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Mistress by Contract
Indecent proposal!
There was only one way for Mikayla to clear her father's debt to powerful tycoon Rafael Velez-Aguilera: by offering herself in exchange! She knew it was crazy -- Rafael had his pick of glamorous women, and Mikayla was a virgin....
But Rafael was intrigued by Mikayla's proposal and immediately presented her with a contract of her duties as his mistress for a year! Top of the list was sharing his bed. What had Mikayla let herself in for? Rafael was an intensely sensual man, and once he'd made love to Mikayla, he might never let her go....
There was only one way for Mikayla to clear her father's debt to powerful tycoon Rafael Velez-Aguilera: by offering herself in exchange! She knew it was crazy -- Rafael had his pick of glamorous women, and Mikayla was a virgin....
But Rafael was intrigued by Mikayla's proposal and immediately presented her with a contract of her duties as his mistress for a year! Top of the list was sharing his bed. What had Mikayla let herself in for? Rafael was an intensely sensual man, and once he'd made love to Mikayla, he might never let her go....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
65 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Helen Bianchin
380 books228 followersHelen Shirley was born on February 20 1939 in New Zealand, where she grew up, an only child possessed by a vivid imagination and a love for reading. She wrote stories for amusement in her early teenage years, and when she left leaving school, she took a secretarial job at a father-and-son legal firm.
At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.
It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.
With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!
Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.
She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."
Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.
At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.
It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.
With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!
Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.
She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."
Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 16, 2013
Mikayla will do anything to clear her father's debt to Rafael Velez-Aguilera. She offers him a deal. She will be his mistress for a year and he will eliminate her father's debt.
This book was not bad but it left me cold. I liked the heroine. She was fierce, independent and extremely confident. Rafael was sweet and very protective of her. But I felt there was little plot and no angst something which bores me to tears.
This book was not bad but it left me cold. I liked the heroine. She was fierce, independent and extremely confident. Rafael was sweet and very protective of her. But I felt there was little plot and no angst something which bores me to tears.
November 2, 2021
I should have stopped reading when the H thinks to himself that he's not into rough smexx. 👀🤡 I was hoping this was a set up for him to really lose his sh*t with the h.... but alas, no. He was totally true to his word. What a gentleman. 🙃
Even the "surprise virgin" trope was anti-climatic. I need more than a ho-hum "You should have told me." 😐
Anyhoo... the early 2000's strike again. Authors were way overthinking it during that era.
Bottom Line? Eh. No real emotion or angst in this one. Not terrible, but I doubt I'll remember it tomorrow. I've forgotten most of it already. 🤷🏼♀️. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS
- no cheating or sharing
- a little OW drama, but the H isn't interested
- a little OM drama, but the h isn't interested
- no dubcon
- h is a 25 year old virgin
- H is experienced and older, but I don't think his age is given.
- no condoms but they both are tested before they start banging... i don't remember them mentioning a means of pregnancy prevention though 🧐
Even the "surprise virgin" trope was anti-climatic. I need more than a ho-hum "You should have told me." 😐
Anyhoo... the early 2000's strike again. Authors were way overthinking it during that era.
Bottom Line? Eh. No real emotion or angst in this one. Not terrible, but I doubt I'll remember it tomorrow. I've forgotten most of it already. 🤷🏼♀️. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS
- no cheating or sharing
- a little OW drama, but the H isn't interested
- a little OM drama, but the h isn't interested
- no dubcon
- h is a 25 year old virgin
- H is experienced and older, but I don't think his age is given.
- no condoms but they both are tested before they start banging... i don't remember them mentioning a means of pregnancy prevention though 🧐
May 28, 2019
I actually really liked this book our h and H were both strong characters who meet, make a deal and rather quickly fall on love. Our H accepts the h's offer to be his mistress in exchange for writing off her dads debt, he's dying and embezzled to look after mum who died. You can tell he's soon pretty crazy about her and she warms quickly to our H. I liked that she stood up for herself and was not bothered by his previous girlfriend despite her trying to cause trouble. I guess I was a little surprised she ran away from him near end as she had backbone for the rest of the book so running away seemed out of character. the H is just lovely and doesn't really punish her for this just does everything he can to get her back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2015
I absolutely LOVED this book. I've read it 4 times and feel like reading it again.
Mikayla and Rafael are so good together and the hero is the most wonderful male character I have ever encountered in a book. He is kind and loving and very gentle with Mikayla.
Mikayla is also a beautiful soul who sacrifices herself for her dying Dad. She is wonderful and Rafael is so taken by her at first sight.
I truly recommend this book. You WONT be disappointed
Mikayla and Rafael are so good together and the hero is the most wonderful male character I have ever encountered in a book. He is kind and loving and very gentle with Mikayla.
Mikayla is also a beautiful soul who sacrifices herself for her dying Dad. She is wonderful and Rafael is so taken by her at first sight.
I truly recommend this book. You WONT be disappointed
July 21, 2014
Helen Bianchin outdoes herself once again. I really enjoy her books. This one is no exception. Strong hero, strong heroine.
October 10, 2021
An Oldie But A Goodie!
I read this for the first time years ago and every so often I like to reread it. It is a bit dated now but that’s to be expected. I love a fierce heroine and a charismatic hero and this offered that to me. She didn’t cave to his wishes/sometimes demands and he realised there was more to life than business. A fun, quick read if that’s what you’re in the market for!
I read this for the first time years ago and every so often I like to reread it. It is a bit dated now but that’s to be expected. I love a fierce heroine and a charismatic hero and this offered that to me. She didn’t cave to his wishes/sometimes demands and he realised there was more to life than business. A fun, quick read if that’s what you’re in the market for!
December 6, 2011
This was a very satisfying read. It was interesting from beginning to end. I loved the arrogant hero paired with a girl who knew how to hold her own without losing her femininity. I enjoyed watching them fall in love. This is the type of story that makes me glad that I gave HP’s a shot.
February 6, 2011
A good read for me and a keeper. Mikayla is a strong independent woman who is a teacher and works nights to help her father. She was a lovable character for me.. GOOD story and i love the beginning.
February 11, 2020
I have to admit that I loved this book. It's a bit different from the rest of Helen Bianchin's books, in that the OW's presence is pretty limited.
Rafael is a successful businessman, but he doesn't want commitment from his liasons, much to the OW's dismay. That's why he literally jumps at Mikayla's proposal for her to be his mistress in exchange for him forgiving her father's embezzlement. What follows next is the story of two people who discover they like to be around each other and who really click in the bedroom. They fall in love with each other, but naturally they don't communicate about their feelings. Also per HB's recipe, the heroine leaves the hero once she realizes it's love, because she's sure her feelings aren't returned.
Rafael is a successful businessman, but he doesn't want commitment from his liasons, much to the OW's dismay. That's why he literally jumps at Mikayla's proposal for her to be his mistress in exchange for him forgiving her father's embezzlement. What follows next is the story of two people who discover they like to be around each other and who really click in the bedroom. They fall in love with each other, but naturally they don't communicate about their feelings. Also per HB's recipe, the heroine leaves the hero once she realizes it's love, because she's sure her feelings aren't returned.
Read
April 29, 2023Nope, not gonna read a HQ with a heroine who thinks whoring herself for daddy's debts is the best idea ever.
There are many other books which don't have idiotic heroines.
No rating.
There are many other books which don't have idiotic heroines.
No rating.
Read
July 2, 2021Read sample, was boring.
Average, attractive h, desperate to help her father.
Low chemistry btw mc.
Average, attractive h, desperate to help her father.
Low chemistry btw mc.
July 23, 2011
I really need to say how much I love Mikayla. She is a powerful, independent woman, who would do anything to save her father... even she did give herself, literally, to this strange man. I love how she is a teacher of a dangerous school in the day, and a waitress of an even more dangerous bar at night. She didn't really have a choice to save her dad... I love Rafael at the end, though.
October 18, 2020
Typical Harlequin. Rich H virgin h. h's father involved in embezzlement H to rescue. I liked the h who is a teacher at a local state high school and also works at a restaurant to help her father. I liked the story but not much of hot sex scenes. I didn't like H , he seems a little cold fish. He never reveal anything personal to h. No humor
January 9, 2020
Ikd what the purpose of this story is... there's little to none angst. Just like the daily life of a mistress and her master. Like what? Dissapointing read. There's no baby too so there'a no redeeming point. Would give this 1 star but gave it 2 instead since I finished this.
January 1, 2012
I read from one of the most beautiful Harlequin. just wonderful (:
July 23, 2012
Love Helen's strong alpha heroes!
July 31, 2015
A nice story
March 29, 2023
I do enjoy reading the occasional book by Helen Bianchin (usually when I'm visiting my parents for a holiday -my mother's 'stash'). Whenever I come across a book with 'mistress' in the title, 9 times out of ten, the main female character isn't actually a mistress.
The correct meaning of it is: "A mistress is a woman who is in a relatively long-term sexual and romantic relationship with someone who is MARRIED to a different person."
Who would want to read a 'romance' story where the main female character is having a relationship with a married man? Call me old-fashioned, but I don't find such a pairing at all romantic - BUT, as said, in many books in this genre I've read, the main FC is portrayed as a 'mistress' of a single, unmarried man.
Shouldn't it be girlfriend?? It's so derogatory to label women, in long-term intimate relationships with men, as a mistress.
I know there are a lot of rereleases of older romance books out there, but this misogynistic misconception is still currently out there.
The correct meaning of it is: "A mistress is a woman who is in a relatively long-term sexual and romantic relationship with someone who is MARRIED to a different person."
Who would want to read a 'romance' story where the main female character is having a relationship with a married man? Call me old-fashioned, but I don't find such a pairing at all romantic - BUT, as said, in many books in this genre I've read, the main FC is portrayed as a 'mistress' of a single, unmarried man.
Shouldn't it be girlfriend?? It's so derogatory to label women, in long-term intimate relationships with men, as a mistress.
I know there are a lot of rereleases of older romance books out there, but this misogynistic misconception is still currently out there.
May 15, 2019
Mikayla offers herself as mistress to a man she has never met in order to save her father (who is in failing health) from prosecution. Rafael is intrigued and agrees to her proposition.
This was typical Bianchin: very reserved feelings, lots of meals and showers, a jealous other woman, and a public high society profile. I liked Mikayla. Her stress and worry were palpable, and I sympathized with how trapped she felt in various parts of the book. Also liked her insistence on keeping her (main) job as a teacher at a not-so-good school. Rafael was a bit too caveman for me.
Ultimately, this book didn't really stand out much.
This was typical Bianchin: very reserved feelings, lots of meals and showers, a jealous other woman, and a public high society profile. I liked Mikayla. Her stress and worry were palpable, and I sympathized with how trapped she felt in various parts of the book. Also liked her insistence on keeping her (main) job as a teacher at a not-so-good school. Rafael was a bit too caveman for me.
Ultimately, this book didn't really stand out much.
December 15, 2019
Hmm no lo sé, quizá fue la traducción del libro pero todo el tiempo pensaba "¿esto fue escrito por una niña de 10 años?" me refiero a que la narración era pésima a veces no sabía ni quien era la persona que hablaba pero como dije antes no puedo culpar de todo al autor porque el libro que leí fue traducido por fans.
Sobre la esencia de la historia, estuvo bien eso es todo realmente no hubo mucha profundidad en todo, fue una romance normal que paso muy rápido jajaja, Sasha fue puesta ahí para ? aún no logro descubrirlo jajaja pero bueno es de esos libros que decides leer en un momento de aburrimiento.
Sobre la esencia de la historia, estuvo bien eso es todo realmente no hubo mucha profundidad en todo, fue una romance normal que paso muy rápido jajaja, Sasha fue puesta ahí para ? aún no logro descubrirlo jajaja pero bueno es de esos libros que decides leer en un momento de aburrimiento.
October 31, 2020
Another good HP by Helen Bianchin. I like this trope, and thankfully the hero & heroine were interesting characters. My main complaint would be the abrupt ending, and a few missed opportunities to dive deeper into the hero & heroine's background. That's a problem with many HP's, the page limit prevents character and plot development.
That said, this was a entertaining story. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.
3.75 Stars
That said, this was a entertaining story. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.
3.75 Stars
July 7, 2025
Editors Preview
The storyline was perfect. There was no quick or slow part to the book, every part read smoothly. The title is self explanatory. A story about a women paying a debt to a man by being his mistress. They both go through challenges, but come together to prove you can overcome them. I like the give and take part they both show. The story may have began with a contract, but it ends with love.
The storyline was perfect. There was no quick or slow part to the book, every part read smoothly. The title is self explanatory. A story about a women paying a debt to a man by being his mistress. They both go through challenges, but come together to prove you can overcome them. I like the give and take part they both show. The story may have began with a contract, but it ends with love.
February 28, 2019
Great love story
No one does it better than Helen Bianchin. Classic romance.
I have always read Harlequins. When life was stressful, they were my escape. This author was always one of my favourites.
No one does it better than Helen Bianchin. Classic romance.
I have always read Harlequins. When life was stressful, they were my escape. This author was always one of my favourites.
July 10, 2018
The chemistry was hot and fast between them but I didn't really like them that much. They were a bit boring
July 28, 2018
Read before Goodreads
August 6, 2018
3.5 stars.
no-fcking-ways
February 5, 2020She herself offers to be his mistress ....
Just no
Just no
April 8, 2020
Light easy story.
August 17, 2020
Excellent tead
Have read many tines and it still captivates me. Im sure I will read many more times. Love this author!
Have read many tines and it still captivates me. Im sure I will read many more times. Love this author!
October 4, 2020
Simple and easy to read! A real romance...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews