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Too Strong to Deny
As a lawyer Price could help her
But Price Domenico was just the kind of complication she didn't really want.
All her life, Elizabeth had been told she was stupid and now she was quietly, determinedly proving everyone wrong. But she'd been accused of something she hadn't done and though they had started off on the wrong foot, she needed Price.
Elizabeth knew Price understood her battle to clear her name on principle, no matter what it cost her. Though she hadn't reckoned on it costing her her heart....
But Price Domenico was just the kind of complication she didn't really want.
All her life, Elizabeth had been told she was stupid and now she was quietly, determinedly proving everyone wrong. But she'd been accused of something she hadn't done and though they had started off on the wrong foot, she needed Price.
Elizabeth knew Price understood her battle to clear her name on principle, no matter what it cost her. Though she hadn't reckoned on it costing her her heart....
285 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
4 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Emma Darcy
659 books325 followersEmma Darcy is the pseudonym created by the married writing team of Wendy (1940-2020) and Frank Brennan (1936-1995). Their life journey has taken as many twists and turns as the characters in their stories, whose international popularity has resulted in over sixty-million book sales. With more than a hundred titles, Emma Darcy appeared regularly on the Waldenbooks bestseller lists in the U.S.A. and in the Nielson BookScan Top 100 chart in the U.K.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 4, 2018
Such a great hero. After ten Diana Palmer books in a row I needed to read about a good guy.
Boogenhagen and Vintage have written comprehensive reviews, so I won't go over the plot points.
I thought the heroine was endearingly idealistic. No wonder her five year-old students loved her and the abusive men in her life were able to control her. She needed a special man and she found one in the hero who is a protector and as a lawyer fights injustice as well as he can.
The timeline of their love affair is eyebrow raising - a few encounters (intense as they may have been) and they're moving in together. But I didn't mind. I would have snapped him up, too.
I loved the epilogue with the pregnant heroine getting her degree and the hero and his son cheering her on.
Boogenhagen and Vintage have written comprehensive reviews, so I won't go over the plot points.
I thought the heroine was endearingly idealistic. No wonder her five year-old students loved her and the abusive men in her life were able to control her. She needed a special man and she found one in the hero who is a protector and as a lawyer fights injustice as well as he can.
The timeline of their love affair is eyebrow raising - a few encounters (intense as they may have been) and they're moving in together. But I didn't mind. I would have snapped him up, too.
I loved the epilogue with the pregnant heroine getting her degree and the hero and his son cheering her on.
June 5, 2017
RE Too Strong To Deny - ED brings us the fast and funny in this one. The h is a kindergarten teacher in an upper class exclusive day prep school. She is a widow and she gets positively enraged when people call her stupid.
She is named after Queen Elizabeth and she looks very regal, beautiful and full of breeding. In actuality she was continually berated and called stupid by both her horrible father, (mum died at birth,) and her now fortunately deceased husband. (He wrecked his speed boat, killing himself and two other people, after calling the h stupid because she wouldn't ride in it.)
The h has spent years barely hanging on to her self esteem and paying off her husband's debts and working her way towards a Bachelors degree - she figures if she has a college degree, no one can call her stupid ever again. Then she gets into an accident when the road is wet and she has to swerve to miss a boy on a bike and she wrecks her car. The police officers listens to her story and then charges her with reckless driving. She gets upset when her lawyer tells her she is stupid to fight it.
However the h has a seekrit weapon, she is the teacher of a five year old whose father is a top barrister in the Australian legal system. His father was a bookie and a big time illicit gambling game purveyor, and the rumor is that the H doesn't fall too far from the tree in shady dealings. His own wife died of a drug overdose in some dubious dealings of her own and his father died while in a shoot out with a rival Underworld family. The h figures she can go ask the man to fix her case, either prove her innocent or "put the fix" in to clear her unjustly clouded record.
So it is to the H's office we go and things don't go exactly as planned. The H doesn't want to take her case, it is really petty and he only does big time legal things. The h has a funny weak kneed, spine tingling feeling looking at the H, but she takes in his luxurious offices and his attractive receptionist and the past rumors about his family and thinks he is in on the fix. So she asks the H to "do it the other way", in other words, fix the case by calling in a few favors and she will give the H $1000.00 or $2000.00 if he really needs it.
Now the H has made some assumptions about the h himself. He thinks she is a snobby society type who is ordering about a mere lackey and her comments about being on the take really set him off. He agrees to take her case and the parting is not amicable, tho there is a big attraction there between them. The h now has a few months to have serious doubts about the rumors the H is a seekrit crime boss. We meet his son in the h's class, a charming little plot moppet who has a huge crush on his teacher. But storms are a brewin', there is Another Mother who is on the board of the school and she is very socially conscious and concerned with the 'right image' - she doesn't want the H's son 'contaminating' her precious daughter.
The Other Mother is the typical upper class, snobby pushy parent and she drives the h nuts with her demands for her 'precious daughter'. The h takes it in stride, tho she does bite her tongue a lot. We soon see that this h is INCREDIBLY idealistic. If you told her life wasn't fair, she would set up her soap box and proclaim that life isn't fair because people don't act that way, therefore everyone needs to be fair with each other. She is cute enough and persuasive enough to get people to do it too.
So the big trial date finally arrives and the h and H meet again. The H managed to track down the boy she swerved to avoid and the h is cleared of all charges. The H is still hostile over her assumptions tho, so the h apologizes and cajoles the H into going to lunch- after she pays him her $1000.00. The H chooses a very pricey hotel and the h has trepidations about being in his fancy fast car. Her husband was a speed demon and she has a bit of PTSD - she tells the H if he breaks his word and drives like a maniac, she will likely throw up all over his really nice upholstery. Needless to say, the H is pretty sedate and in the speed limit on the short trip.
While they are in the lobby, the H and h run into the Other Mother, she is snobby and dismissive and belittles the H. The h defends him and the H gets upset, telling her he doesn't need a champion. Over lunch we hear the sad backstory of the H.
His father was a mega gambling Underworld boss who had some problems when a rival group wanted to start pushing narcotics in his territory. The H's dad was an upstanding guy for the most part, he just ran an illegal gambling empire. But the dad was also very generous and gave a lot to charity, etc. (So Gangster with a heart of gold here, but ED likes her fairy tales.) This rival group, to make a point with the H's dad, kidnapped the H's wife, and did horrible things and killed her and made it look like a drug overdose. The H's dad sent the H and his son out of the country, and since he was dying of cancer anyways, he got some weapons and hunted the rival gang down and everybody died.
The H loved his dad and misses him, but he wants better for his son and so he has tried to be a good dad and do his honest best for the law. The h is very empathetic to the H's story and sincerely apologizes again for misjudging him. The H takes her home and then is really shocked when he sees that she doesn't live in a posh area and is in fact pretty poor. The h has a huge thing about debt since her husband died, so she lives very frugally, plus she is also paying her way thru school.
The h and H have a bigger attraction going on now that they know they misjudged each other, and they wind up having a very passionate interlude where the earth moves, angels weep and the stars and sky are tinted blush pink in an explosion of rosy glows. The H wants the h to join him and his son on holiday - they are in the middle of school holidays at this story point. The h thinks about it but wonders what the effect on the already infatuated H's son will be if the h just shows up for a bit and then things with the H don't work out and she still has to see the little boy in class. She refuses to go and the H gets angry.
He thinks she is trying to hide an association with him, (which did not make a lot of sense because she totally defended the H and held his hand in front the of the Other Mother,) so he tells the h he is no one's hidden stud and runs off to be with his son. The h has mopey moments and wonders if she made the right decision by not dropping everything and taking off with the H on literally their second meeting.
The H and h are soon thrown back together when the Other Mother wants to expel the H's son out of the exclusive school for not being the "right sort". The headmaster gives the h a heads up and the h goes to the H's house. She declares she wants him first and he decides she needs to move in with him, which she sorta agrees to after they lurve it up again and the H's son comes in the next morning and is delighted that she is there. The h had warned the H earlier about the attempted expulsion and the H swears he will fix things - one way or another, which causes the h some worry, cause she is afraid that protecting his son will drive the H to the dark side.
Never fear, the H shows that he doesn't have the finest legal mind in Australia for nothing. He tells the Other Mother that she is the co-owner of a brothel, that tidbit of info came up in the course of a huge case he is defending. But he understands how damaging and hurtful such things can be to totally innocent people, so the Other Mother might want to take care of that situation, since her husband probably had her sign the ownership papers without reading them. The H will do his best to keep that interesting ownership out of the limelight in his current headline case and maybe the Other Mother could recommend him for the school's board when there is a vacancy.
Well the Other Mother, realizing her status and position would be in serious jeopardy without the timely warning of the H, immediately offers up her own place on the board and gets the H elected and then advises that the H draw up a more equitable school charter, since he has such a great legal mind and all and nobody wants the school sued.
The h thinks the H is wonderful and he thinks they ought to marry. The h has taken a vow not to marry, plus she is worried she isn't smart enough for the H. He really is brilliant, but she has to work hard and study to pass her courses - which she has been doggedly continuing on with for all this time.
The H reassures her with a long list of all the things she is brilliant at and also declares that he loves her madly and can't live without her. He gracefully explains that his first wife was a young love but she is no longer there and time and experience has deepened his heart and he feels a big, true deep love for the h and swears he will always be faithful.
(Kudos to ED here, the H doesn't denigrate his first wife, merely states that their love was true but young and never got the chance to mature. The H is a different person than he would have been and so is able to share his heart with the h. That was probably one of the best done second love explanations in all of HPlandia and it really boosted the HEA.)
So the h, assured that she is enough for the H outside of the boudoir, agrees to marry him for the big HEA. We get an epilogue with the H and son and a pregger h all at her baccalaureate graduation ceremony. The H is all lurved up and the h is planning on studying law, not for a career, but to be able to discuss things with the H cause she is married to the most wonderful man in the world and being with him and raising his kids is every thing she ever wanted for a fulfilling life in a pink sunset HP HEA.
This one was fairly good. Tho I do have doubts about the wisdom of shacking up with a guy you have seen only three times and ended up in bed with him on the second meeting. I must admit that this IS HPlandia and so the stupid choice is pretty much ALWAYS the right one and will get you the HEA in the end.
(Look at how many h's try to make logical good decisions and have to spend months if not YEARS in mopey unrequited lurve torment. Take note here everyone, if you are in HPlandia and have a choice between a logical good choice or an impulsive, scatterbrained, by the seat of your pants, I can't believe she did that option - ALWAYS choose the latter. If you REALLY want your HP H official HEA at the end - it just doesn't work if any kind of thought, effort or forethought is involved and you could be losing billionaire twue lurve forever, plus multiple shopping and makeover sprees.)
I also loved the h's crusader approach to getting justice, but she may not appeal to everyone. There is no H pov in this one, but since it is mostly about the h maintaining her sense of justice and self esteem and he is all over putting a ring on it anyways, we probably aren't missing much. So give this one a go if you like the nicely crusading h type, it is well written, a lot of fun and a good time for an HPlandia outing.
She is named after Queen Elizabeth and she looks very regal, beautiful and full of breeding. In actuality she was continually berated and called stupid by both her horrible father, (mum died at birth,) and her now fortunately deceased husband. (He wrecked his speed boat, killing himself and two other people, after calling the h stupid because she wouldn't ride in it.)
The h has spent years barely hanging on to her self esteem and paying off her husband's debts and working her way towards a Bachelors degree - she figures if she has a college degree, no one can call her stupid ever again. Then she gets into an accident when the road is wet and she has to swerve to miss a boy on a bike and she wrecks her car. The police officers listens to her story and then charges her with reckless driving. She gets upset when her lawyer tells her she is stupid to fight it.
However the h has a seekrit weapon, she is the teacher of a five year old whose father is a top barrister in the Australian legal system. His father was a bookie and a big time illicit gambling game purveyor, and the rumor is that the H doesn't fall too far from the tree in shady dealings. His own wife died of a drug overdose in some dubious dealings of her own and his father died while in a shoot out with a rival Underworld family. The h figures she can go ask the man to fix her case, either prove her innocent or "put the fix" in to clear her unjustly clouded record.
So it is to the H's office we go and things don't go exactly as planned. The H doesn't want to take her case, it is really petty and he only does big time legal things. The h has a funny weak kneed, spine tingling feeling looking at the H, but she takes in his luxurious offices and his attractive receptionist and the past rumors about his family and thinks he is in on the fix. So she asks the H to "do it the other way", in other words, fix the case by calling in a few favors and she will give the H $1000.00 or $2000.00 if he really needs it.
Now the H has made some assumptions about the h himself. He thinks she is a snobby society type who is ordering about a mere lackey and her comments about being on the take really set him off. He agrees to take her case and the parting is not amicable, tho there is a big attraction there between them. The h now has a few months to have serious doubts about the rumors the H is a seekrit crime boss. We meet his son in the h's class, a charming little plot moppet who has a huge crush on his teacher. But storms are a brewin', there is Another Mother who is on the board of the school and she is very socially conscious and concerned with the 'right image' - she doesn't want the H's son 'contaminating' her precious daughter.
The Other Mother is the typical upper class, snobby pushy parent and she drives the h nuts with her demands for her 'precious daughter'. The h takes it in stride, tho she does bite her tongue a lot. We soon see that this h is INCREDIBLY idealistic. If you told her life wasn't fair, she would set up her soap box and proclaim that life isn't fair because people don't act that way, therefore everyone needs to be fair with each other. She is cute enough and persuasive enough to get people to do it too.
So the big trial date finally arrives and the h and H meet again. The H managed to track down the boy she swerved to avoid and the h is cleared of all charges. The H is still hostile over her assumptions tho, so the h apologizes and cajoles the H into going to lunch- after she pays him her $1000.00. The H chooses a very pricey hotel and the h has trepidations about being in his fancy fast car. Her husband was a speed demon and she has a bit of PTSD - she tells the H if he breaks his word and drives like a maniac, she will likely throw up all over his really nice upholstery. Needless to say, the H is pretty sedate and in the speed limit on the short trip.
While they are in the lobby, the H and h run into the Other Mother, she is snobby and dismissive and belittles the H. The h defends him and the H gets upset, telling her he doesn't need a champion. Over lunch we hear the sad backstory of the H.
His father was a mega gambling Underworld boss who had some problems when a rival group wanted to start pushing narcotics in his territory. The H's dad was an upstanding guy for the most part, he just ran an illegal gambling empire. But the dad was also very generous and gave a lot to charity, etc. (So Gangster with a heart of gold here, but ED likes her fairy tales.) This rival group, to make a point with the H's dad, kidnapped the H's wife, and did horrible things and killed her and made it look like a drug overdose. The H's dad sent the H and his son out of the country, and since he was dying of cancer anyways, he got some weapons and hunted the rival gang down and everybody died.
The H loved his dad and misses him, but he wants better for his son and so he has tried to be a good dad and do his honest best for the law. The h is very empathetic to the H's story and sincerely apologizes again for misjudging him. The H takes her home and then is really shocked when he sees that she doesn't live in a posh area and is in fact pretty poor. The h has a huge thing about debt since her husband died, so she lives very frugally, plus she is also paying her way thru school.
The h and H have a bigger attraction going on now that they know they misjudged each other, and they wind up having a very passionate interlude where the earth moves, angels weep and the stars and sky are tinted blush pink in an explosion of rosy glows. The H wants the h to join him and his son on holiday - they are in the middle of school holidays at this story point. The h thinks about it but wonders what the effect on the already infatuated H's son will be if the h just shows up for a bit and then things with the H don't work out and she still has to see the little boy in class. She refuses to go and the H gets angry.
He thinks she is trying to hide an association with him, (which did not make a lot of sense because she totally defended the H and held his hand in front the of the Other Mother,) so he tells the h he is no one's hidden stud and runs off to be with his son. The h has mopey moments and wonders if she made the right decision by not dropping everything and taking off with the H on literally their second meeting.
The H and h are soon thrown back together when the Other Mother wants to expel the H's son out of the exclusive school for not being the "right sort". The headmaster gives the h a heads up and the h goes to the H's house. She declares she wants him first and he decides she needs to move in with him, which she sorta agrees to after they lurve it up again and the H's son comes in the next morning and is delighted that she is there. The h had warned the H earlier about the attempted expulsion and the H swears he will fix things - one way or another, which causes the h some worry, cause she is afraid that protecting his son will drive the H to the dark side.
Never fear, the H shows that he doesn't have the finest legal mind in Australia for nothing. He tells the Other Mother that she is the co-owner of a brothel, that tidbit of info came up in the course of a huge case he is defending. But he understands how damaging and hurtful such things can be to totally innocent people, so the Other Mother might want to take care of that situation, since her husband probably had her sign the ownership papers without reading them. The H will do his best to keep that interesting ownership out of the limelight in his current headline case and maybe the Other Mother could recommend him for the school's board when there is a vacancy.
Well the Other Mother, realizing her status and position would be in serious jeopardy without the timely warning of the H, immediately offers up her own place on the board and gets the H elected and then advises that the H draw up a more equitable school charter, since he has such a great legal mind and all and nobody wants the school sued.
The h thinks the H is wonderful and he thinks they ought to marry. The h has taken a vow not to marry, plus she is worried she isn't smart enough for the H. He really is brilliant, but she has to work hard and study to pass her courses - which she has been doggedly continuing on with for all this time.
The H reassures her with a long list of all the things she is brilliant at and also declares that he loves her madly and can't live without her. He gracefully explains that his first wife was a young love but she is no longer there and time and experience has deepened his heart and he feels a big, true deep love for the h and swears he will always be faithful.
(Kudos to ED here, the H doesn't denigrate his first wife, merely states that their love was true but young and never got the chance to mature. The H is a different person than he would have been and so is able to share his heart with the h. That was probably one of the best done second love explanations in all of HPlandia and it really boosted the HEA.)
So the h, assured that she is enough for the H outside of the boudoir, agrees to marry him for the big HEA. We get an epilogue with the H and son and a pregger h all at her baccalaureate graduation ceremony. The H is all lurved up and the h is planning on studying law, not for a career, but to be able to discuss things with the H cause she is married to the most wonderful man in the world and being with him and raising his kids is every thing she ever wanted for a fulfilling life in a pink sunset HP HEA.
This one was fairly good. Tho I do have doubts about the wisdom of shacking up with a guy you have seen only three times and ended up in bed with him on the second meeting. I must admit that this IS HPlandia and so the stupid choice is pretty much ALWAYS the right one and will get you the HEA in the end.
(Look at how many h's try to make logical good decisions and have to spend months if not YEARS in mopey unrequited lurve torment. Take note here everyone, if you are in HPlandia and have a choice between a logical good choice or an impulsive, scatterbrained, by the seat of your pants, I can't believe she did that option - ALWAYS choose the latter. If you REALLY want your HP H official HEA at the end - it just doesn't work if any kind of thought, effort or forethought is involved and you could be losing billionaire twue lurve forever, plus multiple shopping and makeover sprees.)
I also loved the h's crusader approach to getting justice, but she may not appeal to everyone. There is no H pov in this one, but since it is mostly about the h maintaining her sense of justice and self esteem and he is all over putting a ring on it anyways, we probably aren't missing much. So give this one a go if you like the nicely crusading h type, it is well written, a lot of fun and a good time for an HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2019
I have to thank my friend Chitra for bringing this book to my attention. Wonderful love story. Both hero and heroine are widowers. She thinks he is a mafia guy and she is also his son's teacher. They are both kind of tortured but perfect together and our hero is amazing. What a flawless guy! I loved the epilogue with pregnant heroine getting her degree. I recommend!
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June 21, 2017
The themes of stupidity, social rank and hypocrisy are as strong as any element of romance in Too Strong To Deny. The h's father was blatantly emotionally and verbally abusive which set her up nicely for a worthless, abusive and unloving husband. He's dead now and let's just say she's put aside the widow weeds very happily.
She needs a barrister to handle a case where she was accused of careless driving. Due to her father and husband calling her"stupid", she has a hair trigger when it comes to potential slurs on her intellect. The H is the father of one her young students, and the H is thrilled to see his son's teacher until her snooty request for his help due to his "connections" makes him mad. The H has been tainted by his father's reputation (his Dad had some gambling establishments and was a little mob-ish), and the h buys into the idea that the H is famous as a barrister as much for coloring outside the legal lines as any brilliance as an attorney. When the H declines her case, she essentially asks him to settle it through bribes. A little hypocritical as she's dwelling on his nefarious past but wants him to grease palms for her situation. He doesn't take it well as he is actually a very upstanding and brilliant attorney. He finally accepts her offer, and tells her he'll take flat fee with great disdain.
The next day when the son tells her how beautiful his father thinks she is, she realizes even more she has really put her foot in it. Her case comes up and the H has found witnesses to her accident. Still doubting she jumps to the conclusion that he's bribed strangers to help him. Nope. Once again she's flatfooted herself. A grovel and a long lunch lead to some sexy times. It's a little abrupt for me as this is only the second time they've actually been in each other's company, but hey! The hero asks her to go on a vacation with him and his adorable son, but it's all moving too fast for her and her half glass full life. He takes it as she is ashamed of him and too concerned about her job.
Angst. Things come to a head when a social snob busybody wants the son kicked out of the school because of his bad blood. Despite being written in 1991, it feels more like 1971. I never thought of Australia having such a social strata, but I suppose that is just human nature. The h runs to the H to warn him, love blossoms again. Awkward but kind of cute moment when the son finds them in bed together when he goes to wake up dad and finds his favorite teacher as well.
Sorry for the long review.
Overall a good story, but the heroine was a little brittle as in a dried stick. The H is like no Harlequin hero ever. He is arrogant, but only when it comes to his work. He adores his son, loved and respected his disreputable father, takes in wounded people, and lays his heart out on the line for the heroine. She grows a little as a character when her glass that's half empty gets a little fuller.
She needs a barrister to handle a case where she was accused of careless driving. Due to her father and husband calling her"stupid", she has a hair trigger when it comes to potential slurs on her intellect. The H is the father of one her young students, and the H is thrilled to see his son's teacher until her snooty request for his help due to his "connections" makes him mad. The H has been tainted by his father's reputation (his Dad had some gambling establishments and was a little mob-ish), and the h buys into the idea that the H is famous as a barrister as much for coloring outside the legal lines as any brilliance as an attorney. When the H declines her case, she essentially asks him to settle it through bribes. A little hypocritical as she's dwelling on his nefarious past but wants him to grease palms for her situation. He doesn't take it well as he is actually a very upstanding and brilliant attorney. He finally accepts her offer, and tells her he'll take flat fee with great disdain.
The next day when the son tells her how beautiful his father thinks she is, she realizes even more she has really put her foot in it. Her case comes up and the H has found witnesses to her accident. Still doubting she jumps to the conclusion that he's bribed strangers to help him. Nope. Once again she's flatfooted herself. A grovel and a long lunch lead to some sexy times. It's a little abrupt for me as this is only the second time they've actually been in each other's company, but hey! The hero asks her to go on a vacation with him and his adorable son, but it's all moving too fast for her and her half glass full life. He takes it as she is ashamed of him and too concerned about her job.
Angst. Things come to a head when a social snob busybody wants the son kicked out of the school because of his bad blood. Despite being written in 1991, it feels more like 1971. I never thought of Australia having such a social strata, but I suppose that is just human nature. The h runs to the H to warn him, love blossoms again. Awkward but kind of cute moment when the son finds them in bed together when he goes to wake up dad and finds his favorite teacher as well.
Sorry for the long review.
Overall a good story, but the heroine was a little brittle as in a dried stick. The H is like no Harlequin hero ever. He is arrogant, but only when it comes to his work. He adores his son, loved and respected his disreputable father, takes in wounded people, and lays his heart out on the line for the heroine. She grows a little as a character when her glass that's half empty gets a little fuller.
August 21, 2019
"Too Strong to Deny" is the story of Elizabeth and Price.
What a fab book!
A determined school teacher gets wrongfully convicted of a felony, but instead of giving into decides to defend herself by hiring a ruthless barrister with a shady past, and her life changes!
We have a scarred yet phoenix like heroine who rose from the ashes of her past and stood her ground- we have a ruthless and passionate hero who has made a name for himself despite his not-so-conventional upbringing- a sweet and loving child- lots of sheet scorching passion- a relationship of trust and an acceptance of love.
I really, REALLY enjoyed it and the epilogue was SO GOOD!
Adored it.
Safe
4.5/5
What a fab book!
A determined school teacher gets wrongfully convicted of a felony, but instead of giving into decides to defend herself by hiring a ruthless barrister with a shady past, and her life changes!
We have a scarred yet phoenix like heroine who rose from the ashes of her past and stood her ground- we have a ruthless and passionate hero who has made a name for himself despite his not-so-conventional upbringing- a sweet and loving child- lots of sheet scorching passion- a relationship of trust and an acceptance of love.
I really, REALLY enjoyed it and the epilogue was SO GOOD!
Adored it.
Safe
4.5/5
March 14, 2012
Lovelyyyy story with wonderful characters (although 'I am not stupid'<--- said and thought by the h was overplayed). I loved Ricky, the hero's 5 year old son, esp when he awakens the h in awe by touching her cheek reverently (AWWWWW!)
BUT I have a devilish mind and it came up with TOO MANY JOKES.
[Joe is H's dad who was the Godfather in gambling Mafia]
a) I kept thinking PRICE was PRINCE so every time the h said Price Domenico, I kept thinking Prince Domenico, hehehe!
b) What did the Mob say to Joe Domenico: Why you charging us so much?
Joe: Cause I got the monopoly on the Price
c) The hit song sung by the heroine: "The Price is high but I'm holding on...."
d) Joe Domenico ( on Price's possible expenditures ): Price, You're costing me a lot of money
e) Price to heroine: you can't afford me.
f) Price: I cost extra by the hour (hehehehehehe!)
BUT I have a devilish mind and it came up with TOO MANY JOKES.
[Joe is H's dad who was the Godfather in gambling Mafia]
a) I kept thinking PRICE was PRINCE so every time the h said Price Domenico, I kept thinking Prince Domenico, hehehe!
b) What did the Mob say to Joe Domenico: Why you charging us so much?
Joe: Cause I got the monopoly on the Price
c) The hit song sung by the heroine: "The Price is high but I'm holding on...."
d) Joe Domenico ( on Price's possible expenditures ): Price, You're costing me a lot of money
e) Price to heroine: you can't afford me.
f) Price: I cost extra by the hour (hehehehehehe!)
March 2, 2021
3.5 rounded up.
September 1, 2019
This was a re-read for me over a long holiday weekend when all the housecleaning was done and I could indulge in my HP guilty pleasure.
My rating still stands at 2 stars. I just couldn't warm up to either the H or h. After a lifetime of abuse, heroine has a short fuse when someone calls her stupid. It seems daddy and dead hubby were pros at putting her down and undermining her intelligence. Though, in all fairness, she was definitely not the brightest color in the crayon box. She made so many bad decisions, my head was spinning.
The hero on the other hand was no angel. I found him to be a rather harsh, manipulative jerk who was quick "to take his ball and go home" when he didn't get his way. I know the author told me how wonderful he was, but she never showed me.
Also, I still hold to the fact that the timeline stunk. What grade school teacher jumps into bed with her pupil's father after the second meeting. Standards must be very different in Australia. That decision alone would get her fired anywhere else in the world.
My Original Review >
_________________________________________
I struggle a bit with the timeline in ED's stories. This was no exception. Things moved too quickly for me.
My rating still stands at 2 stars. I just couldn't warm up to either the H or h. After a lifetime of abuse, heroine has a short fuse when someone calls her stupid. It seems daddy and dead hubby were pros at putting her down and undermining her intelligence. Though, in all fairness, she was definitely not the brightest color in the crayon box. She made so many bad decisions, my head was spinning.
The hero on the other hand was no angel. I found him to be a rather harsh, manipulative jerk who was quick "to take his ball and go home" when he didn't get his way. I know the author told me how wonderful he was, but she never showed me.
Also, I still hold to the fact that the timeline stunk. What grade school teacher jumps into bed with her pupil's father after the second meeting. Standards must be very different in Australia. That decision alone would get her fired anywhere else in the world.
My Original Review >
_________________________________________
I struggle a bit with the timeline in ED's stories. This was no exception. Things moved too quickly for me.
August 26, 2012
Rating 3.5 stars
The heroine has fought all her life against the label stupid, her father used it and so did her husband but she never accepted it and she has spent the last five years teaching and earning her degree, to her that degree is proof and the word stupid tends to make her go crazy so when she is charged with negligent driving she contacts the best criminal lawyer, the father of her star pupil. She behaves badly with the hero because she has a chip on her shoulder about injustice and wealth and believes all the rumours about the hero's father being a godfather, him being unethical etc and the hero too has a chip and in anger accepts her case.
A few months later when the case is solved, the heroine comes too see how wrong she was and tries to make amends and they get talking, about how the heroine never wants to be under any man's thumb, how the hero's father was not a killer, only a man striving for a better life for his family and how the hero's wife became a victim of that. When they become involved intimately, the hero moves at a much faster pace than her while the heroine is still in shock, so she sends him away.
But something related to his son gives her the courage to go to him again and be gutsy this time. I loved how the hero seemed more emotionally in touch than the heroine and the book was total time-pass.
The heroine has fought all her life against the label stupid, her father used it and so did her husband but she never accepted it and she has spent the last five years teaching and earning her degree, to her that degree is proof and the word stupid tends to make her go crazy so when she is charged with negligent driving she contacts the best criminal lawyer, the father of her star pupil. She behaves badly with the hero because she has a chip on her shoulder about injustice and wealth and believes all the rumours about the hero's father being a godfather, him being unethical etc and the hero too has a chip and in anger accepts her case.
A few months later when the case is solved, the heroine comes too see how wrong she was and tries to make amends and they get talking, about how the heroine never wants to be under any man's thumb, how the hero's father was not a killer, only a man striving for a better life for his family and how the hero's wife became a victim of that. When they become involved intimately, the hero moves at a much faster pace than her while the heroine is still in shock, so she sends him away.
But something related to his son gives her the courage to go to him again and be gutsy this time. I loved how the hero seemed more emotionally in touch than the heroine and the book was total time-pass.
December 11, 2023
3.5 for a H, barrister Price Domenico, I could really root for, a cute son, Ricky, age 5, pupil in the posh Australian prep school our h, also widowed, Elizabeth teaches at (while paying off her late husband's debts and studying for a Bachelor degree). Yes, this is the pure in heart being blessed with justice and a happy ending. If only real life was like that.
January 25, 2022
I simply, absolutely LOVED this one !!
Its very difficult to build a nice little fairy tale romance in very realistic settings. This one manages that delicate balance between realism and fiction.
Price is a hot shot barrister. But he comes with a lot of baggage, his dad was involved in gambling, betting and stuff. Nothing sinister like drugs or murder. But nevertheless, illegal business. But the old man died a valiant death trying to clean up his deeds, and setting things right. So daddy is still a hero in the eyes of Price. And rightly so.
Elizabeth is a sweet little primary school teacher, who believes in living a squeaky clean life. Just having a case of negligent driving falsely hoisted on her by the police, and she is up in arms against the system !!! She caused the accident trying to save a little boy on a bicycle. But the police aren't listening.
She decides to fight the case in court. She chooses Price as her lawyer, knowing fully well he is way out of her league, he fights only mega important cases. But she has an ace up her sleeve too ;)
Nicky, who is the 5 year old son of Price, is in Elizabeth's class in her school. And the kiddo simply adores his class teacher :))))))
So Elizabeth decides to use her school teacher leverage. But Price refuses the case anyway. In a rash moment, she resorts to some slander and insults him, referring to his grey family heritage, and how he might be bending the law.
Price is enraged. He accepts to fight her case, just to prove a point. He wins of course, after a lot of effort and money spent from his side, trying to locate the little boy witness. Elizabeth is shamed, she immediately regrets her insinuations. And atones her mistake beautifully, honestly. By asking him out to lunch , on the day the case is won.
Of course, the sparks have been flying in a sexual undercurrent all along their explosive encounters. And after they bury their differences and strike a friendship over lunch, they give in to their impulses and DO IT.
That doesn't mean she is ready for a relationship and he is ready for a marriage. That takes some time to evolve. And their relationship matures beautifully.
In the end, there is a scandal in school that affects little Ricky, all due to the kiddo's family record. And Elizabeth runs to Price to warn him. Price is overwhelmed that Elizabeth is willing to stand by him even when the school management and public perception is against him. But he manages a coup of sorts, turns the tide in the case, all using honest methods. And becomes a board member in the school instead !!!
Ricky figures out in the mean time that his fav teacher is in daddy's bed. That means, she must be MUMMY !! Boy, is he elated !! :)))))))))))))
The author doesn't get Nicky's baby talk quite right, sounds too much like an adult. That's the only blemish in the story telling.
The epilogue has Elizabeth getting her Bachelor of Arts degree, while her husband and Nicky dear look on proudly. And she is 6 months preggers too :))
A sweet HEA, appropriate in the context because Elizabeth has always struggled in life. Her dad, her first husband were tyrants, and also spendthrifts. They did not value her integrity, called her stupid for being conservative and straightforward. They both died leaving her penniless and without a degree. With her degree and future plans to study law (so that she can assist Price in his profession), she proves a point to herself. And Price is silently beaming with pride !!!
Its very difficult to build a nice little fairy tale romance in very realistic settings. This one manages that delicate balance between realism and fiction.
Price is a hot shot barrister. But he comes with a lot of baggage, his dad was involved in gambling, betting and stuff. Nothing sinister like drugs or murder. But nevertheless, illegal business. But the old man died a valiant death trying to clean up his deeds, and setting things right. So daddy is still a hero in the eyes of Price. And rightly so.
Elizabeth is a sweet little primary school teacher, who believes in living a squeaky clean life. Just having a case of negligent driving falsely hoisted on her by the police, and she is up in arms against the system !!! She caused the accident trying to save a little boy on a bicycle. But the police aren't listening.
She decides to fight the case in court. She chooses Price as her lawyer, knowing fully well he is way out of her league, he fights only mega important cases. But she has an ace up her sleeve too ;)
Nicky, who is the 5 year old son of Price, is in Elizabeth's class in her school. And the kiddo simply adores his class teacher :))))))
So Elizabeth decides to use her school teacher leverage. But Price refuses the case anyway. In a rash moment, she resorts to some slander and insults him, referring to his grey family heritage, and how he might be bending the law.
Price is enraged. He accepts to fight her case, just to prove a point. He wins of course, after a lot of effort and money spent from his side, trying to locate the little boy witness. Elizabeth is shamed, she immediately regrets her insinuations. And atones her mistake beautifully, honestly. By asking him out to lunch , on the day the case is won.
Of course, the sparks have been flying in a sexual undercurrent all along their explosive encounters. And after they bury their differences and strike a friendship over lunch, they give in to their impulses and DO IT.
That doesn't mean she is ready for a relationship and he is ready for a marriage. That takes some time to evolve. And their relationship matures beautifully.
In the end, there is a scandal in school that affects little Ricky, all due to the kiddo's family record. And Elizabeth runs to Price to warn him. Price is overwhelmed that Elizabeth is willing to stand by him even when the school management and public perception is against him. But he manages a coup of sorts, turns the tide in the case, all using honest methods. And becomes a board member in the school instead !!!
Ricky figures out in the mean time that his fav teacher is in daddy's bed. That means, she must be MUMMY !! Boy, is he elated !! :)))))))))))))
The author doesn't get Nicky's baby talk quite right, sounds too much like an adult. That's the only blemish in the story telling.
The epilogue has Elizabeth getting her Bachelor of Arts degree, while her husband and Nicky dear look on proudly. And she is 6 months preggers too :))
A sweet HEA, appropriate in the context because Elizabeth has always struggled in life. Her dad, her first husband were tyrants, and also spendthrifts. They did not value her integrity, called her stupid for being conservative and straightforward. They both died leaving her penniless and without a degree. With her degree and future plans to study law (so that she can assist Price in his profession), she proves a point to herself. And Price is silently beaming with pride !!!
September 12, 2022
Good. This is just a good story with a strong minded heroine, an awesome hero, and an adorable child. The heroine in this story was quite strong in overcoming her father and first husband's tyranny. I also liked that she was valved education and was focused on earning her degree. The hero in here was also quite different as he - loved his first wife and married her because of love and not for any business reasons/societal pressure, respected and loved his father, enjoyed spending time with his child, and did not enjoy wielding his power unfairly. The romance did move quite fast, which can happen only in romance-land.
Overall, I liked this.
Overall, I liked this.
August 29, 2022
I read this because several reviewers whose book likes align with mine gave it 4 stars. I too like this. It is different from many HPs with the attraction based on values, heart, caring plus physical. It’s a good 3 1/2 stars but I’m rounding down because it got boring around the 40% mark and it’s hard to see such a careful, cautious woman jumping into bed the second meeting.
April 10, 2025
Nice enough. It was good to see Elizabeth heal from the trauma of the men in her life and the ending scene tied it all together nicely, but I'm not sure about her stopping all of her passions and education to raise a family.
March 31, 2024
An OK read. Passed the time but is a little dated.
September 7, 2024
😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
September 21, 2025
An OK read. Passed the time but is a little dated.
December 22, 2012
Titre vf : Une reine chez les tigres
May 17, 2017
What a wonderful book. Two damaged people who come together = synergy. No OW to spoil things although there were a couple of hiccups along the way.
November 26, 2018
4.5 rating
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