The Lover

by Robin Schone

Book Overview

Even desire has its price... Thirty-six-year-old Anne Aimes is a spinster whose only attraction is her wealth. But her plain looks mask a passionate woman who yearns to know a man's intimate caresses. Michael des Anges - Michael of the Angels - is renowned for his ability to bring women pleasure. All is will cost her is ten thousand pounds... Driven by vengeance, ravaged by tragedy, Michael seeks to lose himself in a woman who will demand only physical...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0758204272
• ISBN13: 9780758204271
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Haunting, disturbing and utterly unforgettable

Michel des Anges - Michael of the Angels - is a whore. The Victorian equivalent of a gigolo except that word hadn't been invented yet. A renowned lover famous for his ability to satisfy women. He was the darling of society until ghosts from his past came back to destroy him. Now scarred for life, Michael is out to seek vengeance and must draw his enemies out. To do that, he will need Anne Aimes. Anne is an extremely wealthy spinster who has always been fascinated by the infamous Michael. Deciding that she would like to experience the joys of carnal pleasure without marrying, Anne hires Michael for one month. Each enters into the agreement with ulterior motives and soon realize that they had gotten much more than they had bargained for. Robin Schone has written a book that is guaranteed to evoke strong emotions. One can't help but feel empathy and admiration for Anne, a creature of her time who is bold enough to shake off the shackles of convention and reach for what she wants. As for Michael, his story is heartbreaking and not easily forgotten. Robin brings these two characters to life in a fashion that is vivid and poignant. She pushes the story to its very limits then takes that final step over the line. The result? A story that leaves an indelible mark. THE LOVER is not an easy book to read - it's intense, disturbing, and definitely not for the faint of heart. All that aside, rarely has a book satisfied me on so many levels. THE LOVER pushed all the right buttons. My copy is firmly ensconced on my Keeper Shelf. TheSchemer

No Fluff Here

If you don't like mystery and eroticism, then don't buy this book. The villian is evil, and what he does is evil. It's not for the faint-of-heart readers, and it's not for readers who want cardboard characters with their sex watered down--Robin Schone calls it for what it is, no love lances or ramrods here, and she doesn't cheapen her sex by throwing in vulgar profanities every other word.Anne Aimes buys a man so she can experience passion. What she doesn't count on is that Michel des Anges, a man named for his ability to give women pleasure, is being systematically destroyed by the villian. We know that the villian hurt Michel as a child, and we know that the villian is responsible for a fire that disfigured Michel, and we know that he will try to kill Anne, but we have to wait to find out everything about Michel's past with the villain and why he's out to destroy Michel. Robin Schone doles out clues and information with each chapter instead of giving it to you all at once.If you want fluff, look elsewhere. If you want to read about sex and danger and men and women who cry and laugh and grow stronger through love and sex, give The Lover and its sequel, Gabriel's Woman, a try. I think you'll be glad you did.

Sexy and Hot

Anne Aimes is a spinster. She has never known the touch of a man. Michel des Anges is male prostitute, paid to give women pleasure. Five years ago, he was disfigured in a fire. Now he has to pay women to have sex with him. Then Anne appears. She fears dying without having known pleasure. She pays Michel 10,000 pounds to show her such pleasure for 30 days. Michel is amazed by Anne's passion. He thinks of her as his spinster. She blossoms under his touch. But Michel is embroiled in a web of tragedy. A figure from his past vows to take from him all that he cares about. And he is beginning to care for Anne.Anne and Michel are marvelous characters. Anne is 36, past the age of blossoming youth. She is shy, but courageous. With Michel she grows bold and passionate. Michel is a tragic character. Handsome, yet vulnerable. Charming, yet dangerous. He is amazed that Anne would want him, scarred as he is. He is soothed by the passion she gives him. She becomes his lifeline. Two lonely people needing to feel alive, wanted, and needed. An intriguing story with lusty love scenes. Enjoy!

Fantastic

The Lover is one of the most beautifully written erotic historical romance novels that I have ever read. Michel/Michael is a male prostitute who has been without a patroness for five years, since a fire that disfigured him. Anne, is a 36 year old spinster who has spent her entire life subjugating her own desires in order to care for her aged parents. After her parents die, leaving Anne a huge inheritance, she decides that she wants to experience passion, so she hires Michel to be her lover for the price of 10,000 pounds, for thirty days. She had seen him at a ball at her disastrous come out and had wanted him ever since.What I really enjoyed about this story was that it actually had an interesting story line that fit in/explains Michel/Michael's overt sexuality. The story itself is not necessarily easy to follow, Schone actually assumes that her readers have a bit of intelligence so the plot line is not obvious from the very beginning. For instance we know from the very beginning that Michel is seeking revenge for some heinous crime that was committed upon him as a child. We also know that something happened to him as an adult but it is not until almost the very end of the book that what happened is revealed. It is then that the reason and logic behind Michel/Michael's actions and cryptic remarks make sense. This was a sensitive, beautiful, erotic story - with a compelling plot, adventurous sex and compelling main characters. If think that you would like to read historical erotic romances but have been turned off by Susan Johnson's all sex, no plot, throw away character stories then check out this and The Lady's Tutor. I must give a warning however, there are som ah grahic violent scenes in here, -- that fit into the story line but are disturbuing. (The scenes that I am referring to are not of a sexual nature)