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Paroled!
Paroled! by Paula Detmer Riggs AN INNOCENT MAN Paroled ex-con Tyler McClane didn't want revenge. He didn't even have enough heart left to hate Caitlin Fielding, the beautiful woman who'd made his name synonymous with evil and helped convict him of an unspeakable crime that he hadn't committed. What little emotion Tyler had left was for a traumatized little girl--his motherless daughter, who Caitlin had adopted while he'd rotted in jail... . Caitlin knew Tyler would never forget what she'd unintentionally done to him, and the past wouldn't be easily put to rest. Once a handsome, brilliant surgeon, Tyler was now hardened and cynical, a man who thought he had nothing to offer. But Caitlin and young Kelsey needed him desperately . . . and to forge a family, they would need not only his forgiveness, but also his love.
- GenresContemporary Romance
Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
19 people want to read
About the author
Paula Detmer Riggs
57 books16 followersPaula Detmer Riggs was born in 1944 and earned a BS from the Miami University in 1965. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and Novelists Inc.. She's worked professionally as a ember of the writing faculty of San Diego State University, Long Beach State University, and Irvine State University. Paula Detmer Riggs has written for Silhouette Desire and Silhouette Intimate Moments.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 27, 2011
Loved the book!
The premise is highly unusual, and definitely controversial.
Tyler and Cait were really good friends, slowly inching toward something deeper, when Tyler made a mistake and slept with Cait’s sister Crystal. Maybe it would’ve ended that way if Crystal didn’t get pregnant. He did the right thing and married her. But when they were divorcing, Crystal (a first class bitch) convinced their daughter, Kelsey, to lie to the court and say that her father abused her. Tyler is convicted.
2 years later, Crystal is dead, and Cait is Kelsey’s mother in every way. And then Kelsey admits that she lied. That’s where the book starts.
Cait is eaten by guilt for not noticing that Kelsey lied. After all, she is a psychologist. Even worse is the fact that she had always loved Tyler, and couldn't stop thinking about him. She taught herself to hate him, convinced that he’s a pedophile. But now, when she know that he’s innocent, all those feelings come rushing back.
Tyler is a bitter man. He was betrayed by his wife, but the worst thing is that Cait actually believed him capable of something so evil. He hardened after 2 years of prison. He lost everything that mattered to him. His daughter, his practice (he was a pediatrician) and Cait, the only woman he ever loved.
It was heartbreaking, reading this book. Tyler’s struggle to stay away from the people he loves, his desire to prove that he’s innocent, to protect Cait and Kelsey.
Rating:
5 stars.
The premise is highly unusual, and definitely controversial.
Tyler and Cait were really good friends, slowly inching toward something deeper, when Tyler made a mistake and slept with Cait’s sister Crystal. Maybe it would’ve ended that way if Crystal didn’t get pregnant. He did the right thing and married her. But when they were divorcing, Crystal (a first class bitch) convinced their daughter, Kelsey, to lie to the court and say that her father abused her. Tyler is convicted.
2 years later, Crystal is dead, and Cait is Kelsey’s mother in every way. And then Kelsey admits that she lied. That’s where the book starts.
Cait is eaten by guilt for not noticing that Kelsey lied. After all, she is a psychologist. Even worse is the fact that she had always loved Tyler, and couldn't stop thinking about him. She taught herself to hate him, convinced that he’s a pedophile. But now, when she know that he’s innocent, all those feelings come rushing back.
Tyler is a bitter man. He was betrayed by his wife, but the worst thing is that Cait actually believed him capable of something so evil. He hardened after 2 years of prison. He lost everything that mattered to him. His daughter, his practice (he was a pediatrician) and Cait, the only woman he ever loved.
It was heartbreaking, reading this book. Tyler’s struggle to stay away from the people he loves, his desire to prove that he’s innocent, to protect Cait and Kelsey.
Rating:
5 stars.
June 26, 2011
Paroled was not a easy book to read, it's about a father being falsely accused and jailed for molesting his daughter, led by his ex-wife and his own daughter, his dignity, his freedom, his medical license being taken away. I could not comprehend how Tyler could forgive everyone or anyone.
When the book opens Caitlin is comforting her sister's daughter Kelsey, now her's since she adopted her. Kelsey admits that she did something terrible, she lied on her mother's behest about her father. Cait is shattered, as she was the one who went to the cops and stood on the stand that condemned him. She doesn't know what to do, her first concern is Kelsey, so she puts her in therapy and then Tyler, she wants him to tell his daughter he doesn't hate her.
Cait and Tyler have a history, there were friends and worked together and Cait felt more for him but then came her spoilt sister who had to have everything Cait wanted and she caught Tyler in one moment of weakness, he told her to leave later and then he found out she was pregnant. She trapped him and told him to marry him or she will abort the child. Cait's sister Crystal was such a hateful person, through the book we see how she poisoned her daughter's mind. Cait on her part also feels guilty since she is a trained psychologist and she should have known the truth and believed Tyler.
She tracks down Tyler, who has been paroled. At first I literally wanted Tyler to show the door to Cait instead of saving her from a drunk or even absolving her. She is so prissy and upright at first, not thinking about what she cost him. She made the man sign away the rights to his daughter. I never felt Cait apologized sufficiently to Tyler, she held all the cards, his daughter, allowing him visitation everything. I never got it why Tyler got involved with her. I instead applauded his lawyer and friend when he told him that stay away from Cait and his daughter.
Tyler was at best an absent father and that allowed his ex to use his daughter against him. He was a great man, despite everything he tried to protect his daughter, even when it came to testifying on his behalf. Cait did something good in the end when she told Kelsey that the fault lay with her mother and took her to testify and deal with what she had done. Poor Kelsey as well, she was only five when her own mother used her as a pawn. This was not a easy read as I said before.
Rating 3.5
When the book opens Caitlin is comforting her sister's daughter Kelsey, now her's since she adopted her. Kelsey admits that she did something terrible, she lied on her mother's behest about her father. Cait is shattered, as she was the one who went to the cops and stood on the stand that condemned him. She doesn't know what to do, her first concern is Kelsey, so she puts her in therapy and then Tyler, she wants him to tell his daughter he doesn't hate her.
Cait and Tyler have a history, there were friends and worked together and Cait felt more for him but then came her spoilt sister who had to have everything Cait wanted and she caught Tyler in one moment of weakness, he told her to leave later and then he found out she was pregnant. She trapped him and told him to marry him or she will abort the child. Cait's sister Crystal was such a hateful person, through the book we see how she poisoned her daughter's mind. Cait on her part also feels guilty since she is a trained psychologist and she should have known the truth and believed Tyler.
She tracks down Tyler, who has been paroled. At first I literally wanted Tyler to show the door to Cait instead of saving her from a drunk or even absolving her. She is so prissy and upright at first, not thinking about what she cost him. She made the man sign away the rights to his daughter. I never felt Cait apologized sufficiently to Tyler, she held all the cards, his daughter, allowing him visitation everything. I never got it why Tyler got involved with her. I instead applauded his lawyer and friend when he told him that stay away from Cait and his daughter.
Tyler was at best an absent father and that allowed his ex to use his daughter against him. He was a great man, despite everything he tried to protect his daughter, even when it came to testifying on his behalf. Cait did something good in the end when she told Kelsey that the fault lay with her mother and took her to testify and deal with what she had done. Poor Kelsey as well, she was only five when her own mother used her as a pawn. This was not a easy read as I said before.
Rating 3.5
April 29, 2011
The theme was really hard. A man accused of being the molester of his own child, it's hard. The book was not so bad but a bit short and it left me a bit disappointed. The theme deserved more insides.
January 20, 2013
For a Harlequin novel written in '92 this is a surprisingly good, non-dated and inoffensive tale of second chances and overcoming the past.
Hero Tyler, an ambitious pediatrician, and heroine Cait, a child psychiatrist, have met ten years ago, became best friends despite both of their guardedness and soon developed strong feelings for each other. But then she introduced him to her vivacious, selfish and beautiful sister with whom he slept one time in a stupid lapse of judgement. Of course she got pregnant, they married and Cait's heart was broken.
Now he has been released from a three year prison sentence after being falsely accused of molesting his own daughter by his vindictive wife who pressured the confused child into giving false testimony against her mostly absentee father. During his stay in prison his wife had died, giving Cait full custody of her niece. Wrecked by guilt the child finally comes forward to Cait, telling the truth to the shocked heroine who should have felt even more devastated than depicted because at the trial she took her sister's and niece's side, not believing in Tyler's innocence and even playing a vital role in his conviction.
Tyler is a great protagonist - self-contained, quiet and intense even as a young man these traits have only deepened in prison leaving him seemingly cold and detached, surrounded by sheer insurmountable walls. At the same time he is heartbreakingly vulnerable, craving a life with his daughter and the women he has always wanted with quiet intensity. Despite all his hurt he actually talks with the heroine about what is going on inside of him, always holding onto the last threads of dignity he has left.
Cait too is not so bad - intelligent, strong, acting rationally, urging him to start living again, fighting for his rehabilitation and never loosing all of her good sense only because the man she is attracted to (and quickly comes to love again) is in her vicinity.
There is nothing of the usual crap of a domineering male (albeit he is a strong character), the bedroom scenes are actually quite good and even a bit different (the hero is - unheard of - even allowed to show a bit of insecurity and the heroine is not just a passive player), the child is not a precocious caricature and the secondary characters are well rounded. It is however relatively heavy on the tear jerking saccharine at times but with all the good things going on that didn't bother me all that much.
Hero Tyler, an ambitious pediatrician, and heroine Cait, a child psychiatrist, have met ten years ago, became best friends despite both of their guardedness and soon developed strong feelings for each other. But then she introduced him to her vivacious, selfish and beautiful sister with whom he slept one time in a stupid lapse of judgement. Of course she got pregnant, they married and Cait's heart was broken.
Now he has been released from a three year prison sentence after being falsely accused of molesting his own daughter by his vindictive wife who pressured the confused child into giving false testimony against her mostly absentee father. During his stay in prison his wife had died, giving Cait full custody of her niece. Wrecked by guilt the child finally comes forward to Cait, telling the truth to the shocked heroine who should have felt even more devastated than depicted because at the trial she took her sister's and niece's side, not believing in Tyler's innocence and even playing a vital role in his conviction.
Tyler is a great protagonist - self-contained, quiet and intense even as a young man these traits have only deepened in prison leaving him seemingly cold and detached, surrounded by sheer insurmountable walls. At the same time he is heartbreakingly vulnerable, craving a life with his daughter and the women he has always wanted with quiet intensity. Despite all his hurt he actually talks with the heroine about what is going on inside of him, always holding onto the last threads of dignity he has left.
Cait too is not so bad - intelligent, strong, acting rationally, urging him to start living again, fighting for his rehabilitation and never loosing all of her good sense only because the man she is attracted to (and quickly comes to love again) is in her vicinity.
There is nothing of the usual crap of a domineering male (albeit he is a strong character), the bedroom scenes are actually quite good and even a bit different (the hero is - unheard of - even allowed to show a bit of insecurity and the heroine is not just a passive player), the child is not a precocious caricature and the secondary characters are well rounded. It is however relatively heavy on the tear jerking saccharine at times but with all the good things going on that didn't bother me all that much.
July 30, 2018
This is the second time I have read this. The first was years ago when it first came out. I've gotten bored with all the new books out today with authors who seem to feel unless there are multiple explicit sex scenes no one will read it. It's comforting to know that the older Harlequin & Silhouette books have stood the test of time and remind me why I love to read. Don't get me wrong I love many of the new authors I am obsessed with, but sometimes less is more and old friends are the best. If you haven't visited these types of books in a long time, revisit and reunite with old friends.
April 17, 2020
I read this book many years ago and I agree that it isn't your everyday, light-hearted fluff romance, but THIS is actually what I love about this book. These characters are hard to leave behind--as a matter of fact, I think of them occasionally, sort of like one does old friends. In the nineties I was an avid Paula Detmer Riggs reader, never missing a new release because I KNEW that I was getting a substantial story, filled with tension and a satisfying love story. Now, years later, I am revisiting some of these old friends and I find that I am appreciating them even more--Perhaps it is a result of my life experiences, but I am looking at these older romances through new eyes, making me react to these stories with a new depth of feeling. Paula Detmer Riggs' books are not books to be easily forgotten. LOOSE ENDS is another of hers that I read at least once a year. Ahhh!
April 18, 2022
DNF. Marking a neutral 3 stars because it’s not fair to rate it properly without having read more than 10 pages.
Heartbreaking and intensely infuriating concept made extra difficult because there’s no true way to undo what was done to the poor guy and his little daughter by the awful deceased wife.
Heartbreaking and intensely infuriating concept made extra difficult because there’s no true way to undo what was done to the poor guy and his little daughter by the awful deceased wife.
April 14, 2019
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews