The Master Stroke

by Elizabeth Gage

For Francie Bollinger it will be the most dangerous game of all - brilliant and beautiful she may be, but when she takes on Anton Magnus the deck is stacked against her by forces more powerful than she has ever known.For Jack Magnus, handsome, rich - the consummate playboy executive - it is a game that he must win to prove himself a man, a man free of his father's influence, free to choose what he really wants.For Julie Magnus the game is also a chance for freedom. Free to run wild, to lose herself in sensuality and lust. But her past is always there, with its tainted secret, ready to bring her down.And for Anton Magnus - what is the game to him? No stakes are too high, no move too costly for him, but if he should lose ...

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit

524 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[boogenhagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bonk buster revenge novel. HPlandia devotees will recognize EG as Donna Huxley and this book as a greatly expanded and revised A Stranger To Love with a very satisfying outcome.

For those ladies who love to see a lyin' cheatin' hound dog get his comeuppance, you need to read this book.

While the 80's business points are dated, who cares when the revenge is epic and one of the best in a bonky romance I have ever read.

Forget the anachronisms on this one, they just enhance the story. Read this for the really well done and satisfying revenge of a woman scorned.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why not focus yet again on an Elizabeth Gage novel, sweet readers, like her third outing...

http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2017...

[Maria Panova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Със сигурност, това не е ДАМСКИ ГАМБИТ, който исках да прочета. Имах предвид книгата на Уолтър Тевис. Но попаднах на тази on-line. Интересен сюжет, чете се бързо, но разказът е наситен с много сексуални описания, подробно описани, които на моменти дразнят читателя. Не ми хареса и перверзното отношение на могъщия Антон Магнъс към дъщерите си, особено към Джули. Иначе, аплодисменти за Франси Болинджър, която поставя всички на мястото им. Типичен булеварден роман, за развлечение...

[Margo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story for one really powerful woman.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it !!!

[Ginger Marin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wealth, power, beauty, love, incest, hate, treachery beyond belief, corporate and sexual intrigue amid glitzy European locales and the mystery of high society, THE MASTER STROKE has it all. Characters are well drawn and complex, holding one’s interest throughout. Essentially an engaging soap opera filled with too many foolishly steamy sexual passages.

The main story is strong and interesting and it’s easy to care for the characters of Francie, Sam and in the beginning Jack (later he earns our hatred as much as we despise his father). We pity Julie and her mother Victoria for their inability to stand up for themselves. One roots for Francie all the way and delights in her brilliant snaring of Anton and Jack. The story takes place 1955 to 1961 and assuming the author’s research with regard to computer breakthroughs at this time is correct, plausibility is satisfied.

It’s good trashy summer reading fun. For TV, a two-parter a la Danielle Steele.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue almost had me abandoning the book. It was great to see the evolution of the heroine of the novel evolve into a person who learns from their mistakes. There was more sexual scenes than I preferred, but the conclusion brought most things to a satisfactory close.

[Camandwmm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story. The main character was an interesting, intelligent person. The characters of Magnus Industries were not nice people. Far too much detailed sex in this book.