Helpful Score: 4
The Price of Desire revolves around Olivia Cole and Griffin Wright-Jones. Griffin owns a hell where Olivia's brother, Anthony, has wracked up an enormous debt. When Griffin demands collateral until Anthony can pay the debt, Anthony is forced to give him a family heirloom. Through Anthony's selfishness and scheming Olivia ends up being given to Griffin as a marker. What follows is a journey of Olivia discovering her self-worth and learning how to trust someone.
It's always easier for me to be specific about the things that didn't work for me than the things that made me love a book. Bear with me as I try.
What I love about Jo Goodman's writing is the lyrical quality of the prose. As I read, the flow of the sentences takes on a cadence in my mind and pulls me through chapter after chapter. I find this is especially true in the way she writes dialogue. It has a certain rhythm that makes the pages turn quickly for me.
I'm definitely not an expert in any period of history, so I can't speak with any authority on how authentic everything was. However, I can certainly give my opinion as to how it felt for this reader. Everything felt authentic, especially how the characters spoke. The way they expressed themselves and the way they phrased things felt very antique. I don't mean that in a bad way, it was definitely a plus for me. There was never a moment where I stopped because something seemed weird about how the period was described. That happens to me sometimes. I feel compelled to google a fact because it seems so out of place.
Sometimes in a Romance book I either love the heroine or I love the hero. It rarely happens that I love both. I may like both, but I really only love one. That was not the case here. The way Olivia and Griffin were written made both of them strike a cord in me. I ended up feeling for both and enjoying them equally.
Olivia was such a mix of strength and vulnerability. I loved that about her. She was strong, but it was a quiet strength. She was very levelheaded and thought before she acted. Olivia was very self-contained. There were never any outbursts to give the reader or the characters in the book an obvious indication of how she felt. Because of that the reader and the characters are obliged to watch her and hope for more clues to figure out who she is as a person.
Griffin was more up front than Olivia, so it was easier to see who he was and what his motivations were. I didn't really enjoy his history with marriage, but I certainly understood it. I empathized with his circumstances and found his attitude toward them refreshing. Any character that has had a negative experience that impacted them but doesn't "woe is me" about it automatically earns points with me.
I didn't really enjoy the first love scene between Olivia and Griffin. It actually made me faintly uncomfortable. Having said that, I think the way it was done was spot on in regards to the characters. It gave me a lot of insight into Olivia and Griffin. I appreciate when a love scene actually shows me more about the inner workings of the characters. I enjoyed watching their relationship mature and how they grew together.
I didn't like how things were resolved with Elaine. That was the only part of the book that felt like it took the easy way out. I did however like the situation she left with Griffin. I was interested in what he would choose to do in regards to Nat. That's a hard situation to be in and I can honestly say I have no idea which way I would have gone on it.
I found the resolution, or the lack or resolution, with Olivia's family to be realistic. While I, living in the time I do, may think it is unfair and heinous things should be done to right the wrong, that wouldn't fit here. There isn't always a horrible future for villainous people. Sometimes there is no justice. I also like that Anthony stayed the same immature, selfish person throughout the book. I was glad that Olivia actually acknowledged his faults and learned she really couldn't depend on him. Too often the selfish family member suddenly reforms toward the end of the book for no discernable reason. It's very irritating.
This is a quiet book. We're never given info dumps or shown the character thinking very obvious thoughts like, "I love her/him". Until things are resolved through the characters the reader will have to pay attention to the actions of the characters to gauge their true feelings. Also, this is a very dark book in some aspects. Some readers may be turned off by that, so be warned.
It's always easier for me to be specific about the things that didn't work for me than the things that made me love a book. Bear with me as I try.
What I love about Jo Goodman's writing is the lyrical quality of the prose. As I read, the flow of the sentences takes on a cadence in my mind and pulls me through chapter after chapter. I find this is especially true in the way she writes dialogue. It has a certain rhythm that makes the pages turn quickly for me.
I'm definitely not an expert in any period of history, so I can't speak with any authority on how authentic everything was. However, I can certainly give my opinion as to how it felt for this reader. Everything felt authentic, especially how the characters spoke. The way they expressed themselves and the way they phrased things felt very antique. I don't mean that in a bad way, it was definitely a plus for me. There was never a moment where I stopped because something seemed weird about how the period was described. That happens to me sometimes. I feel compelled to google a fact because it seems so out of place.
Sometimes in a Romance book I either love the heroine or I love the hero. It rarely happens that I love both. I may like both, but I really only love one. That was not the case here. The way Olivia and Griffin were written made both of them strike a cord in me. I ended up feeling for both and enjoying them equally.
Olivia was such a mix of strength and vulnerability. I loved that about her. She was strong, but it was a quiet strength. She was very levelheaded and thought before she acted. Olivia was very self-contained. There were never any outbursts to give the reader or the characters in the book an obvious indication of how she felt. Because of that the reader and the characters are obliged to watch her and hope for more clues to figure out who she is as a person.
Griffin was more up front than Olivia, so it was easier to see who he was and what his motivations were. I didn't really enjoy his history with marriage, but I certainly understood it. I empathized with his circumstances and found his attitude toward them refreshing. Any character that has had a negative experience that impacted them but doesn't "woe is me" about it automatically earns points with me.
I didn't really enjoy the first love scene between Olivia and Griffin. It actually made me faintly uncomfortable. Having said that, I think the way it was done was spot on in regards to the characters. It gave me a lot of insight into Olivia and Griffin. I appreciate when a love scene actually shows me more about the inner workings of the characters. I enjoyed watching their relationship mature and how they grew together.
I didn't like how things were resolved with Elaine. That was the only part of the book that felt like it took the easy way out. I did however like the situation she left with Griffin. I was interested in what he would choose to do in regards to Nat. That's a hard situation to be in and I can honestly say I have no idea which way I would have gone on it.
I found the resolution, or the lack or resolution, with Olivia's family to be realistic. While I, living in the time I do, may think it is unfair and heinous things should be done to right the wrong, that wouldn't fit here. There isn't always a horrible future for villainous people. Sometimes there is no justice. I also like that Anthony stayed the same immature, selfish person throughout the book. I was glad that Olivia actually acknowledged his faults and learned she really couldn't depend on him. Too often the selfish family member suddenly reforms toward the end of the book for no discernable reason. It's very irritating.
This is a quiet book. We're never given info dumps or shown the character thinking very obvious thoughts like, "I love her/him". Until things are resolved through the characters the reader will have to pay attention to the actions of the characters to gauge their true feelings. Also, this is a very dark book in some aspects. Some readers may be turned off by that, so be warned.
Helpful Score: 3
Very intricate story of hero and heroine with damaged pasts who come together in an unlikely way. The book deals with some pretty heavy topics and is not a light read. But the main characters and the plots (and subplots) are rich and slowly building. I really liked this book - it completely captured my attention.
The only downside is that despite the requisite happy ending the key villains get off far to lightly.
The only downside is that despite the requisite happy ending the key villains get off far to lightly.
Helpful Score: 2
Originally I thought I didn't like this novel; it seemed more sex fantasy than historical novel, and I just found it too melodramatic and too unbelievable to be first rate. However I read on and did become quite engrossed in the story, and though I flinched at some of the errors in it, I was interested enough to finish it. The worst mistake a romance novelist can make is to bore the reader, and, though I didn't find anything new about the tale, I wasn't bored by it. I know that sounds like "damned with faint praise", but there you are.
After finishing this book, Im very conflicted about it. The characters, one of Jo Goodmans specialties, are all you could wish for they have interesting back stories, they are mature and intelligent, the dialog between them is witty and sparkling.
Our heroine, Olivia Cole, despairs when she finds that her brother has offered her to the owner of a London gaming hall as payment of his significant debt. The owner is the very mysterious Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge.
The story is rather complex, with lots of subplots. I know that Jo Goodman, like Jodi Thomas, is a therapist. Thus, I was surprised that Goodman would allow Olivia to be so accommodating to Griffins sexual overtures. I dont want to spoil the book, but things that happened to Olivia as a youngster were emotionally significant and long-lasting. The actions of the adult Olivia did not ring true.
Obviously, prosecution of the perpetrators was not high on Goodmans list of concerns. I shook my head in disbelief; Im not interested in an-eye-for-an-eye justice, but some folks were guilty of rather heinous crimes.
Because of the slow way Goodman dribbles out Olivias history, this is a page-turner. There are however, some serious flaws in this book by a gifted author.
Our heroine, Olivia Cole, despairs when she finds that her brother has offered her to the owner of a London gaming hall as payment of his significant debt. The owner is the very mysterious Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge.
The story is rather complex, with lots of subplots. I know that Jo Goodman, like Jodi Thomas, is a therapist. Thus, I was surprised that Goodman would allow Olivia to be so accommodating to Griffins sexual overtures. I dont want to spoil the book, but things that happened to Olivia as a youngster were emotionally significant and long-lasting. The actions of the adult Olivia did not ring true.
Obviously, prosecution of the perpetrators was not high on Goodmans list of concerns. I shook my head in disbelief; Im not interested in an-eye-for-an-eye justice, but some folks were guilty of rather heinous crimes.
Because of the slow way Goodman dribbles out Olivias history, this is a page-turner. There are however, some serious flaws in this book by a gifted author.
I usually like this author. But I did not like this book. Really slow read. This book isn't a romance book by my opinion. It has issues dealing with child rape and incest. Not my type of reading. I really expected something very different than this.
awsome romance book!
Love all of Jo Goodman books
