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Passion and the Prince
He wants to hate her, but he's passionately attracted to her...Just who is Lily Wrightington - cynical fashion photographer or studious art historian? Prince Marco di Lucchesi can't hide his haughty disdain for this Englishwoman - or his violent attraction to her! As they tour the captivating palazzos of northern Italy together for Lily's work project the atmosphere between them alternately sizzles with dislike and erotic promise...until shadows from Lily's past turn up to haunt her. But if Marco drops his guard, and offers the protection Lily is seeking, the passion he's trying to keep firmly under wraps might just unleash itself too...
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
15 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,124 books666 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 8, 2020
- published in 2011
-started off really dramatic in the beginning
- hero scarred from previous relationships that turned extremely sour
- prince wants to find her nephew who is in a photoshoot that she is a photographer for
- so borinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng yet everything is very dramatic. They're very abrupt with decision making.
- the audiobook narrator made the italian accent sound like it was a vampire speaking to me
- DNF for this one
-started off really dramatic in the beginning
- hero scarred from previous relationships that turned extremely sour
- prince wants to find her nephew who is in a photoshoot that she is a photographer for
- so borinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng yet everything is very dramatic. They're very abrupt with decision making.
- the audiobook narrator made the italian accent sound like it was a vampire speaking to me
- DNF for this one
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2016
Lily's fear of the villain was excessive considering the actual circumstances of her first encounter with him. The guy oozed creepiness, but Lily's irrational fear made her look unbalanced and, therefore, hard to sympathize with. Marco had issues of his own as well. His continued distrust of Lily quickly became old.
The inadvertent result of so much dysfunction on both their sides turned Lily and Marco's story into a therapy session more than a romance. Add in an uneventful storyline to the mix and the result was a tame read.
The inadvertent result of so much dysfunction on both their sides turned Lily and Marco's story into a therapy session more than a romance. Add in an uneventful storyline to the mix and the result was a tame read.
dnf
September 7, 2021DNF @ 25% - bored and the narrator's Italian accent was comical - h is a rape victim - no chemistry
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2012
Prince Marco di Lucchesi finds Lily Wrightington in the middle of a photo shoot, surrounded by scantily clad models, one of whom was supposed to be his nephew. He draws the obvious conclusion and his disdain for her is palpable.
Unfortunately, fate throws Marco and Lily together again, since he is the one designated to show her around some of the breathtaking palazzos of Italy. Marco tries to resist Lily’s charms, but is puzzled by her apparent interaction with Anton, a man old enough to be her father. In reality, Lily lives in fear that Anton will make good on the threat he made to claim her innocence so many years ago. Is there nowhere she can be safe?
This story could have been a little better. At times, there was so much description that the storyline lost its luster. I could imagine a verbal contest of wills far more easily than the slow burn.
Unfortunately, fate throws Marco and Lily together again, since he is the one designated to show her around some of the breathtaking palazzos of Italy. Marco tries to resist Lily’s charms, but is puzzled by her apparent interaction with Anton, a man old enough to be her father. In reality, Lily lives in fear that Anton will make good on the threat he made to claim her innocence so many years ago. Is there nowhere she can be safe?
This story could have been a little better. At times, there was so much description that the storyline lost its luster. I could imagine a verbal contest of wills far more easily than the slow burn.
March 29, 2015
Had potential since there were 'different' twists in here, but melodrama and non realistic encounters cursed it. The characters were likeable enough - although the heroine less so - but the story had little happening, the romance was boring, and there were cringe-worthy moments of melodrama and overreacting.
September 24, 2017
I think this was the worst Penny Jordan read I have ever read. I am shocked this is by her.
Its a little boring. The whole chemistry is zilch in this couple.
Its a little boring. The whole chemistry is zilch in this couple.
July 28, 2017
Their emotions were all over the place.
December 1, 2015
My least favourite book from this author. Didn't like both main characters. Unlike the title of the book, there was no passion between them. And I disliked the narrator's interpretation of an italian accent. More like 2.5 stars.
May 18, 2013
I love Penny Jordan and will miss her writing but this was too deep to have been so rushed. One of her last books I think.
May 25, 2012
cute when it needed to be. wish it had more resolution.
September 20, 2012
Sorry to say but this was very boring, i was extremely disappointed.
October 28, 2022
While this isn't the worst Mills & Boon romance out there, it's still botom of the barrel
So heroine Lily is a stunningly beautiful art historian. She fills in for her step-brother as a photographer for a catalogue model shoot one time and in storms the hero Italian prince Marco ranting about the fact that the photographer (her brother) has misled his gullable nephew and is going to lead him astray into the sex drugs and modelling lifestyle. It's hate and disdain at first sight. The pair are then thrown together again when Marco is to act as a guide for Lily in her art historian guise for 2 weeks.
The main reason to ditch this is lack of story - Nothing interesting happens. Other than the emotional baggage overload therapy session our two protagonists go through to finally get it together, nothing external happens.
This also uses a lot of tropes I dislike. 1) Super rich, impossibly handsome Italian Prince hero - Wish fulfilment at the best of times, believable not so much.... He's also judgemental, emotinally closed off and as heros go, doesn't have much going for him other than the mary sue ooooh he's rich, handsome and oh wait... a prince. Jilly Bond's Italian accent for him makes him sound like a bad vampire and I struggled to take him seriously - Where's Michael Praed when you need him (now there's a great M&B narrator)
Lily the heroine is also pretty blah. 2) super rich, stunningly beatiful, could be a model heroine, who oh wait is actually smart as well - unrealistic and hard to take seriously. While she wasn't a virgin (hurrah this dodges one sterotype) she is 3) an (almost) rape victim. This trope comes up a lot - the heroine is a victim of rape - but that's too dark so we'll have her almost raped instead (usually to remain a virgin for the hero) - here the girl that was kidnapped with Lily was raped instead and she's traumatised over the fact that she couldn't save her, the kidnap oh and her mother's suicide and father's neglect. Way too much childhood trauma! - I also didn't feel we got enough detail into her ordeal - how did she escape? why wasn't she raped? what happened to the other girl that myseteriously disappeared when she found she was pregnant? (murdered? suicide? still alive somewhere.... if so why doesn't Lily try and find her?)
4) matchmaking old woman. Unnecessary.
We also get Lily encountering the villain again. Marco's initial reaction, thinking she wants to use him to make the (ex lover) villain jealous and his complete obliviousness to her very obvious terror did not endear him to me at all.
While this isn't as burn every copy you encounter as Penny Jordan's Response (ye gods that may still hold the crown for worst M&B ever) - this one isn't great. It doesn't empower women - Lily is very passive and her response to encountering her almost rapist is to jump into bed with the hero (who she dislikes) just to feel safe. I like my heroines more believable and with more backbone, and my heroes less wish fulfilment and more well heroic and supportive. Meh.
So heroine Lily is a stunningly beautiful art historian. She fills in for her step-brother as a photographer for a catalogue model shoot one time and in storms the hero Italian prince Marco ranting about the fact that the photographer (her brother) has misled his gullable nephew and is going to lead him astray into the sex drugs and modelling lifestyle. It's hate and disdain at first sight. The pair are then thrown together again when Marco is to act as a guide for Lily in her art historian guise for 2 weeks.
The main reason to ditch this is lack of story - Nothing interesting happens. Other than the emotional baggage overload therapy session our two protagonists go through to finally get it together, nothing external happens.
This also uses a lot of tropes I dislike. 1) Super rich, impossibly handsome Italian Prince hero - Wish fulfilment at the best of times, believable not so much.... He's also judgemental, emotinally closed off and as heros go, doesn't have much going for him other than the mary sue ooooh he's rich, handsome and oh wait... a prince. Jilly Bond's Italian accent for him makes him sound like a bad vampire and I struggled to take him seriously - Where's Michael Praed when you need him (now there's a great M&B narrator)
Lily the heroine is also pretty blah. 2) super rich, stunningly beatiful, could be a model heroine, who oh wait is actually smart as well - unrealistic and hard to take seriously. While she wasn't a virgin (hurrah this dodges one sterotype) she is 3) an (almost) rape victim. This trope comes up a lot - the heroine is a victim of rape - but that's too dark so we'll have her almost raped instead (usually to remain a virgin for the hero) - here the girl that was kidnapped with Lily was raped instead and she's traumatised over the fact that she couldn't save her, the kidnap oh and her mother's suicide and father's neglect. Way too much childhood trauma! - I also didn't feel we got enough detail into her ordeal - how did she escape? why wasn't she raped? what happened to the other girl that myseteriously disappeared when she found she was pregnant? (murdered? suicide? still alive somewhere.... if so why doesn't Lily try and find her?)
4) matchmaking old woman. Unnecessary.
We also get Lily encountering the villain again. Marco's initial reaction, thinking she wants to use him to make the (ex lover) villain jealous and his complete obliviousness to her very obvious terror did not endear him to me at all.
While this isn't as burn every copy you encounter as Penny Jordan's Response (ye gods that may still hold the crown for worst M&B ever) - this one isn't great. It doesn't empower women - Lily is very passive and her response to encountering her almost rapist is to jump into bed with the hero (who she dislikes) just to feel safe. I like my heroines more believable and with more backbone, and my heroes less wish fulfilment and more well heroic and supportive. Meh.
December 10, 2022
Absolutely terrible, I didn't like either of the characters. The MMC (he's no hero) was one of the worst characters I've read about. He has preconceived opinions about photographers and modeling business and treats FMC absolutely terrible for majority of the book. She never gave him cause to treat her badly but he did constantly and yet she kept coming back for more. She came to him for help from a man who abused her when she was a teen and he did not believe her and was so mean to her. With her trauma and how he treated her at that time when she needed him and yet she still stuck around and accepted more of his abuse. I cannot not stand that FMC just accepted MMC talking to her like she was trash and because he's hot she just falls into bed with him and kisses him whenever he choses to do so. P.
March 20, 2021
Ugh! This one is bad! I’ve been binge reading this Harlequin books and I need to stop, give it a break until I forget once more how bland and nonsensical they can be. Passion and the Prince is so awful that I feel like I need a cleansing after reading it. Something nourishing and substantial, straight to stoicism it is.
October 14, 2018
Didn't love it...I liked it.
December 13, 2015
I liked this book. I did feel the hero held onto his bitterness a little to long and wish the heroine was a little stronger. But overall I really liked it. The author Penny Jordan is a great author and her books are good. I would recommend this book!
February 19, 2013
I liked the book I just wish the heroine was a bit stronger however if she was then the book wouldn't work. But I wish she should have shown some growth.
February 6, 2016
Loved it. It was the typical Penny Jordan. Perfect story and execution. Both characters had style and passion. Gotta love it
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews