"An Emotional Story"

Victor Lawrence, a wealthy businessman, is sick of dealing with people who want nothing more than his money. His dream is to have a family -- a loving wife and a couple of children he can call his own. When he finds bubbly, cheerful Ashley Lorentz, the fact that she seems to be a patient at the mental hospital he is visiting seems much less important than the fact that she thoroughly fascinates him.

Luckily, Ashley isn't the mental patient that he had thought her to be. She is a reporter, and is just as interested in pursuing a relationship as he is. Ashley's only worry is that he can unearth the painful secrets of her past -- secrets that she doesn't want to face. When an accident leads to a worrisome injury, though, Ashley volunteers to watch over Victor, not knowing that one simple evening is going to change the rest of her life forever.

Victor's injury, it turns out, has prompted a massive fever. Hallucinating, he seduces Ashley, thinking she is someone else. Devastated, Ashley leaves him after assuring herself that he will live -- unaware that their single interlude has left her carrying Victor's child.

LOVE LIES is an older title of Davidson's, reprinted and expanded from its original format. The characterization is, as always with Davidson's books, wry and vivid. The dialog is smart and snappy, and not quite as cynical as some of her more recent titles. The heroine is a strong character in both body and mind, and she fits well with the hero. The complication of their relationship -- the rape while the hero thinks that the heroine is someone else -- is handled gently, but sensitive readers should be aware that it exists. Readers may also want to know that a major portion of this book is concerned with the heroine's pregnancy, and the hero and heroine's relationship as they prepare to become parents. The book also has some great, spicy love scenes, and the romance between the two characters unfolds in a manner both enjoyable and believable. Tender and emotional, LOVE LIES is a great book -- as long as the reader isn't turned off by the pregnancy or rape aspects of the story.

Sensuality Level: This book has been rated Hard R by the publisher.

Reviewed by Ann Leveille
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted January 13, 2003

Summary

Victor Lawrence has everything a man could want...until he runs into Ashley Lorentz and finds out what he REALLY wants. Ashley, for her part, can't believe the wealthy, dashing Victor could possibly be interested in a mutt like her. Their fragile trust is shattered one night when Victor, out of his head, takes Ashley by force. A child is conceived as a result of Victor's actions, leaving Ashley with some decisions to make...

Rated by Ellora's Cave: Hard R