| Title | : | Bloodline |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1568650949 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781568650944 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 409 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1977 |
Roffe and Sons is a family firm, an international empire filled with desperate, cash-hungry family members. At its head was one of the wealthiest men in the world, a man who has just died in a mysterious accident and left his only daughter, Elizabeth, in control of the company. Now as this intelligent, tough, and beautiful young woman dares to save -- not sell -- Roffe and Sons, she will have to outwit those who secretly want her power, and the unknown assassin who wants her life.
Bloodline Reviews
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For me, this is officially the best book on Goodreads not to reach a 4.00 rating. There are twists galore in this book. But it's not the gotcha type of twist that is now so notorious in The Simpsons episodes and in The Last Jedi.
This book, now forgotten by most occidental countries, is popular, for some reason, in India. It is also the first adult book that I read. The sex scenes in the book are never gratuitous.
I didn't know before that the author, Sidney Sheldon, had won an Academy Award for best original screenplay in 1947, for a Cary Grant film. I affirm, and go so far as to say that the author is a genius in storytelling. Bloodline is a book that I'll reread a few times more. It's an unforgettable experience, and one of the strongest books to get 5 stars from me. -
Brilliant! did not want the book to end that's how good it was reading each chapter because it was well written (paperback!)
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A blast from my youthful past! Hollywood adapted this into a tv-movie, using a much older cast to play essentially new adult roles: it didn't translate as well, unfortunately. Audrey Hepburn was superb, but the movie was a let-down. This fabulous book had twists and turns that had me downright clinging to the edge of my beach chair! Sidney Sheldon was THE master of story-telling back in the day. He was one of my favourite authors growing up. Highly, highly recommended!
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Blood Line, Sidney Sheldon
Bloodline is a 1977 novel by American writer Sidney Sheldon. Roffe and Sons is a family firm, an international empire filled with desperate, cash-hungry family members. The family consists of: Anna Roffe, whose husband Walther Gassner married her only because of her bloodline
Simonetta, the wife of Ivo Palazzi, a womanizer being blackmailed by his mistress, Donatella
Helene Roffe, the three time divorcee who marries Charles Martel. Martel invests in a vineyard by stealing his wife's jewelry, but the money drowns.
Alec Nichols, whose mother was a Roffe, whose gambling-addicted and spendthrift wife Vivian, pushes him into increasing debts.
It is clear that every one in the family is in need of money. The firm Roffe and Sons is managed by Sam Roffe and his assistant Rhys Williams. Sam Roffe was expecting a son, but instead got a daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was declined love from her father during childhood, but escaped the reality by reading about her great-great grandfather, Samuel Roffe.
....
عنوانها: خط خون؛ میراث خونین؛ خط خون وراثت؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز هفتم ماه ژانویه سال 1993 میلادی
عنوان: خط خون؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ میراث خونین؛ مترجم: امیر منوچهری پور؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، میلاد، 1372، در 284 ص، موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان آمریکایی - سده 20 م
عنوان: خط خون؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ مترجم: پریناز مرعشی؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، میلاد، 1374، در 420 ص؛
عنوان: خط خون؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ مترجم: هادی عادلپور؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، کوشش، 1378، در 480 ص؛ شابک: 9646326420؛
عنوان: میراث خونین؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ مترجم: داوود ابوالقاسمی؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، پازند، 1380، در 455 ص؛ شابک: 9647117191؛
عنوان: خط خون؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ مترجم: بیتا مهربان؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، نشر گستر، 1389، در 294 ص؛ شابک: 9786005883008؛
عنوان: خط خون وراثت؛ نویسنده: سیدنی شلدون؛ مترجم: علی محسنی؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، آسونه، 1393، در 336 ص؛ شابک: 9789648368024؛
رمانی ست که نشان میدهد خودخواهی انسانها، تا چه اندازه میتواند دنیا را آشفته سازد. نویسنده به صورت موازی داستان چند تن را، که همگی عضو یک خانواده ی بزرگوار هستند، با واژه های خویش پیگیری میکند. «سام راف»، رئیس هیئت مدیره ی شرکت داروسازی راف، در رخدادی کشته میشود، و دخترش «الیزابت»، جای او را در هیئت مدیره میگیرد، در حالیکه همه ی اعضای هیئت مدیره، میخواهند، الیزابت را وادار به سهامی عام کردن شرکت کنند، الیزابت متوجه میشود، که کسی از همان اعضا، کارشکنی میکند، و سعی در ایجاد خسارت و ضرر و زیان، برای شرکت را دارد، و حتی مرگ پدرش نیز، صرفاً یک حادثه نبوده است، تلاش برای یافتن خائن آغاز میشود... ا. شربیانی -
Me being the stupid person that I am, read the last page by mistake and therefore knew the end from the beginning but this book still made me doubt my suspicions! Ahh Sydney Sheldon!
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“Because there was a hunger in me to see everything and do everything. I wanted to be everyone I saw. I wasn't enough for me. Can you understand that?”
Sidney Sheldon..Bloodline
I start to simmer when people do not take Sheldon seriously. In my opinion he is up there with the Fiction greats. This book, Bloodline is one of my favorites by him (I have read 99 percent of his works) and is fantastic.
So this book follows the rise of the Roffe Dynasty. Roffe and Sons is one of the largest Pharma companies in the world. At its center is Elizabeth Roffe, the daughter of the owner of the company.
When Elizabeth's father dies in a freak mountain climbing accident, it is up to Elizabeth to take the helm as her father left the company to her. She is being pressured to take the company public but Sam Roffe, her father, has always wanted to honor the family tradition of keeping the company private.
As Elizabeth struggles to cope with both her father's loss, and her new role as head of an international Pharma company, it becomes apparent that someone within the company also has an interest in it going public..and if that person has to kill to see that, they will.
This book is at once a piece of historical fiction, an epic family saga, a mystery and a romance. Sheldon is a master story teller. I could not put this down.
For lovers of fiction, you will be transported to England, to France, everywhere as you read this soaring tale. And don't stop till you get to the end. The last paragraph is remarkable.
I must give a shout out to Max, the odd little detective whom I grew to love. Of all Sheldon's books this is at the top of the list. -
All of us dream of somehow inheriting a vast fortune, but for Elizabeth Roffe, this inheritance comes with an invisible enemy. Inheriting Roffe Industries after her father's mysterious death, things start happening that convinces Elizabeth that someone, or some people, are trying to take over her fortune - even if it means taking her life.
If the above plot has not moved you yet, then you probably have problems. The first few pages of this book is strongly gripping, forcing you to turn the pages and read it in one sitting. The ugly duckling to graceful swan that is Elizabeth's life is magical and full of beautiful imagery, her relationship with her stoic father very realistic and sympathetic. Fast-paced and dripping with exciting dialogue, this book will lead you on a thrilling roller coaster ride, only to have the ride stop at the top of the highest loop, the operator telling you that the ride is over.
What happened to Elizabeth's cousins? To the other characters? I can't believe that a book with so much promise could end so utterly disappointing. Yes, it did solve the mysteries but it just fell flat. The author has created such vivid characters that one would think they would each be given endings befitting their flamboyance. I would have thought that great character development + original plot + sharp dialogue + brilliant author = smashing novel. But I was wrong, glaringly, stupidly wrong. Without giving away a spoiler, I would have thought that the discovery of the bad guy would be more complicated than what happened. It's so disappointing to learn that while guessing whodunit, it turns out, it's not even worth knowing, as this book is hardly worth reading. Flat, flat, flat.
Obviously, I am very bitter about the ending, hence the low rating. But bad ending aside, this book is a superb story of maturity, love, wisdom, dysfunctional families, coveted fortunes, and gruesome murders and attempted murders. The author's storytelling is excellent, letting the reader see for him/herself what happens in each chapter, letting the reader feel and not just know, each word's impact in this story. I tried to get past the throng of questions and unresolved issues I had with the ending and the characters, but I just can't. I felt that it ruined the whole book for me. If you can be satisfied with how this turned out, then I admire you. Maybe it's my 'impatient reader' attribute kicking in again.
If you're planning to read this book, go ahead. As I say over and over again, preference is relative. What may be dull and flat for me may be the most exciting for another person. After all, I have seen a number of good reviews on this book, I just can't be swayed by other people's opinion. Maybe I'm just a stubborn ox. -
BLOODLINE is a 1977 novel by the great and the wise, Sidney Sheldon. My grandmother told me that she saw a movie titled Bloodline before but she wasn't sure if it was the film adaptation of this book. Out of curiosity, I learned that Bloodline was really adapted into a film in 1979, but it was a complete failure because Audrey Hepburn who played as the protagonist is older than the Sheldon character she supposed to portray (Elizabeth). In order to solve the problem, Sheldon revised his novel to place the literary version of Elizabeth into the same age range as Hepburn. (Wonder why they didn't bother to look for another actress to save the novel? -_-) And I read that the film adaptation became a critical and box office failure.
Such a waste. I'll try to watch it if ever I have the chance...and if it's still downloadable.
Anyway, BLOODLINE is one the amazing stories Sheldon has ever written. It even consists of a Geopolitical agenda back in WWI which targets the World Economy theoretically in Berlin, America, Italy, Paris and England. What interest me most in this novel, is the way the characters portray a different POWER HUNGRY personalities. It will make you want to be exactly like them! >:D
“Because there was a hunger in me to see everything and do everything. I wanted to be everyone I saw. I wasn't enough for me. Can you understand that?”
― Sidney Sheldon, Bloodline
I shared too much of the novel's background. So here's the plot: The story started with the death of Sam Roffe. S. Roffe is the owner of the biggest and the most powerful pharmaceutical company in the world. The report if his death says that he accidentally fell off a bottomless crevasse and died. His daughter, Elizabeth Roffe (the anticipated heiress of the company) did not believe it happened by accident. She wants to find out the truth but while searching for the heart-trembling truth, she found herself trapped inside a death maze.
*I totally recommend this book to everyone. It's summer! Read a book and enjooy! -
You have to love this master work of Sydney Sheldon. Come on.
Sheldon's broad adventure of covetousness and treachery, damage and peril, and the ties that can slaughter... Roffe and Sons is a family firm, a global domain loaded with urgent, money hungry relatives. At its head was one of the wealthiest men on the planet, a man who has only kicked the bucket in a baffling mishap and left his exclusive little girl, Elizabeth, responsible for the organization. Presently as this savvy, extreme, and lovely young lady sets out to spare - not offer - Roffe and Sons, she should outsmart the individuals who furtively need her energy, and the obscure professional killer who needs her life.
“Because there was a hunger in me to see everything and do everything. I wanted to be everyone I saw. I wasn't enough for me. Can you understand that?” ― Bloodline -
After the sudden death of her father, Elizabeth Roffe finds herself the heir to a successful pharmaceutical company. She quickly has to contend with the other board members, who are all relatives of hers) as each of them as their own secret and agenda. A mystery soon develops as the read wonders if there was more to the CEO's death than meets the eye, and if Elizabeth will also soon be in danger.
This was certainly enjoyable and exciting, but the degree of sexual violence in the book was a bit off putting to me. The book also managed to pull the wool over my eyes as to the identity of the villain so it gets points for that too. -
Bloodline is a 1977 novel by an American writer Sidney Sheldon. Sheldon is best known for his breathtaking thrillers, he is a master of crime-fictions, with novels having become international best-sellers and read by more than 30 million. Bloodline is one of the amazing stories Sheldon has ever written.
This novel is about a girl named Elizabeth roffee, whose father (Sam Roffee) dies in a mysterious accident, leaving behind his multi-billion dollar business for her to inherit. She befriends her father’s best friend and business partner Rhys William, an attractive but mysterious man. As the plot progresses, the strong and intelligent Elizabeth soon figures out that her father’s death was no accident and starts the investigation of his murder. In the meantime her four cousins Anna from Berlin, Ivo from Paris, Helene from Paris and Alec from London, force her to take the company go public – an idea which Elizabeth turns down. Consequently, Elizabeth finds herself become the target of an unknown assassin and trapped inside a death maze.
Sidney’s manner of keeping the suspense intact is commendable. This breath-taking novel portrays grey shades of each character, making it impossible for the reader to figure out which one of them would be the real culprit. What interest me most in this novel, is the way the characters portray a different power hungry personalities.
“Because there was a hunger in me to see everything and do everything. I wanted to be everyone I saw. I wasn't enough for me. Can you understand that?”
― Sidney Sheldon, Bloodline
Another fascinating factor to me was that Sheldon’s way of narrating the story by the murderer’s point of view, without disclosing the identity which makes bloodline more mysterious.
I highly recommend this masterpiece since Sheldon with success fabricates yet one more action packed best-seller and enhance it with violence, rage, romance, betrayal, danger, greed, jealousy and power. This blood chilling novel can dazzle all readers. It is unquestionably a page turner novel, once you’ve begun reading. Bloodline is an impossible one to place down. -
Rating-2.8
Bloodline is my first Sidney Sheldon read. Mystery and crime-thrillers are my favourite genre, so of course I enjoyed the book, it was like a action-mystery packed, fast roller coaster ride. It's a 20th century book still the plots, character, everything is no less than a modern contemporary novel.
But I'm not fully satisfied with the book, there are enough negative points to justify my complaint.
The book opens with the death of Sam Roffe--president of the "Roffe and sons". It seems like an horrible accident at first but later things turns out very interestingly, pointing out that it was a murder. Elizabeth Roffe is the daughter of Sam Roffe, she was very ignorant child at her childhood but turns out to be a very beautiful and intelligent woman later. Rhys Williams is one of the most trusted people in Sam Roffe's list, where only a few people resides, he is a good-looking, charming and ambitious personality. There are many more characters, like-Samuel Roffe(the great-grandfather of Elizabeth), Hélène Roffe, Alec, Anna, Charles, Vivian, detective Max and many others.
The plot is well written, some characters are very precise and neat. Elizabeth Roffe is protagonist of the novel, after her father's death, she has to take over his position and responsibilities. She proves to be a good leader, and constantly faces problems. Her determination to run the company well leads her to the revealation that her father was murdered and she was also trapped in a death-maze. After the revealation the novel moves faster and un-covers few more interesting facts.
Major part of the book consists of back-stories, flashbacks and lust. Most of the couple, most of the time, are so horny that it looks disgusting. The characters are so driven by lust and sexual tension that the whole novel seems to move on this very subject, and that's the part where the whole novel gets disgraced, I believe that there could have been a different and better subject to fill in the voids and make the story move.
Despite of everything, up to the second last chapter I was still sure that the end is going to be awesome, but alas! high expectations always lead to disappointment. The ending was like pouring cold water on so brilliantly plotted story. The culprit was caught, the most awaited part--ending, unfolds like any Hollywood movie's climax. But the ending was so unsatisfactory, a trusted and compassionate person throughout the story turns out to be the murderer and he dies the instant, he was caught. At last, suddenly after a few lines' explanation of his an another crime the book ends. Readers are left in haze, no explanation about other things, like--what was going on between Hélène and Rhys? What later happened with "Roffe and sons"? why Rhys kept the report and Hélène's letter hidden in his desk? When reading any mystery-thriller, readers hope that their every question would be answered at last. But here we are, left an-answered. Clearly a bad ending.
There are a few more minus points, Sheldon creates so many brilliant characters, and there was the most brilliant one--detective Max, but neither Max nor Elizabeth was able to smell the lose thread and find the killer, instead he keeps hiding and committing crimes under their nose.
Overall I am not very much impressed by this book. I have read better crime-thrillers than this one.
But I still recommend it to those who love suspense-thrillers and mystery books(if you could ignore the end part, it would be a nice read). -
Memorable quote:
"If you had to remind someone you loved that it was your birthday, then it was futile." -Elizabeth Roffe -
PERFECTION!!! Rhys, Elizabeth... Could these two have been any more perfect for each other? Helene Roffe scared the shit out of me! And Alec... COME ON!! Oh Sidney, you always, always blow my mind.
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Don’t get me wrong, this is an interesting book but, for the love of God, I couldn’t connect with the any of the characters!
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Roffe and Sons is a family firm. Sam Roffe dies in an accident and young-beautiful Elizabeth Roffe takes charge. The first 200+ pages covers all the branches of the family across the globe which gives a quick picture of each member's need and greed.
The storyline picks up jet-speed when Elizabeth refuses to sell the stocks. The revelation of who conspired against her left me dumbfounded. Absolutely stunning read. After reading this book, I could decipher why Sidney Sheldon is still the master storyteller. -
Bloodline is another fascinating novel by the author Sidney Sheldon.
The book is divided into two parts:
BOOK 1 is only the introduction part.it tells about the background of all the main characters. Book 1 is extends to 180 pages out of 409.
the 1st part might seem a little boring.
The main story starts from BOOK 2.
The Novel is incomplete..
after completing it i found many things does't have its end.
As his other works this one too provides a fantastic read from the very beginning where the story begins with news of death of Sam Roffee, the president of a multinational company set by his ancestor. With his sudden death his daughter is becomes the sole heir of his billion dollar fortune. Elizabeth, who is very young, is forced to take the charge of his father’s business.
But someone wants to kill her to get the whole fortune himself. The novel follows a series of incidents and accidents that provide a breath-taking suspense. Till the end the murderer is not unveiled and that provides a series of spine-chilling adventurous read.
The various relatives of Sam Roffee have been presented very well giving a detailed account of each one’s life separately. The starting chapters are a sneak-peek into the lives of the members of Roffee family. The accounts of their lives are more like a different story through which the reader glides smoothly as they all provide a thrilling and dark side of each oneâ?Ts characters.
As he does in all his novels this one too has a mesmerizing ending that captivates the reader. I won’t spill the beans here I would suggest you to grab a copy of your own. Though I am a slow reader but I had completed this novel in mere 2 day span as once I started I couldn\’t stop myself… The novel has around 409 pages and each one provides a thrilling and enchanting read that makes the reader feel like he himself is in the midst of all the happenings.. -
Normally I enjoy Sidney Sheldon's particular brand of crazysauce but this book seems, well, rather tame compared to his usual work.
Sam Roffe has been killed in an "accident" and the usual suspects must be trotted out for examination. The problem for me is there seemed to be too many usual suspects, their spouses, their lovers, their bastards, etc., and they all get a back story. We even go back in time to get the story of family patriarch Samuel Roffe. (What we don't get is the story of how Samuel starts off as a poor Jewish kid in the ghetto of Krakow and a hundred years later his descendants are celebrating Christmas.)
Eventually the book settles on one protagonist, Sam's neglected daughter, Elizabeth. As characters go she's kind of a wet noodle, reacting to events instead of making events happen. She's totally underprepared to take control of a multinational pharmaceutical company and must lean heavily on the shoulder of Rhys Williams, the intended love interest she has no chemistry with.
Late in the third act a new character is introduced. Max is a detective who butchers other languages and gets along better with computers than he does human beings. While trying to piece together the truth about Sam Roffe's death, Max stumbles across another series of murders that turn out to be connected to the family.
Typing this review out I just realized there were several plot threads that were left hanging. Whatever happened to the murderer's henchmen? What were the plans between Character A and Character B? What happened with the policeman? Now I'm bothered even more. -
When a pick a book from Sideny the first thing that comes into my mind is vengeance and then glamour, mafias, dons, sex, romance.. but this book is quite different though it has main ingredients of Sidney Glamour, love, sex, romance along with medical science(research in depth), greed, sabotage, betrayal, murder,crime, mysteries.
The book actually started after 200 pages, first 200 pages includes introduction of characters, at time it feel, the introduction is dragged a bit, although the accounts of their lives are more like a different story and all provide a thrilling and dark side of each one's characters. After introduction of main protagonist and other characters two 100 pages gone, the actual book started after introduction, main lead Elizabeth, who is very young, is forced to take the charge of his father’s business.But someone wants to kill her to get the whole fortune himself.
Then it follows the series of incidents and accidents that provide a breath-taking suspense. After the introduction of detective Max Houang book keeps pace and then you will feel u are actually reading Sidney Sheldon.
Till the end the murderer is not unveiled and that provides a series of spine-chilling adventurous read.
Bloodline would definitely come under finesse work of Sideny Sheldon -
Roffe and Sons is a company that specializes in the pharmaceutical industry. When the family patriarch, Sam Roffe, was killed in a climbing accident, his daughter Elizabeth took over the company. Elizabeth Roffe, a bright young woman, believes her father was murdered and that an assassin is hunting her down.
Bloodline is my first introduction to Sidney Sheldon's world, and I'm impressed with his writing. Sheldon begins with Sam Roffe's accident and then moves on to Elizabeth. The author introduced the history of Roffe and Sons through Elizabeth. In addition, the author emphasized young Elizabeth's sadness and loneliness. He then shifts to the main story and hooks the reader. There are far too many characters of equal value, and the author assigns equal weight to each. The plot of the book slowly unfolds, and the author narrates it well.
When we get to the end, the author has to justify a lot of stuff, but the book has a lot of unanswered questions. Even, the conclusion does not satisfy me. The book maintains the suspense and sometimes shocks the readers, but it is not entirely persuasive. There are far too many flaws and unresolved or unanswered incidents.
Bloodline is an exciting tale about greed and deception in a wealthy family. The book is suitable for every thriller enthusiast, and the author's style is commendable. -
7,5 de 10*
Embora Sidney Sheldon tenha uma vasta obra de literatura, nunca tinha lido nada do autor. Por estar a participar num desafio literário, chamado Book Bingo, para uma das categorias, necessitava de ler um livro escrito no ano em que eu nasci. A escolha não foi fácil porque a oferta, em livros traduzidos para português, não era muito grande. A escolha acabou por recair neste livro.
Fiquei agradavelmente surpreendida com a escrita do autor.
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co... -
I'm very surprised that this has such a high average rating here on Goodreads, I remember it as very much in line with his others. It's been a while, so I may be off some, but I'm not going to read or re-read any of his books, because life's too short.
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I thoroughly enjoyed my first Sidney Sheldon novel whose storyline is gripping and with multifaceted characters. The incredible Detective Max Hornung who earned a special place in my heart. The control-obsessive, brilliant Hélène Roffe-Martell. Rhys Williams who shed off his old skin like a charm. Elizabeth Roffe who stood up to the task 👑 Great old Samuel Roffe and his determination. Go on.
However, the 👏 ending 👏 (hand-clapping for Black girl emphasis for rage, disappointment, excitement etc) felt a bit rushed.
I agreed with the sentiments below.
Nina wrote: "Yes, it did solve the mysteries but it just fell flat. The author has created such vivid characters that one would think they would each be given endings befitting their flamboyance. " Geby wrote: "The villain is portrayed as one without the ruthlessness and financial means and cunning required to pull such a coup...and too many unresolved loose plots and lacks closure. " -
Outstanding!!
This book grab you from the very beginning to the last page! from the beginning in my suspect list there were only 2 person and one would be the main culprit from them I knew for sure. but I couldn't conclude which one it could be until the last page.
though I felt some hurry in the end and expected some more explanation, it was absolutely a thriller full of suspense, tension, romance and MYSTERY.
Sheldon is a boss writer. He is THE MASTER STORYTELLER! -
So, so good. It's a one day read, if you want to spend around 5 hours reading. ;] I did. I loved it. I didn't want to put it down. EVER. :] It was really had to figure out who did it. You literally don't know for sure until the very end. Every single person has a motive. I'm so glad Mother recommended it!
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4,5*
Li este livro há uns 20 ou 25 anos, tal como toda a obra de Sidney Sheldon. Adorei de tal forma que se me perguntassem quem era o meu autor favorito, diria o nome dele sem pensar 2 vezes.
Andava com vontade de reler, mas até tinha medo de me desiludir.. Mas tal não se verificou, era um escritor fabuloso, manteve-me sempre agarrada, super intrigada.
Adorei.. De novo 😊 -
Review to follow
