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His Final Bargain
A beautiful love affair and a burning betrayal...
Eliza Lincoln is stunned to find Leo Valente at her door; four years ago his passionate embrace was a brief taste of freedom from her suffocating engagement. Until Leo discovered her secret...
Yet he hasn't come to rekindle their affair. He has a proposition he knows Eliza can't refuse: she's the only person who can help his small, motherless daughter.
Torn, Eliza can't ignore a vulnerable child, but the last time she was near Leo her desire nearly consumed her. Is she willing to take that risk again now that the stakes are even higher?
Eliza Lincoln is stunned to find Leo Valente at her door; four years ago his passionate embrace was a brief taste of freedom from her suffocating engagement. Until Leo discovered her secret...
Yet he hasn't come to rekindle their affair. He has a proposition he knows Eliza can't refuse: she's the only person who can help his small, motherless daughter.
Torn, Eliza can't ignore a vulnerable child, but the last time she was near Leo her desire nearly consumed her. Is she willing to take that risk again now that the stakes are even higher?
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
31 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Milburne
1,167 books394 followersI grew up on a small farm on the outskirts of Sydney and as a keen horse rider, often competed in local gymkhanas and even broke in a few horses from time to time. As I was surrounded by animals, I decided at an early age to become a nurse, however I couldn’t stand the sight of blood and so opted for a career in teaching. It’s a bit ironic that I married a surgeon.
I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.
I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.
I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.
I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 27, 2019
Heroine broke up with her fiancé right before he was in a car accident. She blames herself that he is incapacitated and she feels she owes it to her fiance’s mother to stay with him. She takes a trip to Italy alone, meets the hero in a bar the night of his father’s funeral and they proceed to have a three-week affair. The hero asks her to marry him and it’s only then that she tells him she is engaged.
Hero was so disillusioned that within the month after their affair, he had a one-night stand with an unstable woman and got her pregnant. The married, but never had sex again. His wife committed suicide when their blind daughter was one.
Yes, this hero got a raw deal.
Four years later, hero sees heroine’s teaching award in a magazine and decides she should be the fill-in nanny for his three year-old daughter. He’ll give money to keep her school open if she is the nanny for a month.
And that’s the rest of the story – with the heroine still wearing her engagement ring, still not telling the hero the truth of her fiancé, still jumping into bed with him, still complaining he doesn’t treat her with respect.
*sigh*
This heroine was messed up – she was “engaged” to a vegetative man for all these years for what reason? She never came clean with the hero – he saw her with her fiancé out a neurology clinic and let her out of the nanny contract early. Her HEA only came about when the fiance’s mother admits she knew the heroine had broke it off and never came clean because she wanted the support. She’s getting married so heroine is free.
Hero takes her back after all of her lying and the pain she inflicted. Heroine didn’t technically cheat, but she cheated in spirit twice! Bad heroine. Stupid hero.
Hero was so disillusioned that within the month after their affair, he had a one-night stand with an unstable woman and got her pregnant. The married, but never had sex again. His wife committed suicide when their blind daughter was one.
Yes, this hero got a raw deal.
Four years later, hero sees heroine’s teaching award in a magazine and decides she should be the fill-in nanny for his three year-old daughter. He’ll give money to keep her school open if she is the nanny for a month.
And that’s the rest of the story – with the heroine still wearing her engagement ring, still not telling the hero the truth of her fiancé, still jumping into bed with him, still complaining he doesn’t treat her with respect.
*sigh*
This heroine was messed up – she was “engaged” to a vegetative man for all these years for what reason? She never came clean with the hero – he saw her with her fiancé out a neurology clinic and let her out of the nanny contract early. Her HEA only came about when the fiance’s mother admits she knew the heroine had broke it off and never came clean because she wanted the support. She’s getting married so heroine is free.
Hero takes her back after all of her lying and the pain she inflicted. Heroine didn’t technically cheat, but she cheated in spirit twice! Bad heroine. Stupid hero.
September 16, 2013
In a lot of ways I feel like I had missed something crucial to this book. The characters are all over the place in terms of how they feel--there's how they think they should feel (betrayed? lost? lust filled? angry?), how they act (stiff, formal, frustrated) and how they say they want to act (friendly). They tend to mix all those emotions up without sticking to one or the other for any length of time.
So let's lay this out. You're an uber wealthy, attractive, young guy. Your young daughter, who happens to be blind, is in need of specialized help for a month while her normal nanny has to tend to important family business. do you:
A) Throw oddles of money at an agency to get someone useful
B) Re-arrange your plans to provide for your daughter
C) call an old flame who you think is a scheming bitca, but who happens to be good with children and then offer to toss oddles of money at her soon to be shut down school for the underprivleged?
If you answered A or B, you're completely rational. Leo Valente is NOT rational.
I honestly was not convinced that after 4 years, most of which he's spent in seething anger and pain, that the first person he would think to call is Eliza. Eliza who he thought led him on for 3 weeks, was laughing at him behind his back as she told all her friends what a fool he was for proposing to her.
And Eliza? I think she wanted to apply for martyrdom. She felt so guilty about everything. Guilty about her fiancee's accident. Guilty about not telling his mother the truth. Guilty about leading Leo on. Guilty about feeling so intensely attracted to him. Guilty that if she hadn't hurt Leo so badly he wouldn't have gone out, shagged the first female he met, gotten her pregnant, married her, caused her post-natal depression and ultimately her suicide.
Yes I truly think that Eliza blames herself for what Leo's late wife did.
Another quiz. So you want to sleep with the woman who you hired to take care of your young blind daughter, but you believe her to be a scheming, lying, bitca. Do you:
A) Romance her, but make it clear that this is purely physical
B) Seduce her, but make it clear that this is purely physical
C) Offer her oddles of money to sleep with you for the remainder of her employment, but make it clear that its a purely physical relationship of exclusivity
Once again A&B are the rational choices, C is the choice that Leo took. And Eliza decides that she will take him up on his offer and then turn around and use the money to help her invalid, catatonic fiancee (I think he was catatonic? The author kind of wavered on what exactly was the problem beyond 'he's unresponsive') and his mother pay for the upkeep of said fiancee's condition.
I want to make sure its clear, at no point does Eliza tell Leo that her fiancee has been catatonic for a good 5 and half years now. Her evasive answers make him sound like a total jerk instead and only make Leo wondered MORE why she tossed him over.
So then of course we have the inevitable conflation of things--Leo finds out and confronts Eliza. Making some justifiable points about how she shouldn't live as if SHE was in the accident. Eliza gets upset and they part. Soon after returning home Eliza finds out that her fiancee's mother had been lying to HER all this time--she KNEW that her son and Eliza were no longer together and its severely implied that the reason he was in an accident was because he had been on his phone while driving. Not only that but the mother wasn't surprised they broke up at all.
But she needed someone to lean on and selfishly let Eliza be the martyr and Eliza never questioned it because of her overwhelming guilt. Now that the mother has found a new boyfriend--a doctor!--she doesn't need Eliza around anymore so Eliza happily prances off to find Leo and they make up and its all magically okay now.
So let's lay this out. You're an uber wealthy, attractive, young guy. Your young daughter, who happens to be blind, is in need of specialized help for a month while her normal nanny has to tend to important family business. do you:
A) Throw oddles of money at an agency to get someone useful
B) Re-arrange your plans to provide for your daughter
C) call an old flame who you think is a scheming bitca, but who happens to be good with children and then offer to toss oddles of money at her soon to be shut down school for the underprivleged?
If you answered A or B, you're completely rational. Leo Valente is NOT rational.
I honestly was not convinced that after 4 years, most of which he's spent in seething anger and pain, that the first person he would think to call is Eliza. Eliza who he thought led him on for 3 weeks, was laughing at him behind his back as she told all her friends what a fool he was for proposing to her.
And Eliza? I think she wanted to apply for martyrdom. She felt so guilty about everything. Guilty about her fiancee's accident. Guilty about not telling his mother the truth. Guilty about leading Leo on. Guilty about feeling so intensely attracted to him. Guilty that if she hadn't hurt Leo so badly he wouldn't have gone out, shagged the first female he met, gotten her pregnant, married her, caused her post-natal depression and ultimately her suicide.
Yes I truly think that Eliza blames herself for what Leo's late wife did.
Another quiz. So you want to sleep with the woman who you hired to take care of your young blind daughter, but you believe her to be a scheming, lying, bitca. Do you:
A) Romance her, but make it clear that this is purely physical
B) Seduce her, but make it clear that this is purely physical
C) Offer her oddles of money to sleep with you for the remainder of her employment, but make it clear that its a purely physical relationship of exclusivity
Once again A&B are the rational choices, C is the choice that Leo took. And Eliza decides that she will take him up on his offer and then turn around and use the money to help her invalid, catatonic fiancee (I think he was catatonic? The author kind of wavered on what exactly was the problem beyond 'he's unresponsive') and his mother pay for the upkeep of said fiancee's condition.
I want to make sure its clear, at no point does Eliza tell Leo that her fiancee has been catatonic for a good 5 and half years now. Her evasive answers make him sound like a total jerk instead and only make Leo wondered MORE why she tossed him over.
So then of course we have the inevitable conflation of things--Leo finds out and confronts Eliza. Making some justifiable points about how she shouldn't live as if SHE was in the accident. Eliza gets upset and they part. Soon after returning home Eliza finds out that her fiancee's mother had been lying to HER all this time--she KNEW that her son and Eliza were no longer together and its severely implied that the reason he was in an accident was because he had been on his phone while driving. Not only that but the mother wasn't surprised they broke up at all.
But she needed someone to lean on and selfishly let Eliza be the martyr and Eliza never questioned it because of her overwhelming guilt. Now that the mother has found a new boyfriend--a doctor!--she doesn't need Eliza around anymore so Eliza happily prances off to find Leo and they make up and its all magically okay now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2016
Tropey semi-angst fest with a martyred heroine and a brooding and bitter H with some Mommy issues.
Despite constant reminders and passionate clinches, I just did not feel the passion between the two.
Plot:
The h met the H four years ago wherein a one night stand extends to a passionate three week affair. At the end of three weeks he asks her to marry him, but she says no, "I have a fiancee," and leaves. He takes the rejection really well. He has another one night stand that results in a little girl who's born blind and a now dead wife that was on the rebound from her ex-lover. Yes, we have a Grace has Bob's dead wife's heart plot.
Meanwhile back in present day England, the martyr, I mean h, is worried about the school for disadvantaged school that she works in. In steps the H with an offer she can't refuse. He'll fund the school if she comes to Italy for a month to help with his plot moppet. What a coincidence as one of the h's co-workers was just saying how nice it would be to know a millionaire/billionaire.
She accepts, and the real fun or should we say arm twisting begins. Bottom line they have the hots for each other. Not a virginal heroine. The h is hiding a secret from the H, and he tosses out the occasional "gold-digger" epithet which doesn't make sense as she could have married him years earlier. He broods about her invisible and apparently long-suffering, cuckolded fiancee and what a cheater she is.
Eventually the H discovers all because he spies on her. It's his turn to wallow in guilt. A reluctant HEA with his daughter adapting to her blindness and the H and the h do whatever they do.
Perhaps it is my mood, maybe the book, but this was a little on the dry and depressing side. I like my couples to have a spark of humor and connection. He doesn't even have the energy to get an "ass-hat tag.
Despite constant reminders and passionate clinches, I just did not feel the passion between the two.
Plot:
The h met the H four years ago wherein a one night stand extends to a passionate three week affair. At the end of three weeks he asks her to marry him, but she says no, "I have a fiancee," and leaves. He takes the rejection really well. He has another one night stand that results in a little girl who's born blind and a now dead wife that was on the rebound from her ex-lover. Yes, we have a Grace has Bob's dead wife's heart plot.
Meanwhile back in present day England, the martyr, I mean h, is worried about the school for disadvantaged school that she works in. In steps the H with an offer she can't refuse. He'll fund the school if she comes to Italy for a month to help with his plot moppet. What a coincidence as one of the h's co-workers was just saying how nice it would be to know a millionaire/billionaire.
She accepts, and the real fun or should we say arm twisting begins. Bottom line they have the hots for each other. Not a virginal heroine. The h is hiding a secret from the H, and he tosses out the occasional "gold-digger" epithet which doesn't make sense as she could have married him years earlier. He broods about her invisible and apparently long-suffering, cuckolded fiancee and what a cheater she is.
Eventually the H discovers all because he spies on her. It's his turn to wallow in guilt. A reluctant HEA with his daughter adapting to her blindness and the H and the h do whatever they do.
Perhaps it is my mood, maybe the book, but this was a little on the dry and depressing side. I like my couples to have a spark of humor and connection. He doesn't even have the energy to get an "ass-hat tag.
December 24, 2017
Eliza's fiancé's mother? Was selfish bitch who should never have had any say in other people's lives. She single handedly killed off any notion of happiness Eliza might have had for purely selfish reasons no matter how unintentionally she may have done it.
The reason we have a HEA? Because she no longer needs Eliza so Eliza is free to go and do stuff!
The reason we have a HEA? Because she no longer needs Eliza so Eliza is free to go and do stuff!
January 24, 2017
An amazing read.
Eliza and Leo shared a hot passionate affair four years ago and he asked her to marry him. Imagine his shock and pain when she says NO. Why?
Jump ahead four years. Leo appears again needing her help, not her love or passion, just her devotion to teaching small children. It seems he has small 3 year old daughter.....(you do the math) that needs a short term nanny. He has been married and widowed in those years apart.....hmmmmm. Eliza feeling a little hurt from his supposed love for her being so easy to forget (he sured moved on fast) and she has never forgot him. She knows she has no right to feel that way for she harbors a secret.
Being together again arouses both their passion and soon they are having another hot affair. But Eliza still is keeping her darn secret. Their time together brings back that hidden love. Being in love with her, Leo wants that forever and he is determined to uncover her secret. In her guilt Eliza is determined to give up all happiness in her life to atone for breaking up with her fiance 8 years ago. Her fiance took their breakup hard and crashed his car.....becoming brain damaged and wheelcar bound. So she feels a ton of guilt. Leo tries to convince her otherwise but she was determined to punish herself until her fiance's mother jumps in. And they live happyily everafter.
A well written emotional charged read. Great characters. Hot passion. And one sweet little girl.
Eliza and Leo shared a hot passionate affair four years ago and he asked her to marry him. Imagine his shock and pain when she says NO. Why?
Jump ahead four years. Leo appears again needing her help, not her love or passion, just her devotion to teaching small children. It seems he has small 3 year old daughter.....(you do the math) that needs a short term nanny. He has been married and widowed in those years apart.....hmmmmm. Eliza feeling a little hurt from his supposed love for her being so easy to forget (he sured moved on fast) and she has never forgot him. She knows she has no right to feel that way for she harbors a secret.
Being together again arouses both their passion and soon they are having another hot affair. But Eliza still is keeping her darn secret. Their time together brings back that hidden love. Being in love with her, Leo wants that forever and he is determined to uncover her secret. In her guilt Eliza is determined to give up all happiness in her life to atone for breaking up with her fiance 8 years ago. Her fiance took their breakup hard and crashed his car.....becoming brain damaged and wheelcar bound. So she feels a ton of guilt. Leo tries to convince her otherwise but she was determined to punish herself until her fiance's mother jumps in. And they live happyily everafter.
A well written emotional charged read. Great characters. Hot passion. And one sweet little girl.
March 12, 2013
A beautiful executed story again Melanie. I just love her characters and how they react together and throw in history, child, unresolved feeling and commitments and wow what a story, and once more had me crying. Sometimes i wanted to knock their heads together and say come on guys get your act together.Just loved it and would recommend anyone to read this especially if you are a Melanie fan. 50 books congrats on another great book Melanie Loved it :)worth every star!
April 27, 2013
His Final Bargain by Melanie Milburne
Four years ago Leo Valente and Eliza Lincoln entered into an intense and passionate three week affair, but when Leo asks Eliza to marry him she tells him NO. She is more than surprised when Leo shows up at her door. But he is not there pick up where they left off, he is in need of a Nanny for his 3 year old daughter. Eliza agrees to Leo's proposition, but wonders how she will ever get over him again. She has had thoughts of Leo everyday since they parted four years ago, but she had her reasons for not accepting marriage to the one man she can't forget. When Leo finally discovers her secret, I as the reader could feel his pain for the things he had said to her, how he had treated her and the things he accused her of.
Leo Valente is one very hot, sexy, passionate Italian. While he tells Eliza he is only interested in her taking care of his small daughter, I was not buying it. You could tell he had never gotten over Eliza refusing his proposal. And that he wants more from her than to just be there for his daughter.
Eliza has been living for years with "in my opinion" unjustified quilt. The one time she has taken time out for herself is when she met Leo. And while he is the only man who has truly stirred passion in her, he is someone she can not commit to. Eliza is strong, determined, compassionate, kindhearted and caring of others. And puts others ahead of herself even when it cost her so much in life.
When these two finally accept that the attraction is still there and reunite, it is explosive. Very well written and believable passion. I thought my kindle was going to erupt into flames. Especially the scene in the study. WOW. And once this passion has erupted Leo does not want it to end, and makes Eliza another offer.
You also have another strong character in this book, young Alessandra. Leo's three year old daughter. How could you not fall heads over heels for this precious little girl, who has had more than her fair share of heartache for one so young.
I love Melanie Milburne's writing style. She has a talent of making the characters very believable. Some of the things said by the Hero & Heroine come across as very hurtful. But in my opinion it makes it all the more believable, because it seems like something you might hear in real life. I love when an author is able to take me away from my real world and put me in the middle of her pages, like I am one of the characters. And Melanie was able to do that with this book!
Four years ago Leo Valente and Eliza Lincoln entered into an intense and passionate three week affair, but when Leo asks Eliza to marry him she tells him NO. She is more than surprised when Leo shows up at her door. But he is not there pick up where they left off, he is in need of a Nanny for his 3 year old daughter. Eliza agrees to Leo's proposition, but wonders how she will ever get over him again. She has had thoughts of Leo everyday since they parted four years ago, but she had her reasons for not accepting marriage to the one man she can't forget. When Leo finally discovers her secret, I as the reader could feel his pain for the things he had said to her, how he had treated her and the things he accused her of.
Leo Valente is one very hot, sexy, passionate Italian. While he tells Eliza he is only interested in her taking care of his small daughter, I was not buying it. You could tell he had never gotten over Eliza refusing his proposal. And that he wants more from her than to just be there for his daughter.
Eliza has been living for years with "in my opinion" unjustified quilt. The one time she has taken time out for herself is when she met Leo. And while he is the only man who has truly stirred passion in her, he is someone she can not commit to. Eliza is strong, determined, compassionate, kindhearted and caring of others. And puts others ahead of herself even when it cost her so much in life.
When these two finally accept that the attraction is still there and reunite, it is explosive. Very well written and believable passion. I thought my kindle was going to erupt into flames. Especially the scene in the study. WOW. And once this passion has erupted Leo does not want it to end, and makes Eliza another offer.
You also have another strong character in this book, young Alessandra. Leo's three year old daughter. How could you not fall heads over heels for this precious little girl, who has had more than her fair share of heartache for one so young.
I love Melanie Milburne's writing style. She has a talent of making the characters very believable. Some of the things said by the Hero & Heroine come across as very hurtful. But in my opinion it makes it all the more believable, because it seems like something you might hear in real life. I love when an author is able to take me away from my real world and put me in the middle of her pages, like I am one of the characters. And Melanie was able to do that with this book!
April 23, 2013
HIS FINAL BARGAIN by author Melanie Milburne is a June 2013 release by Harlequin Presents.
Leo Valente fell in love and proposed to Eliza Lincoln four years ago. Yet she had turned him down. Why had she turned him down? Did she not love him?
Eliza was surprised to see Leo after four years. What was he doing at her door, after all this time? Was he here for revenge? She was still not ready to divulge her secret and the reason she had turned him down. What was her explosive secret?
But Leo was here for a different reason, he wanted Eliza to look after his small daughter! Will Eliza agree to be part of Leo’s family again? Wouldn’t it expose her heart to hurt and reveal her secret?
HIS FINAL BARGAIN is a beautiful romance but tinged with betrayal by loved ones. It had explosive past secrets which needed to be unearthed before the affair could progress. It is a delightfully fast-paced and feel-good romance that sparkles with mesmerizing emotion and intense passion.
Written with all the warmth, tenderness and sensitivity that has become USA Today Bestselling author Melanie Milburne’s hallmark. Her characters come alive on the pages and the reader is personally involved in their happiness and craves the resolution as deeply as they do!
4.5 out of 5 stars.
May 4, 2013
For a newer harlequin, this one was damn amazing. I was so emotional through the novel and the ending had me smiling. What an amazing novel!
May 13, 2013
Everyone of us has done something that we have regretted and have had to learn to live with the guilt. But not all of us will stand by the person we have wronged and in the process push away any chance we have at happiness.
In this read we meet Eliza, she has been engaged to her finance for eight years, has been making an honest living and focuses solely on making sure her best kept secret is hidden from the world.
However when the love of her life sexier than sin I'll -rope-you-in-with-a-mere-touch Leo makes her a proposal she cannot refuse she has no choice but to accept.
But she will make sure that her secret stays hidden and heart stays guarded. But Leo has other plans and to him Eliza will become more than just nanny to his little daughter, he will make her burn for him with a fire so intense she will never want to leave again.
The character of Eliza was wonderful, a strong and confident woman, but also very sad as the secret she carries places her under severe emotional distress , yet being so strong she soldiers on through life. This to me was the perfect heroine as she proves that woman are loyal and strong enough to handle even the toughest of situations.
The character of Leo was spectacular! He is not only all kind of delicious hotness, believe me girls this man will turn your knees to jelly in a heartbeat and make you wish you were his object of affection.
But he is also a torn hero and as we all know those are the best kind, and when written by this author you know your in for a guaranteed treat!
I loved that he was ruthless in his attempts to bring Eliza back into his life but also that the author showed me as reader he has a soft side that makes him the kind of hero any woman would want in her life.
The backdrop setting was exquisite with the descriptions brought to life by the author of gorgeous Italy and all the magic of romance it holds within it's beautiful landscapes.
The dialogue was sexy, sexy, sexy ! As the author lets Leo and Eliza's passion burn for each other from page to page and finally setting it all alight with an explosive reunion of the hottest kind!
The author's words were so strong and powerful that the moments of confusion and conflict brought tears to my eyes.
I truly loved that the author showed that secrets can destroy our lives and coming clean is sometimes the only way we can be released from our burdens.
5/5 star review
" Exposing her secret by kissing her senseless"
In this read we meet Eliza, she has been engaged to her finance for eight years, has been making an honest living and focuses solely on making sure her best kept secret is hidden from the world.
However when the love of her life sexier than sin I'll -rope-you-in-with-a-mere-touch Leo makes her a proposal she cannot refuse she has no choice but to accept.
But she will make sure that her secret stays hidden and heart stays guarded. But Leo has other plans and to him Eliza will become more than just nanny to his little daughter, he will make her burn for him with a fire so intense she will never want to leave again.
The character of Eliza was wonderful, a strong and confident woman, but also very sad as the secret she carries places her under severe emotional distress , yet being so strong she soldiers on through life. This to me was the perfect heroine as she proves that woman are loyal and strong enough to handle even the toughest of situations.
The character of Leo was spectacular! He is not only all kind of delicious hotness, believe me girls this man will turn your knees to jelly in a heartbeat and make you wish you were his object of affection.
But he is also a torn hero and as we all know those are the best kind, and when written by this author you know your in for a guaranteed treat!
I loved that he was ruthless in his attempts to bring Eliza back into his life but also that the author showed me as reader he has a soft side that makes him the kind of hero any woman would want in her life.
The backdrop setting was exquisite with the descriptions brought to life by the author of gorgeous Italy and all the magic of romance it holds within it's beautiful landscapes.
The dialogue was sexy, sexy, sexy ! As the author lets Leo and Eliza's passion burn for each other from page to page and finally setting it all alight with an explosive reunion of the hottest kind!
The author's words were so strong and powerful that the moments of confusion and conflict brought tears to my eyes.
I truly loved that the author showed that secrets can destroy our lives and coming clean is sometimes the only way we can be released from our burdens.
5/5 star review
" Exposing her secret by kissing her senseless"
August 9, 2013
3.5 stars
His Final Bargain is so heart wrenchingly sad. It's about second-chances and much more.
Eliza lives with an oppressive guilt. She feels responsible for the accident that destroyed - physically and mentally- her ex-fiancé's life on the day she ended their engagement. So out of guilt, she is trapped in an endless engagement to a quadriplegic, unaware of his surroundings man.
That's why, 4 y ago, she had to reject Leo's marriage proposal and their short but torrid holiday fling ended on bad terms.
4 y later, Leo - a widower and a single dad - is back in her life, apparently wanting her help with his blind daughter, but unconsciously seeking revenge or at least a conclusion so he can moves on with his life. He held her responsible for what happened in his life after her rejection. At times, Leo can be cruel with Eliza but she is a strong heroine and she can handle whatever he dishes at her.
These 2 had been through a lot. Life had been hard on both of them. They highly deserve their HEA
His Final Bargain is so heart wrenchingly sad. It's about second-chances and much more.
Eliza lives with an oppressive guilt. She feels responsible for the accident that destroyed - physically and mentally- her ex-fiancé's life on the day she ended their engagement. So out of guilt, she is trapped in an endless engagement to a quadriplegic, unaware of his surroundings man.
That's why, 4 y ago, she had to reject Leo's marriage proposal and their short but torrid holiday fling ended on bad terms.
4 y later, Leo - a widower and a single dad - is back in her life, apparently wanting her help with his blind daughter, but unconsciously seeking revenge or at least a conclusion so he can moves on with his life. He held her responsible for what happened in his life after her rejection. At times, Leo can be cruel with Eliza but she is a strong heroine and she can handle whatever he dishes at her.
These 2 had been through a lot. Life had been hard on both of them. They highly deserve their HEA
August 20, 2013
Four years ago, Eliza Lincoln and Leo Valente had a very passionate affair. Imagine her surprise when he shows up at her doorstep in London and asks her to come with him to Italy as a nanny to his orphaned daughter over her summer break? To sweeten the pot, he'll pay her enough to save the private school she works for from closing. What could she do but go with him. But little Alessandra is a special-needs child, blind from birth and horribly spoiled. The two take to each other immediately and Leo sees Eliza in a different light, not as a money-grabbing woman. Then he asks her to be his mistress and offers her more money. What will happen when Leo finds out the truth behind Eliza's engagement?
This story is touching on many levels. There is the story of Alessandra, her blindness and the loss of her mother. There is Eliza and her engagement which came between them four years before and threatens them again. Then there is Eliza and Leo and their backstories as well.
This story is touching on many levels. There is the story of Alessandra, her blindness and the loss of her mother. There is Eliza and her engagement which came between them four years before and threatens them again. Then there is Eliza and Leo and their backstories as well.
April 9, 2014
beautiful! painful, heart-wrenching n sombre yet beautiful. i was touched on so many levels by both characters. i felt sad 4 their circumstances, wid their struggle wid daily handicap..not themselves personally but other people which they loved. in the case of leo, it was his blind daughter while 4 eliza, it was her paraplegic fiance.
August 23, 2013
I liked this one. Well written and the plot made sense. The heroine held on to her secret a bit too long but there was some angsty goodness there. The scenes with the hero and his daughter were well done.
September 18, 2015
This started out hot, fast, angst-soaked and fighting. Then it became just angry and passion-filled. I was not thrilled with the ending but it wrapped up neatly, almost clinically.
May 11, 2021
The things that the heroine does and gets away with , in this story !! Exactly things that heroes of HP land would do.
Can you believe a heroine doing these things - Hide some personal tragedy behind a flirtatious facade. Have a commitment free steamy affair with the hero. But baulk at the thought of getting married. Coolly inform him of being engaged already, hurt him and walk away !!
So why does she do all this ? There is a tragedy in her past involving her childhood buddy turned fiance. She is not too keen, but its a life long friendship. The day she breaks up with the fellow because the "spark is missing", the fellow smashes up his car in distress and becomes a quadriplegic !!!!! He is no longer in his senses, just living a vegetative existence. His mother is a sweet lady who blindly relies on our girl to pull through the crisis.
So our heroine is tied to her past out of guilt and sympathy. She cant marry the hero, whom she meets in Italy during a holiday.
After 4 years, the heroine is still living the life of a saint, supporting the fiance. But the hero storms back into her life. Why? Because our lady is an award winning teacher, and now our hero has a blind daughter !!!
Poor fellow, when the heroine jilts him, he gets into a one night stand. And is forced to marry a woman in depression, as she gets pregnant. The sick wife conks, leaving behind a blind daughter.
When our heroine comes to know the havoc her rejection has created in the heroes life, she is distraught. Another guilt complex, another cross to bear !!!!
But this time, he hero rationalizes the situation, gets her to concede the inevitable truth. Of course, a few steamy kisses and cuddles comes in handy too ;)))
Our girl breaks free from the past. Promises to keep helping her qudriplegic fiance and his mummy, but as a well wisher. And happily embraces her new life with the hero and his cute kid. HEA.
Quite realistic and poignant in parts. Steamy and racy too. A good one, with a touch of novelty.
Can you believe a heroine doing these things - Hide some personal tragedy behind a flirtatious facade. Have a commitment free steamy affair with the hero. But baulk at the thought of getting married. Coolly inform him of being engaged already, hurt him and walk away !!
So why does she do all this ? There is a tragedy in her past involving her childhood buddy turned fiance. She is not too keen, but its a life long friendship. The day she breaks up with the fellow because the "spark is missing", the fellow smashes up his car in distress and becomes a quadriplegic !!!!! He is no longer in his senses, just living a vegetative existence. His mother is a sweet lady who blindly relies on our girl to pull through the crisis.
So our heroine is tied to her past out of guilt and sympathy. She cant marry the hero, whom she meets in Italy during a holiday.
After 4 years, the heroine is still living the life of a saint, supporting the fiance. But the hero storms back into her life. Why? Because our lady is an award winning teacher, and now our hero has a blind daughter !!!
Poor fellow, when the heroine jilts him, he gets into a one night stand. And is forced to marry a woman in depression, as she gets pregnant. The sick wife conks, leaving behind a blind daughter.
When our heroine comes to know the havoc her rejection has created in the heroes life, she is distraught. Another guilt complex, another cross to bear !!!!
But this time, he hero rationalizes the situation, gets her to concede the inevitable truth. Of course, a few steamy kisses and cuddles comes in handy too ;)))
Our girl breaks free from the past. Promises to keep helping her qudriplegic fiance and his mummy, but as a well wisher. And happily embraces her new life with the hero and his cute kid. HEA.
Quite realistic and poignant in parts. Steamy and racy too. A good one, with a touch of novelty.
July 13, 2020
I read some of the comments and boy some people are mad. Hilarious.
Well a millionaire, a middle class girl, an affair, mistakes, guilt, passion, fear of abandonment, possessiveness and stubbornness. The books is a good read. A lot of emotions are there and the characters have some complexity and many issues. Overall it's a good read. But it's very hard to read in a single setting if you know what I mean 😂
Well a millionaire, a middle class girl, an affair, mistakes, guilt, passion, fear of abandonment, possessiveness and stubbornness. The books is a good read. A lot of emotions are there and the characters have some complexity and many issues. Overall it's a good read. But it's very hard to read in a single setting if you know what I mean 😂
September 1, 2025
Heroine had a an affair with Hero on the three week holiday in Italy, while being engaged to her disabled fiancé…. After an affair heroine goes back home, hero marries another woman and has a child with his new wife…. Book Abandoned…. Heroine with numerous sexual partners and a cheater/unfaithful… hero marrying and having a child with another woman right after their break up..🥴😵💫
October 12, 2022
Much of the conflict would have been resolved if Eliza had just talked to Leo. Her reasons for not doing so never seemed adequate. Additionally, while I don't think the author intended it, some of the ways the characters talked about their disabled loved ones felt ableist.
November 25, 2025
An amazing, beautifully crafted story — evocative, heartbreaking, and deeply moving. Beneath all the sadness runs that essential thread of hope, building toward a truly satisfying happily-ever-after. What a story. Well done, Melanie.
September 17, 2020
Audible Romance Package
AUDIOBOOK: Read 16 September 2020
6hrs 20min
Narrator: Louisa Jane Underwood was ok
This one wasn't bad but not that good either.
AUDIOBOOK: Read 16 September 2020
6hrs 20min
Narrator: Louisa Jane Underwood was ok
This one wasn't bad but not that good either.
April 23, 2025
Interesting story about true love, understanding and for.
July 26, 2020
Hated this one. Hero has child with another woman because heroine is"engaged" and that whole mess. The whole plot just was awful. Didn't like the characters. Np.
September 12, 2013
I haven’t been able to read many Harlequin novels lately, but I sure missed these short and sweet morsels of feel good loving. This book was no exception.
This story follows Eliza Lincoln, a school teacher who specializes in helping under privileged kids. When her ex-lover Leo Valente shows up at her door side out of the blue asking if she’d work for him as a nanny for his special needs daughter for one month, she caves. Not only could the school she works for use the money she’ll get from this job, but so could her current fiancé Ewan’s precarious health condition and her lovely mother in law to be, whom she loves a lot. Knowing this is dangerous territory for her to be around Leo when she’s engaged to someone else, the needs of others surpass her desire to say now, so she accepts regardless. Will this stir up old feelings or is this all about revenge?
It was a sexy, romantic and thrilling read. I wanted Leo and Eliza to get together again so badly, Leo and his daughter needed Eliza as much as she needed them. Their mutual longing was intense, but so much of their lives get in the way all the time. These two fight their feelings tooth and nail. It was frustrating to see that even though they completely belonged together, too many conflicts existed and held them each back from embracing their love. I literally wanted to shake both of them because of the things they held back from one another which always ended up causing more issues. Pretty true to life there, I would say.
I enjoyed these strong characters whose lives run deep into confusion and sense of duty which fractures their ability to take what they so deserve and long for.
A quick romance that includes hot sensual scenes with a twist that I didn’t see coming, I really enjoyed this formulaic romance.
I received this free paperback from the publisher for an honest review.
This story follows Eliza Lincoln, a school teacher who specializes in helping under privileged kids. When her ex-lover Leo Valente shows up at her door side out of the blue asking if she’d work for him as a nanny for his special needs daughter for one month, she caves. Not only could the school she works for use the money she’ll get from this job, but so could her current fiancé Ewan’s precarious health condition and her lovely mother in law to be, whom she loves a lot. Knowing this is dangerous territory for her to be around Leo when she’s engaged to someone else, the needs of others surpass her desire to say now, so she accepts regardless. Will this stir up old feelings or is this all about revenge?
It was a sexy, romantic and thrilling read. I wanted Leo and Eliza to get together again so badly, Leo and his daughter needed Eliza as much as she needed them. Their mutual longing was intense, but so much of their lives get in the way all the time. These two fight their feelings tooth and nail. It was frustrating to see that even though they completely belonged together, too many conflicts existed and held them each back from embracing their love. I literally wanted to shake both of them because of the things they held back from one another which always ended up causing more issues. Pretty true to life there, I would say.
I enjoyed these strong characters whose lives run deep into confusion and sense of duty which fractures their ability to take what they so deserve and long for.
A quick romance that includes hot sensual scenes with a twist that I didn’t see coming, I really enjoyed this formulaic romance.
I received this free paperback from the publisher for an honest review.
July 6, 2016
Four years ago, Eliza had a spontaneous fling with Leo Valente while on holiday on a temporary escape from the extraordinary pressures of her life. Despite falling in love, at the end of her holiday, she refused Leo's proposal of marriage and told him she was already taken. She didn't explain the circumstances of her engagement and left him feeling like he'd been used.
Now in the present, Leo shows up very conveniently to help bail out her beloved school which is about to go under due to lack of funding. He needs a temporary nanny to take care of his little girl and wants her to take the job.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading this story. While I didn't like how the characters were dealing with their situations, I can understand their reactions. I did feel that Leo showing up precisely at the time he did was very unlikely. And I found myself irritated with Ethan's mother. For someone that supposedly loved Eliza so much, I have difficulty with her selfishness in letting Eliza give up her life for someone that would never know the difference. Samantha could certainly have stayed in Eliza's life while Eliza found happiness with someone other than Ethan. But in the end, all's well that ends well, I guess.
Now in the present, Leo shows up very conveniently to help bail out her beloved school which is about to go under due to lack of funding. He needs a temporary nanny to take care of his little girl and wants her to take the job.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading this story. While I didn't like how the characters were dealing with their situations, I can understand their reactions. I did feel that Leo showing up precisely at the time he did was very unlikely. And I found myself irritated with Ethan's mother. For someone that supposedly loved Eliza so much, I have difficulty with her selfishness in letting Eliza give up her life for someone that would never know the difference. Samantha could certainly have stayed in Eliza's life while Eliza found happiness with someone other than Ethan. But in the end, all's well that ends well, I guess.
April 21, 2025
I have realised that it’s a mistake to read books from someone’s back catalogue. This is so dreadful and the entire book is predicated on the horrid miscommunication trope. All the heroine had to do was be honest. All the mother of the ex-fiancé had to do was be honest. The whole guilt thing was simply ridiculous. Believing she had to give up her future for the ex? Utterly bizarre - how on earth are you supposed to empathise with someone so stupid? As for Eliza’s response to the fiancé’s mother - that was so unrealistic. I wanted to vomit! She spoke to her son on the phone while he was driving - of course she should feel guilty. Instead she let Eliza think it was all her fault.
And what does she do - why she runs up and hugs her and tells her she’s not to blame at all!! What the actual…? Seriously I hate the martyr trope with a vengeance and I really, really loathed this one. All she had to do was tell the hero the truth but then of course there would have been no story.
If I’d been Leo I would thank my lucky stars he’d escaped her. What a pathetic excuse for a heroine.
No more looking back at back catalogues.
And what does she do - why she runs up and hugs her and tells her she’s not to blame at all!! What the actual…? Seriously I hate the martyr trope with a vengeance and I really, really loathed this one. All she had to do was tell the hero the truth but then of course there would have been no story.
If I’d been Leo I would thank my lucky stars he’d escaped her. What a pathetic excuse for a heroine.
No more looking back at back catalogues.
August 15, 2013
His Final Bargain by Melanie Milburne
This story is about Eliza and she teaches at a small community school but it's about to be shut down due to no money. She is heartbroken to learn of this as she teaches there.
Leo, a man who had once proposed to her, very high class, jet set type had come to her flat and now with the holidays upcoming for her school he wants to hire her for 4 weeks of that time to be his daughter's nanny and he will pay for the school to remain open.
She has not told him who her fiance is or his circumstances.
He has told her that his wife killed herself. She does agree to go but with some hesitation...
Not much in the way of detailed descriptions about the locations abroad. Love the fact she knits for the underprivileged children!
He also has secrets, about his daughter but she learns them very fast...Hot sex scenes and they do get to talk to another. Especially like what she's accomplished with the blind girl.
I received this book from Harlequin in exchange for my honest review.
This story is about Eliza and she teaches at a small community school but it's about to be shut down due to no money. She is heartbroken to learn of this as she teaches there.
Leo, a man who had once proposed to her, very high class, jet set type had come to her flat and now with the holidays upcoming for her school he wants to hire her for 4 weeks of that time to be his daughter's nanny and he will pay for the school to remain open.
She has not told him who her fiance is or his circumstances.
He has told her that his wife killed herself. She does agree to go but with some hesitation...
Not much in the way of detailed descriptions about the locations abroad. Love the fact she knits for the underprivileged children!
He also has secrets, about his daughter but she learns them very fast...Hot sex scenes and they do get to talk to another. Especially like what she's accomplished with the blind girl.
I received this book from Harlequin in exchange for my honest review.
October 18, 2013
So I loved this story. The chemistry and romance between Eliza and Leo were brilliant and their history - and Eliza's guilty secret which drove them apart - was well developed. Reading this, I never got the impression that the relationship was forced or unnatural in how it was written and I loved all the interactions between the two of them. The introduction of Leo's blind daughter, Alessandra was also sensitively dealt with and I loved the sensitive relationship that developed between her and Eliza as they got used to each other.
Really, this is just a lovely lovely book. All of the characters are sympathetic and relatable, none of the are weak-willed or overbearing, and it's just such a well-thought out, good book. I really enjoyed reading this and sped through it in a day. It does make me wish that more Mills and Boon books are like this though. Melanie Milburne's done a cracking job here.
Definitely one to recommend as it'll put a smile on your face. 5 stars.
Really, this is just a lovely lovely book. All of the characters are sympathetic and relatable, none of the are weak-willed or overbearing, and it's just such a well-thought out, good book. I really enjoyed reading this and sped through it in a day. It does make me wish that more Mills and Boon books are like this though. Melanie Milburne's done a cracking job here.
Definitely one to recommend as it'll put a smile on your face. 5 stars.
September 1, 2013
3.85 Stars!!!
Sweet, sad, heartbreaking and satisfying....Like I say in so many reviews, it could have been so much better with a little more meat and maybe another 60 pages or so. But I enjoyed the read. Billionaire, ex fling guy, who proposed and was turned down turns up four years later and offers to pay her an absurd amount of money to be nanny to his 3 year old daughter for a month. Sparks are still there....she needs the money (for other people and reasons) and they fight each other off all summer.....Why did you walk away from me? Do you even love him? ..... I don't want to talk about it....it just can't be. And yet that little three year old made the book....oh it's the typical formula billionaire book but I loved it!
Sweet, sad, heartbreaking and satisfying....Like I say in so many reviews, it could have been so much better with a little more meat and maybe another 60 pages or so. But I enjoyed the read. Billionaire, ex fling guy, who proposed and was turned down turns up four years later and offers to pay her an absurd amount of money to be nanny to his 3 year old daughter for a month. Sparks are still there....she needs the money (for other people and reasons) and they fight each other off all summer.....Why did you walk away from me? Do you even love him? ..... I don't want to talk about it....it just can't be. And yet that little three year old made the book....oh it's the typical formula billionaire book but I loved it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2013
I would give this 3.5 stars. Eliza and Leo's affair didn't end well, but now it's four years later and Leo needs Eliza to help his daughter. It's clear from the beginning that Eliza and Leo are perfect for each other. Leo is a sexy, alpha male and a very overprotective father. Eliza is incredible with kids. The longer Eliza and Leo are around each, the less they can deny their feelings Eliza is also drowning in guilt, and for the most part, unwilling to change her circumstances even when Leo offers a potential solution. I was often frustrated with Eliza because she refused to explain or change her situation. Overall, it was a good read.
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