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Review: Addicted by Charlotte Featherstone
Filed in Charlotte Featherstone , Review , The HEA Lover Posted on March 22, 2010 @ 3:30 am
3 comments
Format Read: Print
Number of Pages: 443 pages
Release Date: February 1st 2009
Publisher: Spice
Formats Available: Paperback, E-book
Purchasing Info: Goodreads , Author’s Website , Book Depository
Book Blurb:
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 beauty of opium.
Back home, Lindsay’s addiction is fed by the vogue for all things Oriental—especially its sensual pleasures—in fashionable London society. In his lucid moments, Lindsay still lusts after Anais, who can neither allow him near nor forget his smoldering touch. Tortured by two obsessions—opium and Anais—Lindsay must ultimately decide which is the one he truly cannot live without.
My Thoughts:
I fell in love with the cover months ago when I first saw it on a few blogs. Then I read amazing reviews of this book, and knew I had to read this book. I am not disappointed I did but I’m afraid I won’t make justice to how beautiful this book is.
I think I have to explain a little something about myself so that you understand my view of this book. I’m the HEA Book Lover…and not for any reason, because I NEED Happy endings in my books. I get distressed by too depressing book (panic attacks and all that), this is one of the reasons why I read reviews before reading a book…to make certain it has a HEA. And when there’s no review I do something many other readers do I read the last page of the book to see if it ends well (Yes you know who you are!). I know, it’s silly but I have to be sure the book won’t make me sick. Anyway I did exactly that with Addicted, I read the last page of the epilogue not even the whole epilogue just the last page…and I jumped to conclusions about the story. *headdesk* So I read the book thinking that I knew how it was going to end, and Oh boy, how I was wrong ! lol I’ve learned my lesson I can tell you (But I’m pretty sure it’ll happen again).
Let’s start from the beginning. At first I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, why? because I started reading it and I was shocked at how different it was from all the historical romances I’m used to read. I’m not saying this novel is not historically accurate, but I was used to reading Julia Quinn or Lisa Kleypas where a girl would be mortified at the idea of being ‘ruined’…and here the heroine is very ‘open’ with her sexuality she knows quite a lot for such a young Lady of good family and is often left un-chaperoned with the hero many times. But after a few chapters I realized I was reading it all wrong, I was reading the book as an Historical Romance while in fact it is an Historical Erotica!! When I realized my error I started enjoying it more and more…and then I just couldn’t stop reading it!
The story is very intense, I loved the Hero, Lindsay. He is torn between the 2 loves of his life…Anais and Opium. His addiction to Opium is the result of a heartbreak. Lindsay has been smoking/eating Opium since College but he thought he was the master of it but when things get terribly wrong with the love of his life he seeks refuge in Opium and the balance is reversed…now Lindsay NEEDS opium, he is addicted. I was worried the Opium addiction would get too sordid but it wasn’t, we get to understand why he sought oblivion and peace in drug. This matter was handled very well, I’m usually not very understanding when it comes to drug addiction but in this book you feel for the hero and understand his choices.
The other addiction of Lindsay is Anais, she is the love of his life and there’s no doubt in his mind that he will be with her for the rest of his life. Even after ‘the Event’ (See, no spoilers! lol) he seeks her in every way he can…even if it’s only through opium. I wasn’t happy about her choices but I could understand them, she was heartbroken and scared and she had to go through hard times. I was often frustrated with her, but near the end there is a letter addressed to Lindsay relating what she went through and I was near crying. It was heart wrenching to know she had to make choices that would forever change her and Lindsay’s life. I was crying by the time she realized she could never go back. The scene in the Church was very emotional. I can’t possibly say more without revealing spoilers (It’s silly but I have tears in my eyes only thinking about it, let’s hope I don’t have to re-read this review too many times lol).
There is a HEA in the end. But the story is so intense and the consequences of the main characters’ actions are so heart wrenching that it left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. It’s not what I’d call a conventional HEA. Don’t get me wrong I loved this book and they do get their happy ending, It’s only because I jumped to the wrong conclusions when I peaked at that last page and I wanted to bang my head on the wall for being so stupid *wink* (Maybe I’ll learn my lesson now).
I had a little Twitter Chat with a few bloggers that have read Addicted and/Or Sinful (the next book coming out in May) and I realized I’m not the only one that wasn’t ready for the depths of this story, It deals with dark subjects but it was beautifully done. I loved reading Addicted and I had a hard time closing the book, I fell in love with the characters and I’m happy to know that we’ll see more of Anais and Lindsay in Sinful. This book won’t leave you indifferent, you will either love it or hate it. I give this book 4 and a half Bookies and I can’t recommend it enough. I am really looking forward to reading Sinful.
I finished reading Addicted yesterday and it’s still haunting me, such a beautiful book.
I bought this book myself
***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.
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This sounds interesting! I cant believe I haven't heard of it before! Great review! Well, happy endings do matter in a book. Unless there's a next installment. 🙂
I do hear that this one is so great and now I am tempted again
So glad you liked it!!!