Desire Has No Mercy
- Author: Violet Winspear
- Publisher: Harlequin Presents #300
- Year: 1979
- Setting:
- Amazon Listing: Desire Has No Mercy - out of print
Reader Comments
Desire Has No Mercy is a luridly titled work of some distinction. Spoiled daughter of wealth and privilege Julia comes to a casino to beg the owner to allow her sister's gambling debts to be destroyed. Julia's sister is engaged to a powerful man who will break the engagement if he learns of her debts. Julia is the product of a stifling but privileged upbringing scarred by loneliness and vulnerability. Her strict and unyielding grandmother held sway over her life.
Julia comes face to the face with the hard bitten but dynamic casino owner, Rome Demario. He is powerful and charismatic, but mocks her while recalling their tortured past. Rome was a poor son of a laundress for Julia's family and they share memories of lonely childhood spent gazing across the divide. Julia is humilated yet her family pride makes her demand the IOU's from Rome. He barters sex with Julia for the debts, and she angrily agrees, scornfully submitting to Rome's sexual advance.
Julia comes in contact with Rome again months later. The cool and poised Miss Van Deere is pregnant, and threatens to abort the child. Rome quickly takes her away to his homeland fortress, bringing her childhood maid they both remember to attend. Rome's interest in having a child contrasts with Julia's disgust at the situation. Rome attempts to make the best of things but Julia scorns him again and again as the child grows. Both are trapped by pride and desire.
Feeling betrayed both by her programming of the wealthy upper class mores her grandmother instilled and used by her sister, Julia lashes out at Rome once too often. Rome deliberately allowed the sister to run up the debts to gain contact with Julia, whom he always rememberd. She is more than symbol of the happiness he cannot buy despite his amazing wealth. But Julia is bitter that she is left no dignity.
Just as her feelings waver he leaves, and they re-unite in a touching affirmation of love as the baby is born. Julia and Rome can finally belong to each other, as their childhood eyes promised.
