Books › Retribution
Retribution
First published 1984 · 320 pages
A high-stakes battle of wills where a quest for familial revenge collides with undeniable, dangerous chemistry.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage romance feels like stepping into a glamorous, high-stakes emotional pressure cooker. Set against the chic backdrop of Paris, the atmosphere is thick with tension, driven by a classic 1980s enemies-to-lovers dynamic where every conversation is a sparring match. The narrative moves at a brisk, breathless pace, pulling the reader through a whirlwind of familial secrets, calculated revenge, and undeniable attraction. The prose is unapologetically melodramatic, leaning heavily into sharp dialogue and the heroine's frantic internal battles as she tries to outmaneuver a dangerously charismatic hero. It is a perfect, nostalgic indulgence for readers who love the fierce angst, moral ambiguity, and intense, combative passion characteristic of old-school category romance.
- Mood
- tense
- glamorous
- emotionally charged
- claustrophobic
- Tone
- intense
- melodramatic
- passionate
- cynical
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- enemies to lovers · revenge and redemption · protective sibling bonds · dangerous attraction · sins of the past
- The writing
- Dramatic and emotionally heightened, driven by sharp, combative dialogue and breathless internal monologues.
- The arc
- A journey from fierce, defensive suspicion to an overwhelming, reluctant surrender to a passionate adversary.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave the high-angst, unapologetic melodrama of vintage 1980s category romances with dominant heroes and fiery heroines.
Content notes
- emotional manipulation
- dubious consent
- toxic relationship dynamics
- blackmail
About the book
His intentions were definitely dangerous
Laura didn’t know why Simon Hilliard had asked her sister, Annette, to go to Paris. Whatever the reason, it could only mean trouble if she accepted. Simon had a reputation – and it wasn’t a good one!
So Laura jumped in to save her sophisticated but careless sister. And Simon lost no time in turning his charm on Laura herself.
Soon she discovered that Simon bore a secret grudge against her whole family. She might save her sister – but she had no idea of how to save herself.
Description from Open Library.
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