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The Innocent's Dark Seduction
From a USA Today–bestselling author, a woman pregnant by her father’s enemy tries to keep the baby a secret in this sexy international romance. Roark Navarre is ruthless and relentless. He wants beautiful Lia, and he will have her! When he discovers that she is a virgin, taking his prize becomes even sweeter. But the innocent's dark seduction has only just begun! Many years ago, Lia was the innocent victim of Roark’s merciless financial ruin of her father. But it’s too late for regrets—soon she finds she’s carrying his child. She doesn’t want Roark, her bitter enemy, to know. Because surely he will do what he's always done—exact his price!
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
54 people are currently reading
1221 people want to read
About the author
Jennie Lucas
554 books331 followersJennie Lucas had a tragic beginning for any would-be writer: a very happy childhood. Her parents owned a bookstore, and she grew up surrounded by books, dreaming about faraway lands. Her mother read aloud to her in French when she was little; when she was ten, her father secretly paid her a dollar for every classic novel (Jane Eyre, War and Peace) that she read. As a chubby teenager, Jennie covered her bedroom with travel posters and always had her nose in a book.
At fifteen, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and traveled around the U.S., supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At 22, she met the man who would be her husband. For the first time in her life, she wanted to stay in one place, as long as she could be with him. After their marriage, she graduated from Kent State University with a degree in English, and started writing books a year later.
Jennie was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest in 2003 and won the award in 2005. A fellow 2003 finalist, Australian author Trish Morey, read Jennie’s writing and told her that she should write for Harlequin Presents. It seemed like too big a dream, but Jennie took a deep breath and went for it. A year later, after seven years of writing and eight finished manuscripts, Jennie got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then, life has been hectic, juggling a writing career, a sexy husband and two young children, but Jennie loves her crazy, chaotic life. Who needs a clean house? Every day, Jennie gets swept into drama, glamour and passion. Now if she can only figure out how to pack up her family and live in all the places she’s writing about!
At fifteen, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and traveled around the U.S., supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At 22, she met the man who would be her husband. For the first time in her life, she wanted to stay in one place, as long as she could be with him. After their marriage, she graduated from Kent State University with a degree in English, and started writing books a year later.
Jennie was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest in 2003 and won the award in 2005. A fellow 2003 finalist, Australian author Trish Morey, read Jennie’s writing and told her that she should write for Harlequin Presents. It seemed like too big a dream, but Jennie took a deep breath and went for it. A year later, after seven years of writing and eight finished manuscripts, Jennie got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then, life has been hectic, juggling a writing career, a sexy husband and two young children, but Jennie loves her crazy, chaotic life. Who needs a clean house? Every day, Jennie gets swept into drama, glamour and passion. Now if she can only figure out how to pack up her family and live in all the places she’s writing about!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 24, 2009
This book is full of Harlequin Presents' most tried and true tropes, and I wanted to punch the hero Roark's lights out in the first page, and that only changed on a few of the pages in this book. But somehow, I ended up liking this book.
This book is not for a hardened cynic who cannot appreciate some of the silly aspects of Harlequin Presents novels when used to good effect in a story. I don't feel that the approach was at all silly. This was a book that kept my interest and engaged my emotions. However, the book does have the ruthless hero who goes through women like Kleenex, who can afford to donate $21 million dollars just to get a woman, who feels no remorse about ruining a man's business because he's a bad businessman, and who thinks he can have any woman he wants by snapping his fingers. Not to mention a heroine who was married for ten years and is a virgin widow, has a baby in secret and keeps it from the hero because he said he didn't want a baby and because he ruined her family's life. And why is it she has to turn into Play-Doh because of his kisses, even though she cries "I hate you," when they come up for air? Lastly, but not least, there's the marriage and bedding for revenge.
At times I rolled my eyes at Roark's antics, and Lia's foolishness, but I ended up getting sucked into this world. They were human beings, not robotic automatons that don't make mistakes or act silly. The love scenes were very passionate and steamy, and the dialogue was interesting. I really do like the way Ms. Lucas writes dialogue.
Roark had a backstory that was a lot more intriguing than most of the HP heroes. His father was a Spanish-Canadian ice road truck-driver who married a New York heiress. That's kind of different. And although he pissed me off for most of this book with his arrogance and ruthless sense of entitlement, I did feel that the dumb lug came to his senses and went after what was important to him. Lia wasn't one of those heroines who never acknowledged the wrongness of what she did. She realized that it was wrong to hold the knowledge of baby Ruby from her father. And she had the courage to go after what was important to her also.
I think Ms. Lucas is fully cognizant that she is writing within a genre and series that has some established expectations, and she embraces it. She might have her checklist of what must be included, but she does a great job of writing a dramatic, engrossing romance that you can't quite dislike, despite some of the obvious patented story elements. Thus I have to give this book 3.5 stars.
This book is not for a hardened cynic who cannot appreciate some of the silly aspects of Harlequin Presents novels when used to good effect in a story. I don't feel that the approach was at all silly. This was a book that kept my interest and engaged my emotions. However, the book does have the ruthless hero who goes through women like Kleenex, who can afford to donate $21 million dollars just to get a woman, who feels no remorse about ruining a man's business because he's a bad businessman, and who thinks he can have any woman he wants by snapping his fingers. Not to mention a heroine who was married for ten years and is a virgin widow, has a baby in secret and keeps it from the hero because he said he didn't want a baby and because he ruined her family's life. And why is it she has to turn into Play-Doh because of his kisses, even though she cries "I hate you," when they come up for air? Lastly, but not least, there's the marriage and bedding for revenge.
At times I rolled my eyes at Roark's antics, and Lia's foolishness, but I ended up getting sucked into this world. They were human beings, not robotic automatons that don't make mistakes or act silly. The love scenes were very passionate and steamy, and the dialogue was interesting. I really do like the way Ms. Lucas writes dialogue.
Roark had a backstory that was a lot more intriguing than most of the HP heroes. His father was a Spanish-Canadian ice road truck-driver who married a New York heiress. That's kind of different. And although he pissed me off for most of this book with his arrogance and ruthless sense of entitlement, I did feel that the dumb lug came to his senses and went after what was important to him. Lia wasn't one of those heroines who never acknowledged the wrongness of what she did. She realized that it was wrong to hold the knowledge of baby Ruby from her father. And she had the courage to go after what was important to her also.
I think Ms. Lucas is fully cognizant that she is writing within a genre and series that has some established expectations, and she embraces it. She might have her checklist of what must be included, but she does a great job of writing a dramatic, engrossing romance that you can't quite dislike, despite some of the obvious patented story elements. Thus I have to give this book 3.5 stars.
April 5, 2017
Wackadoodle fest with a mean hero and a virginal, take it on the chin, heroine.
The H shows up at a fancy schmancy party to persuade the hostess, a newly widowed h, to sell the parcel she says she wants to put a 26 acre park in NYC to honor her dead sister. He's sure he can convince her as she must be a gold digger to marry an old guy. Eye roll.
H bids a cool million to dance with her, kisses her in the middle of the dance floor. She melts into a disgusting mess of HarleyLand heroine trope at the kiss (two weeks a widow) then she runs, no, sprints out of the fundraiser all the way to Italy.
Thestalker hero follows her to Italy and has sex with her. She's a virgin! Yippee. Too bad she's also the daughter of the man he hounded out of business which led to her father's heart attack which led to her sister dying of a brain tumor which led to her mother committing suicide so she doesn't really like him. They have words, and he wins as his words are nastier.
18 months later. Excellent sex, again. She lies; he discovers what happens when a virgin has unprotected sex with a Harley hero. A baby.
All along, the H has said he doesn't EVER want a family or a child. EVER. Once he finds out he has a plot moppet, he goes from seductive Rico Suave to Cruel Asshat. They marry and he treats her like an official bootie call.
It was all fun and games until he found out about the baby he never wanted.
He's cruel, he's dismissive, he's arrogant.
The H shows up at a fancy schmancy party to persuade the hostess, a newly widowed h, to sell the parcel she says she wants to put a 26 acre park in NYC to honor her dead sister. He's sure he can convince her as she must be a gold digger to marry an old guy. Eye roll.
H bids a cool million to dance with her, kisses her in the middle of the dance floor. She melts into a disgusting mess of HarleyLand heroine trope at the kiss (two weeks a widow) then she runs, no, sprints out of the fundraiser all the way to Italy.
The
18 months later. Excellent sex, again. She lies; he discovers what happens when a virgin has unprotected sex with a Harley hero. A baby.
All along, the H has said he doesn't EVER want a family or a child. EVER. Once he finds out he has a plot moppet, he goes from seductive Rico Suave to Cruel Asshat. They marry and he treats her like an official bootie call.
It was all fun and games until he found out about the baby he never wanted.
He's cruel, he's dismissive, he's arrogant.
November 8, 2017
Review of a book read years ago.
I think this was my favourite Jennie Lucas romance. The one thing that stands out for me is the fact that the author gave this couple their own 'couples love song'. It was so romantic. The hero and heroine danced to Etta James' super romantic, timeless treasure of a song called 'At Last'. I think that was a first for a harlequin author. Be still my beating heart. Sigh...
This romance had angst, hot sex, gorgeous MC's, an adorable secret baby girl, more hot sex, a hero who felt forced to safeguard his heart after all the pain he had experienced as a child and teen, more hot sex, super sex...
What a romantic novel !
I think this was my favourite Jennie Lucas romance. The one thing that stands out for me is the fact that the author gave this couple their own 'couples love song'. It was so romantic. The hero and heroine danced to Etta James' super romantic, timeless treasure of a song called 'At Last'. I think that was a first for a harlequin author. Be still my beating heart. Sigh...
This romance had angst, hot sex, gorgeous MC's, an adorable secret baby girl, more hot sex, a hero who felt forced to safeguard his heart after all the pain he had experienced as a child and teen, more hot sex, super sex...
What a romantic novel !
September 1, 2017
Jennie Lucas really knows how to keep the love/hate ambivalence at a full roaring boil until the story ends. That's why I had to give this one a three star even though the hero was pathological in both his love/sexual obsession for the heroine at the beginning and then his about face when he discovers she has kept his child a secret from him. His cruelty at the end was a huge turn off - especially when he was to blame for her father's financial ruin which led to his death, her sister's and her mother's. He already had a lot to answer for and the heroine keeping the child a secret wasn't enough of a sin for the way he treated her after they married.
Yes, JL has shown his motivation was fear of being close to anyone after losing his entire family in house fire as a child - but come on - he wasn't too afraid when he offered marriage the first time. I did like the fire at the end so the hero had a bit of trauma as payback. He did an adequate grovel in his mind when he realized what he had lost after the heroine left him - and he did express some of this to the heroine. The white wedding at the end was necessary, I thought - but he's going to have to continue to work to balance the Karmic ledgers.
Yes, JL has shown his motivation was fear of being close to anyone after losing his entire family in house fire as a child - but come on - he wasn't too afraid when he offered marriage the first time. I did like the fire at the end so the hero had a bit of trauma as payback. He did an adequate grovel in his mind when he realized what he had lost after the heroine left him - and he did express some of this to the heroine. The white wedding at the end was necessary, I thought - but he's going to have to continue to work to balance the Karmic ledgers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2013
I have no problem with a heroine who starts out as a doormat. Who hasn't been a fool for love? Especially if it's your first time around, you're going to give your all. I also have no problem with a hero who acts like a real SOB. It definitely adds tension and I love it when they have to face the error of their ways... but he didn't, not really. She left him and he pretty much immediately realized he loved her, went to find her and she took him back with open arms. Yep, that's it. No groveling, no proving himself, nothing. Really?
June 21, 2019
"The Innocent's Dark Seduction" is the story of Lia and Roark.
A virgin countess..
A ruthless billionaire..
A night of passion and discoveries..
A revelation of ruthless agenda..
A realization of betrayal..
A secret baby..
A heartbreaking discovery..
A vengeful marriage..
A heartfelt pleading..
A freak accident..
A groveling plead..
A sweet HEA..
I enjoyed parts of it- very very angsty yet oh so sexy!
Safe?
3/5
A virgin countess..
A ruthless billionaire..
A night of passion and discoveries..
A revelation of ruthless agenda..
A realization of betrayal..
A secret baby..
A heartbreaking discovery..
A vengeful marriage..
A heartfelt pleading..
A freak accident..
A groveling plead..
A sweet HEA..
I enjoyed parts of it- very very angsty yet oh so sexy!
Safe?
3/5
August 31, 2024
So this had a lot of highs and lows. I liked how aggressive the hero was sometimes but other times I was frustrated when he wasn’t aggressive at crucial moments. I loved the virgin widow trope, but I was irritated it was revealed so early in the book. I liked the sweet heroine but I got really irritated by her body betrayal syndrome. I loved the scenes where the hero lost his cool and was taken over by passion and emotion… but hated the times the sex felt overly performative and detached.
Overall it was a load of drama-rama entertainment but I think it had more lows than highs. So I’ll give it 2.5 stars.
Overall it was a load of drama-rama entertainment but I think it had more lows than highs. So I’ll give it 2.5 stars.
March 21, 2015
The hero had no right to be pissed at her after he said he hate to have a child with her. Where does he get the nerve to mad about her keeping it from him when he was such a little asshole about it. She was the one who was inexperienced! If he did not want kids used an condom dumb ass!!!! Wtf and she just takes it!!! He did not deserve her at all!!! Even then end he needs to be more grateful that she loves his sorry ass. However I rated it 3.5 as the part when they dance together was so worth it. Wow I love that song and I am glad they included a classic in this book. So well written just wished the story line was better but the writing is second to none. Bravo Jennie.
January 12, 2018
I'm a HUGE Jennie Lucas fan and this was not her best work. The sex scenes were BEYOND STEAMY, I'm talking smoking hot!!!🔥 I don't know how much of an emotional connection I felt between the hero and heroine but their mutual physical attraction was obvious to the reader. I really didn't enjoy the first half of the book and it only got interesting to me once the hero found out about his daughter and started treating the heroine like an on tap, traveling booty call. As much as a jerk the hero was, the heroine put up with his bad behavior. I would have went off on the hero when they were hosting a party in Moscow for New Years Eve and he was flirting with other women. You can love someone and still say to them, you're treating me wrong and I'm not going to take it. The heroine put up with months of bad treatment from the hero before she finally said enough is enough. I also felt that the heroine should have told the hero she was pregnant. She was rich and influential and if the hero had chosen to suggest that she got an abortion (which he never did) he could not have forced her to do so. I thought it was silly that the heroine thought she could keep the baby a secret considering her assistant and his best friend were married plus, she was a high profile person. The beginning of the book when all of those old men were lusting after the heroine at the charity ball was OTT. My husband is older than I am and I appreciate the fact that there is maturity that comes with his age however, not with the older men in this book. They were all acting like little boys going through puberty after having their first wet dream. It was a major turn-off for me.
The real story in this book is not about the heroine keeping their child a secret, it was about the hero getting over his fear of loving and losing someone. Why I like Jennie Lucas as a writer is that she writes her books in a way in which, the true story is not obvious from the outset. This wasn't just a secret baby trope book, it was the story of a alpha hero who was afraid of getting hurt and losing his loved ones. I REALLY wanted to like this book more than I did. It's not a bad book but Jennie Lucas is a great writer and storyteller and I have come to hold her to a much higher standard than other writers. This was a solid 3 Star book.
The real story in this book is not about the heroine keeping their child a secret, it was about the hero getting over his fear of loving and losing someone. Why I like Jennie Lucas as a writer is that she writes her books in a way in which, the true story is not obvious from the outset. This wasn't just a secret baby trope book, it was the story of a alpha hero who was afraid of getting hurt and losing his loved ones. I REALLY wanted to like this book more than I did. It's not a bad book but Jennie Lucas is a great writer and storyteller and I have come to hold her to a much higher standard than other writers. This was a solid 3 Star book.
October 4, 2021
I don't understand why these silly title.
This book is more that the title suggests.
In the beginning the hero plans to buy the heroine's land to expand his business, while the heroine wants to build a park in her sister's memory. He's ruthless and plans to seduce her and then persuade her to sell to him.
But as soon as he sees her he is more attracted to her than he expected.
They make love and she finds out he's the man who's responsible for her family's ruin, so she's shattered and when he asks her to buy her land she sends him away.
Of course she's pregnant but she doesn't tell him and even when he's back and sees her again, she refuses to tell him about his child, and when he accidentally finds out he forces her to marry him.
Then we have a part where he declares that he will make her pay and holds a grudge as a 3 years old deprived of his favourite toy,and he declares that he will never forgive her, so he goes on having sex with her and basically ignoring her for the rest of the time.
The heroine tries to be patient and to break through his barriers but when she understand he's not going to change his mind about her she leaves him.
The hero immedialy understand his mistake and goes back to her.
I liked this book, it's love at first sight for both characters, true love since are both celibate during their year long separation, and even thoug they are separated by some misunderstanding and past lies, eventually love is stronger than every other issue.
Cute and recommended, with a good angst level.
PS: how romantic their first dance with the orchestra playing At Last, and their first kiss immediately after!
This book is more that the title suggests.
In the beginning the hero plans to buy the heroine's land to expand his business, while the heroine wants to build a park in her sister's memory. He's ruthless and plans to seduce her and then persuade her to sell to him.
But as soon as he sees her he is more attracted to her than he expected.
They make love and she finds out he's the man who's responsible for her family's ruin, so she's shattered and when he asks her to buy her land she sends him away.
Of course she's pregnant but she doesn't tell him and even when he's back and sees her again, she refuses to tell him about his child, and when he accidentally finds out he forces her to marry him.
Then we have a part where he declares that he will make her pay and holds a grudge as a 3 years old deprived of his favourite toy,and he declares that he will never forgive her, so he goes on having sex with her and basically ignoring her for the rest of the time.
The heroine tries to be patient and to break through his barriers but when she understand he's not going to change his mind about her she leaves him.
The hero immedialy understand his mistake and goes back to her.
I liked this book, it's love at first sight for both characters, true love since are both celibate during their year long separation, and even thoug they are separated by some misunderstanding and past lies, eventually love is stronger than every other issue.
Cute and recommended, with a good angst level.
PS: how romantic their first dance with the orchestra playing At Last, and their first kiss immediately after!
December 18, 2011
Why, Jennie Lucas, why?
And why do the editors think it is a good idea to publish stories like these in 2009, for the love of all things holy?!
And why do the editors think it is a good idea to publish stories like these in 2009, for the love of all things holy?!
November 14, 2011
I really disliked this one. The hero was terrible and I never warmed to him. I don't mind a lot of HP hero cruelty in general, but there have to be some redeeming qualities in the hero while he's doing it -- either you can tell he loves her or at least you can tell that he has a core of morality/ethics even if he's behaving badly. I didn't think this guy had either. I also thought that the heroine's total helplessness in resisting the hero physically was way over the top -- again, I don't mind some extreme/far-fetched physical attraction, but this heroine seemed unable to protest even the hero's verbal taunts about her attraction to him -- like his claim that he was going to take her to bed that night, when it was the first night they'd met and she was a virgin. Finally, I just couldn't stand the hero's giant, prolonged pout over the fact that she didn't tell him about the baby when he had done so many terrible things before that.
November 16, 2013
Very sweet love story. Jennie Lucas never fails to capture me with her sweet, warmhearted heroines and her dark but vulnerable smitten heroes! Plus the secret baby plot is my weakness!
March 21, 2010
This was my first read by Jennie Lucas and I really enjoyed it. This book had the angst I like in it.
In the beginning I definitely wanted to punch Roarke for his attitude about Lia in the beginning and his treatment of her as it was undeserved. However, in the middle of the book he changed and Ms. Lucas did a great job of showing the reader how he changed. His treatment towards Lia near the end was understandable because of his hurt concerning her keeping Ruby's birth a secret.
I liked how the hero showed a vulnerable side for a brief moment and you don't see that too much in Presents titles. He wasn't a jerk through the whole book and the times when he was horrible to Lia were due to the hurt she caused and his own fears.
The end was pretty predictable as others have said but overall I really liked the book as it kept my interest throughout the whole story and didn't drag in any place.
Anyone who enjoys baby themes will like this but for those who hate it when the heroine keeps the baby from the hero will not. It doesn't bother me as much as I know it bothers some.
I will definitely continue to read books by Jennie Lucas.
In the beginning I definitely wanted to punch Roarke for his attitude about Lia in the beginning and his treatment of her as it was undeserved. However, in the middle of the book he changed and Ms. Lucas did a great job of showing the reader how he changed. His treatment towards Lia near the end was understandable because of his hurt concerning her keeping Ruby's birth a secret.
I liked how the hero showed a vulnerable side for a brief moment and you don't see that too much in Presents titles. He wasn't a jerk through the whole book and the times when he was horrible to Lia were due to the hurt she caused and his own fears.
The end was pretty predictable as others have said but overall I really liked the book as it kept my interest throughout the whole story and didn't drag in any place.
Anyone who enjoys baby themes will like this but for those who hate it when the heroine keeps the baby from the hero will not. It doesn't bother me as much as I know it bothers some.
I will definitely continue to read books by Jennie Lucas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2017
Roark and Lia , OMG
May 30, 2020
قرأتها بعنوان اغواء بريئة
بترجمة منتدى روايتي
ممتعه ومسليه احببتها
بترجمة منتدى روايتي
ممتعه ومسليه احببتها
March 2, 2014
This reviews contains major plot spoilers and plot points. Lots of thoughts and opinions on certain scenes in the book and go into a little bit of detail. That's your warning
I originally thought I was going to give a quite different review than I am going to give currently because honestly the first portion of the book I was not digging or feeling at all, but once I got more deeply in the story then I began to have some feels that made me change my opinion of the book totally hence the four star review.
For the most part the reason I didn't like the beginning was because their first time together happened just a wee bit too quick for my liking. I got that they were attracted to each other the moment the met with both never having felt like this about another person before. Well, at least on Roark's part who was a renowned playboy. While Lia had been a virgin with nothing to compare it too, though she did know that Roark made her feel (heat as well as other emotions) for the first time in quite awhile. Her older husband had just died and left her alone in the world so she was grieving, but she also felt empty and numb and kind of was the walking dead. She even referred to herself as being dead until Roark came along and awoke her to the pleasures of life and what pleasure of the flesh had to offer to her, but she only had the urge with Roark and no one else. So their first meeting was just an explosion of emotions, though I didn't really feel that while reading it and kind of felt like it was forced or something was off. And I definitely didn't like their first time together and didn't feel right to me. Well, really I didn't like how quick it was like I said and how it was executed. And how Roark took her like that in her garden without much preliminaries or even a "hi. hello." He just took what he wanted because he wanted her too much and he couldn't help himself and he needed to take her right there and right then for her first time. Granted he didn't know that at the time, but still. It made me feel that he was just treating her as an object to slake his lust then treating her as a living flesh and blood woman, and I didn't like that. I got it was suppose to be uncontrollable passion, but it didn't do it for me and I didn't like the scene, which made my eyebrows a bit and roll my eyes because it just felt so unrealistic and kind of forced as well. I just wasn't feeling it.
For me, I like a more build up throughout the book and have this tension there between the main characters until they could contain themselves no longer and they have to give in. Now that happened in this book, but it just happened way too quick so there was really not a lot of building up of sexual tension, which I like to see in a romance. Plus with it being drawn out, it makes the scene more passionate because they had been denying themselves so long of what they really wanted. With this book there was no delayed gratification, which is half the fun of passionate hot romances.
Now Roark was not the only one in that first time scene, Lia was a full participate and completely willing. Which begged to answer the question. What was she thinking? Giving her virginity to a stranger? I know it happens probably every day in real life, but her. I would have expected more. Plus it just seemed totally out of character for her as well. I get that all these emotions overwhelmed her and she wanted that feeling of being alive again, which she felt in his arms and his arms only, but still I don't think she would have given her virginity to him that easily especially her first time. But she let him. And her responses to him were kind of unrealistic as well, and I just didn't feel or believe it.
Plus to top it all off, she didn't even know his first name when they were going at and was completely unaware that Roark was the reason that her father lost his business because Roark did a complete takeover of her father's company, which lead him to have a heart attack and since they didn't have money they couldn't participate in an experimental trial for her sister, who had a brain tumor that left untreated so she died then Lia's mother overdosed on sleeping pills and died, leaving Lia all alone. And he figured it who she was while they were going at it after and planned not telling her who he was until she forced the issue then once she did then she hated him and never wanted to see him again. And she was so angry that she gave her virginity to Roark. So again, would she really have slept with him if she didn't know him name. I'm not so sure she would have, but that's just me.
And if that wasn't bad enough, she believed that the only reason that Roark slept with her was to get her to sell her land to him (that was the reason he pursued her at the ball and bid on her for a dance so he could talk to her and convince. And he wasn't beyond using seduction to get his way, which I didn't like. Though he did truly desire her once he saw her for the first time and wanted her badly.) so he could develop it into a business district while she was planning on using it for a park in memory of her sister. So that just made it doubly worse and she just felt so used by him, making her regret her decision even more.
And to take the cake, Roark was an absolute jerk to her afterwards. Granted she made some harsh accusations, but I couldn't really blame her especially since all the evidence pointed to his guilt? Plus it was her first time, she didn't know how to handle it. Right after they were done doing the deed, she was happy in the afterglow and felt more alive then ever and she seemed to enjoy what they did while for him after they were done, he just pulled away from her and began acting coolly towards her pretty immediately. Yes, he was dealing with his own reeling emotions because he never ever felt this way about another women. And he wanted more of Lia. But he was still a jerk especially after his parting words to her to let her know that he had her body and now he didn't want anything else to do with her since she the deal for the land was a done deal and told her to let him know if there was a child then goodbye. That was what he actually said to her and then just left her alone to deal with her reeling emotions. What a pompous ass? Can you blame her for not liking the guy/or saying she hated him? Especially after that. Poor Lia, who immediately felt cold again after his words and how the way he left her alone.
That wasn't right and just rubbed me the wrong way especially since I was digging Roark in the first place since he seemed to be a selfish cad only after his wants and needs while disregarding everyone else around him including Lia. That didn't earn him points in my book. And it definitely didn't endear him to him. I didn't like him.
So between how I felt about him and their first time together that made me think that I was going to dislike this book and not enjoy it. Because I didn't like how the direction was going in the first half, and I didn't know if it would redeem itself in my mind where I would give it higher than a three stars.
Luckily it did get better, and I felt more with the second half, feeling more connected to the rushed first half that just didn't do it for me or feel realistic. But the second half did. I was unsure that it was going to go that way with the broom closet scene that took place a year and a half later, though it did say something that they could still effected other after all that time a part with the wanting never really going away with each having unwanted thoughts along the way during that separation that once they came together again they nearly combusted. That scene in the closet was definitely steamy, but I was still a little unsure about it but not as much as the first time scene, which just didn't sit right with me.
Then after the broom closet seen it just went up from there because there was more there then just this physical aspect of their relationship. There were real emotions and this need to be with one another and be around one another because they couldn't imagine not being with one another though Lia tried to deny it more than he did. But he showed a vulnerable side to himself as I got to know him more and learn more about his background and how he lost his family and just the man that he was, and I really liked that and made me like him even more. I understood why he didn't do long term relationships was because he didn't want to lose the people he loved like he lost his family. Also he had to deal with his grandfather's rejection (once Roark didn't do what he wanted him too do. Plus the grandfather felt he was blue collar like his father, who Roark's mother eloped with despite her being a wealthy woman and his grandfather never approved of that choice and acted according. He made sure that Roark never got attached to anyone by changing people out around him so Roark wouldn't love) even though he raised Roark once his family was dead. Just learning all this information made Roark more human to me and make me want to root for him.
Their third time together, which she agreed to one last time because he kept bugging her to sleep with him and she feared he would find out her little secret that she wanted to keep from, was beautiful and beautifully done. It was sweet, emotional, passionate, and just a far cry from just slaking physical lust. They enjoyed every second that they had together. Enjoying sensations and just a rightness to them being together. This was when Roark showed his vulnerable side to Lia, begging her to be with him until, according to him, this thing between them fizzled out because he wanted so much from her and so much more. He basically presented his heart in his hands to her, though he never said he loved just that he wanted more of her and wanted her as his mistress though he offered marriage if that was what it took for them to be together, and just basically spelled out that she meant something more to him then any other woman in the past. And it was nice to see that scene, and it made my heart hurt for him at just this show of vulnerability that he wasn't used to, and made me like him even more. He wasn't just this playboy that just wanted a good time with her. He wanted more. He was more, and he needed someone just like she did, but she turned him down.
I just loved that whole scene in the hotel room when they do truly make love and he asked her to stay and be with him. It was really well done, and it made me feel so much for both of them and seeing their need for each other, and the pain that they both felt when she did turn it down because I could tell it broke both of them to walk away from one another. Lia too who finally found this person that she was falling in love with and she had to let go because of her secret and two because she believed he would never fall in love with her like she did with him. And it was an emotional moment, and it tore my heart out along with them. I was truly saddened for both of them.
Though that changed for me a tad when jerky Roark came back into the fray once he learned her secret intent on punishing Lia for her wrong doings to him. Now, I got that he was angry for her hiding this big secret from him, but he didn't have to be that big of ass to Lia, who he mercilessly punished while she loved him desperately. He broke her a bit, and it brought tears to my eyes. Yes, he was hurting, and though I didn't hate him or disliked him, I hated what he was doing to her, but Lia was hurting even more, being used and treated like she was nothing to him even after they married. He did some cruel things. He ignored her and withheld even a scape of affection for her while prominently displaying right in front of her that he acted that way with others and basically throwing it in her face. Plus he expected her to do her wifely duties every night, and though he didn't force her with her body giving in to him almost as soon as he touched her, he didn't treat her tenderly at all or show any emotions. He would basically make her desire his touch so much that she was begging for it then he would just have sex with her then once he was done he'd leave her alone and not talk to her the next morning. He basically used her for her body and that was it. That made her feel low of low without any emotion coming from him when he took her while she was filled with emotion and love for him. He treated her like dirt beneath his shoes just because of her dishonesty, and she didn't deserve that.
He was terrible to her, and not something I would go for in real life if this actually happened, but in fiction it works. Because I felt bad for her and what she was going through and just how broken her marriage was making her feel, one that didn't have love in it. So again she felt very cold and alone, and almost feeling dead again that she didn't have her husband's love, but instead had his hate and never seemed to be able to get anything more from him because he didn't want to, feeling this was acceptable punishment for her. Which was totally unfair.
I don't know what this says about me but I kind of like when the guys act like jerks to the heroines only to be put in their place later on. I don't why I like that formula so much, but I do. I guess it has something to do with it increases the tension and angst between the two with all these raw emotions going on at the same time. I love stories like that. I love the angst. Though only in fiction. Real life would be something different. I like love-hate relationships and their portrayals to make some angsty love stories. I guess they just produced strong emotions, which is what I want from a love story.
And this one had plenty of that. Like I said I even shed a few tears at the unfairness over Roark's treatment of Lia. She didn't deserve what he dished out, and he was very cruel. Just my heart utterly broke for her. She deserved love first and foremost especially after all she went through in her life. But she stuck it out until she realized she couldn't take it anymore and knew she had to stand up to him. Which she did, and she had every right to because no one deserved to be treated the way she was. So I liked she showed a little backbone yet at the same time offer a truce and basically making herself vulnerable by telling Roark how she felt about it and what she hoped from him in the future. And when she didn't get that, she left even though it broke her heart to leave him, yet knowing she couldn't live like she was nothing but a sex object to him while her heart and soul would go more and more into the love making until there would have been nothing left of her. She gave him everything.
I liked that Roark had this big revelation after she left that what he did was not right and he shouldn't have punished her the way that he did. He realized that she didn't deserve that. But what I liked most of all about this revelation was that it was completely genuine and I felt it in my soul that he truly did repent for the sins he did to her. Also he realized that not only was he in the wrong, but loved her deeply and even though he didn't deserve her, he wanted her and a life with her forever.
Now sometimes in Presents books, the hero would have this sudden, out of the blue revelation that he was wrong about what he did and that suddenly he loved the heroine without a rhyme or reason and sometimes that just totally feels so unbelievable, which I hate, and so out of left field that there's no evidence to support his claims of his love for the heroine. And if the ending is unbelievable then so it the love story that just diminishes my enjoyment of the story because I don't buy it. When I read a romance, even though it's fiction, I want to buy and believe it and be happy for the couple, but sometimes that's not the case. Those stories I usually feel that the endings are rushed too much and this grand revelation happened because the author was running out of room allotted for the book so they had to invent the quick big revelation/repentant/reveal of emotions scene, which sometimes doesn't feel right and just makes me like the book even less.
This story I felt the complete opposite. Yes, the revelation happened at the end, but it didn't feel rushed and like I said came off as genuine. I could feel how sorry he was for all the pain he caused Lia along the way, and he got why she did what she did when she hid this precious secret from him and now he no longer blamed her and wanted a life with her. Just that scene alone redeemed Roark in my eyes after all the terrible stuff he did to poor Lia. I liked Roark after that, and thought that he was a great hero. Now people may not agree with me on this and think that she should have just kicked him to the curb, but between this scene where he showed his vulnerability and the other scene that he opened himself up showed who he truly was a man, and what laid in his heart. What he did to Lia was totally wrong, and he realized that and he even admitted to himself that he acted like a jerk towards her. He realized she had no reason to trust him especially after everything that happened between them and his treatment of her.
He apologized to her (I hate when heroes don't apologize for their wrongfully treatment of the women they love or they just barely grovel and then suddenly all was forgiven for all his sins.) and showed how sorry he was when he bared his soul to her after he went to find her, which that was a powerful scene in itself because there was a moment where he thought he lost everything again and he couldn't handle that so when he saw all was all right he was completely grateful and grabbed her up and held her to him tight vowing never to let her go while spouting off his feelings. He groveled just enough to make me root for him. And that whole end scene felt very real and genuine and I never questioned what he was feeling, which made me root for him and them as a couple. They both truly deserved happiness (and I can't say that about some heroes in Presents) and he proved the last few pages in the book despite the fact he acted jerky towards her. The feels coming off the page were beautiful and I loved every single second of the ending. It worked and just felt right. And they got their happily ever after.
Overall, Jennie Lucas created another solid love story that I enjoyed. It might not have been one of my favorites especially in the beginning but the second half more than made up for it. Once the emotions and the angst came into play with the focus being taken off just the physical portion of their relationship then I began enjoying it a lot more. With the emotions coming into play, then it just made the physical so much more meaningful and deeper and I really liked that aspect of this story as well as in any romance book. Just the beginning love scenes were a bit rushed and unrealistic, which made them not sit right with me. Just the emotions make it so much better. Plus the whole love-hate aspect didn't hurt as well. Like I said I like jerky heroes that become redeemable later on. I like the groveling in books. The second half really sold the book for me, making me enjoying it so much more than I thought I would in the beginning. And I just connected and felt so much with the second half making me really enjoy it and find it a worthwhile read.
I like Jennie Lucas books and this one was no exception. It might not have been my favorite one by her, but it was a good one. Look forward to reading more books from her in the future because she's pretty good at the angsty, emotional, love-hate love stories that I thoroughly enjoy.
I originally thought I was going to give a quite different review than I am going to give currently because honestly the first portion of the book I was not digging or feeling at all, but once I got more deeply in the story then I began to have some feels that made me change my opinion of the book totally hence the four star review.
For the most part the reason I didn't like the beginning was because their first time together happened just a wee bit too quick for my liking. I got that they were attracted to each other the moment the met with both never having felt like this about another person before. Well, at least on Roark's part who was a renowned playboy. While Lia had been a virgin with nothing to compare it too, though she did know that Roark made her feel (heat as well as other emotions) for the first time in quite awhile. Her older husband had just died and left her alone in the world so she was grieving, but she also felt empty and numb and kind of was the walking dead. She even referred to herself as being dead until Roark came along and awoke her to the pleasures of life and what pleasure of the flesh had to offer to her, but she only had the urge with Roark and no one else. So their first meeting was just an explosion of emotions, though I didn't really feel that while reading it and kind of felt like it was forced or something was off. And I definitely didn't like their first time together and didn't feel right to me. Well, really I didn't like how quick it was like I said and how it was executed. And how Roark took her like that in her garden without much preliminaries or even a "hi. hello." He just took what he wanted because he wanted her too much and he couldn't help himself and he needed to take her right there and right then for her first time. Granted he didn't know that at the time, but still. It made me feel that he was just treating her as an object to slake his lust then treating her as a living flesh and blood woman, and I didn't like that. I got it was suppose to be uncontrollable passion, but it didn't do it for me and I didn't like the scene, which made my eyebrows a bit and roll my eyes because it just felt so unrealistic and kind of forced as well. I just wasn't feeling it.
For me, I like a more build up throughout the book and have this tension there between the main characters until they could contain themselves no longer and they have to give in. Now that happened in this book, but it just happened way too quick so there was really not a lot of building up of sexual tension, which I like to see in a romance. Plus with it being drawn out, it makes the scene more passionate because they had been denying themselves so long of what they really wanted. With this book there was no delayed gratification, which is half the fun of passionate hot romances.
Now Roark was not the only one in that first time scene, Lia was a full participate and completely willing. Which begged to answer the question. What was she thinking? Giving her virginity to a stranger? I know it happens probably every day in real life, but her. I would have expected more. Plus it just seemed totally out of character for her as well. I get that all these emotions overwhelmed her and she wanted that feeling of being alive again, which she felt in his arms and his arms only, but still I don't think she would have given her virginity to him that easily especially her first time. But she let him. And her responses to him were kind of unrealistic as well, and I just didn't feel or believe it.
Plus to top it all off, she didn't even know his first name when they were going at and was completely unaware that Roark was the reason that her father lost his business because Roark did a complete takeover of her father's company, which lead him to have a heart attack and since they didn't have money they couldn't participate in an experimental trial for her sister, who had a brain tumor that left untreated so she died then Lia's mother overdosed on sleeping pills and died, leaving Lia all alone. And he figured it who she was while they were going at it after and planned not telling her who he was until she forced the issue then once she did then she hated him and never wanted to see him again. And she was so angry that she gave her virginity to Roark. So again, would she really have slept with him if she didn't know him name. I'm not so sure she would have, but that's just me.
And if that wasn't bad enough, she believed that the only reason that Roark slept with her was to get her to sell her land to him (that was the reason he pursued her at the ball and bid on her for a dance so he could talk to her and convince. And he wasn't beyond using seduction to get his way, which I didn't like. Though he did truly desire her once he saw her for the first time and wanted her badly.) so he could develop it into a business district while she was planning on using it for a park in memory of her sister. So that just made it doubly worse and she just felt so used by him, making her regret her decision even more.
And to take the cake, Roark was an absolute jerk to her afterwards. Granted she made some harsh accusations, but I couldn't really blame her especially since all the evidence pointed to his guilt? Plus it was her first time, she didn't know how to handle it. Right after they were done doing the deed, she was happy in the afterglow and felt more alive then ever and she seemed to enjoy what they did while for him after they were done, he just pulled away from her and began acting coolly towards her pretty immediately. Yes, he was dealing with his own reeling emotions because he never ever felt this way about another women. And he wanted more of Lia. But he was still a jerk especially after his parting words to her to let her know that he had her body and now he didn't want anything else to do with her since she the deal for the land was a done deal and told her to let him know if there was a child then goodbye. That was what he actually said to her and then just left her alone to deal with her reeling emotions. What a pompous ass? Can you blame her for not liking the guy/or saying she hated him? Especially after that. Poor Lia, who immediately felt cold again after his words and how the way he left her alone.
That wasn't right and just rubbed me the wrong way especially since I was digging Roark in the first place since he seemed to be a selfish cad only after his wants and needs while disregarding everyone else around him including Lia. That didn't earn him points in my book. And it definitely didn't endear him to him. I didn't like him.
So between how I felt about him and their first time together that made me think that I was going to dislike this book and not enjoy it. Because I didn't like how the direction was going in the first half, and I didn't know if it would redeem itself in my mind where I would give it higher than a three stars.
Luckily it did get better, and I felt more with the second half, feeling more connected to the rushed first half that just didn't do it for me or feel realistic. But the second half did. I was unsure that it was going to go that way with the broom closet scene that took place a year and a half later, though it did say something that they could still effected other after all that time a part with the wanting never really going away with each having unwanted thoughts along the way during that separation that once they came together again they nearly combusted. That scene in the closet was definitely steamy, but I was still a little unsure about it but not as much as the first time scene, which just didn't sit right with me.
Then after the broom closet seen it just went up from there because there was more there then just this physical aspect of their relationship. There were real emotions and this need to be with one another and be around one another because they couldn't imagine not being with one another though Lia tried to deny it more than he did. But he showed a vulnerable side to himself as I got to know him more and learn more about his background and how he lost his family and just the man that he was, and I really liked that and made me like him even more. I understood why he didn't do long term relationships was because he didn't want to lose the people he loved like he lost his family. Also he had to deal with his grandfather's rejection (once Roark didn't do what he wanted him too do. Plus the grandfather felt he was blue collar like his father, who Roark's mother eloped with despite her being a wealthy woman and his grandfather never approved of that choice and acted according. He made sure that Roark never got attached to anyone by changing people out around him so Roark wouldn't love) even though he raised Roark once his family was dead. Just learning all this information made Roark more human to me and make me want to root for him.
Their third time together, which she agreed to one last time because he kept bugging her to sleep with him and she feared he would find out her little secret that she wanted to keep from, was beautiful and beautifully done. It was sweet, emotional, passionate, and just a far cry from just slaking physical lust. They enjoyed every second that they had together. Enjoying sensations and just a rightness to them being together. This was when Roark showed his vulnerable side to Lia, begging her to be with him until, according to him, this thing between them fizzled out because he wanted so much from her and so much more. He basically presented his heart in his hands to her, though he never said he loved just that he wanted more of her and wanted her as his mistress though he offered marriage if that was what it took for them to be together, and just basically spelled out that she meant something more to him then any other woman in the past. And it was nice to see that scene, and it made my heart hurt for him at just this show of vulnerability that he wasn't used to, and made me like him even more. He wasn't just this playboy that just wanted a good time with her. He wanted more. He was more, and he needed someone just like she did, but she turned him down.
I just loved that whole scene in the hotel room when they do truly make love and he asked her to stay and be with him. It was really well done, and it made me feel so much for both of them and seeing their need for each other, and the pain that they both felt when she did turn it down because I could tell it broke both of them to walk away from one another. Lia too who finally found this person that she was falling in love with and she had to let go because of her secret and two because she believed he would never fall in love with her like she did with him. And it was an emotional moment, and it tore my heart out along with them. I was truly saddened for both of them.
Though that changed for me a tad when jerky Roark came back into the fray once he learned her secret intent on punishing Lia for her wrong doings to him. Now, I got that he was angry for her hiding this big secret from him, but he didn't have to be that big of ass to Lia, who he mercilessly punished while she loved him desperately. He broke her a bit, and it brought tears to my eyes. Yes, he was hurting, and though I didn't hate him or disliked him, I hated what he was doing to her, but Lia was hurting even more, being used and treated like she was nothing to him even after they married. He did some cruel things. He ignored her and withheld even a scape of affection for her while prominently displaying right in front of her that he acted that way with others and basically throwing it in her face. Plus he expected her to do her wifely duties every night, and though he didn't force her with her body giving in to him almost as soon as he touched her, he didn't treat her tenderly at all or show any emotions. He would basically make her desire his touch so much that she was begging for it then he would just have sex with her then once he was done he'd leave her alone and not talk to her the next morning. He basically used her for her body and that was it. That made her feel low of low without any emotion coming from him when he took her while she was filled with emotion and love for him. He treated her like dirt beneath his shoes just because of her dishonesty, and she didn't deserve that.
He was terrible to her, and not something I would go for in real life if this actually happened, but in fiction it works. Because I felt bad for her and what she was going through and just how broken her marriage was making her feel, one that didn't have love in it. So again she felt very cold and alone, and almost feeling dead again that she didn't have her husband's love, but instead had his hate and never seemed to be able to get anything more from him because he didn't want to, feeling this was acceptable punishment for her. Which was totally unfair.
I don't know what this says about me but I kind of like when the guys act like jerks to the heroines only to be put in their place later on. I don't why I like that formula so much, but I do. I guess it has something to do with it increases the tension and angst between the two with all these raw emotions going on at the same time. I love stories like that. I love the angst. Though only in fiction. Real life would be something different. I like love-hate relationships and their portrayals to make some angsty love stories. I guess they just produced strong emotions, which is what I want from a love story.
And this one had plenty of that. Like I said I even shed a few tears at the unfairness over Roark's treatment of Lia. She didn't deserve what he dished out, and he was very cruel. Just my heart utterly broke for her. She deserved love first and foremost especially after all she went through in her life. But she stuck it out until she realized she couldn't take it anymore and knew she had to stand up to him. Which she did, and she had every right to because no one deserved to be treated the way she was. So I liked she showed a little backbone yet at the same time offer a truce and basically making herself vulnerable by telling Roark how she felt about it and what she hoped from him in the future. And when she didn't get that, she left even though it broke her heart to leave him, yet knowing she couldn't live like she was nothing but a sex object to him while her heart and soul would go more and more into the love making until there would have been nothing left of her. She gave him everything.
I liked that Roark had this big revelation after she left that what he did was not right and he shouldn't have punished her the way that he did. He realized that she didn't deserve that. But what I liked most of all about this revelation was that it was completely genuine and I felt it in my soul that he truly did repent for the sins he did to her. Also he realized that not only was he in the wrong, but loved her deeply and even though he didn't deserve her, he wanted her and a life with her forever.
Now sometimes in Presents books, the hero would have this sudden, out of the blue revelation that he was wrong about what he did and that suddenly he loved the heroine without a rhyme or reason and sometimes that just totally feels so unbelievable, which I hate, and so out of left field that there's no evidence to support his claims of his love for the heroine. And if the ending is unbelievable then so it the love story that just diminishes my enjoyment of the story because I don't buy it. When I read a romance, even though it's fiction, I want to buy and believe it and be happy for the couple, but sometimes that's not the case. Those stories I usually feel that the endings are rushed too much and this grand revelation happened because the author was running out of room allotted for the book so they had to invent the quick big revelation/repentant/reveal of emotions scene, which sometimes doesn't feel right and just makes me like the book even less.
This story I felt the complete opposite. Yes, the revelation happened at the end, but it didn't feel rushed and like I said came off as genuine. I could feel how sorry he was for all the pain he caused Lia along the way, and he got why she did what she did when she hid this precious secret from him and now he no longer blamed her and wanted a life with her. Just that scene alone redeemed Roark in my eyes after all the terrible stuff he did to poor Lia. I liked Roark after that, and thought that he was a great hero. Now people may not agree with me on this and think that she should have just kicked him to the curb, but between this scene where he showed his vulnerability and the other scene that he opened himself up showed who he truly was a man, and what laid in his heart. What he did to Lia was totally wrong, and he realized that and he even admitted to himself that he acted like a jerk towards her. He realized she had no reason to trust him especially after everything that happened between them and his treatment of her.
He apologized to her (I hate when heroes don't apologize for their wrongfully treatment of the women they love or they just barely grovel and then suddenly all was forgiven for all his sins.) and showed how sorry he was when he bared his soul to her after he went to find her, which that was a powerful scene in itself because there was a moment where he thought he lost everything again and he couldn't handle that so when he saw all was all right he was completely grateful and grabbed her up and held her to him tight vowing never to let her go while spouting off his feelings. He groveled just enough to make me root for him. And that whole end scene felt very real and genuine and I never questioned what he was feeling, which made me root for him and them as a couple. They both truly deserved happiness (and I can't say that about some heroes in Presents) and he proved the last few pages in the book despite the fact he acted jerky towards her. The feels coming off the page were beautiful and I loved every single second of the ending. It worked and just felt right. And they got their happily ever after.
Overall, Jennie Lucas created another solid love story that I enjoyed. It might not have been one of my favorites especially in the beginning but the second half more than made up for it. Once the emotions and the angst came into play with the focus being taken off just the physical portion of their relationship then I began enjoying it a lot more. With the emotions coming into play, then it just made the physical so much more meaningful and deeper and I really liked that aspect of this story as well as in any romance book. Just the beginning love scenes were a bit rushed and unrealistic, which made them not sit right with me. Just the emotions make it so much better. Plus the whole love-hate aspect didn't hurt as well. Like I said I like jerky heroes that become redeemable later on. I like the groveling in books. The second half really sold the book for me, making me enjoying it so much more than I thought I would in the beginning. And I just connected and felt so much with the second half making me really enjoy it and find it a worthwhile read.
I like Jennie Lucas books and this one was no exception. It might not have been my favorite one by her, but it was a good one. Look forward to reading more books from her in the future because she's pretty good at the angsty, emotional, love-hate love stories that I thoroughly enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2018
I always love Jennie Lucas books because of the angst, which this one has in spades.
ALERT!! If anybody treats you like the Hero does, run for the hills after the first week. Been there, did it for 11 months, was the perfect little Robot-wife, young & naive & full of stupid hope, nothing good comes of it except PTSD, No Happy Endings. I suppose this is WHY I found this book so compelling, always wondering if it'd EVER turned better for anybody. Maybe it was that the bastards get mastered, and it's more about HER growth into a strong heroic figure.
Summary:Heroine Lia has just been 2-weeks freshly widowed by her dear "Grandpa"-friend, Giovanni, who'd given her a platonic fake-marriage at age 18 to try and save her family with his money. (A vicious businessman's dealings had destroyed & killed her father. I think Giovanni thought it'd be the fastest way to get them money that her mother would accept--only then her sister & mom died shortly thereafter.) She's very fragile, and they'd nursemaided each other out in his remote Italian castle for 10 years. While very ill, he'd set up a charity event to create a huge park for her deceased sister thinking (or implying) he'd be there and together they'd have a huge laugh auctioning off a dance with her, but he died suddenly, leaving her alone & panicking at this huge event filled with drooling single rich men--what are the odds? (I suspect Grandpa knew he'd die soon, and he was trying to stealthily introduce her to the grownup-world, wanting to prevent her hiding in the castle her whole life.)
Hero Roark, in 100% pre-heroic phase, has party-crashed & is sharking through the waters of the gala, looking for a way to buy, or better yet, seduce & buy that park property off Lia, who he thinks is a criminal elderly-exploiter. (He wants to develop this property into his legacy, as he does not want family or kids.)
Here, you can see something is going on with the Hero subconsciously, as he quickly becomes VERY ILLOGICAL for an evil playboy / Businessman Shark.
He oddly bids a million dollars ($900,000 over any other bids) to dance with her to "At Last". He clinches her on the dance floor and kisses her. She being so sheltered and unused to any sexual-attention, is overwhelmed and panicked. This vicious-cycles until she sprints out of the fundraiser with him (oddly) chasing (the criminal gold-digger) down the street. (I loved that she's at least bright enough to have Emergency $100 in her bra to get-out-of-Dodge.)
She flies back to the Italian castle, but he'd used a faster plane, so when she goes out into her GORGEOUS MEDIEVAL GARDEN, he's waiting for her. He proceeds to overwhelm and seduce her and is himself completely overwhelmed & seduced (what a gorgeous scene for such a thing) (& didn't use a condom) & is shocked she's a virgin.
THEN, she finds out he's the.. . She tells him the property is already out-of-her-hands, so he says some nasty things & --"If there's a baby, call me"-- and splits.
18-months-later Yes--there's a baby--but if she'd told him, I don't think there would've been a 2nd-Chance Romance, as he would've coward-logiced his way out of any relationships.
She runs into him at a wedding, he is again overwhelmed & desperate for her--BUT tells her he doesn't want kids, so she splits, BUT he eventually finds out about the baby. He (oddly) tries to take the baby, she goes with him, he (oddly) marries her, but he's a total MONSTER for months, she's trying to earn his love by being the sweet robot-wife.
WHAT I LOVED:Despite her loving him desperately, she stood up on her hind-legs and did a Movie-Star-Queen-move of VERY stylishly laying her heart on her sleeve, offering it to him, honestly stating her feelings, and when he turned her down, she . Hooray!! Finally!
What I'd like to have seen:The hero have to prove himself longer, like at least as long as the months he tortured the heroine, 3-months, minimum. He only lightly puts his heart-on-his-sleeve like 2-3 days, throughout the relationship, although the final 8-hours of his torture is merely inconvenient, but the final 30 minutes is exquisitely intense torture. (but not enough in my book, as I've been-there-done-that with a hateful husband. He'd have to prove his true-soul-change, with TIME. Although, it's really hard to prove true soul-change living apart.)
On-the-otherhand, with her exposure to all the Death/Danger, she may just not want to waste any time she's got on this planet, and she's NOW STRONG enough to kick him to the curb again if he reverts to Monster mode again.
ALERT!! If anybody treats you like the Hero does, run for the hills after the first week. Been there, did it for 11 months, was the perfect little Robot-wife, young & naive & full of stupid hope, nothing good comes of it except PTSD, No Happy Endings. I suppose this is WHY I found this book so compelling, always wondering if it'd EVER turned better for anybody. Maybe it was that the bastards get mastered, and it's more about HER growth into a strong heroic figure.
Summary:Heroine Lia has just been 2-weeks freshly widowed by her dear "Grandpa"-friend, Giovanni, who'd given her a platonic fake-marriage at age 18 to try and save her family with his money. (A vicious businessman's dealings had destroyed & killed her father. I think Giovanni thought it'd be the fastest way to get them money that her mother would accept--only then her sister & mom died shortly thereafter.) She's very fragile, and they'd nursemaided each other out in his remote Italian castle for 10 years. While very ill, he'd set up a charity event to create a huge park for her deceased sister thinking (or implying) he'd be there and together they'd have a huge laugh auctioning off a dance with her, but he died suddenly, leaving her alone & panicking at this huge event filled with drooling single rich men--what are the odds? (I suspect Grandpa knew he'd die soon, and he was trying to stealthily introduce her to the grownup-world, wanting to prevent her hiding in the castle her whole life.)
Hero Roark, in 100% pre-heroic phase, has party-crashed & is sharking through the waters of the gala, looking for a way to buy, or better yet, seduce & buy that park property off Lia, who he thinks is a criminal elderly-exploiter. (He wants to develop this property into his legacy, as he does not want family or kids.)
Here, you can see something is going on with the Hero subconsciously, as he quickly becomes VERY ILLOGICAL for an evil playboy / Businessman Shark.
He oddly bids a million dollars ($900,000 over any other bids) to dance with her to "At Last". He clinches her on the dance floor and kisses her. She being so sheltered and unused to any sexual-attention, is overwhelmed and panicked. This vicious-cycles until she sprints out of the fundraiser with him (oddly) chasing (the criminal gold-digger) down the street. (I loved that she's at least bright enough to have Emergency $100 in her bra to get-out-of-Dodge.)
She flies back to the Italian castle, but he'd used a faster plane, so when she goes out into her GORGEOUS MEDIEVAL GARDEN, he's waiting for her. He proceeds to overwhelm and seduce her and is himself completely overwhelmed & seduced (what a gorgeous scene for such a thing) (& didn't use a condom) & is shocked she's a virgin.
THEN, she finds out he's the.. . She tells him the property is already out-of-her-hands, so he says some nasty things & --"If there's a baby, call me"-- and splits.
18-months-later Yes--there's a baby--but if she'd told him, I don't think there would've been a 2nd-Chance Romance, as he would've coward-logiced his way out of any relationships.
She runs into him at a wedding, he is again overwhelmed & desperate for her--BUT tells her he doesn't want kids, so she splits, BUT he eventually finds out about the baby. He (oddly) tries to take the baby, she goes with him, he (oddly) marries her, but he's a total MONSTER for months, she's trying to earn his love by being the sweet robot-wife.
WHAT I LOVED:Despite her loving him desperately, she stood up on her hind-legs and did a Movie-Star-Queen-move of VERY stylishly laying her heart on her sleeve, offering it to him, honestly stating her feelings, and when he turned her down, she . Hooray!! Finally!
What I'd like to have seen:The hero have to prove himself longer, like at least as long as the months he tortured the heroine, 3-months, minimum. He only lightly puts his heart-on-his-sleeve like 2-3 days, throughout the relationship, although the final 8-hours of his torture is merely inconvenient, but the final 30 minutes is exquisitely intense torture. (but not enough in my book, as I've been-there-done-that with a hateful husband. He'd have to prove his true-soul-change, with TIME. Although, it's really hard to prove true soul-change living apart.)
On-the-otherhand, with her exposure to all the Death/Danger, she may just not want to waste any time she's got on this planet, and she's NOW STRONG enough to kick him to the curb again if he reverts to Monster mode again.
November 16, 2014
This is one of those books that gives you whiplash. Everything happens at the speed of light. Aside from anything else, the characters are so different I just can't see them together at all. Here's what I mean.
The heroine...
The hero...
Me...
And now for the plot:
They meet. They snog in public. She runs away because he's so hot. He chases her down the street. She gets into a taxi and flees. So naturally he follows her to her private house in ANOTHER COUNTRY (!), all perfectly normal of course, where he proceeds to screw her in her rose bush (that's not a euphemism). This is followed immediately by the reveal that he was the cause of her father's ruin, her sister's slow death and her mother's suicide. Oh, and he forgot to use a condom. At this point, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Especially considering it's only about 20% into the book. If you want to know more, you should read it because while it's absolutely completely INSANE, it is also kinda fun. But check your brain at the door, you will not need it lol.
The heroine...
The hero...
Me...
And now for the plot:
They meet. They snog in public. She runs away because he's so hot. He chases her down the street. She gets into a taxi and flees. So naturally he follows her to her private house in ANOTHER COUNTRY (!), all perfectly normal of course, where he proceeds to screw her in her rose bush (that's not a euphemism). This is followed immediately by the reveal that he was the cause of her father's ruin, her sister's slow death and her mother's suicide. Oh, and he forgot to use a condom. At this point, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Especially considering it's only about 20% into the book. If you want to know more, you should read it because while it's absolutely completely INSANE, it is also kinda fun. But check your brain at the door, you will not need it lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2009
a little predictable towards the end, but all in all, from the 2nd page, i couldn't stop reading...i loved the guy....then i hated him...then i felt sorry for him....
November 7, 2010
3.5 stars
December 16, 2011
This story is pretty hot and sexy for a M&B. My favorite by the author so far, and I enjoy every single page of the story :)
April 12, 2015
First JL book that I did not enjoy. :(
September 28, 2020
Oh dear, what does it say about me that I rate this as one of my favourite JL's? The H is a swine, an alpha plus, one of the most entitled and arrogant men in a genre that is packed with them. Roark Navarre is a billionaire with a scarred and tragic past - I know, I know - and Lia Villani is sweet and beautiful beyond compare. And they have a connection that is immediate and sexy and there is nothing that can be done but go along with the passion. And the reason I think I love this one is that very convincing passion that they have for each other - there is a scene about halfway through when Lia agrees to an afternoon with Roark and I was just so touched and so convinced by the emotion as well as their physical attraction. Jennie is still working through her Gothic phase with this one and there is a tense and well-signalled dramatic near-tragedy at the end that brings the H full circle. It loses points because the H is just too ridiculous with his cruelty towards the h and the sekrit baby.
Mention of Paulo Caretti from Caretti's Forced Bride and the Roark and Lia make a lovely appearance in Bought: The Greek's Baby which is a masterclass in tropes yet manages to surprise.
Mention of Paulo Caretti from Caretti's Forced Bride and the Roark and Lia make a lovely appearance in Bought: The Greek's Baby which is a masterclass in tropes yet manages to surprise.
September 12, 2018
Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’m sorry this hero has a few too many ass tendencies to overcome by the end of this book. Everything that happened to one of our leads eventually happened to the other. The slight differences are she was married in name only before and he was raised by a mean grandpa. Dead families? Check. Lie to the other person? Check. Both really wealthy? Check. Fires? Check. The hero spends the last half of the book punishing the heroine...does he have amnesia? You a) didn’t tell her your name b) stole her father’s company(leading to deathly complications for her family) c) stalked her d) took her virginity without protection e) only wanted to seduce her for a business deal......so her not telling you about your kid is kind of understandable! Jerk. Book had a lot going on, with heroine had known the hero before or at least knew who he was and still liked him. The way it is seems like she is is just so forgiving and so in love she can forgive every awful thing he has done without an apology, no honey, just no. You got a daughter now, make better men choices.
March 26, 2019
I ignored a few red-flags and wound up reading this. The male's past actions had far too serious consequences (literally her entire family dies) and he stalks the woman and refuses to take no for an answer. She rightfully doesn't tell him about getting pregnant. When he does find out, his behavior goes from awful to purely abusive. And had it been a single day/night of him being an asshole it might have been fixable. But he carries on abusing the woman for three solid months.
When his epiphany comes it is far, far too little and beyond too late.
When his epiphany comes it is far, far too little and beyond too late.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2020
It was beautiful, it's been years since a romance book made me blush because I actually believe that they love each other. But I guess all is well that ends well.
May 12, 2017
leído el 27/06/2012
April 15, 2018
I really like this book
November 21, 2019
Read this one first before reading "Bought: The Greek's baby".
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