting the room and finally tells him she has had enough and she is leaving. She starts packing to leave when the sister comes in to her room and it is strongly hinted that the sister will forcibly restrain her to keep her in the house. Apparently the sister feels it is up to the h to fix the obession of the H.
At this point the H shows up, explains he believes the mum and is going to make amends to her father. The h doesn't care, she is leaving and also leaving town after her dad recovers. The H offers to help her find a job and the use of his city apartment, she refuses and continues to pack. The H sorta panics but he needs to go make amends to the dad, he asks the h to wait til he gets back, (and in another head banging moment,) the h does.
When the H returns he then sorta apologizes, kinda begs the h to stay and tells the h he lurves her and explains that he only invited the mistress to make the h jealous - the mistress supposedly just came to visit to tell the H about her new fiance. The h confesses she loves the H back and HEA.
Now I have to confess that a lot of my pleasure comes from reading this book when I am in a cynical deviant mood and rewriting the ending. I have had hours of guilty enjoyment doing this and my favorite make my own ending actually goes a bit like this:
The h gets to the hospital only to find her father has died. The mum explains the situation and then collapses and sadly she too dies, she just can't bear to be parted from her husband. The H shows up and tries to apologize but the h leaves and goes to pack. The sister does physically attack the h to keep her from leaving and the h calls the police and has the sister arrested for assault. As the sister is a doctor, when she is convicted of bodily harm she loses her hospital privileges and has to go to overseas to Africa to work as a doctor there helping poor tribesmen with ebola.
The h, after arranging the funeral and selling all her families belongings to pay the H back, files for divorce and cites adultery and names the mistress as co-respondent, the mistress is served the summons as she and her fiance are rehearsing for their wedding.
The fiance is appalled that she has been sleeping with a married man and the details will be discussed in open court, he leaves her at the altar. The notoriety from the staff testifying that the H shacked up with the mistress just down the hall from the room his wife was in greatly devalues her wealthy man mistress prospects.
She is now infamous and wealthy men don't like public accusations of infidelity and don't like mistresses who are so widely known as marriage wreckers. She is forced into more and more demeaning liaisons, until her looks fade and she winds up in state assisted living, a broken, drug addicted woman with a fatal social disease.
During the divorce trial, it also comes out that the H used some dubious business practices to drive a fairly respected businessman to his death. Since he made a lot of enemies in his climb to the top, a combination of ruthless competitors and government corruption investigations cause him to lose all he has worked for.
In a final event just after the H has been informed he is bankrupt and a prison sentence for corruption is likely, he shoots himself in his study - just as his dad did years before.
The h decides to apply for a job as a librarian in New Zealand, as she needs a fresh start after all the past losses. She meets a former World Cup rugby captain who falls madly in love with her, treats her like an enthroned queen and she happily marries him and has 2 cats, 2 kids and one dog and a blissful HEA.
Like I said earlier, this really can be a great choose your own outcome HP. May everyone have very happy reading, no matter what side of the rosy glow or passionate revenge side you fall on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2025
I think this is one of the first revenge HPs I ever read, and I blame my sad addiction to this trope on this story. It's a forced marriage based on the hero's need for revenge concerning his father's business humiliation 18 years before. The heroine's motivation for going along with this forced marriage is her touching love for her parents.
Re-reading this isn't quite the thrill ride as the first time. Y.W. includes a lot of cliches of the trope: the hero who skillfully makes the h love sex and then warns her not to fall for him. The contempt in his eyes the heroine doesn't understand. (He's in love with her and despises himself for it) His unsympathetic view of her divided loyalties. The author goes a step further when the hero humiliates the heroine when his OW spends the entire weekend with them as their guest. Throw in a hospital scene and you have enough angst to cause a lovely HP train wreck.
The hero is awful with only a few wobbles of niceness until the end. Yay! I hate when "Alphas" pull their punches too early. The heroine is practical enough to have some sense of self-preservation and I was glad when she finally shed her illusions about her father. There is a grovel of sorts (lets not go crazy and expect an "I'm sorry)and the hero does say I love you first. So there's that. A fun, old skool story that holds up.
Re-reading this isn't quite the thrill ride as the first time. Y.W. includes a lot of cliches of the trope: the hero who skillfully makes the h love sex and then warns her not to fall for him. The contempt in his eyes the heroine doesn't understand. (He's in love with her and despises himself for it) His unsympathetic view of her divided loyalties. The author goes a step further when the hero humiliates the heroine when his OW spends the entire weekend with them as their guest. Throw in a hospital scene and you have enough angst to cause a lovely HP train wreck.
The hero is awful with only a few wobbles of niceness until the end. Yay! I hate when "Alphas" pull their punches too early. The heroine is practical enough to have some sense of self-preservation and I was glad when she finally shed her illusions about her father. There is a grovel of sorts (lets not go crazy and expect an "I'm sorry)and the hero does say I love you first. So there's that. A fun, old skool story that holds up.
February 26, 2016
I liked this book quite a lot despite the shocking insensitivity n rub-her-face-in-humiliation cruelty of the H. He's without a doubt way up there in alphahole hall of fame. With his almost total lack of sensitivity or decent humanness we can safely put him in the anti-hero league. It's the regular vendetta-moc trope combo n she is the virgin sacrifice.
June 30, 2016
I hated this so much.
The hero is so awful from beginning to almost the end.
Big time forced seduction, verbal abuse, physical abuse. It just doesn't quit. This poor stupid dweeb of a little h never gets a break. Then she falls in love with him. Okay, I knew it was coming, but he was so bad. How do you fall in love with someone that has no redeeming features. Oh yeah, I forgot: the magic penis effect.
Plus, the dialogue. Wowza. Purple prose at it's best. He called her liebchen and don't get me started on the smarmy dialogue when he flirts with the other woman. Blech.
Sadly, this review will inspire people to read it, and for some they will love it. I like my heroes to have something redeemable.
And he's blonde.
The hero is so awful from beginning to almost the end.
Big time forced seduction, verbal abuse, physical abuse. It just doesn't quit. This poor stupid dweeb of a little h never gets a break. Then she falls in love with him. Okay, I knew it was coming, but he was so bad. How do you fall in love with someone that has no redeeming features. Oh yeah, I forgot: the magic penis effect.
Plus, the dialogue. Wowza. Purple prose at it's best. He called her liebchen and don't get me started on the smarmy dialogue when he flirts with the other woman. Blech.
Sadly, this review will inspire people to read it, and for some they will love it. I like my heroes to have something redeemable.
And he's blonde.
November 18, 2020
"The Devil's Pawn" is the story of Cara and Vince.
Our heroine marries the hero to save her parents from homelessness. Her father's business is in peril, and the wedding would give him another year to pay the hero back. She soon realize the hero is out for revenge from her father, and maybe even her, for something that had happened to him years ago. Ofcourse, he sexes her hard and lights her body on fire, mocks her ruthlessly, brings OW to their house and taunts her, continuously pushes her past her limits- until the heroine fights back and he eventually confesses he has been in love with her all along!
Messy romance with loads of vengeance and little angst. The hero had his endearments, the heroine had her helplessness. I did enjoy the ending when the truth was revealed!
Safe
3.25/5
Our heroine marries the hero to save her parents from homelessness. Her father's business is in peril, and the wedding would give him another year to pay the hero back. She soon realize the hero is out for revenge from her father, and maybe even her, for something that had happened to him years ago. Ofcourse, he sexes her hard and lights her body on fire, mocks her ruthlessly, brings OW to their house and taunts her, continuously pushes her past her limits- until the heroine fights back and he eventually confesses he has been in love with her all along!
Messy romance with loads of vengeance and little angst. The hero had his endearments, the heroine had her helplessness. I did enjoy the ending when the truth was revealed!
Safe
3.25/5
avoid
May 18, 2017Absolutely do NOT believe his explanation about the OW, who he was shacking up with for the whole day in front of the heroine!
Oh I invited my mistress to make you jealous and she accepted my invitation to seek my blessings for her impending marriage. But while we're at it we decided screw like bunnies for the whole day in front of you just for the old time sake. One for the road honey!
When the wife is trying to give him the boot: of course the above statement is no longer appropriate so it's now: Oh I invited my mistress to make you jealous and she accepted my invitation to seek my blessings for her impending marriage. I have not even looked at anyone else after meeting you and no other women came to my dreams after I finally raped you.
Swine!
Oh I invited my mistress to make you jealous and she accepted my invitation to seek my blessings for her impending marriage. But while we're at it we decided screw like bunnies for the whole day in front of you just for the old time sake. One for the road honey!
When the wife is trying to give him the boot: of course the above statement is no longer appropriate so it's now: Oh I invited my mistress to make you jealous and she accepted my invitation to seek my blessings for her impending marriage. I have not even looked at anyone else after meeting you and no other women came to my dreams after I finally raped you.
Swine!
May 29, 2018
I did a temporary DNF on this one after the first chapter because … furniture.
From the start, H seems like the evil guy, the big-shot corporate business using his power and influence to ruin small-time businesses like that of the h’s father. Father owes tons of money to the H and he has come to their house to demand his money back. The h overhears this and drags the truth out of her father. They’ve been in debt for a long time and in danger of losing their house and everything in it. Here’s my take on their conversation with (Real Thoughts)
Heroine: This is awful but it’ll be ok. I’m sure this gentleman is reasonable and will wait for you to come up with the money (gentleman, my ass. This creep prefers to make house-calls to collect his debts. And he has been leering at me for the past year at parties and never had the decency to introduce himself)
Hero: I’ve waited eighteen months for him to pay. Time’s up. (And, cut the crap. You’ve been making googly eyes at me all year round too)
Heroine: (I’m a librarian. I’m smart. Womaniser, go away) It will be ok, Father. Why don't you explain to Mother…
Father: No! She’ll be devastated! The house is mortgaged and we may have to sell the furniture now.
Heroine: You can’t! Mother will be destroyed! (We need to make our home a sacred space. Oprah said so)
Hero: (Furniture seems important in this family.) Give me your daughter for a year as collateral. I need a wife.
Father: Never! (But then again…hmmm)
Heroine: How dare you! (Hmm…)
Hero: Think about it. I’ll be back (Schwarzenegger-style. Hahaha. God, I need a life).
Heroine: We don’t have a choice, Father. I have to do this. (Because you don’t have the balls to tell Mother you’ve run the business to the ground)
Father: No! I will never allow this! (Convince me more)
Heroine: There’s nothing further to discuss. (I’ll give myself to this sexy hunk of a devil I secretly fell in love with. It’s a nasty job but someone has to do it).
Father: This is a terrible situation. (But does this mean we get to keep the furniture? Coz I think my balls are in your mother’s vanity box)
So if you can get past the first chapter of why the h agreed to the marriage, this is quite a good read. This is only my second Whittal novel and I can see she’s right up there with Reid, Napier and Penny J in terms of writing style. Everything is unravelled at a good pace with a loyal, strong heroine and a cold, angry Hero who can’t forgive, forget nor face the truth of his past. There's an added bonus of fleshed-out secondary characters. The H’s sister deserves a book of her own.
As with most revenge novels, its best read without reading reviews but if you need the full scoop, do check out Preeti’s excellent one.
It lost a star for me because, though I love my tender-hearted heroines, even those with a wobbly backbone, I draw the line at going down on your knees to beg the H. Stay on your feet, please, especially when it all boils down to … Mother can’t lose her precious antique furniture!
From the start, H seems like the evil guy, the big-shot corporate business using his power and influence to ruin small-time businesses like that of the h’s father. Father owes tons of money to the H and he has come to their house to demand his money back. The h overhears this and drags the truth out of her father. They’ve been in debt for a long time and in danger of losing their house and everything in it. Here’s my take on their conversation with (Real Thoughts)
Heroine: This is awful but it’ll be ok. I’m sure this gentleman is reasonable and will wait for you to come up with the money (gentleman, my ass. This creep prefers to make house-calls to collect his debts. And he has been leering at me for the past year at parties and never had the decency to introduce himself)
Hero: I’ve waited eighteen months for him to pay. Time’s up. (And, cut the crap. You’ve been making googly eyes at me all year round too)
Heroine: (I’m a librarian. I’m smart. Womaniser, go away) It will be ok, Father. Why don't you explain to Mother…
Father: No! She’ll be devastated! The house is mortgaged and we may have to sell the furniture now.
Heroine: You can’t! Mother will be destroyed! (We need to make our home a sacred space. Oprah said so)
Hero: (Furniture seems important in this family.) Give me your daughter for a year as collateral. I need a wife.
Father: Never! (But then again…hmmm)
Heroine: How dare you! (Hmm…)
Hero: Think about it. I’ll be back (Schwarzenegger-style. Hahaha. God, I need a life).
Heroine: We don’t have a choice, Father. I have to do this. (Because you don’t have the balls to tell Mother you’ve run the business to the ground)
Father: No! I will never allow this! (Convince me more)
Heroine: There’s nothing further to discuss. (I’ll give myself to this sexy hunk of a devil I secretly fell in love with. It’s a nasty job but someone has to do it).
Father: This is a terrible situation. (But does this mean we get to keep the furniture? Coz I think my balls are in your mother’s vanity box)
So if you can get past the first chapter of why the h agreed to the marriage, this is quite a good read. This is only my second Whittal novel and I can see she’s right up there with Reid, Napier and Penny J in terms of writing style. Everything is unravelled at a good pace with a loyal, strong heroine and a cold, angry Hero who can’t forgive, forget nor face the truth of his past. There's an added bonus of fleshed-out secondary characters. The H’s sister deserves a book of her own.
As with most revenge novels, its best read without reading reviews but if you need the full scoop, do check out Preeti’s excellent one.
It lost a star for me because, though I love my tender-hearted heroines, even those with a wobbly backbone, I draw the line at going down on your knees to beg the H. Stay on your feet, please, especially when it all boils down to … Mother can’t lose her precious antique furniture!
June 15, 2025
H was incredibly awful and I think h should have not believed him about the OW but as an angst junky happy because h was happy. 🤷🏻♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2020
Oh lord, I think I have officially passed the point of no return because after a slew of vintage revenge Harleys, and upon rereading this one, somehow the hero didn't seem so bad anymore. Whaaa? What is wrong with me? Vince is one of Whittal's alpha-est, cruellest, out-for-revengey-est antiheroes: he forces the heroine into a year-long MoC-with-benefits for sex and vengeance (her father wronged his in the past with tragic results); he forces her on her wedding night (she ends up enjoying it via BODY BETRAYAL!); he flaunts his mistress in front of her as a weekend guest and goes to said mistress's bedroom when the heroine refuses him; and he's just an unrepentant ass who tells her multiple times that there will be no love between them, he'll use her for sex, and once the year is up, out she goes! Despite his loan to her father (the carrot for marrying him), it's pretty clear that he's out to destroy her dad, and the heroine is torn between her growing "love" (is it love? Or sexual infatuation?) for the hero and loyalty to her family.
Chainsmoking galore, a cold and arrogant hero, a heroine who just misses doormat status, and loads of Whittal angst make for an exciting vintage read that doesn't let up on the misunderstandings and drama until the end. Lots of fun with this one and I really need to take a break from all these vintage alphas because my tolerance for their cruel antics is seriously out of bounds.
Chainsmoking galore, a cold and arrogant hero, a heroine who just misses doormat status, and loads of Whittal angst make for an exciting vintage read that doesn't let up on the misunderstandings and drama until the end. Lots of fun with this one and I really need to take a break from all these vintage alphas because my tolerance for their cruel antics is seriously out of bounds.
June 8, 2012
In order to get revenge on the heroines father the hero married the heroine. He took her virginity while raping her and then was cruel to her right through the entire book. Eventually and for some unknown reason to me, the heroine fell in love with the hero. The secret of the past came out and the hero found out her father was not to blame but by then it seemed to late. The heroines father was in the hospital and heroine was leaving the hero. For some reason, the hero admitted his love for the heroine and the heroine admitted her. Then they lived happily ever after.
The hero was a dick, I wouldn't of stayed around. If you love someone you don't treat them like crap. I'm sorry but through this whole novel, he was cruel and arrogant. Then at the end he was all "I've loved you forever!" and she took him back. A little bit weak if you ask me. I'd of slapped the crap out of him and walked out. It was okay but kind of an abusive flop.
The hero was a dick, I wouldn't of stayed around. If you love someone you don't treat them like crap. I'm sorry but through this whole novel, he was cruel and arrogant. Then at the end he was all "I've loved you forever!" and she took him back. A little bit weak if you ask me. I'd of slapped the crap out of him and walked out. It was okay but kind of an abusive flop.
August 21, 2015
hmmm…not sure how to rate this one. I know I don't read HPs for their realistic portrayal of love and life. But I find it really hard to believe that any decent person could fall in love with a man who viciously sets out to destroy their father for a past mistake, and a mother (by collateral damage).
However in HP land, lust turns to love and they ride happily off into the sunset……..I think it's just a matter of degrees. I give this 2.5 stars, mostly for the angst because the story itself just didn't work for me.
Also, my open library.org copy was a disaster. Over 20% actually wasn't readable.
However in HP land, lust turns to love and they ride happily off into the sunset……..I think it's just a matter of degrees. I give this 2.5 stars, mostly for the angst because the story itself just didn't work for me.
Also, my open library.org copy was a disaster. Over 20% actually wasn't readable.
January 1, 2015
Lots of tropes I enjoy, but just an average read. Obviously we all know where these stories are going, but I think their could have been more suspense. Also couldn't figure out why the heroine loved the hero in the first place.
July 28, 2014
There are some angst but not overwhelming. Like many lead male character of his era, he takes what is not given to him with no apology.
December 22, 2013
My three stars are for the old skoolness of it all. I would have rated it higher on old skoolness had I felt that he truly loved her. Even though at the end he says that he fell in love with her near the beginning, there was no evidence of this in the actual writing. I can really enjoy some crazy by the hero if his words and actions show me he loves the heroine down inside. Here that wasn't the case. He was just cruel to her and monofocused on his revenge. The I Love Yous at the end weren't quite believable.
November 11, 2013
Wow! Heroine's father was a jerk and I thought she was an idiot for defending him so fiercely.
November 18, 2021
A good revenge story, at last!
And with such angst I was worried for my blood pressure!
We have:
-a hero who holds a grudge to the heroine's father and vowed to destroy him because he ruined his father so he committed suicide.
- a heroine who wants to help her father and is willing to marry the hero and stay married for one year until her father has paid his debt.
- tracherous body syndrome
-ow drama (big drama!!!)
-hero who tries to play cool but he's smitten instead (and everybody understands it except of course him and the heroine)
-heroine who is passive until, when we all had lost our hopes, she has a personality and backbone transplant all in one, and sadly only for a couple of hours, when she decides that his father can go to hell, the hero can go to hell and she won't be a pawn anymore.
-a hero who begs and grovels and tells her how much jealous he was of om (unfortunately only a friend) and how ow was only there to make her jealous (but he was with her alone for one full day in a cottage??? yeah, right)
Really, I don't understand how could the heroine fall in love with a man like that, bitter, vengeaful, who didn't have any qualms to use and abuse an innocent and who forced his wife to sleep under the same roof with his mistress, even going to the heroine's bed to his mistress' ...
She should have left him then and there, it's not even a matter of love, but a more basic respect that he didn't have for her. And she let him treat her that way. I'm speachless.
I don't have much sympathy for a person who sacrifices herself for a house, because basically this is what she did, she sold herself to the hero to help her father and mother to keep their house. They could have sold it, still have some money and start again, but the heroine gave herself to a madman who was bitter because his father committed suicide.
Not cool.
But I liked the angst, and I liked the revenge, all very old school but at least not boring.
And with such angst I was worried for my blood pressure!
We have:
-a hero who holds a grudge to the heroine's father and vowed to destroy him because he ruined his father so he committed suicide.
- a heroine who wants to help her father and is willing to marry the hero and stay married for one year until her father has paid his debt.
- tracherous body syndrome
-ow drama (big drama!!!)
-hero who tries to play cool but he's smitten instead (and everybody understands it except of course him and the heroine)
-heroine who is passive until, when we all had lost our hopes, she has a personality and backbone transplant all in one, and sadly only for a couple of hours, when she decides that his father can go to hell, the hero can go to hell and she won't be a pawn anymore.
-a hero who begs and grovels and tells her how much jealous he was of om (unfortunately only a friend) and how ow was only there to make her jealous (but he was with her alone for one full day in a cottage??? yeah, right)
Really, I don't understand how could the heroine fall in love with a man like that, bitter, vengeaful, who didn't have any qualms to use and abuse an innocent and who forced his wife to sleep under the same roof with his mistress, even going to the heroine's bed to his mistress' ...
She should have left him then and there, it's not even a matter of love, but a more basic respect that he didn't have for her. And she let him treat her that way. I'm speachless.
I don't have much sympathy for a person who sacrifices herself for a house, because basically this is what she did, she sold herself to the hero to help her father and mother to keep their house. They could have sold it, still have some money and start again, but the heroine gave herself to a madman who was bitter because his father committed suicide.
Not cool.
But I liked the angst, and I liked the revenge, all very old school but at least not boring.
April 5, 2020
I wanted to read about a jerk H and release all my pent up work stress and fear of this coronavirus pandemic on him.
And this book didn’t dissapoint me. I feel lighter and happier and ready for another day at the hospital tomorrow!
I give it a 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Ironic, right? The H was awful but I had fun cursing him 😂
Safety: one OW (previous lover to the H), no cheating (maybe some flirtation to make the h jealous), H is h’s only lover, age gap (he is 38, she is 24), forced marriage due to threat, H had a sad past, some reference to misogyny. H uses forced seduction to get the h into bed, she does refuse him
But then again her body wants him 😂, also he calls her lieblech!
And this book didn’t dissapoint me. I feel lighter and happier and ready for another day at the hospital tomorrow!
I give it a 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Ironic, right? The H was awful but I had fun cursing him 😂
Safety: one OW (previous lover to the H), no cheating (maybe some flirtation to make the h jealous), H is h’s only lover, age gap (he is 38, she is 24), forced marriage due to threat, H had a sad past, some reference to misogyny. H uses forced seduction to get the h into bed, she does refuse him
But then again her body wants him 😂, also he calls her lieblech!
May 21, 2014
Oh man this woman was constantly in tears I just felt like she should have a mop and bucket attached to her permanently!!
November 20, 2020
This was crazy..but that's the normal when you read YW 🙂 , I wanted a pregnancy or an epilogue with one but there wasn't 🙄
April 6, 2020
This one has been on my TBR pile since I was in South Africa last year and unfortunately it disappointed me.
The H and the h's dad both smoke like chimneys which was a bit off putting but aside from that the H was incredibly horrible to the h and her family, tackily used his ex mistress and had zero grovel at the end. He was forgiven for his many, many sins far too easily.
The h needs to get the hell out of dodge and cut her losses with this control freak. At the very least he owes her a new house and bed that hasn't been contaminated by his skanky ex.
H wants revenge on the h's dad because he has done a bad deal with his own father many moons ago which went wrong. H's dad killed himself over it and although the h's dad turns it did do him wrong it wasn't deliberately.
The h calls it right in the end and tells the h he doesn't hate her dad anywhere a much as he hates his own for committing suicide rather than fighting back and he doesn't like it.
Feel really sorry for this h having to live with this buttmuncher for the rest of her life. Be happy she is happy.
The H and the h's dad both smoke like chimneys which was a bit off putting but aside from that the H was incredibly horrible to the h and her family, tackily used his ex mistress and had zero grovel at the end. He was forgiven for his many, many sins far too easily.
The h needs to get the hell out of dodge and cut her losses with this control freak. At the very least he owes her a new house and bed that hasn't been contaminated by his skanky ex.
H wants revenge on the h's dad because he has done a bad deal with his own father many moons ago which went wrong. H's dad killed himself over it and although the h's dad turns it did do him wrong it wasn't deliberately.
The h calls it right in the end and tells the h he doesn't hate her dad anywhere a much as he hates his own for committing suicide rather than fighting back and he doesn't like it.
Feel really sorry for this h having to live with this buttmuncher for the rest of her life. Be happy she is happy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2021
2.25 stars
hated the main characters but it was super entertaining.
hated the main characters but it was super entertaining.
December 16, 2015
Ugh, I love the plot, I love the drama but the climax is not there and now I'm not satisfied. I was hoping for boom-boom-pow and I've been waiting for it, but the author didn't let me have my moment. Cara's waaay to forgiving. I was hoping for her to fight a little bit. Vince is classic, jerk Hero and I love him for just being annoying and awfully vengeful. Overall, I enjoyed it and I'll definitely read more from Yvonne Whittal!
January 24, 2016
Well this one had it all. The blackmailed bride the father who is weak and a girl who is loving and loyal. It worked for me and I thought being that he was a total alpha I would hate it but even when he was pushing her into doing things outside of her comfort zone you could tell he was in love with her. She was clueless and he did do some horrible things. I still like the book over all.
February 14, 2022
Published in 1984, it’s an old school romance and I love it. Revenge, blackmail, angst and passion. And somewhere there is a bit of love mixed in it.
He is a cruel, handsome, passionate, alpha male, self-made business man. She is an innocent, young virgin who still lives in her parents’ house.
She marries him to give her father some extra time in trying to pay back the loan he got from the H. And what a roller coaster marriage it is.
Somehow, despite his cruelty and his dominance over her, the writer makes me feel that he loves her. Madly. He acts cold, but he burns for her.
Don’t read this if you only like nice H’s.
He is a cruel, handsome, passionate, alpha male, self-made business man. She is an innocent, young virgin who still lives in her parents’ house.
She marries him to give her father some extra time in trying to pay back the loan he got from the H. And what a roller coaster marriage it is.
Somehow, despite his cruelty and his dominance over her, the writer makes me feel that he loves her. Madly. He acts cold, but he burns for her.
Don’t read this if you only like nice H’s.
July 29, 2024
I have read it (only skimming many pages). I needed some light story, even if unrealistic. But there were too many repetitions and "Harlequin sentences" to my taste (or mood). I didn't buy Vince's better site - he was too brutal initially. I can understand the romance has fans - it was written for a specific target. Yet, to me, the hero was too awful and all that angst was overused.
[1-1.5 stars]
[1-1.5 stars]
December 12, 2024
This is not bad. Quite engaging. I think now it would considered a Enemies to Lovers.
That being said, the main male character was a JA.
Good old HARLEQUIN.
That being said, the main male character was a JA.
Good old HARLEQUIN.
December 16, 2013
really gud one ! very intense n very emotionally draining ! the things vince were upto!!really astounding n outrageous ! imagine ur dad just lost a contract which will make him bankrupt n ur husband is actually having a toast abt it, n forcing u 2 toast as well. champagne, cheers !! dat really will stay in my mind 4 a long time lol:-P he was hateful ! he raped cara on the wedding night n just before the fucking act, cara admitted she was a virgin n dat made him immensely triumphant; he had indeed got mr lyold's most guarded prize. utterly disgusting ! he was actually very very glad of raping a virgin. the book was a 4 star 4 me, damn entertaining ! where it lost 1 star n became a 3 star was the fact dat cara realised too early on dat she was in love wid vince LOL. der was nthng lovable abt him, like the time she fell into a lake n was freezing 2 death, he was very amused n made her look so ridiculous ! n also the way he wud flaunt chantal at her at every golden opportunity ! my, my, my !! vince was going on 40 but his behaviour seemed like a younger man. i can't imagine a man of 40 upto such mischief ! i think he wud have been more mature n forgiving at dat age. u no, age makes people wiser. it wud have been more believable dat he was around 29 :D
May 5, 2021
Rating: **3.8 stars**
An apt title and a well penned down revenge story.
The ML sought revenge from the FL's father for an incident in the past and blackmails the FL into marrying him. Honestly in the first half of the book I did find the FL a bit whiny and bratty-ish but in the second half she took a turn and showed more maturity and a good head on her shoulders.
I really liked the fact the ML was shown ruthless and driven in his pursuit for vengeance until the very end, it was not like one of those half assed revenge stories where the plot deviates and motivations get scattered halfway through the story. Although the ML realizes his mistake towards the end I did not find the ending rushed and it felt well tied up.
An apt title and a well penned down revenge story.
The ML sought revenge from the FL's father for an incident in the past and blackmails the FL into marrying him. Honestly in the first half of the book I did find the FL a bit whiny and bratty-ish but in the second half she took a turn and showed more maturity and a good head on her shoulders.
I really liked the fact the ML was shown ruthless and driven in his pursuit for vengeance until the very end, it was not like one of those half assed revenge stories where the plot deviates and motivations get scattered halfway through the story. Although the ML realizes his mistake towards the end I did not find the ending rushed and it felt well tied up.
June 29, 2018
A forced marriage as a way to revenge is a time-honored trope, but when you throw in a rape and the rapists reaction to finding out she is virgin is
"Well, what do you know," he mocked her ruthlessly. "So I have indeed taken Lloyd's most prized possession." I can see *NO* way of redemption. Not only that, but the revenge wasn't warranted at all since her father was innocent after all, and he could have easily found that out before he destroyed her.
Just... no.
"Well, what do you know," he mocked her ruthlessly. "So I have indeed taken Lloyd's most prized possession." I can see *NO* way of redemption. Not only that, but the revenge wasn't warranted at all since her father was innocent after all, and he could have easily found that out before he destroyed her.
Just... no.
March 23, 2020
Could Cara's love cancel the debt? "Marry me, and your father can have twelve months more on his loan." Vince Steiner's insolent, faintly sensuous smile told Cara she was as much an object of desire to the South African construction magnate as she was the daughter of the man he despised. Cara knew nothing of her father's dealings with the Steiner family. She only knew that her new husband's heart seemed to have little room for love. Yet somewhere behind Vince's harsh unrelenting exterior, Cara glimpsed a man who might someday need more than a pawn in a deadly game of revenge.
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