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Book Review By Katrina Lo
After Innocence by Brenda Joyce

Sofie becomes an outcast after getting a limp from a childhood accident. Her mother protects her but it's more of hiding her because of shame. Sofie takes refuge in her art and painting. Sofie's passion has suddenly woken up when she spied on Edward Delanza and his mistress making love at the beach one afternoon. She is shocked by Edward's attitude who seems to have no morale when he continues the act when apparently he has seen Sofie watching him and his mistress. After the incident in the beach, Edward is intrigued with Sofie and he seeks her out not disgusted with her limp. Sofie's mother stops the friendship between Sofie and Edward believing that Edward is just toying with her. She sends Sofie to New York but Edward follows her there. He becomes her friend and her patron – encouraging her to sell her art pieces. He even poses for her and he has been the subject on most of her marvelous masterpieces. Sofie is falling in love with Edward and the attraction between them is strong. When a storm has stranded them together in an inn, they can't help but act on their passion. Edward is suddenly remorseful that they made love. He fears that he might have gotten her pregnant so he proposes marriage to her. Sofie is outraged that unwanted pregnancy is the motivation of Edward's proposal. She breaks off with him and her mother is more than pleased to bar Edward from seeing her. Sofie finds herself pregnant weeks later and her mother sends her to Paris to fulfill her dream of painting and studying art there and to bear the child there. Edward misses Sofie and he is miserable when he finds her gone. He has just realized that he loves Sofie and if he is too marry a woman, Sofie would be his choice. Sofie blooms in the art world of Paris. She is among peers who don't care if she limps or has a child. Edward follows Sofie to Paris when he finds out that she has born his child there. Upon arriving there Sofie is indifferent to his presence which outraged him. He tells her that she's to marry him since they have a child together. Sofie is afraid of what Edward will do with her child so she escapes him and travels back to New York. In New York however her mother turns her away, not wanting her to cause her scandal. Sofie is forced to live on her own until Edward finds her again. Edward is confused why Sofie feels miserable when she's around him and why she still refuses his offer of marriage. Until he tells her the words that she needs to hear from him, Edward stands no chance of winning her heart back.   


Plot & Themes
Time/era of story
Difficult/unusual lover? Yes
How difficult?
If one lover chases another... - he chases after her
Children/Pregnancy Yes
Children/Pregnancy: - Get accidently pregnant

Main Male Character
Profession/status:
Age/status: - 20's-30's

Main Female Character - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Unusual characteristics:

Setting
United States Yes
Europe Yes
European country: - France
City? Yes
City: - New York

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
What % of story is romance related? - 90%
Focus of story - Her
How much dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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