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Tyler Group #2
An Act of Persuasion
For all the wrong reasons?
Anna Summers has always been more than Ben Tyler's assistant. She's even been more than his best friend. Too bad Ben didn't realize it until after she quit. Now that he's more like his old self after facing against a life-threatening illness, he's ready to win Anna back.
Of course, it's not simple. One night Ben broke his own rule about getting involved with an employee. And now Anna is pregnant. She refuses to let him use the baby as a reason for them to reconcile. It will take an act of persuasion to convince her they belong together…and not only because of the baby.
Anna Summers has always been more than Ben Tyler's assistant. She's even been more than his best friend. Too bad Ben didn't realize it until after she quit. Now that he's more like his old self after facing against a life-threatening illness, he's ready to win Anna back.
Of course, it's not simple. One night Ben broke his own rule about getting involved with an employee. And now Anna is pregnant. She refuses to let him use the baby as a reason for them to reconcile. It will take an act of persuasion to convince her they belong together…and not only because of the baby.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Doyle
64 books50 followersIt all started with Shanna and Star Wars. An odd combination, I know, but what people don't appreciate about Star Wars is the deep romantic element between two of the lead characters. I wasn't seven years-old when I was able to clearly spot that Han and Leia were supposed to be a couple.
Sure most of my friends, who at the time weren't nearly as mature as I was – after all some of them were still six, thought that Leia loved Luke. But anyone really looking could see that Han and Leia were the couple to beat.
That's when I discovered romance.
Then at about fifteen or so I was babysitting one night, bored out of my mind – the children were fast asleep at this point – so I picked a book from the shelf. I wasn't much of a reader at the time, but I liked the orange cover. It was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
That's when I discovered romance novels.
Making up stories – that's just something I've always done. It's like breathing for me. But it wasn't until I began to read actively that I thought maybe I could actually write a book. The benefit of writing over reading is that I get to have everything just the way I like it. I should mention at this point that I'm a little bit of a control freak.
But I didn't go to school for writing. In fact I went to school to be the President of the United States - make that a power hungry control freak.
I attended Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. And no, that is not a school to learn how to become a nun. Although, since I'm not married yet, my mother believes that subliminal messages were piped into the dorm rooms through hidden speakers.
I strayed from the presidential track. Figured instead of running the country I would do something really meaningful. I became a school teacher and spent two amazing years in Seattle.
Eventually I came back home to South Jersey. I got a temp job to hold me over until I could find another teaching position and have been at my current company for eight years. I keep telling my boss that I'm only staying for a little while longer. But he has since stopped listening to me.
So what else is there to know about me? I write. I work. I exercise. I try not to eat. I fail. I beat myself up for not succeeding to not eat. Then I drink. It's a simple life I lead.
I date. But that's a whole other story….
Sure most of my friends, who at the time weren't nearly as mature as I was – after all some of them were still six, thought that Leia loved Luke. But anyone really looking could see that Han and Leia were the couple to beat.
That's when I discovered romance.
Then at about fifteen or so I was babysitting one night, bored out of my mind – the children were fast asleep at this point – so I picked a book from the shelf. I wasn't much of a reader at the time, but I liked the orange cover. It was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
That's when I discovered romance novels.
Making up stories – that's just something I've always done. It's like breathing for me. But it wasn't until I began to read actively that I thought maybe I could actually write a book. The benefit of writing over reading is that I get to have everything just the way I like it. I should mention at this point that I'm a little bit of a control freak.
But I didn't go to school for writing. In fact I went to school to be the President of the United States - make that a power hungry control freak.
I attended Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. And no, that is not a school to learn how to become a nun. Although, since I'm not married yet, my mother believes that subliminal messages were piped into the dorm rooms through hidden speakers.
I strayed from the presidential track. Figured instead of running the country I would do something really meaningful. I became a school teacher and spent two amazing years in Seattle.
Eventually I came back home to South Jersey. I got a temp job to hold me over until I could find another teaching position and have been at my current company for eight years. I keep telling my boss that I'm only staying for a little while longer. But he has since stopped listening to me.
So what else is there to know about me? I write. I work. I exercise. I try not to eat. I fail. I beat myself up for not succeeding to not eat. Then I drink. It's a simple life I lead.
I date. But that's a whole other story….
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 30, 2013
Rating 3.5 stars
In One Final Step we read about Ben Tyler, the former CIA operative turned head of the Tyler Group and his struggle with cancer. We also read about his assistant Ana and were offered glimpses of her feelings and An Act of Persuasion is their story.
Ana left Ben after he made a decision about his health after sleeping with her and not considering her. She has had enough with being left behind, her mother did that and that happened in her first foster home as well, so she leaves, after having spent six years as Ben's assistant and being in love with him.
Ben is 45 years old and has never been in love. His health was something he couldn't fight and now that Ana is gone, he misses her though he won't ever admit that until Ana comes to him and tells him she is pregnant. That news both shocks and pleases him, shocks because as a man of principles he never wanted to take advantage of an employee despite the fact that he has had an awareness about the heroine and pleased because the cancer took away his fertility now he gets Ana back plus a child.
However things don't go as easily, Ana has gotten a job with the hero's rival in CIA days and says hell no to his marriage proposal but Ben is a determined man and wants Ana back though he won't admit the reasons. Ana however is hurt and wary and reflects back on her love and how she was comfortable loving him from afar and now wants to run when he is willing to try too.
The book is all about Ben opening up and Ana running scared and finding reasons to keep Ben at a distance. For me Ben was a great guy who could be pushy and a little dense. Ana on the other hand was character you felt for and wanted to push. Still I enjoyed the book and also the sub-plot with Mark and his daughter.
ARC provided by Harlequin through Netgalley.
In One Final Step we read about Ben Tyler, the former CIA operative turned head of the Tyler Group and his struggle with cancer. We also read about his assistant Ana and were offered glimpses of her feelings and An Act of Persuasion is their story.
Ana left Ben after he made a decision about his health after sleeping with her and not considering her. She has had enough with being left behind, her mother did that and that happened in her first foster home as well, so she leaves, after having spent six years as Ben's assistant and being in love with him.
Ben is 45 years old and has never been in love. His health was something he couldn't fight and now that Ana is gone, he misses her though he won't ever admit that until Ana comes to him and tells him she is pregnant. That news both shocks and pleases him, shocks because as a man of principles he never wanted to take advantage of an employee despite the fact that he has had an awareness about the heroine and pleased because the cancer took away his fertility now he gets Ana back plus a child.
However things don't go as easily, Ana has gotten a job with the hero's rival in CIA days and says hell no to his marriage proposal but Ben is a determined man and wants Ana back though he won't admit the reasons. Ana however is hurt and wary and reflects back on her love and how she was comfortable loving him from afar and now wants to run when he is willing to try too.
The book is all about Ben opening up and Ana running scared and finding reasons to keep Ben at a distance. For me Ben was a great guy who could be pushy and a little dense. Ana on the other hand was character you felt for and wanted to push. Still I enjoyed the book and also the sub-plot with Mark and his daughter.
ARC provided by Harlequin through Netgalley.
March 7, 2013
I’m not sure about much at the moment. I’m not sure how to rate it or how I really feel about this book.
The beginning of a story is of great importance in a book, is what will either scare you away or make you keep reading, and while An Act of Persuasion’s beginning didn’t quite scare me away, it didn’t make me really excited either. Or of course it helps that I’m too curious to quit anything far too soon no matter how bad. And the fact that we’re having a sex scene practically after the first page didn’t sit well with me either. But I kept on.
I am realizing now that I might have missed some important detail to Ben and Anna’s story, that might have been told in the first book, just like we learn a little about Mark in this one (one of Ben’s former partners of sorts, and I’m guessing the next story in the series). But as it is common for me, I started backwards. I’m weird like that.
Still, even if I did miss something relatively big, it wasn’t so hard to get the story, but I did feel something was missing. First it seemed to go too fast and then it wouldn’t go fast enough. You know, complicated.
You curious? I guess I could tell you a bit about the story. Anna Summers has been working for Ben Tyler for six years, and when illness struck him, she’s no longer just his executive assistant, but also his live-in caretaker. Their relationship is easy and Ben has a rule: never get involved with an employee. But let’s add a life or death decision, a pair of tight yoga pants, and a repressed need for six years. What do we get? Sex. Unprotected sex. At the beginning. I’m being repetitive, so what?
Anyway. Ben gets better slowly, but Anna has left him. She quit her job after finding out he had made a life or death decision without her. But now she’s pregnant… Let the drama begin!
Ben wants to do everything in his power to get Anna and his baby with him, forever. And Anna wants to do everything in her power to push him away. Or something like that.
I’m going to admit I didn’t understand Anna very much. She worked for a guy for six years, she was in love with him since pretty much the beginning, or so she said. Unhealthy much? Not to mention a bit pathetic, but at least that much she realized. I also got a little annoyed with Anna’s neediness and immaturity. Come on, girl, have some respect!
Yes, she had some issues, abandonment issues to be precise, but that’s reason to pull someone close and then push them away in the blink of an eye? She was all over the place. Like, letting him have sex with her, no wait, “mind numbing sex” so she wouldn’t have to think about the fear she felt. Come again? It just felt wrong to me, I couldn’t sympathizes with her.
Now Ben… I found Ben to be incredibly selfish. Yes, he’s gone through some serious life and death situations, his life as a CIA agent had made of him a hard man. But after getting a second chance at life and realizing he would be a father, he wanted Anna, but he wanted to have sex with her, he wanted her to love him again. Why not try to start the other way, buddy? Seriously, it made me angry. Why couldn’t he think about opening up to her and his feelings before thinking of well, as crude as it might sound, getting her legs open. Come on, man!
Okay, so maybe saying I was angry with him is an understatement. I hated his guts, actually. I mean, are you reading that quote? I wanted to kick him.
But you know the drill… don’t be too quick to judge someone and… stuff. So I gave him another chance. Wanna know how that turned out? Well, you might just have to read the book.Or not.
I am going to go with a two star rating because well, this book just wasn’t for me. I never really felt Anna’s said love for Ben, I didn’t really connect with Ben either. The story had some serious potential what with addressing so many issues, but I felt it lacked… emotion. I don’t really know, I couldn’t connect with it. Still, what salvaged it from being only one star was the last ten percent of the book, which was damn good. If only the rest fit with it, I would have been a lot happier. And that’s that.
Ps. Mark’s story sounds promising, I actually liked him better than Ben, which is saying something. I might check it out if his story comes next.
The beginning of a story is of great importance in a book, is what will either scare you away or make you keep reading, and while An Act of Persuasion’s beginning didn’t quite scare me away, it didn’t make me really excited either. Or of course it helps that I’m too curious to quit anything far too soon no matter how bad. And the fact that we’re having a sex scene practically after the first page didn’t sit well with me either. But I kept on.
I am realizing now that I might have missed some important detail to Ben and Anna’s story, that might have been told in the first book, just like we learn a little about Mark in this one (one of Ben’s former partners of sorts, and I’m guessing the next story in the series). But as it is common for me, I started backwards. I’m weird like that.
Still, even if I did miss something relatively big, it wasn’t so hard to get the story, but I did feel something was missing. First it seemed to go too fast and then it wouldn’t go fast enough. You know, complicated.
You curious? I guess I could tell you a bit about the story. Anna Summers has been working for Ben Tyler for six years, and when illness struck him, she’s no longer just his executive assistant, but also his live-in caretaker. Their relationship is easy and Ben has a rule: never get involved with an employee. But let’s add a life or death decision, a pair of tight yoga pants, and a repressed need for six years. What do we get? Sex. Unprotected sex. At the beginning. I’m being repetitive, so what?
Anyway. Ben gets better slowly, but Anna has left him. She quit her job after finding out he had made a life or death decision without her. But now she’s pregnant… Let the drama begin!
Ben wants to do everything in his power to get Anna and his baby with him, forever. And Anna wants to do everything in her power to push him away. Or something like that.
I’m going to admit I didn’t understand Anna very much. She worked for a guy for six years, she was in love with him since pretty much the beginning, or so she said. Unhealthy much? Not to mention a bit pathetic, but at least that much she realized. I also got a little annoyed with Anna’s neediness and immaturity. Come on, girl, have some respect!
Yes, she had some issues, abandonment issues to be precise, but that’s reason to pull someone close and then push them away in the blink of an eye? She was all over the place. Like, letting him have sex with her, no wait, “mind numbing sex” so she wouldn’t have to think about the fear she felt. Come again? It just felt wrong to me, I couldn’t sympathizes with her.
Now Ben… I found Ben to be incredibly selfish. Yes, he’s gone through some serious life and death situations, his life as a CIA agent had made of him a hard man. But after getting a second chance at life and realizing he would be a father, he wanted Anna, but he wanted to have sex with her, he wanted her to love him again. Why not try to start the other way, buddy? Seriously, it made me angry. Why couldn’t he think about opening up to her and his feelings before thinking of well, as crude as it might sound, getting her legs open. Come on, man!
“She would be his and with her came his child.
Yes, this courtship was just another mission for him.
And when he was on a mission he did not fail.”
Okay, so maybe saying I was angry with him is an understatement. I hated his guts, actually. I mean, are you reading that quote? I wanted to kick him.
But you know the drill… don’t be too quick to judge someone and… stuff. So I gave him another chance. Wanna know how that turned out? Well, you might just have to read the book.
I am going to go with a two star rating because well, this book just wasn’t for me. I never really felt Anna’s said love for Ben, I didn’t really connect with Ben either. The story had some serious potential what with addressing so many issues, but I felt it lacked… emotion. I don’t really know, I couldn’t connect with it. Still, what salvaged it from being only one star was the last ten percent of the book, which was damn good. If only the rest fit with it, I would have been a lot happier. And that’s that.
Ps. Mark’s story sounds promising, I actually liked him better than Ben, which is saying something. I might check it out if his story comes next.
January 7, 2013
That cover does not do this book justice. It's a meaty angsty romance that turns so many favorite romance story lines on it's head. It's boss/secretary. May/December and as you can guess by the cover, a not so secret baby.
With all of that - it's sexy, emotional and satisfying. Doyle does it again!
With all of that - it's sexy, emotional and satisfying. Doyle does it again!
February 21, 2016
4.5 stars
March 1, 2013
Review Originally Posted at: Book Freak
The Characters
Anna. I find her cool when she was not pregnant. Especially when she threw the snow globe - it was childish but she pulled it off. She thought that one night she had with Ben meant something to him, but she was dead wrong. When she heard he agreed to the risky stem cell therapy - she left. He wanted to die, and she wasn't going to watch him do it.
Growing up in a few foster homes, all Anna wanted was a home of her own. She's saving her money to finally buy a dream house.
She's pregnant with Ben's child and she wanted him to be a part of it. But she refused his marriage offer - after all, he just wanted to marry her because: 1) she's pregnant with his child 2) his chemo left him sterile.
Ben. He didn't like being defeated, especially with a disease that could leave him for dead. He gave up his chemotherapy and proceed to the stem cell therapy -a risky procedure but with a high chance of cure. Ben knew he was risking his life, but he wasn't the kind of person who would let anyone or anything break him. That night, thanks to the yoga pants - he broke his personal rule: never to get involve with his employees.
12 weeks later, he was well and Anna, just when he had expected an apology from her for leaving him at the time that he needed her the most - dropped the bomb.
She was pregnant with his child. A child he could never have after the rounds of chemotherapy left him sterile. If only he can convince the mother of his unborn child to marry him.
Mark. He's Ben's rival during his CIA era. I like how his brain works. He may consider Ben an adversary but he respects his former chief and cares for Anna.
He has his secrets on why he suddenly quit his job and moved to Philadelphia - he wanted to be with his prodigy child - but his daughter didn't want his absentee father in her life.
How can he convince her that he's back in her life for good and he's willing to be a father now?
Please Stop.
I find their relationship exasperating. She wanted him to love her but when he wanted her in his life - well, at first mostly because of the child, but when he started to show he cared - she ran afraid. Their fights which mostly she instigated because of her fear (or probably hormones) is quite annoying - good thing Ben is patient and doesn't give up on her. He would take his time, plan his strategies well and reach for his goal before their child is born. Yes, his will power and patience is admirable. He doesn't get provoked easily to matter how Anna poked him. Can he finally convince her to include him in their child's and most importantly, in her life?
I would have loved this novel more if not for the 'provocations' that Anna would start because the emotions got her scared. It felt so weird after all the efforts shown by Ben in trying to win her. Somewhere along the novel - it was obvious that he wanted her as much as he wanted the baby in his life - now why can't a level headed woman see that?
The Characters
Anna. I find her cool when she was not pregnant. Especially when she threw the snow globe - it was childish but she pulled it off. She thought that one night she had with Ben meant something to him, but she was dead wrong. When she heard he agreed to the risky stem cell therapy - she left. He wanted to die, and she wasn't going to watch him do it.
Growing up in a few foster homes, all Anna wanted was a home of her own. She's saving her money to finally buy a dream house.
She's pregnant with Ben's child and she wanted him to be a part of it. But she refused his marriage offer - after all, he just wanted to marry her because: 1) she's pregnant with his child 2) his chemo left him sterile.
Ben. He didn't like being defeated, especially with a disease that could leave him for dead. He gave up his chemotherapy and proceed to the stem cell therapy -a risky procedure but with a high chance of cure. Ben knew he was risking his life, but he wasn't the kind of person who would let anyone or anything break him. That night, thanks to the yoga pants - he broke his personal rule: never to get involve with his employees.
12 weeks later, he was well and Anna, just when he had expected an apology from her for leaving him at the time that he needed her the most - dropped the bomb.
She was pregnant with his child. A child he could never have after the rounds of chemotherapy left him sterile. If only he can convince the mother of his unborn child to marry him.
Mark. He's Ben's rival during his CIA era. I like how his brain works. He may consider Ben an adversary but he respects his former chief and cares for Anna.
He has his secrets on why he suddenly quit his job and moved to Philadelphia - he wanted to be with his prodigy child - but his daughter didn't want his absentee father in her life.
How can he convince her that he's back in her life for good and he's willing to be a father now?
Please Stop.
I find their relationship exasperating. She wanted him to love her but when he wanted her in his life - well, at first mostly because of the child, but when he started to show he cared - she ran afraid. Their fights which mostly she instigated because of her fear (or probably hormones) is quite annoying - good thing Ben is patient and doesn't give up on her. He would take his time, plan his strategies well and reach for his goal before their child is born. Yes, his will power and patience is admirable. He doesn't get provoked easily to matter how Anna poked him. Can he finally convince her to include him in their child's and most importantly, in her life?
I would have loved this novel more if not for the 'provocations' that Anna would start because the emotions got her scared. It felt so weird after all the efforts shown by Ben in trying to win her. Somewhere along the novel - it was obvious that he wanted her as much as he wanted the baby in his life - now why can't a level headed woman see that?
April 28, 2014
After a life of leading teams of CIA agents through life threatening maneuvers, Ben Tyler never believed he would be brought to his knees, especially by his own body. There was no way he was going to allow cancer to kill him slowly, so he decided to undergo a drastic treatment behind the back of his personal assistant, and primary support. Now, twelve weeks later, he is cancer free, and Anna-free. Can he talk her in to forgiving him? Especially now that his future is in her hands.
The only thing Anna Summers has ever wanted is a home. Abandoned at the age of six by her mother, and spending twelve years of her life being bounced from house to house, she thought she had finally found that home caring for her boss, Ben. Everything changes after one night when barriers come crashing down and they give in to a passion she is sure is mutual. However, in the aftermath, she is left feeling used and betrayed. Though leaving him was the hardest thing she had ever done, she will willingly walk back in to his life now that she is carrying the only child Ben will ever father, but it is going to be on her terms only.
This story is emotionally captivating and beautifully written. The characters are both strong, in the sense that life has taught them that it is better to be independent than a victim. That being said, it is understandable why they are drawn to each other. Anna sees Ben as the only person who has ever truly needed her, and Ben sees Anna as the only person who has never pitied him. It is also why they are wary of each other. Anna doesn't want to be controlled, and Ben doesn't like being out of control.
The introduction of Mark and Sophie in the side story gave a great contrast to Ben's control. Mark is confident and good at what he does. But Ben has an emotional detachment that really becomes emphasized when compared to a peer who lacks that detachment.
Overall, this is a great read and my personal favorite of the series. The language is strong at times, but in an isolated manner. The love scenes are well written and the storyline never really lags.
The only thing Anna Summers has ever wanted is a home. Abandoned at the age of six by her mother, and spending twelve years of her life being bounced from house to house, she thought she had finally found that home caring for her boss, Ben. Everything changes after one night when barriers come crashing down and they give in to a passion she is sure is mutual. However, in the aftermath, she is left feeling used and betrayed. Though leaving him was the hardest thing she had ever done, she will willingly walk back in to his life now that she is carrying the only child Ben will ever father, but it is going to be on her terms only.
This story is emotionally captivating and beautifully written. The characters are both strong, in the sense that life has taught them that it is better to be independent than a victim. That being said, it is understandable why they are drawn to each other. Anna sees Ben as the only person who has ever truly needed her, and Ben sees Anna as the only person who has never pitied him. It is also why they are wary of each other. Anna doesn't want to be controlled, and Ben doesn't like being out of control.
The introduction of Mark and Sophie in the side story gave a great contrast to Ben's control. Mark is confident and good at what he does. But Ben has an emotional detachment that really becomes emphasized when compared to a peer who lacks that detachment.
Overall, this is a great read and my personal favorite of the series. The language is strong at times, but in an isolated manner. The love scenes are well written and the storyline never really lags.
March 5, 2013
3 STARS
An Act of Persuasion is a romance story with two main characters that are afraid to
open thier hearts all the way.
Ben Tyler was a CIA Agent now he owns his own company. Ben has cancer and the chemo did not work. He is facing some hard decisions alone about a risky choice he is making.
Anna Summers has worked for Ben for six years as his assistant. Since he got cancer she is living in his home and helping him fight the cancer.
Ben is trying to hide from Anna what he is going to try next. They are on the couch and end up Sleeping together. They don't talk about it. and a few days later Anna finds out that he is going to risk his life on some new treatment. She realizes that Ben is not falling in love with her and willing to share his decisions. So Anna leaves him at the hospital and quits working for him.
Anna was in foster care since the age six when her mom left her somewhere. Anna is afraid that she can not go through that again. Then Anna finds out she is pregnant.
Mark Anna's new boss used to work with Ben in the CIA and he always went after the women Ben was attracted too. Mark was always wanting to beat Ben in work or play now he was starting his own business and has Anna working for him. He has moved to the same town as Ben because of his daughter.
This is a fast read. Thier is a few love scenes in it.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
03/05/2013 PUB Harlequin Imprint Harlequin Superromance 304 pages ISBN 0373718381
An Act of Persuasion is a romance story with two main characters that are afraid to
open thier hearts all the way.
Ben Tyler was a CIA Agent now he owns his own company. Ben has cancer and the chemo did not work. He is facing some hard decisions alone about a risky choice he is making.
Anna Summers has worked for Ben for six years as his assistant. Since he got cancer she is living in his home and helping him fight the cancer.
Ben is trying to hide from Anna what he is going to try next. They are on the couch and end up Sleeping together. They don't talk about it. and a few days later Anna finds out that he is going to risk his life on some new treatment. She realizes that Ben is not falling in love with her and willing to share his decisions. So Anna leaves him at the hospital and quits working for him.
Anna was in foster care since the age six when her mom left her somewhere. Anna is afraid that she can not go through that again. Then Anna finds out she is pregnant.
Mark Anna's new boss used to work with Ben in the CIA and he always went after the women Ben was attracted too. Mark was always wanting to beat Ben in work or play now he was starting his own business and has Anna working for him. He has moved to the same town as Ben because of his daughter.
This is a fast read. Thier is a few love scenes in it.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
03/05/2013 PUB Harlequin Imprint Harlequin Superromance 304 pages ISBN 0373718381
June 13, 2013
his is a rather odd scenario for a romance novel. Anna is in love with her boss, who has cancer. The first round of chemo hasn't worked and he's at a crossroads in his treatment. For some reason, the site of his assistant/caregiver in yoga pants turns him on and boom! Hot and heavy sex.
Flash forward a day or two and things fall apart for them.
Flash forward again and Anna tells him she's pregnant.
Oye.
I'm not usually a fan of romance novels where the heroine is pregnant, and this one reaffirmed that for me, though it wasn't the pregnancy that turned me off of this one, it was Anna.
I loved Ben Tyler. I loved that he cared about her and the baby. I even liked his former comrade, Mark, but Anna had way too many issues with trust and relationships.
I get that she was part of the foster system, but her experiences weren't that bad. She just made them that way. She had the problems. I found myself screaming at her to get therapy, because she needed it, because as the story played out, she had two good sets of foster parents. She shouldn't be that screwed up.
I don't understand how she could love Ben and keep him at a distance so much, when it really became apparent he cared for her. This guy was bending over backward for her and she was giving him a tough time at every turn.
I loved the side story between Mark and Ben, though I wish they would have resolved the reason he was so competitive with him.
Not a bad romance, but too much conflict and not enough spice in this story for me.
Flash forward a day or two and things fall apart for them.
Flash forward again and Anna tells him she's pregnant.
Oye.
I'm not usually a fan of romance novels where the heroine is pregnant, and this one reaffirmed that for me, though it wasn't the pregnancy that turned me off of this one, it was Anna.
I loved Ben Tyler. I loved that he cared about her and the baby. I even liked his former comrade, Mark, but Anna had way too many issues with trust and relationships.
I get that she was part of the foster system, but her experiences weren't that bad. She just made them that way. She had the problems. I found myself screaming at her to get therapy, because she needed it, because as the story played out, she had two good sets of foster parents. She shouldn't be that screwed up.
I don't understand how she could love Ben and keep him at a distance so much, when it really became apparent he cared for her. This guy was bending over backward for her and she was giving him a tough time at every turn.
I loved the side story between Mark and Ben, though I wish they would have resolved the reason he was so competitive with him.
Not a bad romance, but too much conflict and not enough spice in this story for me.
April 24, 2013
This story started with Anna and Ben spent the night together where they finally give in to their attraction on the day Ben decided to go ahead with a transplant that may or may not save his life from cancer. Upon knowing his decision after their night together, Anna resigned from her position as assistant to Ben and leaves him for good without news. Fast forward to three months later, Anna attended a party organized by Ben, who knew she will definitely be presence. But she arrived with a purpose; to tell him that she is pregnant and they are expecting a child together as she knew Ben have the right to know about the baby. Ben, after the risk that he took, is cured and is now on a recovery journey is ecstatic as he was told that after the therapy that he went thru, the chances of him becoming a father is very slim. He wanted them to get married and be a family but it is not what Anna wanted. She wanted to raise the child herself but with Ben playing a part time father. Due to her past, it is difficult for Anna to accept commitment from others and it is fall back to Ben to convince that it is worthwhile for her to place her trust on him
This is an emotional read for me especially reading about how Ben is determined to prove to Anna that he is a good husband and father material and I could not help but cried when Anna fell into coma when she have complication in her pregnancy at the end of the story.
This is an emotional read for me especially reading about how Ben is determined to prove to Anna that he is a good husband and father material and I could not help but cried when Anna fell into coma when she have complication in her pregnancy at the end of the story.
March 10, 2013
Reviewed at: Library of Lights
Review date: 11 March 2011
Review link: http://mykindaland.com/?p=716
I don't usually read books from Harlequin Super Romance as they're usually long winded and lack hot steamy romance in it, but boy am I glad I picked up this one against all odds. Unlike many books published by Harlequin where the featuring hero is usually macho and domineering, this one is not. In fact, the hero in this story is somewhat helpless due to his illness and I like how he was persistent in resolving the heroine's insecurity issues.
Quite a good book to pick up if you like unconventional heroes who are strong even when they are weak.I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review for this book and I did not receive any compensation of any form for it.
Review date: 11 March 2011
Review link: http://mykindaland.com/?p=716
I don't usually read books from Harlequin Super Romance as they're usually long winded and lack hot steamy romance in it, but boy am I glad I picked up this one against all odds. Unlike many books published by Harlequin where the featuring hero is usually macho and domineering, this one is not. In fact, the hero in this story is somewhat helpless due to his illness and I like how he was persistent in resolving the heroine's insecurity issues.
Quite a good book to pick up if you like unconventional heroes who are strong even when they are weak.I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review for this book and I did not receive any compensation of any form for it.
February 28, 2013
This one surprised me--I really, really liked it. (Not that I went into it expecting to hate it, but--the boss/secretary thing? Not exactly my cup of tea. Or so I thought. But this book turned a lot of things a bit sideways for me.)
There is a lot of depth here. Ben's illness, Anna's abandonment issues, Mark's surprising emotional layers, Sophie's bitterness--it was all very well done, and so much more than I expected. I was only about halfway through when I knew I had to get my hands on the first book in the series--not because I had read so much about its main characters in this one that I needed to hear their story (they're in it, but only briefly) but because I 1) wanted to see what Anna and Ben were like together before and 2) just was going to need more from this author.
I can't wait to read it, and will definitely be looking for the next in the series as well!
There is a lot of depth here. Ben's illness, Anna's abandonment issues, Mark's surprising emotional layers, Sophie's bitterness--it was all very well done, and so much more than I expected. I was only about halfway through when I knew I had to get my hands on the first book in the series--not because I had read so much about its main characters in this one that I needed to hear their story (they're in it, but only briefly) but because I 1) wanted to see what Anna and Ben were like together before and 2) just was going to need more from this author.
I can't wait to read it, and will definitely be looking for the next in the series as well!
May 15, 2013
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through NetGalley for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
Really interesting tale that had my attention the whole time. The pace was wonderful and the characters engaging. Great dynamic in the relationship that made it very believable. Beautiful storytelling that entertained the whole time!
It had really great flow and did the job of making me think at times. I love a book that taps into my emotions. I am a real sucker for a sexy romance!! I laugh, I cry and I wish the hero were real so he could be mine! LOL
I would love to see more from this author! Definitely one to watch in the future.
Really interesting tale that had my attention the whole time. The pace was wonderful and the characters engaging. Great dynamic in the relationship that made it very believable. Beautiful storytelling that entertained the whole time!
It had really great flow and did the job of making me think at times. I love a book that taps into my emotions. I am a real sucker for a sexy romance!! I laugh, I cry and I wish the hero were real so he could be mine! LOL
I would love to see more from this author! Definitely one to watch in the future.
April 27, 2016
I won this book on Goodreads and I am so glad that I did. This is not a book I would have normally thought "I am going to just love this" but I did. I am definitely going to be passing on this title to friends of mine as a book to read. Once I started I didn't like putting it down. At the end I stayed up way too late one night to finish it. The characters had flaws but were real enough not to be horrid just human. I liked everyone involved and the flow of the book was nice and evenly paced. A very enjoyable read.
February 15, 2013
Add an employee with a long-lived crush on the boss with an employer who thinks he's going to die and one has a volatile love affair. In this particular case, an unexpected pregnancy brings them together, but will it keep them there? More specifically, will the boss, whose never been one to deal well with emotions--especially his own--will HE stick around? An issue that is fraught with baggage for the employee, I HAD to keep reading to find out.
March 3, 2013
This went a little downhill for me at the end, and I never thought the 3rd POV totally gelled, but Doyle's Superromances are multifaceted and compelling reads. This has been my favorite book of hers. I liked and engaged with the characters. They're different, definitely not romance-land stock (even with boss/secretary former CIA), and I think that's why I liked them so well.
February 24, 2013
I did like the novel, some parts were more emotional and welcoming to read than others. I was glad Anna made Ben wait and work for it. It was definitely worth it. Overall everything was good except the ending. I felt it was rushed and nothing with Anna's biological mother was settled.
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December 29, 2014Category: Romance with More
March 6, 2013
Just couldn't get into it
May 7, 2013
Love these little stories for travel and waiting at places , like a doctor's office, a very light fast read.
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