Just For Her

This is a great book, very enjoyable. I don't want to spoil the plot so I won't mention any detail. This story is romantic and a lot of surprising twists. Strongly recommended

'Just for Her' was a very pleasant surprise, a book with an interesting and novel plot, some mystery and a great setting. Juliana Habsburg is the last of the line of the Habsburg dynasty but her life has become a nightmare - she's married to the unscrupulous Dominic DeRohan, a man she can't stand. Fortunately she's been living apart from him for many years on the Riviera in the house that belonged to her ancestors. When she hears that Dominic is planning to come to the house she realises she will have to get rid of him for good - but how? It occurs to her that the cat burglar known as The Panther might be able to do away with him for her, so she decides to lure the Panther to her house with some of her famous jewels. When the Panther arrives, however, she finds he's not so easily commanded - or resisted. As Juliana starts an affair with the Panther, a man whose identity she doesn't know, and as the arrival of her husband causes her heartache and fear, she doesn't know how she can maintain her historical position as a Habsburg daughter and yet find happiness with the Panther, a man who says he has a secret that means they cannot have a future together. The middle portion of the book seems mainly about Juliana trying to identify who the Panther really is but also trying to trick her husband into annulling their marriage whilst retaining ownership of the house and her jewels. She spends time with her friends, several historical characters such as F Scott Fitzgerald, Picasso and others, all the time falling in love with her nighttime visitor, the Panther. The book builds to a climax as Juliana and the Panther work together to ruin DeRohan whilst Juliana still tries to find out who he is. The final unveiling wasn't a complete surprise to me but was still excellently written and the story showed how both Juliana and the Panther had grown and their characters had changed during the course of the story. This was always an enjoyable read and the setting, amongst the rich in the Riviera in the 1920s, added a great deal of interest. Juliana, although sometimes rather self-absorbed, was a good female lead and the mysterious nature of the Panther was appealing. This is a good read and I look forward to more from this author. Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

In 1926 everyone believes Jules Habsburg lives a perfect life of luxury with her fairy tale Prince Charming of a husband Dominic DeRohan. Everyone that is except Jules who knows her spouse is an abusive robber baron; she lives a nightmare. After Dominic shoots her lover, Jules runs away; taking refuge amidst artists, authors, and bohemians in the French Riviera's Cote d'Azur. The notorious cat burglar Panther enters her home through a window, but she catches him. She believes he is one man who can eliminate Dominic before he finds her. However, he demands remittance staring with her heart and ending with her soul. As she falls in love, Jules is unaware that the Panther is the one person who knows something about her that if revealed will destroy her. This engaging historical thriller grips readers from the onset as a desperate Jules wonders if she jumped from the frying pan into the fire when she chose the Panther to battle her husband. The story line is fast-paced and filled with a few nice twists especially an excellent plausible last one that will shock the audience. Fans will appreciate this character driven tale as readers will need to know who is left standing with whom. Harriet Klausner