Addicted

by Charlotte Featherstone

Book Overview

Friends since childhood, Anais Darnby and Lindsay Markham have long harbored a secret passion for one another. When they finally confess their love, their future together seems assured, sealed with their searing embrace. But when a debauched Lindsay is seduced by a scheming socialite, a devastated Anais seeks refuge in another man's bed while Lindsay retreats to the exotic East. There, he is seduced again--this time by the alluring red smoke and sinister...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373605285
• ISBN13: 9780373605286
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Spice
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Addicted

Anais and Lindasy had been best friend longer than each other can remember, it's only natural for those feelings to grow over time, right? Each is thinking of the other as their eyes meet across the room kindling unknown fires, not knowing if these feeling will be shared or destroy a friendship that has lasted a lifetime. When each confess to the other their true feelings, Lindsay sets about proving just how much he cherishes the insecure Anais. Her mother has done a pretty fair job of undermining any confidence she's had about her voluptuous body. When Lindsay professes his love and shows her what it's like to be desired, she can hardly believe that someone as beautiful and strong as Lindsay would find her the least bit attractive, let alone propose marriage, but that's what he's says he is going to be at the Masquerade Ball. He begs her to attend as a harem girl, his own personal odalisque. But Lindsay has another mistress, Opium, the red devil smoke, the only thing that rivals Anais. When he see Rebecca, conniving social climber and Anais' best friend in Anais' costume through the clouded mind of Opium and Hashish, he mistakes Rebecca for Anais, his one true love. How can he convince Anais that it's all a big mistake, what must he do? Anais turns to Garrett, Rebecca's intended, as a willing shoulder to cry on. Lindsay has betrayed and belittled their love. She runs away, leaving her mother to tell Lindsay she has left the country. Lindsay makes a mad search across Europe and into Paris only to come up empty handed, Anais is not to be found anywhere. As a means to escape his broken heart, he agrees to travel to the East to Constantinople with his best friend, Wallingford, and to attend to his other mistress, Opium. His seductive mistress that erases all his feelings and thoughts, leaving him numb. Through all of his searching, Anais has kept hidden, hiding her secret, her shame, her love, and her broken heart. When Lindsay returns to his home, it is to find that Anais has returned, but she will no longer see Lindsay. She can only remember him as an Opium addict, not the best friend or the passionate lover. The thing she doesn't realize is that not only is Lindsay addicted to Opium, but to her, and he can't live without either. But she is also hiding a terrible secret of her own that no one, especially Lindsay, must ever find out. Addicted by Charlotte Featherstone is a fantastic read that left me begging for more. She has created a world where love is the answer, the only salvation, to the wrongs Lindsay and Anais have committed against each other. Addicted is a beautiful love story where Lindsay and Anais have to accept that they are human, and no matter what, they will always have each other. As Lindsay sinks further into his addiction, Anais is the only thing that is stronger than the call of the Opium. Without her love, his life isn't worth living and the sooner it's over the better, only death can take away the pain and betrayal, and

WOW!

I'm not going to get into the story as everyone else has but I just wanted to say that I was floored by this book. I am a recovering drug addict myself so I can totally relate to what Lindsay and yes Anais went through. Also like them, the love of my life helped pull me through my difficult time so that I could also become the person I was before useing. I have been clean 20 years and married 18 years to the man who helped me. If it were not for him, I would not be hear today. With that being said, I can tell you that this is one of the best books I have ever read. The Love between the hero and heroine just leaps off of the pages as does the suffering they both go through. The story was excellent and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a steamy story full of total and absolute love among the two main characters, angst, heart ache, challenges, and a truly happy ending. I am sure to be reading more of Charlottes work for this book I will never forget.

Lovin' Me Some Betrayal!

Lindsay Markham is one of the most complex heroes I've read in quite a long time. He's a progressive thinker, believing that even the low born men of society deserve their chance at fortune. Lindsay even helps his valet make a respectable return in his investments administered through Lindsay's own name, showcasing his generosity. Yet despite his intelligence and kind heart, Lindsay is plagued by his own self condemned weaknesses. Since childhood, Lindsay has longed for his friend, Anais Darnby. As he watched her childish body blossom into womanly splendor, so did his desire and ultimately his love for her. In his mind she's an angel, the epitome of sublime perfection. Quick to stand her ground and protect others, her image inspires his lustful cravings and loving heart. Yet in an attempt to be a gentleman, Lindsay refrains from pursuing Anais sexually and pursues something far more sinful in her stead. Lindsay's addiction to opium began while away at university. Searching for any means necessary to dilute his lust for Anais, Lindsay turned to opium as a way to dream about her flesh in a way that he couldn't exercise in real life. Yet now, with aspirations of making Anais his wife and confident that his dabbling with opium can be easily stopped, Lindsay pursues her with single minded determination. Anais is more than an easy target having loved Lindsay for as long as she can remember. With their love proclaimed and marriage a surety, the two make passionate love upon the eve of a dawning future. Unfortunately a case of mistaken identity with a social climber sets off a domino effect of disastrous events whereby dreams are crushed and hearts are broken. Ten months pass and Lindsay returns to England to a changed Anais. Suffering from a blood affliction that won't be explained and while her desperation to stay away from Lindsay is understandable, her quick forgiveness is not. Lindsay, expecting anger from Anais, is a bit confounded by her easy forgiveness of his crimes and is further confused by her conflicting declaration that they can never be together. Yet despite this declaration Anais is no more capable than Lindsay to keep her body from desiring his and as the two come together passionately time and again, the guilt Anais feels peaks at its breaking point. Eventually the secret is out on Anais and the particulars regarding her affliction is revealed. My heart positively shattered at her revelation sparking tears of frustration and I must confess that for those pages my hatred for her knew no bounds. I was so worried that I would be unable to forgive Anais for her betrayal but to my wonder, the author made me see the light. I realized that I along with Lindsay were being selfish with our forgiveness and that none of this horror would have ever happened if he hadn't committed the first of many crimes between the two. And truly, there was no other recourse left to Anais and women of that time. To do any different would've found her shunned

Addicted, by Charlotte Featherstone

Lindsay Markham and Anais Darnby have known and cared for each other since they were young children. However, as time passed, at some point their mere friendship had blossomed into an all consuming love. Yet, it was a love that neither of them dare to admit to one another. By his thirtieth year, rakishly handsome, Lindsay has seen and tried almost everything enjoyably sinful in life. It is at this time that not only does his obsession with Anais begin raging out of control, but his new found love of opium as well. Anais, although a lovely young woman, does not possess the beauty that most men would find attractive in a lady. Secretly in love with Lindsay, sadly, Anais has concluded and accepted the fact that he will really never see her as anything more than a friend. It isn't until one evening, when their desire for each other has reached it's highest peek, that both Lindsay and Anais finally admit their feelings for one another. In all his wildest dreams, never had Lindsay imagined the truth of what it would be like to finally claim, his love. Anais. She is all that he has ever wanted, and all that he will ever want. For Anais, the passion and love that ensnares her heart as she lie within Lindsay's arms is almost too good to be true. But as strong as their love and need for each other seems to be, there is one thing wedged deeply between them. It is something unseen, and in the end it is the one thing that inevitably drives them apart. Time passes, secrets and obsessions come to pass. However, true love cannot simply fade away, and although so much hold these two lovers apart, Lindsay is determined to win Anais' heart no matter what the cost. Not only has, Charlotte Featherstone managed to pull off yet another amazing romance, but at some point between Mistress of the Night and Addicted, her writing became all the more remarkable. Something I truly didn't believe possible. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times this story brought tears to my eyes. Tears of sadness, tears of joy and tears from the emotions brought forth by these two characters.

unique deep Victorian romance

In 1850 in Worcestshire, England, childhood friends Lord Lindsay Markham and Lady Anais Darnby are attracted to one another though so far they have hid their deep regard. However, Lindsay plans to propose to Anais and has already bought a ring. His opportunity is thwarted by Anais' friend Rebecca Thomas who drugs him with opium and seduces him. When Anais sees her friend and her beloved together, her heart breaks. She rejects his plea and his excuses before vanishing. Almost a year later, Lindsay is ADDICTED to opium, but still hopes to find and marry his beloved. When he finally meets up with Anais, he declares his love. However, having still not forgiven him for his transgression with Rebecca and nauseated by his drug dependency, she rejects him again although she knows she still loves him. He knows what he must do if he wants the woman he is addicted to as his wife; he must give up the opium, but that owns his soul as much as Anais does. Lindsay with his opium addiction makes for a unique energizing Victorian romance. Anais is a terrific lead female, but in some ways is more a major secondary character as she competes with opium for Lindsay's soul. His mistreatment of his loyal friend Brougham is partly caused by his need for the drug even as he knows that he can never fully kick the habit as there will be times he will want to indulge. Fans who relish something well written but different will want to read Charlotte Featherstone's insightful historical as the hero is not just flawed he is overwhelmed by his cravings. Harriet Klausner