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For Love Alone
MEMORIES
When Philippa Davidson awoke in an attractive, sunny bedroom, she realized she had no idea where she was - or who she was, either. A face had haunted her, but when she opened her eyes she knew that the dark Italian man beside her was more than a vision.
Corrado Bennoni looked down at his young bride's blank expression and knew he'd been given a great gift... a chance to prove his love to the woman who'd married him. the past was a weight that had haunted him - but now, without her memories, he was determined to make Philippa stay... for love alone.
When Philippa Davidson awoke in an attractive, sunny bedroom, she realized she had no idea where she was - or who she was, either. A face had haunted her, but when she opened her eyes she knew that the dark Italian man beside her was more than a vision.
Corrado Bennoni looked down at his young bride's blank expression and knew he'd been given a great gift... a chance to prove his love to the woman who'd married him. the past was a weight that had haunted him - but now, without her memories, he was determined to make Philippa stay... for love alone.
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
1 person is currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Gordon
696 books91 followersChristine Sparks was born in England, UK. She wanted to be a writer all her life, and began by working on a British women's magazine. As a features writer, she gained a wide variety of experience. She interviewed some of the world's most attractive and interesting men, including Warren Beatty, Richard Chamberlain, Charlton Heston, Sir Roger Moore, Sir Alec Guiness.
Single life was so enjoyable that she put marriage, and even romance, on the back burner, while she went about the world having a great time. Then, while on vacation in Venice, she met a tall, dark handsome Venetian artist, who changed all her ideas in a moment, and proposed on the second day. Three months later they were married. Her friends said a whirlwind romance would never last, but they celebrated their 25 anniversary, they are still married, still happy and in love.
After 13 years on the magazine Christine decided that it was now or never if she was ever going to write that novel. So she wrote Legacy of Fire which became a Silhouette Special Edition, followed by another, Enchantment in Venice. Then she did something crazy gave up her job. Since then she has concentrated entirely on writing romances for Mills & Boon, Harlequin and Silhouette and has written over 75 books. Her settings have been European and her heroes mainly English or Italian. Christine now claims to be an expert on one particular subject. Italian men are the most romantic in the world. They are also the best cooks.
A few years ago she and her husband returned to Venice and lived there for a couple of years. This proved the perfect base for exploring the rest of Italy, and she has given many of her books Italian settings: Venice (of course), Rome, Florence, Milan, Sicily, Tuscany. She has also used the Rhine in Germany for Song of the Lorelei, for which she won her first RITA Award, in 1991. Her second RITA came in 1998, with His Brother's Child, set in Rome.
Eventually Christine Fiorotto and her husband returned to England, where they now live. She write and he paints, they have no children, but have a cat and a dog.
Single life was so enjoyable that she put marriage, and even romance, on the back burner, while she went about the world having a great time. Then, while on vacation in Venice, she met a tall, dark handsome Venetian artist, who changed all her ideas in a moment, and proposed on the second day. Three months later they were married. Her friends said a whirlwind romance would never last, but they celebrated their 25 anniversary, they are still married, still happy and in love.
After 13 years on the magazine Christine decided that it was now or never if she was ever going to write that novel. So she wrote Legacy of Fire which became a Silhouette Special Edition, followed by another, Enchantment in Venice. Then she did something crazy gave up her job. Since then she has concentrated entirely on writing romances for Mills & Boon, Harlequin and Silhouette and has written over 75 books. Her settings have been European and her heroes mainly English or Italian. Christine now claims to be an expert on one particular subject. Italian men are the most romantic in the world. They are also the best cooks.
A few years ago she and her husband returned to Venice and lived there for a couple of years. This proved the perfect base for exploring the rest of Italy, and she has given many of her books Italian settings: Venice (of course), Rome, Florence, Milan, Sicily, Tuscany. She has also used the Rhine in Germany for Song of the Lorelei, for which she won her first RITA Award, in 1991. Her second RITA came in 1998, with His Brother's Child, set in Rome.
Eventually Christine Fiorotto and her husband returned to England, where they now live. She write and he paints, they have no children, but have a cat and a dog.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 14, 2017
Ever order a burger, let's say a WHOPPER®, and you wanted it "your way", but the cook just made it his way and because you'd waited so long for it you just gobbled it up anyway? Yet you were left feeling unsatisfied, vowing dramatically that no way would you ever be going back! (Can I add more "ways" in this paragraph?)
With this said, here are the five reasons I didn't get my money's worth with this book so to speak:
1. The story d r a g g e d due to the dull writing. Philippa and Corrado talked a lot in the telling vs. showing style that always bores me to death: topics included her amnesia, blah, blah, blah . . . what they might have felt for each other, blah, blah, blah . . . Philippa pestering Corrado about the truth, blah, blah, blah. . . .
2. I didn't buy into Corrado and Philippa's supposed love for each other, during their time apart and afterwards. Nothing in their actions or words seemed to support this. Telling me they felt that way isn't convincing, uh-uh.
3. Philippa came off as shallow and weak. Philippa sexually pursued Corrado while still an amnesiac and while the situation remained unclear between them, so regaining her memory seemed less of a priority than getting laid. What disappointed me the most was Philippa's failure in holding to her promise; see the spoiler in No. 4 for more.
4. The Big Reveal felt anticlimactic. I'll concede that believing what Phillipa believed of Corrado's feelings for her when he married her had to have hurt a little. But considering the circumstances and the author's inability to convince me of this great love, I felt Philippa's reaction seemed overinflated.
5. The love scenes were tepid. It's a bad sign when I'm skimming them because I like sex in my romances.
I waited months for this book on Open Library, but I can't say the wait was worth it. However, I've calmed down since my dramatics above so I will try at least one more book by new-to-me author Lucy Gordon—because everyone deserves a second chance.
With this said, here are the five reasons I didn't get my money's worth with this book so to speak:
1. The story d r a g g e d due to the dull writing. Philippa and Corrado talked a lot in the telling vs. showing style that always bores me to death: topics included her amnesia, blah, blah, blah . . . what they might have felt for each other, blah, blah, blah . . . Philippa pestering Corrado about the truth, blah, blah, blah. . . .
2. I didn't buy into Corrado and Philippa's supposed love for each other, during their time apart and afterwards. Nothing in their actions or words seemed to support this. Telling me they felt that way isn't convincing, uh-uh.
3. Philippa came off as shallow and weak. Philippa sexually pursued Corrado while still an amnesiac and while the situation remained unclear between them, so regaining her memory seemed less of a priority than getting laid. What disappointed me the most was Philippa's failure in holding to her promise; see the spoiler in No. 4 for more.
4. The Big Reveal felt anticlimactic. I'll concede that believing what Phillipa believed of Corrado's feelings for her when he married her had to have hurt a little. But considering the circumstances and the author's inability to convince me of this great love, I felt Philippa's reaction seemed overinflated.
5. The love scenes were tepid. It's a bad sign when I'm skimming them because I like sex in my romances.
I waited months for this book on Open Library, but I can't say the wait was worth it. However, I've calmed down since my dramatics above so I will try at least one more book by new-to-me author Lucy Gordon—because everyone deserves a second chance.
September 7, 2017
Kudos to Lucy Gordon for writing an unusually inventive, interesting amnesia story with some pretty effective red herrings and twists. I liked it fine but I didn't love it. So many lies and Great, Big, Terrible Misunderstandings between the two of them, even while they were insisting about the importance of trust and faith, did they realize how hypocritical they were being? Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend this if amnesia is your thing because it is very different from what you would expect. And the beautiful, evocative setting of Naples was a bonus :)
July 19, 2017
ETA - Shelves contain spoilers!
Amnesia, secrets, hidden motives, a gorgeous Italian setting, likable mcs, believable chemistry and LG’s mellifluous writing makes it a beautiful read. The way the layers peel off from the secrets keeps one on the edge and engaged. Of course there is no huge mystery here but all ends are tied off nicely.
The story begins with the h waking up after an accident, which has left her amnesiac. She learns that she’s had the accident when she ran off after her court wedding to the H, leaving behind her wedding ring. Her aunt, who has come from England, is not able to tell her much about her recent life as she hasn’t seen her much in past few years. Only that the h has known the H for just about a month and was till recently, engaged to an Englishman.
The H, brooding and watchful tells her he doesn’t know why she ran off and says its better she remembers things on her own and in time rather than him feeding her his version. Also apparently the wedding is only half done, as a church wedding is mandatory to make the wedding legit. The H gives her the option of either going forwards or getting their wedding annulled. The h, feeling a strong attraction for the H decides to stay on in Italy and let things work out on their own.
So we are taken on a journey of piecemeal discoveries as the h/H chemistry takes off side by side. I won’t tell you what all happens as it’s better to read and let things unfold one by one..
I love LG’s writing style-always a treat to read her and she is one author who gives us strong sensible hs with sensitive beta Hs. But here she skews the balance a little as the h is sweet and giving but also headstrong and impatient. And the H is also sweet but somewhat manipulative and secretive, and tends to give off some random alpha sparks.
Amnesia, secrets, hidden motives, a gorgeous Italian setting, likable mcs, believable chemistry and LG’s mellifluous writing makes it a beautiful read. The way the layers peel off from the secrets keeps one on the edge and engaged. Of course there is no huge mystery here but all ends are tied off nicely.
The story begins with the h waking up after an accident, which has left her amnesiac. She learns that she’s had the accident when she ran off after her court wedding to the H, leaving behind her wedding ring. Her aunt, who has come from England, is not able to tell her much about her recent life as she hasn’t seen her much in past few years. Only that the h has known the H for just about a month and was till recently, engaged to an Englishman.
The H, brooding and watchful tells her he doesn’t know why she ran off and says its better she remembers things on her own and in time rather than him feeding her his version. Also apparently the wedding is only half done, as a church wedding is mandatory to make the wedding legit. The H gives her the option of either going forwards or getting their wedding annulled. The h, feeling a strong attraction for the H decides to stay on in Italy and let things work out on their own.
So we are taken on a journey of piecemeal discoveries as the h/H chemistry takes off side by side. I won’t tell you what all happens as it’s better to read and let things unfold one by one..
I love LG’s writing style-always a treat to read her and she is one author who gives us strong sensible hs with sensitive beta Hs. But here she skews the balance a little as the h is sweet and giving but also headstrong and impatient. And the H is also sweet but somewhat manipulative and secretive, and tends to give off some random alpha sparks.
June 19, 2017
Good God Almighty, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy! On page 24 you have the H wearing a “snowy EMBROIDERED shirt”. What the hell? Please tell me it’s not silk.
Anyhoo, the review...
I feel bad regarding how little I liked it. I don't hate the story, but it did not seem up to LG's standards.
The heroine wakes up with amnesia to a relatively sympathetic and overly concerned husband. Turns out she left him right after the civil ceremony in Italy, but he doesn't seem too concerned about being publicly humiliated. Her aunt is there, why, I don't know, as her function as a character is minimal.
The heroine is definitely in lust with the H, but he stops all sexy times as he wants her to remember everything on her own before anything happens between them. Eventually they consummate the marriage and its hearts and roses until...dun dun DUN.
The whole business aspect was deadening and slowed down the romance way too much. Plus the build up to the romance simply did not make sense. Her father dies; she dumps one fiancee and marries another, gets amnesia and is IN lOVE. Too much too fast.
Anyhoo, the review...
I feel bad regarding how little I liked it. I don't hate the story, but it did not seem up to LG's standards.
The heroine wakes up with amnesia to a relatively sympathetic and overly concerned husband. Turns out she left him right after the civil ceremony in Italy, but he doesn't seem too concerned about being publicly humiliated. Her aunt is there, why, I don't know, as her function as a character is minimal.
The heroine is definitely in lust with the H, but he stops all sexy times as he wants her to remember everything on her own before anything happens between them. Eventually they consummate the marriage and its hearts and roses until...dun dun DUN.
The whole business aspect was deadening and slowed down the romance way too much. Plus the build up to the romance simply did not make sense. Her father dies; she dumps one fiancee and marries another, gets amnesia and is IN lOVE. Too much too fast.
August 3, 2017
This is a sweet amnesia story that misses the angsty mark because the author didn't milk the heroine's guilt, nor did she stoke the hero's very righteous anger at having his design stolen 8 years before.
Amnesia is a great plot device to have a re-set in the middle of some very uncomfortable circumstances. When the reader finds out at the end that the H/h were on their way to working through the anger and guilt, the amnesia just doesn't seem necessary.
The H/h were sweet. I can't hate on them. They just didn't seem to belong in such a dramatic storyline.
Amnesia is a great plot device to have a re-set in the middle of some very uncomfortable circumstances. When the reader finds out at the end that the H/h were on their way to working through the anger and guilt, the amnesia just doesn't seem necessary.
The H/h were sweet. I can't hate on them. They just didn't seem to belong in such a dramatic storyline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2013
Plot: marriage-of-convenience combined with amnesia.
H/h were childhood friends but heroine’s father cheated the hero in an important business venture and the hero accused the heroine of tampering with his papers and aiding her dad. Because of this illegal dealing, heroine’s family amassed wealth while the hero struggled in economic misery and was unable to offer marriage to another woman that he loved then.
Fast forward the years: the heroine decided to atone for her father's sins. By offering to marry the hero, she could transfer the wealth to the rightful owner. But as soon as they got married, she ran away and had a car accident. Hence, the amnesia part of the story. Of course, hero soon discovered his love for her but now he must gently and patiently ease his wife into a future together while concealing their painful past.
An angsty read compressed in merely 180 pages. It's out-of-print but well worth the time and money of any LG collector to search for this book.
H/h were childhood friends but heroine’s father cheated the hero in an important business venture and the hero accused the heroine of tampering with his papers and aiding her dad. Because of this illegal dealing, heroine’s family amassed wealth while the hero struggled in economic misery and was unable to offer marriage to another woman that he loved then.
Fast forward the years: the heroine decided to atone for her father's sins. By offering to marry the hero, she could transfer the wealth to the rightful owner. But as soon as they got married, she ran away and had a car accident. Hence, the amnesia part of the story. Of course, hero soon discovered his love for her but now he must gently and patiently ease his wife into a future together while concealing their painful past.
An angsty read compressed in merely 180 pages. It's out-of-print but well worth the time and money of any LG collector to search for this book.
July 21, 2017
2nd Re-read August 2016
Just re-read it again and I still find the story sweet and wonderful. It was a fast read but somehow it still packed in a lot of sweetness and aww-worthy moments. This is a Silhouette Desire which may explain a few more “love scenes” – no problem with me since I love the H/h. The H was only a little alpha – meaning it didn’t dominate the whole book as his love for the h was just all over instead ~_~)
I had to wait 100+ days for this book in OpenLibrary and I think after this 2nd re-read I may get the actual paperback so I don’t have to wait that long if I needed a little mood pick-me uppers.
1st Read
I love it. I love the mystery of what happened to the heroine and her amnesia and throughout the book you will see how much the hero loves her (swoon!) the story really flowed and kept me engrossed. I'll definitely check out other books by this author.
Just re-read it again and I still find the story sweet and wonderful. It was a fast read but somehow it still packed in a lot of sweetness and aww-worthy moments. This is a Silhouette Desire which may explain a few more “love scenes” – no problem with me since I love the H/h. The H was only a little alpha – meaning it didn’t dominate the whole book as his love for the h was just all over instead ~_~)
I had to wait 100+ days for this book in OpenLibrary and I think after this 2nd re-read I may get the actual paperback so I don’t have to wait that long if I needed a little mood pick-me uppers.
1st Read
I love it. I love the mystery of what happened to the heroine and her amnesia and throughout the book you will see how much the hero loves her (swoon!) the story really flowed and kept me engrossed. I'll definitely check out other books by this author.
November 12, 2017
Encanto Perdido - Momentos Íntimos 5.1 - Portuguese edition - Paperback
FOR LOVE ALONE
by Lucy Gordon
FOR LOVE ALONE
by Lucy Gordon
March 30, 2024
This story had some good points, as well as weak ones, but while I was reading, I kept thinking that something wasn't right, something didn't ring true. It didn't hit me until I was almost finished.
(But I have a weakness for these amnesia stories, and read as many as I can, willing to put up with any flaws. I'm also Italian-American, with ancestors from Naples, which I admit influenced me to give this book an extra star.)
Anyway, first the good points. This h kept the drama to a minimum. You don't get the cold, snarky remarks or shouts of "I HATE you!!!" and she acts more adult (even in the flashbacks to when she's a teenager) than a lot of others.
She was also ready to take accountability for her sexuality, not act as though it was something the H forced on her. She acknowledges how much she wants him and doesn't attempt to withhold her body until she's convinced that he loves her. In fact, even when she's not sure, knowing how much she loves him, she willingly makes love with him, even initiates things at first, when the H seemed reluctant, due to her memory loss and other issues. None of the fighting, outrage, temper tantrums, etc. for this h! And (thank God) none of the ridiculous "It'll NEVER happen again!!!" after she just had multiple orgasms!
She was so in touch with her own desires that if you didn't know that she was a one-man woman, you might think at first that she was one of those flighty heiresses who change lovers as often as they do their designer dresses. Not the case here!
The H was also non-typical, as he didn't come on too strong, force kisses on her when she wasn't ready, try to maneuver her into bed, etc. He in fact, wanted to put the brakes on things, feeling that he'd be taking advantage of her, since her memory wasn't fully recovered. He was also honest about the state of their marriage, as it took place in Italy, and was a two-step process (first a civil ceremony, then a religious one). If they didn't consummate it after only the civil one, they could easily get an annulment, which was an option he felt the h might want to take, when she regained her memory. Usually, the H would keep something like this from the h, in order to hold onto her, so this honesty was a refreshing change.
Another thing going for this story, is the air of mystery. You know the H is keeping something from her, but what? You know things aren't what they seem, but why? And more important: the h lost her memory because her car crashed, when she ran out on the H after the civil ceremony. The question is: how come? The h can't remember, and the H honestly doesn't know, so what happened? The bits and pieces that she does learn tell her that she was angry for some reason when they first decided to get married, but she was still willing to marry him, and she knew - full memory or not - that she loved him (had been in love with him since she was 15), so what's going on?
There are flashbacks to those teenage days, when the H was 24 and engaged to another girl, but the h is convinced even then that he's her true love, despite the H putting her in kid sister mode. (There are moments when he feels something of what she does, but he wisely puts them aside, so you don't get the creepy feeling of a man turned on by an underage girl.) You find out the secret the H was trying to keep from her for the time being, and there's a twist, as it's nothing the H did, but rather the h who was at fault, though unwittingly. The real blame lies with her greedy, unscrupulous father who didn't care who he hurt along the way to getting money and power.
And this brings me to the bad points in the story (the things I said didn't ring true.) The h knows the wrong her father did, and that their ascent to the 1% lifestyle is because of this, yet she didn't seem to have a problem living off dad's ill-gotten gains. While she was underage, she had no choice, but once she was a legal adult, she could have left home and supported herself, so she wouldn't have been living off anything she wasn't entitled to. Instead, she has countless designer dresses, fur coats, a flashy sports car, lives in the penthouse, and seems to enjoy the perks. This really doesn't make sense, because her character's not shallow in any way, so why live the lifestyle?
Even more strange, is her buying an old cottage and renovating it, so she'd have a place to be alone (and get away from her father) and work on her art. She had a lot of talent with pen-and-ink sketches and had sold several to galleries. So why not live there altogether, and support herself with her artwork? She also had a head for business, so she could have gotten at least a part-time job if she needed a supplementary income, then she could have had a clear conscience, instead of feeling guilty, but nonetheless living off money that she and her father were never entitled to.
Ironically, in so many books, the h makes a big thing out of not taking a penny of the H's money, even if she's entitled (like in a divorce) or really needs it (like to support a child), but this H is okay living off money that technically is the H's, without having enough conscience pangs. (True, she does the right thing later, which couldn't be done until Crap Dad croaked, but still, the whole thing bothered me.
Also, she admits to herself that her love for her father died when she found out how crummy he really was, yet she gets engaged to a man who her father's been pushing her toward, and who he's grooming to take over his business someday??? How in the hell does that make sense???? She not only didn't love this guy, but didn't seem to like him much, either. She didn't sleep with him (the H is her first and only) and didn't seem to enjoy his kisses much, and didn't think much of his character, either. Yet she was ready to marry and eventually have sex with him???
The author could have cleared a few things up, said that she had never stopped loving the H, but believing he was lost to her for good, nothing really mattered. So, she bought a lot of material things to fill a void in her life, dated guys casually, then got engaged without her heart being in it, because she just didn't care, that would have made a bit of sense, at least. But it still wouldn't have explained everything.
The author makes it clear that the OM was a total creep, user and control freak, and even without her memory, a look at a photo of him made her take an instant dislike. So, I would have thought that, once Dad was feeding worms, as the new owner of the company, she'd want to give this guy a boot in the butt and a kick to the curb, not a legal right to her body!!! When he confronted her after her memory loss, (having broken into the H's house after he took steps to keep him away) he was ready to put her in a psych ward and get power-of-attorney, trying to coerce her to leave with him and put everything in his hands, for her own good! (Naturally!) She should have been furious with him, but her anger was kept to a minimum, which bugged me. At least, when the H gives her a choice of staying married to him or getting the annulment and going with the OM, showing he wanted her to be happy even though he risked losing her (very gallant of him to take that risk), she chooses him without hesitation, THANK YOU GOD!! Some h's are incredibly dense when it comes to the OM, and I was afraid she'd be one of them!
The H, however, was not without faults. He got too protective of her, keeping things from her that he felt she should remember on her own. This is why he tried so hard to keep her away from the OM, whom he knew would distort the truth and try to use it to his own advantage. He also wanted to keep her from learning everything too soon, afraid it would influence her feelings about their marriage.
I think the author must have felt she had to throw the OW (the H's former fiancée, now a widow) into the story, because she was only in one scene. After the husband she dumped the H for died, she got engaged to a business associate of the H's, and while you get the impression that she still wants the H, and she makes her share of snarky comments to the h, that's all there is to it. I think she was only there to emphasize that their planned marriage back when the H was 24 would have ended up a disaster and the h didn't have to feel guilty for being glad that it never took place.
Where the book was a letdown is the way that the author handled the big mystery that runs through it: why did the h run away from the H right after the first marriage ceremony, leaving her wedding ring behind? All the other details of the story fall into place, except that one. There doesn't seem to be any reason for it, and you begin to expect some sort of shock, a late-day revelation, anything with a dramatic effect. Instead, you get something so lame, it's like finding out you won the lottery, only to discover it's a one-dollar prize! So NOT worth the long, long wait!!!
As a bit of a consolation: there are some interesting side characters, including an elderly parish priest who sings opera and isn't above telling off-color jokes!
Worth reading, but it could have been much better.
(But I have a weakness for these amnesia stories, and read as many as I can, willing to put up with any flaws. I'm also Italian-American, with ancestors from Naples, which I admit influenced me to give this book an extra star.)
Anyway, first the good points. This h kept the drama to a minimum. You don't get the cold, snarky remarks or shouts of "I HATE you!!!" and she acts more adult (even in the flashbacks to when she's a teenager) than a lot of others.
She was also ready to take accountability for her sexuality, not act as though it was something the H forced on her. She acknowledges how much she wants him and doesn't attempt to withhold her body until she's convinced that he loves her. In fact, even when she's not sure, knowing how much she loves him, she willingly makes love with him, even initiates things at first, when the H seemed reluctant, due to her memory loss and other issues. None of the fighting, outrage, temper tantrums, etc. for this h! And (thank God) none of the ridiculous "It'll NEVER happen again!!!" after she just had multiple orgasms!
She was so in touch with her own desires that if you didn't know that she was a one-man woman, you might think at first that she was one of those flighty heiresses who change lovers as often as they do their designer dresses. Not the case here!
The H was also non-typical, as he didn't come on too strong, force kisses on her when she wasn't ready, try to maneuver her into bed, etc. He in fact, wanted to put the brakes on things, feeling that he'd be taking advantage of her, since her memory wasn't fully recovered. He was also honest about the state of their marriage, as it took place in Italy, and was a two-step process (first a civil ceremony, then a religious one). If they didn't consummate it after only the civil one, they could easily get an annulment, which was an option he felt the h might want to take, when she regained her memory. Usually, the H would keep something like this from the h, in order to hold onto her, so this honesty was a refreshing change.
Another thing going for this story, is the air of mystery. You know the H is keeping something from her, but what? You know things aren't what they seem, but why? And more important: the h lost her memory because her car crashed, when she ran out on the H after the civil ceremony. The question is: how come? The h can't remember, and the H honestly doesn't know, so what happened? The bits and pieces that she does learn tell her that she was angry for some reason when they first decided to get married, but she was still willing to marry him, and she knew - full memory or not - that she loved him (had been in love with him since she was 15), so what's going on?
There are flashbacks to those teenage days, when the H was 24 and engaged to another girl, but the h is convinced even then that he's her true love, despite the H putting her in kid sister mode. (There are moments when he feels something of what she does, but he wisely puts them aside, so you don't get the creepy feeling of a man turned on by an underage girl.) You find out the secret the H was trying to keep from her for the time being, and there's a twist, as it's nothing the H did, but rather the h who was at fault, though unwittingly. The real blame lies with her greedy, unscrupulous father who didn't care who he hurt along the way to getting money and power.
And this brings me to the bad points in the story (the things I said didn't ring true.) The h knows the wrong her father did, and that their ascent to the 1% lifestyle is because of this, yet she didn't seem to have a problem living off dad's ill-gotten gains. While she was underage, she had no choice, but once she was a legal adult, she could have left home and supported herself, so she wouldn't have been living off anything she wasn't entitled to. Instead, she has countless designer dresses, fur coats, a flashy sports car, lives in the penthouse, and seems to enjoy the perks. This really doesn't make sense, because her character's not shallow in any way, so why live the lifestyle?
Even more strange, is her buying an old cottage and renovating it, so she'd have a place to be alone (and get away from her father) and work on her art. She had a lot of talent with pen-and-ink sketches and had sold several to galleries. So why not live there altogether, and support herself with her artwork? She also had a head for business, so she could have gotten at least a part-time job if she needed a supplementary income, then she could have had a clear conscience, instead of feeling guilty, but nonetheless living off money that she and her father were never entitled to.
Ironically, in so many books, the h makes a big thing out of not taking a penny of the H's money, even if she's entitled (like in a divorce) or really needs it (like to support a child), but this H is okay living off money that technically is the H's, without having enough conscience pangs. (True, she does the right thing later, which couldn't be done until Crap Dad croaked, but still, the whole thing bothered me.
Also, she admits to herself that her love for her father died when she found out how crummy he really was, yet she gets engaged to a man who her father's been pushing her toward, and who he's grooming to take over his business someday??? How in the hell does that make sense???? She not only didn't love this guy, but didn't seem to like him much, either. She didn't sleep with him (the H is her first and only) and didn't seem to enjoy his kisses much, and didn't think much of his character, either. Yet she was ready to marry and eventually have sex with him???
The author could have cleared a few things up, said that she had never stopped loving the H, but believing he was lost to her for good, nothing really mattered. So, she bought a lot of material things to fill a void in her life, dated guys casually, then got engaged without her heart being in it, because she just didn't care, that would have made a bit of sense, at least. But it still wouldn't have explained everything.
The author makes it clear that the OM was a total creep, user and control freak, and even without her memory, a look at a photo of him made her take an instant dislike. So, I would have thought that, once Dad was feeding worms, as the new owner of the company, she'd want to give this guy a boot in the butt and a kick to the curb, not a legal right to her body!!! When he confronted her after her memory loss, (having broken into the H's house after he took steps to keep him away) he was ready to put her in a psych ward and get power-of-attorney, trying to coerce her to leave with him and put everything in his hands, for her own good! (Naturally!) She should have been furious with him, but her anger was kept to a minimum, which bugged me. At least, when the H gives her a choice of staying married to him or getting the annulment and going with the OM, showing he wanted her to be happy even though he risked losing her (very gallant of him to take that risk), she chooses him without hesitation, THANK YOU GOD!! Some h's are incredibly dense when it comes to the OM, and I was afraid she'd be one of them!
The H, however, was not without faults. He got too protective of her, keeping things from her that he felt she should remember on her own. This is why he tried so hard to keep her away from the OM, whom he knew would distort the truth and try to use it to his own advantage. He also wanted to keep her from learning everything too soon, afraid it would influence her feelings about their marriage.
I think the author must have felt she had to throw the OW (the H's former fiancée, now a widow) into the story, because she was only in one scene. After the husband she dumped the H for died, she got engaged to a business associate of the H's, and while you get the impression that she still wants the H, and she makes her share of snarky comments to the h, that's all there is to it. I think she was only there to emphasize that their planned marriage back when the H was 24 would have ended up a disaster and the h didn't have to feel guilty for being glad that it never took place.
Where the book was a letdown is the way that the author handled the big mystery that runs through it: why did the h run away from the H right after the first marriage ceremony, leaving her wedding ring behind? All the other details of the story fall into place, except that one. There doesn't seem to be any reason for it, and you begin to expect some sort of shock, a late-day revelation, anything with a dramatic effect. Instead, you get something so lame, it's like finding out you won the lottery, only to discover it's a one-dollar prize! So NOT worth the long, long wait!!!
As a bit of a consolation: there are some interesting side characters, including an elderly parish priest who sings opera and isn't above telling off-color jokes!
Worth reading, but it could have been much better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2016
it wasn't whorty to the waiting about 14 months on Openlibrary.There was nothing special.dry boring slow.Beta hero sweet heroine.
July 26, 2017
I waited a year plus some for this book on Open Library. That signalled to me, hey! This book is good!
No.
I felt no love. You can't convince me he fell in love with her that quickly. And her crush never died? I didn't see it. We were told it.
I also hate amnesia stories. I try to avoid them, but this book has been hyped so much.
No.
I felt no love. You can't convince me he fell in love with her that quickly. And her crush never died? I didn't see it. We were told it.
I also hate amnesia stories. I try to avoid them, but this book has been hyped so much.
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