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Rafaello's Mistress
An outrageous proposition!
Glory Little's fantasies became reality when the irresistible Rafaello Grazzini chose to embark on a passionate liaison with her. Rafaello's charms and social graces made Glory feel like a princess. But his father cast a disapproving eye over the relationship and used blackmail to bring the fairy tale to an abrupt end.
Many years later, in desperate circumstances, Glory begs Rafaello for his help. As arrogant as he is handsome, Rafaello agrees to help Glory on one condition -- that she become his mistress....
Glory Little's fantasies became reality when the irresistible Rafaello Grazzini chose to embark on a passionate liaison with her. Rafaello's charms and social graces made Glory feel like a princess. But his father cast a disapproving eye over the relationship and used blackmail to bring the fairy tale to an abrupt end.
Many years later, in desperate circumstances, Glory begs Rafaello for his help. As arrogant as he is handsome, Rafaello agrees to help Glory on one condition -- that she become his mistress....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 2, 2001
63 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Graham
1,729 books1,439 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 14, 2021
3.5 stars because I didn't find him that irresistible🤔
I should be happy the h did though
I should be happy the h did though
July 17, 2018
Aww how cute was this book? Heroine was such a sweetheart, I wanted to adopt her! Hero was charming and sexy and you could tell he adored Glory! How could he not?! She is such a cutie pie! She is poor, he is rich, she is the gardener's daughter, he is the boss which means she is beneath him. She works at a factory, he is a tycoon.
They get together when Glory is 18 but they don't last cause Rafaello's father is a jerk. Years later they meet again he blackmails her into becoming his mistress and she is happy to accept since she still adores him. She falls pregnant but she thinks he doesn't want her or the baby so she dumbs him.
Lots of misunderstandings but adorable funny characters and a cute HEA make this a very enjoyable read!
They get together when Glory is 18 but they don't last cause Rafaello's father is a jerk. Years later they meet again he blackmails her into becoming his mistress and she is happy to accept since she still adores him. She falls pregnant but she thinks he doesn't want her or the baby so she dumbs him.
Lots of misunderstandings but adorable funny characters and a cute HEA make this a very enjoyable read!
November 19, 2017
Just a nice second chance Lynne Graham story. This is the one with the stolen snuff box and the hero blackmailing the heroine into being his mistress so charges against her brother would be dropped.
The hero was obviously besotted with the heroine. The heroine stubbornly tried to assert her independence. Her brother's parentage made for an interesting twist.
Yes, everything was in order for a LG story.
The hero was obviously besotted with the heroine. The heroine stubbornly tried to assert her independence. Her brother's parentage made for an interesting twist.
Yes, everything was in order for a LG story.
November 11, 2021
Read this after a harrowing dark Jordan Silver book. Not the best Lynne Graham HP but it did it's job in calming my emotions down. And get me back to a more even romance-novel reading keel.
The GOOD:
Sexual chemistry & the detailed sex scenes. Overall writing.
MEH or the BAD:
Meh romance mostly because of wishy-washiness & game-playing of both H&h who had many Big Misunderstandings & were quick to misread the other. So, h left a lot & H threatened h a lot when either she'd come back or he'd find her again. Meh characters & dysfunctional relationship overall. H who was too quick to judge h & retaliate. While h was too insecure re: her lower social status & people's perception of her as a bimbo. She didn't believe in her worth so she easily let H go 5 years prior without a fight or talking to H about their relationship, since she didn't think he could love somebody dumb & lower class as her. Lacked character growth since both H&h played the same kind of games but more of an adult version this time around so 29yo businessman H blackmailed ditzy 23yo virgin h to be his mistress, when she came back to beg 5 years later to beg H to not charge her 16yo bro for vandalizing H's family estate from a wild party h's bro threw without permissionafter (she left him 5 years ago coz H's father threatened to fire h's alcoholic grieving father from his live-in gardener job soon after her mom just died if she doesn't leave H & offered her a $5K check as recompense).
ok emotionality with some funny moments because of h's ditzy POV. Angst could've been better if h wasn't so wishy-washy & such a doormat to easily to forget & forget H's maltreatment of her. Her quickness to forget (especially when he'd start smexxing her) added to her bimbo-ness. Kinda funny & kinda annoying.
Sexual History:
h still a virgin at 23yo since couldn't find another man who excited her like H did during their 6 weeks together 5 years ago, She dated quite a few men during their separation but didn't succumb to their seductions or sexual pressures. H had lovers before h & after h left, including his Corfu neighbor's daughter who he had a fling with & who showed up when h arrived to H's house to start her mistress life with him.
The GOOD:
Sexual chemistry & the detailed sex scenes. Overall writing.
MEH or the BAD:
Meh romance mostly because of wishy-washiness & game-playing of both H&h who had many Big Misunderstandings & were quick to misread the other. So, h left a lot & H threatened h a lot when either she'd come back or he'd find her again. Meh characters & dysfunctional relationship overall. H who was too quick to judge h & retaliate. While h was too insecure re: her lower social status & people's perception of her as a bimbo. She didn't believe in her worth so she easily let H go 5 years prior without a fight or talking to H about their relationship, since she didn't think he could love somebody dumb & lower class as her. Lacked character growth since both H&h played the same kind of games but more of an adult version this time around so 29yo businessman H blackmailed ditzy 23yo virgin h to be his mistress, when she came back to beg 5 years later to beg H to not charge her 16yo bro for vandalizing H's family estate from a wild party h's bro threw without permissionafter (she left him 5 years ago coz H's father threatened to fire h's alcoholic grieving father from his live-in gardener job soon after her mom just died if she doesn't leave H & offered her a $5K check as recompense).
ok emotionality with some funny moments because of h's ditzy POV. Angst could've been better if h wasn't so wishy-washy & such a doormat to easily to forget & forget H's maltreatment of her. Her quickness to forget (especially when he'd start smexxing her) added to her bimbo-ness. Kinda funny & kinda annoying.
Sexual History:
h still a virgin at 23yo since couldn't find another man who excited her like H did during their 6 weeks together 5 years ago, She dated quite a few men during their separation but didn't succumb to their seductions or sexual pressures. H had lovers before h & after h left, including his Corfu neighbor's daughter who he had a fling with & who showed up when h arrived to H's house to start her mistress life with him.
December 10, 2017
Rafaello's Mistress is the poor man's The Petrakos Bride.
Lynne Graham told me that Rafaello was in over his head for Glory, but I didn't believe her. Rafaello told me the same thing, but I didn't believe him either.
We have one of LG's cute, cuddly, voluptuous heroines with the scarecrow syndrome (if I only had a brain) that has loved the hero for ages. Rafaello is the 6' 9" hero with eyelashes like spiders, skin like golden something and a male member in Mensa. They dated for six weeks where it was lollipops and roses, but now he thinks she is a cold-hearted, materialistic slut of the worst order and can't keep his hands off of her. Match made in heaven.
The angst, the slut-shaming, the martyrdom are all the result of some low-grade poor parenting. Not the worst by Harley or HP standards, but the parents collective indifference, unethical behavior and insensitivity adds up eventually. Shades of Chinatown Hint: the half-brother of my half-brother is my what? I don't know.
Anyhoo, the heroine does a runner, speaks in bizarre sentences, and like every other pregnant woman just keeps getting more and more attractive as she gets more and more pregnant. Yeah, uh huh.
Yes, Rafaello is sweet at the end, but like I said, it's only because LG said so.
Just re-read The Spanish Groom or The Italian's Inexperienced Mistress or The Petrakos Bride where the h totally owns the H.
For your viewing pleasure....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLg...
Lynne Graham told me that Rafaello was in over his head for Glory, but I didn't believe her. Rafaello told me the same thing, but I didn't believe him either.
We have one of LG's cute, cuddly, voluptuous heroines with the scarecrow syndrome (if I only had a brain) that has loved the hero for ages. Rafaello is the 6' 9" hero with eyelashes like spiders, skin like golden something and a male member in Mensa. They dated for six weeks where it was lollipops and roses, but now he thinks she is a cold-hearted, materialistic slut of the worst order and can't keep his hands off of her. Match made in heaven.
The angst, the slut-shaming, the martyrdom are all the result of some low-grade poor parenting. Not the worst by Harley or HP standards, but the parents collective indifference, unethical behavior and insensitivity adds up eventually. Shades of Chinatown Hint: the half-brother of my half-brother is my what? I don't know.
Anyhoo, the heroine does a runner, speaks in bizarre sentences, and like every other pregnant woman just keeps getting more and more attractive as she gets more and more pregnant. Yeah, uh huh.
Yes, Rafaello is sweet at the end, but like I said, it's only because LG said so.
Just re-read The Spanish Groom or The Italian's Inexperienced Mistress or The Petrakos Bride where the h totally owns the H.
For your viewing pleasure....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLg...
February 23, 2025
H was awfully yummy.
August 24, 2021
So the hero’s father blackmailed the young heroine and gave her money to dump the hero.
Years later she’s blackmailed by the hero to be his mistress if he wants to save her younger brother.
I wonder if this woman ever does something-anything- for herself.
Not a fan of martyr I am.
The hero wasn’t celibate during their separation while she was, and he slut shamed her for almost all the book. When he found out she was a virgin he accused her that he wanted to trap him.
The only right thing she did was to leave him and disappear.
I hoped he would never find her.
This man is awful and fil was awful too.
Too many awful people here.
The heroine should have made a right thing if she went on them with a wagon of s**t.
Ungrammatical and angry.
Two stars is far too generous.
Years later she’s blackmailed by the hero to be his mistress if he wants to save her younger brother.
I wonder if this woman ever does something-anything- for herself.
Not a fan of martyr I am.
The hero wasn’t celibate during their separation while she was, and he slut shamed her for almost all the book. When he found out she was a virgin he accused her that he wanted to trap him.
The only right thing she did was to leave him and disappear.
I hoped he would never find her.
This man is awful and fil was awful too.
Too many awful people here.
The heroine should have made a right thing if she went on them with a wagon of s**t.
Ungrammatical and angry.
Two stars is far too generous.
May 19, 2019
"Rafaello's Mistress" is the story of Glory and Rafaello.
Confusing, stupid, second chance romance with indecisive and impulsive characters that are extremely unlikable, complacent and unnecessarily headstrong. Too many convoluted plots with leads that I will happily stab.
Strong dislike for this one.
Unsafe
1/5
Confusing, stupid, second chance romance with indecisive and impulsive characters that are extremely unlikable, complacent and unnecessarily headstrong. Too many convoluted plots with leads that I will happily stab.
Strong dislike for this one.
Unsafe
1/5
March 12, 2017
wow!!I loved it!!the hero was adamant to show his feelings but it was clear that he was in love with the heroine.I also liked the fact that he was not unnecessarily cruel to the heroine and on occasions he was rude he immediately apologised to her.I loved the heroine,she stood up for herself and was not a doormat!there were a lot of misunderstandings between them but the author did a brilliant job of clearing them and the heros declaration of his love and hurt when the heroine dumped him was heart touching!its worth reading!!both the characters were adorable!!I particularly liked the fact that hero loved the heroine inspite of believing that she left him for money.
December 5, 2014
Ahhhhh, this is the Lynn Graham I know and love!
She keeps the tension high from the first page till the last.
Such a beautiful story and a huge twist I wasn't expecting.
Beautifully written.
She keeps the tension high from the first page till the last.
Such a beautiful story and a huge twist I wasn't expecting.
Beautifully written.
July 21, 2023
so I read this before but totally forgot that I read this before and honestly, disappointed I forgot it but also glad to have read it again bc I loved it!
Perfect amount of tease and angst, and I just loved how crazy they both were for each other. Would give it 5 stars if not for the second separation which annoyed me but it was a very short duration so not too bad.
The ending was so dreamy! I loved how he was so happy and woo-ing her before their wedding day!
Perfect amount of tease and angst, and I just loved how crazy they both were for each other. Would give it 5 stars if not for the second separation which annoyed me but it was a very short duration so not too bad.
The ending was so dreamy! I loved how he was so happy and woo-ing her before their wedding day!
January 3, 2014
Solid entry. This is a second chance at love story. They dated as a young couple but that wasn't explored in any real depth and so it lacked a bit of intensity that could have been there. You didn't really feel the "tragedy" of them having been broken up by their parents.
After they meet again the story is fun but nothing groundbreaking. There were the requisite misunderstandings and leaping to conclusions and of course the pregnancy which is standard in LG
The hero was not much of an asshat. The heroine was a bit wimpish but still an acceptable read, especially if you're already a Lynne Graham fan.
After they meet again the story is fun but nothing groundbreaking. There were the requisite misunderstandings and leaping to conclusions and of course the pregnancy which is standard in LG
The hero was not much of an asshat. The heroine was a bit wimpish but still an acceptable read, especially if you're already a Lynne Graham fan.
November 27, 2019
This HP has it all... second chance, blackmailing hero, interfering family, misunderstanding, miscommunication, hint of an old OW, runaway heroine, secret pregnancy, and hidden half sibling!
And, of course, a HEA!
Does it get any better than that? 🤣😜🙄😜🤣
And, of course, a HEA!
Does it get any better than that? 🤣😜🙄😜🤣
August 21, 2023
I reread this yesterday. Why did LG have to make heroine so TSTL?
July 29, 2022
H was awful, but besotted. Good read.
July 27, 2025
Passionate, HP reunion romance from 2001, with a feisty FMC and an Alpha MMC
Glory Little grew up in a cottage on the magnificent estate of Rafaello Grazzini's family. Her father is the estate's head gardener, and the men of the Little family have held that position for generations. Glory developed a massive crush on Rafaello when she was 13 and he was a gorgeous 19-year-old racing around the estate on his motorcycle. At age 16, he rescued her from a date who was attempting to get her drunk in order to sexually assault her. But he made no effort to flirt with her, simply dropped her off at home with her mother. It seemed as if Rafaello was nothing but an unattainable dream until the day Glory turned 18. Rafaello asked her out, and for six magical weeks he courted her with tenderness and respect, never trying to pressure her into sex. Her crush matured into a deep love.
Then, suddenly, her relationship with Rafaello was cut brutally short by a terrifying ultimatum from his powerful father: take a $5,000 payoff and disappear, or Glory's father would be fired, and his whole life destroyed. Glory, still grieving the sudden death of her mother, was too intimidated to fight back by running to Rafaello for help. Her father insisted on cashing the check, claiming he needed it to pay living expenses for him and Sam, because she would no longer be helping out from her paycheck. On his side, Rafaello was manipulated by his father to believe that Glory abandoned him for a relative pittance of a payoff, by showing him the canceled check.
Five years later, Glory is back in Rafaello’s orbit under humiliating circumstances. Her younger brother Sam has thrown a reckless party at the Grazzini mansion, causing significant damage. When Glory begs Rafaello not to press charges, he agrees. But only if she becomes his mistress.
This plot setup is quintessential HP, with an alpha MMC blackmailing the FMC into bed. In real life, this behavior would be horrific. But in Harleyland, it’s a time-honored setup to reignite unresolved passion, and LG is particularly talented in her execution of this tricky trope.
I’ve read this book multiple times over the years, and it's always a satisfying read. Rafaello is an excellent rendition of the brooding, passionate, HP Alpha, and though Glory comes from a social background far below that of Rafaello, she exhibits loyalty, courage and determination, never devolving into a doormat. Their toe-to-toe confrontations are packed with passion, mutually affronted pride, and a delicate touch of pathos.
One of my favorite things about this book is how well it handles the reunion trope. I much prefer it when, as in this story, the breakup is purely due to outside interference.
As is always the case in an LG novel, the sex scenes are passionate and sensual without being crude, and their chemistry is electric.
Glory Little grew up in a cottage on the magnificent estate of Rafaello Grazzini's family. Her father is the estate's head gardener, and the men of the Little family have held that position for generations. Glory developed a massive crush on Rafaello when she was 13 and he was a gorgeous 19-year-old racing around the estate on his motorcycle. At age 16, he rescued her from a date who was attempting to get her drunk in order to sexually assault her. But he made no effort to flirt with her, simply dropped her off at home with her mother. It seemed as if Rafaello was nothing but an unattainable dream until the day Glory turned 18. Rafaello asked her out, and for six magical weeks he courted her with tenderness and respect, never trying to pressure her into sex. Her crush matured into a deep love.
Then, suddenly, her relationship with Rafaello was cut brutally short by a terrifying ultimatum from his powerful father: take a $5,000 payoff and disappear, or Glory's father would be fired, and his whole life destroyed. Glory, still grieving the sudden death of her mother, was too intimidated to fight back by running to Rafaello for help. Her father insisted on cashing the check, claiming he needed it to pay living expenses for him and Sam, because she would no longer be helping out from her paycheck. On his side, Rafaello was manipulated by his father to believe that Glory abandoned him for a relative pittance of a payoff, by showing him the canceled check.
Five years later, Glory is back in Rafaello’s orbit under humiliating circumstances. Her younger brother Sam has thrown a reckless party at the Grazzini mansion, causing significant damage. When Glory begs Rafaello not to press charges, he agrees. But only if she becomes his mistress.
This plot setup is quintessential HP, with an alpha MMC blackmailing the FMC into bed. In real life, this behavior would be horrific. But in Harleyland, it’s a time-honored setup to reignite unresolved passion, and LG is particularly talented in her execution of this tricky trope.
I’ve read this book multiple times over the years, and it's always a satisfying read. Rafaello is an excellent rendition of the brooding, passionate, HP Alpha, and though Glory comes from a social background far below that of Rafaello, she exhibits loyalty, courage and determination, never devolving into a doormat. Their toe-to-toe confrontations are packed with passion, mutually affronted pride, and a delicate touch of pathos.
One of my favorite things about this book is how well it handles the reunion trope. I much prefer it when, as in this story, the breakup is purely due to outside interference.
As is always the case in an LG novel, the sex scenes are passionate and sensual without being crude, and their chemistry is electric.
February 25, 2012
Glory Little is the gardener's daughter.
She grows up in awe of the handsome Rafaello, heir to the estate.
She has an unfortunate drunken father and a younger brother who has got into trouble. To make matters worse we have the cliche of her dead mother being a gypsy and this causing further problems re social acceptance. Anyway, Glory is forced to leave school at 16 and now works in a factory. It is fair to say that she is not the sharpest tool in the box.
When she is 18 she has a 6 week relationship with Rafaello and they fall in love - all be it she doesn't put out....
They are separated by Rafaello's father and Glory breaks it off with Rafaello in a manner which leads him to think she doesn't care.
Several years later when her brother is in trouble, Glory goes begging to Rafaello. He tells her he will only drop the charges if she becomes his mistress. She storms out. An hour later she is back. More storming around. It all became quite confusing.
I cant begin to describe how stupid Glory really is.
They head off to Corfu. More stupidness and bickering. She loses her virginity. More bickering. They fail to use contraception. More bickering. And so it goes on.
When she compulsorily falls pregnant she is too stupid to tell him and in fact decides that he must be about to dump her, so she must leave first - only to end up waiting tables at a nearby restaurant with not enough money to get home ( because of her stupidity)
He eventually finds her to tell her her father is sick. He discovers she is pregnant . They must marry.
It turns out that Rafaello is the half brother of her half brother and it's all a little too close to home.
More Bickerfest.
Final hea.
I really did not like this and skim read to the end.
The heroine missed no opportunity to misunderstand events/ not ask what the hero actually meant.
I struggled to see what Rafaello saw in her other than her looks, as she was so darned thick.
She grows up in awe of the handsome Rafaello, heir to the estate.
She has an unfortunate drunken father and a younger brother who has got into trouble. To make matters worse we have the cliche of her dead mother being a gypsy and this causing further problems re social acceptance. Anyway, Glory is forced to leave school at 16 and now works in a factory. It is fair to say that she is not the sharpest tool in the box.
When she is 18 she has a 6 week relationship with Rafaello and they fall in love - all be it she doesn't put out....
They are separated by Rafaello's father and Glory breaks it off with Rafaello in a manner which leads him to think she doesn't care.
Several years later when her brother is in trouble, Glory goes begging to Rafaello. He tells her he will only drop the charges if she becomes his mistress. She storms out. An hour later she is back. More storming around. It all became quite confusing.
I cant begin to describe how stupid Glory really is.
They head off to Corfu. More stupidness and bickering. She loses her virginity. More bickering. They fail to use contraception. More bickering. And so it goes on.
When she compulsorily falls pregnant she is too stupid to tell him and in fact decides that he must be about to dump her, so she must leave first - only to end up waiting tables at a nearby restaurant with not enough money to get home ( because of her stupidity)
He eventually finds her to tell her her father is sick. He discovers she is pregnant . They must marry.
It turns out that Rafaello is the half brother of her half brother and it's all a little too close to home.
More Bickerfest.
Final hea.
I really did not like this and skim read to the end.
The heroine missed no opportunity to misunderstand events/ not ask what the hero actually meant.
I struggled to see what Rafaello saw in her other than her looks, as she was so darned thick.
June 21, 2024
Her parents worked for his parents. Her father a gardener. Rafaello never cared about social standings and pursued her. His father ended the affair when he blackmailed her into leaving him. Now years later she is back in his eyesight. Her younger brother and friends have been caught breaking and entering. He will drop all charges if she becomes his mistress. What happens next can only be stated that I have watched soap operas that could and probably used this plot before. It is a story I have read in the past and will reread it again.
November 30, 2019
There is little I loathe as much as I loathe when characters forgive their abusers. Also, these two were utter morons and it's unfortunate that they procreated
February 18, 2020
Two of the ditziest most air-headed characters ever. I will still read just about anything LG writes.
May 28, 2015
Updated:
May/27/2015
This book was another OK for me. From 1 to 10 (My personal rating scale): 7.0
May/27/2015
This book was another OK for me. From 1 to 10 (My personal rating scale): 7.0
October 8, 2016
Every single person in this book is too stupid too live.
No tension, no character development.
So. Many. Adjectives.
Only read this book if you're in it for the lulz.
No tension, no character development.
So. Many. Adjectives.
Only read this book if you're in it for the lulz.
August 1, 2025
Lynne Graham’s Rafaello’s Mistress is a classic Harlequin romance brimming with passion, angst, and the kind of emotional intensity that makes Ms. Grahams’s books so addictive. The story revolves around Glory Little, a young woman whose past entanglement with the powerful and devastatingly handsome Rafaello Grazzini left her scarred in more ways than one. Years later, their paths cross again when desperation forces Glory to seek his help, only to find herself bound once more by the dangerous allure of the man she had once loved.
Rafaello is the kind of hero Graham excels at creating; commanding, arrogant, and emotionally complex. He is a man who wields control effortlessly, and yet beneath that steely exterior lies a vulnerability he refuses to admit. His reappearance in Glory’s life isn’t without an edge; he has long believed she betrayed him years earlier, taking money in exchange for ending their relationship.
That sense of betrayal has festered into a need for revenge, driving his low opinion of her and fueling his determination to assert control over their renewed connection. Layered over this are complicated family ties that adds another dimension to his mistrust and makes their entanglement even more fraught.
As such, it is not far fetched for their shared history to have resulted in misunderstandings and half-truths, and much of the conflict later on is fueled by the mistakes and manipulations of those around them. Rafaello’s belief in Glory’s supposed betrayal colors every interaction, creating sparks of both fury and passion.
What makes this story so compelling is not just the clash of wills, but the revelation of family secrets and the complex web of ties that bind them together. The more the truth unravels, the more layered Rafaello becomes as a character, moving beyond the archetypal alpha into something deeper.
I loved the humor woven into this story; it lightened the heavy emotions and gave both Rafaello and Glory moments of unexpected warmth. The sexual tension between them is electric, with explosive kisses and encounters that keep the pages flying. What stood out most was how nuanced his characterization turned out to be. Instead of a one-dimensional domineering hero, Ms. Graham delivers a man whose contradictions and vulnerabilities make him all the more magnetic.
Told entirely from Glory’s perspective, the book gives the heroine’s voice center stage, and I found that choice made the story even more powerful. Seeing Rafaello only through her eyes adds to the mystery of his emotions, making his actions all the more intense when his true feelings come through.
Recommended for: readers who love angsty, passionate romances with complex heroes, strong but vulnerable heroines, and a shared past that demands resolution.
Final Verdict: A fiery and emotionally charged romance, Rafaello’s Mistress is elevated by Rafaello’s surprisingly complex characterization, delivering the kind of layered love story that lingers.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
Rafaello is the kind of hero Graham excels at creating; commanding, arrogant, and emotionally complex. He is a man who wields control effortlessly, and yet beneath that steely exterior lies a vulnerability he refuses to admit. His reappearance in Glory’s life isn’t without an edge; he has long believed she betrayed him years earlier, taking money in exchange for ending their relationship.
That sense of betrayal has festered into a need for revenge, driving his low opinion of her and fueling his determination to assert control over their renewed connection. Layered over this are complicated family ties that adds another dimension to his mistrust and makes their entanglement even more fraught.
As such, it is not far fetched for their shared history to have resulted in misunderstandings and half-truths, and much of the conflict later on is fueled by the mistakes and manipulations of those around them. Rafaello’s belief in Glory’s supposed betrayal colors every interaction, creating sparks of both fury and passion.
What makes this story so compelling is not just the clash of wills, but the revelation of family secrets and the complex web of ties that bind them together. The more the truth unravels, the more layered Rafaello becomes as a character, moving beyond the archetypal alpha into something deeper.
I loved the humor woven into this story; it lightened the heavy emotions and gave both Rafaello and Glory moments of unexpected warmth. The sexual tension between them is electric, with explosive kisses and encounters that keep the pages flying. What stood out most was how nuanced his characterization turned out to be. Instead of a one-dimensional domineering hero, Ms. Graham delivers a man whose contradictions and vulnerabilities make him all the more magnetic.
Told entirely from Glory’s perspective, the book gives the heroine’s voice center stage, and I found that choice made the story even more powerful. Seeing Rafaello only through her eyes adds to the mystery of his emotions, making his actions all the more intense when his true feelings come through.
Recommended for: readers who love angsty, passionate romances with complex heroes, strong but vulnerable heroines, and a shared past that demands resolution.
Final Verdict: A fiery and emotionally charged romance, Rafaello’s Mistress is elevated by Rafaello’s surprisingly complex characterization, delivering the kind of layered love story that lingers.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
March 7, 2024
She’s the hero’s family gardener’s daughter.
There is an age difference.
They both were fixated on each other. Wait one minute. He remembers her from when she was quite a small child. She grew fixated on him first. Stalkerish.
He saw her through her make up experiments, sneaking out to party stage.
Brought her back home when she thought he was taking her out.
They dated for a minute but there was a misunderstanding.
Years later she goes to him because her brother has been accused of stealing from his house.
He blackmails her back into his bed.
Love happens. It was always in the background. The one who got away kind.
It’s quite readable. LG did not sleep walk through this one. That is for sure.
Won’t give plot twist. Or will. They both share the half brother who was accused of theft. Hero’s father slept with the gardeners wife.
There is an age difference.
They both were fixated on each other. Wait one minute. He remembers her from when she was quite a small child. She grew fixated on him first. Stalkerish.
He saw her through her make up experiments, sneaking out to party stage.
Brought her back home when she thought he was taking her out.
They dated for a minute but there was a misunderstanding.
Years later she goes to him because her brother has been accused of stealing from his house.
He blackmails her back into his bed.
Love happens. It was always in the background. The one who got away kind.
It’s quite readable. LG did not sleep walk through this one. That is for sure.
Won’t give plot twist. Or will. They both share the half brother who was accused of theft. Hero’s father slept with the gardeners wife.
January 20, 2018
Rafaello pria yg kasar, nggak bisa mengekspresikan isi kepalanya dengan baik, dan kata-katanya selalu menyakiti Glory. Mungkin karena di masa lalu cintanya dicampakkan Glory demi sejumlah uang. Padahal semua itu taktik kedua orang Rafaello dan Glory untuk memisahkan mereka.
ada twist menjelang akhir cerita yang menjadi titik awal perubahan karakter semua tokohnya.
btw, Lynne Graham ini selalu pake heroine yg perawan ya. :)
ada twist menjelang akhir cerita yang menjadi titik awal perubahan karakter semua tokohnya.
btw, Lynne Graham ini selalu pake heroine yg perawan ya. :)
March 18, 2024
A steamy read.
Two people in love with each other for years but never tell each other then enters some family that try to arrange their lives by telling lies. They finally meet again and he uses whatever means he can to keep her near because love hasn't died. LG can craft some wonderful characters and good interactions for an entertaining read.
Two people in love with each other for years but never tell each other then enters some family that try to arrange their lives by telling lies. They finally meet again and he uses whatever means he can to keep her near because love hasn't died. LG can craft some wonderful characters and good interactions for an entertaining read.
August 13, 2025
Trust your heart!
I absolutely adore, more than adore, Ms. Graham's stories! Every page of every book ensnare my emotions so I have to complete each book as I get it and this story was no different! Miscommunication, misunderstandings all culminate in discovering true love and I can't wait for more.
I absolutely adore, more than adore, Ms. Graham's stories! Every page of every book ensnare my emotions so I have to complete each book as I get it and this story was no different! Miscommunication, misunderstandings all culminate in discovering true love and I can't wait for more.
February 11, 2018
This book had too much to overcome by the end. Moron hero, secret half brother, bribery, secret affair...yeah thats alot. Plus this poor normal heroine is talking to this stump of a hero. She could have done better.
July 26, 2024
Skimmed as I found it nearly unreadable, simplistic. Why does LG make all er epilogues into a point by point HEA? Glad they are happy but so much more effective to show rather than dump.
Some LG more recent HPs write down as though readers are teenagers not adults.
Some LG more recent HPs write down as though readers are teenagers not adults.
March 20, 2018
3.5 stars tons of family drama and secrets
overall entertaining quick read
overall entertaining quick read
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