Tag: Harlequin Presents

Throwback Thursday Review: The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain by Lucy Monroe

Posted June 13, 2019 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain by Lucy MonroeReviewer: Holly
The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain by Lucy Monroe
Series: Royal Brides #5
Also in this series: Hired: The Sheikh's Secretary Mistress
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Publication Date: July 1, 2006
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 184
Add It: Goodreads
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Series Rating: three-stars

Principe Claudio Scorsolini's future wife must make a suitable figurehead for his people and provide him with an heir. Claudio's convenient union with Therese is hailed a success: his subjects have fallen in love with her and she's performed her duties in the bedroom -- to Claudio's immense satisfaction.However, Therese has secretly fallen in love with her husband. How can their marriage survive when she knows she can never give Claudio a child?

*** Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy! ***

This review was originally posted on June 3, 2008.

The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain is the final book in Lucy Monroe‘s Royal Brides Trilogy from Harlequin Presents.

I’m very happy to report that Lucy Monroe didn’t disappoint at all with this novel.
Throughout the other books, we caught glimpses of Therese and Claudio and we knew something was amiss with Therese, and I for one, had a hard time waiting to find out what it was. Much as it pains me to admit it, however, it was worth the wait.

Princess Therese Scorsolini knows her husband, Prince Claudio – heir to the throne -, married her for convenience and the heirs she could produce for him. She hadn’t harbored any delusions about her husband’s feelings towards her, and that was why, when she found out she had a disease that was causing her to become infertile, she knew she’d have no choice but to offer him a divorce.

Prince Claudio knows nothing of his wife’s health problems, but he has noticed her change in behavior and has made his own assumptions based on them. Terribly wrong assumptions. When Therese explains that they must divorce, he doesn’t give her a chance to explain why, simply reacts, assuming he already knows the reason, that she’s found someone else. He’s pissed about it, of course, and says some things to her that later come back to haunt him, but he swears his anger is justified.

Of course, eventually he learns the real reason she’s asking for a divorce and besides having a lot of making up to do, he also has his work cut out for him convincing Therese that a divorce isn’t the way to go.

This was a sweet and – for me, at least – a very emotional read. LM is amazing at taking real life issues and bringing them to life in a very positive way. All women face different issues, whether they be physical or emotional and I think LM does a fabulous job of addressing them, without making me feel preached to.

I loved Therese, and I felt that her reasons for insisting on the divorce insecurities were totally valid. She stood her ground, too, when Claudio finally came to his senses and didn’t cow to him. I love that.

Claudio was an awesome hero, too. I love how amazing Lucy is at making me hate a hero and then fall in love with him. He said and did some things when Therese first asked for a divorce that made me so angry I wanted to beat him, but once he realized his mistakes he did everything he could to make up for his earlier stupid actions and make the heroine realize how much he truly cared for her.

I loved the entire premise of the story. The characters were wonderful, the storyline amazing and I didn’t even mind the shortness of the story. LM did an amazing job of wrapping this trilogy up. The only thing I disliked about this book was that it ended. LOL I can’t wait to see what LM has in store for us next!

This book is available from Harlequin Presents. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Royal Brides

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Lightning Review: The Billionaire’s Pregnant Mistress by Lucy Monroe

Posted January 5, 2018 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Lightning Review: The Billionaire’s Pregnant Mistress by Lucy MonroeReviewer: Holly
The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress (Petronides Brothers Duo #1; Greek Tycoons #4) by Lucy Monroe
Series: Petronides Brothers Duo #1, Greek Tycoons #4
Also in this series: The Markonos Bride
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Publication Date: December 2004
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 184
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars

When Greek billionaire Dimitri Petronides is forced to give up Xandra Fortune, his beautiful mistress, he's certain she won't be too distraught. For all the intense passion they've shared she's never let him into her heart, and such a commitment-shy woman could never be his wife...

But after their split, Dimitri discovers that Xandra Fortune is not who he thought she was - and she is also pregnant with his child. Now he has to track her down and claim his mistress as his wife!

*Disclaimer: This review was written ages ago. I was doing some routine maintenance and found it hidden in a folder. I don’t know how I’d feel if I read this book now.

Dimitri was an awesome hero. Seemingly cold and unfeeling, he had the perfect constitution for a tortured hero..which he was. Though I was EXTREMELY angry at him for his mistreatment of the heroine early in the book, LM is wonderful at turning characters around and making me love them…despite their idiotic actions.

I loved that Xandra didn’t just fall at his feet, either. She really stuck to her guns and refused to be cowed by him. I love that in a heroine.

Overall it was a great read. I liked the interaction between the h/h and I loved watching the story play out. I love it when a story gets me tied up emotionally, as this one did.

Petronides Brothers Duo

3.75 out of 5

three-half-stars

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Review: The Forbidden Temptation by Anne Mather

Posted April 19, 2016 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: The Forbidden Temptation by Anne MatherReviewer: Rowena
A Forbidden Temptation by Anne Mather
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Publication Date: March 1st 2016
Pages: 192
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
one-star

An unwanted desire…

With the death of his wife still raw, Jack Connolly's mood is dark and dangerous. He's not looking for a woman, until he meets buttoned-up but beautiful Grace Spencer, who stirs his senses back to life. Yet Jack cannot act on his feelings, as Grace belongs to another!

An impossible affair…

Trapped in a fake relationship to safeguard her family, Grace knows crossing the line with Jack would risk everything she holds dear. Beneath the hunger she sees in Jack's eyes is the promise of something more…but is it enough for her to surrender to a taste of the forbidden?

Jack Connolly is living in England these days. His wife died in a car accident and it’s been two years of…talking to her ghost. He’s rebuilding a house in England and using the time and money he inherited from his late grandmother to fix his house up. He’s doing the work himself and he’s sailing around in his boat. His sister in law Deb keeps calling to check up on him and wondering when he’s coming back to his homeland of Ireland.

The thing is, he’s not returning.

When he meets Grace Spencer, attraction stirs within him. It’s been a long time since his interest has been caught but every time he sees Grace, the attraction grows and her having a boyfriend already hasn’t done away with the burning desire he has for her.

Grace does not have a boyfriend. The guy that she used to date is still known as her boyfriend because her father invested a lot of money in that guy’s website and it didn’t pan out so that boyfriend lost her father’s money and she’s keeping him around to ensure that he pays her father back. She doesn’t even like the guy so she’s suffering in silence because her mother has cancer and her parents have enough to worry about. They shouldn’t have to worry about the shit she brought to the family.

When she meets Jack, she thinks he’s a friend of her “boyfriend” so she’s not keen on meeting him or having anything to do with him. It doesn’t matter that he’s hot as shit. She can’t touch so she’s not…thing is, she wants him and that doesn’t go away.

I want to say that there was some part of this book that I liked but I can’t. I thought Jack was an okay hero, Grace got on my nerves in the beginning and I never warmed up to her even after finishing the book. I almost DNF’d this book three different times but pushed through to see if it got any better. The book was slow from beginning to end and it was such a short book. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Grade: 1 out of 5

one-star

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Blog Tour: A Q&A with Anne Mather

Posted March 23, 2016 by Rowena in Promotions | 3 Comments

AForbiddenTemptationbyAnneMather
The Forbidden Temptation by Anne Mather
Released on February 23, 2016 by Harlequin Presents

Order the Book

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | KOBO

An unwanted desire…

With the death of his wife still raw, Jack Connolly’s mood is dark and dangerous. He’s not looking for a woman, until he meets buttoned-up but beautiful Grace Spencer, who stirs his senses back to life. Yet Jack cannot act on his feelings, as Grace belongs to another!

An impossible affair…

Trapped in a fake relationship to safeguard her family, Grace knows crossing the line with Jack would risk everything she holds dear. Beneath the hunger she sees in Jack’s eyes is the promise of something more…but is it enough for her to surrender to a taste of the forbidden?

Anne Mather is here today with a quick Q&A to promote her book The Forbidden Temptation. Check it out!

Q&A with Anne Mather – A Forbidden Temptation

1) What’s your favorite love story? Fiction or non-fiction. I have dozens of favourite love stories, but GREEN DARKNESS and KATHERINE by Anya Seton are high on my list.

2) Is anything in A Forbidden Temptation based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? No, A FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION is not based on any real life experiences, but I can say that the Northumbrian Coast is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the UK and incidentally, I do believe in ghosts.

3) You get a brilliant phrase/idea/thought at an inappropriate time (while driving, drifting off to sleep/in the shower). What do you do? I always make a note of any ideas I have, and in consequence I have a notebook full of them!

4) What’s your favorite line from any movie? I love the film, DIRTY DANCING, and there are many lines from that script I could nominate, not least the most famous ‘nobody puts Baby in the corner.’

5) If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be? The only slogan for life I believe is Charles Darwin’s ‘IT IS NOT THE STRONGEST OF THE SPECIES THAT SURVIVES, NOR THE MOST INTELLIGENT, BUT THE ONE MOST RESPONSIVE TO CHANGE’.

6) If you could live anywhere on this planet, and take everything that you love with you, where would you choose to live? Tell us about your choice. I love where I live now, and although I enjoy travelling and seeing different places, I wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else.

7) What was your favorite scene to write in A Forbidden Temptation? Why? I think one of my favourite scenes was when Sean was confronted by Lisa’s ghost. I really wanted Sean to meet his match.

8) What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive? I don’t remember having to learn to write. I started scribbling in exercise books as soon as I could write and my stories grew as I did. There’s nothing destructive about writing. It’s the best job in the world.

9) What are five words that describe your writing process? Time, time, discipline, discipline, satisfaction.

10) What are you working on now? What is your next project? I’m in the process of writing my next book for Harlequin Presents. I’m also working on an ebook, SILENT ECHO, that is coming out with Kindle later this year.

About the Author

Anne Mather

Anne Mather is the pseudonym used by Mildred Grieveson, a popular British author of over 160 romance novels. She also signed novels as Caroline Fleming and Cardine Fleming. Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years.

Mildred Grieveson was born on October 10, 1946 in England. She had writtenall through her infant and junior years and on into her teens, the storieschanging from children’s adventures to torrid gypsy passions. Her motherused to gather these up from time to time, when her bedroom became toountidy, and dispose of them!

Mildred has always wanted to write – which is not to say she has alwayswanted to be a professional writer. One the contrary, for years She wroteonly for her own pleasure, and it wasn’t until her husband suggested thatShe ought to send one of her stories to a publisher that they put severalpublishers names into a hat and pulled one out. The trouble was, She neverused to finish any of the stories, and Caroline, her first published book as Anne Mather, was the first book she’d actually completed. She was newlymarried then, and her daughter was just a baby, and it was quite a jobjuggling her household chores and scribbling away in exercise books everychance She got. Not very professional, as you can see, but that’s the way itwas. The rest as they say in history. And now, more than 160 books later,She’s literally – excuse the pun – staggered by what happened. She alsopublished books as Caroline Fleming or Cardine Fleming. Her Anne Mather’snovel, Leopard in the Snow, was developed into a 1978 movie.

Mildred now has two grown-up children, a son and daughter, and two adorablegrandchildren, Abigail and Ben.

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Guest Review: Playing by the Greek’s Rules by Sarah Morgan

Posted August 10, 2015 by Jen in Reviews | 0 Comments

Playing by the Greek's Rules by Sarah Morgan
Jen’s review of Playing by the Greek’s Rules by Sarah Morgan.

It’s time to throw away the rule book… 

Idealistic archaeologist Lily Rose craves a fairy-tale love, but in her experience it always ends in heartbreak. So now Lily’s trying a different approach—a fling with her boss, infamous Greek playboy Nik Zervakis! 

Anti-love and anti-family, Nik lives by his own set of rules. There’s no one better to teach Lily how to separate sizzling sex from deep emotions! But while Nik has the world at his feet, he also has dark shadows in his heart… 

It starts as a sensual game, but can Lily stick to Nik’s rules? And what’s more, can he?

While I would not call myself a dedicated Harlequin Presents fan because the formula doesn’t often hold my interest, I read them occasionally, and I always read the ones Sarah Morgan writes. (Frankly, I’d probably be happy to read Morgan’s grocery list!) She has a way of writing heroines that seem fully realized while still working in the very prescribed HP framework. This book was no exception.

Lily Rose is an archeologist working on a dig in Greece. (She also has a business internship and cleans houses on the side. I don’t know where she finds time for it all, but just go with it.) After dumping her a-hole boyfriend, she realizes she is too trusting and emotionally invested in relationships. She decides she needs to work on self-preservation and separating sex and love. After a serious I Love Lucy type moment while on a house cleaning job, Lily ends up attending a function as the date of the wealthy Nik Zervakis, who has a reputation for never letting his emotions get involved in anything. Much to Nik’s own surprise, he finds himself wanting more than one night with Lily, and he invites her along to a difficult family event. Can Lily and Nik both follow the rules of no emotional attachments? I bet you know the answer!

Lily is an adorable heroine. She is a fundamentally optimistic person, despite having a difficult life. She’s not stupid or naive–she just makes the choice to look for the good in life, even though she knows it’s not always wonderful. She tends to blurt out whatever she’s thinking in a way that’s funny and heartwarming. It’s clear she says things to Nik that no one has ever said before, and at first he is equal parts horrified and enthralled by her. Seeing his confusion and curiosity at the stuff that came out of her mouth was hilarious. Nik lovingly calls her “marshmallow-coated sunshine,” and normally that would mean saccharine, but the fact that Nik is so enchanted and enriched by the light she brings to his life makes her seem sweet but grounded. Even better, she isn’t just some weak-willed damsel that Nik steamrolls. She pursues him at the beginning and is definitely the most sexually forward heroine I’ve seen in an HP. My favorite scene is after they first have sex. Nik is in the shower worrying about how he can ditch the clingy female who is obviously going to insist on a relationship now. When he gets distracted by a phone call, Lily just ghosts! I loved it. Nik is completely, utterly flabbergasted that HE was the one left behind, and of course he is a goner at that point because he can’t let her go.

I also felt like Nik was a little more complex than your average HP hero. Yes, he’s brooding and cold, but he actually has some valid reasons for his reluctance to get emotionally involved with anyone. While his dad isn’t exactly finely drawn, we get more details about him than you usually do with side characters in HP books. Another first (for me) in an HP: we get a strong female friendship in the form of Brittany, who is the heroine in the second book of Morgan’s new Puffin Island series. I loved me some Brittany, and I will definitely be checking out her book!

This book is the perfect example of why I love Sarah Morgan. Based on the premise and characters, it ought to sound exactly like every other Cinderella-type HP story, but Morgan manages to transcend the cliches and create a story that, while not revolutionary, still feels fresh. I suppose if you read HPs because you don’t want them to ever deviate from the standard formula you may be disappointed in this book, but I personally like the boundary pushing and thoroughly enjoyed these characters.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Harlequin Presents. You can purchase it here or here in e-format.

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