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The Great Escape
He was always just one step behind her
Wherever Dee went, Mike Carridine followed. Not a bodyguard, not a lover, but a private investigator hired to track her down.
She'd been running for nine months, attempting to elude him. Sooner or later she'd have to stop.
And on that day she would be forced to surrender to Mike Carridine--and allow him to return her to the vicious relatives and unwanted fortune she'd so desperately tried to escape....
Wherever Dee went, Mike Carridine followed. Not a bodyguard, not a lover, but a private investigator hired to track her down.
She'd been running for nine months, attempting to elude him. Sooner or later she'd have to stop.
And on that day she would be forced to surrender to Mike Carridine--and allow him to return her to the vicious relatives and unwanted fortune she'd so desperately tried to escape....
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1984
2 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Carpenter
37 books44 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Amanda Carpenter (aka Thea Harrison) resides in northern California. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter.
She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. Her graduate degrees are in Philanthropic Studies and Library Information Science, but her first love has always been writing fiction. She's back with her paranormal Elder Races series under the pseudonym Thea Harrison.
Amanda Carpenter (aka Thea Harrison) resides in northern California. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter.
She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. Her graduate degrees are in Philanthropic Studies and Library Information Science, but her first love has always been writing fiction. She's back with her paranormal Elder Races series under the pseudonym Thea Harrison.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 22, 2017
A romantic suspense that starts out in Akron Ohio doesn't seem like usual HP fare. The heroine is a 17 year-old runaway and the hero is a 29 year-old private investigator who has been tracking her for the last nine months.
The heroine is very inventive in how she escapes (over and over again), and when she does stop running their romance is very convincing. There is a twist that the hyper-intelligent heroine does not see and adds a nice dollop of angst at the end.
The villains of the story are a bit OTT and the cops and court system are never mentioned - so that was kind of weird.
I'm not a fan of suspense, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this and believed in the romance. The hero is a good guy and the heroine had a lot of spirit without being feisty or rude. The ending rounded off things nicely and put the H/h on equal footing. Then there was the added bonus of hearing CB radio jargon again "rubber ducky, that's a ten four."
If you're looking for something a little different, you might like this one.
The heroine is very inventive in how she escapes (over and over again), and when she does stop running their romance is very convincing. There is a twist that the hyper-intelligent heroine does not see and adds a nice dollop of angst at the end.
The villains of the story are a bit OTT and the cops and court system are never mentioned - so that was kind of weird.
I'm not a fan of suspense, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this and believed in the romance. The hero is a good guy and the heroine had a lot of spirit without being feisty or rude. The ending rounded off things nicely and put the H/h on equal footing. Then there was the added bonus of hearing CB radio jargon again "rubber ducky, that's a ten four."
If you're looking for something a little different, you might like this one.
April 30, 2012
I have to admit I have rarely read a book that featured such a gutsy and ingenious heroine. I mean she had spunk and she was so damn mature. She had a great life till she was 14, then she lost her parents and her aunt and uncle took her guardianship, making her life miserable. They got rid of everything familiar to her and when she turned 17, she found herself so miserable that she contemplated suicide but she had zest for life and carefully planned her escape, wanting to get away from the unhappiness caused by all the money she stood to inherit.
And for nine months she has managed to best the man her aunt sicced on her. Evading him at every turn and even when he catches up to her, she escapes, drugging him and what not.
We see the hero Mike start to understand her and that she is not a normal runaway teenager but a mature woman who knows what she wants, and who managed to build a life for herself beyond the moneyed world she belongs to.
I liked the depiction of Dee as someone so strong and so unhappy that she had to get away. Her money had brought only unhappiness and mercenary people. Mike slowly understood the reasons she didn't want to go back and helped and protected her as well as restoring her faith in humanity.
The romance didn't feel ick to me at all, the hero was 29 and she almost 18, but her maturity was beyond her age.
And for nine months she has managed to best the man her aunt sicced on her. Evading him at every turn and even when he catches up to her, she escapes, drugging him and what not.
We see the hero Mike start to understand her and that she is not a normal runaway teenager but a mature woman who knows what she wants, and who managed to build a life for herself beyond the moneyed world she belongs to.
I liked the depiction of Dee as someone so strong and so unhappy that she had to get away. Her money had brought only unhappiness and mercenary people. Mike slowly understood the reasons she didn't want to go back and helped and protected her as well as restoring her faith in humanity.
The romance didn't feel ick to me at all, the hero was 29 and she almost 18, but her maturity was beyond her age.
October 23, 2017
Re The Great Escape - Caveat Emptor about this one - the h is only 17 (and had to be for the plot to work) and the H is 29. If that doesn't freak you out, you're in for a pretty good read.
The story goes that the h's parents were really rich, they died, her aunt and uncle got guardianship and insidiously started to isolate her. The h, knowing this is abuse, finds a way out and at the start of the story she is on the run and growing up fast. The H is the detective who thinks he is tracking down a petulant teenage runaway. That is not the case as he soon finds out.
This h is smart, like college at 16 smart and she continually torments him and outwits him and outruns him too - until the inevitable happens and the H totally falls in love. They start a relationship and the words statutory rape are stated and discussed. The big finale comes when the H calls her aunt to where the h is hiding out and offers his hit man service sideline.
Okay, that was a bit dramatic, (when I read AC and VW in a row I can't help the drama sometimes) - the H really isn't a hit man but he figured out that the aunt needs to kill the h before she turns 18 (which is a month or so away) so she can have the big inheritance. (23 million or thereabouts). The whole thing is a set up and the h is understandably hurt. She takes off once more and the H tracks her down. He apologizes for not filling her in on the plan (the inference is treating her like a child when he knows she isn't) and she apologizes for not having more faith.
Aunt and uncle are now in prison and the h decides to donate her inheritance. The H had backed off the lurve part while waiting for the h to turn 18 and so the h decides to get her man. The interesting thing in this part was the h was pretty clear about the age difference and that maybe they wouldn't work out - but instead of deterring her from pursuing the H, it actually reinforced the notion that they really would be in a lifelong HEA. The h gets rid of most of her money (and no, she actually doesn't give away all of it - she has a certain amount set aside to maintain her parent's pricey mansion for life and make sure her house staff have pensions) but as every HPlandian knows - the h's can't be richer than the H.
Fortunately the H has a head for investments or the private detect business pays really, really well in the 80's cause he promptly proposes after the h gives away her money and they decide to travel the world on his private income.
This is not a usual HP, and the characters are very well done - the one thing that might fail some is the dialog comes off as a cross between the 70's version of a BBC soap with all the "darling girls" and emotive English of the H and the h sounds like a sorta reject from the 70's tv show Kojak and life on the street with her "hey man's" etc. At this point in her career AC/Thea Harrison is still sorting her craft, but it is interesting to see the evolution in her dialog portions over the years.
The story goes that the h's parents were really rich, they died, her aunt and uncle got guardianship and insidiously started to isolate her. The h, knowing this is abuse, finds a way out and at the start of the story she is on the run and growing up fast. The H is the detective who thinks he is tracking down a petulant teenage runaway. That is not the case as he soon finds out.
This h is smart, like college at 16 smart and she continually torments him and outwits him and outruns him too - until the inevitable happens and the H totally falls in love. They start a relationship and the words statutory rape are stated and discussed. The big finale comes when the H calls her aunt to where the h is hiding out and offers his hit man service sideline.
Okay, that was a bit dramatic, (when I read AC and VW in a row I can't help the drama sometimes) - the H really isn't a hit man but he figured out that the aunt needs to kill the h before she turns 18 (which is a month or so away) so she can have the big inheritance. (23 million or thereabouts). The whole thing is a set up and the h is understandably hurt. She takes off once more and the H tracks her down. He apologizes for not filling her in on the plan (the inference is treating her like a child when he knows she isn't) and she apologizes for not having more faith.
Aunt and uncle are now in prison and the h decides to donate her inheritance. The H had backed off the lurve part while waiting for the h to turn 18 and so the h decides to get her man. The interesting thing in this part was the h was pretty clear about the age difference and that maybe they wouldn't work out - but instead of deterring her from pursuing the H, it actually reinforced the notion that they really would be in a lifelong HEA. The h gets rid of most of her money (and no, she actually doesn't give away all of it - she has a certain amount set aside to maintain her parent's pricey mansion for life and make sure her house staff have pensions) but as every HPlandian knows - the h's can't be richer than the H.
Fortunately the H has a head for investments or the private detect business pays really, really well in the 80's cause he promptly proposes after the h gives away her money and they decide to travel the world on his private income.
This is not a usual HP, and the characters are very well done - the one thing that might fail some is the dialog comes off as a cross between the 70's version of a BBC soap with all the "darling girls" and emotive English of the H and the h sounds like a sorta reject from the 70's tv show Kojak and life on the street with her "hey man's" etc. At this point in her career AC/Thea Harrison is still sorting her craft, but it is interesting to see the evolution in her dialog portions over the years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2011
Almost worthy of the hype.
This is more like romantic suspense than a typical Harlequin but I enjoyed it. 17 year old "millionaire heiress" runs away from home and the detective hero has been on her tail for the past 9 months. The H/h are both pretty smart and they eventually enjoy matching wits against each other.
The best thing about the novel IMO is that the heroine is fully realized with her intelligence and hope for her future than you usually find in the short format. I still found a 17 yr old having sex with a 29 yr old man kinda icky but at least the bk acknowledged the issue.
Setting: Ohio and Kentucky
Grade: B
Note: AC now writes paranormal romances as Thea Harrison
This is more like romantic suspense than a typical Harlequin but I enjoyed it. 17 year old "millionaire heiress" runs away from home and the detective hero has been on her tail for the past 9 months. The H/h are both pretty smart and they eventually enjoy matching wits against each other.
The best thing about the novel IMO is that the heroine is fully realized with her intelligence and hope for her future than you usually find in the short format. I still found a 17 yr old having sex with a 29 yr old man kinda icky but at least the bk acknowledged the issue.
Setting: Ohio and Kentucky
Grade: B
Note: AC now writes paranormal romances as Thea Harrison
July 9, 2019
Another one that falls into the bonkers category with regards to the storyline.
The h in this one is only 17 (nearly 18 and shes been on the run for nearly a year) the H is a 29 year old PI sent to track her down as her Aunt/Uncle guardians want all her money and to kill her off.
Shes pretty smart and has managed to evade him for 9 months now but hes finally caught up with her and while she manages to escape him a few more times, including roofie-ing. In the end she decides to trust him and go with the flow though.
These 2 pretty much fall in insta love which these days would be massively frowned upon in HPlandia 17 year olds should not be shaking up with 29 year olds its just not done. These days he would have been uber mean then manwhored around the world for a couple of years before going back to slut shame her (despite still holding her v card) and winning her back.
Our super rich h then has to give away all her $$$ to make her man feel secure in her love - pathetic!
The h in this one is only 17 (nearly 18 and shes been on the run for nearly a year) the H is a 29 year old PI sent to track her down as her Aunt/Uncle guardians want all her money and to kill her off.
Shes pretty smart and has managed to evade him for 9 months now but hes finally caught up with her and while she manages to escape him a few more times, including roofie-ing. In the end she decides to trust him and go with the flow though.
These 2 pretty much fall in insta love which these days would be massively frowned upon in HPlandia 17 year olds should not be shaking up with 29 year olds its just not done. These days he would have been uber mean then manwhored around the world for a couple of years before going back to slut shame her (despite still holding her v card) and winning her back.
Our super rich h then has to give away all her $$$ to make her man feel secure in her love - pathetic!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2013
Totally awesome story. The heroine was a rich 17 year old on the run from evil relatives. The hero is the private investigator hired to bring the "runaway" home. She was a super smart girl. The type who went to college at 16. So she totally made him work to catch up with her. And once he did she never gave up just kept escaping and he kept running her down and catching her again. Of course during all this they were falling in love.
There were some unexpected bits that totally took me by surprise. And there were some pleasant surprises in the writing too. Even though this was written back when 17 year old heroines were matched up quite often with much older men, (the hero was 29) here the situation was addressed and stressed over. All the love scenes, and there were some, were fade to black. Which considering the time it was written and the age of the heroine was probably just as well.
Strong plotting, good dialog, great characterization although the word choices were sometimes dated. I kept wanting him to call her 'babe' instead of 'dear girl'. Doesn't that last one just make you cringe?
If you're looking for something different you should really give this a try. But you'll have to find your own copy because I'm definitely keeping m9ne.
There were some unexpected bits that totally took me by surprise. And there were some pleasant surprises in the writing too. Even though this was written back when 17 year old heroines were matched up quite often with much older men, (the hero was 29) here the situation was addressed and stressed over. All the love scenes, and there were some, were fade to black. Which considering the time it was written and the age of the heroine was probably just as well.
Strong plotting, good dialog, great characterization although the word choices were sometimes dated. I kept wanting him to call her 'babe' instead of 'dear girl'. Doesn't that last one just make you cringe?
If you're looking for something different you should really give this a try. But you'll have to find your own copy because I'm definitely keeping m9ne.
February 20, 2018
“The Great Escape” is the story of Mike and Dee, and has got to be one of the most fascinating HQN stories ever!
The story starts with our h working as a waitress, spotting a stranger and planning an escape. Soon we come to know how she’s been escaping and surviving, how Mike has been on her heels the whole time- as they they start colliding and her life gets threatened, Mike ends up becoming her barrier.
I loved Dee. Young, but strong and determined. She outsmarted everyone including the hero like Houdini, and I loved her spirit. The hero was determined and alpha, but the heroine was the star of this book.
There is a heavy dose of angst towards the end, but it made the read even sweeter!
Very very safe
4/5
Ps. When the couple sleeps together the first time, the h is 17 and H is much older. It’s all legal tho!
The story starts with our h working as a waitress, spotting a stranger and planning an escape. Soon we come to know how she’s been escaping and surviving, how Mike has been on her heels the whole time- as they they start colliding and her life gets threatened, Mike ends up becoming her barrier.
I loved Dee. Young, but strong and determined. She outsmarted everyone including the hero like Houdini, and I loved her spirit. The hero was determined and alpha, but the heroine was the star of this book.
There is a heavy dose of angst towards the end, but it made the read even sweeter!
Very very safe
4/5
Ps. When the couple sleeps together the first time, the h is 17 and H is much older. It’s all legal tho!
November 5, 2017
Great start, ho-hum ending :~{
June 3, 2011
FINALLY - This AC book wipes out the weird taste from that other AC book, The Gift of Happiness. This one carries through with the gutsy heroine. It's so simple. Kids who are emotionally abused and scared DO grow up to be mature quite early on. They are not like normal kids and this is reflected in the book. The fact that the h out-smarted the H again and again (even he is surprised by how many times she manages it) is amazing. You can truly feel her desperation.
Loved the maturity of the writing and the way the young heroine justified the relationship. You don't feel like the H took advantage of her. It feels very natural and not at all ew.
Recommended for fans of gutsy heroines...
Loved the maturity of the writing and the way the young heroine justified the relationship. You don't feel like the H took advantage of her. It feels very natural and not at all ew.
Recommended for fans of gutsy heroines...
August 25, 2013
I was so disturbed by the heroine’s stupid and irresponsible actions at the end of the book, it ruined my enjoyment.
But some readers might not be bothered. It’s personal preference. It is a major spoiler so I’m describing the end of the book in a comment after this review.
Some readers might be bothered because a 17-year-old female has sex with a 30-year-old man. They cross state lines together. There are laws about these things. I just pretended she was 21, because I enjoyed the first half. Dee does some smart things as she is fleeing.
One weakness: I wanted to know how Mike found Dee after nine months of looking. I wanted to see his thought processes and actions to find her at the restaurant, her home, and after hitchhiking. That would have added some depth. As it was, Mike just magically shows up.
As they start to like each other, the author “tells” about their evening instead of showing. Page 133: “She enjoyed herself that evening, more than she had for a long time. He could make her laugh hysterically with his keen, dry wit and humorous, biting comments, and he could force her to concentrate more than anyone else could, driving her mind to quicker and keener decisions.” My immediate thought was “can you show me some examples?”
I like Jacqueline’s comment (on Goodreads): “I kept wanting him to call her ‘babe’ instead of ‘dear girl.’ Doesn’t that last one just make you cringe?” Yes Jacqueline I feel it oddly dated. I don’t think that was from the 1980s, maybe something from the 1940s? I don’t know.
The book is short, half the length of a typical novel.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 182 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two referred to no details shown. Setting: around 1984 Ohio and Kentucky. Copyright: 1984. Genre: romantic suspense.
But some readers might not be bothered. It’s personal preference. It is a major spoiler so I’m describing the end of the book in a comment after this review.
Some readers might be bothered because a 17-year-old female has sex with a 30-year-old man. They cross state lines together. There are laws about these things. I just pretended she was 21, because I enjoyed the first half. Dee does some smart things as she is fleeing.
One weakness: I wanted to know how Mike found Dee after nine months of looking. I wanted to see his thought processes and actions to find her at the restaurant, her home, and after hitchhiking. That would have added some depth. As it was, Mike just magically shows up.
As they start to like each other, the author “tells” about their evening instead of showing. Page 133: “She enjoyed herself that evening, more than she had for a long time. He could make her laugh hysterically with his keen, dry wit and humorous, biting comments, and he could force her to concentrate more than anyone else could, driving her mind to quicker and keener decisions.” My immediate thought was “can you show me some examples?”
I like Jacqueline’s comment (on Goodreads): “I kept wanting him to call her ‘babe’ instead of ‘dear girl.’ Doesn’t that last one just make you cringe?” Yes Jacqueline I feel it oddly dated. I don’t think that was from the 1980s, maybe something from the 1940s? I don’t know.
The book is short, half the length of a typical novel.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 182 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two referred to no details shown. Setting: around 1984 Ohio and Kentucky. Copyright: 1984. Genre: romantic suspense.
July 14, 2019
4 1/2 Stars! ~ Feeling trapped and afraid in a loveless home after the deaths of her parents, Dee runs away. Mike's been hired by her aunt to track her down. But when he finally catches up with her, all the things he's been told don't seem to add up. Not only is Dee very attractive, but she's smarter and more inventive than any woman he's ever met, and she's two months shy of turning eighteen. Suddenly Mike realizes that her aunt really doesn't want her back; she only needed a location to send the henchman.
Wow! This story takes you on a roller coaster ride right from the first pages. If not for the very young heroine, I'd say this one reads more like a Harlequin Intrigue. I understand that Dee has to be very young in order for the murder plot to work as she inherits on her eighteenth birthday, however, some readers may be bothered by her age. Great credit to Ms. Carpenter for showing us how intelligent Dee is, and allowing her to grow up into a woman as part of her story. To me this was critical in how I perceived her relationship with Mike. This is an emotional and action filled love story. The HEA was perfect.
Wow! This story takes you on a roller coaster ride right from the first pages. If not for the very young heroine, I'd say this one reads more like a Harlequin Intrigue. I understand that Dee has to be very young in order for the murder plot to work as she inherits on her eighteenth birthday, however, some readers may be bothered by her age. Great credit to Ms. Carpenter for showing us how intelligent Dee is, and allowing her to grow up into a woman as part of her story. To me this was critical in how I perceived her relationship with Mike. This is an emotional and action filled love story. The HEA was perfect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2013
This was a cute story with a plucky heroine. Not sure I bought why the hero couldn't explain the truth to her earlier, but still a satisfying resolution.
September 20, 2015
Novella. Author also known as Thea Harrison.
May 9, 2021
Enjoyable! I really feel Boogenhagen’s, and StMargarets recaps/ reviews does a fine job with plot...so here I go with a few random thoughts on their relationship.
Heroine 17 is on the run, while the PI hero 29 has been in pursuit. Our little minx is a tricky one. So you just know that the hero was probably already falling a little in love with her before he even met her, because she was already a challenge to him....(our heroes like challenges)
The romance is believable. Now if this was a story where the 17 year old girl was in a happy middle class home attending high school, the thought of a 29 year old “dating” her would feel all sorts of wrong. However in this story it doesn’t because of the circumstances they are in.
So is this why AC played down their big “moment”? Or is this her writing style? Or is it because it was written in the 80’s? The big coming together scene in a hotel room was really glossed over. I seriously thought the heroine crawled into bed to sleep with the hero not “sleep” with the hero. In fact it wasn’t until the car ride the next day where she talks about losing her virginity to the hero that I realized it happened. I went back to the previous pages and still after reading them I’m like nope didn’t miss it. It’s really played down. That’s fine, lately I have read a few books where there was definitely nothing left to my imagination. It doesn’t take away from the story, I just felt really stupid for not realizing what was happening, I mean I’m glad they “did” it, because I would have been sad had they not!
Heroine 17 is on the run, while the PI hero 29 has been in pursuit. Our little minx is a tricky one. So you just know that the hero was probably already falling a little in love with her before he even met her, because she was already a challenge to him....(our heroes like challenges)
The romance is believable. Now if this was a story where the 17 year old girl was in a happy middle class home attending high school, the thought of a 29 year old “dating” her would feel all sorts of wrong. However in this story it doesn’t because of the circumstances they are in.
So is this why AC played down their big “moment”? Or is this her writing style? Or is it because it was written in the 80’s? The big coming together scene in a hotel room was really glossed over. I seriously thought the heroine crawled into bed to sleep with the hero not “sleep” with the hero. In fact it wasn’t until the car ride the next day where she talks about losing her virginity to the hero that I realized it happened. I went back to the previous pages and still after reading them I’m like nope didn’t miss it. It’s really played down. That’s fine, lately I have read a few books where there was definitely nothing left to my imagination. It doesn’t take away from the story, I just felt really stupid for not realizing what was happening, I mean I’m glad they “did” it, because I would have been sad had they not!
July 18, 2019
Another romance from my ancient keeper collection, circa 1984 I think. The heroine and hero were much more likable in this Harlequin. It was a fast paced read about Dee, a 17 year old heiress, running away from her guardians because she feels unloved, isolated and actually hated by her mother's sister. It is obvious the aunt hates her, and only wants the money. Mike is a PI hired by her aunt to find her and bring her back. Dee gave Mike a challenging chase for about 9 months, and now, just two months shy of her 18th birthday when she can legally claim her inheritance, Mike shows up to bring her back to her family. The age difference between Dee and Mike seemed a little weird (he is 29)and the situation a bit unethical (a PI sleeping with his quarry and turning on the aunt), but other than that I bought their relationship. The ending seemed unrealistic, and I don't see it happening at this day and age, but hey the 1980s were a different era so, ok. Probably a 2 1/2 star rating, versus the previous Present I re-read last weekend. I am adding it to my donation pile since its no longer a keeper.
September 13, 2025
This is a charming story of a rich girl heroine (17) who ran away from her aunt's neglectful/mean behaviour and of the hero (29), who is the private investigator hired to find her. It took him 9 months to ascertain her whereabouts (she's really smart and inventive), but now, 2 months before her 18th birthday when she is due to inherit about $25,000,000, the hero has her in sights. The story takes place over this 2 months and their interactions are entertaining and at times very sweet, too. They are both admirable people and the love between them fairly leaps off the page.
5 stars because this is a really unusual Harlequin M&B, even for the good old vintage days before boring billionaires and accidentally pregnant numpties.
5 stars because this is a really unusual Harlequin M&B, even for the good old vintage days before boring billionaires and accidentally pregnant numpties.
April 15, 2023
*gasp* I freaking loved this book! Beyond five stars. It had everything I love - a cat and mouse chase, and she's smart to boot and gives him the slip so many times its hilarious. Actual danger, when she's nearly killed she *really* nearly killed and he so is torn up over it and cares for her, ahh I love it. A sloe burn, a smitten H, but most of all a clever heroine with a heart of gold.
Also - a swearword? In mills and boon? I couldn't believe it but he joking calls her a little shit and I was like 'whuuut??' haha. Never seen it before in M&B but I loved it. More swearing in my category romance pls.
Also - a swearword? In mills and boon? I couldn't believe it but he joking calls her a little shit and I was like 'whuuut??' haha. Never seen it before in M&B but I loved it. More swearing in my category romance pls.
December 17, 2023
Dee is a smart and scrappy 17 year old, living life on the run from a private investigator hired by her evil aunt and uncle. Mike, the PI (age: 29), is relentless pursuing her and she fears him while continually outsmarting him and staying a step ahead. The book starts when these two finally collide.
It was a decent read but I cannot get over the age gap. For the sake of the plot, she needed to be a minor and unable to inherit her money. But the ick of a grown ass man sleeping with a minor is insurmountable.
It was a decent read but I cannot get over the age gap. For the sake of the plot, she needed to be a minor and unable to inherit her money. But the ick of a grown ass man sleeping with a minor is insurmountable.
January 29, 2025
Yes, the heroine was plucky and likeable, and you’re initially drawn into the story. Nonetheless, there were so many plot holes and lapses of intelligence on the part of the heroine, it had me rolling my eyes in annoyance. I also found some of the dialogue too contrived.
Finally, I don’t care whether attitudes have changed in the four decades since this was written, a 17 y old and a 29 y old should just be a no-go.
Finally, I don’t care whether attitudes have changed in the four decades since this was written, a 17 y old and a 29 y old should just be a no-go.
May 29, 2020
Not for me.
July 22, 2012
I don't think this is a book that held up well over the last twenty-eight years. For starters, the heroine is seventeen. The hero is twenty-eight. At one point, even the heroine brings up statutory rape. The heroine, Dee, runs away from her guardians and Mike, the hero, is the private investigator sent to bring her back. I kept thinking, Amber Alert, why aren't the cops involved, etc, but things were probably different in the eighties. Dee was also raised by 'private tutors,' which I guess was the early eighties version of home-schooling. During the end, Mike hands Dee a glass of wine. 1984 was the year the drinking age was raised to 21. As I was reading, I was basically translating old into new. It was distracting.
On whole, dated-ness aside, I think if you could forget the fact that there is an eleven year difference between Mike & Dee, this is a tight story. Dee is the precursor to Pia and all the other Elder Race heroines that the author, as Thea Harrison, is currently writing. She's extraordinarily intelligent and her plans are clever & well thought out. Mike isn't as fleshed out and is more of a caricature. I'd recommend this to a category reader who is okay with the age thing.
On whole, dated-ness aside, I think if you could forget the fact that there is an eleven year difference between Mike & Dee, this is a tight story. Dee is the precursor to Pia and all the other Elder Race heroines that the author, as Thea Harrison, is currently writing. She's extraordinarily intelligent and her plans are clever & well thought out. Mike isn't as fleshed out and is more of a caricature. I'd recommend this to a category reader who is okay with the age thing.
April 6, 2015
SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW. I felt this book had more adventure than romance. It was pretty exciting though. I usually like the older-man younger woman stories but I don't know, I felt slightly irritated with the heroine. She seemed a little full of it and I was definitely a little pissed and disappointed when she gave away her fortune. uh..... that is SOOOO stupid. The other reviewer gave reasons for how stupid that was and I agree with her. Regarding the romance I can see how the Hero would fall in love with her and vice versa with the adventure they've had and the bonding. But I feel like even though the author and heroine says she is "mature" for her age she still felt childish to me. I think she still needs to grow up and even though the Hero and Heroine will be married I think their marriage might be full of bumpy roads due to heroine needing to "grow up". Her personality just seems to be the "fighting" personality. I gave it 3 stars because it was an exciting/adventure read but for the romance and my small dislike of the heroine I took off the two stars.
November 20, 2014
This was different than a lot of other old Harlequins and the heroine was one of the most likable ones I've read. She was very rash, but not in a stupid way. This title could've also been called Catch Me If You Can. I kinda felt sorry for the hero because she was such a handful. I wish their relationship would've been developed more. At the end the heroine's actions were loco, but whatever makes her happy.
pback-to-read
February 9, 2021He was always just one step behind her
Wherever Dee went, Mike Carridine followed. Not a bodyguard, not a lover, but a private investigator hired to track her down.
She'd been running for nine months, attempting to elude him. Sooner or later she'd have to stop.
And on that day she would be forced to surrender to Mike Carridine--and allow him to return her to the vicious relatives and unwanted fortune she'd so desperately tried to escape.
Wherever Dee went, Mike Carridine followed. Not a bodyguard, not a lover, but a private investigator hired to track her down.
She'd been running for nine months, attempting to elude him. Sooner or later she'd have to stop.
And on that day she would be forced to surrender to Mike Carridine--and allow him to return her to the vicious relatives and unwanted fortune she'd so desperately tried to escape.
June 27, 2014
First read this one years ago. I love Dee's character and how she continually escapes from the P.I./love interest. Read in an evening.
Quibble: Dee was so smart for most of the book, I found it hard to believe she didn't immediately realize what was going on after the second attempt on her life.
Quibble: Dee was so smart for most of the book, I found it hard to believe she didn't immediately realize what was going on after the second attempt on her life.
May 24, 2011
I love Amanda Carpenter, she's one of my keepers. I too like Seton was kind of icked out with the age difference between H and h, but it was well written.
September 6, 2012
Good book. But the heroine is VERY young. Took me a bit to overcome that.
February 20, 2014
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