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Impossible Boss
Tammy Dainton hadn't come all the way out to the Australian outback to be bullied and pushed around by that detestable, impossible man, Rick Hatton--even if many other girls would have jumped at the opportunity. But Rick Hatton held all the cards, and it looked as though Tammy would just have to put up with him. . .
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 25, 2025
This is one of the most apt titles in all of Harlequin. Hero is the big boss, and he is indeed impossible.
The cover also sums up the story. Look at the beautiful heroine enthralled by that leisure-suited hero. He's impossible. But the heroine is in looooove.
So what's this about? Heroine is an English Rose transplanted to the Australian Outback because her import/export boyfriend was too controlling. (Irony alert) The secretarial agency sent her to the wrong station and the hero, after taking one look, was insufferably rude and sent her on her way.
Heroine was glad to go and when the mix up is straightened out, refuses to accept the hero's "apology."
This is all done in public and their next encounter is at the Almacks of the Outback where the hero singles her out for the first dance and then gives her "the cut direct" the rest of the night. With pseudo-Regency world building, Jane Corrie explains that the hero has marked her as his so no other man can approach her. And since he is ignoring her, the heroine is guaranteed to be isolated and will have a bad time.
Heroine recognizes the pettiness behind this action and vows to not let this get her down. Hero wants revenge and goes out of his way to make her life hell - yet he can't seem to quit her. This is the hero's courtship ritual and it's working because the heroine is falling in love.
There is another Regency-type scene where the hero takes the heroine on his rounds to visit his poor tenants and hand out gift cards or something . Anyway, it's designed to show the heroine what a big man he is. While the hero is chatting with the resident hermit, the heroine takes a thorn out of the paw of a vicious dog. Hero is white with fear for the heroine - but just says cruel things. He has the same reaction when he tries to get her on a horse and finds out she was trampled by a stallion when she was small.
Paging Dr. Freud. There is a lot to unpack in that last paragraph.
Ah, but the torture must end sometime and the catalyst is the controlling, handsome boyfriend who tracks down the heroine to bring her home. There is a mild confrontation, but I wanted whatever Outback equivalent there is to a duel with pistols at dawn, complete with seconds, a surgeon on call and a sailing passage booked to Europe. Alas, controlling boyfriend stands down. Hero confesses he was in love since the minute he saw her and all the rudeness just came tumbling out. Heroine is happy and now has joined this strange little corner of the world as the impossible boss's wife. I'm sure she'll preside over the Almacks of the Outback with aplomb.
Outback Checklist:
Is very short. Heroine hardly left the house or did anything but work or trail around with the hero.
Wear a hat
Outback Dances
Store located on the station
Gate opening and closing
The cover also sums up the story. Look at the beautiful heroine enthralled by that leisure-suited hero. He's impossible. But the heroine is in looooove.
So what's this about? Heroine is an English Rose transplanted to the Australian Outback because her import/export boyfriend was too controlling. (Irony alert) The secretarial agency sent her to the wrong station and the hero, after taking one look, was insufferably rude and sent her on her way.
Heroine was glad to go and when the mix up is straightened out, refuses to accept the hero's "apology."
This is all done in public and their next encounter is at the Almacks of the Outback where the hero singles her out for the first dance and then gives her "the cut direct" the rest of the night. With pseudo-Regency world building, Jane Corrie explains that the hero has marked her as his so no other man can approach her. And since he is ignoring her, the heroine is guaranteed to be isolated and will have a bad time.
Heroine recognizes the pettiness behind this action and vows to not let this get her down. Hero wants revenge and goes out of his way to make her life hell - yet he can't seem to quit her. This is the hero's courtship ritual and it's working because the heroine is falling in love.
There is another Regency-type scene where the hero takes the heroine on his rounds to visit his poor tenants and hand out gift cards or something . Anyway, it's designed to show the heroine what a big man he is. While the hero is chatting with the resident hermit, the heroine takes a thorn out of the paw of a vicious dog. Hero is white with fear for the heroine - but just says cruel things. He has the same reaction when he tries to get her on a horse and finds out she was trampled by a stallion when she was small.
Paging Dr. Freud. There is a lot to unpack in that last paragraph.
Ah, but the torture must end sometime and the catalyst is the controlling, handsome boyfriend who tracks down the heroine to bring her home. There is a mild confrontation, but I wanted whatever Outback equivalent there is to a duel with pistols at dawn, complete with seconds, a surgeon on call and a sailing passage booked to Europe. Alas, controlling boyfriend stands down. Hero confesses he was in love since the minute he saw her and all the rudeness just came tumbling out. Heroine is happy and now has joined this strange little corner of the world as the impossible boss's wife. I'm sure she'll preside over the Almacks of the Outback with aplomb.
Outback Checklist:
Is very short. Heroine hardly left the house or did anything but work or trail around with the hero.
Wear a hat
Outback Dances
Store located on the station
Gate opening and closing
January 24, 2018
I forgot I read this a few months back. It's either forgettable or I willed myself to forget. Hero was a big, fat, evil bully right up until the last chapter when the heroine was going to be seemingly rescued by a knight in shining armor OM, a better man than this two day old piece of turd hero will ever be.
Sadly, it seems the heroine is a glutton for punishment because she dumped the nice, good-looking, completely devoted OM in favor of her torturer and abuser. I guess his "apology" to her, consisting of his whiny little bitch voice complaining that whenever he hurt her, he actually hurt HIMSELF more, did the trick. *face palm*
Sadly, it seems the heroine is a glutton for punishment because she dumped the nice, good-looking, completely devoted OM in favor of her torturer and abuser. I guess his "apology" to her, consisting of his whiny little bitch voice complaining that whenever he hurt her, he actually hurt HIMSELF more, did the trick. *face palm*
October 5, 2012
3.5 stars
This one has a hero who's so uber controlling and old-skool, it's almost laughable. The guy owns the town and will make you paaaaay if he thinks you've slighted him. You don't mess with the "Big White Chief" as the heroine found out. It's not only what he does that leaves one's mouth agape, it's how the whole town revolves around this guy and what they feel are his rights. I hope there's not really a place on Earth like that.
Our uber-everything H gets a burr under his saddle because the h won't bow down to him and starts to make her life a living hell. She's strong and independent and because she won't submit and kiss his arse she keeps digging a bigger whole for herself. He also thinks the h is a gold digger, which makes him want to exact even greater revenge. There's something in the H's history that supposedly justifies his extreme behavior. Eh, maybe.
After loads of torture and during a punishing kiss, it's "Oh, I'm in love...damn!" LOL! Mmmm, maybe not, sugar. Probaby just feeling like a prisoner of war.
There's another man in the background who's handsome, super rich, and is totally devoted to her. But he's "too controlling" (SNORT!! The H makes this guy look like a kindergartener). And of course, the h just doesn't feel "that way" about him and doesn't want to marry him, despite his riches. However, he comes to rescue her so it's a battle of the control freaks. Who will she choose???
You know who wins in the end. And speaking of the end, it came pretty abruptly, with regard to the H's actions. The H starts getting in heavy with his old squeeze and is taking little get-aways with the OW right up until the big reveal. Huh? I also thought how the issue of OM was resolved wasn't too realistic. The OM and the h have this loooong history together that wasn't going to be put aside as easily as it was.
I would recommend this book to those who like their hero's very very controlling...painfully so. And can overlook a Stockholm Syndrome victim choosing to stay with her manwhore, controlling, captor instead of taking the path that would have lead to a much happier and fulfilling life ;D
This one has a hero who's so uber controlling and old-skool, it's almost laughable. The guy owns the town and will make you paaaaay if he thinks you've slighted him. You don't mess with the "Big White Chief" as the heroine found out. It's not only what he does that leaves one's mouth agape, it's how the whole town revolves around this guy and what they feel are his rights. I hope there's not really a place on Earth like that.
Our uber-everything H gets a burr under his saddle because the h won't bow down to him and starts to make her life a living hell. She's strong and independent and because she won't submit and kiss his arse she keeps digging a bigger whole for herself. He also thinks the h is a gold digger, which makes him want to exact even greater revenge. There's something in the H's history that supposedly justifies his extreme behavior. Eh, maybe.
After loads of torture and during a punishing kiss, it's "Oh, I'm in love...damn!" LOL! Mmmm, maybe not, sugar. Probaby just feeling like a prisoner of war.
There's another man in the background who's handsome, super rich, and is totally devoted to her. But he's "too controlling" (SNORT!! The H makes this guy look like a kindergartener). And of course, the h just doesn't feel "that way" about him and doesn't want to marry him, despite his riches. However, he comes to rescue her so it's a battle of the control freaks. Who will she choose???
You know who wins in the end. And speaking of the end, it came pretty abruptly, with regard to the H's actions. The H starts getting in heavy with his old squeeze and is taking little get-aways with the OW right up until the big reveal. Huh? I also thought how the issue of OM was resolved wasn't too realistic. The OM and the h have this loooong history together that wasn't going to be put aside as easily as it was.
I would recommend this book to those who like their hero's very very controlling...painfully so. And can overlook a Stockholm Syndrome victim choosing to stay with her manwhore, controlling, captor instead of taking the path that would have lead to a much happier and fulfilling life ;D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2018
OMG, this BOOK. The H is an amalgam of all old-school alpha heroes, and Jane Corrie swings for the fences with his behavior, and things get ridiculous quickly:
Still, despite all of the awful behavior, the H doesn't engage in a lot of the things that make me hate old school H's -- the things he says aren't toxic because they are so obviously a cover for his feelings; he doesn't and once he makes up his mind, he barrels forward with the same lack of subtlety he used to make her life miserable.
It's so preposterous that it's a comfort read for me, if that makes any sense.
Still, despite all of the awful behavior, the H doesn't engage in a lot of the things that make me hate old school H's -- the things he says aren't toxic because they are so obviously a cover for his feelings; he doesn't and once he makes up his mind, he barrels forward with the same lack of subtlety he used to make her life miserable.
It's so preposterous that it's a comfort read for me, if that makes any sense.
March 26, 2025
If only I knew what an utter delight this book was I wouldn’t have taken this long to read it. This is an old school gem of a Harley. The H is an utter bully, physically violent and a slave driver at best but I wouldn’t have him any other way :D So if that is unforgivable and you want a man to respect you and your opinion- Rick Hatton isn’t the man for you.
The h is a young sweet girl who’s travelled to Australia in search of work and a change in life. Her father , the only remaining family, has just died and all that leaves her is a wealthy acquaintance who has designs on her but she doesn’t feel the same way. She breaks away from him and sets foot in Aussie land
Day one of work lands her at the wrong address and she instantly hits it off on the wrong foot with the H. He throws her out and sends her packing. The h is embarrassed by such undeserved and unexpected crude behaviour but eventually finds herself at the right place.
Her employer is a kind gentleman and has a daughter the h’s age who keeps her company. All is well until she gets to know that the H at the first address basically runs the show that side of the town. So technically speaking he’s her boss whichever way she plans to run.
The H was wronged by someone close to him who was also British and looked like the h so it’s extreme vindictive hatred at first sight for the H and he’s out to get her. He humiliates her every walking moment and cuts off any tries she makes for an escape. Any man who even much as look towards her gets a rough showdown of who the h belongs to.
The H claims the h as his in his utterly hot tender moments but reminds her the next moment that she’s just another gold digger and she’d never lay a claim at his heart.
My last straw was thankfully the last scene before the H switched from his horrifying contemptuous treatment of the h. The h is afraid of riding horses and she’s forced to ride one thanks to the H but when she reaches for him in her panic attack he pushes her away, still not believing her.
My heart broke at this point and my head already hurt - thanks to the all nighter I pulled. I only wish the writer could’ve made him bend just a bit much more and extended with an epilogue .. and I’d have died. Best start to the new year. Highly recommend if you’re needing a real man to tame you.
Will add that the OM also seemed to be a good pick when he reconciles with the h end of the book. I’d have a hard time picking between them - a bit - cuz seemingly OM didnt have any negative traits which is so unusual to offer from a writer. He was also young and incredibly wealthy and utterly devoted to the h. But I guess the h got used to the harassing bullying ways of the H..
Also a shoutout to my other fave romance that this book reminded me of. Regency buck by georgette heyer. Incredible feels!
The h is a young sweet girl who’s travelled to Australia in search of work and a change in life. Her father , the only remaining family, has just died and all that leaves her is a wealthy acquaintance who has designs on her but she doesn’t feel the same way. She breaks away from him and sets foot in Aussie land
Day one of work lands her at the wrong address and she instantly hits it off on the wrong foot with the H. He throws her out and sends her packing. The h is embarrassed by such undeserved and unexpected crude behaviour but eventually finds herself at the right place.
Her employer is a kind gentleman and has a daughter the h’s age who keeps her company. All is well until she gets to know that the H at the first address basically runs the show that side of the town. So technically speaking he’s her boss whichever way she plans to run.
The H was wronged by someone close to him who was also British and looked like the h so it’s extreme vindictive hatred at first sight for the H and he’s out to get her. He humiliates her every walking moment and cuts off any tries she makes for an escape. Any man who even much as look towards her gets a rough showdown of who the h belongs to.
The H claims the h as his in his utterly hot tender moments but reminds her the next moment that she’s just another gold digger and she’d never lay a claim at his heart.
My last straw was thankfully the last scene before the H switched from his horrifying contemptuous treatment of the h. The h is afraid of riding horses and she’s forced to ride one thanks to the H but when she reaches for him in her panic attack he pushes her away, still not believing her.
My heart broke at this point and my head already hurt - thanks to the all nighter I pulled. I only wish the writer could’ve made him bend just a bit much more and extended with an epilogue .. and I’d have died. Best start to the new year. Highly recommend if you’re needing a real man to tame you.
Will add that the OM also seemed to be a good pick when he reconciles with the h end of the book. I’d have a hard time picking between them - a bit - cuz seemingly OM didnt have any negative traits which is so unusual to offer from a writer. He was also young and incredibly wealthy and utterly devoted to the h. But I guess the h got used to the harassing bullying ways of the H..
Also a shoutout to my other fave romance that this book reminded me of. Regency buck by georgette heyer. Incredible feels!
April 19, 2014
The hero Rick was an ass throughout the book. He made Tammy, the heroine's life miserable. But underneath all the nastiness, I could somehow sense the attraction Rick was fighting. His nastiness was totally out of character as it was emphasized over and over again by the other secondary characters.
What I could not understand was how Tammy fell in love with him? He was so nasty towards her. He never did anything to endear himself to her. If this is the old fashioned way of courting, I am pretty shocked!
But in spite of all the incongruities, I really enjoyed the story. I can't resist an alpha male, and Rick was an out an out alpha male.
The ending left me a little dissatisfied. I would have liked to know what made Tammy fall in love with Rick when he had treated her so nastily all throughout the book.
But if you like reading old fashioned vintage HPs with those dominating alpha males who are absolutely hateful, this one's a must. Just don't expect any grovelling.
What I could not understand was how Tammy fell in love with him? He was so nasty towards her. He never did anything to endear himself to her. If this is the old fashioned way of courting, I am pretty shocked!
But in spite of all the incongruities, I really enjoyed the story. I can't resist an alpha male, and Rick was an out an out alpha male.
The ending left me a little dissatisfied. I would have liked to know what made Tammy fall in love with Rick when he had treated her so nastily all throughout the book.
But if you like reading old fashioned vintage HPs with those dominating alpha males who are absolutely hateful, this one's a must. Just don't expect any grovelling.
July 2, 2021
Ultimate doormat heroine. I was hoping she would escape with the OM and make a new better life with him. The hero was totally cruel to her and for NO REASON AT ALL! What is it w these guys! Or rather it's the author's fault. I guess she had to portray him as an Alpha male and only knew how by making him act like an abusive psycho.
July 2, 2022
Perfect old-school romance ,it's you next to the window rain stroking your glass, u sipping the tea with a constant giggle kinda romance
November 17, 2022
Loved the crazy jp H and their angsty OTT toxic relationship. 😂
- no love scenes but still good nonetheless.
- no love scenes but still good nonetheless.
August 8, 2011
I had mixed feelings about this book. I usually like the love/hate relationship, especially if there is some amusing bickering. However in this book the H is mean, cold and is a bully ti the h. The h manages to put up some defense but the H has all the power and abuses it. The H is well liked by everyone else and only acts badly with the h. It turns out that he is punishing her because she reminds him of his step-mother who had ruined his father's life, but despite this he is attracted to the h.
I know this is fiction HP landia but it sometimes is hard to figure out why the h would fall in love with an H who is acting so hatefully.
I know this is fiction HP landia but it sometimes is hard to figure out why the h would fall in love with an H who is acting so hatefully.
May 26, 2020
Rick must be the worst hero (bully, asshat) ever but the cover was a pretty purple and I was about 14 when I read it. He grovels in the end.
April 2, 2025
3.5 stars - This was fun - a solid 4 star vintage harlequin - I was just disappointed in the ending.
November 10, 2014
The way this was written made it hard for me to sympathize with and/or get a feel for the main characters. I just couldn't get to know any of them enough to like them. Everything was rather vague. Also, I can't stand hEroes whose behavior comes off as so possessive and controlling it's actually abusive. He also blamed her for his sh*++y behavior. Really? Cowboy up, buddy! I also have no idea why the heroine fell in love with the hero. They never shared any positive, romantic, sigh-worthy moments. She just simply announced (through the author) that she was in love. Huh.
No redeeming qualities in this one. One star.
No redeeming qualities in this one. One star.
July 22, 2018
Glad this popped up in my newsfeed. Enjoyed every second of it. It was light, sweet and that cover says it all. The ending was too cute.
July 25, 2021
Stockholm syndrome??
August 29, 2022
I see a murder-suicide in their future. She should have left with the other man...
May 16, 2021
Vintage bossiness....for better reviews go to StMargarets, Margos, or Julz (I’m sure there are more, these just resonated with me and I can’t read everyone’s!)
The Hero is so very tired of all the ladies lining up to be his lover. The h shows up at his house for a job. He takes one look at her, makes assumptions, insults her and sends her on her way. Oops, she was at the wrong house. Hero finds out she will be working at one of the ranches (that unknown to her is also his) as an assistant/secretary. From here on out he pursues her( not because he likes her🙄) She keeps him at arms length(but is somehow falling in love) This goes on for most of the book...and I loved it.
The Hero is so very tired of all the ladies lining up to be his lover. The h shows up at his house for a job. He takes one look at her, makes assumptions, insults her and sends her on her way. Oops, she was at the wrong house. Hero finds out she will be working at one of the ranches (that unknown to her is also his) as an assistant/secretary. From here on out he pursues her( not because he likes her🙄) She keeps him at arms length(but is somehow falling in love) This goes on for most of the book...and I loved it.
April 21, 2014
Impossible it is! Samson and Delilah, a man and his achilles heel.
Rick was kind of god in his town, he met Tammy and fell head over heels. But he had a traumatized past, it didn't help that Tammy had the same color with someone from his past. Overall, a good read, rather cute I think.
Rick was kind of god in his town, he met Tammy and fell head over heels. But he had a traumatized past, it didn't help that Tammy had the same color with someone from his past. Overall, a good read, rather cute I think.
May 22, 2019
روابة دليلة من روايات عبير
December 26, 2025
4.4 stars. oh my goodness. this was v old school with a hero who was an absolute asshole and had no redeeming qualities other than the fact he was He treated her badly, eg and when he realised she was bruised afterwards, instead of the contrition we expected, he laughed at her because he beleive she deserved it and it was all part of whipping her into shape until she learned to obey him.
BUT if you love old school romances with an absolute asshole and all the angst the h must suffer, then you may well enjoy it and his behaviour at the end and admissio of the way he feels may be just your cup of tea. I enjoyed it and found it gratifying. lol.
h (23) is an English rose of thr dark haired and pansy eyed variety. after desth if her beloved veterinarian father, she is trying to escape having to marry a rich guy who desperately wants her and loves her. refreshingly, in this case, the guy is a young, handsome, capable, protective, extremely successman businessman, slightly controlling in a tasty dom way. but the problem is she doesn't love him. she fears she will marry him anyway unless she makes a bid for freedom. he agrees when she says she wants to go to australia for a while and even arranges it all for her. but in the place she sees his employee and realises he is planning to keep an eye on her and no doubt expects her to go crawling back. he's just giving her a supervised time out. determined to escape his oversight, she gets a job at some rural ranch as a secretary. only, she turns up at the wrong ranch, and the extremely arrogant owner thinks she is yet another female making a plot to throw herself at him. he is scathing and utterly rude to her. practically shoves her in a car to get her the he'll away from him.
his driver takes her away and realises that she isn't a conniving hussy and that she just turned up at the wrong ranch. he drives her over to the right one. luckily her new boss is a nice older man and she is relieved to be away from the arrogant asshole.
except he turns up at her new place that evening and makes a grudging pseudo apology, which she snappishly turns her back on. unfortunately, she doesn't know he is the local bigwig with the control and dominance of a king in these here parts, and he perceives her cold shoulder as an act of war.
SPOILERS AHEAD
at the local dance, he makes her dance with him first and everyone is agog. she is soon told that at every dance he picks his girl for the evening and dances with her all night and seats her at his high table with all the important table and every other man knows he has to keep his hands off. thus, by dancing with the h, he has declared her his for the evening. only, he ditches her immediately afterwards and goes off to dance with another girl. thus insulting her in front of the whole town. she knows he meant to humiliate her. she has no inte tiin of being humiliated and forced to be a wallflower all night, so she asks a new male friend to drive her home. only the H barges in and insists it is his privilege and takes her home himself, and then almost demands a kiss as another privilege, which she gives him, but which is v hard and demanding. afterwards he sneers that she can go any cry into her pillow now.
Anyway, the harder she tries to get away from him, the more he binds her closer, ruthlessly kicking out all her scape plans from beneath her. it turns out he was a bit traumatised as a kid when his mom abandoned him and his father, running off with another man, and his besotted dad slid into alcohol addiction that nearly destroyed them, leaving the teen boy to cope on his own and try to look after his dad. they weren't rich back them. the mom was an English woman who resembled the heroine. oh dear. he is punishing her for his own past.
he accuses her of trying to lure her only friend, a guy who is actually from a rich family. he thinks she is a golddigger. so he makes her come and work at his ranch under his constant watch. he has all the leverage as he owns newrly everything around, including the ranch she was working at.
when he accuses her of being a scheming gold digger out to catch a rich hubby, but warns that he likes his women tall and curvy and in his own social class, she retaliated by playing up to it and agreeing that she only wants to catch a rich hubby. he is furious.
ao anyway, he continues to punish her. at some point, despite it all, she falls for him. he has done nothing kind for her at this point, but she sees his kindness to others. her falling for him was a bit sudden for my liking as it was based on nothing solid, but I decided to roll with it. another woman is also introduced. a curvy beauty of his own social class, who everyone expects her will marry.
atnone point hus bad behavior and attempts to force her to obey him goes too far and she passes out. it shocks him into letting her go back to the other ranch and she wins a respite when he stays away from her for a while.
but when he sees her at the next dance, popular with lots of men for dance partners, he warns her she better not go home with any of them. a bust car means she does end up having to accept a lift from another guy, and the drunk guy accosts her, forcing his kisses on her, tearing her dress before realising he went to far. H is waiting for her when the guy drives her home and he's furious, accusing her of leading the other guy on...
at this point H goes away to Sydney with the OW and rumours fly he is going to meet her extended family and a marriage must be in the works. h is upset, but then realises that him being away for a week means she can finally escape.
but then the English guy who wants to marry her turns up. she persuades him to take her home to England. he is an alpha guy, v confident, and arranges this easily. except he wants to make a wine deal for his global winery business so needs to stay locally for a couple days longer and then he will take her home with him. for Ince, it's fab that the other guy is as hunky and appealing as the H. and he just happens to treat the h really well, taking her out for dates, noticing when she is upset, calling her darling and poppet. yummy. except it comes across a tad high handed because she still doesn't love him or want to marry him. she warns him she doesn't want to marry him. but he's just so happy that she was relieved to see him and thinks he can persuade her.
ENDIGN SPOILERS
then H comes home early and sees them being lovely dovey together and is quietly furious. the first chance that he gets her alone, he confesses that the OM isn't the only one who is so madly in love with the h that he can't see straight. he confesses his feelings and his regrets, but she won't beleive him. thinks its another ploy to torment her. he begs her to think about it overnight. I found all of this little confession of his extremely gratifying. he wasn't humble, but his words were v humbling. his confession that he lost his damn mind and heart against his own will the first moment he saw her was chefs kiss. I just love a H who fights his feelings hard, so this was yummy for me. it turns out he knows she has made a secret plot to leave with the OM in the morning and he asks her to choose him instead, to sleep on it.
in the morning It was a high handed ending but I kinda loved loved loved it.
CONCLUSION
I would reread this just for the sheer angst and the extremely possessive hero. it would have been 5 stars if the hero had shown remorse sooner when he accidentally physically hurt her. and also if he had done something to show a consideration of her and making her life better once in a while. plus we could see his injured heart needed her, but it would have been good to see him fulfill something kissing in her life except for the 'mad love' thing. but as a torrid angsty romance I loved it up. and I would definitely read more by this author.
BUT if you love old school romances with an absolute asshole and all the angst the h must suffer, then you may well enjoy it and his behaviour at the end and admissio of the way he feels may be just your cup of tea. I enjoyed it and found it gratifying. lol.
h (23) is an English rose of thr dark haired and pansy eyed variety. after desth if her beloved veterinarian father, she is trying to escape having to marry a rich guy who desperately wants her and loves her. refreshingly, in this case, the guy is a young, handsome, capable, protective, extremely successman businessman, slightly controlling in a tasty dom way. but the problem is she doesn't love him. she fears she will marry him anyway unless she makes a bid for freedom. he agrees when she says she wants to go to australia for a while and even arranges it all for her. but in the place she sees his employee and realises he is planning to keep an eye on her and no doubt expects her to go crawling back. he's just giving her a supervised time out. determined to escape his oversight, she gets a job at some rural ranch as a secretary. only, she turns up at the wrong ranch, and the extremely arrogant owner thinks she is yet another female making a plot to throw herself at him. he is scathing and utterly rude to her. practically shoves her in a car to get her the he'll away from him.
his driver takes her away and realises that she isn't a conniving hussy and that she just turned up at the wrong ranch. he drives her over to the right one. luckily her new boss is a nice older man and she is relieved to be away from the arrogant asshole.
except he turns up at her new place that evening and makes a grudging pseudo apology, which she snappishly turns her back on. unfortunately, she doesn't know he is the local bigwig with the control and dominance of a king in these here parts, and he perceives her cold shoulder as an act of war.
SPOILERS AHEAD
at the local dance, he makes her dance with him first and everyone is agog. she is soon told that at every dance he picks his girl for the evening and dances with her all night and seats her at his high table with all the important table and every other man knows he has to keep his hands off. thus, by dancing with the h, he has declared her his for the evening. only, he ditches her immediately afterwards and goes off to dance with another girl. thus insulting her in front of the whole town. she knows he meant to humiliate her. she has no inte tiin of being humiliated and forced to be a wallflower all night, so she asks a new male friend to drive her home. only the H barges in and insists it is his privilege and takes her home himself, and then almost demands a kiss as another privilege, which she gives him, but which is v hard and demanding. afterwards he sneers that she can go any cry into her pillow now.
Anyway, the harder she tries to get away from him, the more he binds her closer, ruthlessly kicking out all her scape plans from beneath her. it turns out he was a bit traumatised as a kid when his mom abandoned him and his father, running off with another man, and his besotted dad slid into alcohol addiction that nearly destroyed them, leaving the teen boy to cope on his own and try to look after his dad. they weren't rich back them. the mom was an English woman who resembled the heroine. oh dear. he is punishing her for his own past.
he accuses her of trying to lure her only friend, a guy who is actually from a rich family. he thinks she is a golddigger. so he makes her come and work at his ranch under his constant watch. he has all the leverage as he owns newrly everything around, including the ranch she was working at.
when he accuses her of being a scheming gold digger out to catch a rich hubby, but warns that he likes his women tall and curvy and in his own social class, she retaliated by playing up to it and agreeing that she only wants to catch a rich hubby. he is furious.
ao anyway, he continues to punish her. at some point, despite it all, she falls for him. he has done nothing kind for her at this point, but she sees his kindness to others. her falling for him was a bit sudden for my liking as it was based on nothing solid, but I decided to roll with it. another woman is also introduced. a curvy beauty of his own social class, who everyone expects her will marry.
atnone point hus bad behavior and attempts to force her to obey him goes too far and she passes out. it shocks him into letting her go back to the other ranch and she wins a respite when he stays away from her for a while.
but when he sees her at the next dance, popular with lots of men for dance partners, he warns her she better not go home with any of them. a bust car means she does end up having to accept a lift from another guy, and the drunk guy accosts her, forcing his kisses on her, tearing her dress before realising he went to far. H is waiting for her when the guy drives her home and he's furious, accusing her of leading the other guy on...
at this point H goes away to Sydney with the OW and rumours fly he is going to meet her extended family and a marriage must be in the works. h is upset, but then realises that him being away for a week means she can finally escape.
but then the English guy who wants to marry her turns up. she persuades him to take her home to England. he is an alpha guy, v confident, and arranges this easily. except he wants to make a wine deal for his global winery business so needs to stay locally for a couple days longer and then he will take her home with him. for Ince, it's fab that the other guy is as hunky and appealing as the H. and he just happens to treat the h really well, taking her out for dates, noticing when she is upset, calling her darling and poppet. yummy. except it comes across a tad high handed because she still doesn't love him or want to marry him. she warns him she doesn't want to marry him. but he's just so happy that she was relieved to see him and thinks he can persuade her.
ENDIGN SPOILERS
then H comes home early and sees them being lovely dovey together and is quietly furious. the first chance that he gets her alone, he confesses that the OM isn't the only one who is so madly in love with the h that he can't see straight. he confesses his feelings and his regrets, but she won't beleive him. thinks its another ploy to torment her. he begs her to think about it overnight. I found all of this little confession of his extremely gratifying. he wasn't humble, but his words were v humbling. his confession that he lost his damn mind and heart against his own will the first moment he saw her was chefs kiss. I just love a H who fights his feelings hard, so this was yummy for me. it turns out he knows she has made a secret plot to leave with the OM in the morning and he asks her to choose him instead, to sleep on it.
in the morning It was a high handed ending but I kinda loved loved loved it.
CONCLUSION
I would reread this just for the sheer angst and the extremely possessive hero. it would have been 5 stars if the hero had shown remorse sooner when he accidentally physically hurt her. and also if he had done something to show a consideration of her and making her life better once in a while. plus we could see his injured heart needed her, but it would have been good to see him fulfill something kissing in her life except for the 'mad love' thing. but as a torrid angsty romance I loved it up. and I would definitely read more by this author.
December 22, 2020
Tammy Dainton hadn't come all the way out to the Australian outback to be bullied and pushed around by that detestable, impossible man, Rick Hatton, even if many other girls would have jumped at the opportunity.
But Rick Hatton held all the cards, and it looked as though Tammy would just have to put up with him... (l
But Rick Hatton held all the cards, and it looked as though Tammy would just have to put up with him... (l
September 22, 2025
Claustrophobic!
This is drama not romance, and it literally has a trick ending.
Running from the arms of the controlling (but charming) OM into the controlling, tyrannical hero's fiefdom. She settles for the tyrant, but not before the he pushed her away with all his might, while keeping her caged first.
The author didn't convince me about Jonathan being the wrong choice.
This is drama not romance, and it literally has a trick ending.
Running from the arms of the controlling (but charming) OM into the controlling, tyrannical hero's fiefdom. She settles for the tyrant, but not before the he pushed her away with all his might, while keeping her caged first.
The author didn't convince me about Jonathan being the wrong choice.
February 12, 2020
This is the type of book you either love, despite the ridiculous (or amusing) antics of some the characters, or hate with a passion. The Author has to be commended for inciting readers t0 feel either emotion (love or hate).
October 21, 2022
The cutest book
The old-fashioned romance with a jealous/possessive hero who punishes the heroine for his fatal obsession with her.
Tabby comes to Australia to escape marriage to a determined young man, only to find herself in the clutches of the most posessive disagreeble boss.
The old-fashioned romance with a jealous/possessive hero who punishes the heroine for his fatal obsession with her.
Tabby comes to Australia to escape marriage to a determined young man, only to find herself in the clutches of the most posessive disagreeble boss.
May 28, 2020
The boss is a truly horrible person. He is so full of himself and he is obnoxious, sadistic and a bully. Our heroine should have run like a rabbit but the noose was around her neck.
August 20, 2012
my best romantic novel everrrrrrrrrr <3
December 29, 2016
Hero was uneccessarily brutal, he was a real nasty piece of work, one of the arrogant and spoiled heroes I have come accross. I couldn't understand how the heroine could possibly be in love with him.
August 9, 2017
I'm afraid Jane Corrie isn't too keen on red-heads.
April 29, 2021
Om was the real hero.
December 17, 2025
At 50% in, I'm firmly convinced that the h needs to run off with the OM when he inevitably shows up. There's "controlling" but allows his love interest to go halfway across the world for 2 years while he waits, and then there's the sadistic, abusive, manipulative, unscrupulous, hateful, slave-driving, human-trafficking (it's illegal and in violation of basic human rights to literally force someone to work for you who does not want to work for you, periodt), irredeemable "H."
Heroine's chances are way better with OM as she's already mostly successfully escaped from him before.
But also: How TF does the h(eroine) have not one, but TWO entirely different wealthy, controlling, eligible (except for their personality disorders, which are a feature not a bug in vintage romance novels) men dead-set on owning her soul and body?! Like... what's she got going on there?
Just saying, if heroine had a nickel for every psychotically obsessed man she had intent on enslaving her to him for eternity, she'd have two nickels, but that's still a lot of nickels considering the statistical probabilities.
I may give this a DNF for now at least because it's stressing me out sadly.
Heroine's chances are way better with OM as she's already mostly successfully escaped from him before.
But also: How TF does the h(eroine) have not one, but TWO entirely different wealthy, controlling, eligible (except for their personality disorders, which are a feature not a bug in vintage romance novels) men dead-set on owning her soul and body?! Like... what's she got going on there?
Just saying, if heroine had a nickel for every psychotically obsessed man she had intent on enslaving her to him for eternity, she'd have two nickels, but that's still a lot of nickels considering the statistical probabilities.
I may give this a DNF for now at least because it's stressing me out sadly.
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