Judith’s review of The Consequences of That Night by Jennie Lucas
An indecent indiscretion! Emma Hayes has gone from making hotel magnate Cesare Falconeri’s bed to running his household, including handing out expensive parting gifts to his numerous conquests! But each time, it’s chipped away at her heart. Until one night, inhibitions lowered, she reaches for what she’s always wanted .
With one disastrous marriage behind him Cesare vows never to go there again. But when his indiscretion with Emma has consequences, Cesare must break his own vow—and say I do for the sake of his heir. Now he’ll expect his new bride to share his bed, instead of making it!
This is, as I see it, the quintessential Harlequin romance, one that is descended from those early romance short novels we used to get in the mail–four every month or so. It is a short read that is entertaining and which takes the reader to places in the world most of us can only visit in our imaginations. It’s the kind of story that pairs a simple American girl working in London with a hardened and glamorous billionaire who has put all future plans for a wife and family firmly away from him, even though he encounters Emma Hayes. She’s a woman who has been keeping his house and, if it were known, his life on an even keel for seven years. But due to his dysfunctional view of reality, his romantic encounter with Emma scares the dickens out of him and he manages to drive her away, even though she is carrying his child as a result of that one night together.
This story hinges on that one night–as the title infers–and how two people can become embroiled in a web of misunderstanding and emotion that effectively keeps them apart. It is not a grossly adversarial story but there is definitely a difference of opinion about how these two people are going to solve the SNAFU of custody of this baby boy while trying to either deny their attraction to one another on the one hand, or find a way to live together in a marriage in name only. What a mess! But novel or fiction though it may be, there is a real sense that such a set of circumstances is not outside the realm of possibility. Just sit in family court sometime or watch Judge Judy et al, and you are put squarely into such situations that are just as bizaare as this story.
I have to admit that while a like a meaty 600 page novel and find myself gravitating to such tomes, there is definitely a place in my library for such short novels as this and I find them very entertaining. The author has done a good job of keeping the reader grounded with a good balance of internal monologue and external dialogue between the characters. I think sometime it is really sad how difficult it is for romance novel characters to express their feelings, but that’s standard stuff in romance novels, especially those that are as emotionally intense as this on. After all is said and done, it was a good read, fun, entertaining, and I found it an enjoyable reading experience. Can’t say anything better than that, eh?
I give this novel a 3.75 out of 5.
You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.
This title is available from Harlequin. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
