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A Man Without Mercy
His out-of-hours invitation…
Cruelly dumped by her fiancé via text message, Vivienne Swan quits her job as an interior designer and nurses her shattered heart in private. Until an intriguing offer from Jack Stone—a wealthy property developer whose skilled flirtations she's managed to evade—tempts her from her shell.
Working side by side with Jack on his latest project gets Vivienne's mind off her ex but on to erotic thoughts about her boss! It might be wildly pleasurable, but an affair with Jack is playing with fire. He's a man used to taking what he wants, and now Vivienne is at his mercy!
Cruelly dumped by her fiancé via text message, Vivienne Swan quits her job as an interior designer and nurses her shattered heart in private. Until an intriguing offer from Jack Stone—a wealthy property developer whose skilled flirtations she's managed to evade—tempts her from her shell.
Working side by side with Jack on his latest project gets Vivienne's mind off her ex but on to erotic thoughts about her boss! It might be wildly pleasurable, but an affair with Jack is playing with fire. He's a man used to taking what he wants, and now Vivienne is at his mercy!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
47 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Lee
815 books235 followersMaureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 21, 2016
one of my favourite miranda lee's....I really dint get the name as i feel he was the answer to all her woes n needs...H/h come together in a no holds barred affair while working together restoring a house...she was nursing a broken heart as her jerk of a fiancee jilts her for an heiress...i just loved their passionate relationship and it very naturally evolves into something deeper...there were no twists/MU here..n the comeuppance for the jilting jerk and his new fiancee were most satisfying!
December 24, 2017
Look, this one might be boring to start with but this was hilarious. I mean not everyday you get a hero who asks for a girlfriend and heroine goes "no thank you, I'd rather be a mistress and have a fling instead"! He surely learned his lesson never to tell a potential girlfriend he's not looking for forever. And the funniest part was he was the one to fall first and had to pretend through the whole book about letting the heroine using him for sex and then flaunting him in front of her ex. His poor ego was bashed!!!!
October 3, 2020
I only read Harlequin Presents (aka Mills & Boone Modern/Sexy) on and off. I call it the Greeks-and-Shiekhs line, usually featuring exotic billionaires whose pursuit and treatment of the heroine is borderline abusive. It is an aspect I often have difficulty getting past in these books. So it's ironic that the one time I was after a romance of this sort (and the misleading title fooled me into believing I was on the right path), I get the rare case of a beta hero.
Jack Stone is a millionaire property developer and he has just bought a large property called Francesco's Folly, and he wants the interior designer he has worked with previously, Vivienne Swan, to do up its dilapidated and outdated interiors. Alas, when he goes to the firm she works at to recruit her, he learns that she has up and quit her job after being dumped by her fiance, who has moved onto richer prospects. Events see him going round to her flat and seeing her boobs while she's taking a bath, and it's lust at first site. He offers her the job, which she accepts (otherwise we wouldn't have a book, methinks.) The sparks fly, and it's not long before they're having hot sex, and Vivienne can't figure out why she's so wanton with him, when she was very timid and mild with her ex. Maybe it's because, as Vivienne herself describes it, Jack has an erection the size of the Eiffel Tower. Anyway, as you can expect, the two have to dance around the fact their feelings for each other might be much deeper than they're willing to admit.
This was a pleasant romance and I enjoyed it. If you're after angst, this is not for you! Despite the title, Jack is completely with mercy. He's rich and handsome, but also a gentleman who never does or says anything to make Vivienne upset. Once again, the irony is that the book needed a bit of that to give it more oomph. They're hot for one another, reluctant to admit their feelings, and that was it. Their internal conflicts didn't really ratchet up the tension. Jack initially isn't interested in a wife and kids because he practically had to raise his two sisters after their father abandoned him. He thankfully wasn't melodramatically damaged by his past, thankfully. As for Vivienne, she is still recovering from the fact that
Jack was solid and likeable and, sadly, just a tad dull. Vivienne's character was all over the place. She doesn't want her sexual arrangement with Jack to see her called his girlfriend, as she worries about what others will think about her moving on so fast from her broken engagement. I couldn't understand why. She doesn't seem to have any friends other than her older neighbour, who is about to head off on a six week holiday. Similarly, her determination to attend her ex's engagement party doesn't gel with worrying about what others think. Attending a rich, lavish party is hardly flying under the radar!
But it was a quick read. Because of Vivienne's job as an interior designer, there is a lot of description of what rooms look like, which I was able to skim over. If you prefer the old-school Greeks-and-Shiekhs shenanigans of this line, this book probably won't be up your alley, but if you like a sweet romance with hotter-than-usual sex, this low-angst story could be your cup of tea.
Jack Stone is a millionaire property developer and he has just bought a large property called Francesco's Folly, and he wants the interior designer he has worked with previously, Vivienne Swan, to do up its dilapidated and outdated interiors. Alas, when he goes to the firm she works at to recruit her, he learns that she has up and quit her job after being dumped by her fiance, who has moved onto richer prospects. Events see him going round to her flat and seeing her boobs while she's taking a bath, and it's lust at first site. He offers her the job, which she accepts (otherwise we wouldn't have a book, methinks.) The sparks fly, and it's not long before they're having hot sex, and Vivienne can't figure out why she's so wanton with him, when she was very timid and mild with her ex. Maybe it's because, as Vivienne herself describes it, Jack has an erection the size of the Eiffel Tower. Anyway, as you can expect, the two have to dance around the fact their feelings for each other might be much deeper than they're willing to admit.
This was a pleasant romance and I enjoyed it. If you're after angst, this is not for you! Despite the title, Jack is completely with mercy. He's rich and handsome, but also a gentleman who never does or says anything to make Vivienne upset. Once again, the irony is that the book needed a bit of that to give it more oomph. They're hot for one another, reluctant to admit their feelings, and that was it. Their internal conflicts didn't really ratchet up the tension. Jack initially isn't interested in a wife and kids because he practically had to raise his two sisters after their father abandoned him. He thankfully wasn't melodramatically damaged by his past, thankfully. As for Vivienne, she is still recovering from the fact that
Jack was solid and likeable and, sadly, just a tad dull. Vivienne's character was all over the place. She doesn't want her sexual arrangement with Jack to see her called his girlfriend, as she worries about what others will think about her moving on so fast from her broken engagement. I couldn't understand why. She doesn't seem to have any friends other than her older neighbour, who is about to head off on a six week holiday. Similarly, her determination to attend her ex's engagement party doesn't gel with worrying about what others think. Attending a rich, lavish party is hardly flying under the radar!
But it was a quick read. Because of Vivienne's job as an interior designer, there is a lot of description of what rooms look like, which I was able to skim over. If you prefer the old-school Greeks-and-Shiekhs shenanigans of this line, this book probably won't be up your alley, but if you like a sweet romance with hotter-than-usual sex, this low-angst story could be your cup of tea.
March 24, 2022
The title of the book is misleading. The H is a nice H who treats her right.
It’s a modern HP with many explicit passionate scenes. She only wants sex from him, not a relationship, and she tells him that.
He is not a womanizer, she is not a virgin. He uses condoms, she uses the pill. What a relief to have two sensible, responsible adults.
What I didn’t like, was that she was in her mind comparing the sizes of the male private parts of her former lover and the H when she saw the H naked the first time they had sex. Comparing body parts is so cringe.
The steamy scene against his car on the street was very erotic and passionate though. I think that scene will stay in my mind about this book. 😄
It’s a modern HP with many explicit passionate scenes. She only wants sex from him, not a relationship, and she tells him that.
He is not a womanizer, she is not a virgin. He uses condoms, she uses the pill. What a relief to have two sensible, responsible adults.
What I didn’t like, was that she was in her mind comparing the sizes of the male private parts of her former lover and the H when she saw the H naked the first time they had sex. Comparing body parts is so cringe.
The steamy scene against his car on the street was very erotic and passionate though. I think that scene will stay in my mind about this book. 😄
September 6, 2021
No angst romance with a super nice H and a strong heroine.
I am so used to f’d up HP with crazy trainwreck plots that I don’t know what to do with a sweet book like this….😂
I am so used to f’d up HP with crazy trainwreck plots that I don’t know what to do with a sweet book like this….😂
October 16, 2014
It's been twenty years since I read a romance novel and this one was way better than the first. It still had a dizzying number of adverbs, changed POVs way too much (sometimes in the middle of a paragraph), and was generally overwrought. But not terrible. Decent characters and workable story. Luckily, my wife's an expert on this line at Harlequin and told me this author was reliable.
Interesting experience overall. See you in another twenty years, Harlequin. By then, I expect to download the novel right into the emotion center of my brain, like a memory of pink candy floss on a warm summer night that will bring a tear to my eye. Now that's good readin'!
Interesting experience overall. See you in another twenty years, Harlequin. By then, I expect to download the novel right into the emotion center of my brain, like a memory of pink candy floss on a warm summer night that will bring a tear to my eye. Now that's good readin'!
March 22, 2022
Low-angst and sweet, although you better be interested in decorating and interior design. H is a doll and you get to hear his point of view a lot. These two fall in mega-lust even though they are both trying to fight it.
Also, H is not a ho and the h isn't a virgin.
Also, H is not a ho and the h isn't a virgin.
February 19, 2021
How I enjoyed this book so much! It's always a joy when you ended genuinely liking the main characters in a book. I definitely adored both Jack and Vivienne. The title was totally misleading because Jack was the exact opposite of A Man without Mercy. He was actually a great guy; he's nice, sweet, straightforward, honest, and knows what he wants. He’s not shy about voicing his desires, and he definitely desired her. I equally adored Vivienne. She's such a genuine heroine. I liked how honest she was to Jack about not wanting to be his girlfriend but rather be his mistress. (She's actually the first heroine I've met who preferred to be a mistress than a girlfriend) . Many delicious moments will make a romance like me swoon.
Overall, A Man Without Mercy was such a great read; it was refreshing, light-hearted throughout, and oh, so satisfying!
January 10, 2014
After being dumped by her supposed faithful fiancé and via text nonetheless, feisty interior designer Vivienne Swan quits her job and retreats from the world to nurse her broken heart. That is until Jack Stone who had employed her in the past arrived on her doorstep and in her bathroom bearing a gift of flowers! Jack typically doesn't take "No" for an answer and didn't this time either, talking Vivienne into redoing his holiday home, Francesco's Folly, perched atop a hill several hours outside of Sydney. The problem is, all of a sudden these two people who previously had a strictly professional relationship, all of a sudden couldn't keep their hands off of each other! Strict boss, gone! Uptight designer, gone! Huge vacation home, thoroughly tested! Can a case of over-active hormones turn into everlasting love?
Even though the story line seemed far-fetched, it worked well. It is good escapist reading set in an exotic locale.
Even though the story line seemed far-fetched, it worked well. It is good escapist reading set in an exotic locale.
February 1, 2014
A Man Without Mercy by Miranda Lee is a sexy romance filled with passion and steamy escapades. It was kind off an office romance because the characters have a strictly professional relationship until Vivienne’s fiance dumps her.read more
December 11, 2013
Very good after it was all said and done. I have to ask though, did anyone else want to learn about Daryl's marriage and how fucked up it would of went in the future? It would of been beautiful revenge!
December 2, 2019
It's a Harlequin Presents. It's a bit steamier than when they first started but the core remains. Far away destinations, rich beautiful men, and ordinary girls. The title is misleading and I liked the book better because of it. He's a teddy bear which makes a good change from the autocratic jerks usually featured. He's dominant but his feelings are shown and he talks about things. I didn't like Vivenne she was a typical weak female lead. She has no motivation other than running from her past. And I hated her design.
March 31, 2014
Una historia buena, no me quejo, un cambio al típico chantaje emocional. Agradable lectura y ligera para una noche como hoy
August 7, 2014
uuufff. muy bueno.
la química de ellos es explosiva
la química de ellos es explosiva
August 18, 2016
Lectura de calidad jajaja
February 3, 2021
He is a building construction company guy. She is an interior decorator. They have collaborated on many projects in the past. But did not feel horny around each other in all those times.
Once the girl gets dumped by her fiancé, she meets our builder hero once again in crazy circumstances. And suddenly the sexual magnets get activated. With a vengeance. To the extent that they are jumping into bed almost every time they meet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So during the course of the last project they are working on together - the whole sex, dates, friendship, love, marriage deal is sealed. Quick read.
Once the girl gets dumped by her fiancé, she meets our builder hero once again in crazy circumstances. And suddenly the sexual magnets get activated. With a vengeance. To the extent that they are jumping into bed almost every time they meet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So during the course of the last project they are working on together - the whole sex, dates, friendship, love, marriage deal is sealed. Quick read.
March 28, 2020
The h was completely taken in by a gold digger and then luckily got dumped as he went on to richer woman. The H and h have known each other for sometime but after h is dumped and they meet, they discover chemistry. They have an affair and there is a brief visit as a couple of h's ex fiance's engagement but apart from that its all about h and H learning and growing as a couple without too much interference or well-meaning matchmaking from secondary characters.
July 30, 2018
I enjoyed this book. If you are the type that likes the drama in this imprint, this book doesn't have it. Pretty mellow for a Presents. I happen to like a little less drama for an easy read, so it works for me. I will say, it wouldn't mind seeing Francesco's Folly once the makeover was complete.
March 19, 2019
This is a fairly short and easy harlequin romance novel. The “kinky” stuff was laughable and the plot itself was boring, predictable, and easy to see coming.
That said, for Harlequin it’s not that bad.
That said, for Harlequin it’s not that bad.
June 20, 2018
Title is misleading. I thought he was "Lovely".
September 11, 2019
Protagonistas: Jack & Vivienne
Profesiones: Constructor & Decoradora de Interiores
Pais: Australia
Profesiones: Constructor & Decoradora de Interiores
Pais: Australia
July 11, 2020
This was low on angst. There was too much mind worrying between the MC's.
November 27, 2021
Didn’t even finish chapter one. I keep forgetting that I don’t care much for this author
February 1, 2017
An ok read.
February 28, 2015
This was very sexy book, like Miranda Lee always have. Hero and heroine had worked togeter; Vivienne is interior designer and Jack has a construction company. Vivienne stops her job suddenly because her boyfrend leaves her via textmessige. He has found another woman who also is preagnant to him. Vivienne is very heartbroken. Jack Stone wants Vivienne to work with him again and forget her ex-fiance. Next day Jack goes to visit Vivienne and brings her flowers. She is in bathroom and don't react when they, ´hero and heroines friend, knock the door. They think she is trying to kill herself and he breaks the door! Very funny scean.
Jack thinks that best medicine is to continue her job and she accepts the houseproject. It's the hause Jack has bought in Port Stephens's, 2,5 hours from Sidney. Their relationship suddenly turns hot, but they decide only have sex without relationship. Jack is actually not so happy about that.
I was happy to see, that Vivienne finally had some revenge considering her ex-fiancé in the end of the book.
It was very touching, that when Vivienne and Jack finally told that they love each others, Jack couldnt pull back his tears. So sweet. I liked that he was very reliable honest man unlike heroines ex-fiance.
Jack thinks that best medicine is to continue her job and she accepts the houseproject. It's the hause Jack has bought in Port Stephens's, 2,5 hours from Sidney. Their relationship suddenly turns hot, but they decide only have sex without relationship. Jack is actually not so happy about that.
I was happy to see, that Vivienne finally had some revenge considering her ex-fiancé in the end of the book.
It was very touching, that when Vivienne and Jack finally told that they love each others, Jack couldnt pull back his tears. So sweet. I liked that he was very reliable honest man unlike heroines ex-fiance.
March 26, 2014
A Man Without Mercy is the 24th romance novel by Australian author, Miranda Lee. When successful property developer, Jack Stone decides, on a whim, to buy himself a holiday house at Port Stephens known as Francesco's Folly, he wants interior designer, Vivienne Swan to do a badly needed remake for him. But Vivienne is nursing a broken heart after being dropped by her fiance, and determined to do so in private. But Jack's offer is intriguing, and so, suddenly, is Jack himself. Strange, because Vivienne always thought him not her type. Jack, too, finds himself strongly attracted, and decides he would like to pursue a relationship with her. But is she still in love with her ex? Despite his ruthless exterior, Jack is a caring man and certainly the title and the blurb on the back only flirt with the truth. Some hot sex and a happy ending in this latest Lee offering.
April 6, 2014
Nada emocionante, nada que me haga tener un mínimo de aliento. Muy lineal, predecible y para lo que estoy acostumbrada a leer nada sexy ni atrevido.
Algunos errores como que están hablando en el salón de ella tomando un café y aparece la frase "Jack apretó las manos en el volante" ?¿?¿?¿?¿
No veo sentimientos, no veo en que punto se enamoran, ni un progreso.
La única parte emocionante que podría haber sido el encuentro con su ex es realmente breve y nada sustancioso.
Soy consciente de que es una novela MUY corta y no hay tiempo para mucho más, pero hubiera puesto menos descripciones "ahora vamos aquí y ahora vamos allí" (como meter a la madre de él en la historia... innecesario) y más acción con su ex, por ejemplo.
Se supo a poco y no logré conectar nada de nada :/
Algunos errores como que están hablando en el salón de ella tomando un café y aparece la frase "Jack apretó las manos en el volante" ?¿?¿?¿?¿
No veo sentimientos, no veo en que punto se enamoran, ni un progreso.
La única parte emocionante que podría haber sido el encuentro con su ex es realmente breve y nada sustancioso.
Soy consciente de que es una novela MUY corta y no hay tiempo para mucho más, pero hubiera puesto menos descripciones "ahora vamos aquí y ahora vamos allí" (como meter a la madre de él en la historia... innecesario) y más acción con su ex, por ejemplo.
Se supo a poco y no logré conectar nada de nada :/
February 15, 2014
I loved this one! There was the gorgeous Aussie setting (I'm biased), interior design storyline and a very sexy hero. The book was very well written and Vivienne and Jack were very real, fleshed out characters. Jack was a different sort of alpha male. Rich, yes, and used to getting what he wants. But not brutal with his needs and wants, and sensitive toward Vivienne. I liked the way the author hid little pieces of Vivienne's history from the reader, and also the seamless way she blended the characters' inner monologues one after the other without section breaks. I've noticed this in a few M&B novels lately and I'm going to give it a try myself.
November 10, 2021
Totally misleading title. Who picks them?
Jack is a lovely hero who treats Vivienne brilliantly. Vivienne is an okay heroine though her angst seems a little subdued when it’s eventually revealed. But otherwise, ML writes a flowing, intelligent and articulate story which was very enjoyable. I would have liked to see her ex and his new fiancée get a better comeuppance but that’s a minor complaint.
Jack is a lovely hero who treats Vivienne brilliantly. Vivienne is an okay heroine though her angst seems a little subdued when it’s eventually revealed. But otherwise, ML writes a flowing, intelligent and articulate story which was very enjoyable. I would have liked to see her ex and his new fiancée get a better comeuppance but that’s a minor complaint.
May 13, 2015
A good read for passing the day away with a lazy read. The characters were pretty good and the plot was basic. There were some good points and some slower parts. There was a 'Oh no he didn't!' moment, some 'You go girl!'s, some sad and happy scenes and a good ending. There was some self-discovery and growth. Good but more for something that you could ready any...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews