THE PRICE OF DESIRE by Jo Goodman weaves a beautiful, dark and complicated tale about love, tragedy, betrayal, and redemption in post-regency England. I give it five stars and highly recommend it to all romance readers.
In THE PRICE OF DESIRE, Olivia Cole spent nearly half of her life being used and controlled by wicked men. After escaping their clutches, she is taken in by her brother, Alastair, who ultimately falls into the same pattern as their father when he "gives" her to a London gaming hell owner as collateral for his debt, in place of his emerald and diamond ring, a treasured family heirloom.
Viscount Breckenridge may operate his establishment of questionable morals on the fringe of high society, but he has a strong reaction to Alastair's actions. His admirable response to having a "guest" has a far-reaching impact and changes many lives. Ultimately, each of the characters learns exactly how much desire has--or will--cost them.
First and foremost, I have to say that I loved this book, not because it was a happy and "feel-good" novel, but because it was raw and dealt with some hard truths about how much evil there is in the world. I appreciate how, whether lustful, lecherous, greedy or righteous, each major character is faced with the cost of their desires. Not all receive their comeuppance, but as compared to the usual romance novel, this one actually deals in reality, however harsh it may be.
Given the thematic elements and graphic nature of the novel, it is suitable for adults only. I almost feel as though the title should have been a bit more reflective of the gritty nature of the book.
The characters are well-illustrated, and I liked how the characters' lives and backgrounds are revealed gradually through dialogue. Romance books often succumb to the weight of narration, so instead of being told a story, it feels as if the reader is being told about a story. Not so here; in many instances, the reader doesn't get all the facts up front, or a character may lie at first about an event, only to give the real version later, after trust has been developed with the other character. These kinds of interactions are more realistic than the cookie cutter contrivances that dominate the world of romance novels, which makes me a huge fan of Jo Goodman and this book.
The pace is fantastic, and each major character seems to have a subplot attached to them, giving the novel a richly complicated and suspenseful feeling.
If you can deal with the difficult elements in the novel, THE PRICE OF DESIRE is a must read.
Review shared with The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=13164.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
My Steadfast Heart (Thorne Bros. Trilogy #1) by Jo Goodman - 5 stars
Jo Goodman knocks it out of the park again with MY STEADFAST HEART (Thorne Brothers Trilogy #1). In this complex and difficult tale of family, love and loss, the author makes you laugh and cry and immediately download the next two books in the trilogy. I give it 5 stars.
In this first installment of the Thorne Brothers trilogy, Colin Thorne has lost his entire family after his parents are murdered by highwaymen and his brothers are adopted by different families. Colin is sold to a sea captain just weeks before a solicitor arrives at the workhouse searching for him.
Captain Colin Thorne wins a wager made with the Earl of Weybourne on how fast Colin can sail his clipper roundtrip from London to Boston. The Earl challenges Captain Thorne to a duel, accusing him of cheating to win the wager, and then forces his niece, Mercedes, to keep Colin from showing up to the duel. What follows is a richly embellished plotline where nearly every major character has an agenda.
I loved this novel. I've read several series of books based on the heart-wrenching scenario of separated or lost siblings. This is one of the best, and is distinct from those other trilogies.
One of my foremost thoughts about MY STEADFAST HEART is "This is a romance novel?!" The romance in this novel is so unconventional that the novel might be better categorized as historical fiction instead of a romance. One hundred pages into the novel, and no romance in sight. The focus of the novel is clearly the drama and intrigue, not your stereotypical warm and fuzzy relationship between Mercedes and Captain Thorne, and in my opinion, the novel is the better for it.
The romance is graphic and the circumstances are not for the faint of heart, so the novel is appropriate for adults only.
The characters in the novel have depth and complexity that can rival any daytime television drama. The pace and suspense were fantastic. I kept guessing how the story would proceed, how the characters would react, but I was wrong every time. It was so refreshing.
The conclusion of the novel leaves you eager to read the next novel. I highly recommend MY STEADFAST HEART to all.
*Review shared with The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=13267.
PS - the other books in the series are just as good!
In this first installment of the Thorne Brothers trilogy, Colin Thorne has lost his entire family after his parents are murdered by highwaymen and his brothers are adopted by different families. Colin is sold to a sea captain just weeks before a solicitor arrives at the workhouse searching for him.
Captain Colin Thorne wins a wager made with the Earl of Weybourne on how fast Colin can sail his clipper roundtrip from London to Boston. The Earl challenges Captain Thorne to a duel, accusing him of cheating to win the wager, and then forces his niece, Mercedes, to keep Colin from showing up to the duel. What follows is a richly embellished plotline where nearly every major character has an agenda.
I loved this novel. I've read several series of books based on the heart-wrenching scenario of separated or lost siblings. This is one of the best, and is distinct from those other trilogies.
One of my foremost thoughts about MY STEADFAST HEART is "This is a romance novel?!" The romance in this novel is so unconventional that the novel might be better categorized as historical fiction instead of a romance. One hundred pages into the novel, and no romance in sight. The focus of the novel is clearly the drama and intrigue, not your stereotypical warm and fuzzy relationship between Mercedes and Captain Thorne, and in my opinion, the novel is the better for it.
The romance is graphic and the circumstances are not for the faint of heart, so the novel is appropriate for adults only.
The characters in the novel have depth and complexity that can rival any daytime television drama. The pace and suspense were fantastic. I kept guessing how the story would proceed, how the characters would react, but I was wrong every time. It was so refreshing.
The conclusion of the novel leaves you eager to read the next novel. I highly recommend MY STEADFAST HEART to all.
*Review shared with The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=13267.
PS - the other books in the series are just as good!
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