3.5 rounded upI came across this one on the Harley Harlots board and everything had to come to a stop for me to read. This was a major angry angstfest with one of the most incorrigible heros I have had the pleasure to hate in a long time.
The heroine, Lauren, was living her life, minding her own business, protecting her virginity well into her mid-twenties, when her sister and brother-in-law went and got themselves killed, leaving behind a 10 year old daughter. Instead of leaving their child in the care of the h, her only relative, they decided instead to make her the ward of a family friend, the rich and handsome Anton. Of course the child will end up being destroyed with no promise of a normal life if the H and h don't marry to provide her a stable home, so then the real fun starts.
The H insists they have a "real" marriage from day one and literally forces the issue, against the h's protests. There are many of these warm moments. On top of the repeated non-con, even when the h is being cooperative, the H enjoys saying all kinds of denigrating and humiliating things to the her while in the middle of the act (H: "You hate me, eh? I'm going to make you beg! h:"Please! Please!" H: "Ha! Ha! Not so pure, are you? You're just like all the other woman. Lying, wanton, little cheats!" h: sniff sniff.) All the way through. The guy was absolutely unforgivable.
Of course there was some serious OW action that the H loved throwing in the h's face. He invited the OW over one night to crash the h's party she was throwing. When he took the OW home, he stayed out two hours longer than he should, and came home reeking of her perfume. The h told him to go eff himself when he came on to her because how dare he want to do it after coming from another woman. He forbids her from having anything to say about how he conducts his affairs and then proceeds to force himself on her. Over and over this kind of crap happens.
With regard to other women: He supposedly did not sleep with any other women. However, he was gone a lot during the first part of their marriage and wasn't in the mood when he returned, which has to make someone wonder. The h was certain he was getting it elsewhere. Plus, he never promised her fidelity. Also, with regard to the main OW, he was hanging with her pretty hot and heavy. And what was he doing with her for two hours in order for him to come home marinating in her perfume. And why rub it in the h's face if it was all part of his innocent plan to get even with the OW. He might have changed his tune, but I would tend to believe that he spread it around before admitting his feelings for the h and deciding to keep it in his pants. It's up for interpretation if you ask me. I my opinion, any issues revolving around other women is beside the point. Just the way this hero treated her on a daily basis was mind boggling horrible. It was especially awful if he loved her all along, like he was suppose to. So apparently his basic personality was alphahole. I'm certain that after their kiss-and-make-up honeymoon phase wears thin, his nasty behavior will make a revisit and all those vicious things he did to her will come creeping into her psyche.
Suprisingly, the issues with the H&h are resolved with still another 10% of the book remaining. The last part was focused on tying up loose ends such as sticking it to the OW. Also, there was a subplot involving an ancient ancestor and his lost love, which was pretty interesting that got resolved in a fun way.
So, I recommend this book to those who love utter trainwrecks, have thick skins and strong stomachs and crave a lot of WTFery in their "romances." If that's your bag, well, you've hit the jackpot. If you want a sweet, gentle, even remotely PC H, don't look for him here. He ain't nowhere to be found.
