A Dangerous Liaison: One Woman's Journey into a World of Aristocracy, Depravity, and Obsession

Sheri Heller, a beautiful young New Yorker, met a tall, handsome, elegant Belgian on a plane. Soon Baron Jacques de Borchgrave had seduced her and treated her to exotic trips and expensive clothing. She was swept off her feet, but after they married (as is so often the case), her new husband's mask of gentility came off. This is a story of runaway narcissism and sexual deviance. There is a lot detail about some rather untypical sex, so it's not reading for the easily shocked. Sheri de Borchgrave is an intelligent observer of her own life, and the book is fascinating and well-written. I have never read anything like it.

I thought this was an excellent story. I don't recall quite how I stumbled upon this book but I am very glad I did. I also had the pleasure of seeing the Baroness on a talk show telling her story to the world. It is truly a fascinating story of good and evil. When Sheri meets Jacques you are very quickly caught up in their captivating romance. As he wines and dines her, buys her expensive clothes and takes her on exotic vacations this book at first seems like a wonderful romance novel. Then as Sheri falls for Jacques she begins to see a tiny hint of his dark side but she pushes it out of her mind because she thinks its just a difference of his European nobility and her American nature. I think many of us who have been swept off of our feet by Mr Wonderful can often relate to Sheri as she sees a warning sign or two but turned a blind eye because she wanted to believe the best in her prince charming. After Sheri moves to Belgium to become the Baroness she sees Jacques dark side begin to unveil itself and Sheri finds her self in a world of manic depressive behavior, incest, wild sex parties and mental abuse all of which seems to be covered up by Jacques family. It is entirely a world to which most of us cannot relate but you feel for Sheri as she realizes she is trapped in a marriage in a foreign country with a mentally disturbed person and this hedonistic lifestyle and she doesn't know how to get out. Will Sheri get out, will she be able to 'cure' her husband, what will occur next, just when she thinks she's seen it all she learns something else. It is a classic story of a rich family who's money and power covers up their mentally ill son and the poor woman who is romanced into the lifestyle and before she realizes it she is trapped and doesn't know how to get out and has no one to help her. This book will completely draws you in from beginning to end.

"This year's most fabulous book" -- those were the words of the New York Times Book Section. Quite an accolade... and I also remember the review said that the book was the most fun, the best summer book, and a terrific read. Naturally I was intrigued by such fulsome praise and bought the book -- and I was not disappointed! I think the reviewer above must be a friend of the Baron's family, otherwise one cannot help but get swept away into the beautiful romance and ultimate betrayal of a young, beautiful and innocent girl by the Jekyll/Hyde man that manipulated her.This book starts like a Harlequin Romance. Young Sheri meets the man of her dreams (and everyone's dreams) on an airplane -- the place your mother told you you would meet great men. She glimpses into the jet-set life-style of this aristocratic person. The story goes on, the romance continues to its fruition ... but then ---Hey, unlike the person above, I don't want to give anything away. Read this! It's entertaining and there are definitely lessons to be learned. I wish Sheri de Borchgrave well ... she deserves it after what she went through with the Baron!!!!!

Excellent book. You'll never believe what these sickos do!! Buy the book to learn the inside secrets of the Belgian aristocracy! You'll never wish to be royalty again! I'm 16, but this is not a book for little Jimmy. It includes graphic sexual tormentation and abuse.

A page-turner if ever I've read one. This woman can tell a story so vividly that you feel you're living it yourself. The erotic elements are stunning and she rises, victorious like the Phoenix, and the reader with her. Bravo!