Her Little White Lie

by Maisey Yates

DANTE ROMANI’S SHOCK ENGAGEMENT TO EMPLOYEE!

Paige Harper can’t believe her little white lie has made the headlines. The only way to secure the adoption of her best-friend’s daughter was to fake an engagement with her boss. Now she can hear him marching down the corridor to fire her!

The press have spent years cultivating Dante’s devilish persona, but now he wonders if this ‘engagement’ could be an opportunity to change that. Paige will wish he had fired her when she hears his terms: if she wants his ring she’ll have to play the part of devoted wife in public and in private…

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Marriage Of Convenience, Harlequin Presents, Fiction

171 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2012

About the author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.

Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.

She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Spoilers*


When I started this book I figured it would be cheesy cute and easy breezy, but I loved this book.... It was so great!
Paige lies and says she is getting married to her boss Dante so she can adopt her best friend who died daughter Ana. It makes the news paper and her boss finds out. He goes along with the lie and moves her in his home and plans to marry her and help her get her daughter and in turn getting good press to turn around his bad image. While playing house they fall in love.

Paige: I loved Paige's personality. Playful, funny, bright, strong.
Dante: Is a man hurting who thinks he can't feel or he would lose control and turn into his father a evil man who beat and killed his mother when Dante was only 6 and watching.

I loved watching Paige and Ana break down all his walls. This story made me laugh and feel their pain. This was a great book a real surprise their love felt real and not rushed!

https://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessi...

[Kace | The Booknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

“And one of the most important things I hope to teach her is through example,” he said, his voice getting rough. “I hope to show her what love looks like every day. By loving her as a father should love a daughter. And I hope to show her the kind of love that should exist between a husband and wife by loving her mother, every day, as long as we both shall live.”

Dio! I loved both Dante and Paige! And little Anna, too!

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

“EXPLAIN this, or pack up your things and get out.”

From that first line………I was hooked!!!

Paige Harper that thought her little fib would not harm anyone….but she forgot that “Every little white lie you tell is still a lie and it is still meant to mislead people.” And that lies have a way of coming back to you with a vengeance!!!

Specifically if it involves your boss!!!! But really, she had done it on the spur of the moment when the social worker had shown doubts about Paige being suitable for adopting the baby that she had been taking care of since Ana’s mother and Paige’s best friend had died. She will do everything to keep Ana safe and happy and have a mother who loves her.

Dante Romani is tortured, in pain and believes that having no feelings is the only way he’s able to deal with the horrors of his childhood. His life is black and white. He feels no love for anyone and does not care what others care of think about him.

He sees an opportunity to use Paige’s lie as a means and way of getting a more favorable image with the press and opponents, which will make it even easier to get what he wants in business.

Dante decides to go ahead with the “fake” engagement and marriage….another bonus is having Paige in his bed!!!

Wow...Dante's life will never be the same again...how will he deal with the burst of colour that is so Paige???

Both characters have flaws and issues.
Dante’s horrifying childhood that has made him believe he’s a monster and therefore never allow himself to feel love because he’s afraid of the harm he may cause.
Paige has struggled to overcome the pain and humiliation she faced when she lived in her hometown. She’s finally in a place where she’s judged for the person she is and not by her looks and how not clever she is.
I loved the brightness of Paige.
How she brings light and sunshine into Dante’s dark and unfeeling life. She’s a burst of color and “glitter” and Dante finds himself unable to not be affected by the influence Paige and baby Ana have made in his life. It’s emotional when Dante finds the courage to open up to Ana about his life and his feelings for her.

“Light is stronger. I used to think that the two of them were different sides of the same coin. That with one, always came the other. That way of thinking … it helped me reason out what had happened when I was kid. It helped me find a way to believe that by behaving a certain way, I could control things. And now I’ve realized two things, the first being that I can’t control everything. And the second is that light casts out darkness.
When you shine it bright, it fills every corner, and it eradicates anything dark. There is nowhere for it to hide. That’s what you’ve done for me. You shone a light on my soul, and now I’m filled with it. With your love.”

I loved seeing the two heal each other. Building a family together.
So many incredible scenes in this story and one of the most unforgettable – I could feel the healing of Dante as he, for the first time, showed his true heart.

But now the baby was crying. Deep sobs. A sound so sad, so pitiful. And so full of helplessness that it called to him, resonated in him.
He walked into the nursery, an image in his mind of a small boy on the floor, crying endless tears, with no one there to comfort him. Crying for a mother who would never return. He approached Ana’s crib, his heart pounding in his head.
He swallowed and looked down at her. “Why are you crying,principesa?”
She looked at him, her owlish eyes wide and furious, and continued bawling.
He reached out to her slowly, placing his hand flat on her round tummy. She quieted and wiggled beneath his palm, her expression morphing to one of curiosity.

Dante and Paige’s chemistry is way off the charts!!! Emotional, sensual and wow…hot!!!!

And she pushed. She leaned in, flicking her tongue over the head of his erection. Tasting him, testing him. So good. So perfect.
She dipped her head, taking him inside of her mouth, her lips sliding over his length. He pushed his fingers deeper into her hair, her curls falling out of the pins and cascading over her shoulders.
“Dio, Paige.”
Her name on his lips was fuel for the fire. She continued to explore him with her mouth, her tongue, pushing him higher, harder. Pushing herself right along with him. She could feel him shaking, the muscles in his thighs, his hands in her hair unsteady.
“Enough,” he said, his tone pleading. “I can’t hold back.”

The dialogue is really good and the so many emotional punches I felt ….incredible!

“And one of the most important things I hope to teach her, is through example,” he said, his voice getting rough. “I hope to show her what love looks like, every day. By loving her as a father should love a daughter. And I hope to show her the kind of love that should exist between a husband and wife, by loving her mother, every day, as long as we both shall live.”

A truly beautiful, memorable, emotional and so well written story by one of my favorite Mills & Boon authors.

[María · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es una historia bonita y corta para pasar un rato y evadiros de la monotonía.
Paige y Dante me han gustado mucho. Dos personajes que tuvieron que hacer frente a varias situaciones ocurridas en su infancia y adolescencia que hubiesen marcado a cualquiera.
Paige lo pasó fatal en su pueblo natal, dónde era comparada por sus hermanos y fue encasillada como la típica atolondrada que no da para más. Este es un claro ejemplo que no todo el mundo tenemos porque ser buenos en lo mismo y si sus hermanos eran buenos en matemáticas, ciencias, deportes... lo que fuese, no lo eran en arte. Pero ahí reside el que si te cuesta demasiado ese terreno y te encuentras rodeada de gente y profesores que no saben focalizar tu talento, corres el riesgo de ser encasillado como el atolondrado de turno que no da para más.
Dante, por su parte ha vivido una historia muy difícil y entiendo como su miedo a sentir y a no tener el control de todo puede llegar que una persona viva y se castigue de esa manera. Si bien, sus traumas y el conflicto se solucionan de manera muy superficial, rápida y fácilmente sin ahondar de verdad en ellos, debemos recordad que es un libro "harlequin" y por tanto no nos da tiempo en profundizar y conocer más a nuestros personajes.
Teniendo en cuenta eso, me parece una historia amena y bonita aunque sigue el mismo prototipo de dios buenorro de origen italiano inaccesible con chica del montón insegura que luego consigue al bombón. (y no lo digo yo, son adjetivos usados en el libro) por lo que en total 3 estrellas.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Para mí, esta novela recién arrancó a la mitad. A partir de ahí, la lectura no se me hizo tan tediosa como al principio.
El argumento es bastante (más) inverosímil (que otras HP): empleada dice que tiene una relación con su jefe multimillonario para conservar la tutela de su hija adoptiva, jefe que se entera y que decide hacerlo real para mejorar su imagen en los negocios y la prensa.
Ella es una heroína de Maisey Yates y yo odio a sus heroínas, aunque a ésta no tanto; se salvó por poco. Torpe, suelta de lengua, curvy... creo que por su franqueza para hablar me cayó mejor que otras protagonistas suyas.
El héroe, también es uno típico de esta autora. Ojalá lograra personajes femeninos a la altura de sus héroes, porque sería una de mis favoritas. Es un torturado de la vida y si bien no me deslumbró, estuvo a la altura de las circunstancias.
La tensión sexual fue impecable, pero en lo que la pifió rotundamente es el epílogo: apresurado, de una mísera página. ¿Tuvo o no tuvo un hijo? AGH, me dejó en la más triste ignorancia ;D

[Desere · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all tell little white lies from time to time to make situations more bare-able, to prevent a person from being hurt you name it the reasons used by us all are endless. But imagine the lie being that you are engaged to you very sexy boss and him then storming into you office ready to fire you!What a way to start a book,but my what a book it was.I was hooked from page one!

Maisey Yates writes the most exquisite books about the sexiest of hero's and love found in the most outrageously unexpected places. But this time she added a little more mystery and damage to her hero Dante and WOW! What a incredible character he turned out to be!

Both the characters of Paige and Dante are ready to fight was what they want,in this case Dante wants Paige in his bed and Paige wants custody of her best friends adorable daughter,Anna. What I truly loved was the emotion the author packed into the scenes,and using little bits of past and present information here and there to add to the mystery of Dante and his damaged soul.

For me as reader I loved how the author pulled back layer after layer to let us inside the mind of Dante, letting you know there is much more to him and the suffering he is going through,and with the right woman to break through his defences the book is sure to be magical.

The dialogue was strong and powerful,letting me as reader know that when written the author really thought her characters through and left no amount of depth and emotion unwritten.The office romance has been done so many times yet written by this author you cannot help fall in love with the idea all over again.

A truly memorable read,and Maisey has proven without a doubt she will let her characters not only take your breath away but fill your romance reading heart with joy!

Excellent work Maisey,keep them coming!

"Exposing the boss's secrets one sexy lie at a time"

5/5 star review

[Sincere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paige Harper wanted to adopt her best friend's child so much.
But there was one problem, social worker whom Paige contacted with didn't like the idea of single mom adopted child. So she had to lie that she was engaged with her boss, Dante.
she didn't think that would turn to be the news headline.

Dante was angry at first when he saw the headline.
But when he thought about it. There was an opportunity to change his image from cold-heart devil to family man.


4 stars

I love Paige and Dante instantly.
Dante was sexy, good looking and rich. He was infamous for his devilish persona. He was well-control and never lose it until he found Paige.
Paige was bright, optimistic, kind and sweet. She was a type of heroine I always love to read. But inside of those good quality, Paige was flawed. She had been live in a shadow of her expert sister and brother for many years. There was no one care about her. So she found it hard to believe that someone would want her.
But Dante did. He wanted her much and he found himself losing control around her.
Dante was flawed too. He thought he wasn't deserved to be loved and to have the happiness.
But Paige brought all of that to him, To show him that he could be loved and happy.
I love how these two completed each other.

When I've started reading this book, I never thought that the time flew this fast.
I just lost in reading this book. This was a fun and quick sweet romance to read.

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a couple of weeks ago. I should have reviewed it straight away, but at that point it would have been all OMG and lots of raving about the authors brilliance. Okay so nothings changed.

Sometimes you come across an author who writes exactly what you want to read. For me Maisey Yates is that author. So far she has a hundred percent winning strike rate. I've loved everything I've read that comes from her laptop. (Can't say pen these days).

What makes this particular book special is the interaction between a very special heroine and a very dark tortured hero. I love a man who has suffered and love it when he meets the woman who can love him unconditionally and make it right.

Dante is a very damaged hero, (a Maisey special) and he is adorable. Especially when he's trying so hard not to be. When little Ana sneaks into his heart and when Paige puts glitter on his oh so impeccable suit. This is an amazing story of an unexpected romance with two people who at first glance are totally unsuited but are exactly what each of them need.

[Dalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is a fabulous story about an office romance with a twist.
Paige is in over her head. She just made one tiny white lie to help her adopt her dead best friend's daughter, Ana. She never dreamt that her pretending to be engaged to her formidable boss will be splashed all over the newspapers. The little white lie turns to a fake engagement and even to a marriage that will help them both achieve what they want. Dante will be able to reform his reputation and Paige will adopt Ana.
Dante is dark and - no surprise here - tortured hero, but Paige is no shrinking violet. They both have their own emotional baggage, and a past that still influences their present.
What does an uptight, orderly, ruthless tycoon with the reputation of a tyrant, has in common with a sparkly, messy, a bit manic girl ? Apparently ... a lot. They may appear different and even unsuited but they are exactly what each other needs.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the dark brooding hero and the very sweet hilarious heroine! Especially the hero had a lot of emotional traumas, you couldn't help but feel for him. As always Maisey Yates fails when it comes to epilogues and that is sad cause other than that she is an amazing author.

[Paula Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paige Harper is desperate to get custody of the daughter of her recently deceased best friend, and when it seems like the adoption agent is likely to turn her down because she's a single woman (which I'm fairly certain isn't allowed), she makes up the lie that she is engaged to her billionaire boss Dante Romani. Somehow, this white lie makes it to the media and is all over the newspapers! Paige is doubly shocked when Dante unexpectedly agrees to go along with the ruse.

One trope that this book deals with is that of the hero who believes he is doomed to turn out just like one of his no-good parents (usually a drunken, violent father). Normally, the trope drives me batty, because I can't get into that headspace. Who on earth really thinks that way outside of romance category fiction? Usually in this genre, the hero will use his bad apple heritage to think he's no good for the heroine and skip out on her for the black moment. However, I felt Maisey Yates handled the trope much better than usual for a category. Dante actively works against turning out like his father his father killed his mother, which is much more than most heroes can even manage in a similar situation in other categories, and has put a tight vise on his emotions, afraid that giving in to such emotions can lead to violence. It is quite well-realised.

Sure, I did think Dante could avoid being like his father if he wasn't always punching walls and other inanimate objects, but we can't have it all! I nevertheless wound up understanding where he was coming from, and this made some of the book's later moments carry extra emotional resonance. When he tells his adopted mother he loves her, I did get a tear in my eye! I also felt Paige's growth as a character was believable, and not settling for what she believes she deserves, and instead fighting for what she wants.

Mostly, the book is let down by repetitiveness. I lost count of the number of times in which Paige would say, "I can't lose her," in regards to baby Ana. And although Maisey Yates did handle the "I'm afraid I'll turn out just like my father" trope far better than her contemporaries, it is still a cliche that I find exasperating. Do all kids with perfect parents wind up perfect themselves? No. So it makes no sense that all kids with bad parents would end up bad. You set your own course in life, yada yada yada. We are not slaves to our genetics.

But I did feel the hero and heroine grew emotionally as the book progressed, and I did get a little teary-eyed, which obviously meant the story resonated with me!

[Xai Xai · Rating 4 out of 5]

oooooh this story was wonderful. Dante, the hero, was a tormented man, self inflicting wounds, cold and harsh. Makes me want to try with healing him. So Paige did that and was strong enough to do so, intelligent to stand up to him and for him.

[Ruthie Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly my favorite HP ever. I just LOVE what Maisey does with popular category tropes here. The dialogue is funny and frequently unexpected, the heroine feels fresh and interesting to me -- ordinary but so centered, and working so hard to maintain her centered-ness despite all the Frisbees of WTFery the hero lobs her way -- and the hero's wound goes deeper and works better than most. It's just a cut above -- my favorite of Maisey's books that I've read.

Currently only available through Mills & Boon, but you can buy their ebooks outside the US if you're willing to put up with their horrible form. And the ePub format. And the DRM. All I can say is that it was so worth it.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this author is just not for me. Most of this story is told in the characters' heads. There are not very many actual active scenes. There is almost no description of the physical world around the characters. There are very few secondary characters and those that are there are one dimensional. I didn't like the hero, he seemed mean and not very self aware. He had basically no charm at all. The heroine wasn't a very bright bulb either. Hmm...

[Melissa Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Paige lies to a social worker about being engaged to her boss Dante. She needs to appear more stable to get her best friends daughter. Dante is at first livid but soon sees that his image could use the boost. The story progressed nicely and I loved the ending.

[Lupita Figueroa BookLoverRomantic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una novela regular. Sí, tiene mucha pasión, pero sentí la historia muy falsa, poco creíble en los pensamientos y actuaciones de los personajes. Sin embargo, la disfruté algo. Para mí no merece más que 3 estrellas.

[AvidReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! Its been so long that I enjoyed a harlequin Romance this much. My last Maisey yates read wasn't that good (may be because I had high expectations) but this one I loved. Especially our heroine, she was a gem. And it really got me that long before they started their relationship they were attracted to each other. Hero was fascinated by her life and i loved how bright and glittery she was. And how author gave her a different look from other heroines. I enjoyed their banter. And hero wasn't cruel or rude.
Definitely a good time pass.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't feel them fall in love. Also, how odd he had to tell her a few days later he hadn't used a condom. Surely she would have noticed?! I thought she would end up pregnant but apparently not as it wasn't mentioned in the epilogue.

A tortured hero who is scared he will end up like his father and is therefore afraid to love. Predictable but I needed more convincing that they did actually fall in love.

[LPJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book because of a glowing review from Ruthie Knox ... but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

What I liked:
Each of the characters had a compelling history and strong reasons for why they were the way they were. This aspect of the characterization worked for me.

What I didn't like:
- The characters never really came together as humans for me. The writing was a bit clunky and awkward at times and I felt very neutral about both main characters. And the two of them together never really clicked.
- The repetition. Certain statements or memories were rehashed to the point of exhaustion. It was a fairly short book in which not a lot happened, so we didn't need to be reminded of the same 2 or 3 events in Paige's past every few pages.

It was just okay for me.

[Hortensia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lectura ligerita para una noche de lunes y lluviosa.
Esperaba un poco más de argumento, pues suelen gustarme las historias con bebés incluídos, pero ésta gira más en torno a los defectos de los protagonistas que la verdad, en ratos me dio flojera.
Para terminar, me parece que al final le faltó un poco de drama, es más... me pareció hasta cierto punto tonto.
Lástima.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good romance story. I only wish that we had gotten to meet Paige's parents or people from her town. After hearing about how they treated her I wanted to rub it in their faces that she has as successful artistic career and a loving husband and child.

[Modesty_b · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it...the hero is so damn intense and the heroine is just perfect for him.when I started this book i wasn't sure I'll be able to even finish this but I ended up loving it

[emi · Rating 1 out of 5]

its a bit disappointing book for me.
a 22 year old young and bright women adopting a baby by her own? getting married to a high class man?its so much more to tell

[TSN ☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read July 2018

[JillyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex is the Romance Fox has a pretty thorough review. So here is my short synopsis...

Hero32- Very damaged, dark, refuses to give or take in love, was adopted at 14(good parents) but had been in foster care for 8 years

Heroine22- undervalued and bullied as a youth, parents seem to have dismissed her and focused on their successful children, so she moved to San Diego ...she is light like a fairy 🧚‍♀️ or a sprite....she has not gotten intimately involved with a man due to bullying early on

Ana-the baby of her best friend who died, she is ultimately the reason the h and H are together as the h is trying to adopt her....being a single mom she is looked down upon as a candidate so she decides to tell a white lie...she’s engaged to the hero(her mega rich boss)...this becomes headlines and forces H into her life

Ow or Om- there are none in this book

Parents who wreak damage- yes, however his bio ones are dead and hers are talked about but never show up in person in her present life, I have a feeling she will be content with her in laws, the hero’s adoptive parents

Epilogue- thank you, YES!

Chemistry is off the charts and the book is basically the heroine bringing the H out of his dark place(he in return helps her as well) Our hero declares his love epically at the end of the book!

[Cecilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was easy to read and I was entertained all the way. But there was a couple of things that annoys me now that I have finished the book.
SPOILERS!!!
The story begins with a story in the press and the publicity of the relationship is an ongoing theme at the same time we hear a lot about her family and how she doesn't want them to know and despite the publicity they never find out! Not even at the end! After hearing so much about and the influence they've had on her it's really annoying that we never get closure on that part of the story.
Another thing is the pregnancy scare, we never learn if she is pregnant or not.
All in all it seems a lot was started without being finished and that's a shame.

[Kirsty Harley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me total Fifty Shades of Grey vibes but with its own twist. Danti is pure sexy intensity. Every scene with him just radiates heat. Paige, on the other hand, brings so much sass and spark that their chemistry absolutely sizzles from start to finish. I loved watching their push-and-pull dynamic unfold, and the story delivered all the drama, passion, and emotional highs I was hoping for. And that happy-ever-after ending? It's absolutely perfect!
4⭐️

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. The hero was really hard to like at first.it was so sweet how he helped her. When he could have fired her like he was going to do and be done with it. Yes he had something to gain from it but he really liked her even in the beginning. I like how he goes from cold to loving to heroine pretty quick. Sweet story really enjoyed it. 😊 🧁

[Rose Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Just the thing I needed to get me out of my sci-fi, ya, fantasy induced slump.

0.5 off for not telling if she was indeed pregnant as I *kinda wanted her to be

Loved that she was a strong heroine who gave as good if not better than she got. Will read again

[Mtve41 · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF past a few chapters. Can't believe that's Maisey Yates writing. Such a dorky heroine, coming a little too interested in her boss. Extremely repetitive writing. The same lines keep droning on.. Nah.