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Best Friends #1
The Man Behind the Mask
A weekend to change everything…
Delilah St. Germaine fell for New York's most in-demand bachelor, Simon Cartwright, the moment she began working for him. Four years later, her heart still flutters every time he saunters into the office—much to her frustration. He's so far out of her reach it's embarrassing!
Thrown together with him for a working weekend, Delilah glimpses the cracks in Simon's glittering facade. Now she's tasted the sweetness of his kisses, she's determined to uncover the secrets he's hiding and learn who the real Simon Cartwright is. But will innocent Delilah's life ever be the same once the truth is revealed?
Delilah St. Germaine fell for New York's most in-demand bachelor, Simon Cartwright, the moment she began working for him. Four years later, her heart still flutters every time he saunters into the office—much to her frustration. He's so far out of her reach it's embarrassing!
Thrown together with him for a working weekend, Delilah glimpses the cracks in Simon's glittering facade. Now she's tasted the sweetness of his kisses, she's determined to uncover the secrets he's hiding and learn who the real Simon Cartwright is. But will innocent Delilah's life ever be the same once the truth is revealed?
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
About the author
Barbara Wallace
193 books175 followersBestselling author Barbara Tanner Wallace makes her living making up stories. When not writing, she's either reading, crocheting or bowing to her cats' whims.
She's a life-long New Englander with two hundred years of Yankee history behind her. She currently lives just outside of Boston with her husband. They have one son who lives in the middle of nowhere and apparently likes it.
She's a life-long New Englander with two hundred years of Yankee history behind her. She currently lives just outside of Boston with her husband. They have one son who lives in the middle of nowhere and apparently likes it.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 1, 2014
4.5 stars. Delilah has been Simon's executive assistant at an advertising agency for four years. And she has secretly loved him for four years. They have an out of town meeting in Boston with a potential client where two things happen. Simon begins to fall apart when he starts having memories of something horrible that happened to him in Boston while at an exclusive prep school and Delilah starts to open up her feelings more to Simon. These two things collide. And, even though they finally consummate their desires, Simon is unable to commit to Delilah because of his past and leaves her broken hearted. This is a simple explanation of a complicated story. One that you don't normally read in a Harlequin romance novel.
Delilah is a very strong woman. She is very much the equal of Simon and is determined to get him to come to terms with what happened to him so that he can move on with his life, a life hopefully with her in it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It wasn't overly long but it was a solid book, with solid characters and a different kind of story. Beware that the steam happens off camera. Didn't bother me in the least.
Delilah is a very strong woman. She is very much the equal of Simon and is determined to get him to come to terms with what happened to him so that he can move on with his life, a life hopefully with her in it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It wasn't overly long but it was a solid book, with solid characters and a different kind of story. Beware that the steam happens off camera. Didn't bother me in the least.
January 31, 2015
Pleasant "sweet" (i.e., not steamy) romance between faithful secretary and magnetic boss. His issues did turn out to be pretty grim, and I wasn't so sure about their chances of an HEA, but it was all right. Recommended if you like some pretty stark problems in characters' backgrounds.
January 17, 2019
Nombres: Delilah & Simon.
Pais: USA
Profesiones: Empresario Publicista & Secretaria.
Pais: USA
Profesiones: Empresario Publicista & Secretaria.
December 8, 2013
I LOVED this book! It was everything a romance should be. The characters were interesting and well fleshed out with deep emotions that made you tear up as they fought through their pain to find each other. The writing was wonderful, descriptive and captivating. The author pulled you into her world, making you feel as if you belonged. At key times, my heart was pounding and stomach churning and I truly felt the emotions of the hero and heroine. But like a good romance novel, they get their Happily Ever After and it was very satisfying. *sigh*
January 6, 2014
Lots of good emotion and romance in this book. Thought the hero's backstory was unique too and loved how the author dropped just enough breadcrumbs to keep you turning the pages until the bomb was eventually dropped. Great story!
January 8, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads contest. I really liked it. It definitely is a Harlequin novel, which I love, but also touches on a much more difficult subject than most of them do--hazing &/or bullying.
Read
January 1, 2014"Wallace's book is fun and flirty and teaches us all a lesson that it's important not to judge a book by its cover". (RT Book Reviews) rated 4 stars
June 7, 2021
Although Barbara Wallace is now writing mysteries, she did start out in romance. It's always worth picking up a book by Ms. Wallace.
June 4, 2014
In The Man Behind The Mask by Barbara Wallace, Delilah St. Germaine has been the executive assistant of Simon Cartwright at an advertisement agency for the past four years. She fell for him since the moment they met, but things have always been kept professional. Until the day they go to Boston to meet a potential client.
Simon leads a life that has nothing to do with Delilah, a life full of glitter and high society. But when he goes to Boston he is faced with memories of the past he has tried his best to forget.
Now Delilah and Simon will see the truth behind the glitter and social persona that he gives everyone, leading to her finally opening up to him and telling him her feelings.
Things only get better for her since they finally consummate what they have desired and denied for a long time. But Simon cannot let go of the past, which makes him break her heart since he feels unable to commit to her.
Only Delilah’s strong will and love will help her make Simon let go of the past and see the future they could have together.
This is not your typical romance and will break your heart once you know Simon’s past, but will have you cheering for Delilah to be able to give him the happiness he has been denying himself for a long time and now them.
Simon leads a life that has nothing to do with Delilah, a life full of glitter and high society. But when he goes to Boston he is faced with memories of the past he has tried his best to forget.
Now Delilah and Simon will see the truth behind the glitter and social persona that he gives everyone, leading to her finally opening up to him and telling him her feelings.
Things only get better for her since they finally consummate what they have desired and denied for a long time. But Simon cannot let go of the past, which makes him break her heart since he feels unable to commit to her.
Only Delilah’s strong will and love will help her make Simon let go of the past and see the future they could have together.
This is not your typical romance and will break your heart once you know Simon’s past, but will have you cheering for Delilah to be able to give him the happiness he has been denying himself for a long time and now them.
March 24, 2014
This was just not good. I mean, there were times when I thought I was reading really bad Olitz fanfic. The love story was absolutely ridiculous and the characters were awful. Delilah was a mousy, spineless twit of a woman. She let Simon walk all over her and made mistakes with him that no savvy and self respecting woman would. Simon was a total douche. I realize that he was a victim but I was never given a chance to fully sympathize with him because he was forever being a prick. He played with Delilah's feelings and she let him for the most part. I really have no idea what Delilah saw in him because when he wasn't being a dick, he was pretty meh as a person.
Delilah had this huge fangirl worship of him in the same way that a teenage girl would have of Harry Styles or someone and she pretty much rolled with that the entire way through, completely throwing away good judgement. The unrequited love idea could've been a cute way to start with them but it just came off really silly. I mean, after four years of seeing Delilah as his assistant and nothing more, he suddenly had deep feelings for her in the span of a few days, just madness.
Delilah had this huge fangirl worship of him in the same way that a teenage girl would have of Harry Styles or someone and she pretty much rolled with that the entire way through, completely throwing away good judgement. The unrequited love idea could've been a cute way to start with them but it just came off really silly. I mean, after four years of seeing Delilah as his assistant and nothing more, he suddenly had deep feelings for her in the span of a few days, just madness.
September 7, 2014
I thought it was a good story that tackled an issue not commonly found in romances (MF ones), but does occur in real life.
The hero was and that event haunted him all these years. He thinks he's a coward, deserved it and is unworthy of love or kindness and the heroine, through her love and persistence, helps him realize that he is worthy of love, of happiness and it wasn't his fault, what was done to him.
Because the undercurrent of the story is what it is, the tone is more angsty than lighthearted. I didn't mind though.
All in all, I enjoyed the book.
Also, this book is connected in an unoffical (it seems) trilogy:
The hero was and that event haunted him all these years. He thinks he's a coward, deserved it and is unworthy of love or kindness and the heroine, through her love and persistence, helps him realize that he is worthy of love, of happiness and it wasn't his fault, what was done to him.
Because the undercurrent of the story is what it is, the tone is more angsty than lighthearted. I didn't mind though.
All in all, I enjoyed the book.
Also, this book is connected in an unoffical (it seems) trilogy:
March 8, 2014
This is one of my favorite tropes -- secretary secretly pines for boss. Delilah has been in love with Simon for four years, but it is not till they take a weekend business trip to his hometown, the site of his haunted past, that Delilah sees Simon for who he really is. He's not the playboy portrayed by the social pages but a man donning a façade to hide a painful past.
I haven't read a Harlequin Romance in a while and this above average story (based on other reviews) reminds me why I avoid these books. I am always frustrated by the limitations of the line -- the page count and the sex off page. The story was really good, but the execution was rushed and condensed.
I haven't read a Harlequin Romance in a while and this above average story (based on other reviews) reminds me why I avoid these books. I am always frustrated by the limitations of the line -- the page count and the sex off page. The story was really good, but the execution was rushed and condensed.
March 14, 2014
Nice Read!
This story is a romance that contains a complex flushing out of youth trauma in adulthood. The hero, Simon, is multifaceted in the sense that he shows the world one face but suffers in silence regarding a 15-year-old life-changing event. He is good-looking, successful, charismatic, and emotionally damaged.
Delilah is an extremely strong heroine whose background and loss has made her the perfect match for Simon. The story centers on his stubbornness and unwillingness to accept the gift that is Delilah.
The reader will definitely become invested in the main characters and their plight. The novel presents a great romance with a HEA.
Amy Rachiele, M. Ed.
Indie Author
This story is a romance that contains a complex flushing out of youth trauma in adulthood. The hero, Simon, is multifaceted in the sense that he shows the world one face but suffers in silence regarding a 15-year-old life-changing event. He is good-looking, successful, charismatic, and emotionally damaged.
Delilah is an extremely strong heroine whose background and loss has made her the perfect match for Simon. The story centers on his stubbornness and unwillingness to accept the gift that is Delilah.
The reader will definitely become invested in the main characters and their plight. The novel presents a great romance with a HEA.
Amy Rachiele, M. Ed.
Indie Author
January 6, 2014
I really liked this story a lot. First, I'm a sucker for the boss/secretary trope, even if in real life it's a law suit waiting to happen. There's a nice layer of "fun and light" along the surface, but plenty of emotional baggage to give this story a heft of angst. Hero and heroine compliment each other nicely, and fit well together. It's impossible to think of one of them without the other - which is also the sign of a really good romance. Readers who love wounded heroes with Big Secrets need to drop everything and try this one. I think they'll love him.
January 18, 2014
What a great story! Barbara Wallace does a fantastic job of handling a sensitive, complicated conflict while making the reader care deeply for the characters. Early on we have an inkling about Simon's backstory, but not the whole picture. It's fed to us steadily until it builds up to the climax between Simon and Delilah. I love how Delilah is brave and strong and recognizes her own flaws. Not only is the novel structurally solid, but the tension and emotional depth had me wiping my eyes a time or two. Wallace's writing gets better and better, and this is my favorite of all her novels so far.
December 6, 2013
Loved it! I received this ARC, free, in a Goodread's First Read's Giveaway. Thank You! This is a tender love story between Delilah and her boss, Simon Cartwright. Delilah has been in love with her young, handsome and rich but emotionally damaged, boss for the past four years. You see, Simon has been hiding a terrible secret since ninth grade and he does not think he is worthy of anyone's love. Can Delilah's love and compassion help Simon change his mind?
January 30, 2014
Review Posted on HarlequinJunkie.com
Delilah was really close to her best friends, but even they didn’t know her deepest secret – that she had fallen for her boss. But Simon Cartwright was way out of her league. He’s always in the papers with some gorgeous model or starlet on his arm, arrestingly handsome while she’s mousy and ordinary – they’d never, ever be in the same orbit. Read More
Delilah was really close to her best friends, but even they didn’t know her deepest secret – that she had fallen for her boss. But Simon Cartwright was way out of her league. He’s always in the papers with some gorgeous model or starlet on his arm, arrestingly handsome while she’s mousy and ordinary – they’d never, ever be in the same orbit. Read More
January 31, 2014
God, I wasted $5 on this, fuck my life. First of all, my biggest grievance was that all the sex scenes were SLAM TO BLACK, and is this, or is this not a Harlequin Romance? WHERE IS MY SMUT, GODDAMMIT? Also, I didn't connect with either of the characters.
*blows raspberry at book*
*blows raspberry at book*
September 12, 2016
I adored everything about this book from start to finish. It was wonderful and I can't recommend it enough.
See my full review here:
http://www.tartsweet.com/2016/09/27/r...
See my full review here:
http://www.tartsweet.com/2016/09/27/r...
February 5, 2016
Blind Love
Makes you feel sorry for both sides. Good storyline, I just feel it was lacking something! I would recommend the read to kill time though.
Makes you feel sorry for both sides. Good storyline, I just feel it was lacking something! I would recommend the read to kill time though.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews