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Tangled Lies
Surrounded by greed and treachery, Rachel Chandler feels completely alone in the world—until her brother, who's been missing for fifteen years, is spotted in Hawaii. Rachel will stop at nothing to find him.…
But when she arrives at her brother's cottage, she encounters a stranger. A man haunted by his past. A man looking to use Rachel for his own purposes.
A man Rachel wants as she's never wanted another.…
180 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1984
About the author
Anne Stuart
205 books2,070 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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May 27, 2021I do not know how to rate this book as it is basically completely constructed of potassium molecules. We'll be talking about it on fated mates on 5/26!
May 21, 2019
"Tangled Lies" is the story of Rachel and "Emmett"/
Honestly, this was messed up and engaging at the same time.
Our h is Rachel Chandler, who is surrounded by greed and dishonesty all around her and is hungry for love. When her brother, whom she thought as dead, re-emerges after 15 years of missing in Hawaii, she rushes to meet him!
On the way, she meets her estranged uncle, a caring priest, and finally her "brother", to whom she starts feeling...attracted? Soon secrets and lies emerge, and Rachel realizes her forbidden feelings might not be so incestuous at all..
WOW. Ms Stuart threw a curveball with this read. The internal anguish the heroine faces when she thinks she is lusting after her own brother is heartbreaking. The hero's character has shades of grey and each revelation is an eye opener. Their chemistry is sizzling, trust fragile, and the big reveal can be predicted at around 70% mark.
Take a deep breath, and go for it!
Safe
3.5/5
Honestly, this was messed up and engaging at the same time.
Our h is Rachel Chandler, who is surrounded by greed and dishonesty all around her and is hungry for love. When her brother, whom she thought as dead, re-emerges after 15 years of missing in Hawaii, she rushes to meet him!
On the way, she meets her estranged uncle, a caring priest, and finally her "brother", to whom she starts feeling...attracted? Soon secrets and lies emerge, and Rachel realizes her forbidden feelings might not be so incestuous at all..
WOW. Ms Stuart threw a curveball with this read. The internal anguish the heroine faces when she thinks she is lusting after her own brother is heartbreaking. The hero's character has shades of grey and each revelation is an eye opener. Their chemistry is sizzling, trust fragile, and the big reveal can be predicted at around 70% mark.
Take a deep breath, and go for it!
Safe
3.5/5
January 2, 2012
Um, I felt strangely sick while reading this novel, even though the whole time I knew the two love birds weren't actually related. So you got a girl looking for her long lost brother and who she finds is a stranger posing as a her brother, except she thinks it's really her bro come back from hiding. Now, the sick part comes in when she starts having strong sexual feelings for him even though he's her brother and winds up acting on them. I just couldn't see the intended humor of the situation and almost yacked up my lunch.
I love Stuart. Like Love Love Love her, but I was so thrown off by the incestuous conflicts driving the plot that the novel crashed and burned for me. Just Yuck Yuck Yuck all the way around. I don't care if he's really your brother or not lady, but if you think he is, you shouldn't be macking on him or two seconds away from jumping his bones. That's just plain old nasty and I didn't sign up for a twisted X-rated porno made harlequin when I bought this book. If I were her, I would have gotten the heck off that island like my behind was on fire the second I started even thinking of my brother in that way.
And, to top it off, the protagonist lady acts like a 5 year old when she's around her brother. Stuart uses these opportunities to create "humorous" situations, like when she asks her "brother" to kiss her before she goes to sleep. It was just all a little much and a little unbelievable. Read this story if you enjoy this type of stuff. It's just not my cup of tea.
I love Stuart. Like Love Love Love her, but I was so thrown off by the incestuous conflicts driving the plot that the novel crashed and burned for me. Just Yuck Yuck Yuck all the way around. I don't care if he's really your brother or not lady, but if you think he is, you shouldn't be macking on him or two seconds away from jumping his bones. That's just plain old nasty and I didn't sign up for a twisted X-rated porno made harlequin when I bought this book. If I were her, I would have gotten the heck off that island like my behind was on fire the second I started even thinking of my brother in that way.
And, to top it off, the protagonist lady acts like a 5 year old when she's around her brother. Stuart uses these opportunities to create "humorous" situations, like when she asks her "brother" to kiss her before she goes to sleep. It was just all a little much and a little unbelievable. Read this story if you enjoy this type of stuff. It's just not my cup of tea.
December 22, 2011
So my Anne Stuart reading binge continued, this time with a Harlequin Intrigue that was published in 1994. Tangled Lies though an earlier story by the author was nevertheless a great one that compelled me to keep on reading, to find out the truth behind the tangled web of lies and deceit that is spun throughout the story, something Anne Stuart is so very good at.
Rachel Chandler makes her way to a little island in Hawaii to meet her brother Emmett Chandler after being estranged from him for 15 long years. Emmette disappears in the late 1960′s when Rachel was just around 12 years old. The news that Emmette has surfaced again in the island propels Rachel to face her fear of flying to meet her brother, to ease that loneliness that has always been a part of her ever since he went missing.
When Rachel meets the man who is playing the role of the 40 year old Emmett Chandler, there is a spark of awareness that shoots right through her, though she quickly tamps it down as part of the joy of being with her brother once again. The Emmett that she discovers is unlike the gentle and kind brother that she knew, this man being an all around tougher and harder version that makes Rachel want to hug him close and ease and soothe his wounds.
Ben O’Hanlon has his own reasons for agreeing to the scheme of pretending to be Emmette Chandler, one he would never divulge to Rachel no matter how tempting she might be. From the first moment that Rachel invades his personal space, its a losing battle that Ben fights with his baser emotions and the possessiveness that takes a hold of him. Though he would like nothing better than to feel nothing towards the woman who shares the ramshackle cabin with him, there is no denying the fact that sparks fly whenever they are together and that the sexual tension could be cut through with a knife.
Rachel is torn apart at the very thought that she has “feelings” towards her older brother. She goes through so much emotional agony because of the fact and when the truth comes to light, all bets are off as Rachel is devastated with anger and the sting of betrayal that courses through her. But once again, the strength of her feelings towards Ben dictates that she give in, that they both give in to the heady desire that escalates out of control with each encounter.
I loved Tangled Lies though there was a bit of an icky factor with Rachel lusting after her “brother” even though the reader knows that he is not her brother in reality. The angst and the tension that is part of this novel was well done and I loved the explosive culmination of their desire for one another.
Ben is a man who is hellbent on vengeance not to be deterred by the pretty haunting eyes of Rachel who occupies every thought that races through his mind. That subtle jasmine scent that clings to the air whenever she is around practically drives him nuts, and even that bitter and cynical heart of his is no match when it comes to Rachel’s soothing touch that sets all his senses afire. Ben fights his feelings until the very last minute, once again Anne Stuart giving her readers a taste of the ruthless alpha heroes that she creates exceptionally well.
Rachel is a bit naive when the story starts, but she is in no means a pushover when it comes to those whom she loves. She is tenacious, loyal and stubborn when it comes to love, all required when you fall hopelessly in love with a man of Ben’s caliber.
Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart and fans of ruthless heroes!
Rating=4/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
My quotes included below the review!
Rachel Chandler makes her way to a little island in Hawaii to meet her brother Emmett Chandler after being estranged from him for 15 long years. Emmette disappears in the late 1960′s when Rachel was just around 12 years old. The news that Emmette has surfaced again in the island propels Rachel to face her fear of flying to meet her brother, to ease that loneliness that has always been a part of her ever since he went missing.
When Rachel meets the man who is playing the role of the 40 year old Emmett Chandler, there is a spark of awareness that shoots right through her, though she quickly tamps it down as part of the joy of being with her brother once again. The Emmett that she discovers is unlike the gentle and kind brother that she knew, this man being an all around tougher and harder version that makes Rachel want to hug him close and ease and soothe his wounds.
Ben O’Hanlon has his own reasons for agreeing to the scheme of pretending to be Emmette Chandler, one he would never divulge to Rachel no matter how tempting she might be. From the first moment that Rachel invades his personal space, its a losing battle that Ben fights with his baser emotions and the possessiveness that takes a hold of him. Though he would like nothing better than to feel nothing towards the woman who shares the ramshackle cabin with him, there is no denying the fact that sparks fly whenever they are together and that the sexual tension could be cut through with a knife.
Rachel is torn apart at the very thought that she has “feelings” towards her older brother. She goes through so much emotional agony because of the fact and when the truth comes to light, all bets are off as Rachel is devastated with anger and the sting of betrayal that courses through her. But once again, the strength of her feelings towards Ben dictates that she give in, that they both give in to the heady desire that escalates out of control with each encounter.
I loved Tangled Lies though there was a bit of an icky factor with Rachel lusting after her “brother” even though the reader knows that he is not her brother in reality. The angst and the tension that is part of this novel was well done and I loved the explosive culmination of their desire for one another.
Ben is a man who is hellbent on vengeance not to be deterred by the pretty haunting eyes of Rachel who occupies every thought that races through his mind. That subtle jasmine scent that clings to the air whenever she is around practically drives him nuts, and even that bitter and cynical heart of his is no match when it comes to Rachel’s soothing touch that sets all his senses afire. Ben fights his feelings until the very last minute, once again Anne Stuart giving her readers a taste of the ruthless alpha heroes that she creates exceptionally well.
Rachel is a bit naive when the story starts, but she is in no means a pushover when it comes to those whom she loves. She is tenacious, loyal and stubborn when it comes to love, all required when you fall hopelessly in love with a man of Ben’s caliber.
Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart and fans of ruthless heroes!
Rating=4/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
My quotes included below the review!
August 23, 2014
Fifteen years ago, Emmett Chandler was involved with a radical group of protestors when a bomb went off killing several people, including his girlfriend. Emmett quickly disappears, never to be heard from again. Now his little sister, Rachel, is an adult and has been searching for him. After hearing that he is on the island of Kauai, Rachel takes the first plane and tracks him down. Emmett does not recognize Rachel when he sees her. Why??? Because he isn't the real Emmett Chandler. He is posing as Emmett in order to smoke him out and can't let Rachel know he isn't her brother. That won't be easy since Emmett can't seem to keep his hands off of her.
I usually love Anne Stuart's brooding heroes and unique plots, but this one doesn't work for me. Rachel is a whiny heroine who acts like a five year old around her brother...when she isn't wanting to kiss him and wondering why she has such deep feelings for him. Ick! We know he isn't her brother, but she doesn't know that. My rating: 1.5 Stars.
I usually love Anne Stuart's brooding heroes and unique plots, but this one doesn't work for me. Rachel is a whiny heroine who acts like a five year old around her brother...when she isn't wanting to kiss him and wondering why she has such deep feelings for him. Ick! We know he isn't her brother, but she doesn't know that. My rating: 1.5 Stars.
March 24, 2009
I tried to like this book, but I just couldn't. It just wasn't for me. I thought the heroine was too forgiving of the hero, and she fell for him way to quickly, especially when for half the book she thought he was her brother. I couldn't handle that she was attracted to him when she thought he was her brother. Even though the reader knew the truth from the get go, it still just didn't work for me. I also would have liked to know more about her brother, and the reasons why he ran.. I admit I may have missed that because I skimmed a bit. LOL
July 10, 2017
Okay Anne Stuart's heroes aren't my mind of heroes. When I was a teen in the seventies and read Harlequins/loveswepts/historicals I loved these kind of heroes. Adored them so much I married one!!! And therein lies my reason. Lol. poor man! There is no question Anne Stuart is a great writer, her books are easy to read, they flow, they have great plots and I still read them. I enjoy them to a certain extent. I just don't see future happiness for the taciturn hero and his heroine. Just saying. But this one was very easy to solve the mystery. I am not going to spoil this one but it has some major squicky factors. Even though we know the H is not her brother, it still made me feel yucky. I wonder what it would have have been like if we weren't in on the secret. It wouldn't be a Harlequin of course but it would be interesting to feel her angst with US not knowing too. Her confusion was very much felt though in the writing. that is why Anne Stuart is so good. I Just Wish I could really believe Her HEAs!
P.S. The guy on the cover is hideous. Just saying.
P.S. The guy on the cover is hideous. Just saying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2010
How does she do it? How in the world does Anne Stuart have the talent to turn ANY man into a DESIRABLE man! I have been wanting to get my hand on this early work of Stuart's and was so happy when the "Famous First" line reprinted it. Although an early work of hers, the quality of her writing is there....I dare you to figure this story out before Stuart decide to just out right tell you!
Caution!!!! There is a strong, what I like to call, "ICK" factor in this book. Rachel believes that the man known as Emmett is her brother. There is lots of sexual tension between them right from the beginning, and they even share a passionate kiss even though they are "siblings". This almost made me sick. I hate incest plot lines. It just is so evil and bad! Once all that is cleared up, the web that is explained is so surprising and destined, that by the end of the book, the whole 'incest" scene seems very far away and more palatable.
Caution!!!! There is a strong, what I like to call, "ICK" factor in this book. Rachel believes that the man known as Emmett is her brother. There is lots of sexual tension between them right from the beginning, and they even share a passionate kiss even though they are "siblings". This almost made me sick. I hate incest plot lines. It just is so evil and bad! Once all that is cleared up, the web that is explained is so surprising and destined, that by the end of the book, the whole 'incest" scene seems very far away and more palatable.
May 16, 2014
I have absolutely no idea how Anne does it. I should NOT like this book as much as I do but I do. I really really do. I spent the first half of the book extremely annoyed and the second half rocking back and forth in my chair.
A lot of people will not like this. There is a huge ick factor and I am sure most people will not jump on board with it. I didn't either. I still haven't but Anne just has a way of writing romantic suspenses that make you overlook things you normally wouldn't.
So even with all my issues (and there were plenty, believe me), I couldn't help but love this as I have all of Stuart's other works.
A lot of people will not like this. There is a huge ick factor and I am sure most people will not jump on board with it. I didn't either. I still haven't but Anne just has a way of writing romantic suspenses that make you overlook things you normally wouldn't.
So even with all my issues (and there were plenty, believe me), I couldn't help but love this as I have all of Stuart's other works.
May 19, 2021
I love Sarah and Jen of the Fated Mates podcast, but I truly don't understand why they recommended this book and I don't think there's anything they could say on the upcoming episode to convince me that this is a book worth reading. There's a reason I don't read old school romance. I should have trusted my gut, skipped reading this and just enjoyed listening to them banter about it.
September 11, 2025
Read as a joke after finding a bunch of books in this series in a Little Free Library. I suppose it's par for the course that it was laughably awful.
May 23, 2021
I read this because Fated Mates is doing a pod on it next week. This book is nuts. Bananas. I shouldn't like it. It should gross me out. And it does! But, somehow, it works?
December 24, 2015
I usually enjoy pseudo incestuous taboo love stories for the angst that comes with it and all that. So when I saw this book by chance in my Friends of the Library book sale and read the back cover: long lost brother?! “A man Rachel wants as she's never wanted another?!!!” I had to have it! Well, let’s just say it was just “alright” to me. In the beginning, there was this anticipation from me about the “brother”. The audience already knows earlier in the book that the “brother” is not really the brother. Of course our poor heroine doesn’t know this. So in the first half of the book she is under this impression. I’m sorry to say but I wanted to smack the heroine. I had to go back into the book and check out how old she was. (By my faded memory I think she was 27/28??) Well, I have to say, holy cow, she acted like she was 10 years old. I mean this grown arse woman was asking to be kissed by her “brother” the way he used to when she was a kid (forehead, nose, lips) Now just imagine yourself a grown arse adult asking your grown arse brother for that? And then wearing skimpy clothes or some bathroom shenanigans (forgot that scene so cant describe it too well) Uh noooo.. Unbelievable LOL. I understand the author is just trying to inject humor and maybe a little angst ( on the H’s part) in there but its not just plausible. But yeah the h is REALLLLY submerged in her obsession with her “brother” and it even comes to a head Lol! But in the 2nd half of the book it changes but I don’t want to give it all away. I was kind of laughing though because when the h discovers the truth about her it did seem like her “desire” faded too. But don’t worry she they still “lurve” each other and h’s attraction returns. I gave it 3 stars because I was rather curious about the story and I liked the mystery of her real brother and I thought that was a little funny. But in regards to the “taboo” aspect of it, sure I love my brother/stepbrother pseudo family love stories but only if its done in a believable (for HP :P) kinda way. The way this was done it was a bit too much and a “yeah right!!?” kinda way.
February 21, 2010
I admit I was a bit creeped out by the premise of the story. That being said, however, I decided to throw caution to the wind and trust in Anne Stuart. I'm glad I did. This was a nice story that even had a few *laugh out loud* moments for me. The "ick" factor associated with the darker theme of this book isn't so bad once you realize who everyone is and what's really going on. Also, I was completely blindsided by the twist at the end, I didn't see it coming and was pleasantly surprised. In comparison to some of Stuart's other works, I have to give this one 3 & a half stars, but still an enjoyable read to Stuart fans and fans of the genre.
August 30, 2022
This was... something. (Audio listen, as usual, so please bear with me on name spellings.) On the hit and miss scale, I'm going to go with a "miss." I'm going with 3 stars, but it could easily have been 2 on a different day.
Rachel travels to Hawaii because her brother, Emmet who she hasn't seen since she was 12, and is on the run from the law and possible lawsuits, has been spotted there. (I never quite understood why he in particular was held responsible for the bombing, or why in spite of their family having property for him to stay on, the government didn't just stake out that area. The whole reason for Emmet being on the run seemed very murky from the outset.) Rachel adores her older brother, so she strong-arms herself into staying with him, only to find rather quickly that...
Well, have you ever heard of Angel Sanctuary, Vol. 1? Or Flowers in the Attic?
It's like that.
Only it isn't. Because we find out pretty quickly (and no spoiler tag because this is Chapter 2 stuff) that Emmet is not Emmet. Here is where I got some very strong vibes of another Stuart book that I absolutely loved, Shadow Lover, only that book was done much better. Mostly because they didn't make the heroine struggle with teh Incest. But both are books where a woman falls for a man who may or may not be her brother (although in Shadow Lover there was never any doubt about a blood relation).
Rachel truly believes for well into half of the book that she is in lust/love with her brother, even going so far as to pick up a stranger at a bar because he reminds her of "Emmet."
Guys.
I know authors like to torture their characters, but it just felt dirty.
The ending also left a lot to be desired.
The audio reader was great (as usual, I can't remember her name), and I have no complaints there. I don't know if I've ever listened to her before, but I would again.
Rachel travels to Hawaii because her brother, Emmet who she hasn't seen since she was 12, and is on the run from the law and possible lawsuits, has been spotted there. (I never quite understood why he in particular was held responsible for the bombing, or why in spite of their family having property for him to stay on, the government didn't just stake out that area. The whole reason for Emmet being on the run seemed very murky from the outset.) Rachel adores her older brother, so she strong-arms herself into staying with him, only to find rather quickly that...
Well, have you ever heard of Angel Sanctuary, Vol. 1? Or Flowers in the Attic?
It's like that.
Only it isn't. Because we find out pretty quickly (and no spoiler tag because this is Chapter 2 stuff) that Emmet is not Emmet. Here is where I got some very strong vibes of another Stuart book that I absolutely loved, Shadow Lover, only that book was done much better. Mostly because they didn't make the heroine struggle with teh Incest. But both are books where a woman falls for a man who may or may not be her brother (although in Shadow Lover there was never any doubt about a blood relation).
Rachel truly believes for well into half of the book that she is in lust/love with her brother, even going so far as to pick up a stranger at a bar because he reminds her of "Emmet."
Guys.
I know authors like to torture their characters, but it just felt dirty.
The ending also left a lot to be desired.
The audio reader was great (as usual, I can't remember her name), and I have no complaints there. I don't know if I've ever listened to her before, but I would again.
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May 11, 2021I tried this to read along with a podcast, but... nope.
January 17, 2016
Another Anne Stuart series book with a really original plot. This one is a Harlequin Intrigue. Rachel Chandler flies to Kauai to meet with her brother Emmett who's been missing for 15 years. When she finally finds him it seems he is not as happy to see her and she is about seeing him and soon she starts to feel very attracted to him.
This could have been a very weird book, after all the heroine starts to have what seems to be incestuous feelings, however we are told almost from the start that Emmett is not her real brother and is only pretending to be due to a hidden agenda. That was a good thing!
"Emmett" is also very attracted to Rachel and eventually he tells her the truth. But how many authors would choose a hero who pretends to be at first a long lost brother? Not many but Stuart is known for her unlikely heroes. I thought this was one cold hero though, really focused on his hidden agenda.
I really liked the atmosphere in this book and Rachel was a interesting character. "Emmett" is a bit harder to like, I think revenge after 15 years is a bit unbelievable especially because the beginning of it was just an accident. I was enjoying the book very much but that final scene where Rachel tries to convince him not to go to the airport and what he tells her really annoyed me. I can deal with heroes being idiots in the beginning of the story, or when they think it's for the heroine's good or even when they are not well adjusted to society but this wasn't the case.
The solution of who is Emmett was well thought of and it surprised me. So I'm giving this one a B-. The cover of the book I read is not the one pictured here but it seems these older editions are hard to find online.
This could have been a very weird book, after all the heroine starts to have what seems to be incestuous feelings, however we are told almost from the start that Emmett is not her real brother and is only pretending to be due to a hidden agenda. That was a good thing!
"Emmett" is also very attracted to Rachel and eventually he tells her the truth. But how many authors would choose a hero who pretends to be at first a long lost brother? Not many but Stuart is known for her unlikely heroes. I thought this was one cold hero though, really focused on his hidden agenda.
I really liked the atmosphere in this book and Rachel was a interesting character. "Emmett" is a bit harder to like, I think revenge after 15 years is a bit unbelievable especially because the beginning of it was just an accident. I was enjoying the book very much but that final scene where Rachel tries to convince him not to go to the airport and what he tells her really annoyed me. I can deal with heroes being idiots in the beginning of the story, or when they think it's for the heroine's good or even when they are not well adjusted to society but this wasn't the case.
The solution of who is Emmett was well thought of and it surprised me. So I'm giving this one a B-. The cover of the book I read is not the one pictured here but it seems these older editions are hard to find online.
November 20, 2025
3.5 stars
I read this one because of my ongoing goal to listen to all the Fated Mates podcasts and read as many of the read-along books as possible. As always, I’m writing my review before listening to the episode that deals with the book. I know they gave a warning when announcing this book as the deep dive that it was published in 1984. Boy, is that obvious.
While it was jarring to have that peek back at TSA-free air travel, it was also nice that cell phones and the internet could not be used. Not only could you not have a book with this storyline in 2025 because of those modern technology advances, it’s also bonkers inappropriate, and may not make it to print in current times. To be clear, nothing inappropriate actually happens, but poor Rachel doesn’t necessarily know that.
Many years ago, when Rachel was still a young teenager, her older brother was possibly involved in a terrorist plot that went awry. She hasn’t seen him since. Now, with his inheritance on the line, Emmett has been found in a remote town in Hawaii. Rachel’s uncle has gone to get him, but has delayed bringing Emmett back to the mainland, so Rachel takes matters into her own hands and heads to Kuai. There is no way to get into the nitty-gritty of this story without spoilers. I’ll just give some basic info, and you decide if this would be a book you want to read.
The story is well-written and flows smoothly. There is a ton of yearning, which leads to a somewhat uncomfortable slow burn. It’s not really a spoiler to say that Emmett is not who Rachel thinks he is, because that information is given to the reader early on. Yet Rachel is not aware of any possible deception, so the fact that Rachel and Emmett have chemistry can get uncomfortable. Emmett and the uncle are working together to flush the real Emmett out, so there is a whole element of the MMC keeping a huge lie from the MFC that I’m usually not a fan of. But that also gives the story a mystery/suspense feel.
This story is handled with an expert hand. Anne Stuart is new-to-me, but I can’t imagine many authors could pull this one off, even in the 80s. I’d be interested to read something else from her library. I had fun with the clothes and overall aesthetic of the time period. Plus, there was plenty of chemistry and the writing was smooth.
I read this one because of my ongoing goal to listen to all the Fated Mates podcasts and read as many of the read-along books as possible. As always, I’m writing my review before listening to the episode that deals with the book. I know they gave a warning when announcing this book as the deep dive that it was published in 1984. Boy, is that obvious.
While it was jarring to have that peek back at TSA-free air travel, it was also nice that cell phones and the internet could not be used. Not only could you not have a book with this storyline in 2025 because of those modern technology advances, it’s also bonkers inappropriate, and may not make it to print in current times. To be clear, nothing inappropriate actually happens, but poor Rachel doesn’t necessarily know that.
Many years ago, when Rachel was still a young teenager, her older brother was possibly involved in a terrorist plot that went awry. She hasn’t seen him since. Now, with his inheritance on the line, Emmett has been found in a remote town in Hawaii. Rachel’s uncle has gone to get him, but has delayed bringing Emmett back to the mainland, so Rachel takes matters into her own hands and heads to Kuai. There is no way to get into the nitty-gritty of this story without spoilers. I’ll just give some basic info, and you decide if this would be a book you want to read.
The story is well-written and flows smoothly. There is a ton of yearning, which leads to a somewhat uncomfortable slow burn. It’s not really a spoiler to say that Emmett is not who Rachel thinks he is, because that information is given to the reader early on. Yet Rachel is not aware of any possible deception, so the fact that Rachel and Emmett have chemistry can get uncomfortable. Emmett and the uncle are working together to flush the real Emmett out, so there is a whole element of the MMC keeping a huge lie from the MFC that I’m usually not a fan of. But that also gives the story a mystery/suspense feel.
This story is handled with an expert hand. Anne Stuart is new-to-me, but I can’t imagine many authors could pull this one off, even in the 80s. I’d be interested to read something else from her library. I had fun with the clothes and overall aesthetic of the time period. Plus, there was plenty of chemistry and the writing was smooth.
May 19, 2021
This book was bonkers. Rachel’s brother has been missing for 15 years, so when he turns up suddenly in Hawaii she flies there to see him. The brother she finds is nothing like she remembers and she can’t stop having decidedly un-sisterly feelings about him. Turns out it’s not really her brother but she doesn’t find out until they’ve had some intimate encounters (wtf?).
I primarily read romances written in the last 5 years or so, so this book read as very “old”. Incestuous worries notwithstanding, there is a lot of cigarette smoking, male high-handedness, oh and an attempted rape. Super fun times, y’all. Ben, the main character whose name we don’t learn until like 75% into the book, is bent on revenge. Overall, all the MC’s actions seem totally out of left field, there’s not a lot of explanation or internal monologue to explain these characters.
If you’re looking for bananas, this is it right here.
I primarily read romances written in the last 5 years or so, so this book read as very “old”. Incestuous worries notwithstanding, there is a lot of cigarette smoking, male high-handedness, oh and an attempted rape. Super fun times, y’all. Ben, the main character whose name we don’t learn until like 75% into the book, is bent on revenge. Overall, all the MC’s actions seem totally out of left field, there’s not a lot of explanation or internal monologue to explain these characters.
If you’re looking for bananas, this is it right here.
December 27, 2023
First read this when I was pretty young (anyone else have parents who were so happy you liked reading that they would just buy any book at Walgreens on their way home from work?) and randomly got the itch to read it again recently. This seems to be a real relic of the world of romance. It does have a bit of an ick factor, but I felt that it was explored well considering. Rachel is a bit guilty of acting like a child despite being a fully grown adult, insta-love, and being in so deep that she almost immediately forgives Ben whenever something happens, but I think the sweet rosy lens of nostalgia are protecting her here. That small gripe aside, I honestly enjoyed this as much as I did the first time I read it. The twist was a good one, and the darker themes were explored well. I have heard that Stuart's later heroines are more developed than Rachel is, so I'll likely give more of her stuff a go.
August 26, 2025
August 2025
🌝 Read many moons ago.
🚫 Decided not to reread.
Having read most of A.S.'s books long ago, I decided to start with her first book and read or re-read her works. Unfortunately, I'm finding that most of the books aren’t very interesting to me. Up until this point, I only really liked one; the rest were either okay or I didn’t finish them.
After reading a number of reviews, I decided against rereading this. Thankfully, there are reviewers who write summaries or share enough of the plot to remind me of what happens. Based on those, I know this one probably won’t work for me either. I’m more selective now than I used to be. Still, I hope to find a few more good reads as I go through her backlist.
🤗 I'll remember this book fondly.
Moving on to the next one...
🌝 Read many moons ago.
🚫 Decided not to reread.
Having read most of A.S.'s books long ago, I decided to start with her first book and read or re-read her works. Unfortunately, I'm finding that most of the books aren’t very interesting to me. Up until this point, I only really liked one; the rest were either okay or I didn’t finish them.
After reading a number of reviews, I decided against rereading this. Thankfully, there are reviewers who write summaries or share enough of the plot to remind me of what happens. Based on those, I know this one probably won’t work for me either. I’m more selective now than I used to be. Still, I hope to find a few more good reads as I go through her backlist.
🤗 I'll remember this book fondly.
Moving on to the next one...
Read
July 10, 2021THE BRIGHTEST BANANA omg
Picked this up from ThriftBooks because Fated Mates did a deep-dive episode on this very bright banana in the Romancelandia Banana Tree and it is a bonkers 80s trip. And a nice diversion for my brain to read and stop freaking out about all the upcoming TBR galleys I haven't read yet (it doesn't normally take 5 days for me to read a romance novel - especially a category-length one - but my reading brain has gone AWOL recently).
Picked this up from ThriftBooks because Fated Mates did a deep-dive episode on this very bright banana in the Romancelandia Banana Tree and it is a bonkers 80s trip. And a nice diversion for my brain to read and stop freaking out about all the upcoming TBR galleys I haven't read yet (it doesn't normally take 5 days for me to read a romance novel - especially a category-length one - but my reading brain has gone AWOL recently).
August 28, 2021
This was truly out of control and a product of its time. I read it as a read-along with the Fated Mates podcast and as they describe it, it's one of the Bright Bananas on the Romance Tree, and whoooo boy is it! I appreciated it as a foundational text and never having read Anne Stuart before, I enjoyed getting to know her writing style and what romance looked like in the early 80's. There's something to be said for reading early romance novels and see how far the genre has evolved and changed. But then again, the heroine thinks she's committing incest when she first kisses the hero, so there's that too... Thankfully, no incest ever takes place, but there are multiple characters pretending to be other people, a millionaire former college revolutionary turned priest, terrible uncles with questionable ethics, long lost inheritances, and Hawaiian cottages that serve as love nests/revenge plot hideouts. A whole bunch of bananas for your enjoyment! So glad I bought this one, so I could read along with Jen & Sarah!
April 20, 2024
730 days
My journey ends as it began with Anne Stuart. And what a journey it was-magical words strung together to make amazing sentences that are woven into luscious stories. This is an early work that foretells a multitude of fabulous reads. It is a good read.
My journey ends as it began with Anne Stuart. And what a journey it was-magical words strung together to make amazing sentences that are woven into luscious stories. This is an early work that foretells a multitude of fabulous reads. It is a good read.
February 29, 2020
4.5 stars! I'm kinda sad to say goodbye to these addicting characters. Such a lovely snow burn romance 💙
Read
May 25, 2021What a wild ride
May 30, 2021
Holy moley Batman, this is.....so crazy bananas LOL
Read
June 7, 2021I read this to read along with the Fated Mates podcast. This book is a WILD relic from Romancelandia of yore, and totally unrateable.
October 18, 2022
Harlequin Famous Firsts - 2
Harlequin Intrigue - 5
Men Made In America (reissues) - 11
Men Made in America 2 (reissues) - 11
Harlequin Intrigue - 5
Men Made In America (reissues) - 11
Men Made in America 2 (reissues) - 11
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews