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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN num: 9780515130997
ISBN number: 0515130990
Label: Jove
Manufacturer: Jove
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 304
Printing Date: July 01, 2001
Publishing house: Jove
Release Date: July 03, 2001
Sale Popularity Level: 112003
Studio: Jove
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Brief Book Summary:
Emma Holly turns up the heat in this sinfully sensuous story of a family plagued by scandal-and a shy young woman who discovers a passion beyond her wildest dreams.
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Rated by buyers 
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I have started picking up this author's books, and I think she can write some really hot erotica. She pushes even my limits sometimes, but I have to say this just wasn't one of her better ones. The steamy scenes were, as others have commented, not in depth enough, and the climactic one (forgive the pun), was too far into the book.
My problems with this books. Well, Edward loved Freddie so much he was willing to overlook his homosexuality (which, in Victorian England is almost too much to believe anyway). He loves him that much, but he is lusting after the woman his brother is supposed to marry, and actually committing intimate acts with her. And not just "basic" intimate acts, but rather bold & kinky for those days, too. She, the daughter of a religious man, allows him to do it to her. His brother is so important to him, they have a wonderful bond, but he doesn't feel he can go to Freddie and say, "Look, I've fallen in love with Florence."??? If you want to read EH's really good stuff, pick up her contemporary books - they are much better, and push the envelope so much further.
Rated by buyers -
Emma Holly is famous for writing erotica, so it was a bit suprising that this turned out to be a very traditional historical romance. There's just a pinch of extra spice here and there! Edward is a typical romance hero --strong, responsible, stuffy, someone who will deny himself to keep the people around him happy. Florence is the "usual suspect" as a heroine, innocent, brave, and well-mannered, but terribly passsionate underneath.
The steamiest thing about this book, however, are the tensions under the surface. Edward is looking for a bride for his younger brother Freddie -- but the other characters whisper that Freddie is more interested in finding the right man than the right woman! It's terribly erotic, especially when Edward's serious, businesslike estate manager seems to spend more and more time in Freddie's company! Not that much is shown, but the tension is red-hot. And the eyewitness to much of this is Florence herself, who is so innocent she can't imagine why two grown men would seem so flushed and heated after a quiet chat in the bedroom!
Florence is so lovable, she is a very well-behaved young lady in every sense. But in some ways her dragonish old guardian, Aunt Hypatia, is much more interesting! Someday a romance author will write a novel where the heroine is as outrageous and outspoken as the old aunt in the background. I just loved the knowing way Hypatia talks about Freddie and his footman, even though most of it sails right over Florence's head! I wish we could have seen more of Hypatia's past, especially her lovers!
All things considered, though, this was a thoroughly satisfying and spicy romance by an erotica giant. I just wish it could have been even spicier!
Rated by buyers -
I picked this up after reading this authors CATHING MIDNIGHT, which is a impressive romantica-fantasy novel. I was very much impressed with this authors imagination and her heart thumping love scenes ( like wow ). With this book however, I knew it would be a historical romance but I'd expected the same talent and imagination she's shown in her other book. Sorry to say, I was sorely mistaken.
In BEYOND INNOCENCE, she tells a story about a young girl left poor after the death of her father. She goes off to London to find a hubby and ends up meeting the hero Edward and his brother Freddie, who is a homosexual ( very endearing character) . Florence, the heroine, ends up being engaged to the gay brother not knowing he perfers men to females and he's being forced into this arrangement by his brother Edward and his aunt to kill some rumour going around town about Freddie and some footman.
Edward, however falls in lust at very first sight with Florence but he needs her for his brother, since she seems to be the ONLY person in the world who doesnt know his brother is actually gay *rolls eyes*... what comes after this is just plain boring *sigh*. Edward fights his feeling, supposedly love, for Florence.. and thats the whole plot.
If this was meant to be a typical romance novel then I would say its missing the " fallin in love" stage... all you see is the hero falling in lust. This book also tended to be very wordy, and flat... EVEN though it wouldnt be considered all that long in length for a hist romance book. There was no awwww factor in this novel, except for the obsessive relationship btw the brothers ( kinda odd ).
Ok, and the erotic scenes.... WHAT erotic scenes? When the H/H finally does end up having sex... its 200+ pages into the story ( book is only 300 pages long ). Her endeavor at some bondage scenes came across as just bazaar, and not sexy or kinky at all. This book just didnt do a thing for me. I did NOT consider it a great hist romance ( grab a Judith Mcnaught book for that or even Johanna Lindsey ), it wasnt funny ( Susan E. Phillips for funny romance! ). You want a fun, sexy, hist novel with great chars that touchs ALL your emotions, then grab one of Lisa Klyepas books, LADY SOPHIA'S LOVER comes to mind.
All in all, if this author was trying to go strictly hist romance with this novel then I think she failed here. Perhaps her subsequent endeavor would be better. Borrow this book if you're a fan, dont waste your money.
Rated by buyers 
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Nothing delighted me, surprised me or made me chuckle. Edward was drawn to her from the moment he very first saw her. Then, the tension for the rest of the book was Edward not following his heart. He could have found another woman for Freddie. Freddie didn't care. It was an ok romance novel that was easy to put down when I needed to go to sleep or to do something else.
Rated by buyers -
Florence Fairleigh is a vicar's daughter in need of a good marriage. When her father dies, she and her maid more to London to search for a husband with her modest dowry. She hooks up with daddy's lawyer who also happens to be Edward Burbrooke's attorney. Edward is in need of a wife for his errant brother whose homosexual dalliances are causing a stir in London society. His aunt takes Florence under her wing, and soon she is squired around town as the belle of society with Freddie Burbrooke as her intended.
To keep her from finding out about his sordid past, they travel to the family estate to let the two get to know each other better. The problem is that Edward is extremely attracted to her, and no amount of visits to his mistress can cure him of his need for her. Florence too is finding that she prefers the company of Edward since he makes her all tingly. But can she give herself to Freddie when Edward has captured her heart? What will Florence do when she finds out the real reason for her betrothal?
I had a really hard time following this - I am not a fan of historical bodice-ripping romances. The clunky Victorian dialog interspersed with terms no Victorian woman (or man for that matter) would utter was laughable. But no one writes spicy erotic scenes like Emma Holly. To think how creative she was without stealing the woman's virtue... So I have done my one historical for the decade. Back to Holly's contemporary heroines who would kick Edward in the nuts for pulling such a fast one.
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