Paradise [Mass Market Paperback]

Judith McNaught (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 1992

Ruthless corporate raider Matthew Farrell was poised to move in on the legendary department store empire owned by Chicago's renowned Bancroft family. In the glare of the media spotlight, it was a stunning takeover that overshadowed the electric chemistry between Matt, once a scruffy kid from steel town Indiana, and cool, sophisticated Meredith Bancroft. Their brief, ill-fated marriage sparked with thrilling sensuality -- he was the outsider who dared to rock her country club world -- and ended with a bitter betrayal. Now, locked in a battle that should be all business, dangerous temptations and bittersweet memories are stirring their hearts. Will they risk everything on a passion too bold to be denied?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Two strong-willed characters maintain 11 years of unwarranted hostility based on a series of misunderstandings in this engaging romance, McNaught's ( Almost Heaven ) hardcover debut. Teenage socialite heiress Meredith Bancroft has a quick and disastrous secret marriage to unsuitably penniless Matt Farrell. Her domineering father tells each of them a series of damaging lies and speedily arranges a divorce. A decade later, Meredith, now vice-president of a department-store chain and engaged to a prominent banker, meets Matt again. The highly successful CEO of his own conglomerate, Matt has a well-deserved reputation as a ruthless corporate raider, and when he hears of Meredith's aggressive plans for her chain's expansion the two clash explosively. To complicate matters, Meredith discovers that they have never been divorced. Although marred by a melodramatic and contrived terrorist subplot, the ending is never in doubt. But by portraying her protagonists with verve and good humor, and adroitly mixing corporate maneuvers and passionate encounters, McNaught has produced a captivating tale. Major ad/promo; BOMC main selection.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Heiress to a famous department store fortune, Meredith Bancroft chafes under the strict supervision of her interfering father. When she meets ambitious, handsome steelworker Matt Farrell, Meredith is ripe for the picking, and trouble brews on both sides of the tracks when she becomes pregnant at 18. Mcnaught's skillful treatment of Meredith, the self-styled ugly duckling and poor little rich girl, will pique readers' interest and engage their sympathy. This interest is sorely tested, however, as Meredith's relationship with Matt strains the imagination. Paradise is Mcnaught's hardcover debut, and romance fans of Danielle Steel and Janet Dailey who enjoy a stylish, improbable, fast-paced story will probably welcome Mcnaught to the ranks.
- Lydia Burruel Johnson, Mesa P.L., Ariz.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (June 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671776800
• ISBN-13: 978-0671776800
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.2 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (319 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Judith McNaught is the New York Times bestselling author who first soared to stardom with her stunning bestseller Whitney, My Love, and went on to win the hearts of millions of readers with Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams, Almost Heaven, Paradise, Perfect, Until You, Remember When, the #1 bestseller Night Whispers, Someone to Watch Over Me, and other novels. There are more than thirty million copies of her books in print. Judith McNaught lives in Houston.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My all-time favorite book February 25, 2006

By Tracey Eller

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This is probably my all-time favorite romance novel. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you groan in frustration and smile with joy- and when you get to the last page, you feel that you are parting from very dear friends.

You can feel the chemistry immediately when Matt and Meredith meet. Did you ever meet someone and after that first long conversation, you feel that you've lost a long lost friend? That's how Judith makes us feel when we read of the night they met.

They have been separated ten years when they meet again under rather amazing circumstances. I don't want to give any plot away, but Judith is so stinkin clever with the twist she came up with to bring them together again, and even more clever in how she keeps them together. Vague, huh?! Sorry about that but I don't want to give it away! I've never seen an author so cleverly weave such a crazy but completely believable set of events.

Meredith is strong, kind, and forgiving. Her father is autocratic and domineering, belittling her no matter how much she excels but she still manages to blossom into a caring adult. Matt is tough and confident and encourages her to be more assertive. He's not only a perfect mate for her but also the perfect partner.

Matt. Oh my. Where to start! He is one of my most favorite heros ever. He begins as a steel worker but builds a massive financial empire a la Trump. He's classy and smooth but a bit reserved and afraid to let many people get close to him. He's brutal with his payback when he's been wronged but will stop at nothing to win what he thinks he deserves, including getting back the woman he loves once he realizes she loves him back. Good, old fashioned ethics and a strong opinion of wrong and right. He's a knight in shining armor, whether she wants him riding to her rescue or not!

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars FROM 'PARADISE' TO 'PERFECT' ! May 7, 1999

By MaryannJr

Format:Mass Market Paperback

"PARADISE" is one of my favorite books. I pull it off the shelf every few months to re-read it, and it's still as fresh and interesting as the day I bought it. Meredith and Matt are irrresistable as the lovers whom you know in your heart will make you truly believe that love makes anything possible! Circumstances hinder their relationship at every turn, but still they manage to beat the odds, and find a way to be together. And best of all.... after you read the last page of "PARADISE" you get to pick up with Meredith and Matt in "PERFECT", and find out what happens after they walked off into the sunset. While not a sequel, "Perfect" is another great love story. Julie Matthison and Zachary Benedict will remind you just how great a writer Judith Mc Naught is. Two exciting stories that prove the true power of love. Sometimes,I try to decide if I have a favorite among the two, but there's no need. After all two are better than one anyway!Pick up "PARADISE" and "PERFECT". You Just can't ask for a better way to spend your 'reading' time!

51 of 58 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A second chance at love . . . September 21, 2004

By Amanda Carrell VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

A second chance at love is worth fighting for as Matthew Farrell and Meredith Bancroft prove in this blissful book by Judith McNaught. This book will keep you riveted from the first! You'll experience so many emotions and such intense feelings -- love, hate, grief, joy, sadness, anger and frustration -- that when you're finished you'll feel like you've just stepped off an emotional roller coaster that left you wanting more. Remember to have a box of Kleenex handy when you begin -- you'll need them!

Matthew and Meredith are some of the very best characters I've ever had the privilege to read about. They're true-to-life, three dimensional and so real that their emotions jump from the pages and weave themselves around you making the story come to life vividly. Matthew is the absolute definition of a romantic hero. Though hurt long ago by his true love he realizes he still wants her and does everything in his power to prove to her that they belong together. The way he stoically stands by his resolve to have Meredith for his own is beautiful. Though she feels betrayed by Matt, something inexplicably draws Meredith to him every time they meet. Watching Meredith burst free from the confines of her life that say she should not be with Matt is wonderful. The love between these two is explosive and oh-so-passionate! They have a deep and abiding love that even time and sordid lies could not kill.

Ms. McNaught has a keen talent to make you experience her work and feel as if you've stepped into the story. Her secondary characters are just as fleshed out as her main characters and become quite real themselves. Meredith's father is a hard, bitter and selfish man who makes everyone's life miserable. I actually wanted to climb into the book and choke a fictional character!

I really loved the way that Ms. McNaught showed the growth of her characters. Each character reshapes and expands throughout the book giving the reader a deeper insight into their personalities while keeping the characters genuine. By the end of the book Meredith's father even changes into someone half-way likable.

I appreciated the look at Meredith's youth that gave insight into the things that shaped her as a woman and I also adored the look into the future of our couple.

The plot was also outstanding -- I became engrossed in the business world that Ms. McNaught so realistically created.

I can't say enough good things about this book! My first by Judith McNaught that left me wanting to rush to the nearest bookstore and snatch up all her work. Don't be daunted by the length, this book will fly by and before you know it you'll be at the end. Don't forget to search up _Perfect_ by Ms. McNaught, I hear Meredith and Matt are mentioned in that book as well. Please don't hesitate to buy this book it's one of the best I've ever read.