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Jayne Castle: Ecstasy Romance
A Man's Protection
He was hard and she knew it went deeper than his broad shoulders, lean hips, and strong thighs. Southern California machismo and money! His power was vastly more compelling than the superficial charm of other men, but he used it to the same purpose--to get what he wanted. And last night he had wanted her!
How humiliating to wake up in his bed with a long hangover and a short memory. But Chandra Madison, professional caterer, professional hostess, head of Chandra's Organized, Inc., was her own woman. . . free as a bird. And who was he to insist she couldn't manage without him, that she needed a man's protection?
How humiliating to wake up in his bed with a long hangover and a short memory. But Chandra Madison, professional caterer, professional hostess, head of Chandra's Organized, Inc., was her own woman. . . free as a bird. And who was he to insist she couldn't manage without him, that she needed a man's protection?
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
2 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Castle
53books2,104followersThe author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 4, 2019
The hurdle of recapping the opening scene, in which the heroine wakes up in the hero's bed with a hangover and limited memory of what happened the night before, has delayed this review for weeks. I just can't adequately articulate the atmosphere, which is supposed to be titillating to the more conservative readers of early 80s category romance.
The heroine, who runs an odd-jobs firm, had been hostessing a party for the hero in his home. For the prior week, while she planned the party, he tried to convince her to go out with him. To put him off, she allowed him to believe she was in a relationship with the hero's friend who had recommended her firm for this party. Then the guy she was actually dating (OM#1) showed up at the party with his (surprise!) wife in tow, and the heroine hit the margaritas with a vengeance.
She wakes up in the hero's bed with a hangover and a boatload of remorse, thinking she had veered into the southern California fast lane by sleeping with a man she had only known for a week. The hero holds her head while she pukes (A+ heroing), gets into the shower with her uninvited (A+ sexual harassment), and serves her a protein-filled breakfast with a side of aspirin (B+ hangover treatment). He also reveals, much to the heroine's relief, that they didn't have sex because she passed out during foreplay. (If it weren't for the unwelcome shower incursion, all this caregiving would make him the best kind of millenial hero.)
Except for the parts that were always awful and did not improve with age, this vintage exploration of dating mores in late 70s/early 80s southern California is a lot of fun.The conflict of relationship ideals between the hero and heroine was nicely spelled out. The banter and the sex scenes convinced me of their mutual attraction. The possessive hero's hidden romantic streak (with its attendant vulnerability) makes me gooey.
But I was mildly disappointed by the depiction of San Diego in 1982. The setting matters because the protagonists are in a constant tug-of-war with southern California's cutting-edge values, but the description of OM#3 at the bar is the closest we get to reliving those glory days. Oh, except for the cover art, which kills me. Usually my eyes are drawn by her bright turquoise outfit, at which point I notice the halter's unfortunate trim gives her a severe case of deflated boob. But then my eyes drift left to Kevin Nealon's greige suit with the open-necked collar and exceptionally wide lapels and I'm slain.
JAK checklist
Pacific Northwest setting: Nope, we're in swingin' San Diego/La Jolla.
Familiar professions: Like many of JAK's heroines, she's entrepreneurial, but I can't figure out how she's thriving financially with her two-woman party-planning, parrot-feeding, dog-walking business. She owns a condo and a Porsche. HOW? He's our third JAK hero to own a construction firm.
What's in a name?: Reid and Chandra. I now deeply regret starting the "what's in a name" category because what I want to do is point to the name Chandra as a marker for trendy sophistication in the early 80s (as opposed to, say, "Anne"), but then someone named Chandra will stumble on this review and be hurt, and I don't want that.
Marital status: She's single and looking for love; he's divorced and looking for sex.
Age: She's 28; he's 37 or 38
Heroine's eye exam: hazel
Hero's eye exam: glacier gray-blue
Hair color: Her tawny hair is described as "lionskin-colored." I just don't know what to do with that. He has copper streaks in his dark brown hair.
Pets: None. One of her clients needs her to feed an irascible parrot.
Vehicles spell success: He drives a Ferrari. She drives a "battered" Porsche, supposedly dinged up because she has poor depth perception.
Metaphors are for flogging: As the title suggests, there's quite a theme going on with "protection," which overlaps with the whole knight in shining armor thing.
Hero threatens to spank heroine: hardly noticeable, though he does threaten to take a belt to her backside after he extracts her from Jerry the lounge lizard's clutches.
The heroine, who runs an odd-jobs firm, had been hostessing a party for the hero in his home. For the prior week, while she planned the party, he tried to convince her to go out with him. To put him off, she allowed him to believe she was in a relationship with the hero's friend who had recommended her firm for this party. Then the guy she was actually dating (OM#1) showed up at the party with his (surprise!) wife in tow, and the heroine hit the margaritas with a vengeance.
She wakes up in the hero's bed with a hangover and a boatload of remorse, thinking she had veered into the southern California fast lane by sleeping with a man she had only known for a week. The hero holds her head while she pukes (A+ heroing), gets into the shower with her uninvited (A+ sexual harassment), and serves her a protein-filled breakfast with a side of aspirin (B+ hangover treatment). He also reveals, much to the heroine's relief, that they didn't have sex because she passed out during foreplay. (If it weren't for the unwelcome shower incursion, all this caregiving would make him the best kind of millenial hero.)
Except for the parts that were always awful and did not improve with age, this vintage exploration of dating mores in late 70s/early 80s southern California is a lot of fun.The conflict of relationship ideals between the hero and heroine was nicely spelled out. The banter and the sex scenes convinced me of their mutual attraction. The possessive hero's hidden romantic streak (with its attendant vulnerability) makes me gooey.
But I was mildly disappointed by the depiction of San Diego in 1982. The setting matters because the protagonists are in a constant tug-of-war with southern California's cutting-edge values, but the description of OM#3 at the bar is the closest we get to reliving those glory days. Oh, except for the cover art, which kills me. Usually my eyes are drawn by her bright turquoise outfit, at which point I notice the halter's unfortunate trim gives her a severe case of deflated boob. But then my eyes drift left to Kevin Nealon's greige suit with the open-necked collar and exceptionally wide lapels and I'm slain.
JAK checklist
Pacific Northwest setting: Nope, we're in swingin' San Diego/La Jolla.
Familiar professions: Like many of JAK's heroines, she's entrepreneurial, but I can't figure out how she's thriving financially with her two-woman party-planning, parrot-feeding, dog-walking business. She owns a condo and a Porsche. HOW? He's our third JAK hero to own a construction firm.
What's in a name?: Reid and Chandra. I now deeply regret starting the "what's in a name" category because what I want to do is point to the name Chandra as a marker for trendy sophistication in the early 80s (as opposed to, say, "Anne"), but then someone named Chandra will stumble on this review and be hurt, and I don't want that.
Marital status: She's single and looking for love; he's divorced and looking for sex.
Age: She's 28; he's 37 or 38
Heroine's eye exam: hazel
Hero's eye exam: glacier gray-blue
Hair color: Her tawny hair is described as "lionskin-colored." I just don't know what to do with that. He has copper streaks in his dark brown hair.
Pets: None. One of her clients needs her to feed an irascible parrot.
Vehicles spell success: He drives a Ferrari. She drives a "battered" Porsche, supposedly dinged up because she has poor depth perception.
Metaphors are for flogging: As the title suggests, there's quite a theme going on with "protection," which overlaps with the whole knight in shining armor thing.
Hero threatens to spank heroine: hardly noticeable, though he does threaten to take a belt to her backside after he extracts her from Jerry the lounge lizard's clutches.
January 13, 2009
If you can't remember the late 70s/early 80s (and that's 1970s and 1980s for you jokesters out there) then you really don't want to read this book! "A Man's Protection" by Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick is a 1982 release which showcases just how much relations between the sexes have changed (and how much has stayed the same) since then. If you didn't live through it, you probably won't get it...it'll probably just piss you off. For those of us who did manage to live through it, it's almost like a stroll down memory (or nightmare) lane.
February 7, 2016
One of her earlier books and therefore not as mature as the books she has written since the late eighties but still worth reading to see what to avoid - repetitive conversations, aggressive behavior on the part of the hero, inability of the heroine to "explain" or assert herself, few characters, weak story line, yet something is still there - a seed that grows and keeps you reading and re-reading JAK whenever time allows.
February 7, 2024
Cute and enjoyable
Second read - smooth writing, annoying Hero
Second read - smooth writing, annoying Hero
July 11, 2024
A little outdated but vastly entertaining. As a reader the opening scene was funny and I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from there (obviously if this was real life I'd be freaking out and getting away as fast as possible!). You've got to appreciate a man who's so straightforward and lays out his terms right away so there's no mistaking what he wants out of this 'relationship' especially knowing that the ones that resist the most seem to fall the hardest 😁
December 5, 2017
Charming early Jayne ( Krentz ) Castle - still great characters & dialogue!
Have owned this book and many more since new - still go back to them when I just need a quick escape! I have read this book MANY, MANY times in the last 30 years.
Have owned this book and many more since new - still go back to them when I just need a quick escape! I have read this book MANY, MANY times in the last 30 years.
April 20, 2012
Titre vf : L'amour d'un homme
Read
December 26, 2017He was hard and she knew it went deeper than his broad shoulders, lean hips, and strong thighs. Southern California machismo and money! His power was vastly more compelling than the superficial charm of other men, but he used it to the same purpose--to get what he wanted. And last night he had wanted her!
How humiliating to wake up in his bed with a long hangover and a short memory. But Chandra Madison, professional caterer, professional hostess, head of Chandra's Organized, Inc., was her own woman. . . free as a bird. And who was he to insist she couldn't manage without him, that she needed a man's protection?
How humiliating to wake up in his bed with a long hangover and a short memory. But Chandra Madison, professional caterer, professional hostess, head of Chandra's Organized, Inc., was her own woman. . . free as a bird. And who was he to insist she couldn't manage without him, that she needed a man's protection?
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