Customer Reviews

The Price of Innocence

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Almost a decade ago, Englishman Earl Jack PenMartyn was sailing the ocean as a pirate when he met Sherrie, an American prisoner on her way to a harem. Jack offers Sherrie a deal. She willingly gives him her innocence and he will in return give her freedom back to her. A desperate Sherrie accepts the Faustian deal. To his shock the rascally Jack never forgot his captive.

Almost ten years later, American widow Sherrie Hamilton escorts her cousins, who seek spouses amidst the aristocracy. Sherrie and her daughter relish the ease and respect awarded her as a widow. She intends to never remarry, especially after that glorious time with the pirate. However, Sherrie and Jack see each other during a ball. Both believe that the other is the dream and nightmare of their existence. Love takes control of their mutual hearts, but will that prove strong enough to overcome their sordid pasts?

At first glance, readers will think that sensational Susan Sizemore has too many elements in her Victorian romance. However, to the delightful surprise of the audience, the story line cleverly gels into a torrid historical romance. The lead characters are a witty duo, whose flashbacks demonstrate how intertwined their souls had become. The support cast provides the right degree of authenticity that makes 1870's England vividly come to life. After this story hits the bookstores, sub-genre fans will demand another complex tale from Ms. Sizemore.

Harriet Klausner

Set in 1877 London. Orginal, with strong hero and heroine. The seduction scene between Sherrie and Jack when Sherrie is trying to convince him she loves him is one of the very best. Emotional, sexy, and satisfying. If you want a really lucsious love story with strong confident characters, that keep you quickly turning pages to find out what happens next, then read this book.

I would have given this 4 stars except in areas it didn't explain enough and others it said too much about nothing. To begin with, this book IS different but it is also typical. Makes no sense I know. Usually, boy meets girl sparks fly, they fall madly in love and live happily ever after. Of course, only after several trials and tribulations in between. In this case, I was confused if it was love or lust. It wasn't until the end was that I figured it out. Maybe I don't have enough imagination. I dunno. Nope, I'm not giving it away.

I'm not much of a historian but I'm sure certain things were not "politicaly correct" for the era. What the heck, it's fiction. In some areas I skimmed because it did tend to get carried away. The secondary characters Ira and May were true friends and enjoyable too. Aunt Dora and the 'girls' I wouldn't have missed. In fairness, they did show promise toward the end.

Jack and Sherrie were well matched (in all ways). They both needed to learn to trust and forgive. Both themselves and each other. The sex was steamy but tastefully done.

I enjoyed Sherrie's taste for adventure. Minnie, like mother, like daughter. I really enjoyed Minnie. She was 8 going on 30. Probably because I could see myself being as determined and blunt.

My goodness, when I previewed this review it sounds negative but it was a good read and would recommend it because it is a little different. Go for it. Enjoy. Escape.

This is Susan Sizemore's best book so far. She has truly become a strong writer. In this book her heroine is a fully confident and mature woman, with an interesting past gradually revealed in conjunction with her developing relationship with the hero in the present. The hero is mesmerizing in the past and the present. All in all I find this to be an ideal romance, with an exciting and gradual development between two characters who are capable of deeper feelings than lust. And the heroine's little daughter is wonderful.

then I'll give this one 3 and a half stars. This book is intriguing and compelling. It's a tale of obsession and the darker side of love which isn't really rosy or pretty. However I never really understand the character well. Why they even fall in love isn't really made clear, despite several exciting daring-do flashbacks.

If you want to read something original, this is for you. It's not perfect, but it's good enough. Dark but with enough funny moments to balance things up. Also, ignore the back blurb. They made it sound so bickerish-like, they might as well stamp BIG MISUNDERSTANDING GALORE in red across the back. But no, this book has no Big Misunderstandings, only two wounded people trying to love.

I had such high expectations of this book because of the raving reviews. I was bitterly disappointed. The plot is okay but the writing style is not. It becme so boring that I could hardly finish it.

The most interesting romance I've read in ages -- unique, intense, passionate, compelling. Fresh characters, a fast storyline, plenty of thought-provoking ideas. Sexy, too!

I found this book to be a bore. The first 100 pages just confused me. This book should have started off with the a brief history of how Sherrie and Jack met. Instead you are totally thrown of course by Sherrie's vivid dreams. It just went down hill from there. I did not find this book strong in any way except for the fact that Minerva and her mother had to have been the most unconventional women. They didn't really seem to fit in with the time peroid. I could have beileved in them if they were from today's world, but back then......I don't think so. Well, I am may be the only one who didn't like this book, so give it a shot and decide for yourself.

Happy reading....

nope, once I get to the part, 40 pages in, that states she was kidnapped, her family massacred in front of her, kept in a cage about to be sold into white slavery and all her "rescuer" can think of is boinking her?!!?!

He blithely states that he owns her?? There is no way I'm going to be able to feel any like, compassion or sympathy for this hero who is no hero. This is the kind of tripe that was being peddled as "romance" twenty years ago!!

Just plain bad.

1 star for a pretty cover.

Susan Sizemore is a better storyteller than she is a writer. If you can get past her oft-awkward prose, this story and the snappy dialogue between hero and heroine will hook you. Sherrie and Jack are two people who, because of a steamy shared past, fight against the desire to be together in the present -- despite being perfect for one another. Especially touching are the scenes between Jack and the child he never knew he had. Jack and Sherrie are a pair you'll find yourself rooting for.