The Cost Of Innocence - Kindle edition by Tiffany Porter. Romance Kindle eBooks @ leondumoulin.nl
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The set up was fine. Hero is a hot shot lawyer who put the framed-on-drug-charges heroine away for three years. She got out after 18 months, changed her name and hair color and went on with her life. Four years later she runs into the hero again at his half-brother's party.
He doesn't remember her, but he's so attracted he dumps his fiance and runs a background check on her. He realizes who she is - so in order to keep his half-brother safe he threatens to expose her. So far so good. Hatred and lust check and check. Virgin heroine has sex with him - this is after two meetings and the hero being nothing but insulting.
Sorry - no one has that much pull. And here are the rest of the shocking events. All shocks are sarcastic. Heroine is pregnant- shock. Heroine doesn't want money or marriage from the H - shock. Heroine marries hero - shock. Heroine has miscarriage - shock Heroine sends hero away - shock Hero finds out heroine was innocent - double shock.
Hero grovels - I can't even be sarcastic shocked because his grovel was so lame. Heroine forgives and is full of joy - shock. Baby epilogue - shock. I know I'm a jaded HP reader, but come on.
The Price of Innocence
Half of the fun is watching the heroine stand firm against a railroading alpha who has finally met his match. Not here - the heroine is a lamb to slaughter the minute she went to bed with him. She didn't even hold his guilt over his head at the end. Usually JB can write a lot of intense emotions but not in this story. Even the drama of the miscarriage was understated. Guess I'll re-read some of her vintage stuff to get my angst and revenge fix. View all 11 comments.
Feb 16, KatieV rated it liked it Shelves: I don't know what's wrong with me. I read this because it was advertised as a serious wallbanger. It was up until the halfway mark when they married and he was a decent husband and so forth.
- Leben in Wyoming: Wo der Westen noch wild ist (German Edition).
- Jackie Robinson: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies);
- Ringing True!
- Contemporary Ergonomics 1996.
- A Display of Arminianism!
- The Cost of Innocence by T. Porter.
- Sick Building Syndrome: Concepts, Issues and Practice.
After that, it was pretty boring. I think my threshold for crazy has gotten way out of control. I either need counseling or I need to go off HPs for a while. Mar 01, Karen rated it did not like it. If I could truly hate a fictional man, this'd be the one. He steals over a year of her life by prosecuting her in a case where she was pretty obviously set up. When they see each other again, he's attracted to her, but threatens to ruin her life and the lives of INNOCENT people she cares for unless she stays away from his half-brother. Never mind that they weren't even dating or anything.
In the act of intimidation, he forces himself on her. Does she give in? Pretty borderline - or beyond. In his rush to take her, he not only finds out that she's a virgin, he also 'forgets' to use protection - so she ends up pregnant. So now comes the blackmail After a miscarriage, they go their separate ways. He attends some sort of alumni dinner, where he finds out that the boy who set up the innocent teenage girl turned out to be guilty all along, and has now confessed to the dirty deed - almost 10 years later.
THEN this a-hole realizes she's not the horrible person he first knew, and he goes back to her - heart in hand. I can't believe I read this whole book. I'm sure it suits some readers, but definitely not me. Apr 24, Jenny rated it really liked it. Loved the angst and the chemistry between hero and heroine. My only problem was the ending was too short. They deserved more happiness after what they went through especially poor heroine!
The Price of Innocence by Vicki Hopkins
Mar 03, Dalia rated it really liked it. Dante was the lawyer who presented her to the jury as a heartless femme fatale who uses her beauty to lure young men to their doom. But Jane is not a pushover. When she got out of prison, she continued with her life becoming Beth, a successful accountant in London.
Their attraction is instantaneous. But he thinks she is a gold-digger after his young brother' s money. A little investigation reveals to him who she really is. Dante is arrogant and domineering when he is not a judgmental jerk. He uses blackmail and threats to get what he wants. Near the end, he has a not quite successful character transplantation. But I m glad to say that, when he discovers that all these years he had wronged Beth, he doesn't hesitate to grovel and ask for her forgiveness. But a little grovel at the end didn't help my sky- high blood pressure..
View all 3 comments. Jul 16, Megzy rated it it was ok. I finished the book more than 48 hours ago and I still feel very conflicted. He cam I finished the book more than 48 hours ago and I still feel very conflicted. He came to all these conclusion based on a picture and as we are told, based on his own experience. His experience and why he would so very harshly judge a person without ever talking to any of the parties involved was never revealed in the book.
I see that as a huge flaw. Did that evidence and the fact that this beautiful woman has become a successful accountant and has done not ONE wrong thing since she left prison, make him stop and think, he could have possibly misjudged her? He became even harsher in his treatment of her. He never read the entire investigation because if he did, he would have known she was supporting herself with a full time job and going to college for a year after she lost her adoptive parents for a year. Her character and what he assumed her to be until the last 15 pages of the book, never add up.
Can you ever really forgive someone like him? I decided I never would. Jane went through a lot of trauma before she was rescued by her cellmate. The prison gang shaved her head, beat her and almost killed her in the shower. I loved her cellmate, she was a second mom to her. Oct 15, bookjunkie rated it liked it Shelves: Initially, the plot sounded similar to The Judas Kiss with the h wrongly sent to prison after being set up as a drug dealer and the H was responsible for putting her away.
I was rubbing my hands because this setup just screams with the promise of angst. That other book, the Judas Kiss, was seriously a trainwreck of crazy with a heroine completely obsessed with getting revenge. She got plastic surgery and went straight for him after her release; she made him fall in love with her and got engaged Initially, the plot sounded similar to The Judas Kiss with the h wrongly sent to prison after being set up as a drug dealer and the H was responsible for putting her away.
She got plastic surgery and went straight for him after her release; she made him fall in love with her and got engaged and then faked her abduction and torture to drive him crazy, LOL wow I'm remembering just how insane it was. This story was much more restrained, with the h moving on with her life and just trying to put everything behind her.
TBH, I preferred this approach. She wasn't eaten up with bitterness or thoughts of revenge, she was practical and did very well for herself. It was a nice change from the usual Harlequin heroine who's down on her luck and needs the H to sweep her away into a life of luxury. Beth Jane before she changed her name is actually successful and living comfortably, having worked hard to erase her past and make a good life for herself. I liked this heroine a lot, her interactions with the H were measured and cautious.
I didn't find her to be more of a pushover than necessary for the story to move along. I mean, he was a jerk because he was the lawyer who put our nice innocent girl behind bars for 3 years, but I thought he groveled pretty well after he found out, and I'm like a connoisseur of romance hero grovels, so you can trust me that it was decent. He wasn't overly hateable, relatively speaking compared to other Harlequin heroes. The reason the book didn't get more stars is because first, even though he groveled nicely, I wish Beth made him work for it more.
Would it kill ya to make him show some walk behind the talk? Second, I thought it ended too quickly. I was invested pretty heavily by the end, and then It's like hitching a ride and getting rudely dropped off a few blocks away from my destination. It wrapped up nicely, I guess , with a pat little bow and all, but it was just too quick. Lastly, it under-delivered on the angst. I guess it makes sense cos she was trying to move on and not dwell, but it would've made some good emotional scenes and gotten Dante to really wallow in suffering.
I'm here for the emotional wreckage, why would you skimp on such juicy material! Nov 30, Caro rated it did not like it Recommends it for: Orange is the new black viewers xD. Todo lo contrario a Lynne Graham, que viene en picada desde hace mucho. Este tipo de historias, generalmente, terminan en Caso Cerrado o en Investigation Discovery. Jul 14, Krita rated it did not like it Shelves: I found Dante to be overbearing in the extreme and Beth was a pushover.
Mar 21, Roub rated it really liked it. Jan 08, Christina SteepedinBooks rated it did not like it Shelves: Why did I stick with this one until the end? This was time I will never get back and it was wasted on this blackmailing, sexist, asshole pig of a hero! First, he helps get her sent to prison for something she obviously didn't do. Then he treats her like crap when he runs into her again, threatening her and the people she cares most about just so she will stay away from his brother.
She agrees to move away so he will leave her alone, but he doesn't leave her alone! She tries to kick him out Why did I stick with this one until the end? She tries to kick him out of her apartment and he won't leave! She tells him to leave her alone and not to touch her and he forces a kiss on her!
She tells him to stop and he doesn't. I won't even call what happened sex the word I'm looking for here is rape because she clearly gave in because he was pressuring her, kept threatening and intimidating her. Afterwards, she again tells him to leave her alone and that she never wants to see him again. He doesn't listen to her then either! He tracks her down a few weeks later, demanding that she stop everything she's doing so she can take a pregnancy test.
When it's positive, he coerces her into marriage, using the pregnancy and her past prison sentence as leverage over her. For some freaking reason, she says yes to this blackmailing excuse for a human being. Later, she loses the baby, which she actually wanted and is understandably shocked, depressed, and she pushes him away. He listens to what she says and he leaves her - to deal with her anger, disappointment, and grief at the loss of her child alone. Yeah, cause that's what you do when you really love someone - you leave them in the middle of a tragedy because you got butthurt that she wasn't letting you walk all over her anymore.
Anyway, after he leaves her, he finds out that she really, really was innocent of the crime she went to prison for Can't just believe what your wife tells ya, huh? No, you gotta hear it from some random person at a conference, so it must be true! And she just looks at him and is like "ok". Feb 28, Lyss added it. I know you are an ex-con, and I know you used your considerable charms to get young Bewick under your spell.
Now you are doing the same with Tony. He is infatuated by you. As for the money But I do know Helen left you a house and a nice chunk of money. Maybe your talent for ensnaring men extends to females too. I stopped you once and I will again. And this goes on and on. Beth, the supposedly self-aware, independent accountant, is an simpering idiot and this type of heroine is present in almost ALL of Jacqueline Baird's books. There is no HEA, at least not in this book. There is a blurb at the end that book 2 is coming soon and it picks up 5 years later when Robert, Lord Holland runs into Phillipe and young Robert.
I'm also not sure that I want to read another book to find out the answer to both of those questions. This book was not what I expected. Left destitute in Paris by her father's death, Suzette is forced to wirk in a laundry doing backbreaking work until the Madame of a brothel spies her delivering their laundry. She entices her into working for her, but Suzette manages to keep her virginity by barganing with the rather decent English Lord who was picked to be her first. What ensues is different than expected and the ending is surprising.
I really liked this book. Feb 29, Bekah rated it it was ok Shelves: This is the story of an innocent young girl who loses her father and immediately plunges into poverty. Ruthlessly maneuvered into prostitution, she is saved by an Englishman who whisks her away and hides her in a country cottage and makes her his mistress.
This book went in unexpected directions and I found myself quite upset by book's end, but then I realized this was a set up for the books to come in this series. I believe Robert and Suzette's story is far from over. I was repeatedly disappoin This is the story of an innocent young girl who loses her father and immediately plunges into poverty. I was repeatedly disappointed with the character's actions throughout the book simply because I didn't quite understand why they were behaving the way they were. I am sure that more characterization will be flushed out in coming books, but for this book, it took awhile for me to even like Suzette.
However, by the end of the book I can see that she is becoming a stronger, less naive young woman. Robert, on the other hand, is not a favorite of mine and no where near what I envision as a hero. I didn't believe that he truly loved Suzette, though by the end of the book it appears as though he may be getting the idea of what it really might mean to love someone. He has a long way to go as well.
I did appreciate the interesting peeks into the business of prostitution in the late 19th Century and the research and facts that went into the writing of this book.
The Cost of Innocence
Not too bad of a story. However, I'm not going to run out to find the second book in the series. Feb 18, Beckie Treble rated it it was amazing. This was something I wasn't expecting. From the prologue I was expecting a lot of raunchy chapters, but that wasn't the case at all. Read the entire thing in one day, and I'm already half way through book 2!!
This is a series you just don't want to put down!! Fabulous writing Vicki Hopkins!!! The writer had me hooked, I didnt want to stop reading. Now that said, I do not like the way it ended though I've learned there is to be a 2nd and 3rd too I believe. I dont know that I will read the sequels. Mar 24, Nia Ireland rated it it was ok.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The storyline makes very little sense, our hero being replaced by another at the very end — following a series of very unlikely event where a young down-on-her-luck woman is rescued from a brothel for being simply too good to work there, apparently unlike every other woman currently working there.
The romantic element bounces between predictable, surprising and downright unlikely. Jan 22, Elli rated it it was ok. Although this book has some plot to it,it was mainly based around the steamier side of life and emphasized the particularly two-facedness of the practitioners of the Victorian ideals of life and sex, the societical worthlessness of those who just didn't, for one reason or another, and the unfairness of life. At least that seemed the sum up of the too-strong emphasis. It's not badly written, but, for me, there was really nothing much to write about. Nov 11, Libby rated it it was amazing.
How refreshing to find a book that is honest and factual! This is a real life tale - like it would have been. I consider it to be very well written. Many reviewers have complained that it isn't a romance. Well I think that it is - only it isn't the fairytale kind. The characters are refreshingly real as are their feelings and actions. Not every romance has a happy ending.
Well done to the author! I look forward to reading more from you. May 13, Reena rated it did not like it. I really disliked this book. It seemed very third person and I never felt a real connection to the characters. Suzette seems very naive to the point of infuriating. It really took a lot to get through this book.
I felt there was more details given to the surroundings and environment then to the actual feelings and thoughts of the characters. May 08, Rebecca Adling rated it really liked it. This book was a breakaway from standard romance formula and moves more along the line of an epic. It's a bit wordy, but the ending is worth it. If your looking for something with more bite to the characters and story then this is the book for you. May 21, Linda Boulanger rated it it was amazing. I could not put it down!
I HAD to know what happened next May 13, Sara rated it it was amazing. I Loved this book so much that I purchased the Second book in this series after finishing it. I am now waiting impatiently for the third book. This book is Recommended by me, with a 4.
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May 27, Kristen Hirsch rated it really liked it. I really enjoyed this book, I downloaded it for my Kindle just out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised, i quickly fell in love with Suzette! I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Jan 24, Emery Lee added it.
Feb 26, Dennae rated it did not like it. I gave this book so many chances, and read all the way through to the boring ending, but the characters were simply awful. Suzette is a simpering, naive, weak child of a character, who never shows any backbone, except to snipe at people she sees as "judging her".
She manages to alienate every character besides Robert and Philippe, and I fail to see why either of them is so crazy about her. Robert decides after meeting her twice, while she sits there silent and shaking, that he is going to save h I gave this book so many chances, and read all the way through to the boring ending, but the characters were simply awful.
Robert decides after meeting her twice, while she sits there silent and shaking, that he is going to save her and then brings her back to England with him, all the while she is just soo grateful that she has a man taking care of her. And what on earth happened to her finding a job when he settled her in back in England?
She just gave up and settled into being pampered with gowns and jewels from "her man" who she claims to be in love with. Then Philippe comes back in the picture and for whatever reason still loves her and is willing to forgive the fact that she says she is in love with another man purely because he takes care of her.
I didn't see any character development from any of the characters, especially the high and mighty Suzette. How are you supposed to root for the main character, when she is someone who decides to hate her housekeeper one day after meeting her because the woman makes an insinuation that she's a mistress, which she IS. Like seriously, how do you base an entire character around the words "innocent" and "beautiful" and then make her naive, stupid, snippy, pathetic, and allow her zero strength or personal growth?
Robert is equally lame - refusing to go after anything that will make him happy, playing 2 women at the same time and whining to himself about his "awful", restrictive life. He also for whatever reason thinks the boring Suzette hung the moon although he isn't actually in love with her, he just wants to feel good about himself for rescuing her and oh she's good at sex.
Seriously, if anyone has made it through this review and is at all rolling their eyes or bored by the sound of these 2D characters, do yourself a favor and don't read this book. Feb 08, Jennie rated it really liked it Shelves: Losing a loves one, suffering through horrible work conditions and being manipulated into prostotution. She was is a strong person. But, I wish she knew that about herself. Her graditiude towards hers hero was understandable. Bit, I wish he handled the marriage and misstress parts bwtter with honesty. She deserved that much. Happy her old fiance found her and took her home to have their unor loved the story, quite heartfelt wjen you are along with the main characters journey through her tragedy.
Happy her old fiance found her and took her home to have their unorthodox family. Definitely not one of my favorites All I can say is annoying and obvious plot and women characters that were pathetic and always a victim. Even after I thought there was going to be someone who restores Suzette to her station in life she gives her virtue to a man without questions and makes herself a fallen woman. Yes, at the end everything works out but all I could think of were the movies, "Tess, and French lieutenant woman. To do what Suzette had to do to survive Her father died in his sleep.
She had no finances the courts sell everything to clear debts. Her father is buried in the paupers grave. She is homeless then going to a shelter which she has to leave. She works as a laundress and delivers and pickup linen from a brothel. What will happen when she meets Lord Robert as one of her clients. How much is to buy you innocence. Does come with a cost or maybe be a mistress. May 02, Zoe rated it did not like it.
- The Blacksmiths Cottage.
- The Power of Powerlessness;
- Forever Friends: A Novel (A Hope Springs Book);
This was one of the worst romance novels I ever read. I was constantly disappointed with the plot, the characters, the dialogue, and the setting. Hopkins find a qualified editor who can keep the story and the characters on a somewhat believable course before foisting another book on the unsuspecting public.
This is the saga of Suzette Rousseau: Really Good Story I thought this would be a run of the mill love story.