Customer Reviews

Addicted

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Charlotte Featherstone does not hold back any of the drama and emotion in her latest novel Addiction. It is raw and at times the characters act unforgivably toward each other. The romance between them is sizzling. However the leads are deeply flawed individuals so much so that I had some problems empathizing with them.

For years Lord Lindsay Markham has been in love with his childhood friend and neighbor Lady Anais. His longing is palpable and hers is just as strong. They finally confess their feelings and in a blazingly romantic scene, they fall into each others arms. Lindsay is very forward with his feelings. He really wants to spend the rest of his life with Anais. They plan a rendezvous the next night at a masquerade ball.

Things do not go as planned. The fault lies with Lindsay, he is an opium smoker and in his somewhat euphoric drugged state he allows himself to be seduced by someone other than Anais. She watches this tryst and leaves devastated. Lindsay knows she has seen him but leaves before he can give a full explanation.

Lindsay begs to see Anais daily but she refuses to meet with him. In fact, Anais runs from Lindsay all the way to France. Her biggest faults are pride and avoidance. These vices will come back to haunt her terribly.

Devastated Lindsay tries to find her in Paris but cannot. He allows himself to be talked into a trip to Constantinople with a friend, and there his opium smoking becomes habitual. He escapes into it daily and dreams of Anais. He spends ten months in the decadent city.

When he returns to England, he arrives in time to save Anais from her burning house. She is very ill and he takes her to his home to recuperate. There he hopes to rekindle the embers of their love but Anais is resistant to his pleas. It is heartbreaking to see Lindsay pour out his heart but even more terrible is reading about his drugged state. The author does an excellent job of describing his addiction. The first chapter of this book is mesmerizing in its intensity.

Anais indulges in her desires with Lindsay and these moments are beautiful but bittersweet. Anais always regrets these interludes and Lindsay has false hope from them. Anais has secrets which the reader will easily figure out. These will hurt Lindsay and truly make this romance even rockier. The ending of this novel leaves something to be desired, the character's actions never rang true especially in light of Anais secrets. It seemed as if there were loose ends which were not tied successfully in a happy ever after ending.

Lindsay Markham is one of the most complex heroes I've read in quite a long time. He's a progressive thinker, believing that even the low born men of society deserve their chance at fortune. Lindsay even helps his valet make a respectable return in his investments administered through Lindsay's own name, showcasing his generosity. Yet despite his intelligence and kind heart, Lindsay is plagued by his own self condemned weaknesses.

Since childhood, Lindsay has longed for his friend, Anais Darnby. As he watched her childish body blossom into womanly splendor, so did his desire and ultimately his love for her. In his mind she's an angel, the epitome of sublime perfection. Quick to stand her ground and protect others, her image inspires his lustful cravings and loving heart. Yet in an attempt to be a gentleman, Lindsay refrains from pursuing Anais sexually and pursues something far more sinful in her stead.

Lindsay's addiction to opium began while away at university. Searching for any means necessary to dilute his lust for Anais, Lindsay turned to opium as a way to dream about her flesh in a way that he couldn't exercise in real life.

Yet now, with aspirations of making Anais his wife and confident that his dabbling with opium can be easily stopped, Lindsay pursues her with single minded determination. Anais is more than an easy target having loved Lindsay for as long as she can remember. With their love proclaimed and marriage a surety, the two make passionate love upon the eve of a dawning future. Unfortunately a case of mistaken identity with a social climber sets off a domino effect of disastrous events whereby dreams are crushed and hearts are broken.

Ten months pass and Lindsay returns to England to a changed Anais. Suffering from a blood affliction that won't be explained and while her desperation to stay away from Lindsay is understandable, her quick forgiveness is not. Lindsay, expecting anger from Anais, is a bit confounded by her easy forgiveness of his crimes and is further confused by her conflicting declaration that they can never be together. Yet despite this declaration Anais is no more capable than Lindsay to keep her body from desiring his and as the two come together passionately time and again, the guilt Anais feels peaks at its breaking point.

Eventually the secret is out on Anais and the particulars regarding her affliction is revealed. My heart positively shattered at her revelation sparking tears of frustration and I must confess that for those pages my hatred for her knew no bounds. I was so worried that I would be unable to forgive Anais for her betrayal but to my wonder, the author made me see the light. I realized that I along with Lindsay were being selfish with our forgiveness and that none of this horror would have ever happened if he hadn't committed the first of many crimes between the two. And truly, there was no other recourse left to Anais and women of that time. To do any different would've found her shunned from society and even potentially cast out by her very own family.

The ending of 'Addicted' surpassed even more than I could've dared hope for and I closed the book with thoughts of the novel's complete perfection. 'Addicted' is a testament to the beauty of the human soul and our wondrous capabilities to love and be loved.

Longtime friends Lindsey and Anais take it to the next level with a tryst in a stable, and pledge themselves to each other. At a masquerade Lindsey, in an opium haze, frolics with Anais's friend thinking she is Anais. Anais catches them and breaks it off with Lindsey. She refuses to speak to him and pretends to leave town so he won't pursue her. He licks his wounds in the opium dens of Constantinople. He comes back 10 months later to find Anais involved with his friend and he tries to get Anais back.

Pros: It's a compelling story. It pulls you in and makes you read it all the way through. You're tapping your foot a little and wishing they'd get to the point and stop repeating themselves, but you want to know what happens so you read on. The descriptions of place and the inner thoughts are written well and the sex scenes are very good. The main characters are interesting and well-rounded. Lindsey is not very likeable. In fact, I flipped him the bird more than once as I was reading in response to things he did and said to Anais, but the author manages to create a very deeply flawed, complex character who wins us over to his side in the end.

** mild spoilers ahead regarding first 100 pages **

Cons: There are a lot of "yeah rights" in this book. Why would Lindsey wait until age 30 to pursue Anais if he's loved her for 14 years? After holding out for 28 years, the virgin Anais gives up the goods pretty darn quick in the stable, at about p. 40. For a man who can calculate the compound interest of a stock, Lindsey can't seem to add to nine, or else he thinks the stork brings babies because he was pretty thick about the obvious, with the staff twittering about Anais's cycle and her long absence. Didn't he think to verify if there were consequences to his stable seduction? Maybe come home before the nine months was up. I mean that's a long time to recover from a break up. Wouldn't Lindsey or Wallingford have sent one missive home from Constantinople in 10 months so Lindsey could be tracked down? Lindsey's timing in returning home at the very moment an estate is burning down is a bit too serendipitous.

**end mild spoiler section **

This book could have been very good, but it needed another edit to cut about 15-20 percent to make it about 350 pages long. There were gratuitous scenes, repeating points made in previous scenes or adding extraneous detail not necessary to the story. The dialog was often preachy and much longer than anyone would talk. For example, you would not stumble upon your boyfriend making out with another woman and give him a four page lecture. You would probably gasp, maybe say a choice word or two and run out.

I enjoy Featherstone's writing. I think she is good, and with a bit more editing could be excellent. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future. 3.5 stars if there were half stars.

Anais and Lindasy had been best friend longer than each other can remember, it's only natural for those feelings to grow over time, right? Each is thinking of the other as their eyes meet across the room kindling unknown fires, not knowing if these feeling will be shared or destroy a friendship that has lasted a lifetime.

When each confess to the other their true feelings, Lindsay sets about proving just how much he cherishes the insecure Anais. Her mother has done a pretty fair job of undermining any confidence she's had about her voluptuous body. When Lindsay professes his love and shows her what it's like to be desired, she can hardly believe that someone as beautiful and strong as Lindsay would find her the least bit attractive, let alone propose marriage, but that's what he's says he is going to be at the Masquerade Ball. He begs her to attend as a harem girl, his own personal odalisque.

But Lindsay has another mistress, Opium, the red devil smoke, the only thing that rivals Anais. When he see Rebecca, conniving social climber and Anais' best friend in Anais' costume through the clouded mind of Opium and Hashish, he mistakes Rebecca for Anais, his one true love. How can he convince Anais that it's all a big mistake, what must he do? Anais turns to Garrett, Rebecca's intended, as a willing shoulder to cry on. Lindsay has betrayed and belittled their love. She runs away, leaving her mother to tell Lindsay she has left the country.

Lindsay makes a mad search across Europe and into Paris only to come up empty handed, Anais is not to be found anywhere. As a means to escape his broken heart, he agrees to travel to the East to Constantinople with his best friend, Wallingford, and to attend to his other mistress, Opium. His seductive mistress that erases all his feelings and thoughts, leaving him numb.

Through all of his searching, Anais has kept hidden, hiding her secret, her shame, her love, and her broken heart. When Lindsay returns to his home, it is to find that Anais has returned, but she will no longer see Lindsay. She can only remember him as an Opium addict, not the best friend or the passionate lover. The thing she doesn't realize is that not only is Lindsay addicted to Opium, but to her, and he can't live without either. But she is also hiding a terrible secret of her own that no one, especially Lindsay, must ever find out.

Addicted by Charlotte Featherstone is a fantastic read that left me begging for more. She has created a world where love is the answer, the only salvation, to the wrongs Lindsay and Anais have committed against each other. Addicted is a beautiful love story where Lindsay and Anais have to accept that they are human, and no matter what, they will always have each other. As Lindsay sinks further into his addiction, Anais is the only thing that is stronger than the call of the Opium. Without her love, his life isn't worth living and the sooner it's over the better, only death can take away the pain and betrayal, and fill the hole that resides where his heart once was. This story grabbed my heart, making me want to see the happily ever after and not knowing if it was possible. It's a masterfully told story that will keep you turning pages, hoping against hope that it will end well, with exotic locations and the mysterious draw of the Opium. I can highly recommend picking up Addicted, you won't be able to put it down.

This novel starts out great with characters that you want to get to know. By the time I read the 80th page I was starting to get bored with the same drawl that just led to redundantly written sex scenes. At one point I just continued to read this book just because I wanted to know where the author was going with the story line. It wasn't until I read about 190 of pages of the book that I finally saw a real plot take place. Don't get me wrong, I love a Steamy Romance but there has to be something that keeps you interested between the stolen kisses and hot bedroom scenes. I really believe the problem with this book is that is could have been written in less that 430 plus pages. It just seemed to go on and on and in the end your left with a rushed luke warm ending. I have never read anything by this author before but I hope that the next novel by her has more of a story line.

What A gripping romance! I am A reader that loves to see the hero and heroine fall in love with each other as the book progresses-so I was a bit wary in the beginning of the book when Lindsay's feelings towards Anais was so obviously stated. Indeed, he wore his heart on his sleeves - and there is only A few other romance novels that I've read in which the hero loved the heroine as much as Lindsey loved Anais- but by the end of the book I understood why the author needed to make these characters love so strong for each other from the very beginning. The bond that they shared brings them through very realistic and torturous suffering. Both of these characters made terrible mistakes, and when their mistakes comes back to haunt them, they need to rely on that dynamic love to see them through. This is not a light read. You might think it is from the first few chapters but it turns into A powerful and touching story that deals with love and addiction and the traumatic consequences that occurs with it.

The love scenes in this book was more than just hot. They were also raw and emotional. This was the first time I cried threw A love scene in a book. The hero and heroine are realistically fleshed out characters that you can understand and relate to. My only problem was that one of their mistake was not resolved to my satisfaction in the end. This book was A refreshing change for an erotic romance. It was filled with substance along with graphic love making. I haven't read alot of "erotic" romance but from the few that i've read, this one was the best so far.

In 1850 in Worcestshire, England, childhood friends Lord Lindsay Markham and Lady Anais Darnby are attracted to one another though so far they have hid their deep regard. However, Lindsay plans to propose to Anais and has already bought a ring.

His opportunity is thwarted by Anais' friend Rebecca Thomas who drugs him with opium and seduces him. When Anais sees her friend and her beloved together, her heart breaks. She rejects his plea and his excuses before vanishing.

Almost a year later, Lindsay is ADDICTED to opium, but still hopes to find and marry his beloved. When he finally meets up with Anais, he declares his love. However, having still not forgiven him for his transgression with Rebecca and nauseated by his drug dependency, she rejects him again although she knows she still loves him. He knows what he must do if he wants the woman he is addicted to as his wife; he must give up the opium, but that owns his soul as much as Anais does.

Lindsay with his opium addiction makes for a unique energizing Victorian romance. Anais is a terrific lead female, but in some ways is more a major secondary character as she competes with opium for Lindsay's soul. His mistreatment of his loyal friend Brougham is partly caused by his need for the drug even as he knows that he can never fully kick the habit as there will be times he will want to indulge. Fans who relish something well written but different will want to read Charlotte Featherstone's insightful historical as the hero is not just flawed he is overwhelmed by his cravings.

Harriet Klausner

I'm not going to get into the story as everyone else has but I just wanted to say that I was floored by this book. I am a recovering drug addict myself so I can totally relate to what Lindsay and yes Anais went through. Also like them, the love of my life helped pull me through my difficult time so that I could also become the person I was before useing. I have been clean 20 years and married 18 years to the man who helped me. If it were not for him, I would not be hear today. With that being said, I can tell you that this is one of the best books I have ever read. The Love between the hero and heroine just leaps off of the pages as does the suffering they both go through. The story was excellent and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a steamy story full of total and absolute love among the two main characters, angst, heart ache, challenges, and a truly happy ending. I am sure to be reading more of Charlottes work for this book I will never forget.

You know, all romance novels are the same. The heroes pretty much always say, "I do not deserve you" to the heroine, and, honestly, I'd like JUST ONCE to read a book in which the heroine says that to the hero. It's as if women authors think all men are less worthy of love than women, that men as a whole are bad, and women as a whole are good. Well, news flash: not ALL men are bad. Some men are, in fact, worthy of love. Seriously, no matter what the heroine does, no matter how bad, all the secondary characters excuse her behavior and call her an angel and say the hero doesn't deserve her. Yet, if the hero makes a single, small mistake, he's an absolute beast not worthy of love who should thank God every day that a woman ACTUALLY condescended to love him and so he should therefore grovel at her feet daily.

Yes, in case you're wondering, there is a similar theme in this book, and it MADE ME SO MAD!

The first 1/3 of this book was so boring I almost fell asleep, the rest was only entertaining because it annoyed me so much I felt like beating someone up! And then the end is resolved so quickly and suddenly that I felt jipped, because I spent the whole book waiting for the end.

This whole story felt so pointless. The two mains ruined each other's lives for over a year for pretty much no reason, and all their silly drama could have been avoided. It felt contrived.

Also, it was very sad and depressing and some of the characters, at least five, seem to be suffereing from dissociative identity disorder, because their personalities changed within every chaper (i.e. Ann, Lord Weatherbee, Anais, Wallingford, Anais' dad etc.)

The sudden resolval of Garret and Lindsay's friendship was...ridiculous and out of place. All of sudden they were all lovey lovey I never meant to hurt you. Oh, no? Then what was with all the constant death threats? Really.

It also annoyed me that it took Anais the ENTIRE book to come around and actually try to HELP Lindsay, the man she supoosedly loved, with his addiction.

Oh, and what REALLY ticked me off: Anais kept saying something like "I love Garret so much, only not in a physical way," and that she "loved Lindsay in a physical way." Okay, is it just me, or is that really disgusting? She's basically saying that she loves them both equally as much, only her love for Lindsay is physical. No. That's not what love is. There's a romantic type of love and a friendship type of love and then there's lust. Romantic love does NOT mean the person ONLY loves the other person more than a random friend simply because they're more physically aroused by them. Honestly, I kept wanting her to say she loved Lindsay MORE than Garret, but she wouldn't. No, she had to say she loved them both the same, and that if there was no physical attraction between them, she could easily trade one for the other. I'm sorry, but isn't love supposed to be more than that? Isn't it supposed to be about loving the actually PERSON, and NOT their body?

All Anais ever thought about was how handsome she thought Lindsay was, while he saw the person inside of her.

Did anyone ever notice how the heroes in romance are always really hot and the women are usually not? Ugh. It's getting old. Just once, I'd like to have a regular looking hero with a beautiful heroine. Anoyone know of such a book, or a book in which the heroins says "I don't deserve you" to the hero?

I could not put this book down. Like most of the reviews it is not your normal love store. But she made you fell his addiction both to her and the opium. No magic waving of the wand and he was cured and they went off into the sunset. Everyone fights their own demons in real life, she let you into the minds, hearts, and souls of two people fighting their own. But in this book you got to see them come on the other end of hell. Happier but no fairy tale happy ever after!