The Thorn in His Side

21st Century Bosses #4

by Kim Lawrence

In the perfectly oiled machine that is Rafael’s life, there’s no room for distractions…
Libby Marchant’s first meeting with her boss goes off with a bang – into Rafael Alejandro’s top-of-the-range sports car, unfortunately!
The unpredictable and alluring Libby throws Rafael completely off kilter, but luckily, as she’s his employee, he’ll be able to keep her at
arm’s length…
At least that’s the plan – because in the perfectly oiled machine that is Rafael’s life there’s no room for distractions. But soon Rafael’s ‘no office relationships’ policy is in imminent danger of being broken – by the boss himself!
21st CENTURY BOSSES
Impossible, infuriating and utterly irresistible!

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Contemporary, Harlequin Romance, Contemporary Romance

192 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2011

About the author

Though lacking much authentic Welsh blood, Kim Lawrence comes from English-Irish stock. She was born and brought up in North Wales. She returned there when she married, and her sons were both born on Anglesey, an island off the coast. Though not isolated, Anglesey is a little off the beaten track, but lively Dublin, which Kim loves, is only a short ferry ride away. Today they live on the farm her husband was brought up on. Welsh is the first language of many people in this area and Kim's husband and sons are all bilingual she is having a lot of fun, not to mention a few headaches, trying to learn the language! She is a keen gardener and cook and enjoys running often on the beach, as living on an island the sea is never very far away. She is usually accompanied by her Jack Russell, Sprout don't ask, it's long story!

With small children, the unsocial hours of nursing didn't look attractive so encouraged by a husband who thinks she can do anything she sets her mind to, Kim tried her hand at writing. Always a keen Mills & Boon reader, it seemed natural for her to write a romance novel. In 1995, she published her first novels and now she can't imagine doing anything else.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

The hero Rafael meets the heroine Libby when she runs in front of his car to save her friend's dog, causing Rafael to swerve and crash into a tree. They are immediately attracted to one another although Rafael does find Libby a little frustrating. After he leaves Libby goes home to discover that her family has lost their home and business due to a ruthless businessman calling in their debt. Libby goes to confront the man and is shocked to discover that it is actually Rafael. Rafael sets her straight about the truth of the mismanagement by her father, but he admires her tenacity and offers her an internship at his company. Libby accepts and is excited about the chance to breakout of her sheltered life. Rafael is also determined to seduce Libby and even though she tries to ignore their chemistry they eventually become lovers. They are both surprises by how deep their feelings for each other are, but Libby is worried that Rafael will break her heart.

This is a very frustrating book, whilst reading it I often found myself enjoying it one moment and hating it the next. It has a very erratic pace that I found difficult to follow and I couldn't really grasp the characters and their motivations. The heroine is, in my opinion, just too 'silly', she is written much younger and naive than she is. The hero is a bit, blah! It's a shame because I really wanted to like this book, but I found it unrealistic, boring and bit silly.

Disappointing

Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is amazing how swiftly stories can date these days. This book was written 13 years ago but sometimes it felt like it was written last century.

This could have been a 5 star read. Great premise. Heroine gets the chance to save the family company by proving her abilities as an intern working for the hero.

Fabulous hero. The start of what might be a great heroine.

But, the execution failed.

The story of the heroine’s loyalty to her selfish and useless family is one that appears in so many books and sadly it is a trope I loathe.

Libby’s behaviour from the very start went over the edge of being clever and witty banter into being adolescent insolence and it went on and on and on. I think I was about 70% through the book before Libby calmed down and became an interesting and engaging character.

Raphael was a sweetheart really and let Libby off far too lightly.

As for her family - well what a waste of space they were. Absolutely hateful and if I were Libby I would never have forgiven them. I did however love the way she set them straight.

There were some excellent and enjoyable set pieces in the story but overall, it was just overkill with the heroine which ruined it for me.

[LLC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book ok. It'll never be a reread or a keeper but I found it interesting enough to finish and didn't feel the need to throw it against the wall (good thing because it was an ebook). I wasn't bored and it did have a few laugh out loud moments. Who could ask for more? Well I could but lately this is about as good as it gets for me.
Actually I have read a few keepers in the new releases but they are few and far between.

[Cokewater · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like how Libby kept saying she would never sleep with Rafael, how she absolutely hates him. Two seconds later she's all over him?! And Rafael, he hears this woman repeatedly reject him, clearly saying no. But apparently no means yes in this book. What kind of message does this send to readers?

[Tammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a sweet book. Libby was very antagonistic towards Rafael because he was very arrogant and called in a loan to her families business and home. She had no problem giving him heck. People gave the H a wide berth and she was willing to tell him just what she thought of him. I did like the easy romance with very little angst. They came together and we saw them learn to like each other and fall in love. I will reread this.

[Amie Doughty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of Lawrence's better books. Terrible continuity editing in places as well as a few bonehead proofreading errors.

[Saly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Thorn in His Side just didn't click with me at any point, I just couldn't understand why the characters did what they did.

Rafael is a self-made millionaire and hasn't cared for anyone since his mother died. He meets Libby by accident when she comes in front if his car, he finds out that she is the daughter of the man whose company he is closing down.

Libby goes and confronts him and says bad things about him, to be fair Rafael tells her she has a chance to save the business by interning with him.

Honestly, I never liked these two much because I didn't connect with them. Libby keeps saying I won't go to bed with you and then suddenly she agrees, I didn't get it. After defending her family she suddenly doesn't and then says she doesn't like him but next she's in love with him. Weird and kind of boring.

[E.A. Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a very exciting story. One can tell from all the exclamation marks, printed or implied. He is wildly good looking, has umpty million dollars and is a wonderful human being. She is incredibly beautiful, has a prickly dialogue (I refuse to say 'personality') which he finds enchanting, and is a wonderful human being. They are incredibly attracted to each other. After resisting for a while they fall into bed together, have incredibly wonderful sex and live happily ever after. No. Predictable, formulaic, boring. Don't bother.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 2.5 book it was ok but I felt that it didn't engage the reader and when I picked it up I had to remember what the book was about. The only redeeming time was when the hero doesn't make the heroine choose.

[Booklover · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just could'nt connect with the characters,no issues at all,just did not like it that much

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: 21st Century Bosses
Category: Classic Romance

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

more like a 2.5 for me. this one has the heroine who sacrifices herself for her family's ultimate good, and they don't realize that she is sleeping with her new boss for THEM!

[W. · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Too many "!" and a heroine that's a spoiled brat. Couldn't make it past the first few chapters.

[Jo Manton · Rating 5 out of 5]

call me sad but really like this one ,shame it only took one hour to read though.

[Tanya Mayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

[Roub · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely loved it !! no intense story here, infact it's very light but entertaining and very enjoyable. i loved it !!no melodrama or exaggerations.

[Silje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norwegian version

[More Books Than Time · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Author can do much better.

Reread, had remembered nothing except her feckless family. Like much better but it’s another KL insta-lust morphing to love story.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: 21st Century Bosses
Category: Classic Romance

[RomLibrary]

Libby Marchant's first meeting with her boss goes off with a bang -- into Rafael Alejandro's top-of-the-range sports car, unfortunately! The unpredictable and alluring Libby throws Rafael completely off-kilter but, luckily, as she's his employee, he'll be able to keep her at arm's length.

At least that's the plan, because in the perfectly oiled machine that is Rafael's life there's no room for distractions. But soon Rafael's no-office-relationships policy is in imminent danger of being broken -- by the boss himself!