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The financial wizard Nicholas Kinsella was News — and Stacie was eager to help her dear friend William to get a story on him. But it all led to her falling in love with Nicholas — who was certainly not going to bother himself with an ordinary girl like her! Hadn't Stacie carried friendship a little too far?
85 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
6 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
261 books316 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 25, 2010
This book snuck up on me. I wasn't sure I'd like it, although Charlotte Lamb's books are generally very good. It turned out to be a winner. I really liked the heroine, Stacie. She was spunky, smart, and had a very snarky sense of humor. I liked that she had her flaws, which she was aware of. For instance, she knew her temper tended to get her in trouble. I liked that she was realistic about herself. She showed self-respect, in that she wasn't willing to settle for less than she deserved. She'd made a mistake in the past, falling for the wrong man, and it made her wary. She didn't want to get caught in the same trap again. Which was why Nicholas was such a threat to her. I also liked that she was a photographer, in a position that was normally occupied by men, and she had to work hard to get the respect and career opportunities due her. She wasn't afraid of hard work.
Nicholas Kinsella comes off as a bit of a bully initially. As this is one of the older Harlequin Presents, you don't get to see his POV at all. Any conclusions you might draw about him are based on his behavior. He is a powerful man, and he seems to be used to manipulating his power to get what he wants. He doesn't come off as particularly warm, either. What I liked, was how Stacie was able to get this ice-cold man to melt. I felt you could see how she was changing him, and how he was falling in love with her, willing to give up his control and all his plans to have her in his life. By the end of the book, I could see just how deeply he loved Stacie. I was hoping she'd let him into her life and give into her love for him.
I truly enjoyed the adventure element in the climax. I did not expect it, but it helped to make this book for me. It served as a very good catalyst for bring this couple together, and it made me love Stacie even more, for her quick thinking and her selfless actions.
This was a very good book, and I ended up enjoying it a lot. The beginning was a bit slow, so that's why I'd give it 4.5/5.0 stars instead of a full 5 stars. I'm glad I have a bunch of Charlotte Lamb's other books in my tbr pile. Although she's gone now, she's left quite a legacy behind in the great books she's written.
Nicholas Kinsella comes off as a bit of a bully initially. As this is one of the older Harlequin Presents, you don't get to see his POV at all. Any conclusions you might draw about him are based on his behavior. He is a powerful man, and he seems to be used to manipulating his power to get what he wants. He doesn't come off as particularly warm, either. What I liked, was how Stacie was able to get this ice-cold man to melt. I felt you could see how she was changing him, and how he was falling in love with her, willing to give up his control and all his plans to have her in his life. By the end of the book, I could see just how deeply he loved Stacie. I was hoping she'd let him into her life and give into her love for him.
I truly enjoyed the adventure element in the climax. I did not expect it, but it helped to make this book for me. It served as a very good catalyst for bring this couple together, and it made me love Stacie even more, for her quick thinking and her selfless actions.
This was a very good book, and I ended up enjoying it a lot. The beginning was a bit slow, so that's why I'd give it 4.5/5.0 stars instead of a full 5 stars. I'm glad I have a bunch of Charlotte Lamb's other books in my tbr pile. Although she's gone now, she's left quite a legacy behind in the great books she's written.
July 12, 2021
You know it’s love when the heroine will take a bullet for the hero.
Photographer heroine spies on the diplomat/financier hero as he negotiates with a African leader at his walled estate. Walled estate is conveniently located by the heroine’s sister’s house where she is staying for the Christmas holidays. She decided to do her journalist boyfriend a favor by finding out what hero is doing there. The hero’s bodyguards shoot at her and heroine sprains her ankle in the fall from the tree where she was perched taking pictures.
Hero tells her she must stay at his estate and not communicate with anyone until the African leader can return to his country and announce - er - what he’s going to announce. Heroine is angry, but that doesn’t stop her from making out with the hero that night. Imagine her surprise when hero’s mother, brother and fiancée show up the next day.
Hero manages all of them until heroine escapes with the story. Hero follows her – not because of the story but because he’s smitten. When he sees her with her boyfriend, he backs off and that is that.
Heroine is heartbroken that she loved and lost, both the hero and the boyfriend that she now realizes she didn’t love. A few weeks later she agrees to be part of the paparazzi scrum when hero makes a public appearance. That’s when she saves him from an assassination attempt and is shot in the process.
Hero haunts her hospital room and declares his love for an HEA. (After he got rid of fiancée.)
I’m not a fan of intrusive photographers, so it was hard to work up much sympathy for the heroine. But the story was interesting. Boogenhagen has all the details.
Photographer heroine spies on the diplomat/financier hero as he negotiates with a African leader at his walled estate. Walled estate is conveniently located by the heroine’s sister’s house where she is staying for the Christmas holidays. She decided to do her journalist boyfriend a favor by finding out what hero is doing there. The hero’s bodyguards shoot at her and heroine sprains her ankle in the fall from the tree where she was perched taking pictures.
Hero tells her she must stay at his estate and not communicate with anyone until the African leader can return to his country and announce - er - what he’s going to announce. Heroine is angry, but that doesn’t stop her from making out with the hero that night. Imagine her surprise when hero’s mother, brother and fiancée show up the next day.
Hero manages all of them until heroine escapes with the story. Hero follows her – not because of the story but because he’s smitten. When he sees her with her boyfriend, he backs off and that is that.
Heroine is heartbroken that she loved and lost, both the hero and the boyfriend that she now realizes she didn’t love. A few weeks later she agrees to be part of the paparazzi scrum when hero makes a public appearance. That’s when she saves him from an assassination attempt and is shot in the process.
Hero haunts her hospital room and declares his love for an HEA. (After he got rid of fiancée.)
I’m not a fan of intrusive photographers, so it was hard to work up much sympathy for the heroine. But the story was interesting. Boogenhagen has all the details.
November 2, 2015
Re Scandalous by Charlotte Lamb- this is a fairly good one by CL, the h is a newspaper photographer and the H is a high-powered business man, in the international deal market. She finds out the H is staying near to where her sister (whom she is visiting) lives and she knows her current boyfriend has a rumor of a big story around the H and if he can get it, he can get a big promotion.
She sneaks onto the H's estate to get some pictures and his bodyguards start shooting at her and she falls out of a tree and is caught. The H forces her to stay on his estate with his mum, brother, and fiancee (yep, he is engaged and falling madly for the h,) as the foreign govr't leader is still there and they are doing a deal.
There is an instant attraction, a few punishing kisses and the H starts acting like a wildman when he thinks his younger brother is trying to hook up with the h. (Never mind that he has a fiancee, he is totally gone for the h.) However the h is not a homewrecker or all that interested in being a rich man's wife, she gives the H several firm smack downs - she knows she has a bad temper- and finally manages to finagle her escape.
The H chases her down only to see her with her boyfriend (the one she was getting the story for), then he walks out and she tries to get over him. Finally things come to a head when she is photographing the H outside his offices, sees a gun aimed at him, warns him and then gets shot trying to get to him. The H freaks out, she is in hospital (which is pretty funny with the younger than the h nurse acting like her nanny and using the royal we, when the h has no inclination to speculate on anything the nurse wants her to.)
The H keeps sneaking in to see her and then he arranges to pick her up from the hospital to confess undying love and won't let her go home until she gives him the answer he wants. Technically the H never proposes, he just insists she has to be with him, there isn't any mention of giving up her career and in fact the H states he has to leave the country in a few days, so the HEA is there, but if this will last in marriage is an open question.
I liked the book, except for the secondary characters, they all pretty much drove me nuts. I thought the H and h would stay together but I wondered how they were going to work things out. An epilogue would have been nice, but I don't usually question to closely on CL. :)
She sneaks onto the H's estate to get some pictures and his bodyguards start shooting at her and she falls out of a tree and is caught. The H forces her to stay on his estate with his mum, brother, and fiancee (yep, he is engaged and falling madly for the h,) as the foreign govr't leader is still there and they are doing a deal.
There is an instant attraction, a few punishing kisses and the H starts acting like a wildman when he thinks his younger brother is trying to hook up with the h. (Never mind that he has a fiancee, he is totally gone for the h.) However the h is not a homewrecker or all that interested in being a rich man's wife, she gives the H several firm smack downs - she knows she has a bad temper- and finally manages to finagle her escape.
The H chases her down only to see her with her boyfriend (the one she was getting the story for), then he walks out and she tries to get over him. Finally things come to a head when she is photographing the H outside his offices, sees a gun aimed at him, warns him and then gets shot trying to get to him. The H freaks out, she is in hospital (which is pretty funny with the younger than the h nurse acting like her nanny and using the royal we, when the h has no inclination to speculate on anything the nurse wants her to.)
The H keeps sneaking in to see her and then he arranges to pick her up from the hospital to confess undying love and won't let her go home until she gives him the answer he wants. Technically the H never proposes, he just insists she has to be with him, there isn't any mention of giving up her career and in fact the H states he has to leave the country in a few days, so the HEA is there, but if this will last in marriage is an open question.
I liked the book, except for the secondary characters, they all pretty much drove me nuts. I thought the H and h would stay together but I wondered how they were going to work things out. An epilogue would have been nice, but I don't usually question to closely on CL. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2023
Where the heroine is a photographer and the hero is a reclusive billionaire who helps African rebels.
She tries to take pictures of him in his house and he kidnaps her. Well I hadn’t so much empathy with her because she took pictures of him inside his house which nowadays would be a big violation of privacy.
The hero is of course in lust with her and they have a very heated moment in her bedroom which is sadly interrupted by the arrival of his fiancée and his mom.
The hero tries to keep the heroine in his house for some days but she’s as sly as a fox and after one day she manages to run away.
The hero goes to meet her at her sisters house and he reveals he has feelings for her. (And what about the fiancée?)
The heroine has her beau with her and the hero leaves her in anger. Apparently it’s ok for him to have a fiancée but it’s not ok for her to have a beau.
The fiancée is a pale and cold girl and it’s very clear that there’s no love between them, anyway he’s committed to her and is basically cheating with the heroine.
The heroine sells her pictures and her story to her beau, a journalist, but doing this she endangers the lives of many people.
And when the hero is targeted by some snipers she saves his life and takes the bullet destined for him.
The hero is now completely besotted with her and proposes, after getting rid of his fiancée, but she doesn’t want to fall in love with him because she’s afraid of losing him, in one way or another. He insists, she resists.
The end.
Yes because the heroine hasn’t yet said I do and we are left without the certainty that they will be together.
That’s it.
The book is obviously good, it’s CL after all, and the setting is one I love, the British countryside, with the sister married young to the love of her life, the country doctor. It should be quite a plain lifestyle.
But everyone is happy and there’s a lot of tea with homemade cakes and biscuits and children around a Christmas tree.
We don’t see the heroine happy in that setting, she’s quite the Londoner and she’s happy with her job which means she won’t be happy to live with the hero being simply his wife, and that’s why CL ended the book before the cracks would be apparent leaving everyone free to imagine what kind of future this couple could have.
She tries to take pictures of him in his house and he kidnaps her. Well I hadn’t so much empathy with her because she took pictures of him inside his house which nowadays would be a big violation of privacy.
The hero is of course in lust with her and they have a very heated moment in her bedroom which is sadly interrupted by the arrival of his fiancée and his mom.
The hero tries to keep the heroine in his house for some days but she’s as sly as a fox and after one day she manages to run away.
The hero goes to meet her at her sisters house and he reveals he has feelings for her. (And what about the fiancée?)
The heroine has her beau with her and the hero leaves her in anger. Apparently it’s ok for him to have a fiancée but it’s not ok for her to have a beau.
The fiancée is a pale and cold girl and it’s very clear that there’s no love between them, anyway he’s committed to her and is basically cheating with the heroine.
The heroine sells her pictures and her story to her beau, a journalist, but doing this she endangers the lives of many people.
And when the hero is targeted by some snipers she saves his life and takes the bullet destined for him.
The hero is now completely besotted with her and proposes, after getting rid of his fiancée, but she doesn’t want to fall in love with him because she’s afraid of losing him, in one way or another. He insists, she resists.
The end.
Yes because the heroine hasn’t yet said I do and we are left without the certainty that they will be together.
That’s it.
The book is obviously good, it’s CL after all, and the setting is one I love, the British countryside, with the sister married young to the love of her life, the country doctor. It should be quite a plain lifestyle.
But everyone is happy and there’s a lot of tea with homemade cakes and biscuits and children around a Christmas tree.
We don’t see the heroine happy in that setting, she’s quite the Londoner and she’s happy with her job which means she won’t be happy to live with the hero being simply his wife, and that’s why CL ended the book before the cracks would be apparent leaving everyone free to imagine what kind of future this couple could have.
November 23, 2015
This was a very enjoyable read and had me hooked from the start. I loved the antics of the heroine. She was strong, spirited, generous and loving. She gave "as good as she got", and kept Mr. "I'm so wealthy and powerful I can get away with anything, including kidnapping" on his toes.
In fact, I think she crushed him, but in a good way. I actually liked the hero too. He was tough and barked out orders that he expected everyone to follow, but I felt that he truly did love her and would be a devoted partner.
4.5 stars
In fact, I think she crushed him, but in a good way. I actually liked the hero too. He was tough and barked out orders that he expected everyone to follow, but I felt that he truly did love her and would be a devoted partner.
4.5 stars
November 2, 2016
the book kept me glued and i turned the pages eagerly. der was so much happening and quickly too ! Stacie was witty and quirky and i absolutely loved her character! Nicholas was one of those dark delicious heroes. i wish i cud eat him up ! the book lost 2 stars due to lack of angst & sex. but what a wonderful read ! such enchanting and endearing characters, from eccentric Mrs Kinsella to foolish Tony to dumb Marianne to harmless William ! and the list goes on ! too abrupt ending though! i wish the story wud continue !
December 13, 2012
Reasonably good. Liked the smitten hero, and I love a dramatic near-death scene. The ending was ridiculously short and tied up zero loose ends, but oh well. Overall, a decent older read.
October 29, 2017
"Scandalous" is the story of Nicholas and Stacie.
When Stacy, the photographer for a notorious newspaper comes to know that an elusive financier Nicholas is renting a bungalow nearby, she ends up creeping around the house to take his pictures- only to fall from a tree and get caught!
Nicholas takes her in, despite having family and a fiancee staying with him for Christmas, and sparks fly.
This story was plain absurd. There was more time spent on interactions with secondary characters than leads, both were portrayed to be attracted to each other while H was engaged and h was having a steady boyfriend, and the shooting drama towards the end was out of nowhere.
Lastly, not a fan of heroine full of double standards and full of excuses.
SWE
2/5
When Stacy, the photographer for a notorious newspaper comes to know that an elusive financier Nicholas is renting a bungalow nearby, she ends up creeping around the house to take his pictures- only to fall from a tree and get caught!
Nicholas takes her in, despite having family and a fiancee staying with him for Christmas, and sparks fly.
This story was plain absurd. There was more time spent on interactions with secondary characters than leads, both were portrayed to be attracted to each other while H was engaged and h was having a steady boyfriend, and the shooting drama towards the end was out of nowhere.
Lastly, not a fan of heroine full of double standards and full of excuses.
SWE
2/5
January 15, 2016
Interesting plot... very different!
I couldn't put it down. I was laughing right along with Stacie as she pulled on one of her many antics while she was kidnapped by Nicolas.
I couldn't put it down. I was laughing right along with Stacie as she pulled on one of her many antics while she was kidnapped by Nicolas.
April 8, 2025
A pleasant read!
And it helped me tick the square of a romance read with "ONE WORD IN THE TITLE" in my Bingo Challenge of 2025.
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42┃29┃ 24┃92┃ 82┃1
100┃34⭕┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64┃70┃15┃38⭕
84┃31┃ 62┃7┃21┃73┃28┃46┃90┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58
57┃94┃ 16┃56┃ 5┃60┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48⭕┃ 79┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36┃89┃ 33⭕
71┃19┃ 39⭕┃66┃ 55┃27┃ 20┃63┃ 11┃83
And it helped me tick the square of a romance read with "ONE WORD IN THE TITLE" in my Bingo Challenge of 2025.
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42┃29┃ 24┃92┃ 82┃1
100┃34⭕┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64┃70┃15┃38⭕
84┃31┃ 62┃7┃21┃73┃28┃46┃90┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58
57┃94┃ 16┃56┃ 5┃60┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48⭕┃ 79┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36┃89┃ 33⭕
71┃19┃ 39⭕┃66┃ 55┃27┃ 20┃63┃ 11┃83
August 18, 2015
Too short, couldn't get into it. I think it needed a lot more sprucing and a better edit.
November 22, 2024
This romance was in no shape or form that scandalous for it to fit the title, but maybe the attraction was like that for Stacie Murray as soon as she encounters the dangerous financier hero Nicholas Kinsella when she takes hidden photographs of him for her boyfriend’s newspaper. Just a lovely story overall with Stacie & Nicholas butting heads amids the passionate and ’scandalous’ chemistry between them. I love the way he chased after her after she escaped from him and was always honest about his feelings for her.
May 1, 2021
This had too much internal narrative. CL loves her Soapboxes! I didn't like the instaluv but hung with it. This also didn't have enough angst for being a sorta kidnapping. But I loved the heroine who had some great feistiness!
August 10, 2018
روايات أحلام 01
أهواك، شارلوت لامب
أهواك، شارلوت لامب
March 10, 2023
I think I liked this book? It's sort of hard to tell because I tracked down a copy via OpenLibrary and had to read its microscopic print that was a bit blurry at parts, which might have dampened my enthusiasm for it. I had to enlarge the print so that only eight lines were visible, so it felt like I was reading the book through some version of tunnel vision. Generally though, I think my impression of it was good.
This was surprisingly a very wholesome book for Charlotte Lamb, wherein there was only one (1) angry forced kiss by the hero. It made me realize that this era of Harlies were dominated by male heroes who had no concept of the idea of consent and would be the kind of people to overturn Roe v Wade. That or this type of forced intimacy is the current concept of the alcohol-induced one night stand.
Anyhoo, the hero is really very mild and charming for Charlotte Lamb, and is upfront with his feelings for heroine with one of the most wholesome confessions I've read from her heroes.
"I may not scare you, but you sure as hell scare me. I don't understand this. You've really got to me, right under my skin." He turned his head to look her and smile wryly. "What are we going to do about it?"
There's more, and all of it extraordinarily non-pushy and very charming. He's extremely wholesome and tries to explain his longstanding engagement to a family friend, and he backs off immediately when he finds out (right after his confession) that she's got a boyfriend. He also is swift to break off his engagement later on, and there's another also equally charming second confession conversation at the end.
"I'm not going to apologize for loving you," he said in a quiet voice. "I owe you my life--that gives me the right to love you now. I think you're wrong about this, but maybe I'm prejudiced. I'm kidding myself that you'd be happier with me. I don't think I am, but then I wouldn't, I suppose. If you love him...think you do...you must marry him, there's nothing I can do to stop you, obviously, but for your own sake, Stacie, wait, don't rush into anything."
Definitely one of CL's more lighthearted, adorable reads.
This was surprisingly a very wholesome book for Charlotte Lamb, wherein there was only one (1) angry forced kiss by the hero. It made me realize that this era of Harlies were dominated by male heroes who had no concept of the idea of consent and would be the kind of people to overturn Roe v Wade. That or this type of forced intimacy is the current concept of the alcohol-induced one night stand.
Anyhoo, the hero is really very mild and charming for Charlotte Lamb, and is upfront with his feelings for heroine with one of the most wholesome confessions I've read from her heroes.
"I may not scare you, but you sure as hell scare me. I don't understand this. You've really got to me, right under my skin." He turned his head to look her and smile wryly. "What are we going to do about it?"
There's more, and all of it extraordinarily non-pushy and very charming. He's extremely wholesome and tries to explain his longstanding engagement to a family friend, and he backs off immediately when he finds out (right after his confession) that she's got a boyfriend. He also is swift to break off his engagement later on, and there's another also equally charming second confession conversation at the end.
"I'm not going to apologize for loving you," he said in a quiet voice. "I owe you my life--that gives me the right to love you now. I think you're wrong about this, but maybe I'm prejudiced. I'm kidding myself that you'd be happier with me. I don't think I am, but then I wouldn't, I suppose. If you love him...think you do...you must marry him, there's nothing I can do to stop you, obviously, but for your own sake, Stacie, wait, don't rush into anything."
Definitely one of CL's more lighthearted, adorable reads.
June 11, 2022
The book ends so abruptly it gives you whiplash. The story isn't bad, but there are alot of kinda pointless things. But I'd recommend it, hero and heroine are cool and bicker, hero a bit violent and goes into jealous violent rages toward guys standing near the heroine so that is concerning. But not bad overall.
July 22, 2022
In this one she's a newspaper photographer and he's a billionaire banker. She's caught photographing him at his English estate (he's American) and "kept prisoner " until his secret African revolutionary guest is safely back home. There's a wishy washy reporter boyfriend and a wishy washy OW. Quite a violent incident towards the end seals their love. It's fine.
January 3, 2022
Charlotte Lamb is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. While her writing style is simple, she is able to draw you in and remain vested in her characters right up to the very end of each of her books. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.
August 24, 2025
I liked the heroine's commitment to helping her friend and the scenes with the H were surprisingly intense, but the h's strange reasoning got a bit irritating towards the end.
January 4, 2018
1- أهواك
روايات احلام
شارلوت لامب
هل يمكن أن يقود الأسر إلى الحب و السعادة ؟ سؤال خيالى و حلم بعيد مستغرب لم يكن هذا ما يشغل بال سندى و هى تتحرق غيظا للخروج من قصر أنريكو كوستيلا المحصن ما الذى قادها إلى عالم هذا الرجل القاسى و الساحر ؟ لن تتمكن من إخبار صديقها بما عرفته عن كوستيلا ليحصل على الترقية لكن سندى فى مهب رياح الحب تقاوم و تصارع فعقلها لا يتحمل هذا ، وقلبها يتمرد عليها وتصرخ بأنريكو كوستبلا : ابتعد عن أحلامى الا أستطيع الهرب منك ؟ آه . ثراؤه فوق خيالها . و عالمه أبعد من عالمها من المستحيل أن يحبا بعضهما . فهل تضحى بحياتها من أجله ؟
روايات احلام
شارلوت لامب
هل يمكن أن يقود الأسر إلى الحب و السعادة ؟ سؤال خيالى و حلم بعيد مستغرب لم يكن هذا ما يشغل بال سندى و هى تتحرق غيظا للخروج من قصر أنريكو كوستيلا المحصن ما الذى قادها إلى عالم هذا الرجل القاسى و الساحر ؟ لن تتمكن من إخبار صديقها بما عرفته عن كوستيلا ليحصل على الترقية لكن سندى فى مهب رياح الحب تقاوم و تصارع فعقلها لا يتحمل هذا ، وقلبها يتمرد عليها وتصرخ بأنريكو كوستبلا : ابتعد عن أحلامى الا أستطيع الهرب منك ؟ آه . ثراؤه فوق خيالها . و عالمه أبعد من عالمها من المستحيل أن يحبا بعضهما . فهل تضحى بحياتها من أجله ؟
May 11, 2022
That's what you get for flirting with danger
Stacie had been unusually reckless in photographing reclusive financier Nicholas Kinsella for her London paper. But she never for one moment dreamed he'd hold her prisoner--not with his highbrow mother and disapproving fiancee on the estate, too.
Nicholas was out of Stacie's league. He was alarmingly attractive, accustomed to power and capable of ruthlessness. There was an almost tangible aura of danger about him.
Stacie was desperate to escape. . . for what Nicholas was doing to her senses was positively scandalous
Stacie had been unusually reckless in photographing reclusive financier Nicholas Kinsella for her London paper. But she never for one moment dreamed he'd hold her prisoner--not with his highbrow mother and disapproving fiancee on the estate, too.
Nicholas was out of Stacie's league. He was alarmingly attractive, accustomed to power and capable of ruthlessness. There was an almost tangible aura of danger about him.
Stacie was desperate to escape. . . for what Nicholas was doing to her senses was positively scandalous
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November 30, 2015light and a bit of fun。Not convinced that they were in love though.
July 20, 2016
Beautiful
December 30, 2016
This felt a bit meh to me. I diden´t connect with the characters and the ending felt to abrupt. The least I want from a HP is a proposel at the end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2017
This text, Vampire Lover and Twist of Fate are my favourite Charlotte Lamb works.
June 18, 2018
O istorie frumoasă, cu happy end, pe care ți-ai dori s-o citești într-o amiază călduroasă de vară. Relaxantă, captivantă, interesantă.
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May 22, 2016الإستسلام - شارلوت لامب
May 10, 2019
I love Mills and Boon!
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