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Princes Untamed #1
Dealing Her Final Card
If my card is higher, you’ll belong to me, obeying my every whim, for as long as I desire.”
As Bree Dalton hears the icy words of Russian Prince Vladimir Xendzov, the man whose ring she once wore and life she once ruined, she nervously accepts the biggest wager of her life. Her body for a million dollars.
Bree knows better than to doubt the steely ruthlessness of this man. With everything to lose and the weight of Vladimir’s gaze upon her, she will have to play the best she’s ever played—or run the risk of losing herself completely….
Only the most innocent touch can melt their ice-cold hearts.
As Bree Dalton hears the icy words of Russian Prince Vladimir Xendzov, the man whose ring she once wore and life she once ruined, she nervously accepts the biggest wager of her life. Her body for a million dollars.
Bree knows better than to doubt the steely ruthlessness of this man. With everything to lose and the weight of Vladimir’s gaze upon her, she will have to play the best she’s ever played—or run the risk of losing herself completely….
Only the most innocent touch can melt their ice-cold hearts.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
40 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Jennie Lucas
554 books331 followersJennie Lucas had a tragic beginning for any would-be writer: a very happy childhood. Her parents owned a bookstore, and she grew up surrounded by books, dreaming about faraway lands. Her mother read aloud to her in French when she was little; when she was ten, her father secretly paid her a dollar for every classic novel (Jane Eyre, War and Peace) that she read. As a chubby teenager, Jennie covered her bedroom with travel posters and always had her nose in a book.
At fifteen, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and traveled around the U.S., supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At 22, she met the man who would be her husband. For the first time in her life, she wanted to stay in one place, as long as she could be with him. After their marriage, she graduated from Kent State University with a degree in English, and started writing books a year later.
Jennie was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest in 2003 and won the award in 2005. A fellow 2003 finalist, Australian author Trish Morey, read Jennie’s writing and told her that she should write for Harlequin Presents. It seemed like too big a dream, but Jennie took a deep breath and went for it. A year later, after seven years of writing and eight finished manuscripts, Jennie got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then, life has been hectic, juggling a writing career, a sexy husband and two young children, but Jennie loves her crazy, chaotic life. Who needs a clean house? Every day, Jennie gets swept into drama, glamour and passion. Now if she can only figure out how to pack up her family and live in all the places she’s writing about!
At fifteen, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and traveled around the U.S., supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At 22, she met the man who would be her husband. For the first time in her life, she wanted to stay in one place, as long as she could be with him. After their marriage, she graduated from Kent State University with a degree in English, and started writing books a year later.
Jennie was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest in 2003 and won the award in 2005. A fellow 2003 finalist, Australian author Trish Morey, read Jennie’s writing and told her that she should write for Harlequin Presents. It seemed like too big a dream, but Jennie took a deep breath and went for it. A year later, after seven years of writing and eight finished manuscripts, Jennie got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then, life has been hectic, juggling a writing career, a sexy husband and two young children, but Jennie loves her crazy, chaotic life. Who needs a clean house? Every day, Jennie gets swept into drama, glamour and passion. Now if she can only figure out how to pack up her family and live in all the places she’s writing about!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 10, 2016
Bree Dalton (who's 28) and her younger sister Josie are living in Honolulu, Hawaii where they have been working at a hotel/resort for the past couple of months. One night, a worried and distraught Josie wakes Bree up and tells her that she lost a lot of money in a poker game she was persuaded to play with a group of men and she now owes a hundred thousand dollars. Bree is obviously upset but knows what she must do---go play poker with these men and win!
Bree is very good at poker. She and her late father "Black Jack Dalton" had been swindling people for years. But ten years ago, when Bree was eighteen, she met a man she was going to swindle (hero Vladimir Xendzov) and fell for him. He proposed. But when Bree was going to tell Vladimir about her unsavory past as a card-shark his brother beat her to it and Vladimir abandoned Bree and turned her over to the sheriff. After this Bree fled with her sister, quit playing poker, and went straight. But now it seems she has no choice but to play again. Bree goes to the poker game and to her surprise and dismay Vladimir is one of the men there.
Bree wins back the money her sister lost at the poker game. But Vladimir suggests one more game, between the two of them, winner take all. If Bree wins, Vladimir will give her one million dollars. If Vladimir wins, Bree would be his (to do with as he wishes) for as long as he wants her. Since Bree and her sister have been running from the people they owe money to for years, she figures she and her sister Josie would be set for life and they would finally be able to pay off their debts. So she agrees. They play. Bree loses, and Vladimir wins!
Bree ends up being separated from her sister Josie, who gets driven away (Vladimir assures Bree that Josie is safe) and Bree goes/drives with Vladimir to his private palatial Hawaiian mansion where she will be his for as long as he pleases.
Vladimir (who is now 35) resents Bree. He feels he was duped/betrayed by her ten years ago when he found out she and her father were fleecing tourists in Alaska (where she lived) and Bree was about to swindle him too. He didn't realize she was about to tell him all about her past. But his brother told him first. Vladimir also doesn't get along with his younger brother Kasimir and they have sort of been enemies and rivals. As the story progresses Vladimir realizes he has misjudged a lot of people and he tries to make amends. He was overbearing and ruthless at times, but at other times he was quite sweet and sexy. I did like him.
I really liked Bree. She was feisty at times and really stood up to Vladimir. When he said something to her that she didn't like she sure let him know! I enjoyed their sparring. Bree was a very warm heroine and cared a lot about her sister and she saw the good in people. She was drawn into conning people by her late father who was devastated by his wife's/Bree's mother's death which changed him. He turned to drinking and gambling and started taking Bree with him to card games so she learned quite early in life how to con and trick people. But when she fell for Vladimir she vowed to go straight and she did.
This was a romantic and entertaining read. I loved the settings---sunny Honolulu, Hawaii and snowy Russia (St. Petersburg).
Bree and Vladimir had great chemistry and they also had some sexy love scenes. I liked how they learned to trust each other in the end. I really look forward to reading the follow up story with Josie and Kasimir.
February 27, 2019
I am so in love with this book! The intense drama and tension between Bree and Vladimir radiates off the page. Their mutual attraction and lust was sizzling and electrifying. Their love affair was so heated and intense I was literally on the edge of my seat. Great love story, steamy lovemaking and the characters were well developed.
Not to mention that the more you learn about Vladimir the more empathy you have for him, can understand more of his need for control and how his ruthless character developed. So sweet how eventually the heroine melts his cold black heart. Jennie Lucas is without a doubt my favorite Harlequin author.
Not to mention that the more you learn about Vladimir the more empathy you have for him, can understand more of his need for control and how his ruthless character developed. So sweet how eventually the heroine melts his cold black heart. Jennie Lucas is without a doubt my favorite Harlequin author.
September 12, 2015
I love the fantasy idea of the heroine being won in a bet, sold, etc. Guess it's kind of a kink of mine. Totally loved that this hero was so desperate to make her happy, yet going about it so wrong by throwing money at her.
This is very tropey: Hero wants revenge until he realizes h was innocent because 'oops she's a virgin', hero controls heroine's life by manipulating her with her love for a family member, hero is broken and thinks he can't love/doesn't deserve it, but desperately needs the heroine....
Basically a dysfunctional mess that only has a HEA in HPLandia :) Some hate these tropes, but I love it so and though this one was one of the better done examples.
This is very tropey: Hero wants revenge until he realizes h was innocent because 'oops she's a virgin', hero controls heroine's life by manipulating her with her love for a family member, hero is broken and thinks he can't love/doesn't deserve it, but desperately needs the heroine....
Basically a dysfunctional mess that only has a HEA in HPLandia :) Some hate these tropes, but I love it so and though this one was one of the better done examples.
March 11, 2017
This is a story that brings the drama, but most of it was sordid and there is something hollow underneath it all and left me feeling more depressed than uplifted at their HEA.
The heroine staked herself in a poker game to extract her sister from a 100,000 dollar debt. She won that, but then she pushed her luck and played her final card against the hero to finally emerge from her Breaking Bad-type father’s debts. That she still had her v-card at 28 as her final, final card is what springs her from the life of slavery the hero has sentenced her to for betraying him and breaking his heart ten years before.
Slavery? Really?
Before playing that final card, the heroine actually scrubs floors in an act of ritual humiliation like she is doing penance for the wrongs she did to the hero. That was not fun to read and the having the hero’s point of view didn’t help. Are these real people?
Once the hero comes around and takes the heroine to winter-locked Russia and lavishes material goods on her, my existential angst kicked in. What’s the point of extreme wealth? Where are the other people? We just see bad guys and a terrified shop girl.
I don’t think alphas should inspire fear in people – there’s a fine line between strong man and thug. Yeah, it’s great the heroine could keep him from firing the poor girl – but who wants to be the H’s moral conscience if he doesn’t have one of his own? The gilded cage motif was depressing. Thank goodness the puppy showed up.
Perhaps I'm unsatisfied with the HEA because the thread with the h’s sister and H’s brother was left dangling for the next story. Instead of love and forgiveness conquering all – revenge and money are still the primary drivers of behaviour. If you like a walk on the darker side of the street, you will probably like this one. It's well done, but not my cuppa.
The heroine staked herself in a poker game to extract her sister from a 100,000 dollar debt. She won that, but then she pushed her luck and played her final card against the hero to finally emerge from her Breaking Bad-type father’s debts. That she still had her v-card at 28 as her final, final card is what springs her from the life of slavery the hero has sentenced her to for betraying him and breaking his heart ten years before.
Slavery? Really?
Before playing that final card, the heroine actually scrubs floors in an act of ritual humiliation like she is doing penance for the wrongs she did to the hero. That was not fun to read and the having the hero’s point of view didn’t help. Are these real people?
Once the hero comes around and takes the heroine to winter-locked Russia and lavishes material goods on her, my existential angst kicked in. What’s the point of extreme wealth? Where are the other people? We just see bad guys and a terrified shop girl.
I don’t think alphas should inspire fear in people – there’s a fine line between strong man and thug. Yeah, it’s great the heroine could keep him from firing the poor girl – but who wants to be the H’s moral conscience if he doesn’t have one of his own? The gilded cage motif was depressing. Thank goodness the puppy showed up.
Perhaps I'm unsatisfied with the HEA because the thread with the h’s sister and H’s brother was left dangling for the next story. Instead of love and forgiveness conquering all – revenge and money are still the primary drivers of behaviour. If you like a walk on the darker side of the street, you will probably like this one. It's well done, but not my cuppa.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2017
Apparently I was getting ready to read the 2nd one first...only 2.99 on Kindle so I guess I'll get it so I can read in order...
After Reading:
Enjoyed the book although, I guess the HP books aren't what I am into reading as much these days. It's been over a week since I finished this and my new Outlander obsession has wiped much from my mind about this book. LOL I did like it, as I enjoy all of Jennie Lucas's books.
After Reading:
Enjoyed the book although, I guess the HP books aren't what I am into reading as much these days. It's been over a week since I finished this and my new Outlander obsession has wiped much from my mind about this book. LOL I did like it, as I enjoy all of Jennie Lucas's books.
April 10, 2017
A bit too sordid for my tastes, but I could get over that if there was a bit more depth to the whole thing. (I know it's an HP. How can I expect much depth.)
I struggle with JL's work because tells me they love each other, but she doesn't show me. Also, the whole "v-card" bugs me. Now she's telling the truth?
Not my cuppa.
I struggle with JL's work because tells me they love each other, but she doesn't show me. Also, the whole "v-card" bugs me. Now she's telling the truth?
Not my cuppa.
August 26, 2014
Since the hero in this book, Vladimir shows up as a peripheral character in the last Jennie Lucas book I read, A Night of Living Dangerously, I decided to reach for this one. It also happens that the hero is Russian (and I swoon over Russian heroes). Talking about drama, wow!
Man, this book was sizzling. The whole scenario and the dialogue and action was crazy. I couldn't believe the bet that Bree makes. I completely understand why. I loved that she isn't the typical, sweet, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth heroine. She has a history of being a card shark and con artist from childhood, but decides to go straight when she falls in love with Vladimir. Even though he abandons her and turns his back on her.
Their reunion is titillating, to say the least. There are some pretty outrageous moments in this book. A couple of scenes are just all kinds of inappropriate, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page. It works for the book, and I like that the author wasn't afraid to go there.
I liked the descriptions and imagery of St. Petersburg. I wanted to be there, feel the cold on my skin and experience the over the top luxury with my own eyes. The Hawaii scenes were good, but since I am a contrarian who'd rather be walking around in a snow-covered vista than on a beach, I liked St. Petersburg more. Plus, it's Russia. Enough said.
Vladimir could throw money at Bree like nobody's business. He really doesn't get that she didn't want his money. That she loved him and wanted to protect her sister. That she had changed and wanted to do the right thing, but she was between a rock and a hard place. Vladimir is the real deal. He's really ruthless, ambitious and cutthroat (in the boardroom). He doesn't change over night. A broken heart made a fundamentally decent young man into a shark, and it takes time for reunited love to change him back. I felt that his character was very three-dimensional and I liked that. Bree was also well-developed. Towards the end, she had me worried. I really thought she was going to go through with something that was just so wrong, even if she was doing it for the right reasons.
This was another book I couldn't put down. I give it a thumbs up on the drama and the sizzling romance. Lots of romantic tension and also tension in hoping that the characters get a clue and eventually own up to their love for each other and doing what's right out of love. I thought this was a very good book.
Man, this book was sizzling. The whole scenario and the dialogue and action was crazy. I couldn't believe the bet that Bree makes. I completely understand why. I loved that she isn't the typical, sweet, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth heroine. She has a history of being a card shark and con artist from childhood, but decides to go straight when she falls in love with Vladimir. Even though he abandons her and turns his back on her.
Their reunion is titillating, to say the least. There are some pretty outrageous moments in this book. A couple of scenes are just all kinds of inappropriate, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page. It works for the book, and I like that the author wasn't afraid to go there.
I liked the descriptions and imagery of St. Petersburg. I wanted to be there, feel the cold on my skin and experience the over the top luxury with my own eyes. The Hawaii scenes were good, but since I am a contrarian who'd rather be walking around in a snow-covered vista than on a beach, I liked St. Petersburg more. Plus, it's Russia. Enough said.
Vladimir could throw money at Bree like nobody's business. He really doesn't get that she didn't want his money. That she loved him and wanted to protect her sister. That she had changed and wanted to do the right thing, but she was between a rock and a hard place. Vladimir is the real deal. He's really ruthless, ambitious and cutthroat (in the boardroom). He doesn't change over night. A broken heart made a fundamentally decent young man into a shark, and it takes time for reunited love to change him back. I felt that his character was very three-dimensional and I liked that. Bree was also well-developed. Towards the end, she had me worried. I really thought she was going to go through with something that was just so wrong, even if she was doing it for the right reasons.
This was another book I couldn't put down. I give it a thumbs up on the drama and the sizzling romance. Lots of romantic tension and also tension in hoping that the characters get a clue and eventually own up to their love for each other and doing what's right out of love. I thought this was a very good book.
January 22, 2013
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Harlequin Presents
Author’s Website: http://www.jennielucas.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Book 1, Princes Untamed
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Favorite Tropes: Holy Crap She’s A Virgin!, Con Artist, Revenge
Pet Peeves: Overly Self-Sacrificing Heroine, Contemporary: Virgin Heroine
I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading a contemporary romance that featured a heroine who used to be a con-artist in the past, at least not one that didn’t have some sort of urban fantasy feel or something, and so this book grabbed me from the very beginning and refused to let go.
The fact that Vlad and Bree were estranged lovers, with an
enormous
misunderstanding in their past (or was it?), added quite a bit of delicious tension. Even though I think some readers may find Vlad to be overly brutish and possibly even cruel to Bree, I felt it was, for the most part, pretty well deserved.
With a fresh storyline to appeal to modern readers, but enough of the scandal, betrayal, and money that keeps us coming back to the Harlequin Presents line year after year, I loved it.
Recommended for self-sacrificing heroines with sketchy pasts, bitter heroes who revel in revenge, and of hot chemistry that neither can deny.
A very solid 4.5/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Harlequin Presents
Author’s Website: http://www.jennielucas.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Book 1, Princes Untamed
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Favorite Tropes: Holy Crap She’s A Virgin!, Con Artist, Revenge
Pet Peeves: Overly Self-Sacrificing Heroine, Contemporary: Virgin Heroine
I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading a contemporary romance that featured a heroine who used to be a con-artist in the past, at least not one that didn’t have some sort of urban fantasy feel or something, and so this book grabbed me from the very beginning and refused to let go.
The fact that Vlad and Bree were estranged lovers, with an
enormous
misunderstanding in their past (or was it?), added quite a bit of delicious tension. Even though I think some readers may find Vlad to be overly brutish and possibly even cruel to Bree, I felt it was, for the most part, pretty well deserved.
With a fresh storyline to appeal to modern readers, but enough of the scandal, betrayal, and money that keeps us coming back to the Harlequin Presents line year after year, I loved it.
Recommended for self-sacrificing heroines with sketchy pasts, bitter heroes who revel in revenge, and of hot chemistry that neither can deny.
A very solid 4.5/5 Stars
December 16, 2017
God , that was intense
love you Jennie lucas ♡
love you Jennie lucas ♡
October 10, 2019
Wow the twists and turns.. I never knew what to expect next!
The angst was delicious. Hero, heroine lovable and passionate.
The ending was surprising and done well.
Recommended.
The angst was delicious. Hero, heroine lovable and passionate.
The ending was surprising and done well.
Recommended.
July 30, 2024
here for the angst
I love this author and I finally got around to reading this one. It’s not safe, which is why I avoided it for so long. I really absolutely DESPISE romances where the MCs slime around with other ppl after meeting, it just devalues and degrades their love and makes it really hard to believe that they had any true connection whatsoever.
I’m a sucker for a hero who thinks the heroine has betrayed him and seeks some sort of vengeance or retribution on her. In this case, he wins her in a card game and she’s his plaything.
She eventually melts his heart and he realizes what a fool he’s been all along.
The tension and angst was ok, but the swoon was dulled by a hero who has slimed around during separation with other women. And the sex scenes sucked, the hero constantly putting a barrier between himself and the heroine with condoms.
I absolutely LOVED that the heroine didn’t spread her legs and let other men crawl between them, she didnt gunk up her heart and soul and mind with the memories of other men plowing her. She was smarter and more virtuous and 100 times BETTER than the hero for having kept herself for the one she loved. I’m so glad this author didn’t follow the trash trend of having the heroine try to out-compete the hero in scumbaggery; it’s the putrid “hey! the hero is a scumbag, so the heroine has to degrade herself as well!” mentality. It’s an ugly trend that appeals to braindead twats with the morals of sewer rats.
I also didn’t care for the ending. No babies and no epilogue.
Not safe. Hero has fucked other women during separation. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No cheating after sex. No sharing. No ow/very minor OM drama. No babies. Very unsatisfactory HEA
I love this author and I finally got around to reading this one. It’s not safe, which is why I avoided it for so long. I really absolutely DESPISE romances where the MCs slime around with other ppl after meeting, it just devalues and degrades their love and makes it really hard to believe that they had any true connection whatsoever.
I’m a sucker for a hero who thinks the heroine has betrayed him and seeks some sort of vengeance or retribution on her. In this case, he wins her in a card game and she’s his plaything.
She eventually melts his heart and he realizes what a fool he’s been all along.
The tension and angst was ok, but the swoon was dulled by a hero who has slimed around during separation with other women. And the sex scenes sucked, the hero constantly putting a barrier between himself and the heroine with condoms.
I absolutely LOVED that the heroine didn’t spread her legs and let other men crawl between them, she didnt gunk up her heart and soul and mind with the memories of other men plowing her. She was smarter and more virtuous and 100 times BETTER than the hero for having kept herself for the one she loved. I’m so glad this author didn’t follow the trash trend of having the heroine try to out-compete the hero in scumbaggery; it’s the putrid “hey! the hero is a scumbag, so the heroine has to degrade herself as well!” mentality. It’s an ugly trend that appeals to braindead twats with the morals of sewer rats.
I also didn’t care for the ending. No babies and no epilogue.
Not safe. Hero has fucked other women during separation. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No cheating after sex. No sharing. No ow/very minor OM drama. No babies. Very unsatisfactory HEA
December 26, 2022
Emotionally, I liked this book and it would have earned 4 stars except for a couple of inaccuracies.
First the heroine is presented as being almost a poker savant. While poker is actually an easy game to learn, it's a hard game to master. Anyone who really knows the game will tell you that it doesn't matter if you're a championship player up against a bunch of rubes; the best player can lose any given hand. What makes them winners is that they will win over the course of the night. To walk in and bet everything you own on one hand, a hand that hasn't even been dealt yet, that's a chump bet. This paragon of poker does it not once, but twice. For that the story lost half a point.
The other inaccuracy is why I usually steer clear of virgin heroines. Frankly, I'm appalled at how widespread this error is, but the hymen is not buried deep inside. It's actually visible to the naked eye. (Coz really, remember those historicals where the virgin is "examined" to see if she's still a virgin. How did you think they did that?)
First the heroine is presented as being almost a poker savant. While poker is actually an easy game to learn, it's a hard game to master. Anyone who really knows the game will tell you that it doesn't matter if you're a championship player up against a bunch of rubes; the best player can lose any given hand. What makes them winners is that they will win over the course of the night. To walk in and bet everything you own on one hand, a hand that hasn't even been dealt yet, that's a chump bet. This paragon of poker does it not once, but twice. For that the story lost half a point.
The other inaccuracy is why I usually steer clear of virgin heroines. Frankly, I'm appalled at how widespread this error is, but the hymen is not buried deep inside. It's actually visible to the naked eye. (Coz really, remember those historicals where the virgin is "examined" to see if she's still a virgin. How did you think they did that?)
January 5, 2013
I have not been much into reading lately as nothing seems to hold my attention for very long. I have started several books only to leave them midway. But along comes this book which by no means the best I have ever read however it grabbed my attention from the very start.
Hero Vladimir Xendzov wins the Heroine Bree Dalton in a card game. Bree had joined the card game inorder to win back money that her sister had lost. I really admired her courage when Bree is playing the game. The rest of the story concentrates on Bree and Vladimir relationship as he denies his love right upto the end.
This book has a good storyline with depths to the characters - a great book to pass away the afternoon. Looking forward to Kasimir's story who sounds just as ruthless as Vladimir.
Hero Vladimir Xendzov wins the Heroine Bree Dalton in a card game. Bree had joined the card game inorder to win back money that her sister had lost. I really admired her courage when Bree is playing the game. The rest of the story concentrates on Bree and Vladimir relationship as he denies his love right upto the end.
This book has a good storyline with depths to the characters - a great book to pass away the afternoon. Looking forward to Kasimir's story who sounds just as ruthless as Vladimir.
December 14, 2024
3.5 stars - Loads of drama, a surprise virgin, and even a ripped bodice 😍 this one was more explicit that what we typically get in harlequin. I like it!
Not a 4 star because I didn’t really connect the with h. I prefer the hero to carry all the flaws, and I don’t want to be in a harlequin hero’s head. It killed the angst for me. Also, a 10-year separation is too much for me. That’s a long time for the h to hang on to her v-card. I prefer the h not be with others during a separation but then I also want a shorter separation if she’s gonna be celibate for the duration. I didn’t like how the hero kept saying/thinking that he’d “waited for her”… but that wasn’t the case at all. He’s been manwhoring it up for 10-years, even though he claimed the h had “always owned his heart” 🙄. I would have respected him more if he hadn’t made it sound like he was pining for 10 years when that obviously wasn’t the case. Plus, they only meet again by chance. He hadn’t been looking for her.
But over all this is a solid entertaining read. Jennie Lucas is definitely a standout in the modern Harlequins.
Not a 4 star because I didn’t really connect the with h. I prefer the hero to carry all the flaws, and I don’t want to be in a harlequin hero’s head. It killed the angst for me. Also, a 10-year separation is too much for me. That’s a long time for the h to hang on to her v-card. I prefer the h not be with others during a separation but then I also want a shorter separation if she’s gonna be celibate for the duration. I didn’t like how the hero kept saying/thinking that he’d “waited for her”… but that wasn’t the case at all. He’s been manwhoring it up for 10-years, even though he claimed the h had “always owned his heart” 🙄. I would have respected him more if he hadn’t made it sound like he was pining for 10 years when that obviously wasn’t the case. Plus, they only meet again by chance. He hadn’t been looking for her.
But over all this is a solid entertaining read. Jennie Lucas is definitely a standout in the modern Harlequins.
April 14, 2019
Enjoyed it very much, mostly because of somewhat refreshing plot and my favorite theme personal revenge.
What do I mean by a bookshelf personal revenge?
Hero wants revenge for something the heroine did to HIM and not to a family member or a friend.
Heroine wants revenge for something the hero did to HER not to a family member or a friend.
Possible reasons for revenge:
* cheating
* rejection
* humiliation
* betrayal
* leaving
* lying
I keep a list of books featuring this plot here:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
Please add to it. Thank you!
What do I mean by a bookshelf personal revenge?
Hero wants revenge for something the heroine did to HIM and not to a family member or a friend.
Heroine wants revenge for something the hero did to HER not to a family member or a friend.
Possible reasons for revenge:
* cheating
* rejection
* humiliation
* betrayal
* leaving
* lying
I keep a list of books featuring this plot here:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
Please add to it. Thank you!
November 3, 2018
We have the first of 2 books here about 2 H Russian brothers who somehow are princes and their keeping it in the family h's who snare them.
In this the first book we meet older brother HDraculaVladimir who falls in love with poker playing con artist Bree who tries to con him and his brother out of a load of money. Her actions actually cause the chain of events that sets up a 10 year feud between the 2 brothers when younger bro (and hero of book 2) tells his brother shes conning him and after his money.
The h really is a total scheming con artist that was out to steal his money and quite possibly ruin his life if she had succeeded but that's ok because the money would look after her and her little sis (they are of course orphans) so its ok right? I'm sure the jail cells are full of fraudsters who just did it for love and their marks are waiting to greet them with open arms when they get out right? It really annoys me that she is perceived as all sweet an innocent and did it for love when in reality if an OW had done this to the H we would be hoping for her comeuppance not a HEA.
The H was really annoyed at his little brother for pointing out the truth (and accidently blabbing it to a reporter) so he cons him out of their mining company that was about to become worth a billion dollars after already betraying him by selling a family heirloom and the family land which lil bro loved.
So yeah... neither of these 2 were a prize but the h is actually the catalyst for all that happens and I honestly don't think she deserved the H to be so forgiving of her especially when she betrayed him again by tricking him into signing away his company and he knows this and does it anyway. He is definitely the more redeemable of the 2 he gives his company away to save his future sister in law "retires" and buys the h a 100 million dollar hotel to run as a reward for her betrayal. He also bought her a cute puppy rather than a fur coat so pet bonus!
At the end shes loving life running the hotel and far too busy to give the H babies. I felt quite sorry for him at the end and have given him an extra pity star. I can't help but feel like the H ended up with a golddigging con artist here dressed up as a h and its a testament to the author that she didn't come across as a total and utter conniving witch.
Be happy the H is happy in this one, his alpha manliness has been well and truly crushed and this h is leading him around by his crotch.
In this the first book we meet older brother H
The h really is a total scheming con artist that was out to steal his money and quite possibly ruin his life if she had succeeded but that's ok because the money would look after her and her little sis (they are of course orphans) so its ok right? I'm sure the jail cells are full of fraudsters who just did it for love and their marks are waiting to greet them with open arms when they get out right? It really annoys me that she is perceived as all sweet an innocent and did it for love when in reality if an OW had done this to the H we would be hoping for her comeuppance not a HEA.
The H was really annoyed at his little brother for pointing out the truth (and accidently blabbing it to a reporter) so he cons him out of their mining company that was about to become worth a billion dollars after already betraying him by selling a family heirloom and the family land which lil bro loved.
So yeah... neither of these 2 were a prize but the h is actually the catalyst for all that happens and I honestly don't think she deserved the H to be so forgiving of her especially when she betrayed him again by tricking him into signing away his company and he knows this and does it anyway. He is definitely the more redeemable of the 2 he gives his company away to save his future sister in law "retires" and buys the h a 100 million dollar hotel to run as a reward for her betrayal. He also bought her a cute puppy rather than a fur coat so pet bonus!
At the end shes loving life running the hotel and far too busy to give the H babies. I felt quite sorry for him at the end and have given him an extra pity star. I can't help but feel like the H ended up with a golddigging con artist here dressed up as a h and its a testament to the author that she didn't come across as a total and utter conniving witch.
Be happy the H is happy in this one, his alpha manliness has been well and truly crushed and this h is leading him around by his crotch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2021
2.5 STARS
I was troubled by the slow start and I know I'm in trouble when I'm thirty pages in and I want to start skipping chapters and skimming. I struggled to get into this book and stay focused. I was bothered that he basically threw her away and they lost ten years together. Sad and depressing!!
Maybe I will give this another go in the future.
I was troubled by the slow start and I know I'm in trouble when I'm thirty pages in and I want to start skipping chapters and skimming. I struggled to get into this book and stay focused. I was bothered that he basically threw her away and they lost ten years together. Sad and depressing!!
Maybe I will give this another go in the future.
February 24, 2013
4.5 stars
The first installment of the Princes Duet is an intense read with a fast paced plot with unexpected twists, an alpha H, a strong h, a love affair that went sour ten years ago, a fateful game of cards and brothers' feud.
Jennie Lucas doesn't shy away from having flawed characters. Bree is an ex con artist who turned her back on her old life and tried to make a better life for her and her baby sister, Josie. Vladimir is a ruthless and cold hero - even with his younger brother Kasimir - but he is not really as heartless as he thinks he is. Except for the slave for life part, I totally enjoyed the book. JL is a great storyteller. Her writing is powerful. The book sizzles with tension . No moment of respite for the unwary reader. I kept holding my breath, turning the pages, impatient to know what come next. Kasimir's revenge didn't destroy Vladimir and Bree's powerful love. Can't wait to read Kasimir and Josie's story.
The first installment of the Princes Duet is an intense read with a fast paced plot with unexpected twists, an alpha H, a strong h, a love affair that went sour ten years ago, a fateful game of cards and brothers' feud.
Jennie Lucas doesn't shy away from having flawed characters. Bree is an ex con artist who turned her back on her old life and tried to make a better life for her and her baby sister, Josie. Vladimir is a ruthless and cold hero - even with his younger brother Kasimir - but he is not really as heartless as he thinks he is. Except for the slave for life part, I totally enjoyed the book. JL is a great storyteller. Her writing is powerful. The book sizzles with tension . No moment of respite for the unwary reader. I kept holding my breath, turning the pages, impatient to know what come next. Kasimir's revenge didn't destroy Vladimir and Bree's powerful love. Can't wait to read Kasimir and Josie's story.
July 14, 2013
Rating 3.25 stars
Over the top HP drama!
Over the top HP drama!
November 4, 2021
** WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD **
“I’ll offer an entire night. Many chances. Multiple positions. As fast or slow or hard as you like it, all night long, and each time better than the last. Against the wall. Bent over the bed. In my mouth.”
Said by the h to a bunch of men, while playing poker, in the beginning of the book.
Later on in the book she says to the H she isn’t a whore.
But in my opinion she is a whore.
A whore is someone who sells her body, who sells sex, to get money. That’s exactly what she was doing. Her body was her deposit at the poker game.
She tried to get money from men she doesn’t know in exchange for sex with her if she lost. The other men lost the poker game, but the H won.
Without the desperate, urgent need for money (because she already had won the first game and her sister’s debt was therefore already paid), she went into a second poker game, putting her body on sale again, but this time for 1 million dollars.
As the H rightfully points out: her greed for money made her do that. The thought of an easy life with the million dollar if she won. The sale of her body was finalized by her losing the game.
She’s a virgin. That should make her “innocent”, if I follow the writer’s reasoning. But a hymen is nothing more than just a hymen if you try to sell your body to men you don’t know by telling them what you will do to and with them. That’s how a whore gets her clients: chatting them up sexually, getting them sexually aroused, promising sexual stuff. That’s what the h was deliberately doing to get money from those men.
The H calls her a liar, a cheat and a whore. He is right.
Because even after he said he loved her, even after all the sweet things he said and did, she still conned him in the end of the book. The fact that she changed her mind after conning him and went back to him, doesn’t make her less of a con artist.
She doesn’t deserve him. This h will lie to him, hide truths for him and will deceive him forever, again and again.
“I’ll offer an entire night. Many chances. Multiple positions. As fast or slow or hard as you like it, all night long, and each time better than the last. Against the wall. Bent over the bed. In my mouth.”
Said by the h to a bunch of men, while playing poker, in the beginning of the book.
Later on in the book she says to the H she isn’t a whore.
But in my opinion she is a whore.
A whore is someone who sells her body, who sells sex, to get money. That’s exactly what she was doing. Her body was her deposit at the poker game.
She tried to get money from men she doesn’t know in exchange for sex with her if she lost. The other men lost the poker game, but the H won.
Without the desperate, urgent need for money (because she already had won the first game and her sister’s debt was therefore already paid), she went into a second poker game, putting her body on sale again, but this time for 1 million dollars.
As the H rightfully points out: her greed for money made her do that. The thought of an easy life with the million dollar if she won. The sale of her body was finalized by her losing the game.
She’s a virgin. That should make her “innocent”, if I follow the writer’s reasoning. But a hymen is nothing more than just a hymen if you try to sell your body to men you don’t know by telling them what you will do to and with them. That’s how a whore gets her clients: chatting them up sexually, getting them sexually aroused, promising sexual stuff. That’s what the h was deliberately doing to get money from those men.
The H calls her a liar, a cheat and a whore. He is right.
Because even after he said he loved her, even after all the sweet things he said and did, she still conned him in the end of the book. The fact that she changed her mind after conning him and went back to him, doesn’t make her less of a con artist.
She doesn’t deserve him. This h will lie to him, hide truths for him and will deceive him forever, again and again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2015
My first book for 2015 and I made the right choice. Hah! JL doesn't really disappoints.
Vladimir is a ruthless businessman and so was he with Bree. He bought her and bed her. Yet, you'd see how he would turned marshmallow to her! He would do something bad to anyone who'd hurt her. Even its just a prick of a needle! Love that scene on that dress shop though. And please include the scene about the wearing the fur coat. It would be the same for me because I really love dogs!
But what I love about this book is that they changed each other. Bree from being a con person and Vladimir being the ruthless one.... even though I really didn't see him like that because of how he cared for Bree. I really feel how he cared so much for her.
Enter Kasimir... oh God! I have heard about him in To Love, Honour and Betray... didn't know he could be that ruthless! This character... I really feel the bad side. Yet, I would love to read his own story, too!
Love this one. Beautifully written. Looking forward for Kasimir's story!
Vladimir is a ruthless businessman and so was he with Bree. He bought her and bed her. Yet, you'd see how he would turned marshmallow to her! He would do something bad to anyone who'd hurt her. Even its just a prick of a needle! Love that scene on that dress shop though. And please include the scene about the wearing the fur coat. It would be the same for me because I really love dogs!
But what I love about this book is that they changed each other. Bree from being a con person and Vladimir being the ruthless one.... even though I really didn't see him like that because of how he cared for Bree. I really feel how he cared so much for her.
Enter Kasimir... oh God! I have heard about him in To Love, Honour and Betray... didn't know he could be that ruthless! This character... I really feel the bad side. Yet, I would love to read his own story, too!
Love this one. Beautifully written. Looking forward for Kasimir's story!
October 2, 2016
I Loved this book! The emotions were so intense. Vladimir, and Bree were pretty much in love 10 year ago. Something BIG happened, and the two went seperate ways. Fast forward 10 years, and Vladimir just happens to sit at the same poker table that Bree is begging to play in. She is desperate to save her little sister. She would do anything for her sister, even sale her freedom. She had nothing to bet, but herself. Sample from the book - "If my card is higher, you'll belong to me, obeying my every whim, for as long as I desire."
I loved all the small ways Vladimir showed his love to Bree. You could tell by his actions that he was in love. The passion between Bree and Vladimir was sizzling.
This book had a fairly tale air about it. It was a second chance romance, and the Hero stole my heart. LOVE the plot, and loved the Hero, and Heroine, just over all an excellent book!
I loved all the small ways Vladimir showed his love to Bree. You could tell by his actions that he was in love. The passion between Bree and Vladimir was sizzling.
This book had a fairly tale air about it. It was a second chance romance, and the Hero stole my heart. LOVE the plot, and loved the Hero, and Heroine, just over all an excellent book!
July 9, 2023
Bizarre, unbelievable and altogether disappointing!
The idea that a Russian could use a title not recognised in Russia since 1917 is beyond ridiculous. The idea that 2 brothers born in Alaska would use them is perhaps not so ridiculous since there are folk of Russian descent who do use them outside Russia. The idea that Russians would acknowledge them inside Russia?
I know Mills and Boon is about suspending disbelief - but really, a bit of research would help.
I didn’t particularly like either Bree or Vladimir. She knowingly wagered herself at all stages - even when she didn’t need to so getting all ‘me poor victim’ afterwards just didn’t ring at all true. Vladimir was simply a bully for two thirds of the book. Cold, unpleasant and downright nasty.
The last third was better but I was rather disappointed by this one.
The idea that a Russian could use a title not recognised in Russia since 1917 is beyond ridiculous. The idea that 2 brothers born in Alaska would use them is perhaps not so ridiculous since there are folk of Russian descent who do use them outside Russia. The idea that Russians would acknowledge them inside Russia?
I know Mills and Boon is about suspending disbelief - but really, a bit of research would help.
I didn’t particularly like either Bree or Vladimir. She knowingly wagered herself at all stages - even when she didn’t need to so getting all ‘me poor victim’ afterwards just didn’t ring at all true. Vladimir was simply a bully for two thirds of the book. Cold, unpleasant and downright nasty.
The last third was better but I was rather disappointed by this one.
September 10, 2018
A very dark story. Because of the theme of sexual slavery, I had a hard time with this one. The reader knows that Bree is innocent, but Vladimir doesn't and is out to crush her any way he can. Even when he learns the truth, his first thought is to totally destroy anyone who threatened Bree in the past and present, including his own brother. And even though he knows she's innocent, he is *still* determined to keep her as his personal property.
This is well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat, but it's *not* a comfortable read.
This is well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat, but it's *not* a comfortable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2012
Review to follow closer to publication date.
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via Netgalley
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via Netgalley
February 10, 2013
Great book. Wonderful Hero and heroine in Vladimir and Breanna. Good ending and look forward to reading the next book about Vladimir's brother Kasimir and Breanna's sister Josie !
May 16, 2013
Review:
I knew I’d like this book if not for anything else then for the fact that the heroine wasn’t so straight laced and had led a life or “crime” by being a con artist, a successful one at that. This part of her past is also what comes to bite her at the butt when faced with her former lover, but it’s also the saving grace that helps her to sort out the mess her sister created. Well, in the end, her efforts go to waste because she falls into the clutches of someone she wants (read: doesn’t want) to get a million miles away from.
The big misunderstanding and subsequent denial and blaming didn’t fully work for me here in this book, but I can’t completely explain why. I would have also loved to get more glimpses of the first time Vladimir and Bree met and what made them fall in love with each other. Nevertheless, the chemistry between the main couple was quite sizzling and there was a lot of steamy x-rated moments, one was especially fun because of the location and reaction.
The story was quite slow in the middle and I felt as there is nowhere substantial for it to lead to (except lots of action underneath the sheets – not that I would complain), but it picked up a lot during the last phase and there were some surprising plot twists that I somewhat saw coming but then again didn’t. The end was really promising and intense next to it basically being like a prologue to a new story.
Characters:
I really admired Bree in the first half of the book: she walks in, oozes with confidence, leaves everyone’s mouths hanging and their pockets empty, and walks out with a hunk (that she doesn’t want or does she?). She was like a duck in water behind the poker table and I thought that was badass. She lost some of her spark when Vladmir whisks her away to his palace but she still manages not to lose herself against this alpha guy.
While Vladimir was everything and more you would expect from a Harlequin billionaire alpha hottie hero, he didn’t come across too all-powerful, which makes it slightly more realistic (ok, not really, but it helps) and likable. He had issues he needed to work out with his work, health, family and the girl he use to love, that suddenly appeared back in his life, so he had a lot on his mind. I was really impressed by his sacrifice that he was willing to make, not all Harlequin heroes could go through with it.
I just have to get it out: Bree’s sister was so naive and oblivious that I just wanted to slap her. Bad.
Overall:
This was a typical yet not a typical Harlequin Presents story. There were many aspects I liked and some that required something extra, but I still liked and enjoyed this story quite a bit.
I knew I’d like this book if not for anything else then for the fact that the heroine wasn’t so straight laced and had led a life or “crime” by being a con artist, a successful one at that. This part of her past is also what comes to bite her at the butt when faced with her former lover, but it’s also the saving grace that helps her to sort out the mess her sister created. Well, in the end, her efforts go to waste because she falls into the clutches of someone she wants (read: doesn’t want) to get a million miles away from.
The big misunderstanding and subsequent denial and blaming didn’t fully work for me here in this book, but I can’t completely explain why. I would have also loved to get more glimpses of the first time Vladimir and Bree met and what made them fall in love with each other. Nevertheless, the chemistry between the main couple was quite sizzling and there was a lot of steamy x-rated moments, one was especially fun because of the location and reaction.
The story was quite slow in the middle and I felt as there is nowhere substantial for it to lead to (except lots of action underneath the sheets – not that I would complain), but it picked up a lot during the last phase and there were some surprising plot twists that I somewhat saw coming but then again didn’t. The end was really promising and intense next to it basically being like a prologue to a new story.
Characters:
I really admired Bree in the first half of the book: she walks in, oozes with confidence, leaves everyone’s mouths hanging and their pockets empty, and walks out with a hunk (that she doesn’t want or does she?). She was like a duck in water behind the poker table and I thought that was badass. She lost some of her spark when Vladmir whisks her away to his palace but she still manages not to lose herself against this alpha guy.
While Vladimir was everything and more you would expect from a Harlequin billionaire alpha hottie hero, he didn’t come across too all-powerful, which makes it slightly more realistic (ok, not really, but it helps) and likable. He had issues he needed to work out with his work, health, family and the girl he use to love, that suddenly appeared back in his life, so he had a lot on his mind. I was really impressed by his sacrifice that he was willing to make, not all Harlequin heroes could go through with it.
I just have to get it out: Bree’s sister was so naive and oblivious that I just wanted to slap her. Bad.
Overall:
This was a typical yet not a typical Harlequin Presents story. There were many aspects I liked and some that required something extra, but I still liked and enjoyed this story quite a bit.
July 20, 2014
Reformed confidence artist, Breanna “Bree” Dalton, is on a mission to protect her younger sister, Josie. She had no idea that when she ventured to that table she would be faced with her past�a past that destroyed her life at the time. Bree had never truly gotten over that night with Vladimir, but she persevered trying to be better than she once was.
Russian Prince Vladimir Xendzov, did not come out of their past relationship unscathed. He has changed since Bree’s last encounter with him, and not for the better. He is now a cold, ruthless man, whose heart has long since died! And Prince Vladimir still desires Bree. Vladimir wagers for the opportunity to own her body with a flick of a card for as long as he desires her. Feeling confident of a win, Bree can’t resist the temptation that Vladimir promises if she wins and so she accepts that gamble. However, have they both gambled more than they are willing to lose?
Dealing Her Final Card was a sizzling HOT tale with a surprisingly steamy encounter between Vladimir and Bree. I was a little hesitant to go along for the ride as Bree seemed a bit more than what I had expected. However, I was pleased with the outcome because Bree held true to her character in Dealing Her Final Card.
Dealing Her Final Card had a very alpha male in Vladimir, but he really was more than that at the center. I enjoyed watching his transformation, and I believed in their HEA. I understood the difficulties that both Vladimir and Bree endured in Dealing Her Final Card as they worked out their issues with one another. I was glad that Vladimir and Bree took that final gamble as it proved the most rewarding for both. The unconditional love that was spoken in Dealing Her Final Card was truly heartwarming for me, as well.
I never really felt that Vladimir was overly cruel to Bree in Dealing Her Final Card, as she agreed to the deal before it began. Bree needed to hold to her word and be honorable when all was said and done. Yet, she finds that it is a little harder to be so honorable than what she had though before in Dealing Her Final Card. However, given all that Vladimir and Bree endured to get to the HEA, the truly priceless moment was when he gave up that which he most wanted for something else. That makes this a Joyfully Recommended read an alpha hero who is more than the sum of his parts!!
This book was reviewed by Vanessa for Joyfully Reviewed (JR), and was provided by the publisher/author at no cost to JR for the purpose of being reviewed.
Russian Prince Vladimir Xendzov, did not come out of their past relationship unscathed. He has changed since Bree’s last encounter with him, and not for the better. He is now a cold, ruthless man, whose heart has long since died! And Prince Vladimir still desires Bree. Vladimir wagers for the opportunity to own her body with a flick of a card for as long as he desires her. Feeling confident of a win, Bree can’t resist the temptation that Vladimir promises if she wins and so she accepts that gamble. However, have they both gambled more than they are willing to lose?
Dealing Her Final Card was a sizzling HOT tale with a surprisingly steamy encounter between Vladimir and Bree. I was a little hesitant to go along for the ride as Bree seemed a bit more than what I had expected. However, I was pleased with the outcome because Bree held true to her character in Dealing Her Final Card.
Dealing Her Final Card had a very alpha male in Vladimir, but he really was more than that at the center. I enjoyed watching his transformation, and I believed in their HEA. I understood the difficulties that both Vladimir and Bree endured in Dealing Her Final Card as they worked out their issues with one another. I was glad that Vladimir and Bree took that final gamble as it proved the most rewarding for both. The unconditional love that was spoken in Dealing Her Final Card was truly heartwarming for me, as well.
I never really felt that Vladimir was overly cruel to Bree in Dealing Her Final Card, as she agreed to the deal before it began. Bree needed to hold to her word and be honorable when all was said and done. Yet, she finds that it is a little harder to be so honorable than what she had though before in Dealing Her Final Card. However, given all that Vladimir and Bree endured to get to the HEA, the truly priceless moment was when he gave up that which he most wanted for something else. That makes this a Joyfully Recommended read an alpha hero who is more than the sum of his parts!!
This book was reviewed by Vanessa for Joyfully Reviewed (JR), and was provided by the publisher/author at no cost to JR for the purpose of being reviewed.
March 23, 2013
This book started out with so much promise. Two people who haven't seen each other for a decade, who left on bad terms, are thrown back together in a high-stakes poker game in which the man - a Russian millionaire - wins (yes, wins!) the woman who broke his heart. It's the medieval ages brought into the 21st century, but because it's a romance, you know he isn't actually a bad guy, and you know the girl can take whatever she's given, because she's a kick-ass heroine who turns to poker to solve her problems - awesome, right?
So I thought I'd have two people I could root for, who would have satisfying sexual tension. This is not how it turned out. Their first physical encounter happens too soon for any tension to develop. They both wear their emotions on their sleeves; the heroine is incapable of hiding anything. I can only imagine that she would be one of the worst poker players ever.
Finally, the medieval element of the whole tale needed to be handed delicately for it to be believable, and it wasn't. A man can only say "I own you" so many times before it becomes a farce. I like the Harlequin Presents line when the it's handled well, but this felt heavy handed. The girl (and she does behave like a girl, not a woman) needed to play her cards closer to her chest, and the man needed to have a drink and relax, maybe play some cribbage for a change...
So I thought I'd have two people I could root for, who would have satisfying sexual tension. This is not how it turned out. Their first physical encounter happens too soon for any tension to develop. They both wear their emotions on their sleeves; the heroine is incapable of hiding anything. I can only imagine that she would be one of the worst poker players ever.
Finally, the medieval element of the whole tale needed to be handed delicately for it to be believable, and it wasn't. A man can only say "I own you" so many times before it becomes a farce. I like the Harlequin Presents line when the it's handled well, but this felt heavy handed. The girl (and she does behave like a girl, not a woman) needed to play her cards closer to her chest, and the man needed to have a drink and relax, maybe play some cribbage for a change...
March 17, 2013
This book tell the story of Breena, an ex-con artist, met again with the man she once loved before; Russian Prince Vladimir Xendzov, at the gambling table where she have make a deal to either win the money that is on the table which will save her sister or to be a pleasure slave. As expected in a romance story, she lost her bet and thus, have to make do her promise and to be a slave at Vlad’s pleasure. But, no matter how much Vlad punished her in giving her difficult household task to do, she persist on and this make it harder for Vlad to hold onto his anger. He could not forget the betrayal that she did to con him and even prepared to make her his wife then. But why he felt dreadful each time he make her hard at cleaning and when she cried?
The author have created a very alpha male in Vladimir but as the story progresses, the reader will get to see the softer of him especially, when he gave in and accompanied Bree for shopping when she complaint that it is lonely to shop alone. Overall, i like reading this book and am really interested to read about Vlad’s brother; Kasimir's story soon
The author have created a very alpha male in Vladimir but as the story progresses, the reader will get to see the softer of him especially, when he gave in and accompanied Bree for shopping when she complaint that it is lonely to shop alone. Overall, i like reading this book and am really interested to read about Vlad’s brother; Kasimir's story soon
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