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No Way to Begin
Taking over the business was just the first step
Anton Lakitos wanted Nina Lovell, too. But she despised him.
She was convinced that it was the arrogant Greek property developer who'd ruined her father's health because of his desire to add Lovell's to his list of conquests.
When she discovered he was hell-bent on buying her, too, Nina faced the kind of dilemma every loyal daughter dreaded--should she watch Anton ruthlessly break her father's heart, or should she attempt to keep the company in the family. . . by marrying the man she hated?
Anton Lakitos wanted Nina Lovell, too. But she despised him.
She was convinced that it was the arrogant Greek property developer who'd ruined her father's health because of his desire to add Lovell's to his list of conquests.
When she discovered he was hell-bent on buying her, too, Nina faced the kind of dilemma every loyal daughter dreaded--should she watch Anton ruthlessly break her father's heart, or should she attempt to keep the company in the family. . . by marrying the man she hated?
187 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 1991
6 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Reid
387 books637 followersHi, my name is Michelle Reid and I’ve been writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon for the last twenty years, and the crazy part about it is that I only realised it had been twenty years while updating this page!
So, hang on for a minute while I take this huge milestone in....
Twenty years with almost forty books published or in the pipeline ... I know it isn’t a great average when compared with some authors but it sounds pretty good to me!
So what was I doing twenty years ago before I wrote books? Well, I did the all of the usual things, like growing up and attending school, finishing at secretarial college, which I hated, then spent the next several years wandering aimlessly from job to job. Eventually I met my husband, we married and produced two daughters who then grew up and between them presented us with two gorgeous grandsons and one beautiful granddaughter. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Somewhere in between my girls growing up and the grandchildren arriving on the scene, I started writing. To this day I don’t know why, unless it was a natural progression from my never being without a book close by—often several—because books have always been an important part of my life for as far back as I can recall.
So, I started to write, by hand at first, scribbling short stories in notebooks which never saw the light of day. At some point I discovered Mills & Boon Romance books and that was pretty much it for me. I’d found my new love, as in reading romantic fiction and inevitably writing it too.
So twenty years on and almost forty books on, here I am still writing and still loving it!
So, hang on for a minute while I take this huge milestone in....
Twenty years with almost forty books published or in the pipeline ... I know it isn’t a great average when compared with some authors but it sounds pretty good to me!
So what was I doing twenty years ago before I wrote books? Well, I did the all of the usual things, like growing up and attending school, finishing at secretarial college, which I hated, then spent the next several years wandering aimlessly from job to job. Eventually I met my husband, we married and produced two daughters who then grew up and between them presented us with two gorgeous grandsons and one beautiful granddaughter. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Somewhere in between my girls growing up and the grandchildren arriving on the scene, I started writing. To this day I don’t know why, unless it was a natural progression from my never being without a book close by—often several—because books have always been an important part of my life for as far back as I can recall.
So, I started to write, by hand at first, scribbling short stories in notebooks which never saw the light of day. At some point I discovered Mills & Boon Romance books and that was pretty much it for me. I’d found my new love, as in reading romantic fiction and inevitably writing it too.
So twenty years on and almost forty books on, here I am still writing and still loving it!
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October 18, 2017
Re No Way to Begin - Michelle Reid's second outing in HPlandia proves she can do the old skool with the best of them. Unfortunately for my tastes, she is about ten years too late and this book is a bit jarring in the semi-vintage echelons of HPlandia as it was written in the 1990's and really reads like it should have been from the 1970's. Shades of Margaret Pargeter and Anne Hampson come to mind.
This 20 yr old h is the adored only child of a doting father. Her mother died several years earlier and her father is not well. The family firm is in jeopardy and the h essentially sells herself to the H to save it and her father's mental health.
Did I mention this h also has a fiance and she has to dump the man to marry the H? Well she does and she did. Then the plot thickens, cause this H is uber Greek Alpha demanding and physically assaultive with extra gropeyness. He also has a bevy of lady buffet beauties chasing after him.
Cue up the obligatory OW and the cat fight at the pool where the OW makes it clear that the H is only with her for the property her father has - which is true as far as the h knows. Then the h gets her digs in by saying at least she is a virgin with a lot of property and the H would never marry such shop worn goods as the OW is selling - which is also true. Thank goodness the h was wearing a swim suit cause she lands in the pool.
The H is enjoying the spectacle of the ladies fighting over him and sadly the h just can't help but respond to his magnetic manly lurve club mojo -- tho he pretty much tells her she will have no life, will have to give up her beloved music studies and be his devoted doormat that might get throw rug status if he gives her an allowance to dress well enough. The h doesn't want to give up school, but buy-able blow up dolls don't get choices in HPlandia and this is what the h has chosen to do.
Then we get to meet the H's mother, and wow she is a total really, really bad word here. She calls the redheaded h a disgrace and her condescending disapproval that the h isn't Greek and her entire determination to complete the h's subjugation process lasts the entire book. Her only advice is to grovel and abase herself to the H and maybe she might get a child or two, but the h should have no hope for respect or anything else as she simply isn't worthy of the manly magnificence of the woman's beloved God like son - it was rather creepy when I think about it.
So the H and h marry and while the prose is fuchsia and the passion is fierce, it isn't enough to override the truly disgusting verbiage that comes out of the H's mouth. How he bought her and owns her and lots of other objectifying, debasing statements that just seem out of place for an h who is really about as savvy as a baby sea otter.
Unfortunately this h can't just get her little furs fluffed and become unsinkable in the stormy seas of the HP angstfest, she is soon drowning between the lies her father and former fiance sold her and the news of her father's final illness and impending death.
We find out that the h's father got into trouble because the h's former fiance, that the H bought off, was blackmailing him for ridiculous sums of money. The reason for all this? The h's mother was running off to live with the h's ex fiance's father and she was killed in the process. The h's father couldn't bear to have his ego dented by admitting his wife ran to his mortal enemy, so when the ex fiance threatened to tell the h the whole sordid story, the father caved and ruined himself financially to keep his image intact in the h's eyes.
So the h's father dies. The H's mother is a sewer gulping pustule with really degrading advice that the h just needs to lay down and get stomped on by the H and the h realizes she is preggers. The h had been staying at her father's house and refuses to return to the H's house when he demands she return.
So the H's mother has to run her trap again and tell the h that she is just going to have to suck it up and forget about any decent treatment from the H to fight for her man. But the slime encrusted sewage pump is delighted that the h is having her grandchild - you could tell she was already plotting how to extract the child from any influence by the h, but that would have to happen in the sequel when the h finally grows up and realizes that she is a total idiot.
The h does the HP standard h mopey moment and goes to the H's house to beg the H to at least be nice to her and let her stay, even if he will never love her. Then she walks in on him ticking the OW's tonsils with his tongue. As he himself says, she chose not to perform her duties as his wife and he isn't the kind of man do without. The h freaks and more vicious words about how the H owns her and she is his to do as he wishes and he will keep her child to are vomited out of his mouth. He goes on to say this:
' I bought you, like a slave girl in the market place, just as you always accused me of doing, and until I have everything I want from you, including that child you are so lovingly nurturing, with me is where you will stay!'
The h runs off after exclaiming how horrible the H is and how she mistakenly thought she loved him. The H chases and she accuses him of deliberately getting her preggers to take her baby and planning the whole thing with her father. (The father left everything he had left to the H, to be held by him for their first son.) Then the H utters this classic line :
'There is no child on this earth I would condone being used in any deal!' he ground out harshly. 'What kind of man do you think I am that could do such an inhuman thing!
(Which always makes me burst into hysterical laughter at the utter hypocrisy the H is affronted by. He has no problems treating the h like a piece of property to be pumped and dumped, but he draws the line at a child that allows him to control the h and keep her groveling at his feet? MR just spent the entire book with the H proving that line to be a lie beyond any credibility. )
Then of course the H has to do his big declaration moment and we get a pretty decent speech about how he took one look at her and fell in love, yadda yadda and the OW is really only an old family friend who just announced her engagement to another old friend. The h finds out how much money the H paid to have her by bailing out her father and she decides that she is now okay with being pimped out property, cause at least she is very high priced property and she claims she got a bargain with the H for the HEA.
This book just squicks me out with all the utter stupidity , egos, lies and female objectification and Every Single Character in this book irks me to no end. I mean really, how hard is it to be a hot Greek Alpha dude and ask a girl out and wine her and dine her and maybe try a few flowers or something?
I wanted to bang them all upside the head with toilet seats AND skillets. Needless to say, that is not my idear of a fun HP outing. MR isn't good enough yet to claim the H didn't mean something when he clearly said it and acted upon it, so I figured every time the H's lips moved, he was lying.
However, there is a ton of angsty drama wreckiness in the best old skool treatment here and if that is your cuppa then you really need to read this book. MR does the traditional with her own unique style, so it is worth a read in the annals of HPlandia.
This 20 yr old h is the adored only child of a doting father. Her mother died several years earlier and her father is not well. The family firm is in jeopardy and the h essentially sells herself to the H to save it and her father's mental health.
Did I mention this h also has a fiance and she has to dump the man to marry the H? Well she does and she did. Then the plot thickens, cause this H is uber Greek Alpha demanding and physically assaultive with extra gropeyness. He also has a bevy of lady buffet beauties chasing after him.
Cue up the obligatory OW and the cat fight at the pool where the OW makes it clear that the H is only with her for the property her father has - which is true as far as the h knows. Then the h gets her digs in by saying at least she is a virgin with a lot of property and the H would never marry such shop worn goods as the OW is selling - which is also true. Thank goodness the h was wearing a swim suit cause she lands in the pool.
The H is enjoying the spectacle of the ladies fighting over him and sadly the h just can't help but respond to his magnetic manly lurve club mojo -- tho he pretty much tells her she will have no life, will have to give up her beloved music studies and be his devoted doormat that might get throw rug status if he gives her an allowance to dress well enough. The h doesn't want to give up school, but buy-able blow up dolls don't get choices in HPlandia and this is what the h has chosen to do.
Then we get to meet the H's mother, and wow she is a total really, really bad word here. She calls the redheaded h a disgrace and her condescending disapproval that the h isn't Greek and her entire determination to complete the h's subjugation process lasts the entire book. Her only advice is to grovel and abase herself to the H and maybe she might get a child or two, but the h should have no hope for respect or anything else as she simply isn't worthy of the manly magnificence of the woman's beloved God like son - it was rather creepy when I think about it.
So the H and h marry and while the prose is fuchsia and the passion is fierce, it isn't enough to override the truly disgusting verbiage that comes out of the H's mouth. How he bought her and owns her and lots of other objectifying, debasing statements that just seem out of place for an h who is really about as savvy as a baby sea otter.
Unfortunately this h can't just get her little furs fluffed and become unsinkable in the stormy seas of the HP angstfest, she is soon drowning between the lies her father and former fiance sold her and the news of her father's final illness and impending death.
We find out that the h's father got into trouble because the h's former fiance, that the H bought off, was blackmailing him for ridiculous sums of money. The reason for all this? The h's mother was running off to live with the h's ex fiance's father and she was killed in the process. The h's father couldn't bear to have his ego dented by admitting his wife ran to his mortal enemy, so when the ex fiance threatened to tell the h the whole sordid story, the father caved and ruined himself financially to keep his image intact in the h's eyes.
So the h's father dies. The H's mother is a sewer gulping pustule with really degrading advice that the h just needs to lay down and get stomped on by the H and the h realizes she is preggers. The h had been staying at her father's house and refuses to return to the H's house when he demands she return.
So the H's mother has to run her trap again and tell the h that she is just going to have to suck it up and forget about any decent treatment from the H to fight for her man. But the slime encrusted sewage pump is delighted that the h is having her grandchild - you could tell she was already plotting how to extract the child from any influence by the h, but that would have to happen in the sequel when the h finally grows up and realizes that she is a total idiot.
The h does the HP standard h mopey moment and goes to the H's house to beg the H to at least be nice to her and let her stay, even if he will never love her. Then she walks in on him ticking the OW's tonsils with his tongue. As he himself says, she chose not to perform her duties as his wife and he isn't the kind of man do without. The h freaks and more vicious words about how the H owns her and she is his to do as he wishes and he will keep her child to are vomited out of his mouth. He goes on to say this:
' I bought you, like a slave girl in the market place, just as you always accused me of doing, and until I have everything I want from you, including that child you are so lovingly nurturing, with me is where you will stay!'
The h runs off after exclaiming how horrible the H is and how she mistakenly thought she loved him. The H chases and she accuses him of deliberately getting her preggers to take her baby and planning the whole thing with her father. (The father left everything he had left to the H, to be held by him for their first son.) Then the H utters this classic line :
'There is no child on this earth I would condone being used in any deal!' he ground out harshly. 'What kind of man do you think I am that could do such an inhuman thing!
(Which always makes me burst into hysterical laughter at the utter hypocrisy the H is affronted by. He has no problems treating the h like a piece of property to be pumped and dumped, but he draws the line at a child that allows him to control the h and keep her groveling at his feet? MR just spent the entire book with the H proving that line to be a lie beyond any credibility. )
Then of course the H has to do his big declaration moment and we get a pretty decent speech about how he took one look at her and fell in love, yadda yadda and the OW is really only an old family friend who just announced her engagement to another old friend. The h finds out how much money the H paid to have her by bailing out her father and she decides that she is now okay with being pimped out property, cause at least she is very high priced property and she claims she got a bargain with the H for the HEA.
This book just squicks me out with all the utter stupidity , egos, lies and female objectification and Every Single Character in this book irks me to no end. I mean really, how hard is it to be a hot Greek Alpha dude and ask a girl out and wine her and dine her and maybe try a few flowers or something?
I wanted to bang them all upside the head with toilet seats AND skillets. Needless to say, that is not my idear of a fun HP outing. MR isn't good enough yet to claim the H didn't mean something when he clearly said it and acted upon it, so I figured every time the H's lips moved, he was lying.
However, there is a ton of angsty drama wreckiness in the best old skool treatment here and if that is your cuppa then you really need to read this book. MR does the traditional with her own unique style, so it is worth a read in the annals of HPlandia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2021
2nd reading: Hero keeps changing his tune. MR hadn't yet figured out how to write a cruel hero in love. Still a fun story.
Angst and Drama!
No way to begin indeed as the hero forces a marriage upon the h after her father has a heart attack. The 20 year-old heroine is of course attracted to the H, but wants love rather than desire, which she thinks she has with her slimy fiancé of one day.
There is an OW who confronts the h while she is swimming in the hero’s indoor pool. (This indoor pool area had pine ceilings and plastic furniture. LOL) OW tries to slut-shame the heroine for being virgin. Heroine slut-shames OW back for being – er – a slut. It’s one of those memorable exchanges.
The H keeps defending his ego and denying his feelings by reminding the h that she is bought and paid for (he even bought off the fiancé). The h keeps saying outrageous things in hopes the H will crack and tell her he loves her.
The H’s mother is finally won over and gives the h some advice about telling the H she loves him first because of the fragile male ego. There’s a great black moment when the h trots off to do just that and the hero almost blows it.
The father’s past and how the slimy fiancé was caught up in it are also revealed.
This is a fun, angst-filled out with Michelle Reid.
Angst and Drama!
No way to begin indeed as the hero forces a marriage upon the h after her father has a heart attack. The 20 year-old heroine is of course attracted to the H, but wants love rather than desire, which she thinks she has with her slimy fiancé of one day.
There is an OW who confronts the h while she is swimming in the hero’s indoor pool. (This indoor pool area had pine ceilings and plastic furniture. LOL) OW tries to slut-shame the heroine for being virgin. Heroine slut-shames OW back for being – er – a slut. It’s one of those memorable exchanges.
The H keeps defending his ego and denying his feelings by reminding the h that she is bought and paid for (he even bought off the fiancé). The h keeps saying outrageous things in hopes the H will crack and tell her he loves her.
The H’s mother is finally won over and gives the h some advice about telling the H she loves him first because of the fragile male ego. There’s a great black moment when the h trots off to do just that and the hero almost blows it.
The father’s past and how the slimy fiancé was caught up in it are also revealed.
This is a fun, angst-filled out with Michelle Reid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2012
No Way to Begin is a weak four stars read. I found the passionate aspects very appealing. I loved that Anton is a possessive, jealous hero (one of my favorite types of heroes), and that he fell like a ton of bricks for Nina months before the book takes place. That part of the story reminded me of Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas where Simon falls for Annabelle and indulges in a lighter form of heroine stalking. Yes, the stalker-type hero isn't for everyone, but I like them. Don't judge me! I don't condone real-life stalking at all. I also like that he clearly is willing to do anything to get her, and in his own rough way tries to take care of Nina.
On the other hand, I think some parts were a bit dry. I don't know if it was a mood thing. I have gotten where I love to see a lot of snappy dialogue and back and forth between the couple in a romance book, and so the older books don't seem to have that as much. I think good dialogue builds up and enhances the chemistry and dramatic tension in a romance book. I felt that Nina was a bit too much the fainting/wilting heroine. I do have to acknowledge that for a 20-year-old who is not worldly, that makes sense, but I wished she was a bit more feisty at some times. Yes, she does do the slapping/hitting thing when cornered, but that's not really what I consider feisty. I think I prefer a heroine who is mouthy and can tell the hero off when it's warranted. Not in a fishwife type way, but a don't cross that line with me kind of way--setting boundaries. I do give her props for how she got her mother-in-law told. I wish she had done that a little more with the hero. He was older and a bit on the domineering side and I feel she should have established some boundaries a bit more with him. I guess I have to take into consideration that she felt she was in a rock and a hard place. One part that really annoyed me was when Anton tells Nina she has to give up college. Oh, my blood pressure went through the roof on that. Because, why? His excuse is he wants her with him. It felt more like a 'my wife doesn't need school because I can take care of her and I want her dependent on me and at my beck and call' sort of thing. That attitude always gets my goat. Might not bother another reader at all, though.
So I think four stars is fair, because some things really worked for me:
*I love the blackmail marriage scenario!
*Possessive/Jealous/Stalkerific heroes give me shivers in a good way!
*The ending was great when they both lay their emotional cards on the table. That alone helped to bump this book up a notch when I was feeling a bit bored.
*Although this is a fade to black book, I thought the sexual tension/chemistry parts were off the charts.
*Good visuals of Greece, and the use of symbolism and allusions to Greek mythology to draw the contrast between Nina's redhead English looks and Anton's dark Greek looks worked for me.
*The reveal on Nina's father's enmity towards Jason, her first beau, and what had gone on with her mother--classic vintage HP drama!
I forgot to add one thing I didn't like:
Anton calls Nina a bitch like four times near the beginning. Hard to describe the situation without spoilers, but I am not fond of verbal abuse, so it didn't work for me.
Overall, a good read. I'll add this to my keeper shelf, although I prefer Michelle Reid's newer books overall.
I recommend it to fans of forced marriage and intense, stalkerific heroes who are magnetic and signficantly older than the heroine.
On the other hand, I think some parts were a bit dry. I don't know if it was a mood thing. I have gotten where I love to see a lot of snappy dialogue and back and forth between the couple in a romance book, and so the older books don't seem to have that as much. I think good dialogue builds up and enhances the chemistry and dramatic tension in a romance book. I felt that Nina was a bit too much the fainting/wilting heroine. I do have to acknowledge that for a 20-year-old who is not worldly, that makes sense, but I wished she was a bit more feisty at some times. Yes, she does do the slapping/hitting thing when cornered, but that's not really what I consider feisty. I think I prefer a heroine who is mouthy and can tell the hero off when it's warranted. Not in a fishwife type way, but a don't cross that line with me kind of way--setting boundaries. I do give her props for how she got her mother-in-law told. I wish she had done that a little more with the hero. He was older and a bit on the domineering side and I feel she should have established some boundaries a bit more with him. I guess I have to take into consideration that she felt she was in a rock and a hard place. One part that really annoyed me was when Anton tells Nina she has to give up college. Oh, my blood pressure went through the roof on that. Because, why? His excuse is he wants her with him. It felt more like a 'my wife doesn't need school because I can take care of her and I want her dependent on me and at my beck and call' sort of thing. That attitude always gets my goat. Might not bother another reader at all, though.
So I think four stars is fair, because some things really worked for me:
*I love the blackmail marriage scenario!
*Possessive/Jealous/Stalkerific heroes give me shivers in a good way!
*The ending was great when they both lay their emotional cards on the table. That alone helped to bump this book up a notch when I was feeling a bit bored.
*Although this is a fade to black book, I thought the sexual tension/chemistry parts were off the charts.
*Good visuals of Greece, and the use of symbolism and allusions to Greek mythology to draw the contrast between Nina's redhead English looks and Anton's dark Greek looks worked for me.
*The reveal on Nina's father's enmity towards Jason, her first beau, and what had gone on with her mother--classic vintage HP drama!
I forgot to add one thing I didn't like:
Anton calls Nina a bitch like four times near the beginning. Hard to describe the situation without spoilers, but I am not fond of verbal abuse, so it didn't work for me.
Overall, a good read. I'll add this to my keeper shelf, although I prefer Michelle Reid's newer books overall.
I recommend it to fans of forced marriage and intense, stalkerific heroes who are magnetic and signficantly older than the heroine.
March 31, 2013
I really enjoyed this one (once I got over the front cover). A super twist to the typical blackmailed marriage trope. Without giving away any spoilers, I thought the ending was terrific and actually had me at the end of my seat biting my nails. Both stood up to each other for a major show down that kept the blood pumping.
I highly recommend!
I highly recommend!
January 21, 2022
How to woo a woman you like and win her love.
In my opinion.
When you meet her at a party, try to be introduced to her, be nice, tell her she's beautiful and her eyes are like stars, dance with her, then the day after sends her roses, call her, asks her to dine with you.
Be nice and charming, buy her silly little presents, make her laugh, try to know what she likes and kiss her first gently, then with passion.
After some time, it depends on the woman, take her in your greek island and tell her you're in love with her and asks her to marry you.
Success is almost guaranteed.
In MR hero's opinion.
When you see the woman you want to marry, go to the same parties as her but always with a different gorgeous woman. Watch her from a distance, sometimes smirking and always with a bored, letcherous glance. Never try to talk to her.
When you find a stranger woman in your bedroom, in the dark, even if you are in love with your heroine, try to jump her without finess and when you find out she's your heroine don't even apologize.
Then blackmail her into marriage to help her father paying his debt, her very sick father, without telling her you're helping him because you're in love with her.
Tell her almost fiance that you are her lover, so he will dump her.
Leave her alone with a nasty ow who obviously tells the poor young heroine that the hero only wants to marry her for her money and makes nasty remarks about the affair she has with the hero.
Don't be charming or nice to her.
Aaand when she's hurt and disturbed enough that she wants to leave you, even if she's pregnant, kiss ow when the heroine can see you, so the heroine is really upset and decides she will leave you and she doesn't even care any more if you won't pay her father debts.
Then, when she's leaving, get angry because, after all he's done, she still hasn't understood how crazy is he about her since the first time he saw her.
I don't know if I need therapy or he needs to be put under restraint.
Whatever.
It was nice, in a MR kind of crazy nice.
Unsure if the hero was celibate or not after meeting her, but even if he was, the part where he almost had sex with the heroine thinking she was another woman is not a score on his part.
In my opinion.
When you meet her at a party, try to be introduced to her, be nice, tell her she's beautiful and her eyes are like stars, dance with her, then the day after sends her roses, call her, asks her to dine with you.
Be nice and charming, buy her silly little presents, make her laugh, try to know what she likes and kiss her first gently, then with passion.
After some time, it depends on the woman, take her in your greek island and tell her you're in love with her and asks her to marry you.
Success is almost guaranteed.
In MR hero's opinion.
When you see the woman you want to marry, go to the same parties as her but always with a different gorgeous woman. Watch her from a distance, sometimes smirking and always with a bored, letcherous glance. Never try to talk to her.
When you find a stranger woman in your bedroom, in the dark, even if you are in love with your heroine, try to jump her without finess and when you find out she's your heroine don't even apologize.
Then blackmail her into marriage to help her father paying his debt, her very sick father, without telling her you're helping him because you're in love with her.
Tell her almost fiance that you are her lover, so he will dump her.
Leave her alone with a nasty ow who obviously tells the poor young heroine that the hero only wants to marry her for her money and makes nasty remarks about the affair she has with the hero.
Don't be charming or nice to her.
Aaand when she's hurt and disturbed enough that she wants to leave you, even if she's pregnant, kiss ow when the heroine can see you, so the heroine is really upset and decides she will leave you and she doesn't even care any more if you won't pay her father debts.
Then, when she's leaving, get angry because, after all he's done, she still hasn't understood how crazy is he about her since the first time he saw her.
I don't know if I need therapy or he needs to be put under restraint.
Whatever.
It was nice, in a MR kind of crazy nice.
Unsure if the hero was celibate or not after meeting her, but even if he was, the part where he almost had sex with the heroine thinking she was another woman is not a score on his part.
May 20, 2014
Wow! This was amazing. Typical story, heroine marries hero so as to save her dying father's company. I adored the characters. Hero is so in love with the heroine I was swooning the whole time. Heroine at first is a bit blind and in denial plus she used to be engaged to another man who is a bastard and doesn't deserve her. I loved hero's jealousy and possessiveness. Their marriage is filled with misunderstandings, passion and high angst! Another great read by MR!
March 28, 2018
"No Way to Begin" is the story of Anton and Nina.
An extremely dramatic tale about an OTT obsessed hero and a damsel heroine..
Starring:
-A destitute, sick father
-An evil OM and sly OW
-Loads of violence and bruising kisses
-Crazy posessive hero whose heart goes mine-mine-mine
-A swoonish desperate heroine who is easily seduced
-Blackmail filled marriage
-Semi evil MIL
-Loads and loads and loads and loads... (multiply by x raised to power n) drama
-Angst
-Off page sexathons
-HEA?
I just literally had a headache reading back and forth between these two "lovers", and I wanted to shake them both. Michelle writes good verbally (and occasionally almost physically) abusive heroes and spinelessly stubborn heroines- hence the plot kept me hooked but being an angst hoe, I stayed around mostly for it (half angst stars).
Again, things would be much simpler if the couple communicated, but alas, how would HQN books work then?
SWE
2.5/5
An extremely dramatic tale about an OTT obsessed hero and a damsel heroine..
Starring:
-A destitute, sick father
-An evil OM and sly OW
-Loads of violence and bruising kisses
-Crazy posessive hero whose heart goes mine-mine-mine
-A swoonish desperate heroine who is easily seduced
-Blackmail filled marriage
-Semi evil MIL
-Loads and loads and loads and loads... (multiply by x raised to power n) drama
-Angst
-Off page sexathons
-HEA?
I just literally had a headache reading back and forth between these two "lovers", and I wanted to shake them both. Michelle writes good verbally (and occasionally almost physically) abusive heroes and spinelessly stubborn heroines- hence the plot kept me hooked but being an angst hoe, I stayed around mostly for it (half angst stars).
Again, things would be much simpler if the couple communicated, but alas, how would HQN books work then?
SWE
2.5/5
dnf
May 28, 2017Probably not a bad book, he's probably even a very loyal and faithful husband. But right now I'm a mess and a picky bitch. He is NOT a caring husband. He cares nothing about his s wife's emotional wellbeing!
The way he kept referring to the fact that he bought her actually left a bad taste in my mouth.
And the way he called her a slave. Look I don't care how immature she is, dude, you got caught in what looks bad, YOU KNOW she's pregnant so she's bound to be hormonal and emotional AND there's the fact she just lost her father. So no, no matter what she does you take the blow until her steams run out, you DON'T throw out insults which are hard to take back whether you mean it or not.
Right now it's impossible for me to read, and I fail to see how she fell in love with him. So DNF.
The way he kept referring to the fact that he bought her actually left a bad taste in my mouth.
And the way he called her a slave. Look I don't care how immature she is, dude, you got caught in what looks bad, YOU KNOW she's pregnant so she's bound to be hormonal and emotional AND there's the fact she just lost her father. So no, no matter what she does you take the blow until her steams run out, you DON'T throw out insults which are hard to take back whether you mean it or not.
Right now it's impossible for me to read, and I fail to see how she fell in love with him. So DNF.
October 28, 2021
In my opinion this book is a HP masterpiece. The H’s don’t come better than this possessive, dominant, besotted, passionate hero. He can’t be without her. So romantic.
What would have made it 5 stars, is if she was still a virgin when she married the H. She slept with another man while the H was (at first) trying to friendly court her. The H and h weren’t in a relationship at that time, but still…
She lost her virginity to another man in that time when she already knew the H. It was love at first sight for him, but not for her. She was a rich privileged girl, partying and fooling around with other men while he had serious intentions with her and was mad about her.
What would have made it 5 stars, is if she was still a virgin when she married the H. She slept with another man while the H was (at first) trying to friendly court her. The H and h weren’t in a relationship at that time, but still…
She lost her virginity to another man in that time when she already knew the H. It was love at first sight for him, but not for her. She was a rich privileged girl, partying and fooling around with other men while he had serious intentions with her and was mad about her.
July 9, 2019
Loved it!
Nothing to add to all the enthusiastic reviews I read about it.....
It has all the elements of the good-old HP romances:
- (apparently) ruthless/cruel hero
- heiress h forced to merry him to save family business
- hate insta love
- undeserving OM
- sexual attraction/frustration
- punishing kisses
A dream come true: an alpha man in love with h trying to deny feelings/mix of sassy-vulnerable heroine. Hot (not graphic) love scenes.
Yes 😉
Nothing to add to all the enthusiastic reviews I read about it.....
It has all the elements of the good-old HP romances:
- (apparently) ruthless/cruel hero
- heiress h forced to merry him to save family business
- hate insta love
- undeserving OM
- sexual attraction/frustration
- punishing kisses
A dream come true: an alpha man in love with h trying to deny feelings/mix of sassy-vulnerable heroine. Hot (not graphic) love scenes.
Yes 😉
July 29, 2015
It had all the elements to a great story too bad it was not well written. It was wins the best of ML for me cause it had all the drama big secrets, loving hero, crazy other woman, loving dad and a pregnancy! Wow it was great. Just wished it was better written!
November 30, 2018
so much bickering it exhausted me! My mind began to mentally drift as I read the heroine's neurotic thoughts about her situation. I kept mentally shouting at her to relax and enjoy the hero...when she finally did I sighed in relief.
When I read No Way to Begin when it was first published I wasn't as impatient with the heroine. Ha.
When I read No Way to Begin when it was first published I wasn't as impatient with the heroine. Ha.
December 21, 2011
This is not my favorite Michelle Reid by far, but in comparison to the other HPs I've been reading lately (and my ratings of them), I had to give it 5 stars -- an average Michelle Reid is still better than most HPs, in my opinion. Mostly what I think I like about this is that the hero is very obviously head over heels for the heroine and can't help it -- I love a totally besotted hero. But Nina seemed so frail the whole time, the plot was a little tired, and the emotional tension wasn't gut-wrenching enough for me to make this one great. Still, a good read.
October 28, 2021
Loved the possessive, jealous, and utterly besotted H! The h was an immature prude, but the Hero’s complete devotion to her saved the book. Liked this, but hated the heroine.
Fade to black love scenes.
Fade to black love scenes.
October 21, 2020
Yes he is a manwhore and a manipulative son of a $%#!!!!! And she is a naive stupid girl !! But I loved them together and enjoyed reading their story 😁 👍
February 19, 2021
Not the best Michelle Reid. For the most part she comes across as confused and a bit of a dim bulb, but does hold her own against an OW and MIL. He’s in love but won’t be the first to say it, and makes her miserable until she admits it.
March 20, 2013
This one was a nice surprise especially after a few misses I had from this author. No Way to Start is balanced perfectly, the plot was well developed, the characters were engaging and likable. The plot is kind of overused (lead female to marry the lead male to save her father's company) but Reid added enough fresh elements to make it standout. One of my top 3 book of hers so far.
August 3, 2014
OMG! OMG!!! This was so amazing. I didn't even take a break from reading this. I love honest heroes. This particular Hero was upfront about his feelings for the heroine. So much Angst.. Made me swoon all through. One of the BEST from HER MAJESTY Michelle Reid!!{in my opinion} I......LOVED......IT!! A definite must keep in my collections. YES!
September 1, 2017
MR, I miss your writing so much! It is all not about the physical love. The story had little angst from the hero but the heroine was resentful and vulnerable. The hero loved her since the first time he saw her. His real crime was trying to get close to her. Beautiful read
April 17, 2018
She trembles , he vibrates...but overall good dollop of angst!
July 25, 2022
Updating to 5 stars after a recent re-read. Fabulous chemistry between the MCs - as expected from MR.
The h is torn between her father and her commitment to her fiancé. Her father is on the verge of a collapse so the h runs to the H, who helped her dad financially advance his business projects. The H agrees to help but for a price: her.
The h is flabbergasted and outraged by his insolent suggestion and shows him her hand, precisely her very much engaged left finger. The H is relentless and purposefully bids on her and buys off her fiancé. The h is broken and humiliated and left to the charms of this ruthless man to order her life around!
And really, nothing so heartless about a head over heels man who fought for you and fought to keep you around him for life! A very comforting sweet angsty read from my fave MR!
——————————————————————————
Another of MR with a dreamy hero and an ungrateful, immature heroine. It was torture reading the last part of the book. I almost wanted to pull my hair but I was also curious to know what this entitled miss would do to suddenly be deserving of her husband.
Sigh. Anton marries Nina to save her father's company but more because he liked her. Nina was also aware of Anton checking her out and making serious eye contact everytime they'd meet at business gatherings but Nina was already dating some other guy.
Later they're married and she's all shy and virginal but later on this damned woman keeps accusing her husband of having lustful feelings towards her. This one thought consumes Nina and to me she becomes a spoiled, child-like teen with her tantrums!
The husband keeps being sweet and territorial AND respectful to her. But Nina here keeps ranting how he only 'lusts' her and doesn't love her and that he uses her body as a vent for that. Like why couldn't she as a woman also accept that her body needed him too, even if she was adamant to refuse his presence in her life as a loving husband. From and each and every scene in the book not once could I see this man being rude to Nina.
I'm honestly taking a MR break now. These disrespectful women do not deserve these wealthy, possessive, doting, indulgent, goodlooking husbands! Disappointed. Feeling murderous.
The h is torn between her father and her commitment to her fiancé. Her father is on the verge of a collapse so the h runs to the H, who helped her dad financially advance his business projects. The H agrees to help but for a price: her.
The h is flabbergasted and outraged by his insolent suggestion and shows him her hand, precisely her very much engaged left finger. The H is relentless and purposefully bids on her and buys off her fiancé. The h is broken and humiliated and left to the charms of this ruthless man to order her life around!
And really, nothing so heartless about a head over heels man who fought for you and fought to keep you around him for life! A very comforting sweet angsty read from my fave MR!
——————————————————————————
Another of MR with a dreamy hero and an ungrateful, immature heroine. It was torture reading the last part of the book. I almost wanted to pull my hair but I was also curious to know what this entitled miss would do to suddenly be deserving of her husband.
Sigh. Anton marries Nina to save her father's company but more because he liked her. Nina was also aware of Anton checking her out and making serious eye contact everytime they'd meet at business gatherings but Nina was already dating some other guy.
Later they're married and she's all shy and virginal but later on this damned woman keeps accusing her husband of having lustful feelings towards her. This one thought consumes Nina and to me she becomes a spoiled, child-like teen with her tantrums!
The husband keeps being sweet and territorial AND respectful to her. But Nina here keeps ranting how he only 'lusts' her and doesn't love her and that he uses her body as a vent for that. Like why couldn't she as a woman also accept that her body needed him too, even if she was adamant to refuse his presence in her life as a loving husband. From and each and every scene in the book not once could I see this man being rude to Nina.
I'm honestly taking a MR break now. These disrespectful women do not deserve these wealthy, possessive, doting, indulgent, goodlooking husbands! Disappointed. Feeling murderous.
March 31, 2015
Maybe because my feminist side was on guard while reading this book, I really want to bitchslap Anton for things he demanded from Nina (especially giving up college). And until the end, I still can't bring myself to like Anton because the way he treated Nina. So, he said he loved her from the moment he saw her, but instead of trying to wine, dine and win her heart, he turn into stalker and blackmailer, and expect her to love him. And loved him she did. WTH Nina?! How could you fell in love with him by the way he treated you? Well, I read this book for angst, and angst I got.
May 31, 2019
Michelle Reid is the queen of gorgeous angsty stories, but I didn't like this one as much as her other books. I have read a good few books where there is a significant age gap between the MCs, but in this book it felt like the gap was not bridged, even at the very end of the story. This heroine was just super naive and the hero overly manipulative. Another thing that irritated me is his relationship with the OW, and the way he explained away the fact he kissed her multiple times while being supposedly besotted with Nina. Not one I'd recommend.
August 17, 2013
Nina = cowardly, whiny, pathetic TSTL. This book is a fetish for young trembling woman with force and intimidation. It's nausiating not just the terrified trembling girl but maybe more with the false pride and running away at every turn act.
November 13, 2014
3,5 stars.
An observation to the author. There is a little thing called "spellcheck" It's very handy especially when using foreign languages. When you mean to say "matia mou" (=my eyes, in greek), be careful and leave italian mafia out of it. They are totally irrelevant concepts.
An observation to the author. There is a little thing called "spellcheck" It's very handy especially when using foreign languages. When you mean to say "matia mou" (=my eyes, in greek), be careful and leave italian mafia out of it. They are totally irrelevant concepts.
October 23, 2020
3.5 stars. Well, that was a half good read half train wreck for me. Had to fast forward a couple of times lest I DNF.
December 29, 2022
Hero is a 34yr old Greek business tycoon. Heroine is a golden red haired 20yr old college student studying music and plays piano. Both have chemistry from the start (even heroine internally admits how attractive and responsive she is to him). Heroine marries hero as a bargain to save her father’s company. Heroine doubts whether hero loves her or just wants her for the company, while hero doesn’t help matters by repeatedly confirming his physical want of her rather than declaring love. Some OM and OW drama mixed in.
Read
January 4, 2025I have never read a more irritating heroine.
I just want to slap her.
The story keeps dragging on and on because of her Damn stupidity.
Maybe I’m in a bad mood.
I don’t know.
Won’t be reading this one again.
Worst hero and heroine.
I just want to slap her.
The story keeps dragging on and on because of her Damn stupidity.
Maybe I’m in a bad mood.
I don’t know.
Won’t be reading this one again.
Worst hero and heroine.
March 10, 2018
Wavering between 2.5 and 3*... this book disappointed, confused and frustrated me. For a 1990 book, it sure seemed more chauvinist than some 70s and 80s books I've read! The things Jonas the English father and Greek Anton said, gosh!
Right from the start, there seemed a mystery in the real relationship and situation between Jonas Lovell and Anton. Anton was not quite the family enemy like Nina thought, but her father absolutely refused to discuss with her. Now Jason the poor jilted fiancé...somehow things didn't seem as innocent with him.
All the secrets, deceptions and drama...like Anton said it's no way to begin a marriage!
All the anguish and angst, Nina and Anton were to share the blame! Nina's virginal fears were in direct conflicts with her intense and immediate sexual attraction to Anton. However for her to give her body and heart to someone she thought had bought her was in no way easy. That I totally sympathise with.
Now Anton...he betrayed he had stronger feelings for Nina than just physical desire in various little acts and overall jealous possessiveness. He had all the control by then, surely if he just wanted sex he need not marry Nina, yet on marry her he insisted. Just look at how he put the family heirloom engagement ring on Nina! And the sunset scene when they arrived on his Greek island!*swoon* It was one of the most memorable engagement ring scenes I have ever read! However, he's said some pretty horrid things to Nina, like calling her a bitch, not wanting her to bear his son as though he hated her...how he left her alone to Louisa and his mother's mercy who he knew had hostile feelings towards Nina!
A$$hole! I hated how NICE he was to Louisa throughout the book!!!
So I am definitely confused as hell by Anton's actions and words, what more Nina?
SPOILERS SPOILERS
I KNEW Jason had targeted Nina to somehow gain the company back for his father! So the real enemy was Jason all along because he had threatened to reveal the sordid affair Nina's mother had with his own father, Jonas's ex business partner. Her mother had left Nina and her father to go join Jason and his father, only she was killed by a reckless driver on the way. Nina's father had always protected Nina from the truth, so Nina always grew up thinking her mother had left them, and died, period.
When Jason entered the scene, he had threatened to take it all from Jonas: his daughter, company and pride! The blackmail bled Jonas and the company dry, so Anton was actually asked by Jonas to help rescue the company and Nina.
All the rest that happened just muddled things up, but basically Anton fell in love with Nina at first sight and all he did was to protect Nina. Even her daddy's company owned a dud of an asset, so there went Nina's idea that Anton wanted the company at all cost.
I'm glad Anton's mother was not as nasty as we initially thought. But the sceptic in me cannot help but feel it's as Anton said, once baby came along, her attitude towards Nina would change. Such a chauvinistic world!
I have enjoyed many Michelle Reid books before but this fell short of my expectations. However it's still a better book than many other Mills .& Boons I have read!
Right from the start, there seemed a mystery in the real relationship and situation between Jonas Lovell and Anton. Anton was not quite the family enemy like Nina thought, but her father absolutely refused to discuss with her. Now Jason the poor jilted fiancé...somehow things didn't seem as innocent with him.
All the secrets, deceptions and drama...like Anton said it's no way to begin a marriage!
All the anguish and angst, Nina and Anton were to share the blame! Nina's virginal fears were in direct conflicts with her intense and immediate sexual attraction to Anton. However for her to give her body and heart to someone she thought had bought her was in no way easy. That I totally sympathise with.
Now Anton...he betrayed he had stronger feelings for Nina than just physical desire in various little acts and overall jealous possessiveness. He had all the control by then, surely if he just wanted sex he need not marry Nina, yet on marry her he insisted. Just look at how he put the family heirloom engagement ring on Nina! And the sunset scene when they arrived on his Greek island!*swoon* It was one of the most memorable engagement ring scenes I have ever read! However, he's said some pretty horrid things to Nina, like calling her a bitch, not wanting her to bear his son as though he hated her...how he left her alone to Louisa and his mother's mercy who he knew had hostile feelings towards Nina!
A$$hole! I hated how NICE he was to Louisa throughout the book!!!
So I am definitely confused as hell by Anton's actions and words, what more Nina?
SPOILERS SPOILERS
I KNEW Jason had targeted Nina to somehow gain the company back for his father! So the real enemy was Jason all along because he had threatened to reveal the sordid affair Nina's mother had with his own father, Jonas's ex business partner. Her mother had left Nina and her father to go join Jason and his father, only she was killed by a reckless driver on the way. Nina's father had always protected Nina from the truth, so Nina always grew up thinking her mother had left them, and died, period.
When Jason entered the scene, he had threatened to take it all from Jonas: his daughter, company and pride! The blackmail bled Jonas and the company dry, so Anton was actually asked by Jonas to help rescue the company and Nina.
All the rest that happened just muddled things up, but basically Anton fell in love with Nina at first sight and all he did was to protect Nina. Even her daddy's company owned a dud of an asset, so there went Nina's idea that Anton wanted the company at all cost.
I'm glad Anton's mother was not as nasty as we initially thought. But the sceptic in me cannot help but feel it's as Anton said, once baby came along, her attitude towards Nina would change. Such a chauvinistic world!
I have enjoyed many Michelle Reid books before but this fell short of my expectations. However it's still a better book than many other Mills .& Boons I have read!
July 6, 2020
Not as good as the more recent MR books.
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