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Impulse
TORN FROM THE ARMS OF THE WOMAN HE LOVED ...
... and cast into the night by her highborn family, Cam Monroe vowed revenge on those who had wronged him.
Fifteen years later, after amassing a small fortune of his own, Cam returns to England with but one ambition. Now the power is his, power to ruin the Stanhope family if they refuse his demands. And what he demands is simple: that Angela Stanhope be his wife.
Then the mysterious "accidents" begin. Are the Stanhopes trying once again to remove him from their lives? Or is it someone from Cam's past, someone desperate enough to kill to prevent him from uncovering a shocking lie?
... and cast into the night by her highborn family, Cam Monroe vowed revenge on those who had wronged him.
Fifteen years later, after amassing a small fortune of his own, Cam returns to England with but one ambition. Now the power is his, power to ruin the Stanhope family if they refuse his demands. And what he demands is simple: that Angela Stanhope be his wife.
Then the mysterious "accidents" begin. Are the Stanhopes trying once again to remove him from their lives? Or is it someone from Cam's past, someone desperate enough to kill to prevent him from uncovering a shocking lie?
401 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1997
50 people are currently reading
1364 people want to read
About the author
Candace Camp
121 books1,251 followersCandace Camp is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty books.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 9, 2019
This is a story about young star-crossed lovers, cruelly forced apart by her disapproving family (well, she’s an earl’s granddaughter and he’s just a stable boy!), now meeting again after a decade.
He’s embittered, vengeful and on the warpath. She’s lost, lonely and a bruised soul (after a marriage and divorce to a depraved, sadistic man). He goes about the marry-me-or-face-your-family’s-ruin routine. She rightfully balks at marrying anyone again but he persists - brings on more pressure i.e.- and they marry.
She keeps him out of her bed, he thinks he's right about thinking that she never loved him but was playing with him in the past too, the ex shows up again, some (non)-intrigue, the two play at mystery-solving his past and pedigree, abduction and chase (the h chases here) and finale!
My thoughts –
The prologue is bittersweet. They are absolutely adorable together, as only young lovers totally immersed in each other can be. The way they were wrenched away from each other smites at the heart.
The ensuing first half is kind of banal and the h-H interfaces are not very convincing. All this coming back wealthy from America and be able to blackmail a noble family and then very easily ensconcing himself in their home after the marriage didn't gel with me. The family members, more or less, disappear after that. Then her divorce is certainly brow raising and unconvincing.
But the second half is good and ensnared me. The subplot about his lineage is interesting, if not a great mystery.
But the best thing is his patience with her after learning the truth. The way he lets her (literally) feel her way back to sexual confidence is amazing. He totally won me with it.
But the big elephant that I’ve got to get to– is the description of the sexual trauma that the h undergoes in her first marriage. Gross, icky, disgusting doesn’t describe it! Was it necessary for the author to make it so terrible and then go into the details? Usually I want details but this time I could have done without them! Could give those awful bdsm torture books a run for their money. Ewww I need an amnesia pill!
He’s embittered, vengeful and on the warpath. She’s lost, lonely and a bruised soul (after a marriage and divorce to a depraved, sadistic man). He goes about the marry-me-or-face-your-family’s-ruin routine. She rightfully balks at marrying anyone again but he persists - brings on more pressure i.e.- and they marry.
She keeps him out of her bed, he thinks he's right about thinking that she never loved him but was playing with him in the past too, the ex shows up again, some (non)-intrigue, the two play at mystery-solving his past and pedigree, abduction and chase (the h chases here) and finale!
My thoughts –
The prologue is bittersweet. They are absolutely adorable together, as only young lovers totally immersed in each other can be. The way they were wrenched away from each other smites at the heart.
The ensuing first half is kind of banal and the h-H interfaces are not very convincing. All this coming back wealthy from America and be able to blackmail a noble family and then very easily ensconcing himself in their home after the marriage didn't gel with me. The family members, more or less, disappear after that. Then her divorce is certainly brow raising and unconvincing.
But the second half is good and ensnared me. The subplot about his lineage is interesting, if not a great mystery.
But the best thing is his patience with her after learning the truth. The way he lets her (literally) feel her way back to sexual confidence is amazing. He totally won me with it.
But the big elephant that I’ve got to get to– is the description of the sexual trauma that the h undergoes in her first marriage. Gross, icky, disgusting doesn’t describe it! Was it necessary for the author to make it so terrible and then go into the details? Usually I want details but this time I could have done without them! Could give those awful bdsm torture books a run for their money. Ewww I need an amnesia pill!
May 4, 2011
I really enjoyed this book because I saw it as a dig to Wuthering Heights. The premise is similar: a rich young woman falls in love with one of the family servants, and is ready to run away with him. Before they are able to, her family finds out and splits them apart. This is their story, fifteen years later.
I might be shot for this, but I can't stand Wuthering Heights. Everything that went wrong in that book is because the two main characters refused to, oh, I don't know, be adult and speak to one another about how they really felt. Camp's version, where the characters are forced together after years of a bitter separation, is realistic to true emotion. It is a satisfying read because the characters realize when they have their blinders on and fight the good fight to take them off. Of course, having a goal to work toward, such as trying to prevent death, is certain to make friends out of enemies. Angela's time apart from Cameron adds surprisingly dark depth to the story, one which gave me nightmares.
As always, I love Candace Camp's stories because she allows the hero/heroine to get to know one another, to feel confident that they have found a healthy match/complement in each other, before hopping into bed. It's just refreshing.
I might be shot for this, but I can't stand Wuthering Heights. Everything that went wrong in that book is because the two main characters refused to, oh, I don't know, be adult and speak to one another about how they really felt. Camp's version, where the characters are forced together after years of a bitter separation, is realistic to true emotion. It is a satisfying read because the characters realize when they have their blinders on and fight the good fight to take them off. Of course, having a goal to work toward, such as trying to prevent death, is certain to make friends out of enemies. Angela's time apart from Cameron adds surprisingly dark depth to the story, one which gave me nightmares.
As always, I love Candace Camp's stories because she allows the hero/heroine to get to know one another, to feel confident that they have found a healthy match/complement in each other, before hopping into bed. It's just refreshing.
August 6, 2023
3.5 stars. Sweet but emotional. My first Candace Camp!
January 14, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/01/rev...
Favorite Quote: “Fool! It’s obvious they grow them stupid in America.”
Lady Angela has loved Camden (the stable hand) since she was a little girl; but when her grandfather finds them together he gives her an ultimatum. Either she marries Lord Dunstan or he will have Cam accused of theft and sent to prison for life. Lady Angela marries Lord Dunstan and suffers for her lost love. Cam upon finding out Angela married Dunstan flees to America and swears his revenge.
15 years later she is divorced and living in disgrace under her brothers care. When a secret investor buys up all the family business shares and threatens them with total ruin unless Lady Angela marries him, she is shocked to find it is her one and only love Cam. But Cam is not the same man she knew and she is undoubtedly not the same women he knew. For the sake of her family, she agrees to marry him. As they navigate through a rocky marriage shrouded in secret and anger; someone else wants Angela all to themselves and are willing to kill for her.
Impulse was originally published in 1997. I admit I had forgotten that I had read it but was pleasantly surprised when it all came back to me. I enjoyed this story then and now. A somewhat dark second chance romance with hints of suspense and intrigue.
Well plotted with rich character definition and a smooth flowing storyline. Ms. Camp has a wonderful way of drawing you into the trials and tribulations of her characters and making you a part of their lives.
The story is told from Angela’s point of view. You get a sense of strength and determination from her even though she is forced not once but twice to save her family. I admired her as she stands up to Cam and his unique way of setting people down is a treat.
Cam is an enigma. At first I was was hard pressed to like him. He comes off very cold and unfeeling towards Angela. As we divulge deeper into the story we see his reasons and it becomes clearer why he thinks the way he does.
From the moment you see Angela and Cam you can feel the chemistry between them. Intense and sensual, these two are destined for each other. I felt my heart would break when they were forced apart. After they are reunited, the emotional tension is ripe as you watch Angela and Cam fight through the misconceptions and the secrets that are threatening to destroy their marriage before it even starts.
We are given clues throughout the book that hint at the terrible things Angela endured during her marriage to Lord Dunstan. When Angela finally breaks her silence to Cam the truth is devastating yet soul cleansing as now they are both free to accept the passion that has simmered below the surface. I liked that we aren’t made to suffer through a long emotional roller coaster of misconception. The love between them comes back fairly early in the book and we are then allowed to enjoy watching them being happy. I also enjoyed Cam’s inventive way of helping to free Angela from her physical inhibitions.
I will admit I was rather shocked at the details Ms. Camp imparted to us concerning Angela’s secret. I don’t remember it being that graphic in the original book.
The secondary characters are a treat. Kate, Angela’s maid and best friend is a joy as she maintains a steadfast loyalty to Angela and heaven help anyone who doesn’t agree with her. Cam’s secretary, Jason, is the male equivalent of Kate and he winds up becoming important to the story. Our villain is truly an evil, ugly person who I enjoyed hating.
There is wonderful suspense introduced as Cam and Angela not only try to discover who is trying to kill him but also who his father was. The ending is predictable but I enjoyed the events leading up to it. An enchanting Victorian historical romance that will delight readers who love mystery with their romance.
Rating: B
Favorite Quote: “Fool! It’s obvious they grow them stupid in America.”
Lady Angela has loved Camden (the stable hand) since she was a little girl; but when her grandfather finds them together he gives her an ultimatum. Either she marries Lord Dunstan or he will have Cam accused of theft and sent to prison for life. Lady Angela marries Lord Dunstan and suffers for her lost love. Cam upon finding out Angela married Dunstan flees to America and swears his revenge.
15 years later she is divorced and living in disgrace under her brothers care. When a secret investor buys up all the family business shares and threatens them with total ruin unless Lady Angela marries him, she is shocked to find it is her one and only love Cam. But Cam is not the same man she knew and she is undoubtedly not the same women he knew. For the sake of her family, she agrees to marry him. As they navigate through a rocky marriage shrouded in secret and anger; someone else wants Angela all to themselves and are willing to kill for her.
Impulse was originally published in 1997. I admit I had forgotten that I had read it but was pleasantly surprised when it all came back to me. I enjoyed this story then and now. A somewhat dark second chance romance with hints of suspense and intrigue.
Well plotted with rich character definition and a smooth flowing storyline. Ms. Camp has a wonderful way of drawing you into the trials and tribulations of her characters and making you a part of their lives.
The story is told from Angela’s point of view. You get a sense of strength and determination from her even though she is forced not once but twice to save her family. I admired her as she stands up to Cam and his unique way of setting people down is a treat.
Cam is an enigma. At first I was was hard pressed to like him. He comes off very cold and unfeeling towards Angela. As we divulge deeper into the story we see his reasons and it becomes clearer why he thinks the way he does.
From the moment you see Angela and Cam you can feel the chemistry between them. Intense and sensual, these two are destined for each other. I felt my heart would break when they were forced apart. After they are reunited, the emotional tension is ripe as you watch Angela and Cam fight through the misconceptions and the secrets that are threatening to destroy their marriage before it even starts.
We are given clues throughout the book that hint at the terrible things Angela endured during her marriage to Lord Dunstan. When Angela finally breaks her silence to Cam the truth is devastating yet soul cleansing as now they are both free to accept the passion that has simmered below the surface. I liked that we aren’t made to suffer through a long emotional roller coaster of misconception. The love between them comes back fairly early in the book and we are then allowed to enjoy watching them being happy. I also enjoyed Cam’s inventive way of helping to free Angela from her physical inhibitions.
I will admit I was rather shocked at the details Ms. Camp imparted to us concerning Angela’s secret. I don’t remember it being that graphic in the original book.
The secondary characters are a treat. Kate, Angela’s maid and best friend is a joy as she maintains a steadfast loyalty to Angela and heaven help anyone who doesn’t agree with her. Cam’s secretary, Jason, is the male equivalent of Kate and he winds up becoming important to the story. Our villain is truly an evil, ugly person who I enjoyed hating.
There is wonderful suspense introduced as Cam and Angela not only try to discover who is trying to kill him but also who his father was. The ending is predictable but I enjoyed the events leading up to it. An enchanting Victorian historical romance that will delight readers who love mystery with their romance.
Rating: B
January 10, 2025
This was full of trope-y goodness: second chance, class difference, forced marriage, revenge and I wished I'd loved it more than I did.
The Again the Magic vibes were strong (this was published way before that one): the MCs fall in love when they were younger, get broken up by the family and he runs away only to come back years later as a millionaire ready for revenge. Delicious in every way.
The difference here is that Angela, the FMC, is forced to marry a Lord who turns out to be a grapey abusive b*stard. Angela eventually runs away and instigates a divorce and is living as a recluse when the MMC comes back rich and hot and really cranky about what happened in the past. Cam has her brother the Earl by the proverbial balls so Angela is forced to marry him too. He thinks she married the Lord for money and abandoned him so he marries her to get back at her. Except he didn't think this through because he's hot and rich so where's the punishment here? Anyway, he doesn't know she married to save his dumbass from her family's wrath.
The tension in the beginning is *chef's kiss* Cam is obviously still in love with Angela and forced the marriage not for revenge but because he's so hung up on her. This really works for me and it would have been a five star read if this tension hadn't fizzled by the midway point. An external mystery and suspense plot takes up so much space in the middle and the romance gets pushed to the back burner. When it was blatantly obvious who the villain was, I lost interest and limped my way to the end.
Another issue I had was that the book was almost all from Angela's point of view. Cam was an enigma and not very well developed. He was so freaking swoony though but I think not being in his head and feeling his longing and his pining took away a lot from the story. I also found this to be kind of dark and I never saw any CW for this book (probably because of the pub date). But omg this took a left turn at Albuquerque and left me really disturbed when Angela finally tells Can how she was abused in her marriage. It did not need to go as dark as it went, as the reader already knew the husband was the villain.
All this being said, I really liked the romance, while I could have done without the descriptive abuse and would have liked the hero to be more developed, I enjoyed this one. Recommended for fans of Kleypas and older HRs.
⭐⭐⭐.75
🔥🔥/5
CW for r*pe, domestic violence, emotional and physical abuse.
The Again the Magic vibes were strong (this was published way before that one): the MCs fall in love when they were younger, get broken up by the family and he runs away only to come back years later as a millionaire ready for revenge. Delicious in every way.
The difference here is that Angela, the FMC, is forced to marry a Lord who turns out to be a grapey abusive b*stard. Angela eventually runs away and instigates a divorce and is living as a recluse when the MMC comes back rich and hot and really cranky about what happened in the past. Cam has her brother the Earl by the proverbial balls so Angela is forced to marry him too. He thinks she married the Lord for money and abandoned him so he marries her to get back at her. Except he didn't think this through because he's hot and rich so where's the punishment here? Anyway, he doesn't know she married to save his dumbass from her family's wrath.
The tension in the beginning is *chef's kiss* Cam is obviously still in love with Angela and forced the marriage not for revenge but because he's so hung up on her. This really works for me and it would have been a five star read if this tension hadn't fizzled by the midway point. An external mystery and suspense plot takes up so much space in the middle and the romance gets pushed to the back burner. When it was blatantly obvious who the villain was, I lost interest and limped my way to the end.
Another issue I had was that the book was almost all from Angela's point of view. Cam was an enigma and not very well developed. He was so freaking swoony though but I think not being in his head and feeling his longing and his pining took away a lot from the story. I also found this to be kind of dark and I never saw any CW for this book (probably because of the pub date). But omg this took a left turn at Albuquerque and left me really disturbed when Angela finally tells Can how she was abused in her marriage. It did not need to go as dark as it went, as the reader already knew the husband was the villain.
All this being said, I really liked the romance, while I could have done without the descriptive abuse and would have liked the hero to be more developed, I enjoyed this one. Recommended for fans of Kleypas and older HRs.
⭐⭐⭐.75
🔥🔥/5
CW for r*pe, domestic violence, emotional and physical abuse.
dnf-try-again-later
October 16, 2023Is there a trope more tedious than the “scared of sex” trope? DNF
Thought I could deal with the annoying trope since this book has 2 tropes I adore - childhood sweethearts, and stable boy+ lady heroine MCs ( like in Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas), but nope. Still not worth it. She’s scared of sex, scared of men, scared of marriage, even scared of the H, because of her sadistic ex hub. She’s your classic timid victim.
And the h is divorced, what.
—————-
They were separated for 13 yrs.
H is 33, rich and hot.
h is 29, used to be beautiful when they were both young, but now she’s plain and drab to be invisible.
“She saw herself in the mirror every day, and she knew that though her hair was the same texture and her eyes the same color, though her body was only a little less slender and more rounded, no one could think she looked the same as she had at sixteen. The spark that had once lit her face was gone, and her drabness was only emphasized by the plain, dark gowns she wore and the severe knot into which she wound her hair at the nape of her neck. Her skin, albeit still soft and white, no longer held a glow.”
Thought I could deal with the annoying trope since this book has 2 tropes I adore - childhood sweethearts, and stable boy+ lady heroine MCs ( like in Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas), but nope. Still not worth it. She’s scared of sex, scared of men, scared of marriage, even scared of the H, because of her sadistic ex hub. She’s your classic timid victim.
And the h is divorced, what.
—————-
They were separated for 13 yrs.
H is 33, rich and hot.
h is 29, used to be beautiful when they were both young, but now she’s plain and drab to be invisible.
“She saw herself in the mirror every day, and she knew that though her hair was the same texture and her eyes the same color, though her body was only a little less slender and more rounded, no one could think she looked the same as she had at sixteen. The spark that had once lit her face was gone, and her drabness was only emphasized by the plain, dark gowns she wore and the severe knot into which she wound her hair at the nape of her neck. Her skin, albeit still soft and white, no longer held a glow.”
March 13, 2008
I love reunion romances and "opposite sides of the tracks" stories, and this book had both. These themes made it very appealing to me, but ultimately I felt that it fell short of the mark. I thought it needed more character development, and I just didn't connect with the characters or the story on a deep emotional level like I have with other novels. Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas and Night Fire by Catherine Coulter have very similar plots (almost identical in some respects), but in my opinion had stronger writing and were more enjoyable reads overall. This was my first book by Candace Camp though, so I may try another one in the future.
September 2, 2021
Uma história sobre o valor de voltar a investir novamente em um amor que parecia perdido. Entre mágoas e grandes mal-entendidos, ainda há o desvendar de um mistério. Gostei bastante da escrita da autora, e até me animou a ler mais do gênero, que não tenho tanto costume de ler.
>> Apaixonante. Empolgante. Escrita Cativante - Nota: 8,4
Veja mais em: Ninho de Pirilampos
>> Apaixonante. Empolgante. Escrita Cativante - Nota: 8,4
Veja mais em: Ninho de Pirilampos
April 12, 2019
This is not a historical romance this is a piece of s***. Most of the book is taken up in a unbelievable plot. We're supposed to believe the woman had sex with a marble statue when she had never been aroused. That was just one of the unbelievable situations. His mother left in fear to some godforsaken viillage. They went hungry when she had the proof that he was the legal heir? The whole book was full of similar unbelievable plot developers. I am becoming so disappointed at what is being called historical romance. This book would not have been good regardless of what they called it. If it's historical put some history into it.
July 3, 2017
Average early fare by an author who is far more capable than represented by this book.
September 19, 2015
Like other Camp books, this tale includes a romance and a mystery.
Cameron Monroe and Angela Stanhope were separated when they were young due to differences in social class. Cam went to America and worked hard to make a fortune, vowing one day to return and take his revenge on the Stanhopes for their betrayal. Angela was forced into marriage with a monster, a sacrifice she made to protect Cam.
After the prologue, the story opens 13 years later, with Angela now a divorcee and Cam a millionaire. Cam has slowly taken over the Stanhopes livelihood and forces Angela to marry him to protect her family. Cam feels bitterness and anger, but also a twinge of love for Angela that never had truly gone away. Angela considers herself damaged goods and resists Cam due to fear and revulsion from the sexual trauma at her previous husband's hands. Angela's secrets are revealed and Cam lets go of his anger and when they finally start to build a life together, there are repeated attempts on Cam's life. In order to protect their newfound love, Angela and Cam dig into Cam's past and begin the hunt for a killer.
This book had a lot of tropes that I enjoy: lost love rekindled, a bit of mystery that makes the hero and heroine work as a team, and a host of memorable secondary characters. Despite these nice plot ingredients, the book was not quite a success for me. Angela's sexual trauma is horrendous (I know other reviewers say this too and I thought I knew what I was in for, but whatever you're thinking, believe me, it's worse), the dialogue was a bit too heavy, and the mystery was obvious and it drove me nuts that the characters were so obtuse. On a positive note, some of the secondary characters were delightful and the tender scenes where Cam allows Angela to work through her demons were beautiful and sensual. However, it wasn't enough to make it a great book. A good book, but others of Camp's are better.
Cameron Monroe and Angela Stanhope were separated when they were young due to differences in social class. Cam went to America and worked hard to make a fortune, vowing one day to return and take his revenge on the Stanhopes for their betrayal. Angela was forced into marriage with a monster, a sacrifice she made to protect Cam.
After the prologue, the story opens 13 years later, with Angela now a divorcee and Cam a millionaire. Cam has slowly taken over the Stanhopes livelihood and forces Angela to marry him to protect her family. Cam feels bitterness and anger, but also a twinge of love for Angela that never had truly gone away. Angela considers herself damaged goods and resists Cam due to fear and revulsion from the sexual trauma at her previous husband's hands. Angela's secrets are revealed and Cam lets go of his anger and when they finally start to build a life together, there are repeated attempts on Cam's life. In order to protect their newfound love, Angela and Cam dig into Cam's past and begin the hunt for a killer.
This book had a lot of tropes that I enjoy: lost love rekindled, a bit of mystery that makes the hero and heroine work as a team, and a host of memorable secondary characters. Despite these nice plot ingredients, the book was not quite a success for me. Angela's sexual trauma is horrendous (I know other reviewers say this too and I thought I knew what I was in for, but whatever you're thinking, believe me, it's worse), the dialogue was a bit too heavy, and the mystery was obvious and it drove me nuts that the characters were so obtuse. On a positive note, some of the secondary characters were delightful and the tender scenes where Cam allows Angela to work through her demons were beautiful and sensual. However, it wasn't enough to make it a great book. A good book, but others of Camp's are better.
July 23, 2023
This was just superb. A jewel of the genre. Young lovers torn apart by family disapproval and class snobbery, only for misunderstandings and trauma to stand in the way when they are reunited. What I truly love is that for once there is actually a reasonable excuse impeding the lovers rekindling their affection. It's not pride, or a failure to communicate but actual, legitimate trauma keeping the heroine from attempting a true relationship. Not only that, but the narrative is largely focused on her healing journey as she learns to feel again. It is a thoughtful treatment of a survivors recovery and a truly romantic one. Even more impressive is that despite the subject matter, the narrative never drags, as the mystery of the heros birth keeps the plot moving at a good pace with plenty of twists and excitement and lots of steamy love scenes.
November 8, 2010
This story turned out to be quite dark, I never recovered from hearing about Angela's life with Lord Dunston. I did however love Cam and Angela's characters and how sweet and how patient their relationship was.
January 29, 2020
Right up my alley. Traumatized heroine, with a big focus of the book being the effects of the abuse. Great angst. Interesting mystery plot line. Liked this one quite a bit, especially since I was beginning to worry I'd run through all the abused/traumatized heroine books. (4.5 stars)
January 26, 2020
Despite the constant emphasis on class lines, sometimes the characters seems to have almost too modern sensibilities somehow.
December 11, 2020
More like 3.5 stars.
October 29, 2022
not as angsty as I’d hoped for but still
November 6, 2022
A fiery book 📖 but I don’t like the ending 🙁
March 6, 2024
I enjoy Candace Camp’s book, and Suddenly was my first read, which was years ago. This book fell short to me, though still good, it seemed to lose its magic.
January 3, 2025
5 stars! What a way to start a new year! Review to be continued...
March 18, 2023
As the book went along, I realized that I had read this story before. But, in this case, it was Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas. I'm not sure who was able to do a worse job than the other. But Candace takes the prize by adding a sexual deviant into the plot. And it was GRAPHIC! I expect some sex in a HR, but this was disgusting. I wish I could unread it. Candace did redeem herself by having a decent attempted murder mystery. But even with that, I was able to identify the villain pretty early on. It makes this book a little better than a 2-star rating. I'm giving Candace the benefit of the doubt since I've enjoyed several of her books.
What worked for me:
1) The beginning gives a young couple in love, but then are torn apart by the machinations of a wicked Earl. It wasn't too bad for setting the stage for the rest of the book.
2) It was nice to see how Cam was able to help Angela overcome her sexual fears. You gotta love the guy for that, even though I started out hating him.
3) Angela gets to give the villain his comeuppance. Ain't payback a bitch, Dunstan!
4) How the MCs relationship went from adversarial to love. Of course, you knew it was going to happen. But it was done well.
What didn't work for me:
1) Cam starts of as a stable boy torn away from Angela. He goes to America and reappears filthy rich, intent on making Angela pay for breaking it off when they were kids (that's not what really happened BTW).
2) Cam blackmails the family until Angela agrees to marry him. First of all, I don't buy it. Secondly, the device he used to force Jeremy to agree wasn't really something I wanted to see.
3) Angela plays the poor little victim for most of the book. I don't like weak h's.
4) TMI! It would have been enough just to tell me that Dunstan was a sexual deviant. I did not need a play-by-play accounting of all of his sick games. I just found it disgusting!
My Verdict: Buyer Beware. This book includes graphic sexual abuse. Although it had a few redeeming qualities, Candace didn't need to be this perverse.
What worked for me:
1) The beginning gives a young couple in love, but then are torn apart by the machinations of a wicked Earl. It wasn't too bad for setting the stage for the rest of the book.
2) It was nice to see how Cam was able to help Angela overcome her sexual fears. You gotta love the guy for that, even though I started out hating him.
3) Angela gets to give the villain his comeuppance. Ain't payback a bitch, Dunstan!
4) How the MCs relationship went from adversarial to love. Of course, you knew it was going to happen. But it was done well.
What didn't work for me:
1) Cam starts of as a stable boy torn away from Angela. He goes to America and reappears filthy rich, intent on making Angela pay for breaking it off when they were kids (that's not what really happened BTW).
2) Cam blackmails the family until Angela agrees to marry him. First of all, I don't buy it. Secondly, the device he used to force Jeremy to agree wasn't really something I wanted to see.
3) Angela plays the poor little victim for most of the book. I don't like weak h's.
4) TMI! It would have been enough just to tell me that Dunstan was a sexual deviant. I did not need a play-by-play accounting of all of his sick games. I just found it disgusting!
My Verdict: Buyer Beware. This book includes graphic sexual abuse. Although it had a few redeeming qualities, Candace didn't need to be this perverse.
September 22, 2020
Loved this one.
I especially appreciated Angela. Her pain, her trauma, all that she had endured was portrayed so clearly, and reading about her past, it really brought tears to my eyes. No woman should have to go through what she had to endure. And I really felt her fear and pain. And to come out stronger, she was a brave girl.
Cam, on the other hand, was easily likeable as well. Once a stable boy, treated unfairly for his lowly station, comes back as a rich business to exact his revenge from 13 years ago. Even though, he is quite mean to Angela in the beginning, after getting to know the whole truth, I loved that restraint he kept and gave Angela the time she needed to heal and overcome her fears.
The mystery about Cam's father was well structured and it was a good surprise, but the whole attempt to murder plot was quite obvious from the start. I know who the culprit was from the start and he deserved what he got, although I wish he was properly tortured at first. Sadly, we don't get to learn about the ruination of two other major a**holes, that would've been satisfactory.
The side romance was pretty cute and sweet, although I did feel like shaking Kate when she rejects Jason, like 'What's wrong with you???'. But it worked out in the end.
All in all, this was super dramatic and there was alot to overcome. This might be one of those books where I'll be returning.
I especially appreciated Angela. Her pain, her trauma, all that she had endured was portrayed so clearly, and reading about her past, it really brought tears to my eyes. No woman should have to go through what she had to endure. And I really felt her fear and pain. And to come out stronger, she was a brave girl.
Cam, on the other hand, was easily likeable as well. Once a stable boy, treated unfairly for his lowly station, comes back as a rich business to exact his revenge from 13 years ago. Even though, he is quite mean to Angela in the beginning, after getting to know the whole truth, I loved that restraint he kept and gave Angela the time she needed to heal and overcome her fears.
The mystery about Cam's father was well structured and it was a good surprise, but the whole attempt to murder plot was quite obvious from the start. I know who the culprit was from the start and he deserved what he got, although I wish he was properly tortured at first. Sadly, we don't get to learn about the ruination of two other major a**holes, that would've been satisfactory.
The side romance was pretty cute and sweet, although I did feel like shaking Kate when she rejects Jason, like 'What's wrong with you???'. But it worked out in the end.
All in all, this was super dramatic and there was alot to overcome. This might be one of those books where I'll be returning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2022
3.5⭐️ Historic Romance Good Plot.
I’ve being in love to Her books since my first reading. And there wasn’t anything bad I could say about her books till I read Impulse. The story is very good, characters are lovable, dialogues are mostly great, but for some reason I felt the writing was missing something. I can’t actually pinpoint the problem, but it’s almost like the author didn’t have a lot experience in putting down her own ideas… And although this rating isn’t as high as I use to rate her stories, I’m still dealing with a literary hangover… I wish there was more Books of Cameron and Angela to read… 😉 If you enjoy the genre and the author, don’t skip this one.
📚 Good reading! 📚
I’ve being in love to Her books since my first reading. And there wasn’t anything bad I could say about her books till I read Impulse. The story is very good, characters are lovable, dialogues are mostly great, but for some reason I felt the writing was missing something. I can’t actually pinpoint the problem, but it’s almost like the author didn’t have a lot experience in putting down her own ideas… And although this rating isn’t as high as I use to rate her stories, I’m still dealing with a literary hangover… I wish there was more Books of Cameron and Angela to read… 😉 If you enjoy the genre and the author, don’t skip this one.
📚 Good reading! 📚
June 18, 2013
WHAT THE F*bleep*!!!!!!
Who wrote things like that in historical romance?!?!? In romance you suppose to get the lavender feeling that the world is a good place full of love fairies! Not that the world is full of psycho! I just have to look at my neighbors for that!
Anyway.....
It is still a readable book. Mostly the hero makes the book worth while. So 3 stars.
Who wrote things like that in historical romance?!?!? In romance you suppose to get the lavender feeling that the world is a good place full of love fairies! Not that the world is full of psycho! I just have to look at my neighbors for that!
Anyway.....
It is still a readable book. Mostly the hero makes the book worth while. So 3 stars.
July 7, 2017
This is a difficult book to review. On one hand it's a sweet love story of the reunion of old lovers and on the other hand it has horrible dark moments of sadomasochism of the villain and a lot of sexual encounters to overcome that darkness. The mystery was obvious and I wish the author had just stuck to the hero and heroine overcoming their misunderstandings in a normal story instead of some weird bondage kind of theme.
November 29, 2023
2.5 stars
h has been through major sexual trauma , and when H found out about it he was really really considerate and coaxed her into healthy sex life , he let her tie him up and make her enjoy life again. Besides this there wasn’t much I enjoyed. It was slow paced and boring in the starting I had to made myself to continue it.
h has been through major sexual trauma , and when H found out about it he was really really considerate and coaxed her into healthy sex life , he let her tie him up and make her enjoy life again. Besides this there wasn’t much I enjoyed. It was slow paced and boring in the starting I had to made myself to continue it.
August 29, 2021
This book didn’t live up to it’s potential and it was very predictable. Maybe it’s because I’ve read other stories with a similar plot, but not even the writing nor the characters distracted me from how boring the story was.
April 29, 2022
Enjoyed the character development very much and it had just the right amount of heat. Readers will even enjoy the slight little plot twist at the end as the story comes full circle and good triumphs!
June 22, 2008
I enjoyed this book because it kept me guessing. I did nail down "who did it" before the end but there were several possible suspects and that made it interesting.
March 4, 2012
Good Storyline. Can't believe that I have never read this one before.
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