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Sweet Poison
“You’ll put an end to this relationship!”
Pavane hated to interfere. She was indebted to her sister for the welcome she’d received at her Spanish home. But Armando de Montilla’s knowledge of her sister’s indiscretion with his brother left her no choice.
Through one simple lie, she shifted the blame onto herself to save her sister’s marriage—though it brought Pavane dishonor.
She didn’t know that Spanish pride dictated that honor be restored through matrimony. Or that Armando—the one man who could expose her—would insist on paying the price!
Pavane hated to interfere. She was indebted to her sister for the welcome she’d received at her Spanish home. But Armando de Montilla’s knowledge of her sister’s indiscretion with his brother left her no choice.
Through one simple lie, she shifted the blame onto herself to save her sister’s marriage—though it brought Pavane dishonor.
She didn’t know that Spanish pride dictated that honor be restored through matrimony. Or that Armando—the one man who could expose her—would insist on paying the price!
188 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 12, 2013
I've had this book for many years. I've don't even know how many times I've read this book or why I continue to read this book since I get pissed every time I read it. Pavane is that female character I always hate! Simpering. Armando is high handed and entitled. His treatment of Pavane in the name of family honor does not make him a dream hero. He's a jerk and she falls for him anyway? Guess that's not a new thing.
It's a harmless beach or poolside read. Makes you laugh. Makes you wanna cry. Makes you mad.
It's a harmless beach or poolside read. Makes you laugh. Makes you wanna cry. Makes you mad.
September 9, 2025
4.5 stars??? Maybe I’m just in a mood, but this one hit me just right. I loved the fierce jealous possessive hero flying into jealous rages… I loved the sweet selfless heroine. The angst was delicious. The tension… “Will he find out The Old Fashioned Way??!!” It would have been a 5-star had the OW woman drama had a little more teeth and if the hero had given into his worst angels. 🤣😈
Still, this was a lot of fun and I’ll be trying more by this author.
Still, this was a lot of fun and I’ll be trying more by this author.
December 17, 2023
I love the cover - for it alone I'd add an additional star. Lovely!
When Pavane's married sister is discovered in a compromising situation with a young Spaniard, Pavane rushes to her defence claiming to be Rico's real lover.
After her brother-in-law disowns her and demands a marriage proposal from the guilty party, bewildered Pavane finds herself in the church. But instead of Rico, she's marrying Rico's older brother.
"Madre de Dios!—can’t you see? I separated you for my own selfish reasons. I’ve told you, the moment I saw you in church, I was bewitched by you. The sweet poison of your eyes inflamed me beyond sanity! I couldn’t even think straight.’ He laughed harshly. ‘The first time I saw you I was entranced. You were my brother’s novia—but that didn’t matter. I would challenge him for you: fairly if possible, unfairly if necessary!’ The hand that reached out and took her chin was gentle, but she had made no effort to escape it anyway. Armando lifted her face towards him, staring down with a glinting intensity into her puzzled eyes. ‘What do you think I felt that night when Rodrigo delivered Rico to me, beaten up and smelling of your perfume, and flung him at my feet with the demand that he should marry you forthwith because he’d dishonoured you? Well, querida ...’ He gave her a beautiful cruel smile, then before she was aware of his intention he lowered his head and kissed her with a leashed passion that terrified her. ‘What do you think that did to me, hmm?"
When Pavane's married sister is discovered in a compromising situation with a young Spaniard, Pavane rushes to her defence claiming to be Rico's real lover.
After her brother-in-law disowns her and demands a marriage proposal from the guilty party, bewildered Pavane finds herself in the church. But instead of Rico, she's marrying Rico's older brother.
"Madre de Dios!—can’t you see? I separated you for my own selfish reasons. I’ve told you, the moment I saw you in church, I was bewitched by you. The sweet poison of your eyes inflamed me beyond sanity! I couldn’t even think straight.’ He laughed harshly. ‘The first time I saw you I was entranced. You were my brother’s novia—but that didn’t matter. I would challenge him for you: fairly if possible, unfairly if necessary!’ The hand that reached out and took her chin was gentle, but she had made no effort to escape it anyway. Armando lifted her face towards him, staring down with a glinting intensity into her puzzled eyes. ‘What do you think I felt that night when Rodrigo delivered Rico to me, beaten up and smelling of your perfume, and flung him at my feet with the demand that he should marry you forthwith because he’d dishonoured you? Well, querida ...’ He gave her a beautiful cruel smile, then before she was aware of his intention he lowered his head and kissed her with a leashed passion that terrified her. ‘What do you think that did to me, hmm?"
August 20, 2016
Δυναμίτης Καμία σχέση το οπισθόφυλλο το ελληνικό με το story βλέποντας το ξένο απορώ ποιος έγραψε το δικό μας!!!! Η ηρωίδα υπέροχη αλλά ο ήρωας ήταν από τους καλύτερους που έχω διαβάσει Τρελός και παλαβός μαζί της έφτασε στο σημείο να τσαλακωθεί για πάρτη της άπειρες φορές και έτρωγε συνέχεια πόρτα!!! Και οι δύο ήρωες ήταν για λύπηση !!!
July 8, 2022
This is the 2nd book by this author I’ve read where the heroine is an insipid, trembling ninny who lets her husband treat her with contempt and manhandle her because she can’t help but wilt at his touch. This MFC is immature and helpless, dependent on her brother-in-law’s charity, can’t support herself, takes the blame for her equally weak sister, gets talked into a ridiculous marriage to an alpha jerk solely to satisfy his pride, doesn’t have the spirit to defend herself … while the hero claims he loved her from the start, which is belied by his nasty behaviour. Ugh. No more Wells for me.
September 12, 2022
Eh. I mean, if you've read the back cover you know you're getting a marriage-of-honor, and you can probably guess from the publication date that the hero's going to be a rapey stereotype who talks a lot about honor, but a lot of this just didn't make a ton of sense - is it a marriage of convenience? is it not? is Armando really cool with a divorce if he's insistent that the family honor requires marriage? - and the heroine is just dumb and mostly without personality. Like I said, eh.
August 6, 2026
I liked this novel better than most other 80's Harlequin novels I've read so far. I liked the calmer atmosphere, again compared to other 80's Harlequin novels, of the novel.
A lot of the novels of this time have characters, both MFC and MC, that are always mad. Their thoughts and emotions are like a roller coaster, suddenly high then low. Which as a reader is not entertaining.
In this novel the MC and MFC's interactions don't always consist of them yelling or being high strung. And even when the hero is being sexist it's written in a more softer tone.
I know my previous sentence might not make sense but I think if you read enough of these novels you'll get what I mean.
They do have disagreements, I mean the whole novel is based around deception, but the dialogue and each characters' approach to a disagreement doesn't stress the reader out... at least not too much.
As for the plot it's pretty simple and common. To solve a problem hero proposes marriage, heroine accepts.
However there was one point that was confusing for me. I am no expert of what the culture in Spain was like during the 80's. Maybe they were seriously conservative or at least some parts were. Yet would they really go so far as asking someone to marry the girl if she's considered "compromised?"
Now lets discuss the characters. I think the hero is pretty straight forward. You know sexist, controling and obviously rich....lol Despite that I liked him. There were times he was definitely unreasonable but he wasn't a complete asshole. Oh man I realized what low standards these older romances had for men :/
I also liked the parts where he would suddenly add Spanish to his sentences. I haven't ever been attracted to certain languages such as French or Spanish being sexy but for some reason those few words that were spoken in Spanish were really seductive. 😂
Then you have the heroine. She was softer and calmer but also lacked courage. She chooses to accept the hero's proposal because of her lack of money. I wished she would have rejected him and gone back to England anyways but of course then there would be no story....
You also have the heroine's sister. HER story was more interesting and had much more potential. You see the holes and reality of situations like hers but it was quickly glossed over and shut down.
Overall I enjoyed reading it and if you're looking for a quick read then this might be one of the better Harlequin novels to try.
A lot of the novels of this time have characters, both MFC and MC, that are always mad. Their thoughts and emotions are like a roller coaster, suddenly high then low. Which as a reader is not entertaining.
In this novel the MC and MFC's interactions don't always consist of them yelling or being high strung. And even when the hero is being sexist it's written in a more softer tone.
I know my previous sentence might not make sense but I think if you read enough of these novels you'll get what I mean.
They do have disagreements, I mean the whole novel is based around deception, but the dialogue and each characters' approach to a disagreement doesn't stress the reader out... at least not too much.
As for the plot it's pretty simple and common. To solve a problem hero proposes marriage, heroine accepts.
However there was one point that was confusing for me. I am no expert of what the culture in Spain was like during the 80's. Maybe they were seriously conservative or at least some parts were. Yet would they really go so far as asking someone to marry the girl if she's considered "compromised?"
Now lets discuss the characters. I think the hero is pretty straight forward. You know sexist, controling and obviously rich....lol Despite that I liked him. There were times he was definitely unreasonable but he wasn't a complete asshole. Oh man I realized what low standards these older romances had for men :/
I also liked the parts where he would suddenly add Spanish to his sentences. I haven't ever been attracted to certain languages such as French or Spanish being sexy but for some reason those few words that were spoken in Spanish were really seductive. 😂
Then you have the heroine. She was softer and calmer but also lacked courage. She chooses to accept the hero's proposal because of her lack of money. I wished she would have rejected him and gone back to England anyways but of course then there would be no story....
You also have the heroine's sister. HER story was more interesting and had much more potential. You see the holes and reality of situations like hers but it was quickly glossed over and shut down.
Overall I enjoyed reading it and if you're looking for a quick read then this might be one of the better Harlequin novels to try.
July 30, 2026
Wellll… I’m honestly glad this one is over because continuing it felt like torture.
I absolutely hated the h. She was one of those stupid, impulsive women who do whatever they want, convinced that somehow everything will magically work out in their favor. Her sheer stubbornness, especially in spite of all the things she did wrong, drove me absolutely crazy.
On top of that, the author seems to belong to that school of historical romance where everything outside the UK is portrayed as primitive, backward, or straight out of the Dark Ages. That really didn’t work for me.
Then there’s the whole sister/affair situation. The reason the sister got involved in the affair was ridiculous to begin with, and the way the h constantly shielded and defended her didn’t sit well with me at all. Honestly, considering everything, I don’t see how that situation could possibly bode well for either the sister or the BIL in the future.
H is one of those alpha heroes who sometimes refuses to explain himself and expects the h to simply figure out his intentions on her own. Normally, that would annoy me, but in this case, I actually didn’t think H was entirely to blame.
The h constantly provokes and instigates him, and then, when he retaliates, she acts like a wounded innocent. And then the whole cycle repeats itself. Again and again.
Her complete aimlessness and lack of direction in life also irritated me to no end. There was just so much about her behavior that I found frustrating.
By the end, I was completely done.
I hated the h and honestly felt that H deserved much better.
I absolutely hated the h. She was one of those stupid, impulsive women who do whatever they want, convinced that somehow everything will magically work out in their favor. Her sheer stubbornness, especially in spite of all the things she did wrong, drove me absolutely crazy.
On top of that, the author seems to belong to that school of historical romance where everything outside the UK is portrayed as primitive, backward, or straight out of the Dark Ages. That really didn’t work for me.
Then there’s the whole sister/affair situation. The reason the sister got involved in the affair was ridiculous to begin with, and the way the h constantly shielded and defended her didn’t sit well with me at all. Honestly, considering everything, I don’t see how that situation could possibly bode well for either the sister or the BIL in the future.
H is one of those alpha heroes who sometimes refuses to explain himself and expects the h to simply figure out his intentions on her own. Normally, that would annoy me, but in this case, I actually didn’t think H was entirely to blame.
The h constantly provokes and instigates him, and then, when he retaliates, she acts like a wounded innocent. And then the whole cycle repeats itself. Again and again.
Her complete aimlessness and lack of direction in life also irritated me to no end. There was just so much about her behavior that I found frustrating.
By the end, I was completely done.
I hated the h and honestly felt that H deserved much better.
July 31, 2025
Heroine takes the rap for her sister cheating with hero's brother. Her sister is married to a powerful, jealous Spaniard who is willing to kill the hero's brother for his transgression. Heroine breaks up their fight and confesses it was her the poor man saw, not her sister.
Heroine thinks she'll just return to England in disgrace and all will be well. Enter hero (also a powerful, jealous Spaniard) who decides he will marry heroine since his brother is in med school and nothing should interfere. Everyone takes this at face value- including the heroine. But it's obvious hero is crazy about her and seized this moment to lock her down.
It's all good, clean Harlequin fun. Heroine emotes all over the place and hero shows his true feelings by lots of punishing kisses and edicts issued from on high.
Recommended if you liked forced marriage scenarios and honor societies that don't exist anymore (if they ever did).
Heroine thinks she'll just return to England in disgrace and all will be well. Enter hero (also a powerful, jealous Spaniard) who decides he will marry heroine since his brother is in med school and nothing should interfere. Everyone takes this at face value- including the heroine. But it's obvious hero is crazy about her and seized this moment to lock her down.
It's all good, clean Harlequin fun. Heroine emotes all over the place and hero shows his true feelings by lots of punishing kisses and edicts issued from on high.
Recommended if you liked forced marriage scenarios and honor societies that don't exist anymore (if they ever did).
August 11, 2025
4 ⭐
As usual, I don't know if it deserves 4 stars, but let's say that my rating scale for Harlequin novels is a little different 😂
It's messy and angsty, and the hero is extremely jealous and possessive due to a lot of miscommunication. What more could you ask for? 🤷🏻♀️
Oh, and by the way, I can't believe that the heroine's sister gets away with a HEA even though she slept with her husband's brother without him ever knowing.🥲
Safety/ Spoilers
- No sharing or cheating between the MC’s.
- OM drama
- Light OW drama
- Virgin FMC. Experienced (?) MMC.
As usual, I don't know if it deserves 4 stars, but let's say that my rating scale for Harlequin novels is a little different 😂
It's messy and angsty, and the hero is extremely jealous and possessive due to a lot of miscommunication. What more could you ask for? 🤷🏻♀️
Oh, and by the way, I can't believe that the heroine's sister gets away with a HEA even though she slept with her husband's brother without him ever knowing.🥲
Safety/ Spoilers
- No sharing or cheating between the MC’s.
- OM drama
- Light OW drama
- Virgin FMC. Experienced (?) MMC.
February 6, 2025
Was there a ton of drama and miscommunication? Yes.
Did I still really enjoy it? Yes.
Pavane has got to be one of my fav MCs, her emotions and behaviours are so real and earnest. I ended coming around to Armando too by the end.
Did I still really enjoy it? Yes.
Pavane has got to be one of my fav MCs, her emotions and behaviours are so real and earnest. I ended coming around to Armando too by the end.
October 15, 2026
What I appreciate about "Angela Wells" in "Sweet Poison" is that the core themes aren't detached from reality. You find yourself constantly applying the text to current politics and social shifts. "Angela Wells" delivered a rich, intelligent work that respects the reader's brain.
March 5, 2021
You’ll put an end to this relationship!”
Pavane hated to interfere. She was indebted to her sister for the welcome she’d received at her Spanish home. But Armando de Montilla’s knowledge of her sister’s indiscretion with his brother left her no choice.
Through one simple lie, she shifted the blame onto herself to save her sister’s marriage—though it brought Pavane dishonor.
She didn’t know that Spanish pride dictated that honor be restored through matrimony. Or that Armando—the one man who could expose her—would insist on paying the price!
Pavane hated to interfere. She was indebted to her sister for the welcome she’d received at her Spanish home. But Armando de Montilla’s knowledge of her sister’s indiscretion with his brother left her no choice.
Through one simple lie, she shifted the blame onto herself to save her sister’s marriage—though it brought Pavane dishonor.
She didn’t know that Spanish pride dictated that honor be restored through matrimony. Or that Armando—the one man who could expose her—would insist on paying the price!
October 29, 2025
I HATE stories where the virginal h takes the blame for a 304 sister who - of course - gets away with her crap behavior. All the h does is enable bad behavior because her sister will now know she can get away with anything and once a cheater always a cheater.
And the H treating the h badly only to admit later that he always loved her is another trope I'm less than fond of.
DNF
And the H treating the h badly only to admit later that he always loved her is another trope I'm less than fond of.
DNF
April 11, 2025
A charming story with a gorgeous cover !!
I LOVE the dress heroine is wearing on the cover.
However, heroine's sister was quite selfish. She did a mistake and instead of asking for forgiveness regarding it, she was just happy that heroine was willing to take the fall for her.
I LOVE the dress heroine is wearing on the cover.
However, heroine's sister was quite selfish. She did a mistake and instead of asking for forgiveness regarding it, she was just happy that heroine was willing to take the fall for her.
November 2, 2015
3.5 Stars
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History of Armando & Pavane
History of Armando & Pavane
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