Sinful Truths (Harlequin Presents) Paperback – 1 Sept. 2003

I think I have read every Anne Mather book that's been published,I was hooked when I read her first book (Caroline)

As an aspiring writer I felt Anne Mather's dialogue between our two love birds at war, was believable and really highlighted who the characters were. The opening chapter really defined Jake's demeanor and outlook towards love and life. To put it in one word he was bitter. Bitter but equally as irresistible.Anne's secondary characters, I thought, were some of the best I have come across in my research so far into the M&B modern romance genre. They were 'wholesome', full rounded characters. But in no shape or form did these characters detract from the central romance, which I loved! Any of these characters could have their own spin off titles.Research conclusion, if you will, is that secondary characters must have as much detail planned into them as your main hero, heroine or central romance. Also, dialogue, keep it pointed and short. Anne's dialogue throughout this title was punchy and quick. But most of all I thought it was believable, especially the heated 'augmentative' scenes.But as a reader I felt something was missing.Our hero Jake McCabe's unstable childhood had given him the determination to succeed in his career and succeed he did; shockingly wealthy and roguishly handsome but I found it really difficult to find him endearing.Isobel Lacey/McCabe after an unfortunate 'mistake' found herself a single Mother, struggling in a stylish home, with a daughter in private education and a Mother with titles and lands... I found parts of her story contradictory to the term 'struggling' and thus became, unrelatable to me the reader.Isobel's emotional struggles as she tried to work through her relationship with Jake were well captured by the writing but I still can't put my finger on what was missing! I wanted more. More dazzle and shine perhaps.The characters although well written didn't pull on any emotional chord for me.It was a well written title but not one I would read again. 3/5 stars from me .

Though I wouldn't say the book was terrible, there's large parts of it I just can't read without getting angry.It's perhaps one of the worst Mills and Boon books I've ever read. In all honesty I read the review below which utterly slated every aspect off the book. And was amused at it thinking 'Oh I'm sure it's not that terrible!'. So I thought I'd download it and find out. Don't bother!Factor in a woman who frankly a wet washcloth has more life and backbone. And a man who would have been at home competing at Crufts and it was pretty terrible. Never mind an adult casually calling a child a bitch. That's always lovely.It might have been somewhat redeemable had the female lead not utterly capitulated on ten b years of hatred and abuse and horrible accusations as if out was no big deal. Literally, no attempt to show how horribly she has been treated was made, it was ridiculous. It was baffling.Totally disappointed with the book.Perhaps in future I shall heed the advice given in reviews and not waste my money....

Another fun read! Much more tolerable than reality. No deep analysis from me. But then, I'm a Matherite of many years and totally biased!

I agree with most of the comments. It's a horrible book. The heroine is a spineless doormat of the century. The hero is a Cad. Agreed he catches his wife in bed with another man. A normal guy would have divorced and moved on. The hero hates the wife and her mother, but still keeps shelling out money to his mother in law. I was a great fan of Anne Mather in my younger days, but she seems to be slipping, don't buy the book

If anyone asked me, is it a love story and what is it about:- I would say that it is not a love story and its about a vindictive husband and a sad, pathetic wife.Jake and Isobel married 14 years ago at her mother's dismay. 11 years ago he left her due to her alleged affair and she was in early stages of pregnancy at the time. She protested her innocence but he dismissed her. He also refused to acknowledge his 10 year old daughter Emily. He was very sure that the child is not his that he never asked for a DNA test. She is so stubborn that she does not demand a DNA test. She knew she could get fianancial help for her child once paternity is proven.Jake used her alleged one affair and her supposedly bastard child as an escape goat to bed many women as possible. If he truely wanted to move on with his life, he could have divorced her. It is apparent that he was trying to punish her by turning into a serial womaniser, flaunting his lovers about. He has sexual urges yet she does not even have 1%. Was she sick in the head, is that why? Did she have female circumcision? Was she under 24 hr survelliance? The writer did not say the reason why.Isobel was very much aware of his life style but despite this, she, herself refused to move on with her life. 11 years is a very long time for someone to put their life on hold. Was she truely the tragedy queen- is that why? Or any of the above? The author did not say.Jake re-enters Isobel and Emily's life once more and this time for a divorce. He is still admant that Emily is not his. He could not be bothered to understand that they is a chance that the child was his. He referred her as his wife's "bastard" to his latest love. At one point he called the child "bitch" because he could not handle the dirty truth about him been called somethings at school which was said by other children.His latest love interest who is a snob and models naked on TV, pressured him to commit to her. But when he comes face to face to Isobel, he felt attracted to her. He still wanted the divorce and did not know how to go about it. He too was certain that she knew why he had to see her. And it seemed like she did. What kind of woman holds onto a so-called marriage for pete's sake! Innocent child as she is, Emily fought tooth and nail to save her parents' marriage and for her father to acknowledge her.As Jake's lover is away on a modeling assignment, he took his opportunity to interact with Isobel and Emily. He even escorted them and Isobel's ill-healthed mother Hannah to their ancestral home in the country and he booked himself into a local B & B. Seriously, I could not understand why. He wanted a divorce and could have got one via post.Isobel paid him a visit, to give him back the money he gave to her mother for her. She did not want to be a kept woman and she said so. Jake obviously thinks himself as a male stud as he bedded Isobel, knowing perfectly well that not long ago he set out to divorce his estranged wife and marry the lover. Isobel herself did not put up a fight to stop him bedding her. And the saddest part is that Isobel knew he was in another relationship with another woman. He gave her the opportunity of free sex and she grabbed it with her dear life. Was she really that cheap? Or had she felt that she has missed out on a sex life and realised that she too has sexual urges? Any sane woman will feel revulsion at the thought of having sex with a serial womaniser who has no morals. Was there a miracle- is that why she suddenly had sexual urges? Or did she have a head transplant? The author did not say. And Jake acted selfishly by having sex with out any protection, knowing perfectly well that he is most likely to infect Isobel with sexually transmitted disease as he had many sexual relationship with women.Jake is a one self-rightious and a pathetic excuse for a man. His lover is away on a 8 wk assignment, and in that short time he could not keep his pants on.As for the herione's mother Hannah:- is a pathetic excuse for a mother. 11 years ago, she got Isobel heavily drunk and orchestrated her extra marital affair with Jake's best mate Piers, who was more than happy to play the lover. Since Isobel and Jake seperated, she made sure, their paths never crossed. Over the years, Hannah took money from Jake in the pretence that they were for Isobel. Hannah rather let her own daugter and grandchild suffer both fianancily and emotionally yet pocket the money for whatever reason. She had no morals to sort out Isobel's marriage as she was the one who broke their marriage.Then Jake, Isobel, Hannah, Emily and Isobel's supposedly ex-lover Piers came together and the whole sordid truth came out. Jake and Hannah had no ounce of conscious and decency to apologise for the manner they treated both Isobel and Emily for many years. Isobel was fine with that- she must have been mentally screwed! Then again the author did not explain why Isobel chose not take revenge- a normal human being in that position would.This story did not appeal to me a least bit and its mainly to do with the attitude of the heroine. She chose to be a doormat from start of the story till the end. He treated her and his child in the most horrible way possible and she was fine with it. She rather suffer hardship instead of taking him to court for child maintenance.Her child was entitled to fianancial support from her father. It was not about her.He had millions to spend on his lovers and have a comfortable life, so what was so wrong about their child having a decent life.I have been reading M & B books for many years, this book is one of the worst I have come across. The story line itself seems like its from a ancient history. It has not appealed to me one bit.I gave 1 star as that was the lowest mark I can give.

Sinful Truths (Passion) I'm giving this book three stars--though I can see why other reviewers gave it one and one of the reviewers gave it five. This book left me conflicted. This writer, however, knows how to make her men attractive to the reader (those of you who used to read Mills and Boons in the old days know she was the craze back then)...but like the others I found that the treatment of the child crossed boundaries that disqualified the hero from being a "hero". I also thought the heroine did not protect her daughter and I was almost in tears for the little girl. That said, the writer captures the passion between the two characters and manages to create a compelling emotional story line of passion, betrayal and love. This is the key to an unforgetable HP in my opinion: if the writer can somehow get us to find the hero attractive...and see ourselves in the shoes of the heroine. It's difficult to pull off and she did--which is why that one reviewer gave it five. I still can't give a five though because of my aforementioned reasons. Sinful Truths (Passion)