TEST
Just One Kiss is not a sweet and gentle love story. No way. It is the uncompromising story of tortured Morgan O’Connor and his stalwart Lady, Elizabeth Stanton. This lovely Englishwoman comes to Boston in search of her almost-fiancé, Nathaniel. Instead, she meets his older brother, Morgan.
Morgan, raised to be responsible for both himself and his brother, is a man tortured by seething emotions. Once cuckolded by a woman, his soul is as black as his midnight hair. Circumstances push Morgan and Elizabeth into a forced marriage that forces them to come to know one another.
Poor Elizabeth does not realize that in everything she says, everything she does, in every move she makes she is condemned further in the eyes of her husband. He is convinced of her perfidy – neither her virginity nor her goodness can protect her from his suspicions. Although he allows her to know him more than any other person in his life, he cannot fully place his trust in her.
Still, the strong chemistry between Elizabeth and Morgan cannot be denied. Their physical relationship is as demanding as Morgan himself. Shortly after their marriage, he nearly rapes her in a jealous rage, then realizes his error after discovering her innocence. While the author was occasionally effective, this reviewer disliked the fact that most of the love scenes in this book were of the angry, controlling variety.
Both Elizabeth and Morgan are strong and honorable people, and the reader can’t help but wonder why Elizabeth tolerates so much of Morgan’s blackness and cruelty. While the author attempts to show Elizabeth’s strength of personality in her occasional taunts of Morgan, they are too weak to be effective and obviously backfire.
Still, she begins to fall in love with him. But Morgan, ever suspicious of her and his brother, abuses Elizabeth, only willing to see the darkness instead of the light that emanates from her and almost blinds him. Though the reader is shown how Morgan became the man he is, Elizabeth is not until the story is nearly done. Aside from the physical pleasure they derive from one another, the reader cannot fathom why Elizabeth loves Morgan.
Elizabeth endures and endures while, in his heart, Morgan knows that she has not played him falsely. Still, he cannot help his cruelty. When tragedy strikes, it is Elizabeth’s strength and love that binds them together and prevents Morgan from turning into a mere husk of a man.
This book showcases the author’s deftness with characterizations and dark forces. However, it would have been more effective had there been more moments of happiness between the hero and heroine. If I could have seen Morgan be good to Elizabeth, I would have better understood her love for him.
Grade: C+
Book Type: American Historical Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 01/03/96
Publication Date: 1996
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.