After she is a witness in a divorce trial, Rose Clarring
realizes that true love
and passion do exist. She has spent more than a decade in a
passionless
marriage and now seeks to experience the passion she has
only heard about.
She decides to divorce her husband and be free of their
loveless relationship,
but in Victorian England this is almost impossible unless
he is has deserted
her or is a bigamist. Although Rose 's husband is neither,
Parliament can still
grant a divorce under other circumstances, but it won't be
easy and the
resulting scandal would leave Rose isolated from society.
Rose turns to
popular barrister Jack London to ask his help to get her
divorce. At first his is
reluctant, he sees her as too delicate to handle the strain
of scandal, but he
too has sacrificed passion to build his career, only to
find that it does not
satisfy his needs. He understands Rose, but more
importantly she stirs Jack's
lust -- and another emotion he doesn't immediately
identify. This compels him
to agree to Rose's request but only if she will do
something for him. He
challenges her to a non-commitment sexual affair. Jack
simply wants to sate
his lust and prove to Rose that her reason for seeking a
divorce does not
exist. Rose simply wants to have her divorce, but if Jack
can show her the
passion she craves, all the better. What they find is
something more than
either bargained for and it changes them forever.
This is a continuation of Scandalous Lovers (The Men and
Women's Club).
Schone again displays her talent for highly erotic scenes
and descriptions --
even without the sex. Earlier in the novel, before Rose and
Jack engage in
sexual play, their passion burns the pages creating quite a
build up to when
their relationship is consummated. The characters, like the
story, keep the
reader's attention beyond the sex. The research of 19th
century marital laws
and women's rights are adequately woven into the story,
adding texture to
the plot. The book is based on a real divorce case of the
period which
resulted in a change in divorce laws. Excerpts of the 1891
court transcripts
are included in the story. While this is a sexy and
passionate story, it is not a
traditional erotic romance and therefore the ending, while
satisfying, may
leave some readers disappointed. This is another winner for
Schone that her
fans won't want to miss. Those new to the series won't be
disappointed either
and will find themselves seeking Schone's backlist.
A brand-new, intensely erotic romance from a USA
Today bestselling author known for her
“sizzling”(Booklist) novels.
Married
twelve years to a man who does not desire her, Rose Clarring
is dying of loneliness. She seeks the help of renowned
barrister Jack Lodoun to challenge English Parliament and
win her a divorce. Cynical and haunted by personal tragedy,
Jack will only take the case if Rose can prove to him that
there exists a passion that supersedes marital vows.
And so meeting by meeting…touch by touch…the two embark on a
journey of discovery that leads to intimacies neither could
have imagined: sex that knows no sin; love that has no
limitations; a carnal bond which heals both grief and guilt.
Together Rose and Jack will explore the ultimate in
pleasure, but what must they sacrifice to claim the passion
they so desperately desire?