Wicked Loving Lies

Rating:
Summary: You should read this book if you enjoy rape.
Review: To be fair I must admit that I couldn't put this book down, often staying up way past my bedtime to read it which is why I give it two stars instead of one. However, my perverse compulsion to read this book was simply fueled by frustration and disgust with the characters and events of the story and the ever-optimistic thought that,"this book HAS to have a happy ending!!!" This book will put you through an emotional wringer if you really get into it. Our "hero" Dominic, in my opinion was a sadistic, self-centered, arrogant and cruel man of the worst sorts. It seemed like he could be trusting and fairly decent and/or civil to everyone in the story BUT Marisa our "heroine". There wasn't enough insight into the motives of each character, especially Dominic's particular cynicism and mistrust of Marisa, to help the reader empathize with what was going on. Not that any insight into his past "emotional baggage" would have relieved him of any guilt of REPEATEDLY forcing himself on Marisa. Now Marisa isn't totally exonerated from guilt either. From the start of the novel, she has an aversion to men and sex having witnessed the brutal rape/murder of her guardian Delphine during the French Revolution. Somehow, though, Marisa finds herself in all these compromising positions where she DOES wind up raped and abused and she continues to go back for more! What I don't get is how Rosemary Rogers creates OVER AND OVER these brutal scenes of rape, hate and abuse without even an inkling of hidden tenderness or love between Dominic and Marisa and then expects the reader to believe that the hero and heroine will somehow wind up creating love from their sordid past. This seemed more like a tragedy than a romance except maybe the last 100 pages where both Dominic and Marisa start to slightly reveal themselves emotionally. However, after reading 600 FRUSTRATING pages of misfortune, the happy ending seemed to come a day late and a dollar short. If you're looking for a book to lift up your heart and redeem your faith in love and kindness, SKIP THIS BOOK!

Rating:
Summary: This book is either to love or to hate!!
Review: Where to begin with this book - I started reading Rosemary Rogers years ago - the Steve Ginny books were my first real romance books and I felt nothing could compare to them. In some respects all books I read today are a little less than anything Rosemary has ever written. There is something about the depth of plot - the emotional intensity she brings - her books are like epics one can really get involved. The story of Marisa and Dominic is one of the most intense I have ever read. It takes so long to finally get a true feeling about Dominic - for the first half of the book he does seem brutal and the way he treats Marisa is appalling - but she is so naive and acts so stupid at the beginning - and lets face it men back in those days were not ever worried about the consequences of rape - if a woman acted in a certain manner or put herself in dangerous circumstnaces she deserved whatever she got. and Marissa constantly put herself in Dominic's way. Certainly Dominic was not one to trust - his background his total life experiences placed him on the low end of trusting ANYONE and certainly not a little wench. I cannot say I enjoy the main hero constantly raping the heroine - however in this book it was necessary for the plot and when you read Rogers you come to expect a certain amount of bodice ripping scenes. The very best part of this book comes in the last 200 or so pages. When Dominic and Marissa finally after knowing each other for about 3-4 years - finally spend time together - they finally truly make love - they finally talk - they come to realize that all that they have gone through has brought them to this place in time TOGEHTER! Such a telling scene for Dominic to reflect on was when Marissa tells him each time she was "taken by a man" and over and over she says HIM!! Marissa had remembered it all - Dominic so typical of a man probably had never realized what a brute he had been.But during this time when they are often alone on their journey to Spanish territory Dominic really becomes a genuine caring person. He shows true emotions. Marissa really falls deeply in love. At times I wanted to cry for their love. I guess I am a true lover of this book - I love to really upon occasion get immersed in a complete love story. And the only reason I am not giving this book 5 stars is the ending!! After reading almost every minute detail of their lives why were we cheated to such a quick ending. I wanted to see her reunited with her son - I wanted to know what became of his finace - I wanted to see them have one more intense love scene when they finally were committing to forever - this book just sort of ended. After so detail it just ended. But except for that it was one unbelieveable story and if you like Rosemary Rogers and want to immerse in a book for several days - read this book!!