Love is Eternal Review

Title: Love is Eternal

Author: Yvonne Whittal

Publisher: Harlequin

Line: Harlequin Romance

ISBN: 0373022492

More Information: http://www.harlequin.com

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Nurse Joanne Webster desperately needed financial help to get her brother through college.  The person who came to her rescue was Dr. Daniel Grant.  The only catch was that he needed her to marry him for one year for the sake of his dying mother.  Love wasn't part of the deal.  Can Joanne save her heart from Daniel's assault?

I started off with high expectations.  You see, the first half of the book had all the makings of a Betty Neels’ romance – the doctor (who secretly always loved her), a nurse who needed financial help (who secretly loved him but knew it could never be) and him saving her by marrying her.  I love those kind of scenarios.  Then we hit the middle (p. 100-101) and I was completely turned off when he forced himself on her.  And the thing was, he blew it off as something she deserved.  When he found her a year later, there was not an ounce of remorse in his bones.  Not once did he apologized or beg for forgiveness.  How can I appreciate a guy like that?  This was NOT a romance any longer.  He kept forcing his attentions on her, hoping his sexual assault will garner her love for him.  Then he used blackmail to make sure she can’t leave him this time.  What planet is this guy from?  Then to top it off, her own brother betrayed her.  He didn't even question why his sister would leave her husband in the first place.  The ending was a little abrupt, where everyone has a happily ever after.  I just didn't get this book.  

This story had great potential that ended on a bitter note.  I believe readers of Harlequin Presents might enjoy the book.  This was not a good representation of the Harlequin Romance line.  Despite the awful hero, the writing was good and the plot moved at a fast paced.  There was a fair amount of steamy scenes with a nice balance of drama.  But I’m sorry to say, I’m going to pass on this little gem.  It left me wholeheartedly dissatisfied.