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Forbidden! #2
Mistress Material
"I want you to become my mistress!"
Suzanna Franklin was stunned! She was no longer the naive seventeen-year-old who had thrown herself at Pasquale Caliandro; now she was renowned model Suki. Other men might proposition her, but Pasquale had bitterly rejected her seven years ago. True, the electrical charge between them was as strong as ever, but what was that without any tender feelings? He must be mad or have a very warped sense of humor! But, she thought, Pasquale never joked about business - and being his mistress was business...
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2011
31 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Kendrick
1,221 books454 followersI was told off as a child for making up stories—little did I know that one day I’d earn my living by writing them!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
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September 15, 2018
HP Editor: Well, Sharon which one of your older titles should we release to Kindle?
SK: Hmm. How about Mistress Material?
HP: I don't remember?
SK: It was out first book together. I remember like it was yesterday:
HP Headquarters 1996
SK: *bounces* I have written an alpha who perfectly fits the handbook description
Let’s tick the boxes shall we?
*He’s the older brother of the heroine’s wild child boarding school friend.
*He has a spendthrift *and* promiscuous step mother so he’s cynical about women.
*He is wildly attracted to the 17 year-old heroine and blames her when they almost have sex.
*Seven years later the hero still thinks the top model heroine is a slut, but now she’s old enough.
*He is surprised when she turns down his generous mistress offer.
*He buys her brother’s company *and* signs her up to model for his perfume campaign all in the effort to get her in his bed.
HP: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Which handbook?
SK: This one. So many good ideas! Forced seductions. Hairy Chests. I think I’ll include an OW with a cigarette holder in my next -
HP: Sharon! This handbook is from the 1970’s!
SK: What? *thumbs through it regretfully* Well that’s too bad. I so wanted a letter to go astray in my next story.
HP: Well, so far this is acceptable. I mean, this heroine really held out having sex with him for 8 chapters. And she was a virgin. It used to be standard characterization.
SK: It was fun to write. And I even snuck in a discussion of second wave feminism.
HP: *groans* Sharon, most women are so done debating that.
SK: *raises chin* I’m leaving it in as well as the gratuitous trip to the zoo with the heroine’s nephew to soften the hero and make the heroine long for a family.
HP: *sighs* It does sound like some Penny Jordan would write in her hayday.
SK: He never forgot her.
HP: But he had sex with other women?
SK: They meant nothing.
HP: And heroine had to stay a virgin all those years.
SK: She never forgot him. And get this – when he thought he was going to lose her he deliberately tried to impregnate her. It didn’t work but –
HP: Sharon! That’s assault. That’s, that’s,
SK: Totally hot, I know. There’s a whole kink devoted to
HP: I don’t want to know. *sigh* All right. I’m sure readers of vintage HPs will love it and as for the rest . . ..
HP Headquarters 2011
HP: I forgot about the non-con impregnating.
SK: Oh, please. If we can survive “little lizard” and the virgin stable girl . . .
HP: That’s when I started day drinking.
SK: Darling, you started day drinking after Bought by Her Husband. *giggles* My stocks in Bombay Sapphire have doubled since then.
HP: *Shudders and opens her desk drawer* I guess this one will do. Cheers.
SK: Hmm. How about Mistress Material?
HP: I don't remember?
SK: It was out first book together. I remember like it was yesterday:
HP Headquarters 1996
SK: *bounces* I have written an alpha who perfectly fits the handbook description
Let’s tick the boxes shall we?
*He’s the older brother of the heroine’s wild child boarding school friend.
*He has a spendthrift *and* promiscuous step mother so he’s cynical about women.
*He is wildly attracted to the 17 year-old heroine and blames her when they almost have sex.
*Seven years later the hero still thinks the top model heroine is a slut, but now she’s old enough.
*He is surprised when she turns down his generous mistress offer.
*He buys her brother’s company *and* signs her up to model for his perfume campaign all in the effort to get her in his bed.
HP: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Which handbook?
SK: This one. So many good ideas! Forced seductions. Hairy Chests. I think I’ll include an OW with a cigarette holder in my next -
HP: Sharon! This handbook is from the 1970’s!
SK: What? *thumbs through it regretfully* Well that’s too bad. I so wanted a letter to go astray in my next story.
HP: Well, so far this is acceptable. I mean, this heroine really held out having sex with him for 8 chapters. And she was a virgin. It used to be standard characterization.
SK: It was fun to write. And I even snuck in a discussion of second wave feminism.
HP: *groans* Sharon, most women are so done debating that.
SK: *raises chin* I’m leaving it in as well as the gratuitous trip to the zoo with the heroine’s nephew to soften the hero and make the heroine long for a family.
HP: *sighs* It does sound like some Penny Jordan would write in her hayday.
SK: He never forgot her.
HP: But he had sex with other women?
SK: They meant nothing.
HP: And heroine had to stay a virgin all those years.
SK: She never forgot him. And get this – when he thought he was going to lose her he deliberately tried to impregnate her. It didn’t work but –
HP: Sharon! That’s assault. That’s, that’s,
SK: Totally hot, I know. There’s a whole kink devoted to
HP: I don’t want to know. *sigh* All right. I’m sure readers of vintage HPs will love it and as for the rest . . ..
HP Headquarters 2011
HP: I forgot about the non-con impregnating.
SK: Oh, please. If we can survive “little lizard” and the virgin stable girl . . .
HP: That’s when I started day drinking.
SK: Darling, you started day drinking after Bought by Her Husband. *giggles* My stocks in Bombay Sapphire have doubled since then.
HP: *Shudders and opens her desk drawer* I guess this one will do. Cheers.
November 19, 2018
I just added a new shelf for this one: hero-sexist-pig. In the past, I felt that applied to far too many romances for it to even be relevant, but this guy took the cake and necessitated the creation of the shelf.
What can I say to defend myself? This was a wallbanger and offensive. I would have punched the H in the nose and I have never hit anyone in my life. So, why did I enjoy this?
I dunno, it's a crazy old skool mess and I sometimes have a craving for those. It's just so far from my own experience that it is fun for me to read and I'm quite often amused by the over-the-top absurdity of it all.
The names amused me, because I associate Suki(the heroine) with True Blood and Pasquale (the hero) with flashbacks to a boring class on the ancient, frustrating programming language - Pascal. Good times.
Our heroine, Suki, is 17 when she first meets the hero. She is a shy, innocent English girl who has befriended Pasquale's somewhat boy-crazy younger sister at their exclusive Swiss boarding school. She goes on holiday to Italy with her friend and comes face-to-face with her first ever serious crush and the only man to ever turn her on - Pasquale.
Pasquale is 24 at the time and instantly attracted to the heroine, but he knows she's too young. So, he runs hot and cold with her, making her wonder if he even likes her. In one scene he saves her from drowning in the pool and she decides she's not just crushing, but in LOVE.
Her friend sneaks off to a disco leaving Suki alone in the villa with Pasquale. There is a terrible thunderstorm and in an unlikely setup, he agrees to sit with her until she goes to sleep since she is terrified of the storm.
She awakes to him making out with her (supposedly in his sleep). She doesn't discourage him, in fact she's playing along. She's naive and thinks she's found her one true love. When she gasps his name he becomes aware enough to realize what he's doing and jumps off her like a scalded cat before the deed is done.
This is where Mr. Equality really gets nice. He accuses her of seducing him, of being a conniving slut, of being a bad influence on his poor innocent little sis, etc. Basically she's to blame for everything wrong in his sister's life and in the world in general. She's a bad, bad naughty girl.
He has her flown home the next morning with the demand that she never see or speak to anyone in his precious family again. He then proceeds to pull his little sister from the private boarding school they attend together so she can avoid any further contamination.
8 years later - Suki is a super successful, super virginal 24-yr-old supermodel who is followed by nasty, untrue tabloid rumors of being a home breaker. You know, the usual stuff.
She's on a shoot where the photographer just happens to be the fiance of Pasquale's secretary. The secretary is jealous because her fiance was always fascinated with Suki and even had a poster of her in his room when they first met. So, she's convinced they've flown away to sleep together rather than work and cries to Pasquale.
Now Pasquale has his chance to catch super-slut Suki in the act and put a stop to her whoring ways. The little bitch has made him lust after her all these years and now she's going to pay! Ahhh... the romance.
His moods are very changeable as he flip-flops from 'you're a nasty slut I wouldn't touch you with a 10-foot pole' to 'be my mistress?' and back again. It made me dizzy.
To the heroine's credit she does call him on his crazy. I liked her pretty well. She had the patented traitorous body thing going on despite his crappy treatment, but at least she didn't just fall into bed with him the first time he kisses her. She does have some self respect and does her level best to avoid him.
The hero is determined NOT to let her avoid him, of course. He has decided she'll be his mistress and what he wants, he gets.
One thing that was a bit different was the setup. It seemed to be a typical HP 'blackmail the h into bed' plot. But it really wasn't. He just inserted himself into all aspects of her life to wear her down, but he didn't demand she have sex with him or he'd ruin her or her family. She did have a choice in that, although he gave her little choice in having to suffer his company.
There is one part that may make some people super angry and that is the discussion on working mothers and the "rightness" of that. I'm not a mother, so I didn't have a personal stake. Most mothers I know don't really have a choice when it comes to work anyway. It's all about making ends meet versus maintaining some fabulous career. Still, I can see some people being offended/angry. But *hey* this book is offensive. So, I doubt that'll be the only sticking point. Remember the key phrase is: sexist pig.
What can I say to defend myself? This was a wallbanger and offensive. I would have punched the H in the nose and I have never hit anyone in my life. So, why did I enjoy this?
I dunno, it's a crazy old skool mess and I sometimes have a craving for those. It's just so far from my own experience that it is fun for me to read and I'm quite often amused by the over-the-top absurdity of it all.
The names amused me, because I associate Suki(the heroine) with True Blood and Pasquale (the hero) with flashbacks to a boring class on the ancient, frustrating programming language - Pascal. Good times.
Our heroine, Suki, is 17 when she first meets the hero. She is a shy, innocent English girl who has befriended Pasquale's somewhat boy-crazy younger sister at their exclusive Swiss boarding school. She goes on holiday to Italy with her friend and comes face-to-face with her first ever serious crush and the only man to ever turn her on - Pasquale.
Pasquale is 24 at the time and instantly attracted to the heroine, but he knows she's too young. So, he runs hot and cold with her, making her wonder if he even likes her. In one scene he saves her from drowning in the pool and she decides she's not just crushing, but in LOVE.
Her friend sneaks off to a disco leaving Suki alone in the villa with Pasquale. There is a terrible thunderstorm and in an unlikely setup, he agrees to sit with her until she goes to sleep since she is terrified of the storm.
She awakes to him making out with her (supposedly in his sleep). She doesn't discourage him, in fact she's playing along. She's naive and thinks she's found her one true love. When she gasps his name he becomes aware enough to realize what he's doing and jumps off her like a scalded cat before the deed is done.
This is where Mr. Equality really gets nice. He accuses her of seducing him, of being a conniving slut, of being a bad influence on his poor innocent little sis, etc. Basically she's to blame for everything wrong in his sister's life and in the world in general. She's a bad, bad naughty girl.
He has her flown home the next morning with the demand that she never see or speak to anyone in his precious family again. He then proceeds to pull his little sister from the private boarding school they attend together so she can avoid any further contamination.
8 years later - Suki is a super successful, super virginal 24-yr-old supermodel who is followed by nasty, untrue tabloid rumors of being a home breaker. You know, the usual stuff.
She's on a shoot where the photographer just happens to be the fiance of Pasquale's secretary. The secretary is jealous because her fiance was always fascinated with Suki and even had a poster of her in his room when they first met. So, she's convinced they've flown away to sleep together rather than work and cries to Pasquale.
Now Pasquale has his chance to catch super-slut Suki in the act and put a stop to her whoring ways. The little bitch has made him lust after her all these years and now she's going to pay! Ahhh... the romance.
His moods are very changeable as he flip-flops from 'you're a nasty slut I wouldn't touch you with a 10-foot pole' to 'be my mistress?' and back again. It made me dizzy.
To the heroine's credit she does call him on his crazy. I liked her pretty well. She had the patented traitorous body thing going on despite his crappy treatment, but at least she didn't just fall into bed with him the first time he kisses her. She does have some self respect and does her level best to avoid him.
The hero is determined NOT to let her avoid him, of course. He has decided she'll be his mistress and what he wants, he gets.
One thing that was a bit different was the setup. It seemed to be a typical HP 'blackmail the h into bed' plot. But it really wasn't. He just inserted himself into all aspects of her life to wear her down, but he didn't demand she have sex with him or he'd ruin her or her family. She did have a choice in that, although he gave her little choice in having to suffer his company.
There is one part that may make some people super angry and that is the discussion on working mothers and the "rightness" of that. I'm not a mother, so I didn't have a personal stake. Most mothers I know don't really have a choice when it comes to work anyway. It's all about making ends meet versus maintaining some fabulous career. Still, I can see some people being offended/angry. But *hey* this book is offensive. So, I doubt that'll be the only sticking point. Remember the key phrase is: sexist pig.
November 19, 2018
Re Mistress Material - Sharon Kendrick's second HP outing is a throwback to the old, old skool. As part of the Forbidden Series, rule #1 in HPlandia is pushed to it's utmost limits.
HPlandia Rule #1 is: The H's bad behavior is ALWAYS the fault of the h, even if she is still a teenager at the time of the first meeting and ten years and a lot of lady buffet samples in between have come and gone.
In this part of HPlandia, if the Lurve Force Mojo sine line is in sync and the h is breathing, every nematodic parasite slime swiller thing an H does is ALL her fault. After all, she is walking around smiling at people, isn't she?
So since this series is all about nematode parasite slime swiller H's getting their just rewards of a lifetime of h devotion, we know the road ahead is rocky, but SK does manage to give a very good battle of wills in this one.
Unlike most old skool HP unicorn grooming and unfairly accused h's, SK gives her unicorn groomer a spine of steel and the ability to resist Treacherous Body Syndrome and say "NO" - at least until the h decides to say yes.
This one starts with the h in the South of France on a modeling job. She is lounging by the pool when the H shows up and immediately the Lurve Force Mojo Sparks start to fly. The H is full of nasty tarty tramp harlot remarks about the h. Because is she is a famous model, she just HAS to be sleeping around with every Harry, Tom and Dick that gives her a glance, all the gossip rags say so.
The H goes on and on about how he is contaminated by her presence and her much touted sampling of the male eye candy buffet in the press, but then he turns around and offers to take her to bed, cause she is driving him wild with attraction.
When the h wryly points out that the H is contradicting himself, he offers his standing excuse for the entire rest of the book - when he is around her he thinks with the wrong head.
The h is not impressed and will continue to not be impressed with that little declaration.
We get a flashback on how these two first met when the barely 17 yr old h was at school with the H's sister and happened to get invited to the H's Italian family home. The H's sister was a man mad teenager and the h was pretty repressed in that area.
When the H saved her from a near drowning experience, the h innocently decided that she had met her One True Love and therefore didn't say no when the H got very gropey and handsy during a big thunderstorm that happened one night while they were innocently asleep together.
Of course once the H pretends to wake up enough to realize that he is a pedophile pervert, he instantly blames the h for her tarty tramp looks and harlot behavior that incited him to lust. The H tells the h that SHE is the reason his sister is sneaking out to party and chase boys and he kicks her out of his family's radius for the interim.
Eight years on, the H has tracked the h down to the South of France, because his jealous secretary is engaged to the h's photographer and the H's heart is so magnanimous to his staff, that he had to go force himself upon the h to keep his secretary's engagement intact.
The h doesn't learn this right away, we get a few gropey moves and verbal battles and an H staged scene where the h's photographer walks in on what he thinks is a compromising situation between the H and h.
The h is rather shocked that the photographer is so infatuated with her, but even more stunned that the H is giving all the hall marks of a dog who won't let anyone else touch his bone while he 'defends' the supposed hapless photographer from the wicked wiles of the h.
Either way, the h doesn't care, she learned her lesson with the H the first time and wants nothing to do with him and the photographer is just another photographer to her. Even tho her Treacherous Body is quivering like jelly with a ten foot H radius, the h refuses to submit to the passionate throws of Purple Passion Bliss. She rejects the H, to his very great displeasure, and takes herself home to England.
Where she promptly gets offered an exclusive contract as the "face" of a major cosmetic brand. The h really likes the money offered, mainly because her brother inherited the family firm and is running it into the ground. The h keeps loaning him money to keep the firm afloat, as she is very fond of her sister in law and her nephew and wants them to have a nice home life.
The h accepts the contract, then finds out that the new owner of the cosmetic company is the H. There is a very tense moment when it looks like the h will walk away, even after signing on the dotted line, just to get away from the high handed, nasty mouthed, manipulative H.
Then the H throws in that he bought into the family firm too and he will kick the h's brother to the curb if the h doesn't honor her business agreements. The h makes him clarify that her modeling his cosmetic line does NOT include Lurve Club Bonuses and the H tells her he is fine with that.
The h isn't happy, but since she wants to retire from modeling and can use the money to start a painting career, she figures she will just do her job and try to avoid the H.
In a hilarious moment, the H goes on and on about her duty to promote the cosmetic brand and when the h does, wearing a slinky dress he demanded she wear at a launch party, the H almost chokes on his jealousy and angst, as the h is smiling at every man there.
The H gets really verbally nasty again and the h coolly raises her eyebrow and gently explains that this is what he hired her to do, promote his products and that includes smiling at people.
The H has to wander off and take a cold shower and then he has to apologize to the h when he wanders back. The h doesn't really act impressed tho, she still has no intention of jumping into bed with him.
The H has to up his game plan, so he starts showing up wherever the h happens to be. He even tags along when the h takes her nephew to the zoo and of course the H is very good with little kids.
There are some arguments about working mums vs stay at home mums and the H is in the patriarchal keep the little woman on the domestic front and out of the office camp. The h disagrees, mostly because she can, not because she believes it, she thinks ladies should do what they want to do.
Eventually the h realizes that she still loves the sorry nematode swiller, even tho his attitude makes cavemen look modern, and she gives into the Lurve Force Mojo and Great Passion Moments Upon the Shores of Transcendent Golden Bliss are had, as unicorns sadly take their little purple brushes to new shires of HPlandia.
Then the H gets irked because the h won't move in with him, she is all about maintaining her space and keeping the H on his toes. The h starts noticing that she and the H spend all of their time together in bed and she doesn't like it.
When the H tells the h to wait lunch for him and then has an underling call way, way after lunchtime to claim the H has been delayed, the h decides that if the H wants to treat her like a mistress, she will act like one. The H had conveniently left his wallet with the h, so she goes shopping, just as a mistress would do.
There is angry lurve clubbings when she gets back and the h feels used and tatty. She also discovers that the H failed to use proper protection for the first time in their relationship. The h realizes she is in danger of losing her self respect and she has finally had enough of the H's tacky treatment and trampy attitude.
She waits until he falls asleep and then she takes off to start her artistic painting career, after leaving the H a note that says he paid 5 million pounds for it and she hopes it was worth it. The h is at her hideaway, trying and failing to paint due to mopey moods, when the H shows up.
The H does a really good I am sorry speech. He admits that it was his weakness for a seventeen year old that was ostensibly under his protection that started the whole drama. Even tho he blamed the h for being a tart, he knew he was just protecting himself from the self-accusation of being a slime swilling pervert.
The H admits he was very wrong and has treated the h shamefully and then he admits that he had been plotting to get into the h's life for a long time, starting with his takeover of the cosmetics firm, well before the whole thing with his secretary arose.
The H bought into the brother's business as an extra h enticement, but his really big nematode move was to try and make the h preggers so she would have to stay with him.
The sad, puppy dog eyed H has come to admit that he utterly failed on all counts, cause for once an HP unicorn groomer is NOT expecting a stork visit and the H just wants to beg the h to marry him because he really loves her and knows that she is a nicer person than he is. (Mainly because the h never sued any newspapers for all the scandalous things they reported about her.)
The h hasn't been able to paint because she has been having mopey moments about the H, so this big H declamation of True Love has her dancing on air. She loves the H madly too, she will be quite happy to marry him and she wants to stay home and paint and have kids, because she can if she wants to, for the big pink sparkly HEA and pretty funny HPlandia old skool revisionist outing.
This one was well done and the best part of it is that the h really is not a doormat, she calmly refutes and rebuffs everyone of the H's idiotic accusations and it is clear that this H is just a stalkerific mess of frustration.
I almost felt sorry for him, the h really had him not knowing if he was coming or going and SK did a short, but highly satisfactory grovel.
I am not usually one for the big time Tart Shaming Harlot Of HPlandia trope, but this was well done. The H was so obviously enamored and struggling and tho it is a bit hypocritical on my part, the story was very well written and worth investing the reading time in this hilariously archaic HPlandia outing.
HPlandia Rule #1 is: The H's bad behavior is ALWAYS the fault of the h, even if she is still a teenager at the time of the first meeting and ten years and a lot of lady buffet samples in between have come and gone.
In this part of HPlandia, if the Lurve Force Mojo sine line is in sync and the h is breathing, every nematodic parasite slime swiller thing an H does is ALL her fault. After all, she is walking around smiling at people, isn't she?
So since this series is all about nematode parasite slime swiller H's getting their just rewards of a lifetime of h devotion, we know the road ahead is rocky, but SK does manage to give a very good battle of wills in this one.
Unlike most old skool HP unicorn grooming and unfairly accused h's, SK gives her unicorn groomer a spine of steel and the ability to resist Treacherous Body Syndrome and say "NO" - at least until the h decides to say yes.
This one starts with the h in the South of France on a modeling job. She is lounging by the pool when the H shows up and immediately the Lurve Force Mojo Sparks start to fly. The H is full of nasty tarty tramp harlot remarks about the h. Because is she is a famous model, she just HAS to be sleeping around with every Harry, Tom and Dick that gives her a glance, all the gossip rags say so.
The H goes on and on about how he is contaminated by her presence and her much touted sampling of the male eye candy buffet in the press, but then he turns around and offers to take her to bed, cause she is driving him wild with attraction.
When the h wryly points out that the H is contradicting himself, he offers his standing excuse for the entire rest of the book - when he is around her he thinks with the wrong head.
The h is not impressed and will continue to not be impressed with that little declaration.
We get a flashback on how these two first met when the barely 17 yr old h was at school with the H's sister and happened to get invited to the H's Italian family home. The H's sister was a man mad teenager and the h was pretty repressed in that area.
When the H saved her from a near drowning experience, the h innocently decided that she had met her One True Love and therefore didn't say no when the H got very gropey and handsy during a big thunderstorm that happened one night while they were innocently asleep together.
Of course once the H pretends to wake up enough to realize that he is a pedophile pervert, he instantly blames the h for her tarty tramp looks and harlot behavior that incited him to lust. The H tells the h that SHE is the reason his sister is sneaking out to party and chase boys and he kicks her out of his family's radius for the interim.
Eight years on, the H has tracked the h down to the South of France, because his jealous secretary is engaged to the h's photographer and the H's heart is so magnanimous to his staff, that he had to go force himself upon the h to keep his secretary's engagement intact.
The h doesn't learn this right away, we get a few gropey moves and verbal battles and an H staged scene where the h's photographer walks in on what he thinks is a compromising situation between the H and h.
The h is rather shocked that the photographer is so infatuated with her, but even more stunned that the H is giving all the hall marks of a dog who won't let anyone else touch his bone while he 'defends' the supposed hapless photographer from the wicked wiles of the h.
Either way, the h doesn't care, she learned her lesson with the H the first time and wants nothing to do with him and the photographer is just another photographer to her. Even tho her Treacherous Body is quivering like jelly with a ten foot H radius, the h refuses to submit to the passionate throws of Purple Passion Bliss. She rejects the H, to his very great displeasure, and takes herself home to England.
Where she promptly gets offered an exclusive contract as the "face" of a major cosmetic brand. The h really likes the money offered, mainly because her brother inherited the family firm and is running it into the ground. The h keeps loaning him money to keep the firm afloat, as she is very fond of her sister in law and her nephew and wants them to have a nice home life.
The h accepts the contract, then finds out that the new owner of the cosmetic company is the H. There is a very tense moment when it looks like the h will walk away, even after signing on the dotted line, just to get away from the high handed, nasty mouthed, manipulative H.
Then the H throws in that he bought into the family firm too and he will kick the h's brother to the curb if the h doesn't honor her business agreements. The h makes him clarify that her modeling his cosmetic line does NOT include Lurve Club Bonuses and the H tells her he is fine with that.
The h isn't happy, but since she wants to retire from modeling and can use the money to start a painting career, she figures she will just do her job and try to avoid the H.
In a hilarious moment, the H goes on and on about her duty to promote the cosmetic brand and when the h does, wearing a slinky dress he demanded she wear at a launch party, the H almost chokes on his jealousy and angst, as the h is smiling at every man there.
The H gets really verbally nasty again and the h coolly raises her eyebrow and gently explains that this is what he hired her to do, promote his products and that includes smiling at people.
The H has to wander off and take a cold shower and then he has to apologize to the h when he wanders back. The h doesn't really act impressed tho, she still has no intention of jumping into bed with him.
The H has to up his game plan, so he starts showing up wherever the h happens to be. He even tags along when the h takes her nephew to the zoo and of course the H is very good with little kids.
There are some arguments about working mums vs stay at home mums and the H is in the patriarchal keep the little woman on the domestic front and out of the office camp. The h disagrees, mostly because she can, not because she believes it, she thinks ladies should do what they want to do.
Eventually the h realizes that she still loves the sorry nematode swiller, even tho his attitude makes cavemen look modern, and she gives into the Lurve Force Mojo and Great Passion Moments Upon the Shores of Transcendent Golden Bliss are had, as unicorns sadly take their little purple brushes to new shires of HPlandia.
Then the H gets irked because the h won't move in with him, she is all about maintaining her space and keeping the H on his toes. The h starts noticing that she and the H spend all of their time together in bed and she doesn't like it.
When the H tells the h to wait lunch for him and then has an underling call way, way after lunchtime to claim the H has been delayed, the h decides that if the H wants to treat her like a mistress, she will act like one. The H had conveniently left his wallet with the h, so she goes shopping, just as a mistress would do.
There is angry lurve clubbings when she gets back and the h feels used and tatty. She also discovers that the H failed to use proper protection for the first time in their relationship. The h realizes she is in danger of losing her self respect and she has finally had enough of the H's tacky treatment and trampy attitude.
She waits until he falls asleep and then she takes off to start her artistic painting career, after leaving the H a note that says he paid 5 million pounds for it and she hopes it was worth it. The h is at her hideaway, trying and failing to paint due to mopey moods, when the H shows up.
The H does a really good I am sorry speech. He admits that it was his weakness for a seventeen year old that was ostensibly under his protection that started the whole drama. Even tho he blamed the h for being a tart, he knew he was just protecting himself from the self-accusation of being a slime swilling pervert.
The H admits he was very wrong and has treated the h shamefully and then he admits that he had been plotting to get into the h's life for a long time, starting with his takeover of the cosmetics firm, well before the whole thing with his secretary arose.
The H bought into the brother's business as an extra h enticement, but his really big nematode move was to try and make the h preggers so she would have to stay with him.
The sad, puppy dog eyed H has come to admit that he utterly failed on all counts, cause for once an HP unicorn groomer is NOT expecting a stork visit and the H just wants to beg the h to marry him because he really loves her and knows that she is a nicer person than he is. (Mainly because the h never sued any newspapers for all the scandalous things they reported about her.)
The h hasn't been able to paint because she has been having mopey moments about the H, so this big H declamation of True Love has her dancing on air. She loves the H madly too, she will be quite happy to marry him and she wants to stay home and paint and have kids, because she can if she wants to, for the big pink sparkly HEA and pretty funny HPlandia old skool revisionist outing.
This one was well done and the best part of it is that the h really is not a doormat, she calmly refutes and rebuffs everyone of the H's idiotic accusations and it is clear that this H is just a stalkerific mess of frustration.
I almost felt sorry for him, the h really had him not knowing if he was coming or going and SK did a short, but highly satisfactory grovel.
I am not usually one for the big time Tart Shaming Harlot Of HPlandia trope, but this was well done. The H was so obviously enamored and struggling and tho it is a bit hypocritical on my part, the story was very well written and worth investing the reading time in this hilariously archaic HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2016
The H's sudden turnabout from heartless judgemental jerk to a sweet patient wooer was too much too sudden. So much so, he made the h's understandably sensible efforts to keep him at bay make her seem hard and unforgiving.
And so a super angsty story became slow and sweet and tame!
And so a super angsty story became slow and sweet and tame!
November 19, 2018
3 maybe 3.5 stars
As a 17-year old, Suzanna falls in love with her bff's bro (Pasquale, 24) while on vacation from their Swiss boarding school. Suzanna is pretty but young. One night, Pasquale and Suzanna fall asleep during a bad storm and as they wake up begin to kiss, etc. As Pasquale awakes, he jumps away like a scalded cat and spews some vitriol at Suzanna and blames her for the incident; sends her back home immediately, warns her to stay away from his family and removes Francesca (bff) from boarding school. Suzanna makes a name for herself in modelling (Suki) and 7 years later, Pasquale finds her heaping tons of verbal abuse for her man-eating ways.
I wasn't sure if I liked this one in the beginning. However, Suki gave as good as she got and didn't succumb to Pasquale immediately. I liked this. Slowly, he has to change tacks to get closer to her, and we finally see him fall for her - even though she won't admit it and they operate at cross purposes for much of the time.
As a 17-year old, Suzanna falls in love with her bff's bro (Pasquale, 24) while on vacation from their Swiss boarding school. Suzanna is pretty but young. One night, Pasquale and Suzanna fall asleep during a bad storm and as they wake up begin to kiss, etc. As Pasquale awakes, he jumps away like a scalded cat and spews some vitriol at Suzanna and blames her for the incident; sends her back home immediately, warns her to stay away from his family and removes Francesca (bff) from boarding school. Suzanna makes a name for herself in modelling (Suki) and 7 years later, Pasquale finds her heaping tons of verbal abuse for her man-eating ways.
I wasn't sure if I liked this one in the beginning. However, Suki gave as good as she got and didn't succumb to Pasquale immediately. I liked this. Slowly, he has to change tacks to get closer to her, and we finally see him fall for her - even though she won't admit it and they operate at cross purposes for much of the time.
November 19, 2022
Update
November 19/2022
I hope to reread it soon ;)
First Reading: 2010
First Review
Date: Unknown (2020/2021?)
Score: 4.5 🌟
One of the few books I like by this author. It's not my favorite but was entertaining ;)
I would had liked and Epilogue with "a cute little baby" 🤷♀️
November 19/2022
I hope to reread it soon ;)
First Reading: 2010
First Review
Date: Unknown (2020/2021?)
Score: 4.5 🌟
One of the few books I like by this author. It's not my favorite but was entertaining ;)
I would had liked and Epilogue with "a cute little baby" 🤷♀️
May 19, 2015
Very entertaining, good chemistry, likable characters!
June 26, 2019
"Mistress Material" is the story of Suzanna/ Suki and Pasquale.
So, this was purely average.
The h and H met 7 years ago. h was a teenager and friend to H's sister, went to his house and after some forbidden attraction leading to almost coitus, gets rejected brutally and banished from his and his sister's life.
Flash forward to present. The h is a successful model, and "confident". H enters her life, accusing her of promiscuity and sleeping with her photographer, who is his secretary's fiance. He also continually hits on her and propositions her to be his mistress. The h also legit creams her panties every time she speaks. He then manipulates his way into her life by rescuing her brother, seduces her with his kisses, ends up banging her, discovers hymen, some unnecessary drama and very long drawn ending.
I legit did not understand their stupid "love". But Im glad the h was able to fight back sometimes, and the H showed his tender side occasionally.
Meh.
SWE
2.5/5
So, this was purely average.
The h and H met 7 years ago. h was a teenager and friend to H's sister, went to his house and after some forbidden attraction leading to almost coitus, gets rejected brutally and banished from his and his sister's life.
Flash forward to present. The h is a successful model, and "confident". H enters her life, accusing her of promiscuity and sleeping with her photographer, who is his secretary's fiance. He also continually hits on her and propositions her to be his mistress. The h also legit creams her panties every time she speaks. He then manipulates his way into her life by rescuing her brother, seduces her with his kisses, ends up banging her, discovers hymen, some unnecessary drama and very long drawn ending.
I legit did not understand their stupid "love". But Im glad the h was able to fight back sometimes, and the H showed his tender side occasionally.
Meh.
SWE
2.5/5
November 22, 2022
Oooh I really liked this one! I read it in one sitting! Yes the hero is a sexist jackass. But I loved how it all played out. 🤷🏼♀️ I love how the reader knew this pig’s world was gonna rock on its axis as soon as the h finally gave In to his relentless seduction. I loved how he begs, borrows, and steals to manipulate the situation to get us to that point. There’s something amazingly satisfying about watching an arrogant hero setting himself up for a face plant. 🤣🤣🤷🏼♀️
Bottom Line? If there’d been some real trashy OW drama and dubcon, this would have been 5-stars. 🤡 The author still managed to deliver some respectable angst without it tho, so ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing - the h and H have a unplanned and unexpected sexual encounter 7 years prior (when the h is 17) that in interrupted before they go all the way - the H is with OP during their 7-year separation
- a little OW drama - h thinks the H has had relations with his publicist - it’s never confirmed
- OM drama - the H thinks the h is sleeping with every man she comes in contact with, or at least wants to 😈
- no dubcon
- h is a 24 yr old virgin - *SURPRISE*
- H is a 31 yr old experienced man - not really a manwhore - he claims to not be “promiscuous” - whatever that means (it’s not explained)
- condoms used - he says he’s never gone without them
- H intentionally *forgets* a condom in order to get the h pregnant to manipulate her into a more permanent relationship 😈😈😈😈💕
Bottom Line? If there’d been some real trashy OW drama and dubcon, this would have been 5-stars. 🤡 The author still managed to deliver some respectable angst without it tho, so ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing - the h and H have a unplanned and unexpected sexual encounter 7 years prior (when the h is 17) that in interrupted before they go all the way - the H is with OP during their 7-year separation
- a little OW drama - h thinks the H has had relations with his publicist - it’s never confirmed
- OM drama - the H thinks the h is sleeping with every man she comes in contact with, or at least wants to 😈
- no dubcon
- h is a 24 yr old virgin - *SURPRISE*
- H is a 31 yr old experienced man - not really a manwhore - he claims to not be “promiscuous” - whatever that means (it’s not explained)
- condoms used - he says he’s never gone without them
- H intentionally *forgets* a condom in order to get the h pregnant to manipulate her into a more permanent relationship 😈😈😈😈💕
February 12, 2022
I think liking HQ books is directly related to your mood, because I reread this one today, and for the life of me I couldn’t imagine what I found so delightful about it? The hero is pathetic as far as I’m concerned the heroine is stupid.
November 24, 2022
In the beginning of the book he was a male chauvinist jerk, but somewhere halfway the book he changes and he becomes a wonderful man.
December 7, 2013
this one was nice but the basis rather unbelievable. pascal actually made up a story abt suki without facts n wid no misunderstandings. he even went as far as evicting suki from the family house n then forbidding her 2 come near his sister. lol was he mentally deranged !? u do not condemn some1 4 nthg ! just bcoz she was willing in his arms, does dat make her an easy girl wid a bad influence on ur sister !? after 7 yrs, he was back n wanted her as mistress. suki just went marshmallow abt him, cud not resist him, yuck ! but gud one neway.lol:-P
January 8, 2015
it had no sex but good chemistry good read
August 7, 2015
Rating: 4 stars.
Haven't reread this book since 2010, so review is based on my young mind how much I enjoyed it at the time. Will reread and do a review.
Haven't reread this book since 2010, so review is based on my young mind how much I enjoyed it at the time. Will reread and do a review.
June 17, 2018
#96 for 2018
Genre: Harlequin Romance
Genre: Harlequin Romance
August 6, 2020
Surprisingly sweet... My favorite book by SK! Highly recommended!
January 25, 2021
Μια μεγάλη και δυνατή αγάπη , αποτυπώνεται στο χαρτί, από την αγαπημένη Sharon Kendrick!!!
ΠΟΛΥ ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΗ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ!!!!
ΠΟΛΥ ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΗ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ!!!!
November 16, 2015
This was kind of a great hot mess, but also enjoyable in many respects. Suki was 17 when she stayed over her friend Francesca's house and met her older brother Pasquale. She falls in insta-love and one night while lying next to him, they very nearly have sex. Pasquale jumps away horrified at her promiscuity and accusing her of all manner of skanky and licentious behaviors. She is sent away in disgrace. 8 years later, she's a super model with a couple of tabloid scandals under her belt. He encounters her and continues accusing her of being a slut, but this time he's as equally attracted as he is disgusted. Only he doesn't know she's really a virgin. So he manipulates the situation so she'll be stuck with him and eventually agree to become his mistress, all the while continuing to like/hate her. There's also the typical conclusion, where things seem to be working out but because the hero is unable to effectively communicate his feelings, misunderstanding and angst ensues.
This is a hot mess because of Pasquale. This man needs his head examined. He's honorable and old-fashioned and all that and really, truly believes in the double standard that a man can whore around all he wants, but a woman better be virginal on her wedding night (she should also set aside her career to raise her children...and worse yet, the heroine actually agrees). He's truly a man out of his own time. He can't quite decide if he's disgusted at Suki's "promiscuity" or if wants to take advantage of it. He both denounces it and thanks her for it. Even he admits that not all men think with their heads. Worse though was his final reasoning for his treatment of her.
One definite highlight was the heroine. No doormat here...maybe a bit in the going gooey when the hero shows up or even the fact that she falls in love with a guy treating her like that. But on the whole, she does not put up with his shit. When he attempts to sort of blackmail her into being his "model" she outright refuses - she claims that bankruptcy and abject poverty would be preferable to working for him. Bravo. He still gets his way, but she gets her digs in and doesn't make it easy for him...right up to the end. I like that she had backbone.
This is a hot mess because of Pasquale. This man needs his head examined. He's honorable and old-fashioned and all that and really, truly believes in the double standard that a man can whore around all he wants, but a woman better be virginal on her wedding night (she should also set aside her career to raise her children...and worse yet, the heroine actually agrees). He's truly a man out of his own time. He can't quite decide if he's disgusted at Suki's "promiscuity" or if wants to take advantage of it. He both denounces it and thanks her for it. Even he admits that not all men think with their heads. Worse though was his final reasoning for his treatment of her.
One definite highlight was the heroine. No doormat here...maybe a bit in the going gooey when the hero shows up or even the fact that she falls in love with a guy treating her like that. But on the whole, she does not put up with his shit. When he attempts to sort of blackmail her into being his "model" she outright refuses - she claims that bankruptcy and abject poverty would be preferable to working for him. Bravo. He still gets his way, but she gets her digs in and doesn't make it easy for him...right up to the end. I like that she had backbone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2017
Did really enjoy book. Read it in English. Couldn't put it down :)
September 25, 2024
This is technically a best friend's brother trope, but the friend doesn't figure too prominently into the story.
The heroine Suzanne goes to her BFF's house for a school holiday, and meets the older brother Pasquale. One night there's a storm, and Suzanne and Pasquale end up in the same bed (just sleeping because Suzanne is terrified of the storm). But when they wake up the next morning, there's a little hanky panky, until Pasquale realizes who he's in bed with. He gets angry and accuses Suzanne of being a slut and a bad influence on his sister. He sends her back to her parents for the holiday and forbids her from seeing her BFF again.
Flash forward a few years. Suzanne is working as a model and suddenly Pasquale appears at a photo shoot, with all kinds of wrongful accusations about her having an affair with her married photographer. Pasquale is extremely mean and condescending, but keeps finding ways to force proximity with the h, as some kind of twisted revenge plot (to prove to Suzanne that she really is a slut and prove that Pasquale can get her into bed?)
He does kind of soften towards the end, and the two become lovers. But Suzanne still sees it as just a sexual relationship with no feelings from Pasqual's side, since they never leave his love nest. They've never been out on a date together. He acts hot and cold with her. She remains cool with him because the less she invests, the less she has to lose. At the very end, he finally professes he's been in love with her the whole time.
Heavy on bullying and name calling, emotions were high, grovel was light.
The heroine Suzanne goes to her BFF's house for a school holiday, and meets the older brother Pasquale. One night there's a storm, and Suzanne and Pasquale end up in the same bed (just sleeping because Suzanne is terrified of the storm). But when they wake up the next morning, there's a little hanky panky, until Pasquale realizes who he's in bed with. He gets angry and accuses Suzanne of being a slut and a bad influence on his sister. He sends her back to her parents for the holiday and forbids her from seeing her BFF again.
Flash forward a few years. Suzanne is working as a model and suddenly Pasquale appears at a photo shoot, with all kinds of wrongful accusations about her having an affair with her married photographer. Pasquale is extremely mean and condescending, but keeps finding ways to force proximity with the h, as some kind of twisted revenge plot (to prove to Suzanne that she really is a slut and prove that Pasquale can get her into bed?)
He does kind of soften towards the end, and the two become lovers. But Suzanne still sees it as just a sexual relationship with no feelings from Pasqual's side, since they never leave his love nest. They've never been out on a date together. He acts hot and cold with her. She remains cool with him because the less she invests, the less she has to lose. At the very end, he finally professes he's been in love with her the whole time.
Heavy on bullying and name calling, emotions were high, grovel was light.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2021
Ummm jadi ML nya udah bobo sana sini and he expects her to stay virgin (which she did anw)??? Padahal dy bilang ga mau "berkeliaran" selama belom nikah? Or did I read it wrong?
I like how the FL is strong and stand on her ground, but oh dear, the amount of misunderstanding and stupidity just make me go lol.
Also, i thought that the FL has an infertility problem, but maybe that's not the problem *shrug*
Happy ending, although to be honest i want to jerk the ML's head into a mud pool
I like how the FL is strong and stand on her ground, but oh dear, the amount of misunderstanding and stupidity just make me go lol.
Also, i thought that the FL has an infertility problem, but maybe that's not the problem *shrug*
Happy ending, although to be honest i want to jerk the ML's head into a mud pool
November 23, 2020
Gosh, this one is a bit hard to like. Yes, there's some plot and some emotional connection but the overbearing hero was such a jerk. And she fell for him, gave him her all without any commitment from him or possibly not even much respect.
Other reviewers called it a train wreck, but I didn't find it that exciting, more a so-so story with so-so characters and plot.
Other reviewers called it a train wreck, but I didn't find it that exciting, more a so-so story with so-so characters and plot.
October 23, 2023
This should be much better but the hero is just trash. He is wrong about the heroine at every single interaction and treats her like dirt. Then when the heroine doesn’t fall into his awful hands he get overly manipulative. Skip. Hero overshadowed all the good that might be in this book.
October 21, 2025
I don't know, to try an elevate a rather naive bimbo into someone your heart goes out to is quite a stretch for me. She falls into these scenarios that make her appear loose and the asshole who drools over her and then shames her.... they deserve each other.
October 28, 2019
9 chapters, DNF at Chapter 8...
March 11, 2021
Allow it, it was for a uni course.
February 13, 2020
Karakter Suki bikin ilfeel. Udah diperlakuin seburuk itu, masih aja mau deket-deket si Pasquale. Saya sih ogah. Amit-amit dah, harga diri dikemanain? Terlalu out of mind.
October 27, 2021
Tohle se mi strašně líbilo! Ten chlap byl správnej šmejd a ta holka byla taková...prostě holka, která si nijak moc nezakládá na tom, co si o ní lidé myslí.
June 16, 2015
Suzanna Franklin, hat es geschafft, sie ist ein erfolgreiches Model und die Männer liegen ihr zu Füßen. Ihre große Liebe aus ihrer Jugendzeit hat sie sehr verletzt, Pasquale Caliandro. Dann trifft sie ihn wieder nach all den Jahren. Doch vergessen kann sie nicht was er ihr angetan hat und er glaub sie schläft mit allen Männern.
Wie es bei diesen Geschichten immer ist alle vorhersehbar und total kitschig. Dieses Mal hat man aber zwei Geschichten zum Preis von einer. Einmal die aktuelle Geschichte zwischen Pasquale und Suzanna. In der beide versuchen gegen ihre Gefühle zu kämpfen und einmal die Geschichte ihres Kennenlernens. Ich lese diese Hefte deshalb immer wieder so gerne, weil ich immer weiß was ich bekomme. Eine leichte, sehr kitschig und romantisch Geschichte mit garantiertem Happy End.
Wie es bei diesen Geschichten immer ist alle vorhersehbar und total kitschig. Dieses Mal hat man aber zwei Geschichten zum Preis von einer. Einmal die aktuelle Geschichte zwischen Pasquale und Suzanna. In der beide versuchen gegen ihre Gefühle zu kämpfen und einmal die Geschichte ihres Kennenlernens. Ich lese diese Hefte deshalb immer wieder so gerne, weil ich immer weiß was ich bekomme. Eine leichte, sehr kitschig und romantisch Geschichte mit garantiertem Happy End.
June 3, 2021
"I want you to become my mistress!"
Suzanna Franklin was stunned! She was no longer the naive seventeen-year-old who had thrown herself at Pasquale Caliandro; now she was renowned model Suki. Other men might proposition her, but Pasquale had bitterly rejected her seven years ago. True, the electrical charge between them was as strong as ever, but what was that without any tender feelings? He must be mad or have a very warped sense of humor! But, she thought, Pasquale never joked about business - and being his mistress was business...
Suzanna Franklin was stunned! She was no longer the naive seventeen-year-old who had thrown herself at Pasquale Caliandro; now she was renowned model Suki. Other men might proposition her, but Pasquale had bitterly rejected her seven years ago. True, the electrical charge between them was as strong as ever, but what was that without any tender feelings? He must be mad or have a very warped sense of humor! But, she thought, Pasquale never joked about business - and being his mistress was business...
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