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New York Times bestselling author "Judith McNaught comes close to an Edith Wharton edge" (Chicago Tribune) in this sensual and sweeping romance of two former lovers who mix business with pleasure.Ruthless corporate raider Matthew Farrell is poised to move in on the legendary department store empire owned by Chicago's renowned Bancroft family. In the glare of the media spotlight, it's a stunning takeover that overshadows the sizzling chemistry between Matt, once a scruffy kid from steel town show more Indiana, and cool, sophisticated Meredith Bancroft.
Their brief, ill-fated marriage sparked with thrilling sensuality but ended with a bitter betrayal. Now, locked in a battle that should be all business, dangerous temptations and bittersweet memories are stirring their hearts. Will they risk everything for a passion too bold to be denied? show less
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pinkkrypto This book reminded me of Star (which is the only Danielle Steel book I like). It's a great romantic story.
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Paradise is a beautifully-written epic love story that spans more than a decade in the lives of its star-crossed lovers. Unlike most reunion romances which give only a bare glimpse of the hero and heroine's initial meeting and falling in love before being cruelly torn apart, the first eleven chapters of this book recount their young love affair in quite a bit of detail. I wondered how the author was going to keep their story going for 700+ pages, but she did so with an exquisite dance of them coming together, then repeatedly coming up against conflict which kept them apart. One might think that this would get old after a while, but it never did. Everything that happened made perfect sense in the moment and felt very realistically show more rendered. I was also extremely impressed with Ms. McNaught's attention to detail. She obviously either has first-hand experience in the business world or did her research very well. All the details led to some rather heavy narration at times, so readers who are averse to this might want to think twice before reading it. I, however, felt that the details really brought the characters and settings to life in a more vivid way. Overall, Paradise was an extremely enjoyable book that I had a hard time putting down.
The early chapters of the story are almost exclusively about Meredith and she's a very compelling character. She's a rich girl who is an heiress to a department store fortune, but she's still an outcast at the school to which her father decided to send her, mainly because it was a Catholic school where most of the students were from lower-class families. Even as a girl, Meredith never saw other people's money, or lack thereof, and was merely hungry for friendship – any friendship. Finally, she got that wish when Lisa Pontini, a girl Meredith's father considered to be from the wrong side of the tracks came to school, and they struck up a friendship that lasted throughout their lives. Meredith is quite simply a sweet, compassionate woman who sees the best in people, no matter where they come from. When she first meets Matthew, she knows her acquaintances have only brought him to the fancy country club party to make fun of his low birth, which makes her want to befriend him all the more. Having been an outcast herself, she understands what he must feel like in that environment. When the others abandon him, she befriends him and treats him with respect. They connect on a deep level almost instantaneously, which leads to a night of unforgettable passion. I'm so glad that when Meredith realized that their moment out of time had resulted in a pregnancy, she did the right thing and went straight to Matthew, instead of trying to hide it from him or assuming that he'd want nothing to do with her and the baby. Even though their young love affair had a rather tragic end that broke her heart in a million pieces, Meredith bravely went on with her life and finished college, working her way up through the ranks at the family's department store. She was an incredibly smart woman, and her ambition had always been to become the CEO of the store like her father and grandfather before her. She had to deal with a lot of sexism though, in order to accomplish that goal. Even after she'd become a successful businesswoman, she never lost her compassion for those less fortunate than herself. Over the years, she followed Matt's rise to corporate super-stardom in the papers and on TV, but she convinced herself she felt nothing for him anymore until he unexpectedly returns to her life. She had her own life all mapped out, and didn't think he fit into her plans, but he very quickly proved her wrong. The one and only thing I found troublesome about Meredith was her frequent defense of her father, especially after she finally discovered the lengths to which he went to tear her and Matt apart. There were times when I thought she should have stood up to him more strongly than what she did, but at no time did I not understand where she was coming from. I simply couldn't have been as forgiving of his misdeeds as she seemed to be.
Matt is a dreamy hero who has certainly earned a spot on my favorite heroes list. From the moment he met Meredith, she stood out to him in a way no other woman ever had. He could have had his pick of women, but her innocence was beguiling to him. Their first time together he was a very considerate lover, and before leaving, he even cared enough to give her his phone number just in case. He would have contacted her himself much sooner if he'd known she really wanted him to. I love that he didn't flinch away from stepping up to the plate when she came to him pregnant and desperate. Even though she was only asking for a temporary marriage to keep her father from going berserk, he didn't think twice about doing the right thing and actually wanted to make the attempt at something more permanent. Matthew was always ambitious and knew what he wanted out of life, but if her father hadn't gotten in the way, I know he would have made room in his plans for Meredith and their baby. After he thought that Meredith had cruelly abandoned him, he buried himself in his work to forget her, but once he'd finally achieved all that he wanted, he was bored with life. There was simply no challenge to it until she came back into it. I was so glad to see that Matt had never really forgotten Meredith, although he's convinced himself he doesn't feel anything for her anymore. I was also glad that he had never married partly because he was badly hurt by her perceived betrayal, but mainly because he's never been able to duplicate the all-consuming emotion with anyone else that he'd felt when he was with her. Even before he knows the full truth and they've reconciled, Matt admires Meredith for her intelligence and business acumen and treats her as an intellectual equal. He's genuinely proud of her accomplishments, which is something her father never was. Even though it makes Meredith incredibly upset, I absolutely loved the deal Matt struck with her in order for her to get him out of her life for good. He was obviously a guy who is totally into his woman so much so that he would do anything to prove his love for her, which is incredibly romantic and sexy to me.
While sharing one night of passion resulting in a pregnancy, which necessitated a quick marriage, isn't the best way to start a lasting relationship, it was obvious that Meredith and Matt were falling hard and fast for each other right from the start. They share an easy rapport that's more like a friendship, while also experiencing an intense desire for one another. In general, I felt that they communicated well, despite their youth, and rarely held back much from one another. In fact, I think the only reason they didn't communicate so well after Matt left for Venezuela was because neither of them knew about her father's machinations and the physical distance between them made effective communication all but impossible. Even though they were starting to mesh well and falling in love with one another, the ease with which her father was able to manipulate them and tear them apart was still quite believable. She, in particular, was young, sheltered, and a little naïve, while he was thousands of miles away. They'd only really known each other for a week before he went to Venezuela, so although they had started to get to know each other, it made sense that they would also doubt each other. It ripped my heart out to see them so happy and then drifting further and further apart, until they almost hate one another. Once they are back in the same city, it was obvious that the feelings were still there, and gradually they find their way back to the love they once shared. Their reconciliation after the truth finally comes out was utterly beautiful, while their love-making afterward was filled with all the emotion and longing of eleven long years. Even though they face a lot of obstacles to a full reconciliation, I always knew they were destined for one another and that they belonged together forever.
Meredith's father was a real bastard, who I hated throughout most of the book. He's a hard, bitter man who's angry about his own failed marriage and trying to control his daughter where he felt he couldn't control his wife. He's also a wealthy snob who can't stand the idea of his daughter marrying "beneath" herself. Yet despite all this, he has her snowed into believing that deep down he truly cares about her and only treats her the way he does because he wants what's best for her. This guy was a total jerk, who treated his employees rather badly, and his business is like an old boy's club. Even though Meredith had proven herself to be a smart and competent businesswoman, he still wouldn't appoint her as his interim successor at first, just because she's a woman. I guess he finally starts to come around by the end, but I felt like it was more circumstances that forced him to come face-to-face with his past mistakes rather than any true desire on his part to change and be a better person. However, I was willing to admit that I believe in second chances, even though I would have preferred to see him squirm more before getting one.
There are a number of interesting secondary characters who help to liven things up. Meredith's best friend, Lisa, is a colorful character who is loyal to a fault. Meredith's childhood crush and eventual fiancé, Parker, is perhaps a tad boring compared to Matt, but he's a good man nonetheless, who tries to make the best of a bad situation when Matt comes back to town. Matt's father is only seen a few times, but he was a key player in getting the lines of communication between Matt and Meredith open again. Matt's chauffeur/bodyguard, Joe, is great for some laughs with his crazy driving and how he's not-so-secretly rooting for Matt and Meredith to get back together. Matt's sister, Julie, really only appears during the early parts of the book, when Meredith goes to Matt for help upon finding out that she's pregnant, but I really liked her. I see that the heroine of Perfect, the next book in the Second Opportunities series, is named Julie, but they don't appear to have the same last name. I'm not sure if they're one and the same character, but if they are, I look forward to reading more about her. In any case, it looks like there are some definite carry-over characters between books.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Paradise. I'd heard a lot of good things about it over the years, and IMHO, all of it was true. This was truly romance at it's finest, and it couldn't have been any better. It had a hero to die for and a relatable heroine I could root for. I'm still amazed that this story was as long as it was, because it certainly didn't feel that way to me at all. In fact, as I neared the final pages, I didn't want it to end. Paradise was my first read my Judith McNaught, but it definitely won't be my last. She has duly impressed me with her writing skill, and I can't wait to dive into Perfect as soon as I get the chance. show less
The early chapters of the story are almost exclusively about Meredith and she's a very compelling character. She's a rich girl who is an heiress to a department store fortune, but she's still an outcast at the school to which her father decided to send her, mainly because it was a Catholic school where most of the students were from lower-class families. Even as a girl, Meredith never saw other people's money, or lack thereof, and was merely hungry for friendship – any friendship. Finally, she got that wish when Lisa Pontini, a girl Meredith's father considered to be from the wrong side of the tracks came to school, and they struck up a friendship that lasted throughout their lives. Meredith is quite simply a sweet, compassionate woman who sees the best in people, no matter where they come from. When she first meets Matthew, she knows her acquaintances have only brought him to the fancy country club party to make fun of his low birth, which makes her want to befriend him all the more. Having been an outcast herself, she understands what he must feel like in that environment. When the others abandon him, she befriends him and treats him with respect. They connect on a deep level almost instantaneously, which leads to a night of unforgettable passion. I'm so glad that when Meredith realized that their moment out of time had resulted in a pregnancy, she did the right thing and went straight to Matthew, instead of trying to hide it from him or assuming that he'd want nothing to do with her and the baby. Even though their young love affair had a rather tragic end that broke her heart in a million pieces, Meredith bravely went on with her life and finished college, working her way up through the ranks at the family's department store. She was an incredibly smart woman, and her ambition had always been to become the CEO of the store like her father and grandfather before her. She had to deal with a lot of sexism though, in order to accomplish that goal. Even after she'd become a successful businesswoman, she never lost her compassion for those less fortunate than herself. Over the years, she followed Matt's rise to corporate super-stardom in the papers and on TV, but she convinced herself she felt nothing for him anymore until he unexpectedly returns to her life. She had her own life all mapped out, and didn't think he fit into her plans, but he very quickly proved her wrong. The one and only thing I found troublesome about Meredith was her frequent defense of her father, especially after she finally discovered the lengths to which he went to tear her and Matt apart. There were times when I thought she should have stood up to him more strongly than what she did, but at no time did I not understand where she was coming from. I simply couldn't have been as forgiving of his misdeeds as she seemed to be.
Matt is a dreamy hero who has certainly earned a spot on my favorite heroes list. From the moment he met Meredith, she stood out to him in a way no other woman ever had. He could have had his pick of women, but her innocence was beguiling to him. Their first time together he was a very considerate lover, and before leaving, he even cared enough to give her his phone number just in case. He would have contacted her himself much sooner if he'd known she really wanted him to. I love that he didn't flinch away from stepping up to the plate when she came to him pregnant and desperate. Even though she was only asking for a temporary marriage to keep her father from going berserk, he didn't think twice about doing the right thing and actually wanted to make the attempt at something more permanent. Matthew was always ambitious and knew what he wanted out of life, but if her father hadn't gotten in the way, I know he would have made room in his plans for Meredith and their baby. After he thought that Meredith had cruelly abandoned him, he buried himself in his work to forget her, but once he'd finally achieved all that he wanted, he was bored with life. There was simply no challenge to it until she came back into it. I was so glad to see that Matt had never really forgotten Meredith, although he's convinced himself he doesn't feel anything for her anymore. I was also glad that he had never married partly because he was badly hurt by her perceived betrayal, but mainly because he's never been able to duplicate the all-consuming emotion with anyone else that he'd felt when he was with her. Even before he knows the full truth and they've reconciled, Matt admires Meredith for her intelligence and business acumen and treats her as an intellectual equal. He's genuinely proud of her accomplishments, which is something her father never was. Even though it makes Meredith incredibly upset, I absolutely loved the deal Matt struck with her in order for her to get him out of her life for good. He was obviously a guy who is totally into his woman so much so that he would do anything to prove his love for her, which is incredibly romantic and sexy to me.
While sharing one night of passion resulting in a pregnancy, which necessitated a quick marriage, isn't the best way to start a lasting relationship, it was obvious that Meredith and Matt were falling hard and fast for each other right from the start. They share an easy rapport that's more like a friendship, while also experiencing an intense desire for one another. In general, I felt that they communicated well, despite their youth, and rarely held back much from one another. In fact, I think the only reason they didn't communicate so well after Matt left for Venezuela was because neither of them knew about her father's machinations and the physical distance between them made effective communication all but impossible. Even though they were starting to mesh well and falling in love with one another, the ease with which her father was able to manipulate them and tear them apart was still quite believable. She, in particular, was young, sheltered, and a little naïve, while he was thousands of miles away. They'd only really known each other for a week before he went to Venezuela, so although they had started to get to know each other, it made sense that they would also doubt each other. It ripped my heart out to see them so happy and then drifting further and further apart, until they almost hate one another. Once they are back in the same city, it was obvious that the feelings were still there, and gradually they find their way back to the love they once shared. Their reconciliation after the truth finally comes out was utterly beautiful, while their love-making afterward was filled with all the emotion and longing of eleven long years. Even though they face a lot of obstacles to a full reconciliation, I always knew they were destined for one another and that they belonged together forever.
Meredith's father was a real bastard, who I hated throughout most of the book. He's a hard, bitter man who's angry about his own failed marriage and trying to control his daughter where he felt he couldn't control his wife. He's also a wealthy snob who can't stand the idea of his daughter marrying "beneath" herself. Yet despite all this, he has her snowed into believing that deep down he truly cares about her and only treats her the way he does because he wants what's best for her. This guy was a total jerk, who treated his employees rather badly, and his business is like an old boy's club. Even though Meredith had proven herself to be a smart and competent businesswoman, he still wouldn't appoint her as his interim successor at first, just because she's a woman. I guess he finally starts to come around by the end, but I felt like it was more circumstances that forced him to come face-to-face with his past mistakes rather than any true desire on his part to change and be a better person. However, I was willing to admit that I believe in second chances, even though I would have preferred to see him squirm more before getting one.
There are a number of interesting secondary characters who help to liven things up. Meredith's best friend, Lisa, is a colorful character who is loyal to a fault. Meredith's childhood crush and eventual fiancé, Parker, is perhaps a tad boring compared to Matt, but he's a good man nonetheless, who tries to make the best of a bad situation when Matt comes back to town. Matt's father is only seen a few times, but he was a key player in getting the lines of communication between Matt and Meredith open again. Matt's chauffeur/bodyguard, Joe, is great for some laughs with his crazy driving and how he's not-so-secretly rooting for Matt and Meredith to get back together. Matt's sister, Julie, really only appears during the early parts of the book, when Meredith goes to Matt for help upon finding out that she's pregnant, but I really liked her. I see that the heroine of Perfect, the next book in the Second Opportunities series, is named Julie, but they don't appear to have the same last name. I'm not sure if they're one and the same character, but if they are, I look forward to reading more about her. In any case, it looks like there are some definite carry-over characters between books.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Paradise. I'd heard a lot of good things about it over the years, and IMHO, all of it was true. This was truly romance at it's finest, and it couldn't have been any better. It had a hero to die for and a relatable heroine I could root for. I'm still amazed that this story was as long as it was, because it certainly didn't feel that way to me at all. In fact, as I neared the final pages, I didn't want it to end. Paradise was my first read my Judith McNaught, but it definitely won't be my last. She has duly impressed me with her writing skill, and I can't wait to dive into Perfect as soon as I get the chance. show less
This felt like it was written a couple of decades before it was (1991)--the style was similar to a Jackie Collins or Jacqueline Susann novel from the 70s. There was a distance between the characters and the reader, so I was always aware I was Reading A Book rather than being involved in the characters' lives. I'd seen all the plot elements before--rich girl falls for bad but ambitious boy, pregnancy, rich girl's father tries to pay off the boy, boy leaves to make good, father prevents their letters from reaching each other, miscarriage that he's told is abortion, etc., etc. Right up until practically the very last page, the heroine is believing her father's lies about the hero, even though she's discovered he's lied over and over again. show more I wanted the hero to say the hell with her. I did like that the hero was proud of the heroine's business accomplishments. But all in all, I really couldn't see what the fuss was about for this one. show less
This was one of my favorite books when I was younger; I read it multiple times between the ages of 14 and 19. Upon reading it again, more than a decade older and much more cynical, I expected to cringe at the forced poignancy and predictable plot. However, what happened is that I fell in love all over again. Yes, Paradise is syrupy and obvious. Yes, it features two rich and beautiful people living happily ever after. Everything works out and everything is wonderful. But, isn't that what this genre is all about? The fantasy and the escape from our own rather mediocre lives is just the point of a novel like this. Paradisecertainly delivers what it promises.
I don't think I can give 'Paradise' a worthy enough review. This is one of those books that you just feel - no summary or description is adequate. Judith McNaught is a sophisticated and exquisite writer, managing to wring heartwrenching emotions out of me. And with Meredith and Matt's story, I laughed, I shed real tears, I got angry. Never have I cheered for HEA so much. I've read my favorite scenes so many times, I have it memorized and can turn to the page in an instant.
Prepare to lose yourself in this thoroughly captivating book. Not a quick read but worth every minute.
Prepare to lose yourself in this thoroughly captivating book. Not a quick read but worth every minute.
Well, I guess I'm in the minority, but I was not as bowled over by Paradise as many others. It reminded me too much of the novels that came out of the '80's and were then made into TV miniseries. Young, beautiful girl who was an ugly duckling in her childhood, rises in the corporate world, longing to be taken seriously. She finds love, tragically loses it and overcomes all obstacles, blah, blah, blah to find it again years later. Now, I did love the character of Matt, but I found it hard to identify with Meredith who really needed more backbone and I kept wondering what did Matt love so much about her? Plus, both of them were so unbelievably stupid about the truth and not figuring it all out earlier! Her father was so awful, his show more possible happily ever ending at the end did nothing for me. It seemed out of place. Granted, the story was hard to put down, but so are many "beach read" types of books, which is the category I place this in. Maybe I'll like the next one more in this series. Ordinarily I love McNaught, she's one of my absolute favorites, and if I had read this back when it came out around 1989, I probably would have loved it, but compared to her historicals? No comparison! show less
My first contemporary by Judith McNaught gave me some of her fun emotional connection and a good amount of eye glazing department and corporate talk. Our leads had an instant connection when they met and I really enjoyed their back and forth tinged with sexual chemistry and sass. Unfortunately, Matt and Meredith don't spend a lot of time together. Their first go at it has them together for a whirlwind six days and then its not until the 60% mark that they get to spend any real time together.
There was way too much corporate world talk for me and caused me to put off grabbing this back up to read. For having a bit older of a publishing date, this still held up pretty well. There was some high drama, with a lot of it coming from Meredith show more when she was upset, she was portrayed a pretty dramatic; it seemed to be feeding into this time period's love of overstating the thought that women are high strung emotional beings.
I would have liked the corporate talk 80% slashed, Matt and Meredith spending more time together, and less of a rushed ending. show less
There was way too much corporate world talk for me and caused me to put off grabbing this back up to read. For having a bit older of a publishing date, this still held up pretty well. There was some high drama, with a lot of it coming from Meredith show more when she was upset, she was portrayed a pretty dramatic; it seemed to be feeding into this time period's love of overstating the thought that women are high strung emotional beings.
I would have liked the corporate talk 80% slashed, Matt and Meredith spending more time together, and less of a rushed ending. show less
I absolutely LOVED this book! No matter its lenght, this book brings something that is very interesting: the beginning of its characters storylines and how they got to be at the present time from which the story is told. Meredith and Matt were incredible together despite of having obstacles thrown at them at every single turn their relationship took. They each made some bad choices, but within their realm of perfectly good reasons at the time, they each had their flaws but that only made them seem that much more human and real to me. Since this story passes in 1989, there is something very entertaining in reading a story that was written in the beginning of the 90's and how people's habits were different back then. Incredible book!
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Judith McNaught is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including "Night Whispers", "Remember When", & "Until You". She lives in Kemah, Texas. (Publisher Provided) Judith McNaught was born in San Luis Obispo, California on May 10, 1944. She graduated from Northwestern University in 1966 with a degree in business. Her first novel, show more Tender Triumph, won the Critics Choice Award in 1983. She won it again in 1988 for Something Wonderful. She received Best Historical Novelist honors for Whitney, My Love in 1985 and for Once and Always in 1987. She received the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. She was also the first female executive producer at a CBS radio station. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Echo van de eenzaamheid
- Original title
- Paradise
- Original publication date
- 1991
- People/Characters
- Matthew Farrell [Paradise]; Meredith Bancroft
- Important places
- Chicago area, Illinois, USA
- Dedication
- Anyone who is closely involved with me when I'm working on a novel could tell you that it requires certain things to maintain any sort of relationship—including incredible patience, extraordinary tolerance, and the ability ... (show all)to believe I'm actually working when I'm staring off into space.
This novel is dedicated to my family and friends who possess those traits in abundance and who have enriched my life beyond measure:
To my husband, Don Smith, who brings joyous serenity to my life and new meaning to the word understanding.
To my son, Clayton, and my daughter, Whitney, whose pride in me has been a tremendous source of pleasure. And relief.
And to those very special people who offered their friendship and then had to bear more than their fair share of the burden of that friendship—especially Phyllis and Richard Ashley, Debbie and Craig Kiefer, Kathy and Lloyd Stansberry, and Cathy and Paul Waldner. I couldn't ask for a better "cheering section" than all of you. - First words
- With her scrapbook opened beside her on her canopied bed, Meredith Bancroft carefully cut out the picture from the Chicago Tribune.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Meredith had named the department Paradise.
- Original language
- English
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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